Marksville is too much for Patterson

The Patterson Lumberjacks outscored Marksville 26-23 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a big first half by the home standing Tigers as Marksville advanced to the second round of the Class 3A playoffs with a 51-33 victory Friday.
While Marksville (10-1) took a 44-14 lead late in the third quarter, Patterson (3-8) outscored them 19-6 the remainder of the way, mostly utilizing its passing game to move the ball down the field and onside kicks to keep possession.
First-year Patterson Coach Marvin Dantzler said his team talked about all week that regardless of the outcome Friday, his squad wanted to compete.
“To win the second half, we did that,” he said. “It’s not like they stopped playing. We had our chances. We got down there twice and didn’t score, but that’s part of the game, but I’m pleased with these kids. The record doesn’t speak for how much they’ve overcome this year. Because we (were) 0-6 at one point, and here we are on the road against a 10-1 team, and we’re fighting and we’re holding our own.”
Patterson cut its deficit to 44-21 after quarterback Hector Tolento connected with Dontre Nicholas for a 17-yard touchdown pass with 9:44 remaining.
Marksville recovered Patterson’s onside kick attempt and went down and scored on quarterback Laqaaron Mingo’s 5-yard run.
However, Patterson countered on its next drive with a Tyric Garrett 2-yard touchdown run with 4:42 remaining to cut its lead 51-27.
The Lumberjacks recovered the ensuing onside kick attempt at the Marksville 48 and scored a little more than a minute after its last touchdown when Dajon Richard ran 12 yards for a touchdown with 3:33 remaining in the game. Tolento’s two-point pass was no good.
Marksville recovered Patterson’s next onside kick attempt and ran out the clock for the win.
Dantzler said the difference in the second half production as opposed to the first half was calming his team down.
“I think when you’re dealing with a lot of kids who’ve never played in the playoffs, there were plays there where we’ve got rattled,” he said. “The players got rattled, and it’s my job as a coach who’s been here (to the playoffs) to calm everybody down.”
Marksville outgained Patterson 508-300 on offense. Marksville had 415 yards rushing and another 93 passing. Mingo led Marksville as he rushed 20 times for 266 yards and three touchdowns, while completing 9 of 15 passes for 93 yards with one more score and one interception.
Ze Ballard added eight carries for 75 yards and two touchdowns, while Juantravious Jones was the leading receiver with five catches for 49 y yards. Fabian Jacobs added one catch for a 28-yard touchdown.
Patterson had 265 yards passing, but its run game was limited to just 35 yards.
Tolento and Richard led Patterson offensively. Tolento completed 15 of 32 passes for 265 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Richard caught five passes for 105 yards and two scores, while he rushed nine times for 44 yards and another touchdown.
Garrett added another rushing touchdown for the Lumberjacks, while Jordan Butler caught six passes for 92 yards. Nicholas added two catches for 38 yards and a score.
Marksville began the game with touchdowns on its first four offensive possessions.
The Tigers got the ball to start the game and capped a drive with a 24-yard touchdown run by Mingo with 9:03 left in the first quarter. The home team added touchdowns with 5:58 left on Ballard’s 8-yard run, with 53 seconds remaining in the quarter on Mingo’s 28-yard pass to Jacobs and on Mingo’s 34-yard touchdown run with 6:02 remaining in the second quarter.
Marksville’s lone drive it didn’t score on was its final one of the second quarter when it ran out the clock.
Trailing 28-0, Patterson was able to get on the scoreboard late in the half when it moved the ball 54 yards in five plays, capped by a Tolento 7-yard pass to Dajon Richard with 3:51 remaining in the opening half. Christian Soria’s extra point was good for a 28-7 lead.
The big play on the drive was a 27-yard completion from Tolento to Butler on a third-down-and-four situation from the Marksville 40.
While Patterson got the ball down to the Marksville 23 on its final drive of the first half, a penalty backed the squad up and Tolento’s fourth down pass was incomplete to turn to ball over.
Patterson got the ball to begin the second half and struck quickly with a three-play, 68-yard drive. On third down with 5 yards to go for a first down, Tolento connected with Richard, who hauled in a short pass and took it 62 yards for a touchdown with 10:52 remaining in the third quarter. Soria’s extra point was good to cut the Marksville lead to 28-14.
However, Marksville countered with a touchdown on a Ballard 25-yard run on its next possession with 10:02 remaining for a 34-14 lead.
Later in the period after stopping Tolento a yard short of the end zone on fourth-and-goal, Marksville capitalized on the turnover as Mingo capped the drive with a 64-yard run with 2:19 remaining for a 44-14 Marksville advantage.
Marksville will continue its season in the second round Friday when it hosts No. 12 Carroll. Carroll advanced after defeating No. 21 Albany, 47-23, in other first-round action.
For Patterson, Friday’s game was the final one for the team’s 16 seniors.
“I’m proud of them,” Dantzler said. “The biggest thing is none of them quit, and they grew. I (saw) the growth as a head coach. They grew. We just ran out of time together, but I’m proud of every last one of them. It’s definitely a different bunch from what I had in week 1. Week 1, you wouldn’t have saw what you saw in the second half of this game, so that’s what I’m proud of.”