GALLIANO, La. — In terms of every down starters, South Lafourche returns just 2 from a team last year that finished 4-4 with a first-round loss to Opelousas in the Class 4A playoffs.
“In my opinion, there’s no such thing as a rebuild. You know, you’ve got to reload. We’ve got kids in this community and the middle schools who are coming up as well, but we’ve got kids here right now who can step in and play, play football. We expect to compete.”
The competition stops and starts with the South Lafourche offensive line, a group led by left tackle Jack Chiasson and a group in charge of creating for running back Abram Bourg, receiver Jacob Curole, and their new quarterback Carson Orgeron.
“He started two years at Central Lafourche, under the lights. So, he has experience. He’s a leader. He’s very athletic and he’s got a strong arm. Working on the learning curve right now. When you’ve got to learn a new offense in three weeks, it can be a little difficult but he’s doing a great job, man. He’s studying on the side and he’s making great strides from day to day which is refreshing to see. So, I feel like he’ll be ready to go.”
Tyler Autin and the defensive line anchor the South Lafourche defense, a unit best represents the football team as a whole – young and hungry.
“I think the mold of, man, I’ve got to wait until my junior or senior year to play, I think that’s not here anymore. You know I feel like they come in ready to go. We might have two freshmen starting out there on a Friday night and they’re not nervous. They’re not scared. Now, it’s different when the lights turn on, there’s no doubt, but I have the utmost confidence that the 22 we put out there is going to get it done.”
That confidence comes from head coach Brian Young watching his kids grow and overcome countless obstacles like Covid-19 in 2020 and Hurricane Ida last year.
The Tarpons were unable to play a home football game until their November Class 4A playoff opener.
“To fight what these kids fought through last season after a Category 4 storm. We were dressing under the bleachers, waiting on jerseys to come back getting cleaned, no home games. Just resilient, man. I think that speaks on the behalf of the whole community. It’s just a resilient group of people. It’s different down here. Look, I’m not from here, I’m from Hahnville. So, it’s different, man. This is a tough community and it’s in their blood man.”
South Lafourche opens the 2022 season at home against rival Central Lafourche.
The 31st edition of WGNO’s Friday Night Football, presented by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, returns Friday, August 19th.
You can catch all of the action on Friday Nights at 11 p.m. on Nola 38 the CW and again at midnight on WGNO.