The 2008 prep football season got under way Friday night on the Northshore with an eerily feeling of a not to distant Friday night three years earlier when another visitor from the south was threatening our area. Because of Hurricane Gustav, the host Mandeville Skippers will not be traveling as expected to Texas to take on Klein Oak on Labor Day in Texas Stadium.

But on this night the host Skippers had a full plate to deal with, tangling with the perennial state champion John Curtis Patriots of River Ridge. John Curtis won, 9-7.

In the opening game, Fontainebleau came from behind to defeat the Holy Cross Tigers, 24-21. Mandeville-John Curtis

Mandeville led 7-6 at the half as senior quarterback Andy Bertoniere connected for two consecutive completions to wide receiver Michael Garrido, the last from 10 yards out to knot the score at 6-6 with 19 seconds remaining in the 15-minute half. Kicker Logan Sullivan booted the PAT.

The second half produced just a field goal from 37 yards out as Curtis would bring the score to 9-7 at the six-minute mark of the second half.

The game ended with the Skippers driving to the Curtis’ 27-yard line before Bertoniere’s pass to William Bunns bounced off Bunns’ hands into a Patriot defensive back’s grasp, ending the contest with five seconds remaining and a fallen Bunns lying on the turf. Patriots’ longtime coach J.T. Curtis approached Mandeville coach Guy LeCompte and the officials, and all agreed to end the contest as Bunns, who eventually was carted off the field after standing up, was attended to. Bunns reportedly suffered a blow to his neck and was experiencing nerve pain in his lower back.

“I’m not surprised with my guys’ play,” said LeCompte. “They work their tails off, and except for a few mistakes that need correcting we are capable of playing with Curtis.”

“Unfortunately, we committed some costly penalties, and we will work to correct those,” he added.

The Skippers didn’t lack for effort as Sullivan attempted a 47-yard field goal in the waning minutes. The kick was tipped by the Curtis defense at the line.

Fontainebleau-Holy Cross

Holy Cross jumped in front 12-0 after opening the contest with a field goal, a safety courtesy of a high snap from the Dawgs and Blake Toups’ running back the ensuing free kick from 70 yards away.

But the Bulldogs got on the scoreboard when Tigers’ signal caller Bryce Ellzey coughed up the football under pressure, and Spencer Ragas scooped it up and darted 18 yards to pay dirt. Hunter Starring added the first of his three extra points, to cut Holy Cross’ lead to 12-7.

The second half produced some déjà vu as once again a high snap over punter and quarterback Addison Melancon’s head resulted in another safety, padding Holy Cross’ lead to 14-7.

Fontainebleau tied the game on its next possession as Clay Fritscher busted up the middle for a 10-yard score and Starring added the PAT.

Melancon followed Anthony LaGuardia’s 24-yard run to the 1 with a quarterback keeper to put Fontainebleau on top for the first time, 20-14. The PAT made it 21-14.

Melancon’s score was set up by a Greg Albers’ fumble recovery at the Holy Cross 25 on the ensuing kickoff after Fritscher’s run tied the game.

Starring booted a 45-yard field goal as the Dawgs widened their lead to 24-14 before Davin Smith narrowed the lead on a 1-yard plunge. With Zachary Collier’s PAT the Tigers moved to within a field goal.

Holy Cross would get one last chance before Fontainebleau’s Justin Church sacked Ellzey to end the game.

“That is the first time that we have had problems with the deep snap. It hasn’t happened in practice in two years, so hopefully we got that out of our system tonight,” said Fontainebleau coach Gregg Hudson.