Vandebilt soccer among locals left in State Playoffs

Colonels’ hoops relying on leaders for offense
February 19, 2014
Girls’ basketball playoff brackets see locals in field
February 19, 2014
Colonels’ hoops relying on leaders for offense
February 19, 2014
Girls’ basketball playoff brackets see locals in field
February 19, 2014

Despite having a roster with 11 seniors and one junior, the Vandebilt Catholic boys’ soccer team has gotten various contributions from its underclassmen this season.

Sophomore Mitch Gauthreaux is one such underclassman. In Vandebilt’s opening-round playoff game against 14th-seeded Benton last Thursday at Buddy Marcello Stadium, Gauthreaux scored all three of his team’s goals in a 3-1 Terriers victory.

Vandebilt, the No. 3 seed in the Division II playoffs, took a 1-0 lead with less than five minutes remaining in the first half after Gauthreaux recovered a blocked shot and reestablished possession in time for a quick kick that put the Terriers ahead.

Gauthreaux came right back with the Terriers’ second goal in the opening seconds of the second half, as Vandebilt began to open a cushion with a 2-0 lead.

Gauthreaux would later put the game out of reach on an assist from sophomore Adam Farrar, whose corner kick in the closing minutes set up Gauthreaux’s third score of the game after Benton had cut the lead to 2-1 on a penalty kick from Dillon Rogers.

“That was my first hat trick,” Gauthreaux said afterward. “A few goals were (the result of) just being in the right place, but without the plays from my team, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”


Gauthreaux, along with Farrar and freshman Brennan Sonnier, is one of the younger players on Vandebilt’s roster that have aided in the Terriers’ success this season; Vandebilt has roughly 13 underclassmen on its roster all told.

With the win, Vandebilt advanced to the quarterfinal round of the playoffs, trimming its magic number for winning a state championship to 3 games.

According to first-year Terriers coach Kevin Champagne, the team has a lot of confidence at this stage in the season and expects to win.

“We got a good look at most of the playoff teams in the higher rankings,” Champagne said. “I think we stand well. It would be disappointing, even though we have a young team, if we don’t win.”

Watson, a senior who has started since his freshman year, said the Terriers have all the right pieces in place.

“Absolutely, I truly think we can go all the way,” Watson said. “Our offense has been getting up and we’ve been getting a very good (effort) in the back. I think we’ve got a strong enough defense.”


The Terriers (16-6-4 overall), who enjoyed a first-round playoff bye before the Benton game, were scheduled to play at 11th-ranked Loyola Prep in Shreveport in the quarterfinal round. No score of the game was available at press time.

 

ELSEWHERE IN THE

TRI-PARISH AREA

As of press time, Vandebilt’s boys’ team wasn’t the only one still competing for a state championship.

Also on the boys’ side, No. 10-seeded E.D. White Catholic advanced to the quarterfinal round of the Division II playoffs after romping No. 11 West Ouachita, 11-0, and surviving No. 7 St. Michael the Archangel, 3-2.


The Cardinals, who entered the week 18-9 overall, were scheduled to host No. 2-seeded Beau Chene on Tuesday. No score of the game was available at press time.

On the girls’ side, Vandebilt Catholic’s hopes of reaching the Division II State Championship Game for a seventh consecutive season were still intact after the Lady Terriers rolled to a 3-0 victory over No. 13 DeRidder in the opening round of the playoffs and then edged No. 5 Lakeshore, 1-0, in the quarterfinal round over the weekend.

With the win over Lakeshore, the No. 4-seeded Lady Terriers (18-7-3) advanced to the semifinal round and were scheduled to face the winner of Monday’s game between No. 1 seed Ben Franklin and No. 8 E.D. White Catholic.

Vandebilt is familiar with both schools. Ben Franklin (17-0) defeated the Terriers for the State Championship a year ago, while as district rivals, E.D. White downed the Terriers in an overtime shootout on penalty kicks earlier this season.

The Lady Cardinals played their way into the quarterfinals with a 3-2 victory over No. 9 Ursuline Academy in the regional round. E.D. White entered the week 15-4 overall.

No outcome of Monday’s game was available at press time.