An early look at the 2018 parish football schedules
It’s never too early to talk about football. Late June is no exception.
The beginning of the high-school season is still more than two months away, but the teams’ 2018 schedules are set. Here is a look at what lies ahead for the parish’s six football squads.
The most successful team in Ascension Parish last season was the Ascension Catholic Bulldogs. They went 8-2 during the regular season and reached the state title game for the first time since 1992.
Some unfortunate injuries to key players derailed their hopes of winning the Division-IV crown, but they will return almost all of their starters this season, hoping to finish what they started in 2017.
Two of Ascension Catholic’s non-district games this year will come against Mentorship Academy in the season opener on Aug. 31, and Thomas Jefferson in week four. They beat those two teams last year by a combined margin of 110-23.
One of their biggest games will come against defending District 6-1A champion Kentwood on Oct. 26.
The Kangaroos handed the Bulldogs one of their losses last season by a score of 13-7. This year, Ascension Catholic will host the game.
Ascension Christian’s program continued to move forward last season. The Lions went 7-3.
Their three losses came against Springfield, Houma Christian and Ville Platte.
This season, the Lions will look for revenge against those three squads. They open the season at Springfield on Sept. 1, they visit Houma Christian on Sept. 14 and they will visit Ville Platte on Oct. 26.
The Donaldsonville Tigers had one of their best seasons in recent memory in 2017, as they went 7-3 and reached the second round of the playoffs.
Although, they’ll have many key players to replace in 2018. They’ll also have a very challenging schedule.
They’ll travel to 4A rival Assumption in the opener and mix in home games against Port Allen and 4A Livonia in weeks three and four.
They will get District 7-3A powers St. Charles and De La Salle at home, but they’ll have to travel to face rival St. James. They lost to all three teams last season.
The Dutchtown Griffins went 6-4 and reached the second round of the playoffs in Guy Mistretta’s first year as head coach. Like Donaldsonville, they will have a lot to replace in 2018.
They’ll be looking to begin the season better than they did in 2017. Dutchtown started the season off 1-2, before winning five of their last seven.
The Griffins will open with back-to-back non-district home games against Walker and Central. They also play tough non-league games against both Covington and Lutcher.
Their parish tussles will both be on the road this season. They’ll play East Ascension on Oct. 5, and they’ll meet St. Amant the week afterward.
East Ascension had a memorable 2017, as they went 8-2, claimed a share of the District 5-5A title and reached the second round of the playoffs.
Once again, they’ll have a brutal non-district schedule that features the likes of Lutcher, Parkview Baptist and St. Charles.
Their lone non-league loss last year was to Parkview. They’ll go on the road to face the Eagles on Sept. 7.
They get two of their biggest district games at home as they host Catholic on Oct. 19, and they host archrival St. Amant in their finale on Nov. 2.
The Gators have beaten the Spartans two years in a row. Last season’s victory gave them a 9-1 record and share of the district title.
St. Amant will have a lot to replace in 2018 as well. They’ll also have two tough non-district games against Lutcher and St. James in weeks four and five.
The Gators will travel to Catholic on Oct. 5, they’ll host Dutchtown on Oct. 12 and they finish the season at East Ascension.