All-PARISH DEFENSIVE MVP

VILLE PLATTE -- Success on the football field takes a lot of practice, determination and the ability to adapt to all types of situations. Just ask this year’s Evangeline Parish defensive Most Valuable Player Vondarius Freeman.
Only two years ago, Freeman was a star player at H. Grady Spruce High School in Dallas, Texas. Freeman made the move to Ville Platte as a junior and for the past two years has become one of the best defensive players in Bulldog football history.
That move came with some trepidation and required some adjustment from Freeman.
“When I was young, I would come to Ville Platte to visit family,” said Freeman. “But, it was tough to leave all of my friends back home and have to get use to the small town life here. I was nervous at first about coming here. It is a big change. What made it ok was to have family here I could lean on.”
Still, Freeman really had no idea what to expect with school and football once he got to Ville Platte.
“When I came to visit, I really never got to see Ville Platte High play football too much,” stated Freeman. “I knew a little about the tradition from my relatives that played here before. I did not know what type of competition I would face. But, the other students and players were very excepting. That made the transition at lot easier.”
Moving here to Freeman did not seem to diminish his talent whatsoever. Freeman has been named as the District 5-3A Most Valuable Player and the Evangeline Parish Most Valuable Player the last two years. He has also been named to the district first team offense as an offensive lineman for two years running.
This past season Freeman showed his tremendous talent by recording 90 tackles, 34 of those were tackles for loss. Freeman also had 17 sacks and caused eight fumbles. He recovered two fumbles and even intercepted a pass.
Because of his play over the last two football seasons, Freeman has a number of colleges interested in utilizing his services next season. Schools like McNeese, ULL, Louisiana Tech, Southern Mississippi, Houston, Nichols, and Stephen F. Austin have all offered Freeman a scholarship to play football.
“It is a feeling of accomplishment to have offers from all of these schools,” commented Freeman. “I have narrowed it down to three schools. I want to go somewhere that has a good criminal justice program and gives me a better chance to play right away. I am just thankful that I will be able to continue to play this sport.”
According to head coach Jorie Randall, Freeman’s abilities and leadership were tremendous asset to the Bulldogs the past two years.
“Vondarius is a great player, but an even greater leader,” said Randall. “He came here last season and his presence was felt immediately by the players; not only on the field but in the locker room also. Vondarius has been a pleasure to coach and I know he will be successful on the next level, wherever he ends up.”