Festivals abound in October
October 19, 2011
Grand Réveil Acadien!
October 19, 2011
The Morgan City High School football team hasn’t made the playoffs in the new millennium.
In the 2009 and 2010 seasons combined, the Tigers won just four games.
Take a quick peek at the standings and it’s pretty easy to see things are beginning to change.
The upstart Tigers promised change from the team’s losing ways in the preseason and have so far delivered on their lofty goals.
Through seven games, the Tigers have eclipsed 2009 and 2010’s combined win total with a 5-2 record.
If the playoffs started today, Morgan City would have enough power points to be in the field of 32 for the first time since 1999.
“The guys … they’ve just bought into the program,” Morgan City coach Brandon Nowlin said. “This is the first full season for me having complete control through an offseason through a summer and fall camp and that’s been a tremendous help.”
The biggest change from within the program is attitude, something Nowlin brought to the team when he took it over right before last season.
Gone is complacency.
Also gone is the community’s semi-satisfaction with being the little brother of powerhouses like Patterson and Central Catholic in the hierarchy of St. Mary Parish prep football.
Nowlin expects his players to compete, at a high level.
If you can’t keep up with the pace, you don’t belong.
The coach let go of several 2010 contributors in the offseason because he didn’t think the team could succeed going forward with players unable to adapt to the change of culture within the program.
“Coach has done a lot,” Tigers halfback and safety Eric Walker said. “He’s changed everything, the offense, the defense, everything. He’s gotten better coaches, he’s changed everyone’s attitude. He motivates us a lot.”
For most programs, such a stark transition would take time.
Morgan City was no different, limping to a 2-8 mark in 2010.
This year, things aren’t quite the same.
And it all started on a routine Friday night on Sept. 9 when the Tigers took on Berwick, winning a 44-26 game.
“Make no mistake about it, winning helps,” Nowlin said. “We’ve won some close ballgames and being able to steal a few wins helps solve a lot of problems. A lot of things can be going wrong with your football team, with the world, with anything … if you’re winning ballgames, it solves a lot of problems.”
From winning one, the Tigers learned to win another, following up their Berwick victory with a 32-28 triumph of Sarah Reed.
Then came the team’s next hurdle, sustained success.
After struggling with mental mistakes in a 30-13 loss to Jeanerette, the Tigers hit the practice fields hard.
“We let that one get away from us,” Nowlin said. “We left a lot of points out on the field and made a lot of mistakes.”
From its soul searching, the Tigers reestablished the winning mark.
Morgan City rebounded from the Jeanerette loss and has now won three-straight, defeating Pearl River, Franklin and Ellender.
The key to the Tigers’ success has arguably been on the offensive side of the football.
Morgan City has averaged more than 25 points per game for the season and 31.6 points per game over its past five games.
Senior receiver Austin Stroud is one of the biggest reasons for that success, serving as one of the team’s primary playmakers.
“He’s a special player for us,” Nowlin said. “He returns kicks, punts, everything. He does a lot of things for us. He really leads the way.”
Walker also has his hands in the team’s offense, serving as an explosive halfback.
That wasn’t always in the cards for the dual threat, who was primarily a defensive player to start the year.
“Our starter went down with an injury the first week of the year,” Nowlin said. “Eric stepped up and he’s been a guy we’ve really leaned on. He’s has a couple of 100-yard games and multiple touchdown games. He’s been a major catalyst for what we do.”
“Being able to carry the football a little bit,” Walker says with a laugh. “I won’t lie, that’s been pretty nice.
Playmakers are great, but leadership is a must, too.
Enter Morgan City quarterback Hoang Nguyen.
In his first year as a starting quarterback, Nowlin said Nguyen has provided a team with an unquestioned toughness at football’s most important position.
“I can’t say enough about him,” Nowlin said. “He’s really taken command of what we’re trying to do. He’s basically an extension of me out on the field. He makes his mistakes just like anyone else, but he’s been just such a blessing. If we didn’t have him, we’d be in a bad, bad way right now.”
With three games to go, Morgan City will have to continue its strong play to keep up with its schedule.
The Tigers will close the season with South Terrebonne, Vandebilt and Assumption, all teams that have historically walked over Morgan City’s hopes.
But things are different now in Morgan City and success is in the minds of the young Tigers.
The challenge is now to keep things that way.
“Our guys have gotten a little taste of what it feels like to be successful,” Nowlin said. “How they handle that and how we progress and improve throughout this season will determine how much success we continue to have. But it’s exciting right now. And the kids feel it.”
“Not everybody, not everybody is on board yet,” Walker added. “We’ll convert those last standing haters if we get a couple more wins and make it to the playoffs.
“From there, we’ll try and get to the Dome. When was the last time you heard someone from Morgan City talking about that?”
The answer is easy, probably not at any point during Walker’s lifetime.
Morgan City quarterback Hoang Nguyen fires a pass at practice. Nguyen is one of the leaders on the Tigers’ squad that is 5-2 to start the season. CASEY GISCLAIR
