HIGH SCHOOL THREAT PROBE CONTINUES
February 14, 2019
OLD MAN WINTER RETREATS CREATING SPRINGTIME OPPORTUNITY FOR ANGLERS
February 14, 2019
Just 24 hours after losing in the Division III State Championship Match last spring, Vandebilt Catholic girls’ soccer coach Philip Amedee made a bold prediction.
“We have a bright future,” Amedee said. “It hurts and it stings. You never want to have a season end that way — especially for your senior players. But we think we have a bright future ahead.”
So far, so good, now a year later, it looks like Amedee’s words are right.
The Lady Terriers were dominant throughout the season, posting a 17-4-4 record in the regular season against a top-notch schedule which featured dates with some of the top teams in Louisiana.
For their work, Vandebilt scored the No. 1 seed in the Division III playoff bracket and after an opening-round bye, Vandebilt flexed its muscles and showed its championship last week in the second round, scoring a dominant, 8-0 victory over St. Michael the Archangel.
With the win, the Lady Terriers moved to the quarterfinals where they traveled to take on Erath. That game was Monday night with no score available at press-time on Monday afternoon.
They are one of several local teams with championship dreams in the final weeks of the local soccer season.
VANDEBILT GIRLS’ LEADING THE WAY
The Lady Terriers are a fearsome foe.
They always are.
Sure, they lost players to the next level at the end of last season, but the Lady Terriers don’t have off seasons — they just reload.
With balanced offense led, in part by Kat Prentice, Anna Doskey, Sydney Marcel and Lauren Andre — among others, the Lady Terriers are scoring in droves this season.
In 26 matches — including the playoff victory — Vandebilt has scored three or more goals 15 times.
But they’re just as prolific keeping opponents out of the back of the net, as well.
With Kristen Sonnier mostly in goal, the Lady Terriers have smothered opponents, recording 16 shutouts and 5 other matches where opponents scored just a single goal.
If victorious against Erath, the Lady Terriers will face the winner between No. 4 Hannan and St. Louis. Vandebilt beat St. Louis 4-0 earlier this season, though they’ve been a long-time playoff foe.
So, too, have been rival E.D. White.
On the bottom of the Division III bracket are the Lady Cardinals — a side with a long, storied history with Vandebilt.
E.D. White tied the Lady Terriers earlier this season, before losing 5-1 against Vandebilt in the season finale — the district championship match.
The Lady Cardinals are the No. 6 seed in the playoffs and they faced No. 3 University Lab on Monday night with no score available at press-time. If both Vandebilt and E.D. White continue to win, the teams would battle in the Division III State Championship next week.
Also alive are the Central Lafourche Lady Trojans, who are hungry to build on last year’s Cinderella run to the State Championship Match.
The Lady Trojans beat Terrebonne 6-0 in the Second Round last week after earning a First-Round bye.
Central Lafourche faced No. 4 Destrehan on Monday night in the State Quarterfinals with no score available at press-time.
The teams have history.
Central Lafourche played Destrehan twice during the regular season and both matches ended in scoreless ties.
But there was no tie on Monday night and the winner of the match will face St. Thomas More in the Semifinals.
There is history in every which direction between these teams.
Last year, Central Lafourche pushed through the bracket as the No. 7 seed, making it to the State Finals before falling to St. Thomas More in the Championship Match. Before beating the Lady Trojans, St. Thomas More beat Destrehan in the semifinals.
BOYS’ BRACKETS ALSO HAS CONTENDERS
On the boys’ side of the soccer playoffs, the Vandebilt Catholic boys are defending their state championship with pride.
Vandebilt is the defending Division III State Champion, but the Terriers scored just the No. 8 seed in the Division III Playoff Bracket this spring, which meant a meeting at No. 1 St. Louis on Saturday night.
The underdog status didn’t matter.
The Terriers rallied past St. Louis 1-0 in Lake Charles a victory which sent ripples across the Division III bracket.
The match was tied at 0-all until late. That’s when Vande-bilt’s Stephen Kappel struck on the game-winner, which held up thanks to dominant defense from the Terriers.
Vandebilt goalie Nick Mahrle was masterful in the win, recording 15 saves, stopping several promising opportunities far St. Louis.
With the win, Vandetrilt may next meet its biggest rival.
E.D. White is the No. 5 seed in the field. The Cardinals (who beat Vandebilt twice this season) are the No. 5 seed in the field. They took on No. 4 Loyola Prep with no score available at prees-time.
