Senior Leader: Senior safety, receiver looks to make final season with VC a fun one for himself and his teammates

Senior safety Ethan Landry will take on a bigger role for the Vermilion Catholic Eagles this fall after VC graduated 1o of its 11 starters off one of the most stifling defenses in the state in 2022.
The Eagles allowed only 93 total points in 14 games, giving up more than 7 points only twice, in the season opener against Ascension Episcopal (24 points) and the championship game against Ouachita Christian (28 points). VC’s defense pitched six shutouts and allowed 6 points in one game and 7 points in five other games, including four of the team’s five playoff games.
Landry said he expects to take a leadership role on the new defense.
“Leadership, since I’m a senior, and communication on the defensive side of the ball” are what he looks to work on, he said. “Most of (the seniors in 2022) played defense, and a big part of why they were good was communication. They’d always be talking on the field. You could hear them from the sidelines. We’re going to need to replicate that as much as we can because we saw how much that helped them.”
“Ethan’s going to be a safety for us,” VC assistant coach Brett Blakey said. “Sometimes he’ll play on the hash, and sometimes he’ll roll down in the box.”
On offense, Landry will be among a group of players rotating in as receivers. Landry ranked among the top 10 receivers in Vermilion Parish in 2022,, and bird among VC receivers, with 19 catches for 205 yards and three touchdowns.
“I’ve been able to work a little bit more with Ethan in the summer (during 7-on-7 drills and competition),” Blakey said. “I’ve been really impressed with what I’ve seen, how he’s taken to what we’re trying to get accomplished.
“Moving forward we need everybody to be able to play their role and take that leadership (role). You look at guys like Ashton (Belaire) and Tiki (Travin Moore) last year, they got the job done but they were also vocal leaders too. So we need some guys in that aspect to step up.”
“I think we’re going to throw the ball a lot more this year,” Landry said. “Obviously I need to run some good routes and catch the ball.”
The Eagles will rely on players like Landry, senior defensive lineman/tight end Andrew Prejean, senior running back Tyjh Williams, senior defense back Ty Williams and junior quarterback Jonathan Dartez to lead a team that lost a huge group of experienced seniors who led VC to the state title game in 2022.
“All of these kids that were able to get significant playing time in that run, in my mind, are guys that we’re going to have to lean heavily on early and often, because they’ve been there,” Blakey said. “I think we’ve got a group of talented kids, but we’re young, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
“Whenever you’re replacing 10 out of 11 (starters on defense), and there were 11 extremely talented individuals, it’s difficult. Not to say that the guys that we have aren’t extremely talented, they’re just young. Last year’s group was a group that started for three years, and the repetitions that they were able to bring into their senior season helped them accomplish what they were able to accomplish. Obviously with the amount of young guys we’ve got, we need guys like Andrew (Prejean) and we need guys like Ethan to step up and basically show, ‘this is how we do it around here.’”
On a personal level, Landry said he’s looking to make his final season enjoyable.
“Mostly I’m just looking to have fun,” he said. “It’s my last go-round. I just want to have fun with my teammates and make it as far as we can (in the playoffs).”