MCHS dominates Cohen for 29-0 homecoming win

Morgan City had little trouble in its homecoming contest with Cohen College Prep Friday, cruising to a 29-0 victory.

Morgan City only had six possessions due to the use of a running clock throughout the contest.

Cohen, a New Orleans-based Class 2A school, entered the game with just 17 players on its roster and had been outscored 138-0 in its first three games this season.

The Tigers defense held Cohen (0-3) to minus 10 yards of offense (all rushing). Cohen’s furthest movement downfield was to its 40-yard line, and the squad did not get a first down.

While Morgan City (3-1) did score on the majority of its offensive possessions, the drives they didn’t reach the end zone on stalled in the Cohen red zone.

Morgan City Coach Scott Tregle agreed the Tigers should have scored on those possessions.

“We missed some blocks. I don’t think the kids were playing hard at first. The homecoming, they’ve been out all week (at night). It’s just one of those things, and I tried to bust their tail at practice on top of them going out all week just to make a point that ‘look, your body can only take so much,’ and they came out in the second half and did better,” said Tregle, dressed in formal attire as he walked his daughter Ali Tregle across the field for halftime homecoming festivities. “We didn’t have any cramping or none of that, but yeah, I think that’s what slowed us down at first.”

After forcing Cohen to punt on its first possession, Morgan City blocked the punt, giving the Tigers possession at the Cohen 19.

From there, Morgan City needed just four plays to score, capped by a seven-yard run by quarterback Isaiah Escort on first down from the Cohen 7. Quang Nguyen’s extra point was good for a 7-0 Morgan City lead with 6:51 remaining in the first quarter.

While Morgan City recovered a fumble on the first play of Cohen’s next offensive possession at the Cohen 30, the Tigers were unable to capitalize with the drive stalling at the Cohen 16.

Morgan City got two points on Cohen’s next possession as on 4th-and-23 from the Cohen 4, Cohen snapped the ball and ran it out the back of the end zone.

After receiving the kickoff, Morgan City moved the ball to the Cohen 14, but again, the drive stalled there on fourth down.

Morgan City added one more touchdown on its next drive when Escort scored on a 25-yard run. Nguyen’s extra point with 3:38 remaining in the first half gave Morgan City a 16-0 lead.

The Tigers scored touchdowns on their two second-half possessions, via a four-yard run by Chris Gant with 7:15 remaining in the third quarter and again with 8:51 remaining in the game on Devonta Grogan’s 20-yard run. Nguyen’s point-after attempt was block after the first touchdown of the second half, while his attempt following the final touchdown was good.

Grogan led Morgan City with nine carries for 86 yards and a score.

Ethan Scioneaux added 11 carries for 51 yards as well as a reception for 25 yards.

Escort completed 1 of 7 passes for 25 yards, while he rushed twice for 32 yards and two touchdowns.

Morgan City totaled 219 yards of offense (194 rushing and 25 passing).

The Tigers will return to action Friday when they host Westminster Christian in Morgan City’s final tune up for District 7-4A play.

The game is a big one for Morgan City as Tregle said last year that overtime loss in Opelousas began a downward spiral to the Tigers’ season.

“Like I told them: ‘Westminster starts now. Get it on your mind right now,’” Tregle said. “Last year, this is the game that turned our season around for the worse, so we’re going to look to turn it around for the better.”

In that game last year, Morgan City got a 14-0 lead, and Westminster came back and eventually took a 21-14 lead. The game went into overtime, and Westminster beat Morgan City, 28-21.