Lady Bulldogs eyeing another state title run

The Ville Platte High Lady Bulldogs have a bad taste in their mouths. A loss in the state championship game to University High has been in the back of Ville Platte’s mind all off season. So, they are doing the one thing that will give them the opportunity to try to earn a state title; work harder. Head Coach Dot Doulet has not had to push the Lady Bulldogs much this off season because the players have taken it upon themselves to work as hard as possible.
“The girls have really pushed themselves since the day after the state championship game last year,” said Doulet. “They are a tremendously self-motivated group. They know what it will take to get back to the championship game this year. Our expectations are to make it back to the finals and to perform to our highest potential throughout the season.”
With the return of starters Deja McKinney, Tyreonna Doucet, KaBreonna Stevens, and Brianna Pete the Lady Bulldogs certainly have the fire power to get back to the championship. McKinney is a returning all-state player and Doucet was one of the top leaders in the state in blocked shots. Stevens and Pete both were valuable contributors to the 33-3 record of the Lady Bulldogs last year.
The replacement of two important seniors lost to graduation, Emmani Fontenot and Shalinda Thomas, will be of utmost importance. Coach Doulet is looking to underclassmen like Kelogah Calvin, Miya McKinney, and Zaria Fontenot to step up and fill the void left behind by those former players.
The Lady Bulldogs have loaded their schedule to prepare them for that run deep into the playoffs. Facing teams like New Iberia, North Central and Walker High School in non-district will only battle harden Ville Platte in preparation for the district season. The Lady Bulldogs will also face stiff competition in the Rapides Tournament, the Sam Houston Tournament and the Northwest Holiday Tournament.
“We intentionally play the tougher teams in the state to prepare us for the run into district and the playoffs,” commented Doulet. “Playing good competition will show us how to face adversity when the game is on the line. It also gives us a chance to measure ourselves against some of the top teams in the state.”
The Lady Bulldogs have already played against quality opponents in the pre-season. Ville Platte has faced off against Warren Easton, St. Thomas Moore and Alexandria Senior High in scrimmages. The play of Ville Platte in these pre-season games has shown the Lady Bulldogs are ready for the season to begin. Regular season starts on November 17, as Ville Platte travels to New Iberia.
There is no doubt the Lady Bulldogs have the talent to make another title game appearance. However, there are always those intangibles that will sometimes decide a team’s fate. Togetherness, leadership and, yes, even lady luck will play a huge role in the success of the Ville Platte Lady Bulldogs this year.