Added spice

By News Staff on Thursday, October 6, 2022
Homecoming adds layer to VP, MHS rivalry
  • Several Ville Platte defensive players combine to make a stop against Pine Prairie in their matchup last week. The Bulldogs, now 1-1 in district play, travel to Mamou to battle the Green Demons, who are also 1-1 in district. (Gazette photo by Rhett Manuel)
    Several Ville Platte defensive players combine to make a stop against Pine Prairie in their matchup last week. The Bulldogs, now 1-1 in district play, travel to Mamou to battle the Green Demons, who are also 1-1 in district. (Gazette photo by Rhett Manuel)
  • Players from Ville Platte and Mamou get tangled as they go for the football during the jamboree. The two squads meet again on the football field tomorrow night in Mamou. (Gazette photo by Sylis Manuel)
    Players from Ville Platte and Mamou get tangled as they go for the football during the jamboree. The two squads meet again on the football field tomorrow night in Mamou. (Gazette photo by Sylis Manuel)
    By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor MAMOU – The first win after a long losing streak is out of the way for the Ville Platte Bulldogs, while the Mamou Green Demons are looking for redemption after last week’s loss to the Church Point Bears. Throw in the added weight of a rivalry game and the fact that Mamou will be hosting its Homecoming festivities and tomorrow night’s District 4-3A contest holds higher stakes for each program. Mamou struggled from beginning-to-end last week against Church Point in a 58-6 loss. While losing to a team of that caliber isn’t unexpected, head coach Dwight Collins maintains a solid mindset. “There’s not much you can take from a game like that,” Collins said. “You just have to wipe it out and start with a fresh mindset.” It’s a task that is usually more successful in some weeks than others. Starting fresh during Homecoming, however, is a difficult task. “Our main goal is to make sure they’re focused at practice this week,” Collins said. “It’s young people and distractions. There’s a lot going on. We have to make sure we’re focused on the things we need to do. We have to make sure the reps are quality no matter what this week.” The pressure to win during Homecoming is there and with a rival like Ville Platte, it’s almost a two-fold pressure. The Bulldogs are a team Collins believes are better than their record shows. “They’ve had some tough losses this year,” Collins said. From Ville Platte’s perspective, it would take a lot to top the high of last week’s 34-13 win over Pine Prairie. But, that won’t stop the Bulldogs from trying. The team’s approach this week has been even more focused according to head coach Roy Serie. “It started even before practice this week,” Serie said. “The guys are watching a little more film and working a little harder. They’ve got a little extra pep in their step thanks to the momentum. But it’s not hard to get up for Mamou, as we know a lot of those kids personally.” Ville Platte and Mamou’s is a rivalry separated by 15 minutes and the familiarity of the opponent only adds to it. “It’s been going on forever,” Serie said. “It died out for a little while but is in rare form again. It’s homecoming, so we’d normally participate anyway. It’s a good thing for both cities and the challenge ahead.” Both teams being at .500 in district play adds another layer to the game. “We’re both 1-1 in district. So, to get that second win in district and in the column overall is a lot of motivation for us.” Mamou’s dangerous offense isn’t lost on Serie, with Dezmond Skinner and senior wide receiver Devin Ardoin both among the leaders in passing and receiving in Evangeline Parish. “Their quarterback is impressive and we know what Devin can do,” Serie said. “They’ve got a few other guys over there that can hurt us and it’s a big and experienced offensive line.”