The Winner
Second Place
Third Place
The first-ever Abbeville Main Street Holiday Wreath Contest winner was announced over the weekend.
Suzanne Vicknair’s wreath was named the winner.
Finishing second was Toni Esponge of Abbeville.
Rita Keating’s wreath was third.
July 9, 1953 ~ December 11, 2022
ABBEVILLE — A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, December 16, 2022 at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church honoring the life of Leonard “Gabby” Murray Mayard Jr., 69, passed peacefully on December 11, 2022, surrounded by loved ones. He will be laid to rest at St. Mary Magdalen Cemetery with Reverend Louis J. Richard officiating the services. Pallbearers will be Zan Beckett, Brandon Leifer, Robert Kasperski, Henry Kasperski (honorary), Caleb Mayard, Sam Mayard, Kevin Sagrera, and Steven Sagrera. The list of honorary pallbearers could go on and on, just the same as his stories.
Leonard was born in Abbeville, LA on July 9th, 1953 to Leonard Murray Mayard Sr. and Laurence Cousson Mayard. Leonard met the love of his life Tina Broussard at the young age of 21 and they married on September 13, 1975, in Abbeville, LA. A hardworking and lifelong farmer of rice, crawfish and alligator, Leonard always found time to enjoy special moments with family, grandchildren and friends. Leonard never met a stranger, as they say. He could befriend anyone, and always had great stories to tell and share. He was a distinguished archer and lover of all things rodeo and horses - a true cowboy. That is how he will be remembered. Leonard will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
He is preceded in death by his father, Leonard M. Mayard Sr.; mother, Laurence C. Mayard; and brothers, William Mark Mayard and Gary Matthew Mayard.
Leonard is survived by his wife, Tina B. Mayard; daughters Melody and husband, Michael Rayburn, and Christy Lynn Mayard; sons, Leonard Murray Mayard III and wife, Codi Mayard, Joseph Mark Mayard and wife, Adrienne Mayard; sister, Mitzi Mayard Leifer and husband, Michael Leifer; brothers, Warren Anthony Mayard and husband, Joseph McCarty, and Larry Mayard and wife, Jan Mayard; ten grandchildren, Channing Langlinais, Caleb Mayard, Madelyn Langlinais, Emma Mayard, Sam Mayard, Noah Mayard, Mally Mayard, Joshua Mayard, Zack Mayard, and Leo Mayard; and many nieces and nephews, all of whom he loved deeply.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles St., on Thursday, December 15, 2022 from 4:00 PM until 9:00 PM with a rosary being prayed at 7:00 PM; Friday, December 16, 2022 from 8:00 AM until 10:45 AM when the procession will depart for the church.
Thank you to Doctor Dobbs and his staff for giving us cherished extra years with Leonard.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.
Santa took a fitting ride, a decorated airboat, during Saturday’s Abbeville Cajun Christmas Celebration.
After a successful first year, organizers of the Abbeville Cajun Christmas Celebration eagerly anticipated what the second year would bring.
On Saturday, it brought plenty of Christmas fun.
Crowds gathered around downtown Abbeville on Saturday for the event, which featured a parade, live music, arts and crafts and plenty of toys.
“The event was bigger than we could have imagined!,” Rotary Club of Abbeville’s Annette Mudd said. “We are so thankful for the dedication and contributions of all the organizations and individuals who made this event possible.”
The city of Abbeville served as one of the partners for the event.
“It takes a lot of planning and volunteers to put on this type of event,” Abbeville Mayor Roslyn White said. “I think it was a great success, and a true collaboration of our community. I am thankful to Rotary and everyone who helped make it possible.
“I hope it continues to grow in years to come.”
Organizations involved included Rotary Club of Abbeville, City of Abbeville, Abbeville Fire Department, Abbeville Main Street, Abbeville Police Department, American Legion, FUEL Vermilion, Kiwanis Club of Abbeville, Le Bayou Legendaire, The Nehemiah Projects of Acadiana Inc., Rotary Satellite Club of Abbeville After Hours, Vermilion Chamber of Commerce, Vermilion Reach Group, Vermilion Parish Clerk of Court, and the Vermilion Parish School Board.
Mudd agreed that with support, this event will continue to grow, and organizers are already looking toward next year.
“I really feel like the community embraced the Abbeville Cajun Christmas Celebration this year and it gives our committee the motivation to keep growing this event bigger and better,” Mudd said.
“Put us down in your calendars for next year, Dec. 9, 2023.”
Jim Bradshaw
French President Emmanuel Macron was offered several choices of places to visit after his duties in Washington were done. Chicago, Atlanta, and other cities were on the short list, but they had no chance to push aside New Orleans with its centuries-old ties to France.
His visit December 2 wasn’t the first time a French president came to Louisiana. Valery Giscard d’Estaing visited New Orleans and Lafayette in 1970, and Charles DeGaulle was hosted by Louisiana luminaries at the end of April 1960.
One of the most unlikely of those 1960 hosts was D. J. (Cat) Doucet, the legendary sheriff of St. Landry Parish. New Orleans Mayor deLesseps (Chep) Morrison said Cat was invited because DeGaulle wanted to meet some French-speakers from south Louisiana, and that he knew “no more fabulous French character” than Doucet.
The sheriff was one of six men invited from south Louisiana. The others were Morgan Goudeau from Opelousas, E. A. Veillon and Gladney Manuel from Eunice, and Paul Tate and Calvin Landreneau from Mamou.
Those five drove to New Orleans for a big reception the day after DeGaulle’s arrival. Cat went a day early, worked his way into the group that met the president’s plane, and, he said afterwards, was one of the first to shake hands with DeGaulle at the airport.
Cat reported, “I said ‘bonjour, M’sieu le Presidente!’ We shook hands and he said to me, ‘je suis fier d’attend la langue français.’ That means he was proud to hear me talk French to him.”
Cat was in the motorcade that escorted DeGaulle to the Roosevelt Hotel, and according to one report “spoke at length to the guest of honor,” and his wife at the hotel.
“I told him that Chep Morrison could talk French, too, not as good as me, but pretty good,” Cat said. He said DeGaulle’s wife looked just like an acquaintance from Lawtell.
The sheriff was on hand the next day when DeGaulle spoke to a crowd in front of St. Louis Cathedral, then went inside for a ceremony during which “the priest threw holy water at him and all that.”
A long-running feud between Morrison and Gov. Earl Long created a bit of a scene at the banquet that followed.
DeGaulle’s visit came just after Long’s forced stays in several mental hospitals, and Morrison, who did not like Long to begin with, was afraid he might make a scene. He excluded the governor from all of the other events surrounding the visit, seated him far down the table at the banquet, and told Earl, who tended to ramble on, to keep his remarks to five minutes.
The hot-tempered Long spoke for only three minutes, told Morrison he could have the other two minutes back, and stormed out of the room.
Cat was a fervent Long supporter, but that’s not what the sheriff remembered most about that banquet.
“They had something in a big bowl, like whiskey. They set fire to it and walked through the room with it burning,” Cat said. “That’s the first time I’d seen that.”
Overall, the sheriff said, DeGaulle impressed him as “a very independent old gentleman, very sincere when we talked. He stood up straight, very dignified.”
He told friends that he enjoyed talking to the president, and that they had no problem understanding each other.
“You know,” he is said to have told a friend, “his French ain’t too bad.”
You can contact Jim Bradshaw at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.
Bryan Golden
“Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal -- a commitment to excellence -- that will enable you to attain the success you seek.”
-- Mario Andretti
“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” -- Vincent T. Lombardi
Why is commitment so important? Your chances of success at achieving any goal or reaching a particular destination are directly proportional to your level of commitment. An unshakable commitment will prevent you from being deterred.
Having a strong commitment serves you in numerous ways. It keeps you from changing your mind in response to adversity or obstacles. It keeps you focused and protects you from distractions.
People without a solid commitment are like weather vanes. They are constantly changing direction in response to which way the wind blows. They experience a high level of frustration caused by their perceived inability to attain satisfaction.
For commitment to work in your favor you must be committed to something positive that is beneficial to yourself and others. Commitment to anything detrimental will be counterproductive.
There are various areas that warrant commitment. First and foremost is the commitment to yourself and your goals. Then there is commitment to your family, spouse, friends, and work.
Commitment to yourself entails a dedication to taking care of your mental and physical well being while working to attain what is important to you. You should believe in yourself and view yourself as good and worthwhile.
Commitment to yourself helps provide a solid foundation from which you can work toward your goals. You need internal stability before you can be of service to anyone else. If you can’t make a commitment to yourself you can’t commit to others.
Friends may come and go but your family is with you for life. In a perfect world, your family would always be there for you through thick and thin. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. But what is your commitment to your family?
Are you there for them when they need you? Or is your availability dependent on convenience? If each family member were committed to the others, then the family would become a strong cohesive unit that could overcome any challenge. If your family is less than the ideal, why not set an example?
Many marriages and relationships tend to be more transient than permanent. Although there may be a variety of factors contributing to this, a lack of mutual commitment is certainly a core component. All people and relationships experience good times and bad.
It’s easy to weather the good times. Commitment is essential to overcoming obstacles. A couple is not two individuals with separate lives who live together. It’s a union of two individuals who combined are stronger than either person is alone. Commitment is the fuel and glue that powers and holds a relationship together.
Are you a fair weather friend or are you there for your friends when they are down and out? Do you believe that a friend in need is a friend indeed? A true friendship is built on mutual commitment rather than convenience or what someone can do for you.
Do you have a commitment to excellence at work? Do you do your best at whatever task you are involved with? You are compensated in direct proportion to your level of excellence. Increased rewards are the result of commitment, not vice versa.
Examine the different areas of your life. If there are aspects that are lacking, increase your level of commitment.
July 26, 1942 ~ December 7, 2022
ABBEVILLE — Funeral Services for Barbara Gayle Primeaux LeMaire, 80, will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 17, 2022, at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Abbeville, Louisiana. Visitation will begin at 8:00 a.m. with a Rosary at 8:30 a.m. Father Louis Richard will celebrate the Mass. A reception will follow Mass in the St. Mary Magdalen Ministries Building.
Barbara Gayle, a longtime resident of Abbeville, served her community in numerous ways throughout her life. She worked as an educator in the Vermilion Parish School System and was an ardent supporter of her alma mater, Abbeville High School. In addition to being a longtime member of the AHS Booster Club, she played a major role in the creation of the AHS Hall of Fame and hosted numerous Induction Socials. In 2021, she was selected for induction into the AHS Hall of Fame, herself, an honor she greatly cherished.
She was a devout Catholic who embarked on several holy pilgrimages, helped to rebuild the Bancker Grotto, and devoted nightly Rosaries to all whom she loved. As her many friends and family members can attest, she was steadfast in her loyalty, boundless in her generosity, and extraordinary in her compassion. She was a dynamo, always the life of the party, and she reveled in her roles as a fierce Wildcat cheerleader and fun-loving Fa-trette. That her favorite song was “My Way” was no surprise to anyone who knew her well.
Her Homecoming Parade somersaults and award-winning Christmas trees were memorable, but she wished instead to be remembered in the warm rays of the sun, in the crisp spring breeze, and in the sound of hummingbirds’ wings.
She is survived by her daughter, Lisa, her two grandsons, Brooks Bertrand of Iowa, Louisiana and his wife, Darian, and Barrett Bertrand of Austin, Texas and his partner, John, and her two great grandsons, Damon Paul and Remey Michael Bertrand.
Her husband, Theodore (Teddy) LeMaire, her son, Gerald (Boz) Libersat Jr., her parents, Gladys and Lily Vice Primeaux, and her sister, Judy, preceded her in death.
Her family is grateful for the care provided by Hospice of Acadiana and the Calcutta House of Lafayette, and in lieu of flowers, they ask that memorial contributions be made to these organizations.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.
December 16, 1950 ~ December 12, 2022
ABBEVILLE — A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday, December 15, 2022 at St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Catholic Church, 101 N. Leonard St., Abbeville, LA, honoring the life of Thomas Edward Ferguson, 71, who died Monday, December 12, 2022 in Lafayette, LA. He will be laid to rest at St. Paul Mausoleum, 515 Jacqulyn St. Abbeville, LA with Fr. François Sainte-Marie officiating the services.
Tommy had touched many people's lives in his community over the years. He is known to many as "the telephone man" due to his long career with AT&T. Tommy was also a founder and board member of the Magnolia Plantation Water System.
He is survived by his sons and their families, Jeremy Ferguson (wife Kasey, daughter Sophie and son Owen), Kyle Ferguson (wife Brooke, daughter Kilah and son Graham), and Brett Ferguson (wife Emily); and older brother, Bobby Ferguson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Tommy was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Jeanne Marie (Dartez) Ferguson; and his wife of 45 years, Regina Ferguson.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles St., on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM with a rosary being prayed at 6:30 PM; visiting hours will resume on Thursday, December 15, 2022, at 8:00AM until 9:45 AM when the procession will depart for the church.
The family would also like to extend a special thanks to the staff and volunteers of Abbeville General Medical Center and the Calcutta House of Hospice of Acadiana for their outstanding care. Also, a very special thanks from the family to Debra Fremin for the love she shared.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.
DELCAMBRE – Durphy Joseph Landry was born on December 27, 1938 and passed away fifteen days before his 84th birthday on December 12, 2022 in Lafayette.
A native of Delcambre and longtime resident of Erath, Durphy was an outgoing man who loved visiting with people and who was very proud of his Cajun Heritage.
Durphy retired as an Offshore Diesel Mechanic with Murphy Oil Company. He was an active Voluntary Member of The Erath Fire Department for 59 years. Durphy also enjoyed cooking his favorite Cajun Recipes for The Erath Fire Department, Church Gatherings, Family, and Fundraising Events for The Diabetes Association in Las Vegas, Nevada. He loved Hunting and Fishing. Durphy was a Member of The First Baptist Church of Abbeville. He ran the Sound System for the Sunday Worship Services for several years. Durphy was also a Member of The Masonic Lodge.
Durphy was loved by his Family, Friends, and Neighbors and will be remembered always as someone who shared his love and gifts of Service with others.
Durphy is survived by Hazel Landry (Former Spouse of 25 years) and Alice R. Landry (Current Spouse of 41 years); Children: Paul Landry (Donna), Charlotte (Keith), and Connie Brasseaux; Step Children: Rev. Becky Shields (Frank) and Joey Wenger; Durphy was loved by Many Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren.
Durphy was preceded in death by his Parents, Alton & Alice Sonnier; and Siblings: Brothers, Herbert (died in infancy) , AJ Landry, and Sisters, Roberta Landry and Marjorie Madson.
The Family requests Donations be made in His Memory to The Alzheimer’s Association, The Diabetes Association, or The Heart Association. The Family would also like to thank the Doctors and Nursing Staff at Ochsner’s Lafayette General Hospital for their care and compassion.
Funeral services for Durphy will be conducted at 2:00 pm on Thursday, December 15, 2022 at First Baptist Church in Abbeville with Rev Gene Gibson officiating. The Erath Volunteer Fire Department will honor Durphy before the services. Interment will follow at Immaculate Conception Memorial Mausoleum in Erath.
A gathering of family and friends will be held at Evangeline Funeral Home in Delcambre on Wednesday December 14, 2022 from 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm. The funeral home will reopen on Thursday at 9:00 am until the service time.
Honored to serve as pallbearers will be Paul Landry, Don Book, Brodie Brasseaux, R.J. Devillier, John Avet, Manny Viator, Elverse Trahan, Draven Viator, Clell Allen, Jr., and Kim Hebert.
To view the on-line obituary and sign the online guest register, please visit www.evangelinefuneralhome.com.
Evangeline Funeral Home of Delcambre is in charge of arrangements.
Preston Summers
My name is Pres Summers and I am asking for your support to become your next Sheriff.
I was born and raised and currently live in Abbeville. I attended Mt. Carmel and graduated from Vermilion Catholic in 1990. I went on to graduate from USL with a degree in Criminal Justice in 1994. I also attended graduate school at LSU to work on a Master’s degree in Public Administration. I was hired by the Louisiana State Police and I became a Louisiana State Trooper in June of 1995.
During my 27 years with the Louisiana State Police, I have worked in patrol, the Bureau of Investigations and the Hazardous Materials and Explosives Unit. I have held a commission from the United States Marshals and the Federal Bureau of Investigations as a Certified Bomb Technician. I recently retired from the Louisiana State Police as the Technician Supervisor for Region 2 and I am currently working as a manager for a liquefied natural gas exporter. This diverse experience and training combined with a strong work ethic provide a good foundation to lead the law enforcement mission of the Sheriff’s Department. Now I want to use my experience to serve the people of Vermilion Parish as your Sheriff.
I have been married to Krystal Luquette Summers of Abbeville for 25 years, and we have 3 children. Family is most important in my life. I believe that the people of Vermilion Parish share the same sentiment. We want to work hard to provide a good life for our families. That’s the strongest common bond we all share and freedom, law, and order are necessary to achieve this goal.
Our society and our way of life are facing serious challenges. Going forward Vermilion Parish will need a Sheriff who can recognize the threats to freedom, law, and order and will confront them head on. I strongly believe that a unified community can overcome any challenge. I will work to align the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Department with other agencies to accomplish the goals of Vermilion Parish. I will target crime and drug use. The people of Vermilion Parish are not willing to allow out of control crime to change the way of life that we enjoy. I see instances in too many places in America where criminals are allowed to steal and nothing is done about it. Unruly behavior and crime is becoming more common across the country and I don’t want my home parish to ever slump to that level. As crime grows, law abiding citizens suffer losses on many levels.
As your Sheriff, I will explore every opportunity to provide the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office with the opportunity for a rewarding career along with the tools and technology needed to succeed. I will work to bring new energy and talent into the department. In return, I will raise expectations for the level of service to the people of Vermilion Parish in the form of more criminal investigations resulting in arrest. I am excited to meet with you and hear your concerns regarding the Sheriff’s Department. As I visit throughout the parish in the next year, I would like to hear about the good and bad experiences you have had with the Sheriff’s Department to give me an idea of the things being done right and the methods that need improvement. I am the only candidate in this race who has never had the chance to make a difference in the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Department. I’m asking for your support to give me the opportunity to bring a fresh perspective and new ideas into your Sheriff’s Office. Thank you for your consideration Vermilion Parish. VPSO 23 - Vote Pres Summers October 23.
Paid for by
Preston Summers
The Eagles take a photo with the second place trophy.
VC quarterback Jonathan Dartez was named the VC player of the game for the state finals
VC's CJ Briggs (left) and Rhett Taylor sandwich tackle a player.
Allen McLain III makes a tackle for VC.
Ross Dartez (4) hauls in one of his five catches for VC.
VC's Rhett Leblanc (10) makes a tackle.
VC quarterback Jonathan Dartez scores a touchdown by diving.
VC receiver Dane Richoux (8) heads up field for a 38 yard reception.
The late Fr. Donald Theriot and his chair return to the Superdome on Thursday.
NEW ORLEANS — Vermilion Catholic High School head football coach Broc Prejean couldn’t have been more proud of his team’s effort following the LHSAA’s Division IV Select state championship football game Thursday night in the Caesars Superdome.
The Screaming Eagles had just suffered their only loss of the season, 28-14 at the hands of Ouachita Christian School, but fought to the end and continued to give the kind of effort he expected from a team led by a dozen seniors, most of whom started the entire season, Prejean said at the postgame press conference. The coach was accompanied at the press conference by linebacker Ashton Belaire, quarterback Jonathan Dartez and receiver Ross Dartez.
“I’m so proud of our guys,” Prejean said. “I’m so proud of the grit and determination they showed. Really and truly, it’s one of the first times we’ve trailed all year, and the poise and character they showed in those moments is what tonight is about for me. I’m proud of the character of these kids, I’m proud of the senior group, I’m proud of the underclassmen, the community, how well they traveled.
“We’ve had 13 really, really good nights this year, and we’re not going to let this one kind of tough one overshadow all of that success. It stings. I’m disappointed for these young men sitting next to me, but man, they did put a lot of smiles on peoples’ faces this year.”
Prejean added that his team left everything on the field, the way they planned to.
“I know 100 percent the guys on my left and the guys in the locker room have tears in their eyes,” Prejean said. “They gave us what they had. I’m going to sleep fine tonight knowing that. I’m proud of those kids. We have absolutely no regrets.”
“That’s what we’ve been doing all season,” Belaire said. “We left it all on the field all season. It just didn’t roll our way tonight.
VC, which was earned the No. 1 seed in the Division IV playoffs, and OCS, which was the No. 3 seed, both finished 13-1 on the year. Ouachita Christian won its eighth state title and its sixth under head coach Steven Fitzhugh. VC has won two championships.
“First of all I’d like say congratulations to Coach Fitzhugh and Ouachita Christian,” Prejean said. “They played a heck of a ballgame. They were impressive team to watch on film and they were even more impressive in person.”
Four Vermilion Catholic turnovers proved to be the difference in the game. VC out rushed Ouachita Christian 144-114, but was outgained 215-96 in the air and 329-240 overall.
OC took the lead on its first possession after an interception at the Ouachita Christian 35-yard line. The pickoff at first was ruled incomplete but a lengthy video review by the officials overturned that call. It was one of three reviews during the game.
OC marched 65 yards in 12 plays to get to the end zone, with running back Zachary White getting three 10-plus yard carries on the series and quarterback Landon Graves finishing the drive off with an 11-yard TD run at the 3:01 mark.
Vermilion Catholic had trailed only twice all year before that, falling behind Ascension Episcopal 3-0 in the first quarter in Week 2 before winning 48-24, and trailing Covenant Christian 6-0 on a fumble recovery for a TD in the first quarter of a Week 6 game that VC won 57-6.
VC answered that OC touchdown with an 11-play, 68-yard scoring drive, featuring a 36-yard pass from Jonathan Dartez to a wide-open Dane Richoux to the Ouachita Christian 20. Dartez capped the drive with a two-yard TD run on fourth-and-goal and Richoux’s PAT made it 7-7.
Neither team could sustain a scoring drive for much of the remaining 10-1/2 minutes of the half with the teams combining for five punts and one interception. A final punt by VC that was downed at the OC 15 with 42 seconds remaining, but a 45-yard pass from Graves to Tate Hamby brought the ball to the Vermilion Catholic 23, and Graves found Drew Dougan over the middle for the TD on the next play with 10 seconds to go to give the OC Eagles a 14-7 lead. Graves went 19-for-25 for 215 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 16 times for 39 yards and another TD.
“Graves is a heck of a quarterback,” Prejean said. “He’s been doing it for a while. I think he was responsible for 110 touchdowns to date at Ouachita Christian. We knew they were going to put some points up. We didn’t bury our heads in the sand and think that wasn’t going to happen. But they just made some plays when they needed to make them.”
C.J. Briggs led the Eagles with eight tackles, including seven solo stops, while Belaire, Lewis Briggs Jr. and Travin Moore each had seven tackles.
“I think in the first half we didn’t play very good. That was the worst first down we’ve played, and we were still down only 14-7, so I was really pleased with the first half,” Jonathan Dartez said. “The second half we just committed turnovers, and like coach Broc said, they scored off them.”
OCS added to its lead with a fumble forced by Colton Alford and recovered by Maddox King at the VC 41. A fourth-down keeper by Graves kept the drive going, and four plays later, White went untouched on a 16-yard run for a 21-7 lead. White finished the game with 95 yards on 16 carries.
“No. 11 (White), man he ran tough,” Prejean said. “The kid ran tough all night. He was tough to bring down with one guy. We said this week we wanted to make them sustain drives, and not give them any big plays, and I think we did a really good job of that. You hope that if you make teams sustain drives that you can create a turnover here and there, and we were mighty close to stepping in front of a few balls, we just couldn’t pick the angle.”
Another turnover, this one an interception by Broc Hogan at the OC 4-yard line, led to a 96-yard scoring drive that chewed up 7:29 of the clock. Graves connected with Dougan for a second TD, this one covering five yards, for a 28-7 lead. Hogan, who was voted the Outstanding Player for the game by the media, had two interceptions.
VC made the final 28-14 when Zandon Bessard forced a fumble that Allen McLain III returned 65 yards for a touchdown with 3:02 to go.
“I just wanted to say this year has been the most fun year in sports I’ve ever played,” Jonathan Dartez said at the end of the press conference. “I’ll remember pretty much everything we’ve done on the field.”
“I’m grateful that I’m fortunate enough to have this profession,” said Prejean, who was a member of VC’s first state championship team in 2003. The Eagles added a second title in 2013. “I’m grateful to be at my alma mater. I’m grateful to coach and teach these young mean and be in the community. I’m an Abbeville kid and VC kid at heart, and for me, being on that field with them was truly special. I’m grateful for the sacrifice these kids have made since June and the relationships that they’ve created, and also amongst each other and also amongst our coaching staff.”
318 N. Main St.
Abbeville, LA 70510
Phone: 337-893-4223
Fax: 337-898-9022
219 North Cushing Avenue
Kaplan, LA 70548