Kaplan set to face Crowley in 1st district game

KAPLAN — An explosive passing game continues to produce for the Kaplan Pirates, who beat Beau Chene 34-0 on Friday as they prepare to open District 5-3A play this week at home against Crowley.
Okay, the Pirates ran for 316 yards and four touchdowns to 128 passing yards and one TD, but that added dimension included a 73-yard TD pass from Sabe David to André Marceaux, and gives opposing teams something else to worry about besides Kaplan’s usual running game on offense.
“(That) was huge to see,” head coach Cory Brodie said. “He dropped a big one against Rayne, and it’s always nice to see somebody that has a drop come back the next week and make a big play for us. It was a little overthrown. He had to reach out with one hand and reeled it in with one hand and goes 73 yards with it. That was awesome to see.”
Kaplan also has a 53-yard scoring pass to tight end Carter Petry vs. LaGrange, a 52-yard touchdown pass to running back Daylon Landry vs. Rayne and a 42-yard TD pass to Landry vs. Berwick.
David is second in the parish with 421 passing yards, including five touchdowns, and Landry is the leading receiver in the parish with 178 yards and two TDs on eight catches. Landry leads the Pirates, and is third in the parish, with 571 yards and six TDs on the ground. Petry adds another 93 yards and two touchdowns on five catches.
Landry was named the Gulf Coast Bank Offensive Player of the Week with 168 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Beau Chene.
“I was really proud of our offensive line as well,” Brodie said. “Our senior guard, Talon Fruge, was limited all week. He was at practice every day but we took the pads off him for a while. He had a pretty bad shoulder bruise. Friday he came and played the whole game for us. Just seeing him tough it out was good. Our tight end, Carter Petry, was dealing with sickness. We had a few other guys dealing with some illness — flu/cold type stuff. It was just a week of practice where we had some shuffling going on. To put it together Friday was good to see.”
Kaplan faced Crowley in the Acadia-Vermilion Jamboree, and knows running back Omar Butler will be a load to handle.
“We’re trying to make sure Omar Butler doesn’t have 250 yards and four touchdowns like he did last week, just trying to slow him down,” Brodie said. “I know Crowley’s 0-5 but we’re doing our best not to look past them because they put up 48 points against Rayne last week.”
In the jamboree, Crowley scored on its first two drives before Kaplan kept the Gents out of the end zone the rest of the way.
“Pretty much everybody they play, they give them a wrinkle on offense, and then they come out and score on their first drive, so just being able to adjust to whatever new plays or formations they throw at us (will be important), and get off the field and develop an early lead. That kid’s going to break a few long runs, so hopefully we can build on a lead so when or if he does, we’ll still feel comfortable with where we’re at.”
Having played the Gents already should help keep the Pirates from overlooking Crowley, Brodie said.
“They’ve got some really good size on the offensive line and defensive line,” he said. “Seeing them in action helps our preparation because everybody in Kaplan knows if we don’t play sound football, they can give us a run for our money because of how explosive they are.”