Return Trip: No. 1 Dunham Explodes Past Bunkie to make it back to Superdome
by: William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor
Junior two-way standout Trevor Haman was a starting safety on The Dunham School’s last trip to the Superdome three years ago.
The Tigers lost a heartbreaking 32-28 Division III select game against St. Charles Catholic, creating a sense of urgency among those players returning to get back for another opportunity to win the second state championship in school history.
Top-seeded Dunham, which was eliminated in the regional round in 2023, took such a step Friday, overcoming a one-point halftime deficit behind the play of sophomore quarterback Elijah Haven for a 46-22 victory over Bunkie in a state semifinal played at Parkview Baptist.
The Tigers (13-0) face seventh-seeded Catholic-New Iberia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl LHSAA Prep Classic at 3:30 Friday in the Caesar’s Superdome in New Orleans.
“It’s a great feeling,” Haman said. “I’ve been wanting to go back so bad. This is awesome. With all of the work we’ve put in, this is great.”
Fifth-seeded Bunkie (12-1) rocked Dunham by opening the game with a well-conceived double reverse pass from quarterback Dillon Compton to Amare Perry for a 69-yard TD and 8-0 lead. The Panthers also recovered the ensuing kickoff, providing the Tigers with some anxious moments.
Bunkie, making its sixth semifinal appearance, matched Dunham’s first score – a 53-yard TD pass from Haven to Haman – to grab a 16-8 lead near the end of the first quarter when Compton connected with Mississippi State signee Kyle Johnson for a 76-yard score.
“That’s a great team right there,” Bunkie coach Jimmie Hillman said of Dunham. “We fought as hard as we could for as long as we could. We came out swinging early, threw some punches and they threw some punches.”
Especially those from Haven, the nation’s top-rated prospect in the Class of 2027. He accounted for 474 yards of his team’s 484 total offense and had a hand in all six of his team’s touchdowns – three rushing and three passing.
Haven was 18 of 36 passing for 295 yards with three TDs and an interception. He added 179 yards and 3 TDs on the ground on 22 attempts, raising his season’s touchdown total to 54.
“Elijah’s able to keep plays alive when things don’t work out,’ Dunham coach Neil Weiner said. “He’s just a special kid and a lot of fun to coach.”
Haven helped Dunham close to within 16-15 at halftime with a 49-yard score, aided by a downfield block from wide receiver Eason Jarreau, at the 10-minute mark. Had it not been for his fumble inside the 10-yard line in the final minute of play, the Tigers would have taken the lead into halftime.
Haven kept on a third-and-six play and had the ball punched out from behind which Bunkie defensive tackle Kenyon Randall recovered.
“We faced some adversity in the first half,” Haven said. “We weren’t clicking as much. We kept being aggressive. We kept sticking to our game plan and it showed the second half.”
Weiner felt fortunate to only be down a point at halftime. He knew what was in store after his team rallied from a 17-point deficit in the second half of last week’s quarterfinal to defeat Lafayette Christian, 34-30.
“We kind of weathered the storm,” he said. “They were fired up. It’s a dream season and they came out and pulled out all of the stops. A well-executed trick play on the opening play for a touchdown and then they hit another big one later on.
“Our kids just kept answering,” he said. “We kind of felt like everything was going against us in the first half. If we could just make it to the second half and just have it close like it, we were confident in our kids making plays and that’s what they did.”
Dunham took the lead for good on its first series of the third quarter.
Haven was involved in all six plays on a 67-yard drive, relying more on intermediate routes to move the ball, and coming back to score on a 31-yard run on fourth down at the 9:47 mark.
Special teams coordinator Matt Smith convinced Weiner that an onside kick was in order following the touchdown and the Tigers repaid their coach’s faith.
Graham Thornton recovered Gavin Byrd’s kick at Bunkie’s 43 and four plays later, Dunham was in the end zone. The combination of Haven-to-Haman worked again for a touchdown – this time on a 9-yard touchdown to make it 29-16 with 8:47 left in the quarter.
“We’re built on being an aggressive team,” Weiner said. “We jump offsides sometimes on defense. We may get a late hit. I think our coaches have the same mindset. Matt Smith said we had it and wanted to call it and I said to go for it. That was his call, his decision. I trust our coaches.”
Haman, who had a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown wiped out by a penalty in the second quarter, had seven catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns. Kris Thomas added four grabs for 62 yards.
“A lot of times in the first half we were taking deep shots,” said Haman, who increased his team lead to 15 receiving touchdowns. “Early in the second half we were sitting on our routes and getting what we could. We were able to drive the ball down the field slowly and make some plays.”
The execution of the onside kick further fueled Dunham’s stretch of 24 straight points (31 in all going back to the second quarter) against a Bunkie defense allowing 8.1 points a game and had not allowed more than two touchdowns in a game this season.
An 8-play, 55-drive resulted in Andrew Bardwell’s 26-yard field goal and a 32-16 advantage with 5:26 left in the third quarter.
Dunham’s defense recovered from Bunkie’s early jolt and limited the Panthers to 108 yards in the second half. The Tigers also forced five turnovers – three interceptions and a pair of fumble recoveries, the second from defensive lineman Charlie Myers.
“We didn’t do a good job, especially early on, of taking care of the football,” Hillman said. “We weren’t able to establish much of a running game. They had a good game plan and made it tough on us. They’re just an all-around good team and at the end of the day, you’ve got to get out there and fight as much as you can. You have to swing as many times as you can and tip your hat to them at the end of the night.”
Richard Montgomery was the latest Tiger to come up with an interception of Compton, joining Rives Johnson and Bronson Bonneval, on a pick on Bunkie’s first play near the end of the third quarter.
Compton was 12 of 17 for 182 yards, a pair of touchdowns, and three interceptions. Johnson was his top target with five catches for 78 yards and Zion Lee topped the team in rushing with 43 yards on 11 carries.
Haven cashed in the miscue with a 28-yard TD pass to Jarvis Washington who picked up his second unsportsmanlike penalty after the play and was ejected with 11:32 to play.
Haven, who averaged 254 yards of offense per game, put the finishing touches on his latest masterpiece with a 5-play, 45-yard drive to account for the final score.
“There’s no way to simulate it,” Hillman said of preparing for Haven. “If we had a guy that could simulate it, you would see him. That’s a special talent, a special young man and I’m happy for him and his family for the season they’re having. We tried everything we threw at him, and he answered the test.”
Haven carried on every play of the series, picking up a first down on his initial carry of 16 yards, and on third-and-one, kept over the right side for an 11-yard score – signifying the most points Bunkie had allowed in three years.
“There’s no team I’d rather do it with,” Haven said. “It was just a great night for us.”
Dunham 46, Bunkie 22
Score By Quarters
Bunkie 16 0 0 6 – 22
Dunham 8 7 17 7 – 39
Scoring Summary
BHS – Amare Perry 69 pass from Dillon Compton (Zion Lee run)
DHS – Trevor Haman 53 pass from Elijah Haven (Brannon Cohn run)
BHS – Kyle Johnson 76 pass from Compton (Ben Mose run)
DHS – Haven 76 run (Andrew Bardwell kick)
DHS – Haven 31 run (Bardwell kick)
DHS – Haman 9 pass from Haven (Bardwell kick)
DHS – Bardwell 26 FG
DHS – Jarvis Washington 28 pass from Haven (Bardwell kick)
BHS – Lee 1 run (run failed)
DHS – Haven 11 run (Bardwell kick)
BHS DHS
First Downs 10 24
Rushes-Yards 33-73 27-189
Passing Yards 235 295
A-C-I 15-26-3 18-36-1
Punts-Avg. 3-25 6-28
Fumbles-Lost 4-2 3-2
Penalties-Yards 8-82 14-120
Featured Image Courtesy: The Dunham School