Slidell stages dramatic rally past Mandeville for first win

Having the ability to compete with good teams and having the ability to win are essential.

Knowing how to win and actually winning is the place at which all teams want to arrive.

The arrival came for Slidell, a little later than hope for, Friday night at The Coliseum at Lakeshore High School.

The Tigers staged a furious rally to overcome a three touchdown deficit and then gambled and won in dramatic fashion, edging Mandeville 36-35 in a District 6-5A thriller.

Luke Guidry connected with Jayden Everhart on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 57 seconds left in the game to pull Slidell within 35-34 of Mandeville.

Then, Slidell coach Malter Scobel elected to go for the win.

There was no trick play.

Tamaj Hoffman bulled his way into the end zone for the game-winning, 2-point conversion to give the Tigers a dramatic win.

“We were going for the win,” Scobel said Friday night on Ken Trahan’s Original Prep Football Report. “Everyone was all in on getting the win.”

Slidell entered the game 0-3 but the Tigers could have easily been 3-0.

The Tigers had the lead in all three previous games, losses to Lakeshore (28-21), Archbishop Rummel (12-11) and St. Paul’s (21-10).

Slidell simply did not finish.

Though the Tigers started fast Friday night, they hit the wall, slowing down but finished in fantastic fashion, scoring the final 22 points of the game.

Hoffman, a terrific 2-way player, opened the scoring with a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown to give Slidell a 7-0 lead in the opening quarter.

The Skippers then roared to 28 unanswered points to take a convincing 28-7 lead in the third quarter as Miami commit Landon Ibieta scored twice, once on a 10-yard pass from Rex Henderson and on a 28-yard run. Joron Lee added a 12-yard run.

Slidell cut the deficit to 28-14 on a 7-yard run by Hoffman but Mandeville widened the lead to 35-14 in the fourth quarter on a 52-yard run by Ibieta.

Then, the Tigers roared.

First, Luke Guidry connected with Mason Stringer on an 80-yard touchdown pass to make it 35-21.

Hoffman reduced the deficit to a touchdown on a 3-yard run and it was 35-28, setting the stage for the last minute heroics.

Guidry passed for 205 yard and two touchdowns for Slidell.

“I told them at halftime we’ve been down 21-7 before,” Scobel said. “We never quit. We finally made plays and made it happen in the fourth quarter. The kids had the resiliency, character, they fought and they finally got it done. In the first half, we didn’t tackle. That’s a credit to them. They have good players. We just emphasized to the kids if we tackle, we will be in this game and have a chance.”

What was the primary difference in the second half?

“It was more about execution,” Scobel said. “Coming into the game, we added a heavy package with big kids on the field. We only have four kids who played every game last year playing right now. We’ve got kids that played freshman football and went a year without playing now playing varsity games against quality teams. Hopefully, tonight was the sign that we have learned from experience.”

The Tigers (1-3, 1-1) return to district play at Hammond next Friday night.

“We took a big step tonight against Mandeville, a good team,” Scobel said. “We’re going to go to work. We’re going to work hard and we are hoping this gives us momentum and confidence. I’m just happy for the kids and coaches who have been working so hard. You’ve got to earn it and we did. They deserve it.”