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VC guard Ainsley Mallet looks like she is walking on the air while passing the basketball in a recent game.

St. Mary’s wants to slow down Vermilion Catholic Lady Eagles

It is playoff time, and that means only one thing for the Vermilion Catholic Lady Eagles - time to put it in another gear and go.
The Lady Eagles kicked into another gear Monday night and scored 71 points in a second-round win over University Academy of Central Louisiana.
Thursday night at home, the Lady Eagles play St. Mary’s (18-10), a team from the same district as University Academy.
Tip-off is 6:30 p.m. at VC.
The winner of tonight’s game advances to the Final Four of the LHSAA playoffs.
St. Mary’s head coach William Collins, who also coaches the boys’ team, saw the film on VC. His game-plan is simple - try to slow down the high-flying Lady Eagles.
“We are going to try and slow things down,” said Collins. “We want to control the tempo, but with their guards, it is going to be hard.”
The guards whom Collins is referring to are seniors Jay Demouchet and Ainsley Mallet.
Academy’s head coach came in with the game-plan of trying to shut down Mallet. Academy did a great job and held her to only nine points. However, Demouchet had a career night and scored 32 points.
“VC’s guards are so good,” Collins said. “You shut one down, and the other one is going to hurt you. Our girls know what they have to do.”
St. Mary’s beat Academy twice (75-38 and 56-51) this year.
This is the third year St. Mary’s reaches the quarterfinal round. Last year they were knocked out by Houma Christian.
The Lady Eagles will be trying to make their third straight trip to the Final Four. This year’s finals are in Alexandria in the Rapides Coliseum.
The projected lineup for VC is Demouchet, Mallet, Anne Catherine Gallet, Emma Trahan and either Kelli Frith or Kyrah Brailey.
Collins said St. Mary’s starts two juniors, two sophomores, and one freshman.
They have won 12 of their last 14 games.
VC head coach Kim Guidry also watched film on St. Mary’s.
“They are a well-coached team,” she said. “They are a disciplined team that can handle the ball and is also very quick.”

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