The Many Tiger’s 2022 redemption tour ended in fine fashion during the afternoon of December 10 when they captured the LHSAA Division III State Championship with a win over Union Parish Farmers by a score of 35-13.
On their way to the victory, the Tigers’ efforts brought forth a number of superior stats. Throughout the season it wasn’t the passing game that garnered the most attention, but the rushing game. However, University of Southern California commit Tackett Curtis completed half of his passes for nine total yards. On that rushing end, multiple players created 398 total yards of offense accounting for all seven of the team’s touchdowns during the game. Jeremiah James was the top yardage producer, and had 17 attempts for 140 yards, two touchdowns, and a 51-yard longest run. Trent Williams was not too far behind as he gained 102 yards on 16 attempts with one touchdown and a longest run of 28 yards. Curtis had seven rushing attempts for 99 yards and two touchdowns with a longest run of 80 yards. Also getting touches were Trevor Mclendon with three carries for 41 yards and Sylvonte Aldredge with three runs for 17 yards. James was the only Tiger receiver of the game getting the one pass for nine yards.
The defense was also “fired up and ready.” They kept the Farmers off kilter for most of the game, especially in its late stages. Union Parish only had 240 yards of total offense, broken down into 68 yards passing and 172 yards on the ground. Union only saw eight first downs throughout the game as well, which was half the number recorded by the Tigers. Of note was their work against the LSU commit Treyvion Holly, the Union Parish ace, whose 11 attempts for 115 yards and one touchdown led the team in offensive production.
The Farmers received the ball to begin the game, but the Tiger defense made them go three-and-out during the opening possession.
Although gaining yardage and two first downs on their first drive, the Tigers had to have Deacon Lafollette punt.
The next Farmer possession began better than the first, with Holly rushing to the left for a 44 yard gain before being stopped by Ty Singleton. Their drive didn’t last much longer after a quarterback keeper from Jordan Hill was completely stopped by Swazy Carheel.
It wasn’t long after when Curtis ran to the left for a gain of 80 yards and the first score of the game, giving the tigers a 7-0 lead after the extra point.
The Union Parish team answered back just as fast when Holly immediately ran for 63 yards for a touchdown that tied the score 7-7.
Midway through the second quarter Many put up their second touchdown of the night when Williams ran up the middle for the 12 yard run. Lafollette missed the point attempt leaving the score 13-7.
Union Parish was to have one more possession before halftime making positive yardage but running into Blake Matkin, Singleton, and Jonathan Anderson throughout the drive. Their last play of the half saw them miss a field goal to end the drive.
Many received the ball to begin the third quarter but went threeand- out before Lafollette punted 43 yards to the Union 25 yard line. However, the next Farmer drive saw a pass from Hill to Tomorrio Bilberry who lost the ball to the Tigers when Singleton forced a fumble.
That defensive turnover was capitalized upon by the Tigers, as the next drive was a scoring one seeing Jeremiah James hit the endzone twice: once for a touchdown and then immediately after for the two-point conversion. Many now led 21-7.
Union Parish’s final score of the game was to come on the ensuing possession when Jy’Marion Island took it up the gut for a three yard touchdown before Pat Ryan missed their point attempt leaving the Tigers ahead 21-13.
The fourth quarter was solidly controlled by the Many Tigers and capped off with a threeyard touchdown run by Curtis to give the tigers a two-score lead 28-13. James and Williams had big contributions to that drive to put the Tigers in scoring position. Later, it was Jeremiah James scoring the season’s touchdown finale with a 51 yard run to the left for the points. Lafollette struck true once again as well, giving the Tigers their final 35-13 score.
The Tigers defense maintained momentum for their last outing of the night forcing Union to punt with 4:58 left in the game. From there it was strictly running down the clock by Many, with the trio of James, Williams, and Aldredge seeing multiple gains over eight plays for 54 yards before a knee was taken as the last and final play of this monumental undefeated season.