Week 8 Features Key Games
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
Selecting a key Week 8 St. Landry Parish high school football matchup is a difficult decision.
What jumps out immediately is there are several significant games — both district and non-district — that involve highly-ranked teams.
At Donald Gardner Stadium there is the District 5-4A contest between Opelousas High and Cecilia. Each team is ranked within the Top 10 this week and there is perhaps the obvious carryover effect from the state championship game last year when the Tigers defeated Cecilia for the Division II non-select title.
It’s also homecoming for the Tigers, which has proven to be an event in itself.
Cecilia (5-2, 2-0) and Opelousas (3-3, 1-0) also return much of the same cast of dynamic offensive talent featured in 2023, when the Bulldogs captured the district championship.
District Matchup In Class 1A
A crucial game in 4-1A will be played in New Roads when St. Edmund meets Catholic High-Pointe Coupee.
St. Edmund is 7-0 for the first time since 2008. The Blue Jays have been a scoring machine, scoring no fewer than 42 points in each of their victories.
CHPC is no stranger to scoring either this year.
The Hornets have scored at least 40 points in five victories. CHPC is coached by Jason Carruth, who helped revive the football program several years ago at North Central.
Facing Number One
Opelousas Catholic goes to Abbeville to face Vermilion Catholic, the top-ranked team in Class 1A.
The Vikings (5-2, 2-2) contemplated the late-season, non-district contest to be a playoff tuneup and that decision has been fulfilled, since the Eagles are 7-0 and once again preseason chosen to win their district.
Opelousas Catholic has had to readjust its offense in past weeks, since the Vikings have lost a starting quarterback and running back for the remainder of 2024.
Class 4A
Eunice High is no longer winless, as the Bobcats defeated LaGrange 24-20 in a district 3-4A contest last Friday night.
The Bobcats play Iowa this week.
Beau Chene (1-6, 0-2) hosts Breaux Bridge in a key district game for both teams.
Class 3A
Northwest (5-2, 3-0) is ranked No. 10 this week, but Raiders’ head coach Chris Edwards says the only ranking that concerns him is the one that puts his team in the playoffs.
The Raiders play Mamou
Class 2A
Port Barre debuted 2024 somewhat auspiciously, but the Devils are on a five-game losing streak that has featured allowing at least 40 points during each of the last six weeks.
The Red Devils are hosting Oakdale in a District 3-2A game
Class 1A
Westminster Christian is proving to be a factor in 5-1A.
The Crusaders (5-2, 2-1) has scored 136 points in the last three weeks, with an offensive scheme that has proven difficult for defenses to contain.
WCA plays at Berchmans Academy (1-6, 0-2) in a league contest.
North Central (1-6, 1-2) is at Sacred Heart for a 5-1A game
The Hurricanes have a district win over Berchmans, which is being introduced to Louisiana High School Athletic Association contests this year.