NV looks to see how they measure up to STM

LEROY — A great week of practice translated into the best game of the year so far for the North Vermilion Patriots this past week, who rolled to a 42-6 homecoming win over the LaGrange Gators.
The Patriots will take to the road this week to open District 4-4A play at St. Thomas More tonight at 6 p.m.
“I thought we had a really good week of practice last week, even with it being homecoming week with a lot of distractions,” North Vermilion head coach Joe Heintz said. “Once we got outside to practice, the kids did a really good job of focusing in, and I thought we got better as a team last week.”
The homecoming win was a collective team effort, Heintz said.
“I thought we played well in all three phases of the game, and I just thought it was a total team effort last week,” Heintz said.
Tucker Denais (64 carries, 269 yards, 3 touchdowns) and Norris Benoit (16-199, 3 TDs) are both in the top 10 in the parish in rushing yards, with Grant Wise not far behind (25-145, 4 TDs).
Benoit is also in the top 10 in Vermilion Parish with 108 receiving yards on three catches, including a touchdown and has several plays over 30 yards.
On the other side of the ball, linebacker Noah Stelly and defensive lineman Myles Johnson have anchored the defensive unit that is allowing under 16 points a game.
That defense will be challenged this week by the team ranked No. 1 in the latest Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 4A poll and No. 1 in the LHSAA’s unofficial power rankings for Select Division II.
The Cougars are the defending state champion in Select Division II and have won four state titles in the last seven years, including three of the last four.
“You look at the best teams in the state in all classes, and they’re in the discussion,” Heintz said. “They are as good as advertised. They’re good on offense. They’re very explosive. Defensively, they’re really well-coached. They’ve got good players on defense. Special team, they’re always good there. They’re a complete team.”
Heintz said the Cougars can run the ball and throw the ball on offense. Landon Strother, the son of STM receivers coach Lance Strother, is probably the main go-to receiver in the pass game, Heintz said.
“He does a really good job of running routes and catching,” Heintz said. “Defensively, they’re solid. They’re not going to do anything to really disguise (what they do) or fool you on defense, but they do everything solidly.”
Though the district schedule is not easy with teams like STM, Lafayette Christian (No. 2 in 4A), Westgate (No. 5) and Teurlings (No. 9), the experience helps once the postseason starts, as North Vermilion proved in 2022 by reaching the quarterfinals in non-select Division II. The Patriots have nothing to lose by playing hard against teams like the Cougars, Heintz said.
“We’re going in there with the attitude that we’re going to get better from this,” he said. “We’re going to compete to the best of our ability this week on Friday, and let’s see where that puts us.
“What they do is good on offense and defense and special teams, and we want to see where we measure. Have we gotten better throughout the course of the year? This game will tell us, yes or no.”