Seventh ranked Livonia, Farris come to VP

Ville Platte High has had its share of bumps and bruises this year and they have faced some very good competition. St. Charles Catholic was included in that group and the Comets slammed VPHS in week five. The Bulldogs had a ton of key injuries for that game, but this week, things are different. Another Class 3A powerhouse is on the schedule, this time it is the seventh ranked Livonia Wildcats. Along with the entry of the Wildcats will be the presence of senior running back Russell Farris. Livonia, who lost to eventual state champ Parkview Baptist in the semi-finals last year, is coming off of an overtime win over Port Barre. The 27-20 win came when quarterback Kerry Savoy hit Darius Hammond in the end zone to end the game.
Despite Savoy’s heroics, it was Farris’ ability to move the ball that really kept Livonia on track to remain undefeated (7-0, 2-0). Farris ran for 157 yards against Port Barre and he will be the force for VPHS to stop.
Ville Platte’s defense was the key to staying in the game against Port Barre when the Bulldogs fell 14-6 two weeks ago. If that is a measuring stick at all, then you would think VPHS has a legitimate chance to earn the upset. One thing that has to be considered is the overall health of the seniors on offense. It will take more than just defense to win this game, it will take all three phases.
Livonia scores 34 points a game and holds opponents to just 17 points. Ville Platte will need all of its weapons, including a healthy Kendall Ardoin and Darrien Anderson. If the running game gets going early and the offensive line can handle the LHS pressure, that will keep Farris and Savoy off of the football field.
The Bulldogs have seen teams with the talent that Livonia will bring to the Dog House, but that doesn’t make things any easier. Livonia has seen teams like VPHS and bigger. They opened up the year with a 38-28 win over Class 5A Live Oak and rattled off six straight wins.
There is no doubt that VPHS has the talent to pull the upset. The question lies with the talented seniors and the offensive line. If they can execute on the line, good things will happen. The Dogs are averaging 22 points a game, but are also allowing 18 points a game. They are coming off of a 41-0 win over a struggling Pine Prairie team, which hopefully boosted the Bulldogs’ confidence level and helped get some players back to the level they need to be at.
Look for Livonia to try and put this one away early with heavy doses of Farris, while VPHS tried to keep the game close and be around in the fourth quarter.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Dog House.