When running back Daniel Thomas spun around St. Mary’s defenders and sprinted 59 yards for a touchdown Friday, the Tigers had life down just four points with about four minutes remaining.
What Many needed was a defensive stop.
But St. Mary’s moved the chains, marched down the field and stuck one in late en route to handing Many a 39-28 loss.
There’s been times when Many football (2-2) felt like it’s been way ahead of schedule in building back a program under first-year coach Tyler Hassell following the 2024 winless season.
Finding a way to make a stop in the waning minutes and another score to top St. Mary’s (1-3) on Friday would have been another feather in the program’s cap.
Not coming up with those plays Friday illustrates that its reconstruction continues.
Most Many fans would probably feel OK about a 2-2 record after four games this season, but many might not have expected the Tigers to plow through their first two opponents Logansport and DeRidder before dropping double-digit decisions to Leesville and St. Mary’s – both of whom earned their only wins of the season so far against Many.
Both Leesville and St. Mary’s are talented and will compete in their respective districts, but both entered the Many game trying to find their way in the early season.
Many will face a complete and constructed powerhouse when Class 5A Alexandria Senior High visits this Friday.
The Trojans (4-0) have won three games by 45 points or more and edged fellow Class 5A power Destrehan in the other game. The list of the defeated include West Feliciana (54-7), Union Parish (57-0) and Opelousas (59-6), the latter two of which have won state titles in their respective classifications since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coming off the program’s second appearance in a state championship game, ASH still looks like a title contender despite losing three-time all-state running back J.T. Lindsey and a host of key pieces from the 2024 team.
Quarterback Karson Sellers is back, and he’s thrown for 701 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Trojans involve a lot of backs in their running game.
ASH won this past year’s matchup against Many 69-7.