Playoffs or bust

For the Ville Platte Bulldogs and the Pine Prairie Panthers it all comes down to the last two games of the season to determine if either team will get an extra game and be a part of the 2016 Class 3A playoffs.
So, when these two teams meet tomorrow night in Pine Prairie, more than just bragging rights are on the line. For these two teams it means moving forward with your season. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
Ville Platte seems to have an easier task ahead than does Pine Prairie. Despite the Bulldogs’ 54-6 loss to Northwest this past Friday, they still have the inside track to the postseason, as they sit at No. 30 in the most recent power rankings.
Also, a showdown with a hot Church Point football team looms next week. (A team must be in the top 32 to make the playoffs in Class 3A)
Ville Platte did not play well against Northwest. The Bulldogs have lost three out of their last four games and according to head coach Jorie Randle, they must get back to what made them so successful at the beginning of the season.
“We have to be able to run the ball effectively if we want to have a chance to win,” stated Randle. “Every time we have out gained our opponents on the ground, we have won decisively. Against Northwest, we just did not give ourselves a chance to get the run game going with all of the turnovers we created for ourselves.”
Pine Prairie picked up a tremendous win this past Friday, as they snuck past Port Barre 13-8, giving them their first ever district win in school history. However, the Panthers will have an uphill climb if they wish to see the postseason, as they sit at No. 39 in the power rankings. They will close the season on the road against a very tough Eunice High team.
Pine Prairie now has some momentum behind them after losing the previous three games and according to head coach Yves Prince, this last win gives his young club a big boost of confidence.
“It was a big win for us, we surely need it,” stated Prince. “I was proud to see our players enjoy it. Some of them even cried after the game. Another win like this one could very well get us into the playoffs. That would be the ultimately way to tie the entire season together.”
The game will be a matchup of two very similar teams in that both ball clubs live and die by the run. Neither team passes the ball with much efficiency, as both Ville Platte or Pine Prairie has thrown for less than 500 yards each in the eight games played to date.
The Bulldogs and the Panthers will rely on ball control and a tough defensive effort to gain the ever important win.
Both teams know each other well, having played each other in district the last few seasons, but also in the jamboree. Ville Platte has never lost to Pine Prairie in a regular season contest, but did come out on top of the Bulldogs in this year’s jamboree held in Basile.
However, both coach know that this is a different set of circumstances and a different time of the year.
“Pine Prairie is a solid team up front,” said Randle. “They can hurt you running the ball if you do not control the line of scrimmage against them. Our defensive line will be a definite key to the game. If they can occupy their line, our linebackers will be able to move freely and make plays. It is going to be a very competitive game.”
“Ville Platte has a really solid running game,” said Prince. “Their offensive line does a tremendous job of pushing you off of the ball and getting to the linebackers. Both running backs find the hole and hit it hard and fast. Defensively, Ville Platte is very good. We are going to have to find a way to make our runs count. I think that Darnell (Durgin) will have to carry the ball 25 times again for us to be successful.”
However the game turns out one thing is for sure, both squads must come with their “A” game in tomorrow night’s contest. Their playoff lives depend upon it.