Archbishop Hannan rolling after fifth straight win

After opening the season with a loss to a very good Class 5A football team in Mandeville, Archbishop Hannan has proven to be nails.

The Hawks continued to prove their mettle Friday night, going to Kentwood and whipping previously unbeaten Jewel Sumner 30-6 in an 8-3A district showdown. It was the fifth straight victory for Hannan.

As is typically the case, Jake Dalmado led the way, rushing for 155 yards on 21 carries with a pair of touchdowns, eclipsing the 1,000 yard rushing mark on the season.

Dalmado put the Hawks on top to stay, racing 20 yards for a touchdown to pass the 1,000 yard mark to give Hannan a 7-0 first quarter lead.

Quarterback Cory Robinson then broke loose on a 40-yard touchdown jaunt to give the Hawks a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. Hannan recorded a safety later in the quarter as a host of Hawks tackled Laquantion Bickham, led by Cullen Jennings, to take a 16-0 lead by halftime.

The lead grew to 23-0 on a 2-yard touchdown run by Robinson in the third quarter before the Cowboys finally got on the board, capitalizing on a turnover by Hannan as Bickham returned a fumble 40 yards for a touchdown to make it 23-6.

The Hawks put the game away in the fourth quarter as Dalmado scored on a 34-yard run to account for the final margin.

In his second stint as head coach of the Hawks, Corey Bordelon said on the Three Tailgaters Show on 106.1 FM Saturday morning that he was very pleased with his team’s effort.

“The boys came out ready to go and played really well and executed the plan,” Bordelon said. “We have great senior leadership and a good supporting cast below them. It’s a team concept, not a “me” concept. Our growth is based on that. We played with nine kids out, for some reason or another, had kids play both ways, and still got the job done. It’s really fun and it becomes an easier job when you have everybody being all in.”

Bordelon is bullish on the play of Dalmado.

“I can’t say enough good things about him,” Bordelon said. “I’ve coached some really good players. Both of us agree that Jake probably runs inside and outside zone better than anyone I’ve ever seen. He sets his blocks up. Something is there that looks great. When things aren’t there, he makes things happen. He is humble, modest, never runs his mouth. He just shows up and does his job. I cannot say enough good things about him.”

Robinson drew great praise as well.

“He makes all the checks at the line. He studies and always gives you an outlet. We are never outnumbered. He does what we need him to do, whether it is to throw it, which he does well or to run it, which he does well. Like Jake, he is humble as well. He is a great person and player.”

What is the difference at Hannan now as compared to the first stint when Bordelon left in 2006?

“When I was here first, I always looked at Hannan as my retirement job,” Bordelon said. “I fell in love with it. We loved everything about it. When it didn’t work out the first time, for whatever reason, it came around again about 15 years later, this is the one I wanted, thought about and prayed on. It happened for us. It was the right time.”

Hannan (5-1, 2-0) is now in control of its own destiny to win its district. The Hawks will host Loranger next Friday at 7 p.m. in 8-3A action.

The Cowboys (5-1, 2-1) will seek to rebound at Bogalusa next Friday at 7 p.m. in district play.

“The goal is a winning season and a district championship,” Bordelon said. “The next goal is to beat Loranger next week. Loranger is No. 1 on our list. There are a lot of quality teams in our division. You look ahead a bit, or course. St. Thomas More and De La Salle are really good. University High, Parkview Baptist and E.D. White are really good. It will be really good, quality play in the playoffs in Division II.