Louise "Toot" Marie Chiasson Fremin
October 7, 2008
Marie "Grum" Hartman Hebert
October 9, 2008
Teams practice to improve.
From the time the season starts and as a team gets deeper into the season, coaches hope to see bright spots their team can build on.
Friday night, the South Lafourche Tarpons saw just that.
Despite falling 14-0 to the Thibodaux Tigers (3-0, 2-0), the Tarpons stayed competitive, holding the Tigers’ potentially dangerous offense to only a seven-point lead heading into the final quarter of play.
For an 0-3 team searching for hope, head coach Blyght Wunstell believes his team is finally turning the corner.
“We are going to be a better football team each week and that’s what we try to be,” he said. “A few plays here and there on offense. A couple of missed tackles and blown assignments on defense. We’re close, and we’re going to get it turned.”
Perhaps it’s a step in the right direction, as the Tarpons gained more yards against the Tigers (193) than any of Thibodaux’s previous two opponents.
At the same time, the Tigers compiled 267 total yards, 250 coming on the ground.
The Tarpons (0-3, 0-2) also came inches away from doing something no other team has done this season – score a point on the Tigers – but the Tarpons missed a 30-yard field goal with 30 seconds left in the second quarter. If the kick would have been executed, the Tigers’ lead would have been cut to 7-3 at halftime.
Thibodaux High head coach Dennis Lorio commended the Tarpons but said he expected a good game. Most district games are close.
“I felt like they were going to play their butts off,” he said. “Coach Wunstell and his staff did an outstanding job. This game was in doubt until late.”
Both defenses held strong, playing a scoreless first quarter. The first score came when Thibodaux’s Donnie Morgan threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Demon Bolt at the 5:56 mark in the second quarter to put the Tigers up 7-0.
They would not score again until the fourth quarter, when Brandon Duncan scrambled in from 5 yards out with 6:25 to play to make it 14-0.
Brenner Callais found some success at quarterback against the Tigers’ defense, passing for 84 yards and rushing for 24 in the process.
The Tarpons overall contained the Tigers’ speed, as Morgan was the biggest offensive threat, rushing for 104 yards.
Wunstell said his team’s performance Friday night was proof that the Tarpons can play with any team in the district.
“Thibodaux is a very good football team,” he said. “An explosive football team, and to hold them to 14 points is a credit to our defense. Offensively I saw a lot of progress. I told them we are going to keep pounding the rock until it cracks or breaks some more until we get a W.”
Wunstell said the biggest thing is his team is growing together since their 21-2 loss to Rummel to open the season. He expects that to continue as district play resumes against Central Lafourche Friday night.
“You’re never happy with a loss, but I told this football team and this coaching staff from day one, ‘We work hard, we get stronger, we get quicker,’ which we have. Then we can compete with anyone. We can play with anybody in this district and I think we are showing that this season. This game proves it.”
South Lafourche’s Alton Jenkins runs the ball past Thibodaux’s Kevin Becnel and Ronald Alex Friday night in Galliano. The Tigers defeated the Tarpons 14-0 to improve to 3-0 on the season on 2-0 in district play. The Tarpons fell to 0-3 and 0-2. * Photo by KYLE CARRIER
