Rested VC to Start Playoff Path

The Vermilion Catholic Screaming Eagles took advantage of theif bye in the first round of the playoffs to get as healthy as possible, physically and mentally.
VC gets back into action tonight when the Eagles take on Delhi Charter in a home regional playoff game.
“We soaked them in ice baths all last week,” VC head coach Broc Prejean said. “We got in some workouts, some light workouts, and focused a little bit on football but mostly the healing process. Emotionally, I think it was a big thing for us to kind of reset and re-evaluate and just process the 10-week season that had come before us, and be appreciative of how well we’ve done in it. We told them go all the way up until Sunday, and then Monday come ready to go after it in the playoffs.”
The Eagles went 10-0 in the regular season for the second straight year and extended their regular-season win streak to 25 straight games. VC enters the postseason as the No. 1 seed in the Non-Select Division IV playoffs for the second straight year.
Prejean said his team is as healthy as can be expected at this time of year.
“I don’t think anybody we’re going to play or who is still playing football is full strength,” Prejean said. “That’s just the nature of it. But for our guys, I think last week was big and I think we’re as close to August as we could be right now.”
Delhi Charter (5-5 overall) is the No. 17 seed and beat No. 16 seed Slaughter Community Charter (6-5) in the first round, 26-22.
“They’re explosive,” Prejean said. “They’ve got a heck of a running back in No. 20 (Deandra Young), who’s close to a 1,600-yard rusher. They’re in a split-back veer. The only resemblance around here to that is Acadiana, so we all know that’s a tough thing to deal with it.
“They’re going to run it more often than they throw it, there’s no doubt. It’s tough if they’re able to keep the chains moving and keep your offense off the field, which is what they’re designed to do.”
Young rushed for 165 yards and two TDs in the win over Slaughter Community Charter after rushing for 1,539 yards and 10 TDs in the regular season, averaging 9.68 yards a carry.
The split backs are usually two yards behind the quarterback in the Gators’ veer offense.
“They do have some exotic packages where they’re going to overload certain sides and bring tackle over and things that are unique to the veer, but it’s just how fast it hits and the trust that you have to have in each other,” Prejean said of defending the veer. “One guy misses his assignment and it’s 70 yards later (before the next defender sees him). That’s what the veer is designed to do. The veer is designed to make you undisciplined and try to make you try to make a play that maybe isn’t asked of you, and then the next guy is put in a place where it’s almost impossible to make the play.
“Staying assignment-oriented, trusting their reads is big for our linebackers, and feeling out the down blocks and the pulls and knowing what that possibly and probably means for where the ball is going.”
That discipline on defense has been a strong point for the Eagles this year, Prejean said.
“It’s what got us here, there’s absolutely no doubt about it,” he said. “Our kids are warriors and they’re great athletes in their own respect, but absolutely assignment football and understanding that we’re putting them in good position is what they do, and they take advantage of that.
“I’ve been very proud about that with this group. They talk it all the time. They want to be a hundred percent on assignment, whether it’s offense, defense or special teams. That’s not easy for teenagers to do. It really isn’t, week to week, to be challenged with new assignments to take up, but they’ve answered the bell so far.”
Prejean said he’s loved the way Allen McLain and Joe Langlinais have played linebacker. Ethan Landry has been a jack of all trades.
“We’ve asked him to spin up, we’ve asked him to spin down, we’ve asked him to play on the line, we’ve asked him to do everything, and he’s done it with a smile on his face,” the coach said. “Ty Williams has been a splash player. I think he’s the guy that stands out the most when you watch our defense, just because he makes some incredibly athletic plays in space. And I’m really proud of our DBs. People have tried to challenge them all year and they’ve done a tremendous job.”
VC’s offense is led by quarterback Jonathan Dartez, who leads Vermilion Parish in both rushing yards (1,509 yards, 23 TDs) and passing yards (1,096 yards, 14 TDs). Tyjh Williams has another 853 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground, while Luke McLain and Joe Langlinais also have carried the ball.
Prejean expects Delhi Charter to try to stop the VC run game first.
“On defense, similar to what we’ve seen the past few weeks, I think they’re going to be stop-the-run conscious, and they’re going to load the box up and play a lot of man coverage, and that’s something we’re going to have to find answers for throughout the night Friday,” Prejean said.
The coach said he wants his team to not be discouraged if a play doesn’t go for a big gain.
“Just understand that it’s going to be methodical in the run game and we’re just going to keep hammering away at the nail until it drives through and hopefully we get that big run,” Prejean said. “And then understand that there’s going to be times that we’re going to need a wideout to win a one-on-one matchup, and we’re going to need the quarterback to throw a good ball and we’re going to need (the receiver) to come down with it.”
The receiving corps is led by Ross Dartez, who has 23 catches and a parish-leading 455 yards and four touchdowns. Jyrin Bessard (10-16, 3 TDs), Dane Richoux (8-104, 2 TDs) Hudson Hebert (12-96, 2 TDs) and Ethan Landry (7-94) also contribute regularly.
Prejean said the passing game has been effective.
“We know we have it, and it’s not necessarily a conscious thing, but we know that it starts with the run first for us” he said. “If we can establish the run, then the pass game opens up. That’s been our approach, and when the pass game has opened up we’ve been ready to make the calls and make the plays, and it’s been good.”
Prejean said offensive line coach Brodie Savoie has had the answers up front.
“We know going into each week against what particular fronts, what runs we want to take, and what’s available to us, which keeps our kids in good positions where they can be successful,” Prejean said.
“We knew that at some point this year, that was going to be people’s response to us, just putting as many as they possibly can (in the box) while still covering our wideouts.”
The coaches go through it with the players from Monday through Thursday, showing them all the different possibilities of defensive alignments they’ll likely see during the game.
“And then our kids studying that at night, getting on their charts that we give them, has been critical to that (process),” Prejean said.