Wet conditions no problem for Dunham

• By SCOTT HOTARD
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Oct 31, 2009

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The Dunham School coach Joey Thibodeaux wore a black rain-resistant suit and rubber boots on the sideline Friday night.

His team came similarly equipped, proving itself the 4x4 of prep football once again.

Dunham lined up on the soggy turf of its quaint, three-year-old stadium off Siegen Lane and smashed its way past University High for a 21-7 victory.

Rain fell throughout. The Tigers soaked it up.

With the win, Dunham — one of the area’s biggest surprises — stayed tied with Donaldsonville behind Capitol High Academy in the District 7-2A standings.

“We’re mudders, man,” Thibodeaux said.

The Tigers (7-2, 4-1) like to run the ball behind a hard-nosed, technically sound offensive line. They rely on toughness more than athleticism when it comes to defense.

They don’t mind getting wet. They actually welcome it.

Ask Collin Ellis, who drives a diesel pickup with mud tires. Sort of how he plays.

Ellis routinely disappeared into piles at the line of scrimmage and drove them. He finished with 22 carries for 133 yards and two touchdowns.

Grass stuck to his legs, mud to his smiling face.

“We were praying for rain,” Ellis said. “We were actually disappointed when we woke up this morning and it was hot and it wasn’t raining like it was supposed to.”

University (4-5, 2-3) may have preferred sunshine. All the sloppiness negated its advantage in speed.