Article Image Alt Text

(The Daily Review/Mico Aloisio)

Article Image Alt Text

Mitchell Sanford, top photo, and the Berwick Panthers will host Dajon Richard, above, and the Patterson Lumberjacks Friday in a District 8-3A contest. Patteson is
4-3 overall and 2-0 in league play, while Berwick is 5-2 overall and 1-1 in district play. (The Daily Review/Mico Aloisio)

Berwick and Patterson to meet in District 8-3A contest

Its Patterson-Berwick week – and all is quite.
Last year Berwick exer-cised its gridiron demons with a 42-35 win over local and district rival Patterson.
It was the Panthers’ first win against the Lumberjacks since 1996, snapping a 20-year losing streak.
Patterson (4-3, 2-0 District 8-3A) circled this game on the schedule, hoping to reinstate its dominance in the rivalry.
“Who do we play this week,” Patterson’s first-year Coach Ryan Stewart joked. “I know one thing; it’s going to be a packed house, because everyone I’ve came across this week said they will be there. The kids know what’s at stake so there’s no need to talk about it. But, there’s pressure on both sidelines and the team that handles it the best will have the upper hand.”
Patterson leaned on standout runners Dontre Nicholas and Dajon Richard Friday at Abbeville and the duo responded with nearly 300-yards to secure a 34-24 District 8-3A win. Nicholas carried 17 times for 174 yards and 4 touchdowns while Richard carried 13 times for 92 yards. Nicholas leads the Lumberjacks’ rushers with 148 carries for 911 yards and 11 TDs and Richard has 94 carries for 694 yards and 6 TDs.
“It’s no secret that we are going to pound the football,” Stewart said. “That’s what we do. We’re not going to try to get cute and change anything.”
Richard was 4 of 7 passing for 80 yards and a TD and interception last week as Patterson took a 20-16 lead into halftime. The junior has completed 17 of 39 passes for 312 yards with 3 TDs and 3 interceptions while Randy Paul Jr. has completed 37 of 59 for 598 yards with 7 TDs and 1 int.
Patterson’s top receivers going into the game are Richard with 11 receptions for 322 yards and 5 TDs, Irvin Celestine with 15 receptions for 271 yards and 3 TDs, Kai Schexnayder with 9 catches for 126 yards,
Berwick (5-2, 1-1 District 8-3A) comes into Friday’s game after being outscored 30-0 in the second half and losing to Kaplan 46-28 last week. Kaplan scored touch-downs on four of its five second-half possessions, all using the ground game. The Pirates totaled 530 yards rushing.
Despite a slow second half, BHS had quite a productive first 24 minutes as quarterback Mitchell Sanford tossed three touchdown passes and ran another. The junior standout has completed 121 of 227 passes for 2,310 yards with 32 TDs and 6 intercep-tions.
“They have a four-headed monster over there,” Stewart said. “The quarterback has a super arm and we all know how good their receivers are and the running back is out-standing too. We have to take away that passing attack first. You can’t have those receivers running over the top of you for big plays and once you do that, then you still have to limit the run. They’re going to score some points, but you have to slow them down and make them earn it.”
Berwick’s receiving corps has put up big numbers led by Josh Carver with 46 catches for 963 yards and 15 TDs and LSU commit Kenan Jones with 39 catches for 780 yards and 9 TDs. Josh Jones has 13 catches for 192 yards, 2 TDs, Travis Whitehead has 12 catches for 181 yards and a TD while Collin Louviere has 10 catches for 166 yards and 4 TDs.
Josh Jones is the leading rusher with 97 carries for 793 yards and 9 TDs, while Sanford has carried 44 times for 407 yards and 2 TD.
Berwick Coach Eric Holden could not be reached for comment on Friday’s game.
Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Panther Stadium in Ber-wick.

ST. MARY NOW

Franklin Banner-Tribune
P.O. Box 566, Franklin, LA 70538
Phone: 337-828-3706
Fax: 337-828-2874

Morgan City Review
1014 Front Street, Morgan City, LA 70380
Phone: 985-384-8370
Fax: 985-384-4255