Mandeville senior foreign exchange student Antoine Bouchard, who hails from Quebec, Canada, posted a hat trick Tuesday night to spark the Skippers to a 6-1 home district opening victory over the Slidell Tigers.

MHS moved to 6-2 on the year, while Slidell is 1-1-1, heading into tonight’s district play.

Bouchard, aptly nicknamed “Frenchie” by his teammates, used his quickness early in the match to get behind the Slidell defense. He finished off a header in the seventh minute from a perfectly placed ball by Aaron Noelke. Just six minutes later Bouchard knocked in his second goal from 18 yards out assisted by Chris Campbell to give the Skippers a 2-0 margin. Bouchard credited his teammates with making good passes.

“My teammates did a good job and I just wanted to do mine. I’m happy for today to get three goals because that doesn’t happen very often. It is a very special thing to get a hat trick because it doesn’t happen very often in your life,” Bouchard.

“The spirit at Mandeville High is wonderful. High school spirit in American high schools is awesome,” Bouchard added.

MHS wasted little time putting in another goal just a minute later with Noelke banging one in from 15 yards out with Campbell posting his second assist.

Noelke, who helped energize the Skippers’ attack, said he and his teammates came out ready to play.

“We did what we needed to do to put it away. We are doing a good job finding feet. We have people that can finish. I was glad I could be part of the offense, getting a couple assists. I’ll take the assists,” Noelke said.

MHS coach John Moss said he felt his club had an edge on Slidell because they had only played two matches.

“I think next time we play them (second round) it will be a tougher match. Historically, they don’t play as many games early in the season. We had seven games coming in so I feel we were better prepared,” Moss said.

Slidell’s Taylor Erminger was able to work his way free in the 16th minute, freeing himself up from about 25 yards out, but his shot slid wide left.

MHS was awarded a corner kick in the 24th minute, but Tigers’ goalkeeper James Dingman was able to come up with a diving save on a shot attempt.

During the next minute, Slidell’s Tony Broussard rifled off a shot that came close, but clanked off the cross bar, eventually being cleared by the Skipper defense. With 10 minutes left in the half, MHS’ Noelke made a quick rush up the left side. The Tigers’ Dingman came out of net and deflected the shot away. Noelke had two more opportunities in the final two minutes of the half, but was turned back by Dingman with a point blank save and a deflection to keep it a three goal game heading to the locker room at halftime.

Bouchard and Noelke kept up the offensive pressure to open the second half. Twelve minutes in Noelke made a quick dribble move down the left side finding Bouchard for a header attempt. Dingman made the save to thwart the attempt.

During Mandeville’s next possession, Noelke put a shot on goal with Dingman deflecting it away. Taylor Brantley was on the doorstep to punch in the rebound to make it 4-0 with 27 minutes left.

Bouchard rejoined the scoring column blasting in a shot from 12 yards outs to polish off his hat trick. Mandeville public address announcer Marion Lyons (father of MHS’ starting goalkeeper Hall Lyons) made the call, “Way To Go Frenchie.”

In the 64th minute, Slidell earned a corner kick. The Tigers’ Robert Shepherd ripped a shot from 18 yards out, which found net to put Slidell on the board at 5-1.

Carter Knight closed out the Skippers’ in the 69th minute, scoring from 12 yards out assisted by Brennan Breaux.

MHS’ Derek Brown was named the Skippers’ top defender.

MHS junior goalkeeper Hall Lyons did a good job in net for the Skippers and was credited with three saves. Sophomore keeper Chris Knight entered the contest in the 68th minute. Mandeville took 12 shots on goal compared to four for Slidell.

Slidell coach James Gipson credited Mandeville with being a well-coached club.

“They keep their formation really well. They do well transitioning from defense to offense and vice versa. They can spread the field and do a good job getting the ball out to the flats before working it back to the middle,” Gipson said.

Gipson named Trevon Poole as his top defender along with strong play from Chris Barnes and Jesse Stephens.

Mandeville travels to Ponchatoula today to battle the Green Wave, while Slidell also hits the road to take on St. Paul’s.