Parish showdown

Every team in the state uses the non-district season as a way to test their team moving forward toward the ultimate goal of making the playoffs. For the Ville Platte Bulldogs and the Basile Bearcats, this concept is no exception.
Ville Platte and Basile will square off this Friday in a key non-district contest that will allow both squads to gain a better understanding of how far each has come and how much work is left for the next eight weeks.
Game time is set for 7 p.m. in Ville Platte.
Last week both teams got off to great starts. Ville Platte used a dominating defense to subdue Mamou 30-0.
Basile used a solid ground game to take an overtime win over Vinton 20-14.
For Bulldog head coach Jorie Randall, the win against the Demons was a chance to see if his team would continue the physicality it had shown in the jamboree.
“I was really pleased with our effort against Mamou,” said Randall. “We came out aggressive on both sides of the ball and controlled the line of scrimmage. I wanted to see us be physical and we showed it throughout the game. Both the offensive and defensive lines played exceptionally well.”
Bearcat head coach Kevin Bertrand expounded on the play of his bench in a huge win last week.
“We had some guys go down to injuries during the game, but the players we put in stepped up in a big way for us against Vinton,” stated Bertrand. “This was a big win for us. Vinton is a quality club. We are going to get a lot of power points from this game. Our team showed a tremendous effort the entire game.”
Offensively, Ville Platte totaled 205 yards of offense. The Bulldogs carried the ball 26 times for 155 yards. Ville Platte was 1-5 for 50 yards in the passing game.
“We ran the football well against Mamou,” commented Randall. “They got into a different look on defense than we had anticipated. But, the players did a good job of adjusting at halftime and were able to produce some good yardage on the ground.”
“Our backs are still having trouble hitting the holes quick enough,” continued Randall. “They just have to have a little more patience and allow the blocking to develop. We didn’t pass the ball like I would have wanted to. That is definitely an area that we will continue to work on at practice.”
The Ville Platte defense had another impressive performance against the Demons. Mamou was held scoreless and had less than 100 yards of total offense. The Bulldog front seven has shown that they are force to be reckoned with this season.
“Our defense has been playing extremely well,” said Randal. “Our two defensive leaders Vondarius Freeman and Tralon Thomas have done a tremendous job. Tralon calls the defense and has been putting us in great position to defend. I thought our gang tackling has been improving every game.”
Against Vinton, Basile continued to run the football as effective as ever. The Bearcats gained 230 yards on 32 carries against the Lions.
“We definitely ran the ball effectively,” said Bertrand. “Our offensive line played well in the run game. All of our backs, including our quarterback, did a great job of running the ball.”
“When we can run the ball, it makes every part of our game sound,” continued Bertrand. “We did not pass the ball very much against Vinton, but we did not need to because of the run game. We had some trouble picking up the blitz. That will be a priority this week at practice.”
The Bearcat defense gave up 282 yards of offense against the Lions, most of that came on big plays through the air.
“We had some break downs on coverage,” stated Bertrand. “When you face a team that can run the ball well, sometimes they lull you to sleep. Our defensive backs just got caught sleeping. That is how they scored.”
Going into the game this Friday night, both coaches are wary of capabilities of the opposing squad.
“I like playing against Basile and I think the players enjoy playing against them also,” stated Randall. “They make you work hard for a win. It is like playing a playoff game when you play against those guys.”
“They are a well coached team,” Randall continued. “They are very disciplined, and physical. They are team that knows how to compete. The offensive line blocks well and their running game is great. For us to be successful against that veteran defense, we will have to be able to pass the ball. We are going to need to continue to be physical and try to control the line of scrimmage.”
Bertrand is concerned with the explosiveness and athleticism of Ville Platte.
“Ville Platte is a really solid ball club,” said Bertrand. “They can score at any time. Their defensive front is one of the better fronts around the area. It is going to be a tough test for us.”
“We are going to have to play good assignment football,” continued Bertrand. “Offensively, we can’t afford not to block those guys. If you leave them unblocked, they will make you pay. It is going to be a good game against a quality team.