The Haughton Buccaneers suffered their first loss of the season, 32-24, to the defending District 1-4A champion Woodlawn Knights on Thursday night at Independence Stadium.
The Bucs (2-1) only had two turnovers in the game but both were costly.
The Knights (2-1) returned an interception 18 yards for a touchdown midway through the third quarter. That cut a 14-6 Haughton halftime lead to 14-12. The two-point conversion attempt failed.
The second turnover came as Haughton was on the verge of a potential 10-point lead.
Ahead 21-18 late in the third quarter, the Bucs recovered a muffed punt. A long pass from Cameron Townsend, who completed 21 of 31 passes for 325 yards, to Keyshawn Davis put Haughton at the Knights 6.
Townsend went up the middle on a keeper. As he was about to cross the goalline, the ball was knocked loose and Woodlawn recovered in the end zone for a touchback.
The Knights promptly drove 80 yards for a touchdown mostly behind the running of All-District 1-4A running back Trivensky Mosley. After another try for two failed, Woodlawn led 24-21 with 8:18 left to play.
The Knights were successful on only one two-point conversion in five attempts. That came after Larry Moton turned a swing pass into a 73-yard TD with 5:08 remaining in the game and put Woodlawn ahead 32-21. Moton also had a 52-yard TD run in the third quarter to give Woodlawn its first lead of the game at 18-14. Haughton cut the lead to eight with 2:13 left in the game on a 24-yard field goal by Korbin Schmidt, but the Bucs could get no closer.
It was a game of big plays and Haughton had two in the first half.
Tristan Sweeney caught a 92-yard TD pass from Townsend and Kynan Hayes raced 56 yards for a score. Schmidt converted after both TDs and the Bucs led 14-0.
Sweeney made a diving 19-yard catch in the back left corner of the end zone to give Haughton a 21-18 lead with 2:37 left in the third quarter.
Sweeney finished with six catches for 159 yards. Davis had three for 61. C.J. McWilliams had four for 58. All three are sophomores.
Both teams went over the 400-yard mark in total yards, according to Haughton stats. The Bucs had 439 and the Knights 418. Woodlawn’s Mosley finished with 157 yards on 21 carries. Defensively, Matthew White led Haughton with six solo tackles and two assists.
Riley Wallis had five solos and two assists. Greg Phil had five solos. Harrison Voigt had four solos and two assists. Jalob Walker had four solos and one assist.
Haughton opens District 1-5A play at home against Byrd on Friday, Sept. 22. The Yellow Jackets (2-0) visit Sulphur Friday.
— Russell Hedges, rhedges@bossierpress.com
