ST. LANDRY NOW WEEK 7 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAMES AND PREDICTIONS

Photograph: Opelousas High quarterback Zach Malveaux runs for yardage in a game earlier this year. (Photograph by Freddie Herpin.)

BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer

St. Landry Parish teams began determining during Week 6 the eventual district title outcomes that will be finally decided later next month.

In District 4-3A it’s obvious that Church Point is again the team to beat, as the Bears have dominated both league and non-league competition. The Iota victory over Northwest last week indicates that either Iota or Church Point should finish as the district champion unless an upset occurs along the way.

The district race in 6-1A is a bit more ambiguous, but much of that situation will be determined this week as Opelousas Catholic, Catholic High-Pointe Coupee, Sacred Heart and St. Edmund engage in head-up competition. The winners in each district game will establish their edge as the league race heads towards a conclusion.

Over in District 6-4A there is much at stake this week, although it is becoming obvious that Cecilia and Opelousas High appear to be the early contenders for the title. Cecilia has been dominant in the district for the past several years. Livonia and Breaux Bridge however will have much to say about determining the winner.

The race in District 3-4 began last week and Eunice High took a major step with the victory over Rayne. There is still much to be decided in the district this week however. Leesville, Eunice, DeRidder and Rayne are the teams to watch.

ST. LANDRY NOW WEEK 7 GAME OF THE WEEK
Opelousas Catholic (3-3, 1-0) at Catholic Pointe Coupee (5-0, 1-0)
There’s no doubt the outcome of this Thursday night game will say much about the district. The Vikings have begun to peak offensively and defensively, but the Vikings face a tough task in stopping CHPC which averages over 40 points a game. A CHPC win gives the Hornets a clear path towards a district title. Give a win to Catholic Pointe Coupee.

Opelousas High (5-1, 0-0) at Livonia (2-3, 1-0)
The Tigers have their destiny in front of them at this point and whether Opelousas High achieves a goal of winning a district title for the first time since the 1990’s begins at Livonia. Opelousas is on a five-game winning streak with an offense that accumulated 134 points over the last three weeks. If Livonia can throw the ball and break containment, this will be an interesting matchup. The OHS defense has had letdowns the past couple of weeks. Look for Opelousas to start 1-0 in league games.

North Central (3-2, 0-1) at Westminster Christian (1-5, 0-1)
This could be perhaps the most interesting matchup this week involving St. Landry Parish teams. North Central had its much-heralded three-game win streak broken at St. Edmund last week, but the Hurricanes have enough talent and weapons to make any opponent nervous. Westminster is thin on personnel due to injuries and the Crusaders need to match the North Central penchant for scoring and big plays. WCA should win it in a close one if the Crusaders contain the NCHS weapons.

Beau Chene (1-6, 0-1) at Cecilia (5-1, 1-0)
Beau Chene began the season with hopes of a playoff berth, but 2022 has written a different script for the Gators. Beau Chene has lost four straight and hasn’t looked good doing that. Cecilia meanwhile has won three straight league titles and the Bulldogs have the talent to make that number four. Go with Cecilia in this game.

Washington-Marion (0-5, 0-1) at Eunice (3-3, 0-1)
This district is tougher than perhaps originally thought, but Eunice took a big step as a contender with the win over Rayne last week. If the Bobcats get past Washington-Marion in Eunice Friday night, there are hurdles at DeRidder and home with Leesville. Eunice has not been a predictable team for the first half of 2022, but the Bobcats should dispose of Washington-Marion. If Eunice can successfully throw the ball, this should be a Bobcats’ victory.

Northwest (3-3, 1-1) at Church Point (6-0, 3-0)
This is normally a competitive game and it would be again this week in Church Point if the Raiders were a bit healthier. At the start of the week the Raiders were again plugging young players into starting roles. The Northwest injuries have especially been noticeable offensively where Javian Reese and Donovan Thomas, who have combined for over a 1,000 rushing yards, have seen limited time. Church Point meanwhile, is a scoring machine. The Bears average 40 points and game with three running backs that have punished defenses. Give the win to Church Point.

Sacred Heart (4-2, 0-1) at St. Edmund (3-2, 1-0)
St. Edmund featured a young team at the start of the year, but the Blue Jays have won the games they should and now what remains is how well a team with nine seniors can maneuver through the district. St. Edmund will find that out this week as the Jays host Sacred Heart, which is considered one of the contenders. This game will be high scoring and that means Sacred Heart despite two straight losses, will take the win.

Port Barre (0-5, 0-3) at Ville Platte (1-5, 1-2)
These are two teams with programs that are searching for a victory to help rededicate what has been a poor start to 2022. For Port Barre the challenge has been on offense, where the devils have scored only two touchdowns. Ville Platte has trended in the same territory offensively, while the Bulldogs have allowed a large number of points. This will be an entertaining game, with the winner determined by the number of turnovers. Ville Platte should win it.