Bayou Region wins all-star matchup at NSU

All-star games are usually insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But in the inaugural “Bayou vs. River Region All-Star Game,” the Bayou Region squad wanted to prove its talent level matched up with the River Region.

Consider the Bayou’s goal achieved.

With a squad consisting of players from Lafourche, Terrebonne and Assumption Parish schools, the Bayou squad claimed a convincing 36-20 win over the River Region, which consisted of players from St. Charles, St. James and St. John Parishes.

Throughout the previous six years, the all-star game consisted of just Lafourche, Assumption and Terrebonne Parishes. However, for the first year, the River parishes were included in the all-star game presented by HTV10 and the Thibodaux Lion’s Club.

Most Valuable Player awards were given to each team. The Bayou Region had co-MVP’s—running back Philip Livas of South Terrebonne and quarterback James Steib of Thibodaux. Livas earned the award by rushing for 198 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Steib ran for two scores and passed 5-for-7 for 53 yards.

Daron Bartholomew took MVP honors for the River squad on 138 total yards and a touchdown.

After the game, Livas said he was excited about playing with the area’s top seniors. “We knew we could play with them because we’ve got a lot of great players around here,” said Livas. “Everybody came out and did their job and we came out with the win.”

The Bayou Region team started doing “its job” on its opening possession when it capped a 16-play drie with a 46-yard field goal by South Terrebonne’s Chris Benoit. Fourteen of the 16 plays on the opening possession were runs. Head coach Boyd Fussell said establishing the running game was what he wanted the squad to do. “I really thought we could run the ball,” he said. “We kind of stressed that because we knew how explosive their offense was. So we felt like if we controlled the line of scrimmage … we had a really good shot.”

Overall, the Bayou ran for 342 yards.

Trailing 16-7, the River Region pulled within two points on a nine-yard touchdown run by quarterback Johnny Theil and the ensuing extra point.

It did not take long for the Bayou to answer, though. The Bayou used a roughing the kicker penalty and a fake punt to convert two fourth downs on its way to a score. Steib capped the drive with an eight-yard strike to South Terrebonne’s Bradley Russo. The extra point failed, making it 22-14.

The River Region fumbled away its next possession, and Terrebonne’s Byron Jones scored four plays later on an 11-yard run. Benoit’s extra point made it 29-14.

On the River’s next drive, it lost 20 yards, and had to punt on a 4th-and-30.

Livas capped the Bayou’s next possession with an eight-yard scoring run, for a 36-14 lead.

Bartholomew added a late score for the River region. The two-point failed, making it 36-20.

After the game, Fussell gave all the credit to the players on the squad. “Anytime you get together, and you get the players off of 10 teams, it makes coaching a whole lot easier,” he said with a laugh. “I’m proud of the staff, and proud of the players. Everybody did a great job.”

Staff photo by Matt LeBlanc • Tri-Parish Times/ Bayou Region running back Philip Livas earned co-MVP honors in the first annual Bayou vs. River Region All-Star game in Thibodaux. Livas ran for 198 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries in the Bayou’s 36-20 win over the River Region.