Traveling north in a nine-car caravan yesterday, the Vermilion Catholic Lady Eagles were excited for their shot at the state title.

“It’s definitely an exciting feeling,” coach Kim Guidry said.

Guidry and the Lady Eagles are in Monroe Thursday, set to take on West St. John High School for the Class 1A state championship, a shot they haven’t had in 14 years.

“We’re ready,” Guidry said. “We told our girls to just go out there and enjoy it. Whether they bring the trophy home or not, it’s all about playing their best.”

In preparing for the championship game, the longtime VC coach noted the similar styles of play between West St. John and two other playoff opponents, Plain Dealing and last week’s semifinal opponent, North Central.

“They all run a transition game,” she explained. “They penetrate and then pitch the ball, and they don’t really have a post player so much as they all play a guard role.”

The similarities proved to be useful. The Lady Eagles did not have to learn how to counter a new style of play. “We’re a little more refreshed,” Guidry said. “We went over the same things we’d gone over in previous weeks.”

West St. John made it to the finals, however, by defeating Central Catholic, a team that handed two defeats to the Lady Eagles in district play. Despite that, however, the topic never came up between the coach and her players.

“It wasn’t even discussed,” Guidry said. “We played tough teams early in the season specifically to prepare us for the post season. Teams like Notre Dame and Lafayette. The girls get to reap the benefits of what they’ve sewn this season. They worked hard to get here.”

The game is Thursday at noon, a time slot that the team hasn’t had to play in all season.

“I don’t think it will make much of a difference,” Guidry mentioned. “Once you get there, in that zone, it could be midnight outside, but you’re ready to play.”

The game is in Monroe’s Fant-Ewing Coliseum.