Patterson score late to top MCHS, 8-7

Patterson scored with just seconds remaining on the clock to upend Morgan City in the nightcap of the Morgan City Jamboree Friday at Tiger Stadium.
Trailing 7-0 with less than 2 minutes left in the game’s 15-minute quarter, Patterson running back Dajon Richard had a long run to the Morgan City 6-yard line.
Patterson quarterback Dillan Giandelone carried the ball down to the 2-yard line before spiking the ball on consecutive snaps to set up a fourth down and 2 at the 2-yard line with 12 seconds remaining.
Richard powered in from there to score with 8 seconds left. Patterson decided to go for a two-point conversion and the win. Richard powered in again for an 8-7 Patterson lead with 8 seconds left.
Morgan City got the ball back for a final play, but Patterson linebacker Tyric Garrett sacked Morgan City quarterback Isaiah Escort to end the game.
Each scrimmage was 15 minutes long with no halftime.
“We’re young and still learning, but it’s good to see the kids find a way to win,” Patterson first-year Coach Marvin Dantzler said. “We got ourselves in a hole, and you’re just playing a quarter, so it’s not like we had four quarters to come back. We had about 9 minutes to answer. We showed some grit when we had to. Now we have to get better from here.”
Morgan City struck on the game’s first series when Escort hit speedster Makye Richard for a 66-yard touchdown with 13:44 remaining in the quarter. Morgan City added the PAT kick for a 7-0 lead that held until the final seconds.
“I think they played hard, but we’re still making too many mistakes,” Morgan City Coach Scott Tregle said. “I told them that the coaches are going to get better and so will they. It’s a process.”
Centerville 21,
MCHS JV 0
In the first game, Centerville shut out Morgan City’s junior varsity, 21-0.
The Bulldogs used a big kickoff return from Matt LeBourgeois and a 17-yard touchdown run from DeAndre Kinchen to grab a 6-0 lead in the opening minutes.
Kinchen added a 27-yard scoring run with 12:08 remaining, and Noah Verrett added a two-point conversion to extend the Bulldogs’ lead to 14-0.
Verrett added a 7-yard run with 32 seconds left for the game’s final touchdown. Centerville opens the season Friday at Grand Lake.
MCHS 14, Berwick 0
In the second game, Morgan City outlasted Berwick, 14-0.
The Tigers got two big plays from junior Kalen Hillen to run past the Panthers. Hillen scored on a 65-yard run with 10:53 remaining for a 6-0 MCHS lead, and he added a 40-yard touchdown reception from Escort with 5:10 left to push the Tiger’s lead to 12-0.
Berwick’s offense moved the ball, but Morgan City’s defensive line made plays to stymie the Panthers’ offense.
Berwick snapped the ball over punter Austin Price’s head in the final seconds to give Morgan City the two-score win.
Berwick will host Morgan City in both teams’ season opener Friday.
“We had a couple fewer mistakes than Berwick tonight, but they played hard and a full game can be a different story if we’re not ready to play Friday,” Tregle said.
Patterson 14, Berwick 6
In the third game, Patterson overcame Berwick for a 14-6 victory.
Berwick standout receiver Kenan Jones caught two long passes to set up a 3-yard touchdown run by Joshua Jones to give Berwick an early 6-0 lead.
But Patterson grabbed the momentum right back with three long Richard runs. Giandelone then connected with Khyri Harris on a 19-yard pass to tie the game with 8:27 remaining. Christian Soria’s kick gave the ’Jacks a 7-6 lead.
Giandelone added a 15-yard rushing score and Soria the kick to extend the Patterson lead to 14-6 with 4:08 remaining.
Harris ended Berwick’s next drive with an interception off Colin Louviere with 2:30 remaining, and Patterson ran out the clock.
“We were competitive but inconsistent,” Berwick’s first-year coach Eric Holden said. “I feel confident we will make adjustments and continue to move in the right direction.”