The Westgate Tigers scored on their first play of the game Friday night against Patterson, then again on the first play from scrimmage of the second half.

Outside of that, the Tigers could do little on offense, and nothing to stop star tailback Kenny Hilliard, who carried the load figuratively and literally for the Lumberjacks in a 35-14 win over WHS at Lloyd G. Porter Memorial Stadium.

Hilliard, a 6-foot tall, 218-pound junior who is being recruited by several national powers including LSU, Southern California and Notre Dame, rushed for 261 yards and two touchdowns on 44 carries and completed both of his pass attempts from the wildcat formation for 68 yards and a touchdown.

(Use arrows above to view more photos) Advertisement

Each team is now 1-1.

Patterson coach Tommy Minton said he was forced to run Hilliard that many times because the Lumberjacks had lost senior starting quarterback Nick Nolan to a concussion last week in a 38-33 loss at East St. John.

“Without a starting quarterback, we had to do that,” said Minton. “That’s not a normal game. But he’s a warrior.”

“The bottom line is they ran about 80 plays to our 40,” said Westgate coach Brian Fine. “It was just an old-fashioned (tail)-whipping.”

PHS, ranked seventh in the Class 3A polls, actually ran 68 offensive plays to Westgate’s 33, but despite the disparity, the Tigers were still in the game late in the third quarter.

Quarterback Diontae Spencer scored on a 28-yard run to open the game for Westgate after Hilliard nearly had a punt blocked, shanking it for a 1-yard kick. The point-after by Siegan Vergenal made it 7-0 Westgate with 8:08 left in the first period.

The game stayed that way until Hilliard carried in from two yards out with 10:29 left in the second period to make it 7-7 with the PAT by Toi Willis. Patterson surged ahead on Hilliard’s 15-yard run from the wildcat formation (Hilliard lined up as the quarterback in the shotgun), but the PAT snap was low and the kick failed, leaving the ’Jacks ahead 13-7 with 3:42 to go in the half.

PHS had a chance to make it a two-TD lead with another drive just before halftime but receiver Antoine Todd fell down at the 2-yard line on a pass from Hilliard on first and goal from the 6 as time expired.

After Denarius Antoine returned the second-half kick to the WHS 46-yard line, it took only one play, and the point-after kick, to give Westgate the lead again. Antoine took the ball on a fullback dive and went straight up the middle nearly untouched to the end zone for a 54-yard scoring run. The PAT by Vergenal gave Westgate a 14-13 lead with 11:51 remaining in the third period.

“We gave up two big plays,” said Minton. “We didn’t line up right either time. (Fine) does a great job lining up in an unbalanced and catching you with a man short on one side.”

“It was close on the scoreboard at that point, but that was the only place it was close,” said Fine.

Patterson went ahead for good late in the third quarter when receiver Jaydrick Decluette found himself uncovered over the middle for a 60-yard touchdown play. Sophomore quarterback Justice Jones made the right read on the play, finding his receiver open around the WHS 35, and Decluette went untouched into the end zone. Dexter Antoine carried in for the 2-point conversion from the wildcat formation for a 21-14 lead.

After Westgate went three-and-out on its next possession, another missed coverage assignment left Trevon Steward open for a 64-yard scoring play on a throw from Hilliard. The PAT made it 28-14 as the third quarter ended.

“The first one we were in man coverage and the guy covering the inside receiver just turned him loose,” said Fine. “I don’t know what happened on the second one. I’ll have to look at the film. I looked up and he was wide open.”

PHS tacked on a late touchdown run by Trevon Steward to make it 35-14. Westgate’s defense was tired by that time, said Fine.

But the story of the game was Hilliard, who was nearly unstoppable. Hilliard said that his coaches took him out periodically to give him rest, so he wasn’t worn out.

“I do what I have to do,” he said. “I knew I’d have to step up with our quarterback down. I knew I’d have to carry the team.”

Westgate knew it too. They just couldn’t stop him, especially with defensive linemen Torrance Benjamin twisting a knee and Duval Jackson also suffering an injury.

“That didn’t help us,” said Fine, who said his team is thin on the defensive front. “There was a good possibility that (Hilliard carrying more than 40 times) would happen with their starting quarterback down. He and their offensive line did a great job keeping drives going. We had him a couple of times and he kept his feet and kept the drive going.”

Westgate plays host to Archbishop Shaw on Friday, while Patterson plays host to Cecilia.