7th-grade district could end in 3-way tie for first
The Haughton Buc-caneers completed a perfect run through the Bossier Parish middle school eighth-grade district with a 20-8 victory over the Rusheon Rams Tuesday night in Haughton.
The Buccaneers finished the season 6-0 overall and 5-0 in district. Many of the same players were on Haughton’s seventh-grade team that finished second a year ago.
“It’s just a great group of kids overall,” Haughton coach Aaron Oglesby said.
In other eighth-grade games, Greenacres defeated Benton 32-6 at Airline Stadium and Cope downed Elm Grove 40-16 at Preston Crownover Stadium.
Cope and Greenacres will play for second in the district next Tuesday at Airline Stadium.
The seventh-grade district could end in a three-way tie for first.
Haughton and Elm Grove are assured of shares of the title. Cope can earn a share by defeating Greenacres.
Elm Grove had a chance to win it outright Tuesday evening but fell to Cope 22-6.
That gave Haughton a share of the title. The Bucs defeated Rusheon 30-6. Elsewhere, Benton downed Greenacres 34-20.
Elm Grove finished 6-1 overall and 4-1 in district. Haughton finished 5-1 and 4-1. Cope improved to 3-1 in district.
At Haughton, Josh Lister scored two touchdowns for the eighth-grade Bucs.
Lister, one of the eighth-grade district’s top players, went 78 yards on a reverse and 28 on a run up the middle.
Quarterback Pryce Curry scored the Bucs’ other touchdown on a quarterback sneak. Haughton recovered an onsides kick to set up the TD.
Oglesby said his whole defense turned in an outstanding effort. He also praised the Rusheon defense.
Kynan Hayes scored touchdowns on runs of 35 and 20 yards to lead the Haughton seventh-graders.
Jarod Jackson tossed a 38-yard touchdown pass to Mario Cook, and Gregory Phill scored on a 4-yard run.
Hayes scored two conversions and DJ Monroe scored one.
At Airline, Greenacres quarterback Noah Hildebrand ran for one touchdown and passed for another in the Mustangs’ eighth-grade victory.
Hildebrand, brother of Airline quarterback Hayden Hildebrand, has had an outstanding season, passing for more than 600 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Josh James, who has also been a standout all season, ran for one touchdown and caught a pass for another. He also picked off two passes.
Benton got several good performances in the seventh-grade victory.
Carter Parks and Dylan Plunkett both returned interceptions for touchdowns. Jermaine Newton’s pressure on the quarterback contributed to Plunkett’s interception.
Garrett Hable scored on a quarterback sneak. Doyle Adams Jr. set up the TD with a 40-yard run.
Adams scored from the 1 after Hable passed 42 yards to Brooks Cram.
Jordan Myles broke a 14-14 tie with an 8-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Myles, Adams, Parks and Hable all scored conversions.
Benton coach Jared Stowell said TJ Anderson and Cram were among the defensive standouts.
At Preston Crownover Stadium, Courtney Turner had a huge game for the Cope eighth-grade team. He scored five touchdowns, including one on a 72-yard run.
Christian Phipps scored the Cougars’ other touchdown on a 70-yard kickoff return.
Another offensive highlight for Cope was a 55-yard pass from Jonathan Brandon to KJ Bilbo.
Dustyn Arceneaux and Nathan Otis both had outstanding games on defense, coach Daniel Turnbow said.
Malcom Banks scored on a 40-yard pass from Colten Nicholas and had two conversions to lead Elm Grove. Kade Wallace also scored on an 8-yard run.
Elm Grove coach Mark Tabor said Joseph Bush and Tony Beckwith played well on defense.
Cameron Davis rushed for 156 yards and scored on a 5-yard run in Cope’s seventh-grade victory. The Cougars rolled up 256 yards rushing.
Quillin Dixon ran 45 yards for a touchdown and finished with 65 yards on the ground.
Harrison Tauzin intercepted a pass and returned it 45 yards for a score.
Davis and Kobe Johnson scored conversions.
The Cougars had five sacks.
Tauzin, Dylan Lindsey, Jacob Bowden and Natorious Blackshire were defensive standouts, Cope coaches said.
Craylon McGee scored Elm Grove’s lone touchdown.
Tabor said quarterback Matthew McKee performed well after coming off the bench. Trace Schmid and Levar Allen were defensive standouts.
