Coming off a big loss to Class 4A Eunice, the Ville Platte High Bulldogs were hoping to get back on track last week with a win over the North Central Hurricanes.
Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, the only Hurricane that showed up was Hurricane Delta and with it the chance to even their record before heading into a showdown with St. Edmund tonight.
The game against the Blue Jays will be homecoming for Ville Platte, as their regular scheduled homecoming date was moved because it was suppose to happen this past week. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
For Ville Platte head coach Jorie Randle, not playing North Central was a both a blessing and a curse.
“We had some key players hurt in week one that were able to heal because we did not play this past week,” stated Randle. “But, when you come off of a loss like we did to Eunice, the best thing to do is get right back up on the horse and play again, especially when you are as young as we are. We wanted the chance to show that we are not the team that played in week one. Hopefully, we can prove that this week.”
Getting healed up was also the theme of St. Ed’s head coach James Shiver’s comments ahead of tonight’s contest. The Blue Jays had a physical game in a week one 37-29 loss to the Avoyelles Mustangs.
“We had our bumps and bruises from the Avoyelles game,” said Shiver, a former Ville Platte High assistant coach. “So it may have been a blessing in disguise not playing last week so we can be 100 percent healed up for this week.”
Stopping a potent Blue Jay offense will be top priority for Ville Platte High this week. The Bulldogs did not fare well on the defensive side of the ball against Eunice in week one as they gave up over 450 yards of total offense to the Bobcats.
“We are definitely going to have to be better on defense,” commented Randle. “Our younger guys will have to grow up in a hurry because St. Ed’s will present a challenge for us when they have the football. They are a good team with some talented players on the offensive side of the ball.”
Offensively, Ville Platte will hopefully get back the services of starting quarterback Ernest Roberts. The senior wide out turned signal caller was hurt in the Eunice game.
“No doubt having Ernest under center is key for us,” said Randle. “We have a talented player behind him, but he is just a freshman. Ernest gives us some senior leadership on offense that we really need.”
Despite the huge loss to Eunice, Shiver is not taking the Bulldogs lightly. The head Blue Jay is concerned about Ville Platte’s athleticism.
“They have athletes all over the field,” Shiver said of the Bulldogs. “I’m sure they want to prove that they aren’t as bad as the score against Eunice showed. Plus with it being their homecoming, they are going to do everything they can to win. I think we can move the ball against Ville Platte,” Shiver said. “The question is can our defense stop them as consistently as Eunice did.”
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Tracey Jagneaux
Sports Editor