The Haughton Bucs’ dream of an undefeated season ended Friday night in Natchitoches at Northwestern State’s Turpin Stadium.
Haughton suffered its first loss of the season, falling to previously winless Natchitoches Central 27-14.
Haughton dropped to 8-1 overall and 4-1 in District 1-5A. Natchitoches Central improved to 1-8 and 1-4.
The Bucs could have clinched a share of the district championship with a victory.
The good news is the district title is still there for the taking. For the second year in a row, the championship will be decided on the final day of the regular season.
Last year, Evangel Christian defeated Parkway for the title in Week 10. Friday night at Prescott Field, Evangel (5-4, 4-1) and Haughton will battle for the title. The Eagles, with LSU commit Peyton Houston back at quarterback, defeated Airline 52-42 Friday night.
Haughton Head Coach Matthew Sewell isn’t one to make excuses. A flu bug hit the Haughton campus and it didn’t spare Sewell’s players, including senior running back Brandon Craig, the frontrunner for the All-Parish Offensive MVP.
In the Bucs’ 42-28 victory over Airline in Week 8, he rushed for 256 yards and on 38 carries and scored five touchdowns. Against Natchitoches Central, he carried four times for 20 yards, including a 17-yard run.
The Bucs also lost defensive back Kendell Hargrove, a three-year starter, to an ankle injury in the first half.
Sewell said his team did not play well, but he preferred to give credit to Natchitoches Central Head Coach Brad Laird and the Chiefs.
“We had chances and didn’t play well, but they played great and they had an awesome game plan,” he said. “And then they ran the ball very well and played well on defense.
“Hats off to Coach Laird and those guys, to be 0-and-8 and still playing as hard as they are. They do a great job, and they’ve dealt with injuries all year long, and to have them still playing the way that they are, I mean, I think that says a lot about those coaches and and what they’re doing. So hats off to them.”
As Sewell said, the Bucs missed some opportunities.
On Natchitoches Central’s first possession, Haughton stopped the Chiefs on fourth-and-goal from the 2. The Bucs then drove from their 1 to inside the Natchitoches Central 30. But on fourth-and-1 from the 26 they were stopped inches short of a first down.
The Chiefs then drove 76 yards for their first touchdown.
After forcing a punt, Natchitoches Central drove 73 yards to go up 14-0 with 2:03 left in the half.
Haughton quickly moved down the field. But quarterback Taylor Weathersby was stopped three yards short of the end zone on a scramble on the last play of the half.
Haughton only had three possessions in the first because of both teams’ time-consuming drives.
The Bucs quickly cut the deficit in half on in the first minute of the second quarter. Sophomore Nolan Simmons ran 55 yards for a touchdown. Ethan Osbon’s PAT made it 14-7.
But the Chiefs answered with a 67-yard touchdown drive, scoring on a 25-yard swing pass on fourth-and-2.
On Haughton’s next possession, Natchitoches Central’s Derrick Beaudion returned an interception 58 yards for a touchdown. The PAT was no good and the Chiefs led 27-7 with 5:23 left in the third quarter.
Haughton then had a long touchdown pass from Weathersby to Cade Corkern nullified by an ineligible receiver downfield penalty. The Bucs still had a chance but failed to convert a fourth down at the Chiefs 32.
Haughton then forced a punt and drove 92 yards for a touchdown on a 3-yard pass from Weathersby to Ethan Johnson with 7:03 left in the game.
The Bucs got the ball back and drove to the Natchitoches Central 34. But they failed again to convert a fourth down and the Chiefs ran out the clock.
Haughton had 425 yards total offense which is not much below their season average.
Of course, the 14 points marked the first time this season Haughton failed to score below 41 points.
Simmons ran the ball well and finished with 131 yards on 14 carries.
Weathersby completed 23-of-40 passes for 222 yards. Corkern had 10 catches for 81 yards. Johnson had seven for 84. CT Woodard had three for 31.