’Jacks beat Vandebilt for first win of season

The Patterson Lumberjacks got their first win of the season with an emphatic 41-20 victory against Vandebilt Friday.
The win also was the initial one for first-year Patterson head coach Chad Blanchard.
In the win, Tristen Ausama and Mykel Jones put up big numbers to lead Patterson’s offense.
Ausama, a junior running back, carried 12 times for 202 yards and three touchdowns, while Jones, a junior receiver, had two catches for 136 yards and two scores.
After a Patterson three-and-out to start the game, Vandebilt wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. The Terriers pounded the ‘Jacks defense with four straight Gage Corte runs to setup a Thomas St. Martin 4-yard touchdown run at the 7:57 mark of the first quarter. The Terriers missed the PAT for a 6-0 lead.
Corte, one off the Houma area’s top rushers, carried 23 times for 72 yards to lead Vandebilt Catholic’s ground attack.
Patterson answered the Vandebilt score right away. Junior quarterback Sirbatian Charles hooked up with Jones on Patterson’s first play from scrimmage, and he outran everyone for a 68-yard touchdown.
“I thought we needed to (get) him the ball early because he’s very important to what we do on offense, and it paid big dividends for us,” Patterson head coach Chad Blanchard said.
Patterson took the 7-6 lead on Christian Soria’s PAT kick.
On the ‘Jacks next possession, Ausama started to rip the Terriers’ defense. Ausama and Charles took turns picking up huge chunks, leading to an Ausama 4-yard touchdown with 2:12 remaining and a 14-6 Patterson lead at the end of the opening quarter.
Vandebilt sophomore quarterback David Yancey, the Terrier’s signal caller in for injured starter Bailey Pere, showed he was capable on the next Terriers’ possession, finding tight end Chase Hutchinson for a 26-yard touchdown at the 10:04 mark of the second quarter. Josh Pitre added the PAT kick as Vandebilt Catholic got back into the game, trailing 14-13.
Yancey was 11-of-22 passing for 153 yards and a touchdown.
“David Yancey did a great job tonight,” Vandebilt coach Jeremy Atwell said. “I thought he stepped in and did really well. He managed the game great.”
Ausama broke free for 42 yards on the ‘Jacks’ next possession and capped the drive with a 6-yard touchdown at the 9:13 mark as Patterson extended its lead to 21-13.
“Tristen has done a really, really good job the last couple weeks, and he continues to get better,” Blanchard said. “Our offensive line has been getting better, too, and the last couple weeks they’ve been outstanding.”
Ausama averaged nearly 17 yards per carry. He had his first 100-yard game last week with a 105-yard performance.
Charles and Jones connected for another 68-yard touchdown at the 5:58 mark of the second quarter as Patterson took a 28-13 lead into halftime.
Charles finished the game, completing 4-of-5 passes for 144 yards and two scores.
Patterson’s defense took center stage in the second half.
Despite Vandebilt dominating the time of possession in the third quarter, Patterson’s defense made them earn every yard. The Terriers’ opened their second-half drive on their 31-yard line, and 17 plays and 69 yards later, O’Shawn Henderson scored on a 1-yard run to make the score 28-20.
“We really challenged the defense this week, and they responded,” Blanchard said. “We gave up a couple touchdowns, but we tackled much better.”
Nehemiah Augustus, Dariont’e Brown, Charlie Kelly, Blake Dreyer and Malik Bass all had solid performances Friday.
After Vandebilt’s touchdown, the Terriers stole an onside kick.
However, the Terriers’ excitement didn’t last long as on a screen pass, Patterson’s Shundren Johnson tipped the ball up, caught it and returned the pass 45 yards for a touchdown and a 35-20 Patterson lead.
“We get the onside kick, call a screen play, the back is wide open, and the (Patterson) kid made a great play,” Atwell said. “It changed the game.”
Patterson got its first offensive possession with just 1:17 remaining in the third quarter and added to the lead when Ausama picked up 100 yards on two carries (a 66-yarder and a 34-yard touchdown run).
Neither team scored in the fourth quarter.
Patterson (1-3) travels to southwest Louisiana Friday to face Westlake (1-3).

Patterson Box Score
PHS VC First downs: 12 17
Rushing yards: 242 145
Passing yards: 144 153
Total yards: 386 298
A-C-HI: 5-4-0 22-11-1
Penalty-yards: 5-39 3-15
Fumbles-lost: 1-1 2-1

Score by Quarters
PHS 14 14 13 0 – 41
VC 6 7 7 0 – 20

Patterson Individual Stats Passing
Sirbatian Charles 4-of-5 for 144 yards 2TDs
Receiving
Mykel Jones 2-136 yds., 2TDs; D.J. Jones 1-8 yds.; Tristen Ausama 1-0 yds.

Rushing
Tristen Ausama 12-202 yds, 3TDs; Sirbatian Charles 4-10 yds; Nehemiah Augustus 1- (-5) yds; John Davis 3-1 yds; D.J. Jones 3-34 yds.