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If the Tri-parish prep football scene worked like the stock market, now would be the time to invest in South Terrebonne High School.
Recent trends show that the Gators are scaling upward into a future that may be filled with victories.
South Terrebonne’s freshman football team recently completed their 2013 season with an unblemished 7-0 record – a season that saw the Gators push past H.L. Bourgeois, Houma Junior High, Central Lafourche, Assumption, Ellender, Vandebilt and Morgan City.
The victories have the Gators’ freshmen coaches proud of the accomplishment. It also has the South Terrebonne varsity coaching staff anxious for the future.
“We’re very proud of these boys,” South Terrebonne coach Justin Lirette said. “They’ve worked their tails off since we’ve come out here in late July or early August. As coaches, we’ve just instilled in their minds that we’re just a big ‘ol family and we’re going to just work together to achieve a common goal. We did great, and it’s unbelievable to see how far these boys have come.”
According to Lirette, balance was the thing that powered South Terrebonne’s freshmen football team.
The coach said that the Gators operated efficiently out of South Terrebonne’s traditional Wing-T offense – the offense that the school’s varsity program has run for more than 20 years.
Lirette said Kaleb Voisin powered the Gators forward in the running game, while also serving as one of the team’s best defensive players as well.
“South Terrebonne, in our Wing-T, we’ve always been known to be a team that can have success running the ball,” Lirette said. “And we do that, too. We were able to move the chains and really push forward with our traditional base offense and our dives and sweeps and everything that people are accustomed to with South Terrebonne football.”
But the Gators were also able to throw it a little bit, too.
Lirette said freshman wide receiver De’Vontavean Martin was a monster for South Terrebonne’s freshman squad, routinely making big plays deep down the field.
“He’s just a great, great kid and a wonderful player,” Lirette said. “He’s been moved up to the varsity team and he sees a little bit of playing time for them up there. He’s skilled and he’s quick. De’vontavean is such a wonderfully gifted athlete.”
But the receiver is able to catch the ball because of some pretty gifted quarterback play.
Lirette said South Terrebonne quarterback Tristan Pinell is wise beyond his years under center and was both a game manager and playmaker under center for the Gators.
“In our offense, the quarterback has to be really smart,” Lirette said. “But Tristan was able to fit the bill for us back there. He’s a smart kid. He knew what to do. As coaches, sometimes, we’d make mistakes in a play call or something like that, and he’d be the first one to step up, point out the mistake and get everyone back on the right page. He was a terrific leader and someone that we really relied up. That leadership will help out the varsity in the future.
“I think the passing put us over the top – it gave us balance. People would play us the way that they think South Terrebonne would traditionally play. They’d defend us like we were exclusively a running team, but then we’d throw the ball, too. We’d keep them honest. Being able to do both was a huge pluse.”
With the freshman success, the Gators surely look like a team to be reckoned with in the future.
Lirette said that eight of South Terrebonne’s freshmen players have been moved up to the Gators’ varsity squad – a team that is currently heading toward the Class 4A playoffs.
“And a few of them get some really good playing time,” Lirette said. “That’ll show you just how gifted these young men are.”
Whether on the field or watching from the sidelines, Lirette said the experience of being there is priceless for the young men, who finished their season in style – a 24-0 drumming of Morgan City.
Lirette said that he wanted to thank the players and also his assistant coaches for the hard work throughout the season. Caleb White, Justin Verdin and Michael Barba were Lirette’s assistant coaches throughout the freshman season.
Former Gator and professional football player Phillip Livas also lent a hand in the efforts and the perfect season.
“It was pretty much all of our first years as coaches,” Lirette said. “But we did the things that we did because of the kids. We just had guys with a lot of heart. We had kids who wouldn’t give up and who bought into the idea that they could do anything on the football field.
“There’s no way to ever know 100 percent for sure, but it surely looks like the future is going to be bright here. If these boys continue to work hard, get better and mature, then I think we’re going to have a strong team when they are all on the varsity level. Either way, we’re excited about it because they are all good boys. They all deserve to have success.”
The South Terrebonne freshmen football team poses after winning their seventh game of the season – a 24-0 victory over Morgan City. Gators coach Justin Lirette said this week that South Terrebonne should have a bright future as the boys mature and progress toward the varsity level of competition.
