by Malcolm Butler
One of the best second round match-ups in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) playoffs across all Divisions may be at James Field at Hoss Garrett Stadium Friday night.
It’s a rematch of last year’s Non-Select School Division I state title game, a hard-fought contest won by Ruston over Zachary 31-17 at the Caesar’s Superdome.
Now the two perennial state football powerhouses will meet with kickoff set for 7 p.m.
The No. 3 seeded Bearcats (8-2) and the No. 14 seeded Broncos (7-3) both lost key components from last year’s teams with Zachary’s biggest loss being its biggest player in 6-foot-7-inch wide receiver Trey’dez Green who is suiting up for the LSU Tigers these days.
The Broncos three losses this year have come against teams that are a combined 26-3 and all top four seeds in their respective Divisions in Acadiana (L, 43-28), Central-Baton Rouge (L, 14-3) and Catholic (L, 73-55). The Broncos have scored at least 24 points in every game except the loss to Central which came in a driving rain storm.
So how does this year’s Zachary team compare to last years?
“This is a very different Zachary team from last year,” said Robin Fambrough, who covers high school sports for the Baton Rouge Advocate. “This is a very different Zachary team. They only return like two or three starters on defense. They have a descent number of starters back on the offensive line. New quarterback although he split time in the regular season last year. It’s just a much different team.”
Zachary advanced to tomorrow night’s second round match-up with Ruston by virtue of a 54-35 win over No. 19 seeded Sam Houston last Friday night. The Broncos led 28-7 in the second quarter before 21 straight points by Sam Houston tied the game at 28-28 at halftime.
However, it was all Zachary in the second half as the Broncos pulled away to win easily.
The Bearcats will face one of the top running backs they will have seen this season in Da’vekio Ruffin, an undersized senior who is shifty and elusive. Ruffin has totaled more than 600 yards and 12 TDs on the ground over the past two games, a loss to Catholic and the win over Sam Houston.
“The big story the last two weeks — and of course they have played X Box football — is their running back Da’vekio Ruffin,” said Fambrough. “He has rushed for over 300 yards and scored six touchdowns in each of those two games. He is a little guy at like 5-foot-6. He is fast, but he finds angles and sees things and makes plays happen. He has gotten better as the year has gone on.”
Ruffin has totaled 1,523 yards and 25 TDs on the ground and is averaging over 10 yards per carry on the season.
Caleb Gonzalez is the signal caller for the Broncos. He has completed 128-of-208 passes for 1,756 yards and 16 TDs with four interceptions on the season.
“He moved from Texas in ninth grade,” said Fambrough. “He grew up on McAllen, Texas. He is 5-10 and 180 pounds. As the coach David Brewerton told me, he is just a good football player. His biggest improvement from last year is he got physically stronger. When you look at film, you are like he couldn’t have made that throw last year.”
Unlike last year’s Zachary team with Green, this year’s version doesn’t have an alpha receiver. However, the Broncos have a host of solid options, including Trey Chaney (21-425-4), Khristion Brooks (24-304-3), Jaiden Cockerham (29-348-3), and Tra’lan Sept (25-274-5).
“They have four or five guys who are utilized,” said Fambrough. “No one that just stands out.”
Defensively, Zachary has been up and down. The Broncos have surrendered 33 points or more four times this season, including 73 in the loss to Catholic. However, Zachary has held five opponents to 15 points or less.
“They only have a couple of starters back from last year so its a totally revamped defense,” said Fambrough. “This is the second year under their current DC. This is a blue collar group. I think there are maybe two kids who have scholarship offers.”
This marks the third straight year that Ruston and Zachary have met in the state playoffs with the Bearcats winning both times. However, Friday night’s match-up isn’t a typical second round affair for a top four seed.
“I think Zachary is much better than a 13 seed,” said Fambrough.
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