Delcambre battling strong opponents, LHSAA on the road to playoffs

Published 1:00 am Saturday, October 29, 2022

Delcambre football coach Artie Liuzza set a preseason goal of winning five regular-season games, which the Panthers accomplished in Week 8.

The next goal, “to chase after that sixth win,” can be satisfied next week at Loreauville.

It’s a task that hasn’t been completed in decades.

“I couldn’t even tell you how long it’s been since we beat Loreauville,” said Liuzza, whose team is 5-4 overall, 1-3 in District 8-2A. “People say it’s been more than 20 years.”

Following Thursday’s 45-7 district loss at Ascension Episcopal, Liuzza reflected on the Louisiana High School Athletic Assocation’s wholesale changes to this year’s playoff brackets.

The LHSAA didn’t do DHS any favors when the organization, around the start of this season, unilaterally reduced the number of non-select (public school) playoff classifications from five to four while maintaining five classes during the regular season.

For example, even though DHS competes in a Class 2A district, the school’s enrollment numbers place the Panthers, along with fellow 8-2A program Franklin Senior High, in the smallest of the four playoff divisions.

In other words, the Panthers and Hornets are in a district with four other programs (West St. Mary, Catholic High, Loreauville and Ascension Episcopal) that have higher enrollment and will compete in larger playoff divisions.

“The LHSAA should either do away with districts or make four groups of districts with the four divisions,” Liuzza said. “We don’t get any power points for playing Class 2A schools that are in larger playoff divisions.

“Some details need to be worked out to make it more equitable.”

The playoff brackets are drawn with teams seeded according to power points. For Centerville and Jeanerette, members of District 7-1A, any game against a Class 2A program would yield power points for playing a larger school.

As programs in a Class 2A district, however, Delcambre and Franklin don’t get that bonus.

The Panthers currently hold the No. 27 power rating in Division IV, which will send 28 programs into the playoffs after Week 10.

Liuzza is optimistic that the Panthers will be among those 28 schools regardless of what happens next week.

“We feel like the worst-case scenario, five wins, will get us into the playoffs,” he said. “We’re going to give everything we have at Loreauville.”

There were some bright spots Thursday in Youngsville. Trevor Viator caught several passes from quarterback Parker LeBlanc. In the second half, Viator moved to quarterback where he completed a long pass to Cooper Broussard.

That completion led to a 15-yard touchdown run by Jaxon Wiggins, who also topped the 1,000-yard season rushing mark.

Zeb Falgout and Avery Dejean, who both play defensive end and offensive guard, also drew praise from Liuzza.

Next week, the Panthers will attempt to shorten the game and possess the football by steadily feeding Wiggins.

“Jaxon is a competitor,” Liuzza said. “He’s a quiet kid who does everything a coach asks. He plays football, basketball, baseball and runs track. It’s been fun to see his growth over the past four years.”