Throughout last week Mandeville heard how difficult it is to beat a team twice in the same season, especially a district rival.

For the Skippers, it was twice as nice.

Mandeville advanced to the regionals of the Class 5A football playoffs at home Friday with a 24-20 victory over Slidell, completing a sweep of the Tigers. The Skippers will host L.W. Higgins, which beat New Iberia, 56-14, Friday, in the second round.

Mandeville'€™s Will Bunns (2) prepares to make a move against Slidell'€™s Michael Norman in Friday'€™s bi-district playoff game at Skipper Stadium. (Photo by Mike McCall)

“People had been telling us you can’t beat a team twice,” said Skipper linebacker Jeff Rebouche, referring to Mandeville’s 24-21 victory over Slidell on Oct. 2. “We knew it would be tough, but we didn’t want our season to be over.”

The mistake-prone Skippers (9-1) survived five turnovers, including four interceptions by quarterback Andy Bertoniere, a missed field-goal attempt, a missed point-after touchdown and three botched two-point conversion tries.

“It’s a funny thing. I just had a feeling at halftime,” said Mandeville coach Guy LeCompte, after the Skippers rallied from a 17-12 halftime deficit. “I think we approached the second half in the same way they approached the game.

“The mistakes were plenty, but I have to credit our defense. They have kept us in games all year.”

Despite the miscues, the Skippers piled up 383 total yards. Bertoniere was 15-of-30 for 227 yards, including 12-of-19 for 192 yards in the first half. Running back William Bunns finished with 162 yards, including the winning touchdown on a 7-yard run with 2:26 left in the fourth quarter that gave the Skippers their first lead.

“They just couldn’t cover us tonight,” Bertoniere said. “We knew we would be able to get open.”

But for all of the offensive fireworks, it was the Skippers defense that kept Mandeville close. Rebouche blocked a punt that led to one touchdown in the third quarter, and Jerry Mitchell intercepted a pass with less than a minute left that secured the win.

Slidell was held to 189 yards, 88 in the second half. Tiger quarterback Blake Forbis was 15-of-28 for 118 yards with two interceptions and led the rushing attack with 48 yards on 15 carries.

“I knew we needed to make a big play,” Mitchell said of his interception. “I’m proud of the way our defense played tonight, especially the (defensive) line.”

Mandeville’s defense came up with a pivotal stop early in the third quarter after the Tigers’ defensive lineman Jason Smothers intercepted a tipped pass and returned the ball 14 yards to the Mandeville 14-yard line. But the Tigers were held to 5 yards on three plays and were forced to settle for Chris Barnes’ 27-yard field goal that gave Slidell a 20-12 lead.

“We didn’t execute and had to settle for field goals,” Slidell coach Artie Liuzza said. “Against a good team you can’t mistakes and expect to win. And they are a good team.

“If you don’t win the state championship you end the season with a loss. It’s disappointing, especially for the seniors.”

The Skippers stop set the tone for the rest of the half. On the Tigers ensuing possession, Rebouche blocked Stephen Mullet’s punt, giving Mandeville possession at the Slidell 1-yard line. One play later Bunns scored, but Slidell’s Chad Livingston intercepted Bertoniere’s pass on the two-point conversion attempt, leaving the Tigers with a 20-18 lead with 4:12 left in the third quarter.

”I knew I could get it,” Rebouche said of the block. “I ran as fast as I could, and I dove.”

Mandeville began its winning drive after a punt went off the side of Mullet’s foot, giving the Skippers possession at their 42-yard line with 6:22 remaining. The big play was Bunns’ 21-yard run to the Slidell 26. Five plays later, Bunns scored from 7 yards out, and after another missed two-point conversion attempt, the Skippers led 24-20.

The Tigers picked up one first down on their final drive before Mitchell’s interception, which he returned to the Tigers’ 11-yard line.

Slidell turned the first of Bertoniere’s interceptions into a score when Romero Garcia returned the ball 41 yards for a score. Bertoniere’s wobbly pass floated out into the flat, making it an easy pick for Garcia.

“I looked for the inside curl, then the outside curl,” Bertoniere said. “I don’t think I was hit. I didn’t see him (Garcia).”

The Skippers, who had a fumble and interception on their first two possessions, answered with an eight-play, 74-yard drive, capped by Bunns’ 2-yard score.

However, Matt Dombrowski missed the point-after-touchdown attempt.

Slidell, which mirrored Mandeville by opening with a no-huddle look, settled in on its next possession, driving 62 yards in 12 plays, the score coming on Jaron Wiggins’ 2-yard run. Barnes PAT gave the Tigers a 14-6 lead at the 1:40 mark of the first quarter.

Barnes’ 32-yard field goal gave the Tigers a 17-7 lead with 10:18 left in the first half, but it was the Skippers’ defense that set the tone for the second half.

Kody Keowen’s interception of a Forbis pass with 1:12 left in the half gave the Skippers possession at the Tigers 17-yard line.

Four plays later, Bertoniere hooked up with Brandon Weeden for a 4-yard scoring pass with 28 seconds left that cut the Skippers deficit to 17-12.

The game marked the return of Mandeville quarterback John Wenzel, who was injured earlier in the season.

But Wenzel started at wide receiver and led the Skippers with five receptions for 66 yards.

Despite Bertoniere’s three first-half interceptions, LeCompte said he never considered benching him in favor of Wenzel.

“The four picks were unfortunate,” LeCompte said. “One came on a tipped ball. But credit their defensive line. They are very good.”