Bears look to defend district title

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By Tom Dodge
Sports Editor
With all the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic and high school football, one thing is certain – the Church Point Bears are the defending District 5-3A champions.
Church Point went 5-0 in district play and advanced to the second round of the Class 3-A playoffs last season.
John Craig Arceneaux is entering his 14th season as the head football coach and he is hopeful this season can happen.
“This without a doubt, is the most unusual off season I have experienced,” the coach said. “But our guys are working hard every day and they have hope for a season.”
Church Point averaged 347 yards of total offense and 33 points per game as Rodney Dupuis led the Bears with 1,549 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns.
With Dupuis graduated, the Bears will be led by senior Gavin Richard (5-8, 175).
Richard (811 yards on 119 carries and 13 touchdowns) has the coach’s confidence.
“Gavin is as good a high school running back as there is going to be in the area,” Arceneaux said. “He is very talented and he really understands the offense as he has started since he was a freshman.
“He is going to do some really good things for us,” the coach said. “He definitely will be our go-to guy.”
Quarterback Brandt Boone (32-of-77, 584 yards, 9 TDs) has also graduated and junior Andy Briceno (5-10, 180)will take over directing the offense.
Sophomore fullback Jalon Reese (5-6, 170) and running back Tylon Citizen (5-8, 155) will join Richard and Briceno in the the Wing-T offense.
Junior wide receiver Armstead Mouton (5-10, 150) returns along with senior tight end Gavin Higginbotham (6-2, 185).
The offensive line includes senior tackle Austin Lagrange (6-0, 205), junior center Nick Richard (6-0, 190), senior guard Blaine Briscoe (5-8, 200) and junior guard Camden Maroon (6-5, 190).
“We may be inexperienced on offense but we feel we have kids who can make plays,” the coach said. “But the defense is going to have to carry us early on.”
The Bears defense is led by 2019 district MVP middle linebacker Dylan Stelly (68 solo and 48 assists).
“We have a bunch of kids with playing experience on the defensive side,” the coach said. “
The defensive line has three returning starters including senior nose guard Tony Gibson (6-0, 285) along with tackles Javen Gibson (6-2, 195, Jr.) and Jamarrion Citizen (6-1, 250, Jr.).
Stelly is joined by outside linebacker Jaiki Landry (5-10, 185, Jr.).
Returners in the secondary include cornerback Daylon Foreman (6-0, 165, Jr.) and safety Ethan Castille (5-10, 160, Sr.).
Four new projected starters on defense include sophomore cornerback Jerimah Roy (5-8, 145), junior outside linebacker Holden Daigle (6-2, 200), senior inside linebacker Dane Johnson (5-6, 160) and junior Armstead Mouton (5-10, 150).
Stelly returns as punter, while junior Chandler Guillory (5-11, 160) replaces graduated Christopher Dailey as kicker.
With the LHSAA’s delay of the season until Oct. 8, the schedule will be released on Aug. 28.
“We don’t know yet if we are going to play five, six, seven or eight games.” Arceneaux said.
If the season begins with the third playing date, the home games against Notre Dame and Southside will not happen and the Bears would travel to Kaplan and Opelousas High for the first games of the season.
A home game against St. Louis Catholic will conclude the Bears’ non-district schedule.
If the season begins with the sixth playing date, Church Point’s district battle would begin at Iota before home games against Northwest and Ville Platte.
The Bears will travel to Mamou before concluding the district season at home against Pine Prairie.
“We have some good teams and good coaches in our district,” Arceneaux said. “You have to be ready to compete every week - we can’t look past anyone.
“Top three teams are us, Iota and Northwest,” he explained. “Mamou is closing the gap and we will see what Ville Platte and Pine Prairie can do this season.”
When the LHSAA stopped all sports in the spring that forced the cancellation of spring football practice.
The LHSAA also ruled there will be no scrimmages or jamborees prior to the delayed start of the regular season.
“We are treating the fall as if it was spring football,” the coach said. “Things we would have done in the spring we are going to do now.
“We will close the gap in September to get ready for October.”