De La Salle survives, advances with 17-14 victory over Hannan

COVINGTON – This Division II quarterfinal was truly a game of inches.

A pass breakup on a fake field goal attempt on the game’s final play allowed fifth-seeded De La Salle to escape with a 17-14 victory over Archbishop Hannan Friday night at Hawk Field.

The Cavaliers (8-3) are in the semifinals for the third consecutive year and will face top-seeded University in a rematch of last year’s Division II championship game next week. The Hawks, which had the first undefeated regular season in school history, ended their season at 11-1.

De La Salle rallied from a 7-3 halftime deficit with 1-yard touchdown runs from Montrell Johnson and Kendall Collins to take a 17-7 lead with 10:15 remaining.

Hannan pulled within a field goal on a 30-yard pass from  Brantley Taylor to Dawson Millen with 2:13 remaining, and the Hawks got one final shot with 1:01 left after forcing a three-and-out.

Taylor completed four of six passes to get the Hawks to the De La Salle 29 with 5.1 seconds left.  Hannan coach Scott Wattigny sent out his field goal unit for an apparent 46-yard attempt to tie the game, but Millen, the holder, rolled out and threw into the end zone, where it was deflected away as the clock struck zero.

Collins was the workhorse of the De La Salle offense, rushing 31 times for 152 yards and a touchdown. Johnson had 61 of his 85 rushing yards after halftime.

Taylor finished 15 of 28 for 175 yards and two touchdowns.

De La Salle outgained Hannan 268-214. The Cavaliers had 234 of their yards on 49 rushing attempts.