Notre Dame travels to face top seed University

CROWLEY – And then there were four.
The Division 2 playoffs move to semifinal pairings this week with Notre Dame travelling to Baton Rouge for a matchup with top seed University. The Cubs trounced #9 St. Louis, 61-21, while the Pios were equally impressive in their quarterfinal win over E.D. White.
It’s no secret that Notre Dame relies on a consistent ball control ground attack in its formula for success. With the talented weapons on the University offense, Pios coach Lewis Cook knows his running game is ever more important for this matchup.
“There is no question we have to kind of pull everything together and do what we do best against a team like University. They are a good offensive team with a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, so the best defense is not to let them have the ball.”
Runningbacks Damon Comeaux and Lance Bertrand lead a Pios rushing attack that has sliced through opponents for 2,923 yards this season. Comeaux has gained over a hundred yards five times this season and Bertrand has done it twice.
“Going into the season, I have to say we were not expecting to get that kind of production,” notes Cook. “We have really made some strides in blocking and running the ball. Some of the runs those guys have made are really incredible efforts.”
Bertrand carried the heavier load over the first four weeks of the season until an injury against Catholic High forced the junior to miss three games. Comeaux stepped into the lead role that night and rushed for 152 yards and three TDs.
“Lance and I are really close,” noted Comeaux. “We are usually right next to each other at practice or in a game and we know one of us will be there for the other. If one of us goes down or just needs a break, we know the other is there to step right up and take the ball.”
A spot performer last season with just 27 carries and 110 yards, Comeaux has blazed through his senior season with 101 carries for 928 yards and 16 touchdowns. Comeaux says his approach is quite simply to run where the defense is not.
“When I got to Notre Dame, it was really just about being on the team,” adds Comeaux. “As a freshman, it’s a little scary, but you learn quickly about the work ethic and commitment everyone has. I think I’ve grown up in the system now and I am more prepared and playing with a lot more confidence.”
One of the concerns heading into this season was only one starter back in the offensive line. The Pios have actually gained more rushing yards this season and Comeaux says that should answer those questions.
“Our offensive line is just as strong this year. Those guys are responsible for anything we do carrying the ball and the gaps off their blocks are easy to see. We couldn’t have had any of our success running without those guys up front.”
Lance Bertrand is back healthy and the junior has added 663 yards and 8 scores to the ground attack. Their styles might be a little different, Bertrand more likely to run over a tackler while Comeaux opts to cut and go. Both have the speed to go the distance, Comeaux having taken the ball 83 yards for a score, and Bertrand with a 70 yard TD run in the books.
“To have the season we have had has been a lot of fun,” concludes Comeaux. “As a senior, it was our turn to step up and it is a great feeling to know you have carried on the tradition. We don’t feel like we’re done yet and you can be sure everyone has worked hard this week to give it our best shot.”
EXTRA POINTS
Senior Brad Stoma is capping his career as a three year starter at quarterback. In three seasons at the helm, Stoma has passed for 3, 724 yards and 38 TDs and he has only been intercepted nine times in 413 passes. Stoma has added 595 yards rushing and 16 more TDs. With Stoma under center, the Pios are 30-3 with a state runnerup trophy in 2012.
After last week’s dominating performance, Nate Link and Conner Kirsch share the team lead in tackles with 58 each. The Pios defense totals 43 QB sacks and has made 118 tackles for a loss with 11 interceptions and 72 QB hurries.
GAME BALL AWARDS
Big Play of the Game – Lance Bertrand swept the left side, retreated around defensive penetration, beat the pursuit to the edge and sprinted down the sideline past the Pios bench. As a defender came full speed to make a tackle near the E.D. White 30 yard line, Bertrand planted a foot and stopped, reached with his right arm and threw the defender past him and out of bounds, kicked it back into gear and ran away for a 54 yard touchdown.
Damon Comeaux – Led the 364 yard rushing attack with 146 yards and 4 TDs, adding a fifth score on a 22 yard pass reception from Brad Stoma.
Offensive and Defensive Front Lines - There likely has never been a Pios game where the line of scrimmage has been so dominated on both sides. Defensively, the Cardinals had minus 10 yards at the end of the third quarter and the Pios finished with 4 sacks and 16 tackles for a loss. The offense averaged over 9 yards a snap with 444 total yards in a quarterfinal playoff game!
SCOUTING REPORT
The Cubs are “all in” this season after reaching the state championship game for the first time in 25 years. University saw its dreams of an unbeaten season ruined by John Curtis in a 32-0 loss at the Superdome last December.
University rolled into this season as the overwhelming favorite to march through Division 2, and nothing has happened to cast any doubts on that possibility, though there have been a couple of close calls. The Cubs survived a wild season opener at Teurlings, 36-35, and LaGrange threw a scare in week three with the Cubs holding on for a 27-26 win.
The Cubs have averaged eleven wins a season under head coach Chad Mahaffey who has led his team to 56 wins in 63 games. The six game District 7-3A schedule was pretty much a cake walk. The closest margin of victory being 21 points over Parkview as the Cubs coasted to an unbeaten 10-0 regular season.
“Our kids know it’s that time of year,” said Pios coach Cook. “We have stood on the sideline with those kids in red helmets against some tough odds like at Breaux Bridge in 2000, Parkview in ’03, Lutcher in ’04. Those teams were loaded with players that went on to play college ball, so, we’ve been there before and you just do what you do and take your best shot.”
With only nine starters back from last season, Mahaffey has filled in the gaps for another run at the trophy. Boasting a fair share of name players and college prospects in their senior season, this may be their best shot.
Senior runningback Nick Brosette (6’, 210) is the star of the show. The LSU pledge rushed for 2,186 yards and 32 touchdowns last season. He started the season with 150 yards on 28 carries against Teurlings and has now gained 1,325 yards and scored 21 touchdowns. He had three scores last week against St. Louis including a 20 yard TD.
“You can’t go in there against a team like this and expect to completely shut them down,” noted Cook. “If we can limit their possessions by doing what we need to do when we have the ball that will give us an opportunity to be successful.”
The Cubs use a lot of combinations in the backfield and sophomore Dylan Moses (6’2”, 225) gets touches like a 7 yard TD run against the Teurlings. His impact for University is better demonstrated from the linebacker position where he made 170 tackles last season.
Senior quarterback Manny Miles (6’, 180) is the catalyst of a talented offensive group that averaged over 43 points a game and had an average win margin of 33 points in six district wins. The son of LSU coach Les Miles, he threw for 2,115 yards and 21 touchdowns last year. After missing three games with an injury, Miles finished this regular season with 1,277 yards and 20 TDs, completing 72% of his passes on 93 of 129 attempts.
In the opener, Miles completed 14 of 25 passes for 112 yards with a 7 yard scoring strike to junior Malik Antoine (5’11”, 175). He also ran for two scores but left the game late in the second half with an ankle injury.
Miles is back spreading passes to junior Tre Jackson (5’10”, 170), who caught six for 67 yards against Teurlings, senior Mark Gravious (5’10”, 175) and senior Khristian Mims (5’11’, 170).
Senior Jake Wharton (6’2”, 220) was projected to start at receiver after moving over from defense and missing all of last season with surgery for a torn labrum. Wharton has since become a presence at fullback in the Cubs offense.
The offensive line lost four of five starters to graduation. Senior tackle O.J. Ogelsby (6’4”, 270) is the lone returner. Sophomore Adrian Ealy (6’6”, 260) bookends a rotation of first time starters in the middle of the line.
“The plan we have is what we’ve always gone with, it’s nothing new, we just have to execute,” adds Cook. “If we are able to slow down the run and execute what we do best, then we feel we have a chance against anyone. We will need to play our game, put some drives together, and finish them by putting points on the board.”
Defensively, University has allowed just 155 points this season and 61 of those came in those two close call wins. The Cubs also have several players contributing on both sides of the ball.
Versatile senior defensive back Jalon Baker (5’9”, 185) suffered torn knee ligaments in the semi final win against Parkview last season. His rehab back to the field has been a plus for the Cubs as Baker stepped in to play quarterback when Miles was out.
Baker came in at Teurlings and drove the Cubs 68 yards in the final four minutes, completing a crucial fourth down pass and scoring on a 28 yard run to cap the 36-35 comeback win. In the playoff win last week, Baker had a 53 yard fumble recovery TD and set up another score with a second fumble recovery.
Junior defensive tackle Sam Wharton (6’, 275) is the only starter back. Ealy gets some double duty from the offensive line to beef up the front which is otherwise average sized. Junior Laryon James (6’, 190) is back at linebacker to team with Dylan Moses who is already committed to play college ball at LSU. Receiver Malik Antoine also starts at cornerback.