Another rivalry game, another dog fight.
That has been the theme for the Sacred Heart Trojans all year long.
Tomorrow night, the Trojans find themselves in another key game, as they host long time rival Opelousas Catholic (2-2, 1-0) in a district contest that could play a factor in the championship race.
It seems that Sacred Heart (3-2, 0-1) has been in a war week in and week out this season. Take for example the 15-9 overall record of their opponents in 2018. Even more to the point, the last four games for the Trojans have been decided by seven points or less.
“Our guys have been playing hard all year long,” stated Sacred Heart head coach Josh Harper. “I can tell you this, when you play us, you know that you have been through a war. The players have been giving us all they can play after play this season. I cannot say enough about their tenacity and willingness to lay it all out.”
This past Friday night, Sacred Heart found themselves in another tough, grinding game that came down to the last possession of the game. Unfortunately, it was the Trojan’s opponent, Catholic of Pointe Coupee, that held the upper hand when the final buzzer sounded, securing a 23-17 win over the Boys of Troy.
“The funny thing about that game, is not that they drove the ball down the field on the last possession,” said Harper. “The key part of that game is the fact that we had two extra points blocked. If we don’t have those kicks blocked it is a totally different game.”
Leading up to this past week, the Sacred Heart defense had really put on a clinic, holding opponents to an average of seven points per game, while the offense had struggled mightily over that same time period.
However, against Catholic, the offense found some rhythm, collecting 204 total yards. On the flip side, the defense surrendered 302 total yards to the Hornets, which including 280 rushing yards.
“I think we are getting better and better on offense each week,” said Harper. “We have been relying on the defense all year long and they have come through. Now the two sides have to make a complete game.”
Sacred Heart’s opponent this week, the Vikings of Opelousas Catholic, come into the game averaging 37 points per game on offense and give up 17.8 points per game on defense (which includes a 62-0 win over lowly North Central).
The Vikings return a number of players, especially on offense, but are more inexperienced on the defensive side of the ball.
“This is your typical Opelousas Catholic team,” said Harper. “They like to spread you out and get the ball to their receivers in space. They will run the ball just to keep you honest. Defensively, they are aggressive. We just have to be ready to defend them in open space and try to put together a complete game.”
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TRACEY JAGNEAUX Sports Editor