When Ascension Episcopal defeated Kaplan 41-7 in the season opener, it was a matchup of two teams with new head coaches.
That’s about where the similarities ended, however.
On one hand, you had Jay Domengeaux taking over the Blue Gators for his third head coaching job after spending nine years as an assistant on the coaching staff.
On the other side, John Thompson didn’t arrive in Kaplan as an assistant at Vermilion Catholic until mid-August for his first head coaching job.
Despite taking over extremely late in the process, Thompson decided to bite the bullet and still institute his new schemes on the fly.
“I just decided if we’re going to do it, let’s do it now and get it over with,” said Thompson, whose Pirates (3-1) head to Loreauville on Friday. “You never know what’s going to happen in the future.”
So that first game was more of a failed science experiment than a football game for the Pirates.
“I’m trying to forget it,” Thompson said of the opener. “That was a team that had been together for years who knew what they were and what they wanted to do against a team that was still trying to find out what they wanted to be.”
Well, it hasn’t taken very long to turn those new concepts into football.
Since that first game, the Pirates have won three straight games, outscoring the opposition 132-16.
“I guess by the Berwick game (week 2), we weren’t having to think as much,” Thompson said. “We’ve really improved equally on both sides of the ball since that first game.”
Offensively, the Pirates have been led by a balanced attack with a trio of running backs – RB Jaden Hargrave (48-290, 3 TDs); RB De’Maurion Cormier (33-278, 5 TDs); RB Jeremy Roy (19-274, 3 TDs) – and quarterback Sabe David (8-22-1, 283 yds, 4 TDs).
The special teams have also contributed with a blocked punt.
Defensively, the Pirates moved to a 3-3-stack defense.
“We run a lot of different sets and different coverages, so it took some time,” he said.
Things have gone quite a bit smoother for Domengeaux’s Blue Gators since that opener. The big reason Domengeaux accepted the promotion to head coach was to reduce the massive change Kaplan was forced to endure.
The only real change was going to a four-man front on defense.
“We did that because of we lost a couple of linebackers and so we felt like maybe you could rob Peter to pay Paul more on the defensive line and on the offensive line than otherwise,” said Domengeaux, whose Blue Gators (4-0) travel to North Vermilion on Friday. “So that’s kind to how we handle that.”
Like most offenses, Ascension has its team leaders.
Quarterback Branon Mitchell (30-45-2, 393 yds, 6 TDs; 28-129, 2 TDs) leads the way with his arm and legs. Andre Abshire (63-325, 6 TDs) is the leading rusher and the top targets are Preston Peebles (11-162, 3 TDs); WR Andrew McCormick (8-116, 2 TDs).
“Branon’s doing a good job of reading defense and throwing the ball to different receivers,” Domengeaux said. “He’s getting it to the open guy. He’s doing what he has to do to be a good quarterback.”
But Domengeaux appreciates the depth behind that group, especially in the Rosepine win.
“I like when we can have an 8 or 10-play series and move the ball and consistently execute and finish with a touchdown,” he said.
Elsewhere around the Acadiana area this week, here are some other games of interest:
Best matchup – That might be in Class 1A where the undefeated Westminster Christian Crusaders take on unbeaten Sacred Heart of Ville Platte.
The Trojans defeated Opelousas Catholic 3-0 last season. It’s the third straight undefeated team to play Westminster and the first two didn’t survive.
Rebound game? – When you have a seven-turnover nightmare game, you’d typically expect a team as good as Lafayette Christian to bounce back, and that may indeed take place.
It won’t be easy, though, having to travel to returning state champion Central-Baton Rouge.
Four in a row? – After losing 33 straight games, the Comeaux Spartans are now riding a three-game winning streak. Making it four, however, won’t be easy with a road game against Teurlings Catholic (4-0).