Trojans look to spoil Cougars reign

There are a lot of things on the line for this week nine District 5-1A contest between the Sacred Heart Trojans (5-2, 3-0) and the defending district champion Point Coupee Central Cougars (6-2, 3-0). The ninth-ranked Cougars are seeking their third straight district title and only the SHHS platoon stands in their way.
Besides the fact that PCC looks to win another league title, they also look to lock up another strong seed in the Class 1A power ratings. The Trojans are hoping to move up in their Division seeding. Beating the Cougars would surely do that. Unofficially, the SHHS football team is currently ninth in their select school division. They are almost certain a home game in the first round of the playoffs. While nearly every team in their division will make the post-season, who comes to Ville Platte is nearly impossible to determine. However, the Trojans can surely help themselves with an upset over the Cougars.
How do the Trojans get that win? Play defense like never before this season and keep the Cougars off the field. PCC has a passing attack that averages over 423 yards a game and scores an amazing 50 points a game. Yes that is a 50 and not a typo. The Cougars scored 51 points against St. Ed’s in a win last week.
The Trojans were exposed to a passing attack last week against Pointe Coupee Catholic. The Hornets threw for 333 yards, a stat the boys in blue and gold have to limit in order to pull off the upset against the scoring machines. In last year’s battle, the Trojans went down early to the Cougars’ passing onslaught.
SHHS may be able to score points. The Cougars give up scores. St. Ed’s put up 46 points last week and altogether teams are putting up 27 points a game against PCC. The key for the local boys is to put together long drives that not only eat up a lot of clock time, but end in touchdowns. They did that often against the Hornets last week.
Ellis Parrott busted back on the field last year and blasted the Hornets for big yards both in the rushing and receiving departments. PCC will focus on Parrott this week and try to limit his production. That should open the doors for other Trojans to attack. One of those guys is Grant Manuel, who has become a powerful runner. Manuel is the type of weapon that SHHS needs this week. Giving him the ball and allowing him to hit PCC for five and six yards at a time will slow the game down and keep the scoring machine off the field.
SHHS hasn’t played a team with a winning record since week two when they fell to Opelousas Catholic. Making things even more tough is the Trojans are going to New Roads, where it is always tough to win. This will be no easy task, but both teams are riding waves of momentum. A win for the Trojans could force a three-way tie for the league title and possibly keep the Trojans on track to win the title outright. Either way, Sacred Heart has a fight on their hands tomorrow night when they collide with the Cougars.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.