State Runner-Up looks forward

After an amazing season, the 2014 Class 3A State Runners-Up are taking some time off, but not before they reflect on a season that may have been one of the best in Ville Platte High School history.
In her first year ever as a Head Coach competing in Class 3A, Dot Doulet saw her team set the bar high for future teams to come. Doulet was very impressed with her team and noted some key highlights throughout the 2013-2014 season.
“The games against North Central were really fun,” she commented. “They were ranked number one in Class 1A and we defeated them twice in overtime games. Those games helped us learn how to compete. When we won the Northwest Tournament that was also a big hurdle for us. Looking back, I didn’t realize that we were ranked number one nearly all season long. That is pretty impressive. Of course, all of that was capped by making it to the state championship game.”
Doulet, while being a little modest, left out some big wins that her team pulled off. They defeated three Class 5A teams in Scotlandville, Walker and Hammond. They also dropped wins on Class 4A Fair Park and Beau Chene. Overall, they finished the year with a 31-3 season. That record includes their trip to the Class 3A State Championship game. Besides their loss to University in the final game of the year, they also lost to top-ranked Class B Lacassine (35-2) and Class 1A power Southern Lab (21-5).
“We are taking some time off right now and then we are going back to strength conditioning,” Doulet stated. “The girls are already hungry but I told them they need rest and rest will do them some good.”
The reigns of leadership will be handed down to Deja McKinney and Breanna Pete next season. Shalinda Thomas was a senior captain that held the team together like glue.
Coach Doulet realized that her team is special and looks for it to continue.
“I knew they were special during summer workouts,” Doulet explained. “Their team chemistry was easy to notice early during summer team camps. I had a feeling about them and I see some really good things in them.”
The Lady Bulldogs are going to be highly regarded next season with the loss of just two players. However, it will take another total team effort for them to get back to Top 28. University Lab and John Curtis, who were both at this year’s event, will only lose a few players and should be powerful again.
It was a great season all the way around and the Lady Bulldogs have a ton of achievements to be proud of.