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Parish teams will play past final games
Could this be the year?
Not since 1993 have all three parish teams played past the final regular season game of the year.
I really thought last year was going to be the year, but Vidalia missed by one game of making the playoffs. And what a painful game it was.
Buckeye High scored four straight touchdowns in the final period to overtake Vidalia 27-20 in a District 2-2A contest at Vidalia Friday.
A win over Buckeye would have given the Vikings a tie for the district championship.
I felt the Vikings had the toughest road to make it last season, but this year that feat belongs to Huntington, even though the Hounds have only three district games, needing to win at least two of them.
Huntington lost 13 seniors from last year's squad that came within a two-point conversion of playing for the South A State title.
The Hounds have picked up some solid players that should help them compete in a tough, but small district. This will be one of the fastest backfields ever to line up at Huntington with Eric Bowens, Andreas Swanson and Kevin Brown lined up behind the quarterback. The play of a young offensive line is the key.
Huntington has only three district games, but all three are against formadible teams.
Tallulah is going to be improved this season. The Hounds will face the Trojans after a tough battle at Centreville.
Two weeks later Huntington will face Briarfield in what should be a battle for second place in the district and a playoff spot.
Huntington hosts Trinity in its final game of the season. Trinity is loaded. The Saints are good enough to win State in double-A, but have dropped down to single-A and will actually finish up the season with two straight district games against Tallulah and Huntington.
An interesting sidenote, Tallulah is playing St. Aloysius of Vicksburg in Aug. 28 in a public versus private contest.
Getting back to Huntington, look for the Hounds to finish 7-4 and second to Trinity in the district.
Huntington finished second to Glenbrook in district the past two years. The Hounds fell to Porter's Chapel, 27-26 in the second round of the playoffs last season.
Look for the Hounds to come up one game short of the South State championship game, finishing 7-6.
Ferriday High went from 10-0 in the regular season in 2007 to 5-5 last season before falling to John Curtis.
Freddie Harrison has strengthened the Trojan schedule as Ferriday starts out against Class 5A Natchez High in Melz Field before taking on the likes of Wossman and Peabody.
If the Trojans can survive the pre-district schedule they will certainly be battle-tested.
Harrison has a real Trojan horse in the backfield in Bobby Madison, and an experienced offensive line which should improve the Trojan offense.
If Ronald Lawson can establish consistency at the quarterback position, the Trojans should be able to put some points on the board.
Ferriday finishes its season in a district game with Farmerville, who many believe will be the best 2A team in north and central Louisiana.
Ferriday finishes 6-4, but escapes that No. 32 spot in power points and a second straight trip to John Curtis.
But another potent opponents awaits the Trojans in the post-season, leaving Ferriday with a 6-5 mark.
Vidalia is competing for the third straight year in Class 3A as one of the smallest schools in the classification.
But it could have been a lot worse if the Vikings would have been sent up north against the likes of Rayville and Madison Parish than staying around central Louisiana.
Last season was one of the few years Dee Faircloth did not have a linebacker make All-Parish or have a defensive end with more than one sack.
If the Viking defense can pick it up a notch, the Vikings can finish with a winning record at 6-4 and a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
So while the prospects for the postseason may not be too promising, I believe all three parish teams will make the playoffs. That's something we haven't seen in a while and can certainly build on. |
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