OPELOUSAS – The annual gathering of St. Landry Parish coaches means that football season is right around the corner.
The South Park Teen Center was filled Tuesday night with coaches and local supporters to speak about their chances for a successful football season and to promote the 21st annual St. Landry Parish public school jamboree.
The jamboree will be held Aug. 25 at Donald Garder Stadium in Opelousas.
Eunice and North Central will begin at 6 p.m.
Port Barre will face Beau Chene at 7:15 p.m., while OHS and Northwest conclude the jamboree at 8:45 p.m.
“There is nothing like playing when the lights come on,” Eunice High head coach Paul Trosclair said. “You can practice and scrimmage but when the lights come on and fans fill the stands that is the experience a young team needs.”
Eunice will split its squad between the parish jamboree and the Joe Nagata Memorial Jamboree.
“The young guys get to spend time under the lights and they love it,” Trosclair said. “We have a big freshman group so we will be sending around 46 kids play in the jamboree.”
North Central head coach Jacobi Theirry said the jamboree is important for his Hurricanes.
“I have a lot of young kids this season so we will be rebuilding,” Theirry said. “I have five seniors but only two with playing experience.
“We will give it all we have and hopefully improve as the season goes on.”
Beau Chene head coach Josh Guidry said he thrilled his Gators will be able to play games at home after moving around last season because of the August flood.
“We only have three returners on offense and two on defense,” he said. “Last year we were able to set the school record in wins (7-4) but I don’t expect that this season.
“I think we are a year away from being a really good football team,” the Gator coach said. “We will be competitive this season but eight to 10 sophomores could see the field at anytime.”
Port Barre new head coach Craig Stevens takes over a Red Devil program that went 2-8 last year.
“We are very young as we are returning just three starters on both sides of the ball,” Stevens said. “We will work hard and give it the best we can.
“With just 50 kids at the 3-A level, that is not enough,” he said. “But we are still hoping to turn this program around.”
Veteran coach Doug Guillory is taking over at Opelousas High after the Tigers went 2-8 and 0-10 the last two seasons.
“I like the kids we have out there,” Guillory said. “They are working very hard and are very respectful.
“We like our team and the numbers we will be dressing out,” he said.
Chris Edwards is entering his third season as Northwest’s head coach after leading the Raiders to back-to-back Class 3-A state quarterfinal appearances.
“We have some holes to fill this year,” he said. “Hopefully we have kids to plug into the system and keep going.
“Offensively we return eight starters and on defense we have five returners,” the coach said. “But we are excited about the upcoming season.”