Tigers return home to face Ellender Friday

Morgan City High School is undefeated at home this season with a 4-0 mark.
After suffering consecutive losses on the road in their first two contests away from Morgan City, the Tigers return to their home stadium Friday night looking to start another win streak and keep their playoff hopes alive when they host Ellender.
The Tigers, who started the season 4-0, fell to Westminster in overtime two weeks ago, 28-21, in their first game away from Tiger Stadium this season.
A week ago, Morgan City fell 34-2 to South Lafourche in Morgan City’s District 7-4A opener. In that contest, mistakes on the Tigers’ part made things a lot easier for the Tarpons in the victory.
“I think we played ’em pretty tough,” Morgan City High School Coach Scott Tregle said of South Lafourche. “We gave ’em a lot of opportunities. I told the kids I’m waiting for somebody to give us those opportunities back. (It would) be nice. … The kids know what they did wrong. They’re going to correct it. It’s just something that happens.”
Tregle noted that practices improved.
“The kids (are) being held accountable, and they understand that we can’t win like that,” he said. “We can’t win with that type of effort, that type of mentality on the field.”
Tregle said when mistakes are made, the Tigers (4-2 overall, 0-1 in district) just have to move forward.
As for Ellender (1-5, 0-1), Tregle said that they are big and fast and athletic.
He said the Patriots didn’t make a lot of mistakes against the Tigers in Ellender’s victory a year ago, but Tregle is hoping that changes this year.
“Hopefully this year we can force them into making a few mistakes and create some turnovers and keep the ball from their offense,” Tregle said.
Offensively, Tregle said the Patriots’ main run formation is a double tight-end pistol look.
“Other than that, they spread you out a little bit and just throw the ball,” he said.
The Patriots feature running back Reginald Williams and quarterback Curtis Anderson.
“Reginald Williams can run,” Tregle said. “He’s a serious threat on offense. He’s probably the fastest running back we’ve faced all year so far.”
Williams has rushed 65 times for 351 yards and three touchdowns.
Anderson has completed 65 of 134 passes this season for 1,088 yards with nine touchdowns and six interceptions. He also has rushed 61 times for 211 yards and six touchdowns.
Anderson’s leading receiver is Da’vontavean Martin, who has caught 28 passes for 446 yards and four touchdowns, while Brisson Lewis adds 20 receptions for 341 yards and three touchdowns.
On the opposite side of the ball, Tregle said Ellender plays a 50 defense and uses man-to-man and cover zero.
“That’s what they did to us last year,” he said. “They have shown some 4-3, but I don’t think they’re going to play that much against us because we’re a run-dominated team. I think they’re going to stay in the 50, cover zero, and hopefully we can take advantage and hit a few big plays on them with that.”
The Tigers are led by their ground game, which features a balanced attack among Kedrick Scott, Malik Phillips and Ethan Scioneaux. Scott has rushed 67 times for 280 yards and three touchdowns, while Phillips has 42 carries for 273 yards and five touchdowns and Scioneaux, 38 carries for 271 yards and four touchdowns.
The Tigers, which have been forced to pass more in the past two weeks as teams begin to key on their ground game, are led through the air by quarterback Abram Hartley, who has completed 26-of-67 pass attempts for 466 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.
Makye Richard leads the Tigers’ receivers with 13 catches for 230 yards and three touchdowns, while Lloyd Singleton has caught six passes for 124 yards.
Friday’s game is set for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Additional reporting by www.bayoupreps.com.