'Jacks clinch 9-3A title

Patterson cruised to the District 8-3A championship with a lackluster 43-14 win against Franklin Thursday.
The rare Thursday night game was held for the Lumberjacks after it was moved up a day because of possible inclement weather Friday.
Thursday’s contest was played in front of a small crowd and in an eerily quiet stadium.
“We didn’t play well at all,” Patterson head coach Chad Blanchard said. “We didn’t play like a district champion is supposed (to) come out and play. It’s the 10th game of the season and we took everything for granted, and good teams don’t do that. You can’t expect to be successful in the long run if you take teams for granted, and I’m hoping we learned a lesson.”
Patterson (8-2, 6-0) won its eighth consecutive game after dropping its first two games of the season.
“We had to overcome a lot of stuff all year and not just during the season but in the offseason as well,” Blanchard said. “We’re hoping that all the adversity we’ve faced and all we’ve gone through will help us in the playoffs. Hopefully we can go on a good run.”
Patterson scored on four of five first-half possessions en route to a 24-0 halftime lead.
Nehemiah Augustus got the ’Jacks going with a six-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Sirbatian Charles. Augustus also had a 20-yard catch to setup the score. Christian Soria added the point-after kick for a 7-0 lead with 9:39 remaining in the first quarter.
Charles completed 12 of 17 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown for Patterson, while Augustus caught three passes for 49 yards and a score.
Patterson speedy senior D.J. Jones struck next, ripping the Franklin (1-9, 0-6) defense for a 50-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second series at the 7:50 mark of the first quarter. Soria’s kick extended the lead to 14-0. Jones carried six times for 112 yards and two scores Thursday.
The ’Jacks got another score on Mykel Jones’ 58-yard touchdown run to close out the first quarter, extending Patterson’s lead 21-0.
Mykel Jones carried two times for 63 yards and a score. He also caught two passes for 30 yards.
Franklin got its first first-down early in the second quarter and put together a 12-play drive that ended at Patterson’s 5-yard line on a fourth down.
The Hornets had 259 yards of total offense (210 yards rushing and 49 yards passing). They also totaled 11 first-downs.
Patterson ended the second quarter with Soria’s first field goal of the season, a 37-yarder with seven seconds left.
“We gave him some chances throughout practices all season and he had an opportunity for a 37-yarder last week and he came up a little short, so it was exciting to see him make one,” Blanchard said.
Patterson led 24-0 at halftime.
Franklin opened the scoring in the third quarter with a 52-yard touchdown run from running back Devynn Armstead. The point-after kick failed, making the score 24-6 with 10:59 remaining in the third quarter.
Patterson answered with a five-play, 39-yard drive that Tristen Ausama capped with a 1-yard run with 8:03 remaining in the third. Soria’s kick failed but Patterson was in control, 30-6.
Ausama carried nine times for 99 yards and touchdown.
The ’Jacks turned a Hornets’ fumble into points when D.J. Jones got his second rushing touchdown of the game, a 44-yarder with 5:12 remaining in the third quarter. The two-point conversion attempt failed, but Patterson extended the lead to 36-6.
After a near brawl, K’hyri Harris intercepted a Tylon Ireland pass to give the ball back to Patterson, but the ’Jacks couldn’t convert, punting to Franklin.
The Hornets added another score when Charles Burrell broke free for a 55-yard scoring run with 6:12 remaining.
Franklin added the two-point conversion to bring the score to 36-14.
Patterson added its last score of the night despite wholesale changes on the offense. Freshman Dajon Richard added a 44-yard touchdown run with just 59.4 seconds remaining in the game. Richard carried five times for 50 yards and a touchdown.
Patterson will advance to the Class 3A playoffs, which begin next week. Brackets will be released by the Louisiana High School Athletics Association Sunday.

PHS FHS
First downs: 20 11
Rushing yards: 341 210
Passing yards: 149 49
Total yards: 490 259
A-C-HI: 17-12-0 16-2-2
Penalties-yards: 10-75 7-80
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 1-1

Score By Quarters
PHS 21 3 12 7
FHS 0 0 6 8

Scoring Summary
First Quarter
PHS: Nehemiah Augustus 5-yard pass from Sirbatian Charles (Christian Soria Kick) 9:39

PHS: D.J. Jones 50-yard run (kick good) 7:50

PHS: Mykel Jones 58-yard run (kick good) 0:42

Second Quarter
PHS: Soria 37-yard field goal 0:07

Third Quarter
FHS: Devynn Armstead 52-yard run (run failed) 10:59

PHS: Tristen Ausama 1-yard run (kick failed) 8:03

PHS: D.J. Jones 44-yard run (pass failed) 5:12

Fourth Quarter
FHS: Charles Burrell 55-yard run (run good) 6:12

PHS: Da’jon Richard 44-yard run (kick good) 0:59

Patterson Individual Stats
Passing
Sirbatian Charles, 12-17-0, 149 yds., 1 TD; Hector Tolento, 0-1-0, 0 yds.

Rushing
Nehemiah Augustus, 2-13 yds.; D.J. Jones, 6-112 yds., 2 TDs; Mykel Jones, 2-63 yds., TD; Hector Tolento, 2-(-13) yds.; Sirbatian Charles, 7-17 yds.; Tristen Ausama, 9-99 yds., TD; Da’jon Richard, 5-50 yds., TD.

Receiving
Brennan Gouaux, 2-19 yds; Shay Ragas, 1-10 yds.; Nehemiah Augustus, 3-49, TD; D.J. Jones, 1-13 yds.; Mykel Jones, 2-30 yds.; Jordan Butler, 1-(-1) yds.; Tristen Ausama, 2-29 yds.