Two battles of unbeatens in 3-5A
<p class="indent">District 3-5A is in for a big shakeup in the second week of the league schedule.
<p class="indent">Four teams — Acadiana (4-0, 1-0), Barbe (4-0, 1-0), Sam Houston (4-0, 1-0) and Comeaux (2-2, 1-0) — sit atop the district standings. That number will be cut in half after tonight.
<p class="indent">The marquee game tonight will be at Barbe High School where the No. 8 Bucs host the fifth-ranked Acadiana Rams in a battle of unbeatens.
<p class="indent">“It is (our biggest game) and preparation has been going good,” Barbe head coach Mike Cutrera said. “The kids have been very attentive in practice and working hard and we are looking forward to the game.”
<p class="indent">Barbe is 4-0 for a second consecutive season, but the Rams ended their run at perfection last year with a 28-14 win in Scott.
<p class="indent">“We know it is going to be a tough game because of the way Acadiana plays,” Cutrera said. “They are a toptier team. I just like the way we are playing.
<p class="indent">“We are playing well right now and hopefully we can continue to do that. The kids’ attitudes are great and they love to go to work.”
<p class="indent">After 14 seasons under head coach Ted Davidson, the Rams have a new boss, but Cutrera said it is the same Acadiana that has run the split-back veer for years.
<p class="indent">“Matt McCullough has done a great job of stepping in. He had some big shoes to fill with Ted Davidson and they have not skipped a beat. They look like the same old Acadiana when Ted was the coach.”
<p class="indent">Finding a way to stop Acadiana quarterback Keontae Williams and backs Dillon Monette (512 yards, 7 TDs) and Larryll Greene (429 yds., 5 TDs) will not be easy.
<p class="indent">“You can’t simulate the speed in practice,” Cutrera said. “They have backs that run hard and fast.
<p class="indent">“You have to try to get them in long situations. With the veer, it is assignment football. You have to have somebody on the dive, somebody on the quarterback and somebody on the pitch. If you don’t cover one of those, they can break it.”
<p class="indent"><strong>Comeaux at Sam Houston</strong>
<p class="indent">Sam Houston got a crucial win last week, beating defending champion Sulphur 281-19 to open the district season and look to build off that victory.
<p class="indent">“It is definitely a motivator for the kids that we can compete with the top teams in the district,” said Broncos head caoch Chad Paulk. “We feel like we can compete with every team.
<p class="indent">“When we make few mistakes and play four quarters of football, we feel like we can make some noise in the district. We have to come out and respond after a big win.”
<p class="indent">Sam Houston is going for its first 5-0 start since 1995.
<p class="indent">Sam Houston’s defense was key last week recording six sacks and will need to apply pressure to Comeaux’s Tre Harris and stop the Spartans’ double-wing offense.
<p class="indent">Sam Houston put up more than 500 yards of total offense for a second consecutive week, but Paulk said he’s looking for improvements.
<p class="indent">“I think that we need to do a better job upfront with a lot of things we doing offensively,” he said. “We need to play a little more aggressive.
<p class="indent">“I just want four quarters of hard-nosed, tough football.”
<p class="indent"><strong>Sulphur at Lafayette</strong>
<p class="indent">After losing three straight, the Tors look to get back into the district race.
<p class="indent">The Tors will be without three starters — cornerback Dominique Skinner, linebacker Collin Dougay and wide receiver Parker Matheson — due to injuries.
<strong>New Iberia at LaGrange</strong>
<p class="indent">LaGrange will host New Iberia today in its final home game of the regular season, looking to climb in the district standings.
<p class="indent">LaGrange is coming off a 54-12 loss to Comeaux last week, but will look to repeat its success last year against the Yellow Jackets and try to jump-start its season. LaGrange won last year’s matchup 35-30.