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The Daily Review/Geoff Stoute
Patterson High School quarterback Joseph Larson carries the football while Berwick’s Darrell Washington pursues.

Patterson hosts St. James; Central Catholic hopes to extend streak

Week 7 of the Tri-City area’s prep football season will begin with two Thursday night games, and two more games will follow on Friday evening.
Thursday’s action will feature Patterson hosting St. James, while Central Catholic will welcome Highland Baptist to Morgan City.
Friday, Morgan City will host South Terrebonne, and Berwick will travel to face E.D. White in Thibodaux.
Patterson vs.
St. James
The Patterson Lumberjacks will continue District 9-3A play at home Thursday when they host defending Class 3A state champion St. James.
Patterson comes into the matchup after falling to Donaldsonville 54-24 last Friday.
Donaldsonville announced Monday it was forced to cancel its final two football games of the season, the final game of the season being at Berwick, “with a significant number of players facing a two-week quarantine” after a COVID-19 positive test was recorded in the school, The Advocate reported. The newspaper reported the quarantine didn’t affect the entire football team, however.
Fortunately, the Patterson High School-St. James contest was not adversely affected.
“We did reach out to Donaldsonville for contact tracing information and are following any Department of Health guidelines that apply to players involved in last week’s game,” St. Mary Parish Superintendent Teresa Bagwell said Wednesday afternoon. “At this time, there is no indication that Patterson High School’s football team should postpone any game this week.”
Thursday will be the second trip in as many weeks for St. James to St. Mary Parish. A week ago, the Wildcats (4-2 overall, 2-1 in district) defeated Berwick 49-13.
Thursday also is Senior Night for the Lumberjacks (2-4, 1-2).
With the regular season winding down and the Lumberjacks ranked No. 29 in the latest Louisiana High School Athletic Association power rankings, coach Zach Lochard said the message to his team has been to win and they will make the playoffs.
“These teams that we have left on the schedule are both very talented but also very beatable,” Lochard said of St. James and Lutcher, who the Lumberjacks will close the regular season with next week. “We absolutely respect both of them, but our guys can even tell you that we don’t fear either one of them nor any opponent that we would play on our schedule.
“We’re very excited about the matchup,” Lochard added. “We’ve been working very hard sharpening our ax all week in practice, film session and workouts, so we feel like if we can keep it a close game in the fourth quarter, we’re going to have a great opportunity to win.”
Central Catholic vs. Highland Baptist
Central Catholic will look to extend its winning streak to three straight games when the squad meets Highland Baptist Thursday in District 8-1A action in Morgan City.
The Eagles (2-3, 2-1) have won two straight — both on the road — defeating Hanson 50-36 for their first win two weeks ago before following it with a 41-6 victory against Covenant Christian last week at Nicholls State in Thibodaux.
Central Catholic coach Tommy Minton said his team has played a lot of first-year starters, including sophomores and freshmen, who needed to gain experience.
“We’re definitely playing better, and hopefully that will keep carrying on until tomorrow night,” he said Wednesday.
Thursday, the Eagles will host a Highland Baptist squad that despite a 2-2 record, comes to Morgan City with a high-powered offense. The Bears have scored 35 or more points in every contest except a 42-6 loss to Vermilion Catholic two weeks ago. Last week, the squad defeated Hanson Memorial 43-30 in New Iberia.
“The quarterback’s an excellent player,” Minton said of Highland’s Myles Liggans, who he said leads the Bears.
He said the Bears also have some impressive skill players and linemen.
“They look very good physically,” Minton said of the Bears, who run a spread offense.
Defensively, the Bears will use a four-man front and occasionally will add a fifth rusher.
“They play a lot of zone defense behind it, cover two, cover four,” he said.
Morgan City vs.
South Terrebonne
The Morgan City Tigers will hit the field Friday for the first time in two weeks when they host South Terrebonne in a 7 p.m. contest.
Morgan City’s homecoming contest a week ago was canceled after South Lafourche had COVID-19 cases on its campus, forcing the school to move to virtual learning and cancel athletic activities.
In Morgan City’s last contest, a District 8-4A game at Assumption Oct. 29, Morgan City (0-5, 0-2) fell 44-0.
The Tigers’ opponent Friday, South Terrebonne, has had a rough time this season as the squad enters Friday’s game with a 1-5 record, including an 0-3 mark in District 8-4A. A week ago, the Gators fell to Vandebilt Catholic 42-22 in Houma.
Berwick vs.
E.D. White
Berwick will hit the road Friday for a District 9-3A contest against E.D. White in what could be its final game of the season due to a COVID-19 case involving a future opponent.
While the Panthers (1-5, 0-3) were scheduled to play a week 10 contest against Donaldsonville, Donaldsonville announced earlier this week the game was canceled due to a COVID-19 positive test on the school’s campus that forced most of the school’s football team to quarantine for two weeks.
Berwick head coach Mike Walker is looking to fill the week 10 open date, but if no opponent is found, the Panthers will conclude their season Friday.
It’s a tough reality that has reinforced a lesson the coach has frequently stressed to his players that they should play every play of a game like it’s their last because they never know when the end is coming.
“Hopefully they take that to heart this week and prepare the right way,” Walker said.
However, before the Panthers can worry about week 10, they will travel to face an E.D. White team this week that is 5-1 overall and 3-0 in District 9-3A action. A week ago, E.D. White defeated Lutcher 24-21, while Berwick fell to St. James 49-13.
“They’re playing with some confidence right now,” Walker said of the Cardinals. “They’re winning some games. They’re always solid on the defensive side of the ball, and that style of offense is hard to prepare (for).”

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