UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Tigers determined to eclipse last season’s finish

Thibodaux High School head coach Lenny Ford said the Tigers are on a quest to learn from last season’s upsetting first-round playoff loss to Fountain Blue.

“I’m really happy that we have made it to the playoff for the last few years, but I would like to see us go further,” Ford said.

In the game against Fountain Blue, the Tigers were leading going into the half. Unfortunately, an injured player and a fourth-quarter momentum swing closed the door on the season.

Senior offensive lineman Derrick Adams, then a junior, said, “I thought last year was our year, but the whole team sort of fell apart after one of our players got hurt.”

Even with key losses on the offensive and defensive ends, this is still not a rebuilding year for the Tigers, according to Ford.

The team’s offensive loss was quarterback, James Steib, and on defense Adrienne Joseph (who received a scholarship to play for Northeastern State University) and Derrick Hartley.

Ford expects Adams, Jansen Faucheaux, Dvante Queen to start on an offensive line that will include newcomers Brett Babin, Peyton Martinez, Dustin Simons and Brett Larose.

Formation-wise, the Tigers will be more of an optioned offense this season. Steib mainly operated from the shotgun last season, but Ford said the team will mix it up this year.

“The offensive formation is not the problem. I need the guys to be more aggressive coming off the ball no matter what the formation is,” he said.

Defensively, the Tigers haven’t changed. “If it’s not broken, then don’t fix it,” Adams said.

However, the team received new blood on the coaching staff, when it welcomed defensive coordinator Karey Melvin and defensive back coach Alexander Williams to the Tiger family.

“Coach Melvin and Coach Williams are definitely key assets to our team,” he said. “Coach Melvin knows football, and the kids have really taken to him because he shows concern for them on and off the field.”

Edward Francis, Blake Poincon, Javon Harvey and Dillian Falgout are expected to start on defense for the Tigers.

“Our biggest challenge over the years has been getting the seniors to step up and lead the team,” he said. “This year I can see that more of the seniors are becoming leaders on and off the field. But I have to tip my hat off to my juniors because they have really stepped their games up this year.”

This season’s team goals include: 1. Play as a team. 2. Win the district title (which they haven’t done in a while.) 3. Making it further into the playoff bracket with hopes of playing in the Superdome.

The Tigers haven’t won a state title since 1991.

Adams said in order for the team to be successful they would have to be more physical on the field.

“You don’t want to have mental mistakes when you’re tired, like jumping off the line or throwing the football away,” he said. “We’re in good condition from our two-a-day practices we should be making mental mistakes this season.”

Adams is excited about the new season, but said his teammates cannot forget that academics come first.

“Without the grades, we can’t play and if we can’t play then we don’t take the trip to the Superdome,” he said. “We need everyone to make this team a success.”