E.D. White powered by playmakers in 2015
August 25, 2015
CCA wants to take another leap in 2015
August 25, 2015
The Houma Christian football team enjoyed the best season in its program’s short history last season – a 6-4 campaign that pushed the team into the Division IV Playoffs.
Now, the challenge around the small, private school will be write a script that takes the team to the same place, despite an almost entirely new cast of characters on the field.
Spirits are high around the Warriors field house this fall as the 2015 season nears. But both coaches and players know that the upcoming year won’t be a cakewalk, because this year’s Houma Christian team is entirely different from last year’s bunch, which lost several of its top players to graduation.
“We lost seven kids from last year who were starters, and when you’re a smaller school, that’s a very, very large number,” Houma Christian coach Chuck Battaglia said. “And all seven of those kids played on both sides of the ball, so at the end of the day when you really look at it, it’s like we lost 14 starters, which obviously puts us in a challenging situation this year, because we have a lot of fresh faces at key positions on the field.”
On the defensive side of the ball, Houma Christian is looking to stay on point after holding opponents under 20 points in five out of 10 games last season.
Battaglia said that four starters are back on the Warriors defense, including Isaiah Parfait, Kyle Roberts and Jacques Lemaire – all of whom play along the defensive line.
“I think that the line will be the strength of our defense because that’s where we have the most experience,” Battaglia said. “I think those guys have a chance to be one of the strengths of our entire team.”
Also expected to play a large role for the Warriors defense is linebacker Sam Trosclair and defensive backs Zac Trujillo, Devin Battaglia and Justin Medina.
Trosclair said he believes that the combination of strength up front and blistering speed in the back end will allow the Warriors to have a defense that rivals last year’s powerful group.
“Defensively, I think we’ll be good,” Trosclair said. “We’ve got a lot of speed. We’re fast in the back-end, and we’ve got a lot of big boys at the line of scrimmage, as well. I like our mix. I think we’re going to be very good on that side.”
Because Houma Christian is a small school with a limited number of football players, a lot of the same guys who play defense will be relied upon to handle offense, as well.
But there’s one key omission from this year’s offensive lineup: Drake Battaglia.
Replacing Chuck Battaglia’s son and Devon Battaglia’s older brother will be one of the biggest challenges that Houma Christian has in the 2015 season – an obstacle that the team will need its whole roster to remedy.
Drake Battaglia was an amazing high school football player – a guy who had the rare ability to beat opponents with his right arm, legs and also his knowledge for the game.
“Even when things broke down, Drake always had an ability to keep the play alive and make something happen,” Chuck Battaglia – a proud papa said of his son, who has signed with Louisiana College to continue his career. “We’re going to miss that playmaking. There’s no doubt about it.”
The Warriors new starter under center will be Damien Pennison – a sophomore who the coach said is showing promise.
Pennison admits that he won’t be able to do a lot of the things that Drake Battaglia did on the field – at least not right away. But he added that he learned a lot while watching him play last season. Those lessons, Pennison thinks, will allow him to succeed now that it’s his time to shine.
“He helped me so much,” Pennison said. “I played offense last year, but I was a skill player. To see how he handled himself in the huddle, and in pressure on the field, it just gave me a great example of what to do now that it’s my turn.”
Chuck Battaglia thinks that Pennison has a chance to be special, as well.
“So far, he’s showing us that he’s picking it up pretty good in practice, so we’re very excited about that,” Battaglia said. “He has a lot to learn, but I think he’s showing us signs that he’s going to be a good player for us at that position.”
At the skill positions, T.J. Moore will be Houma Christian’s halfback. When the team throws the ball, it’ll be Devin Battaglia, Trujillo and Medina who will get most of the looks.
Returning on the offensive line are Justin Bonvillain and Luke Chamberlain – two of just four returning starters on that side of the ball.
Not many players returning – that’s a theme. But Devin Battaglia said the Warriors have it in their heart that 2015 will be just like 2014 in terms of victories and success.
“We’re young,” Devin Battaglia said. “But we like how the offseason has gone. I think that Damien is going to a nice job for us, and I think we have some guys who can make plays. It won’t be the same for me without my brother – I’ve played with him my whole life. But I know he’d want us to keep it going and keep winning, so that’s what we’re going to aim to do.” •
