Tom Dodge
The exciting pre-season round of jamborees begins tonight in Church Point.
The Bears are coming off their first out-right district championship as Church Point plays host to the Acadia – Vermilion Parish jamboree.
Kaplan will take on Rayne at 6 p.m., followed by Church Point – Erath at 7:30 p.m.
North Vermilion will host the Friday night games.
Lake Arthur will take on Abbeville at 6:30 p.m.
Crowley will face North Vermilion at 8 p.m.
The sixth annual Joe Nagata Memorial jamboree will be held Friday at St. Edmund’s Blue Jay Field.
“The concept the committee came up with six years ago to honor coach Nagata is a great thing,” Eunice High head coach Paul Trosclair said. “The two schools working together is also fantastic for the community – it has just been a positive alll the way around.”
The Iota Bulldogs will will take on the Southside Sharks at 6 p.m.
“I think we are going to get a good test,” Iota head coach Josh Andrus said of Southside. “They have a good group of athletes.”
Andrus said there are still a couple of spots to solidify as starters that the jamboree will help decide.
“We are hoping to get our offense and defense heading into the right direction going into week one.”
The Eunice High Bobcats will battle Opelousas Catholic at 7:30 p.m.
“It will be a good test for us,” Trosclair said of the Vikings. “They are really strong team.
“We are waiting to see how our guys react to playing under the lights as we move toward the season.
The Nagata jamboree will conclude at 9 p.m. as the Blue Jays will take on Notre Dame.
“It is huge to pass on Tony’s legacy of being united as a city,” St. Edmund head coach Andy Hargroder said of the late Tony Fuselier – the founding chairman of the jamboree.
“The players like to play in front of a home crowd,” the coach said. “Plus some family who can’t make the out of town games can still make it to a local jamboree.”
Hargroder said the jamboree is a dress rehearsal for his team to prepare for the regular season that begins next week.
“We get to see under the lights and in front of a crowd how our players perform,” he said. “Plus we get to see before the first game where we need to improve.”
KEUN-FM will broadcast the Nagata jamboree games.
The Evangeline Parish jamboree will be held Friday at Ville Platte High.
KVPI-FM will broadcast the Evangeline Parish jamboree.
Basile and Sacred Heart of Ville Platte will square off at 6 p.m. in a 15-minute scrimmage.
The Bearcats will then face Pine Prairie before the Panthers take on the Sacred Heart of Ville Platte
Mamou and Ville Platte will then battle in a 30-minute scrimmage to concude the jamboree.
The St. Landry Parish jamboree will held Friday at Donald Gardner Stadium in Opelousas.
Eunice will take on North Central at 6 p.m.
“We will play mostly freshmen, sophomores and some juniors,” Trosclair said of the split Bobcat squad. “Participating in two jamborees gives every one a chance to see the field.”
Beau Chene and Port Barre will square off at 7:15 p.m.
Opelousas High and Northwest will conclude the jamboree at 8:45 p.m.