Titles over Records: Elijah Haven finds true meaning in Dunham’s state title
by William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor
NEW ORLEANS – The Dunham School’s Elijah Haven took over the state’s career touchdowns crown but was more interested in the state championship trophy he and his teammates had just hoisted.
Haven accounted for 407 yards and five touchdowns – boosting his career total to 180 touchdowns – and the fifth-seeded Tigers claimed the school’s first state championship in 21 years with a 34-17 victory over sixth-seeded Calvary Baptist in Friday’s Division III select state title matchup at the Caesars Superdome.
“I’ll take a state championship,” said Haven, named the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year earlier in the week. “Gatorade Player of the Year is a great award, but I’ve been wanting this state championship for a while. It feels good. It reflects on the team and the work we put in all summer and spring. I’m just happy to be a champ.”
Dunham, which was making its third trip to the final in four years, won the school’s second state championship. The Tigers (13-1) finished the season on an 11-game winning streak since their Week 2 defeat against Division II select state finalist St. Charles Catholic.
“To have this senior class put in four years of work,” Dunham coach Neil Weiner said. “To have three trips to the Dome and come away with a victory to end is pretty special.”
Calvary (12-2) had its 11-game winning streak snapped. The Cavaliers were in search of their fifth state title.
“We had to play better offensively to keep him off the field,” Calvary coach Rodney Guin said of Haven. “We couldn’t let him stay on the field. If you leave them on the field, they’re going to score. They did that against everybody. We couldn’t move the ball on them on offense. The defense played way too much for us to stay in the game.”
Dunham was back on the Superdome turf a year after losing to Catholic High-New Iberia. Haven was intercepted in the end zone on his team’s final play with 46 seconds left.
Haven, named his team’s Outstanding Player, completed 21 of 29 passes for 271 yards with an interception and three touchdowns. He also rushed for a game-high 136 yards with two touchdowns on 27 carries.
Haven’s last game of the season increased his passing stats to 3,909 yards and 62 touchdowns, with 815 yards on the ground and 11 touchdowns – giving him a staggering 4,724 total yards and 73 touchdowns.
Moreover, his five total touchdowns also increased Haven’s career total to 180 touchdowns, surpassing career leader Jonathan Dartez of Vermilion Catholic, who finished his career last season with 177.
“That guy will play on Sunday in three or four years,” said Guin, who has coached for 43 years. “He’s the No. 1 quarterback (in Class of 2027) for a reason. He’s a handful.”
Dunham amassed 486 total yards on 79 plays, compared to Calvary’s 222 yards on 42 plays.
The Tigers rushed 49 times for 206 yards with Haven and Trevor Haman, a McNeese State signee, leading the way with 136 and 84 yards, respectively.
South Alabama signee Jarvis Washington had a game-high 10 catches for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Will Dantin added six receptions for 75 yards and a score.
Big plays took centerstage in the third quarter when Dunham was able to establish a pair of 17-point leads.
Haven found Washington downfield for what would have been an intermediate gain until the senior spun out of a tackle at his 35. He maintained his balance and sped untouched for a 77-yard score and a 27-10 lead.
Calvary answered in rapid fashion with quarterback Hudson Price’s underthrown pass turning into a 55-yard completion to Braylon Hughlon to Dunham’s 1. Price kept around the end for a touchdown on the following play, 36 seconds after Dunham’s scored, bringing the Cavaliers (12-2) to within 27-17.
Price was 11 of 21 for 143 yards with an interception and a touchdown, with Hughlon leading the way with four catches for 88 yards and a score.
Dunham regained its 17-point cushion with an 11-play, 65-yard drive that took more than five minutes and ended with Haven’s second touchdown pass – a 20-yarder to Washington at the 6:35 mark – and Andrew Bardwell added his fourth extra point.
“(Defensive coordinator) Coach (Calob) Leindecker got us a great game plan, got us ready,” said Dunham senior defensive lineman Eliot Trahan, who had five tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and a fumble recovery. “It comes down to heart. That’s something we’ve been preaching since I’ve been on the D-line the last three years. We work technique every single day, no reps off. At the end of the day, it’s who wants it more, and we wanted it more.”
It took Dunham two minutes to dig out of an early 7-0 hole with Haven accounting for all three of his team’s touchdowns for a 20-10 halftime lead.
Calvary was in the end zone on its first offensive play – courtesy of Luke Miller’s 40-yard punt return – on Price’s ‘pop’ pass to Huglon. He turned the corner and was untouched on his way to a 22-yard touchdown just a minute into the game.
Haven helped Dunham’s offense roll up 274 yards in the first half on the strength of his 17 of 24 passing for 152 yards and a touchdown to Dantin. He also ran for first-quarter touchdowns of 13 and 2 yards, respectively, that gave the Tigers a 14-7 lead with 3:20 left in the opening quarter.
Haven engineered a 17-play, 83-yard drive that the Tigers had to convert four times on third down and once on fourth down. He completed seven passes for 38 yards on the drive, finding Dantin in the end zone on third-and-goal and a 20-7 lead.
Calvary, which missed a 31-yard field goal after faking a punt to maintain possession, closed the half on Tsehaye Knight’s 37-yard field goal with five seconds left. The possession was set up by Garett Lee’s interception.
“They don’t flinch,” Weiner said of his team’s early deficit. “It’s been that way the last several years. They just don’t panic. Last year in the state quarterfinals and we’re down 17 points in the fourth quarter and come back and win (34-30 over Lafayette Christian). Our kids are awesome.”