If you ask anyone associated with the Ville Platte High football program, they would tell you there may be some supernatural events at work that has prevented them from winning the extremely close games they have played this season.
Over the past three weeks, Ville Platte (2-5, 0-2) has had their game decided on basically the last play of the game. Three weeks ago, the Bulldogs missed a two-point try that would have given them a win over the St. Ed’s Blue Jays.
Two weeks ago, Ville Platte threw an interception in the end zone on the last play of the game in a 24-20 loss to the Mamou Demons. And, this past Friday night, the Bulldogs once again missed a two-point conversion that would have more than likely taken down Iota in a 13-12 loss.
“We gave everything we had against Iota this past week,” stated Ville Platte head coach Jorie Randle. “With our starting quarterback out, we were forced to run about four different plays all game long. I think that it just came down to fresh legs. They had twice the depth we had, and I knew we couldn’t go into overtime with them because of their depth and knowing how gassed we were at the end.”
However, Randle says despite the emotional toll that those three losses has taken on his team, the players still show their true Bulldog spirit.
“This team has a ton of heart,” said Randle. “They are relentless. They come excited and ready to play every day at practice. You can tell they are committed to trying to win games.”
Ville Platte will need all that enthusiasm and more when the Bulldogs host district leading Church Point tomorrow night. The Bears come into the game with an overall record of 4-2 and a district record of 2-0.
Last week, Church Point slid past the Northwest Raiders 37-28. The Bears’ two losses came at the hands of perennial powerhouse Notre Dame (48-6) and Class 5A Southside High (32-22). Their week five game against St. Louis was cancelled because of weather conditions.
“Everything Church Point does is predicated on their fullback,” said Randle. “They run the Wing-T, but they give the ball to their fullback most of the time. They are very physical up front and they want to ram the ball down your throat. They will get in the Wildcat sometimes and just let him run the ball. Defensively, their front looks real good. I don’t think their secondary is as good as they have been in the past.”
“Once again, I think it will come down to a numbers game,” Randle continued. “We are going to have to overcome their fresh legs. As it is in every game, they will have more players than we have, which means they are not going to have to play guys both ways.”
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TRACEY JAGNEAUX Sports Editor