OCS Unveils New Identity
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
Forget everything you remember about the last decade of offensive Opelousas Catholic football.
Don’t expect to see much of a long-distance passing game emphasis or the wide open football that produced triple-digit total offense.
First-year head coach Kent Masson is adapting to his personnel, which he thinks will support a somewhat different mindset when it comes to moving the chains.
In other words, things will be more deliberate than dynamic.
Masson, a high school football assistant for 23 years, likes to describe his muscle-dominant approach as Iron Man football.
That seems appropriate, since Teurlings Catholic, under direction from Masson, won 12 state wrestling titles.
There is however some continuity attached to the program.
Masson says all of the assistants from the 2025 team are returning.
Examining The Difference
The emphasis on durability and strength, Masson says, will apply to both offense and defense.
What the Vikings do have to potentially make things interesting offensively is an athletic quarterback in Kaleb Tezeno, a 180-pound athlete who is capable of throwing, running and drawing down on opponents in the secondary, says Masson.
The versatility of Tezeno however might enable OCS to keep much of the run-pass-option game the program has featured in recent seasons.
“We have a lot of running backs on our roster and we plan on using them,” Masson points out.
The featured back initially is senior Braxton Harris, who has also been a defensive standout at linebacker the last two seasons.
Also look for OCS to use the fullback as a H-Back blocker, ball carrier and receiver. Bennett Citron is a tight end who can block and catch and possible H-Back candidate
Normally reliable placekicker Aiden Lafleur, can also play tight end, while Ethan Belleau is another running back-blocker who plays multiple positions on each side of the ball.
Masson likes his returning offensive line, which provides four key blockers that include center John Parker Fontenot, Owen Richard and Kyle Latiolais.
Tezeno, Masson maintains, can provide a passing game that potentially be more controlled than in past seasons.
Key receivers include Ben Minyard, Carter Savant and Evan Duplechain, who will also receive a lot of opportunities to play running back.
Each of those players has playmaking abilities on the defensive end.
The Defensive Side
Masson doesn’t plan to tamper much with the defense, which features a number of starters who are initially expected to play both sides.
The Vikings’ playoff-deep baseball program as usual kept the football program from providing much of a late spring emphasis, but Masson says he understood that when he took over the team.
Implementing his mentality into the offense and defense hasn’t been difficult, according to Masson.
In fact, the process has been quite enjoyable, Masson points out.
“So far, it’s been a lot of fun and I think the transition of what we have been doing has been easy for all of us,” Masson adds.
Masson is also one of several new head coaches in District 4-1A this season.
OCS was 7-5 last season, a regional round finalist that is in a competitive district with perennial league champions St. Edmund and Catholic Pointe-Coupee.
Westminster Christian, undefeated in the regular season in 2025, was a semifinalist last year.
