Haynesville football wins 18th state championship after recent near misses
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The third time was a charm for LSU football signee and Haynesville football quarterback/defensive back Isaiah Washington. After back to back years of LHSAA Non-Select Division IV state runner-up finishes, this year the Tors got all the glory at the Caesars Superdome.
“When it all started since my freshman year, I was thrown into the water very early,” Washington said. “It was a lot of pressure but I had great senior classes that always told me to keep my head up. Them and the people of Haynesville, they’re always in my ear giving me an example of how to lead this team to success.”
Washington and the No. 1-seeded Tors did just that, taking down Mangham for a 39-37 victory to complete their perfect 14-0 season and 18th championship in school history. The Dragons (11-3) didn’t make it easy. Both squads went blow for blow, kicking off the state title games in the Dome with an offensive explosion to keep fans on the edge of their seats.
Listed at 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, Washington was a key difference maker for the Tors. On defense, he swung momentum into the Tors’ favor in the first half. The Dragons were driving, looking to snatch the lead back from Haynesville but Washington had other plans. He picked off Mangham’s quarterback Colby Casey for a 77-yard pick-6 to put his team up by two possessions.
The two-way three-star recruit would go on to finish the game with two more touchdowns, rushing for scores from 54 and 19 yards out, totaling 106 yards rushing on six carries. When it wasn’t Washington, sophomore running back Ethan Henderson was doing the scoring. He started the game with a fumble recovery scoop-and-score to put Haynesville on the board. Henderson finished the game rushing for two touchdowns from 7 and 59 yards out, leading Haynesville’s ground attack.
While the Tors relied solely on the ground game, completing no passes in the victory, that was nothing new for the Tors though with Washington, Henderson and host of other backfield weapons to depend on.
“It’s a blessed opportunity having these guys by my side,” Washington said. “Just doing everything together, practicing, ice baths, to staying the night before the game, it’s just a blessing to have this chemistry with each other for a long time, ever since elementary. All glory to God to have this opportunity with these guys.”
Defensively, the Tors had their work cut out for them against Mangham’s Casey and senior running back Willie Randolph. Both Dragons ran up the score, combining for four rushing touchdowns and a 22-yard touchdown pass from Casey. The Tors bent but never broke, keeping the Dragons out of the end zone with less than two minutes remaining to seal the game.
With the win, Haynesville’s two-year losing streak at the dome has officially ended.
“What we did today, you know showing guys like Ethan (Henderson) and that sophomore class that it is possible,” Washington said. “We just want to continue to stay blessed and continue to put in the work.”
Shannon Belt covers high school sports and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Haynesville football wins 18th LHSAA state championship
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