Thibodaux off to Top 28
March 5, 2019
Questions about one season … and the next!
March 5, 2019
The South Lafourche baseball team has heard the chatter all summer.
“How will you guys repeat last year’s historic season?”
“You guys had so many seniors last year. How will the team stay competitive with so much youth?”
“There’s no way this team can be competitive with so many inexperienced players.”
“Those new guys struggled this summer. It’s going to be a long year.”
They’ve heard it all.
But now that the season is here, it’s the Tarpons’ turn to clap back at the outside noise and make a little bit of it of their own.
South Lafourche is off to a strong start to 2019, despite its youth and inexperience.
The Tarpons have started 7-0 on the year after beating Houma Christian on Monday night.
Second-year coach Andrew Ravaglia has said throughout the offseason that he believed in this year’s team — a group that’s replacing almost all of its starters from last season’s team which went to the Class 4A State Quarterfinals.
He said the new starters are talented and hungry — feeding off the doubts they’ve heard throughout the offseason,
“I think the kids heard a lot of the things being said and they wanted to make their own mark,” Ravaglia said. “It’s a new group, but it’s a talented and hungry group and so far, they’re been doing what we ask of them and have been getting the job done.”
It’s a new group, indeed.
South Lafourche has just a handful of players who were significant contributors to last year’s team — a senior-heavy bunch that set school history for its successes.
Senior Jelby Cheramie is back — a multi-year starter on the infield, a guy Ravaglia said is a crucial part of the team in terms of both leadership and ability.
Cheramie plays both shortstop and second base. When not on the infield, he is also the Tarpons’ ace.
“He’s been great for us on the mound,” Ravaglia said. “He’s embraced that role of being the ace of our staff.”
Also back is Jake Galjour — a player who is also growing into a bigger role this season.
Galjour is an elite baserunner. In several games last season, his energy on the bases helped the Tarpons manufacture runs.
This year, he’s an everyday outfielder and starting pitcher.
This past weekend against Riverdale, Galjour tossed a complete game to help his team beat a quality Rebels team on their own home field — the biggest win of the young season so far for the Tarpons.
“Jake plays so many sports, so we got him back and had to condition his arm a little — make sure his mechanics are OK,” Ravaglia said. “But he’s a big part of this team. He’s going to help us win. He’s hitting .600 right now and he’s got a good arm on that mound.”
But while the two seniors are guiding the way for the Tarpons, the team is also enjoying a surge of energy from a slew of players who didn’t have varsity experience before this year.
Marcus Matherne is playing catcher for South Lafourche and he’s been a brick wall so far this season — helping the team’s young pitching staff through games.
Also playing key roles are Evan Guidroz (first base), Derin Doucet (third base), Matthew Jalbert (infield), Andrew Guidry (outfield), Duece Cheramie (shortstop), Austin Danos (outfield) Jake Pitre (outfield).
Doucet and Cheramie are freshmen — both already starting on the infield for the Tarpons.
Ravaglia said the mix of youth and experience on this year’s roster is different, but fun.
He said he doesn’t think the team’s start to the season is a fluke — he’s known all along that this group had the talent to succeed.
Now, they’re starting to see it and believe it themselves, and that, Ravaglia said, is fulfilling to him as a coach.
“I can’t coach these kids the same way. I can’t coach a 18 or 19-year-old senior the same way I can a 14-year-old,” Ravaglia said. “But it’s fun. It’s a challenge. I think the kids are embracing it and are coming together and we want to embrace those high expectations and keep moving forward.”
Follow Casey on Twitter for more.
https://twitter.com/casey_gisclair
