Just in time

By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor VILLE PLATTE – Nothing has come easy for the Sacred Heart Trojans in 2022. It’s been a season where they’ve been beat up, battered, worn down and have had to persevere through it all. It cannot be said that this Trojans team is short on grit. It’s pushed through a tough schedule, the injuries and a good district slate to finish off the regular season with a 7-3 mark and the No. 14-seed in the Division IV select playoff bracket. The Trojans will host its first-round playoff game tomorrow night against No. 19 Covenant Christian. But, the thing is this: Sacred Heart is healthier than it has been in weeks heading into tomorrow night. Senior running back and defensive back Blake Hebert is on track to play, as is senior tight end and defensive lineman Briggs Ardoin. “Blake will be back this week,” Sacred Heart head coach Josh Harper said. “As to how much we’ll be able to use him, we don’t know. He’s practicing and we’ll see how far he progresses as the week goes on. “Briggs was back last week, but played sparingly. But he should be back full-strength this week. We’re still out a couple others, but having Blake and Briggs back will help. We won’t be completely healthy, but we’ll be as healthy as we’ve been in a while.” They are two crucial cogs in what Sacred Heart aspires to do on both sides of the ball, but their missing time has forced Sacred Heart to cultivating depth throughout the roster. Stepping into larger roles have been sophomore running back Jude Hebert – the younger brother of Blake – and junior tight end Kohen Joubert. “Kohen stepping up offensively allows us to not rely so heavily on Briggs,” Harper said. “Kohen is here and will start (at tight end), but it allows us to focus Briggs on defense and subbing him in on offense so he’s not playing as many snaps. “Hopefully it keeps both of them a little fresher. But, it also allows us to be a little more dynamic on offense with having both available.” Both players stepped up in big ways in last week’s homecoming win over North Central. Hebert had over 100 yards rushing for the first time in his prep career while Joubert has caught touchdown passes each of the past couple weeks. Sacred Heart, despite its relative health, are not expecting an easy out in the 19-seed. Covenant Christian, despite only having four wins, played two of the teams who earned first-round bye in Vermilion Catholic and Central Catholic. “They’re a good team,” Harper said. “They’re scrappy. Looking at their schedule, their district is tough. They’ve been through a grind of schedule. We’re not going to come into this taking them lightly and they’re not coming in seeing anything from us they haven’t seen this season. “They do good things offensively and a good defensive line. We’ll have to come prepared Friday.”