Nov. 17
November 17, 2009
Mr. Heath Adam Perkins
November 19, 2009
It’s the story with the ending that still has not been written.
If the South Lafourche Tarpons continue to get their way, then the ending will include a win at the Superdome for the state title in a few weeks.
The South Lafourche Tarpons’ perfect storybook turnaround continues following the team’s 45-14 win over the Central Lafourche Trojans.
It was the second straight week the Tarpons beat the Trojans – the two teams met in the final regular season game last week. The Tarpons walked away with a 21-3 win.
“You want your district to do as well as they can so it’s unfortunate that we had to try to end each other’s seasons,” first-year Tarpon head coach Terry Farmer said. “This was a very dangerous game after beating them last week. I didn’t want to play this game, to be honest with you.”
Friday marked the first playoff win for the Galliano school since 1993, and their first playoff appearance at home since 1996.
Earlier in the day, the school unveiled the District 8-5A district championship banner that will hang for the first time since their last district championship 22 years ago.
“There has been a resurrection this year,” Farmer said. “Something positive hasn’t happened in this area football-wise in some time. I’m just happy these kids have something to hang their hats on here.”
With 21-seeded Westgate’s upset of 12th seed Mandeville, the Tarpons are traveling near Lafayette Friday for their second-round game.
The high school playoff format lets higher-seeded teams open at home, but the second round is played at the lower-seeded team’s field. If both teams played at home in the first round, the home game is awarded to the higher of the two.
Had Mandeville been able to hold off Westgate on Friday, they would have traveled to Galliano.
Despite the road game, Farmer said his team is playing its best ball now – at home or away.
“You always want to progress every week and I think we are doing that,” he said. “I think the E.D. White loss did it for us. I think it got us mentally back on track to realize what we needed to accomplish.”
To advance to the quarterfinals, the Tarpons’ defense will have to turn in another solid performance. The unit has held opponents to 14 points per game this season.
“Those guys have been doing it for us all season,” Farmer said. “We know our defense is going to bring it. We just have to make it a point to put the points on the board when they give us the opportunity.”
Westgate defenders will also have to contend with South Lafourche’s many offensive weapons: running backs Rusty Borne and Jordan Galjour and quarterback Cameron Esponge. They generated 400 yards offensively against Central Lafourche Friday.
With his team’s season over, the Central Lafourche head coach is among those rooting for the Tarpons to successfully make a run at the state championship.
“They did a great job of stepping up when they needed to,” he said. “They have an extremely solid football team. They got a great thing going. The community is behind them and I hope they win state.”
The Tarpons, however, aren’t thinking that far ahead just yet.
“We’re taking it one week at a time,” Farmer said. “We have quality competition coming up and we want to keep this going. We can’t get caught up in anything. It’s a lot for a 17- or 18-year-old boy to take in at one time.”
South Lafourche running back Rusty Borne breaks free for a score against Central Lafourche Friday night. The Tarpons defeated the Trojans 45-14 to advance to the second round of the Class 5A state playoffs. * Photo by KYLE CARRIER
