Bulldogs face Raiders with playoffs in balance

The Ville Platte High Bulldogs have been on a mission all season long; make the playoffs. As with any mission, there will be setbacks. Early in the season, with a very inexperienced offensive unit and a number of key injuries, the Bulldogs went through a few growing pains.
However, the district season has seen a Ville Platte squad that has grown in confidence. Even losses to the number one and number two ranked teams in the state have not deterred the Bulldogs from playing with heart and character.
This past Friday, for the second time in two weeks, Ville Platte put a fear into a top ranked opponent. The game with the Church Point Bears was in doubt until late in the fourth quarter, before the Bears secured the 34-14 victory.
Ville Platte will travel this Friday to take on the Northwest Raiders. For the Bulldogs, a win would pretty much seal a berth in the LHSAA Class 3A playoffs. Going into the Church Point game,
Ville Platte stood at number 29 in the power point rankings. The LHSAA takes the top 32 teams into the playoffs. The loss to Church Point should not push the Bulldogs too far down from that number 29 spot. So, a victory over the Raiders most likely will keep them as one of the top 32 teams in the state. Game time in Prairie Rhonde is set for 7 p.m.
Against the Bears, Ville Platte utilized their version of the wildcat to move the football effectively against a tough Church Point defense. This game plan was conceived mostly out of necessity. Starting quarterback Terez Alfred injured his knee against Pine Prairie two weeks ago and was not able to play the last few games. That left a freshman, Rodricas Fontenot, as the starting quarterback.
Fontenot has shown flashes this year of a player who will one day become a solid player. However, Fontenot is still inexperienced and trying to grasp the offensive system. So, Ville Platte put the ball in one of their best athlete’s hands, senior running back Terese Thomas. Thomas, running mostly power plays, earned 141 yards rushing on 24 carries.
Adding to that total was Dayton Jackson, who carried the ball 10 times for 36 yards. Fontenot completed three passes for 110 yards. Thomas caught all three passes from Fontenot.
Coming into the season, Ville Platte knew it needed to rely on their senior laden defensive unit to keep games close until the offense could gel. Against the vaunted Church Point offense, the Bulldog defense played the way they have all season; with a purpose. Ville Platte was able to hold the Bears to only seven points in the first half.
The Bulldogs did seem to wear down a little in the second half, as Church Point started to pull away. However, the defense of Ville Platte was able to get their second wind and became the key in Ville Platte cutting the Bear lead in half during the fourth quarter.
Sophomore defensive end Trelon Jack lead the defense with seven solo and three assisted tackles on the night. Jack also recovered a fumble.
Ville Platte’s next opponent, Northwest, comes into the contest with a 3-6 overall record. The Raiders give up and average of 33 points per game, while only scoring 19 points per game. For the Bulldogs to garner the win over the Raiders and seal a playoff spot, the defense must stay consistent.
However, the key to the game against Northwest may be how well the offense can move the football. If the Bulldogs can put up points on the scoreboard and control the ball on the ground, Ville Platte High’s mission will be complete.