Lady Tarpons celebrating success

Walking South Lafourche High School’s campus, the buzz of the success of the Tarpons’ football team is palpable.

Signs drape the walls hyping game day. Students are wearing spirit shirts and the mere mention of the sport brings a smile.

It’s been quite some time since the Galliano school has celebrated its fall sporting season, but with the help of football, and now volleyball, it has a reason to enjoy something else other than basketball season.

In recent years, the Lady Tarpons’ volleyball team hasn’t garnered much success.

Of course, playing in the volleyball-rich District I-5, may have had a little something to do with that.

However, the 2009 sports season hasn’t been the norm in Galliano.

Just as their football counterparts are making an improbable run to the Class 5A state playoffs, the volleyball team appears headed for the same destiny.

The team’s 18-6 start to the season’s first 24 games is one of the best in school history, and the best under fourth-year head coach Phil Bychurch.

It’s exactly the plan he laid for his seven seniors – Lindsey Ledet, Rebecca Pitre, Elizabeth Thomassie, Simone Guidry, Brittany Griffin, Tiffany Laird and Darian Leblanc – when he coached them as freshmen.

“I give those girls lots of credit,” Bychurch said. “They have been with me since my freshman year. They had to hear me for four years and it’s paying off. I told them ‘If you could handle me your freshman and sophomore years, then your senior year is going to pay off if you keep working hard.’ That’s what they do every day.”

Tomorrow, the Lady Tarpons finish the district season in Mathews against Central Lafourche in what is going to be the team’s final regular season match. After dropping a heartbreaker to Thibodaux last Wednesday 3-2, the Lady Tarpons face a must-win situation if they want to secure the playoff berth.

It appears as though the Lady Tarpons have done enough to finally earn a spot in the volleyball state playoffs after being 20-12 overall and 3-4 in district, but nothing is official.

Bychurch hopes his team can finish strong with a win tomorrow and possibly earn a playoff berth.

“We have to finish games when we have a lead,” Bychurch said. “We can’t relax and let a team back in it like we have done a couple times. We just want to continue playing ball.”

One advantage to playing in District I-5: The quality of competition is playoff-caliber that could help the team in the long run, according to the coach.

“All we wanted to do was play the teams that made us better,” Bychurch said. “It just so happens that’s in our district. Playing those teams is making us better throughout the season. It’s a good situation to be in when preparing for the playoffs.”

Once his team gets in the playoffs, it’ll be up to them not to get intimidated by the quality of competition.

He expects his team’s net play, which has been solid all season, to pick up the pace if his team secures a playoff spot.

“Net play has been great. We play hard at net,” the coach said. “The girls like to go block, they like to go and hit. We’re flying all over the floor. Some balls can go in the stands and we’re still trying to go get them. Net play has definitely been our biggest asset this year. If we can keep it going, then who knows what can happen.”

South Lafourche senior Lindsey Ledet attempts to put the ball over the net in a game earlier this season against Berwick. If the Lady Tarpons beat Central Lafourche tomorrow, they could lock up their first playoff berth under the tenure of fourth-year head coach Phil Bychurch. * File photo / Tri-Parish Times