by Malcolm Butler
The dress rehearsal is over.
Tonight Week 1 of the Louisiana high school football season officially kicks off as the Cedar Creek Cougars travel to Delhi Charter for a 7 p.m. start time.
And both teams are playing for keeps.
The Cougars are coming off a 4-6 season in 2023 in which they qualified for the Select School Division IV playoffs, falling to Catholic Pointe Coupee in the first round of the postseason.
Delhi Charter was 5-6 last year before falling Vermilion Catholic in the second round of the state playoffs.
Creek head coach William Parkerson said he has watched film on the Gators and knows his team is in for a competitive opener.
“They have really good team speed so defensively we have to do a good job of keeping their quarterback and their two running backs bottled up,” said Parkerson. “They are best when they get to the perimeter so we have to do a good job of setting the edge and rallying to the football.
“Defensively, their nose tackle, one of the defensive ends and their two safeties are their best four players in my opinion. We need to make sure if we are leaving one of those guys unblocked to read them that we are getting up to the next level. Those four guys are what make their team go.”
Cedar Creek hasn’t faired well “on the scoreboard” during its scrimmage against Lakeside and its jamboree against Ouachita Christian. However, playing two talented teams leading up to tonight’s opener will only help the Cougars.
“As long as we stay mentally engaged, it’s only going to make us better,” said Parkerson. “After watching film, we did a lot of good things defensively (for giving up 37 points against OCS). It was the big plays defensively. We would have two good plays but then give up a big play. If we can be more consistent and make sure we are in the right gaps and get that fixed defensively, I think we are ahead of where I thought we would be.
“Offensively, we are close. It’s a seam here or a seam there. We are closer offensively then it has looked. We need to come out (tonight) and execute and physically get after them. We need to set the tone and get this thing going.”
Plenty has already been written this preseason about the youthfulness of this year’s Cougar team, especially at many of the skill position. And although there may be plenty of growing pains this year, especially early, it bodes well for the future of the program.
Parkerson said his freshman signal caller, Cason Floyd, is making strides and he is eager to watch his growth this year.
“He has been good,” said Parkerson in regards to Floyd’s mindset. “It’s going fast for him which I expected. He is able to communicate what he is seeing which lets me know that he is actually trying to read it. It’s just moving a little fast where he is seeing its a pull read but by the time he actually realizes it, it’s too late to pull it. As it slows down for him in the next couple of weeks, I think we will see big jumps.”
Tonight’s contest will be aired live on 99.3 FM with the pregame Coaches Show beginning at 6:15 p.m. with Ray Creasy and Ben Haddox providing a call of all the action.
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