Recipe: Turkey Pâté en croûte
November 1, 2012
Editor’s Picks for November
November 1, 2012
The drama-filled high school football season is going to reach its peak this month with the LHSAA State Playoffs.
But don’t forget about high school hoops – they are going to get rolling in November, as well.
The 2012-13 prep season begins this month.
With all of our teams eying deep playoff pushes, countless storylines surround the local chase for the championship.
Here are a few things to watch in the new season in our area’s boys’ and girls’ competition.
What will new chapter at Ellender bring?
Not very many familiar faces will roam Ellender’s infamous House of Pain this season. Following another playoff season in 2011-12, longtime Patriots’ coach Scott Gauthreaux resigned from his post as the team’s boys’ coach, citing a desire to spend more time with his family. Gauthreaux’s resignation will mark a completely new chapter within the program that was already in the process of replacing stars Gibby Talbot and Houston Chatman, who graduated last year. Anchoring the new era in Patriots’ basketball will be longtime assistant coach Cornell Scott, who served as Gauthreaux’s right hand for several seasons.
How far will Central Catholic go?
The Central Catholic girls were the No. 1-seed in the 2012 Class 1A playoffs. But the Lady Eagles’ run at the title disappointingly ended three wins short of the state championship. This year, expect Central Catholic to be hungry for more. With a loaded roster that returns the All-State duo of Meoshonti Knight and Randi Brown, no one will be more talented than the Lady Eagles in Class 1A. Heck, Knight is one of the best players in Louisiana in any classification. How good is she? The junior is already receiving attention from colleges across the country. She also has recorded a quadruple-double in her career. That’s impressive.
Can slow and steady win the race?
South Lafourche doesn’t have the most talented boys’ basketball team – they never do. But they annually win games. Why? It’s all about the system. Where most local high school teams play an up-and-down, fast-paced tempo, the Tarpons play a slower, more deliberate style that emphasizes cutting, movement and teamwork. Sometimes the Tarpons’ games do not get out of the 40s, but they are always a thorn in everyone’s side because of how different their system is compared to anyone else’s in the area. With a roster laced with returnees, expect the Fish to again be a major nuisance in a Bayou District race that will be closely contested by several worthwhile squads.
Will Vandebilt snip the nets?
If death and taxes are the two certainties of life, a third may soon be law: Vandebilt girls’ basketball dominance. The Lady Terriers have virtually owned local hoops in recent years – a stretch of success that includes 11 playoff wins in the past three seasons. But with post players Leah Washington off to college and D’Arcy Draper transferred out of the program, some are wondering if Vandebilt has another run within its tank. Those questioning Vandebilt’s chances in 2012-13 should be reminded that the same concerns were raised of the team before last season when the team lost two starters to injury. They responded to that challenge by going undefeated in district play and advancing to the Class 4A State Semifinals. We suspect a similar pattern will take hold this year and the Lady Terriers will make another deep push. They always find a way. Coach Kathy Luke is a true local legend in prep basketball.
Who will be Houma’s best?
There are a lot of wonderful boys’ basketball players in Houma this year – several who will likely catch the eyes of college scouts across the Southeast. Start at Terrebonne, where combo guard DeShaun Diggs will return for his senior season. An explosive guard with remarkable scoring skills, Diggs is also known to throw down a thunderous dunk or two – he is arguably our area’s most explosive leaper. Just down the road from Terrebonne, Houma Christian’s Nate Frye can also make a strong case as the league’s best. An inside-out player, Frye does it all for the Warriors, who are an annual playoff contender. If Diggs or Frye aren’t top dogs, Vandebilt’s Lionheart Leslie probably is the name on the top of the ballot. An explosive 5-foot, 10-inch guard, Leslie scores with relative ease against most defenses because of his lightning-quick first step. Leslie has also added polish to his outside game this summer – a scary thought to opposing coaches, especially when one considers that the Vandebilt standout won District MVP on both offense and defense last season.
Standout Vandebilt guard Lionheart Leslie, reaching high in a game last season, is among the best basketball players in the Tri-parish area.
