VC stuns Riverside behind team-effort performance

NEW ORLEANS - Before Friday’s game against Riverside Academy, Vermilion Catholic head coach Broc Prejean mentioned that the coaching staff did not approach the game as a revenge match for last year’s loss to Riverside in the semifinals. Instead, they concentrated on the current season. Their focus paid off, as they achieved their goal.
The Eagles improved to 5-0 after beating Riverside 49-34 on the road.
The Eagles accumulated 576 yards of offense and scored seven touchdowns.
“Our theme has been ‘today,’ so we didn’t talk much about last year,” said VC head coach Broc Prejean. “We used the film to study and just asked them to decide if it was more important to focus on avenging the past or getting ourselves to 5-0 in the present. We feel like the kids focused on being 5-0.”
As of Saturday morning, VC is No. 3 in the  Select Division IV power point standings, while Ascension Catholic is No. 1, and Catholic of Point Coupee (4-0) is No. 2. District foe Ascension Episcopal (5-0) is No. 4.
VC plays Ascension Episcopal in two weeks. 
Riverside played to stop the run, hoping to stop Dartez, but it did not work.
The 5-foot-8 senior had another great game. 
He had a record-setting performance, rushing for a school-record 371 yards on 40 carries, surpassing his previous record of 359 yards. In addition to this, he scored five rushing touchdowns and threw for another two TDs. He also threw for 209 yards, bringing his total to 598 yards, which is also a new school record.
Plus, his 91-yard TD run was the longest from scrimmage at VC.
“It was quite possibly the best offensive performance I’ve ever seen out of a young man,” said Prejean about Dartez’s performance. “Our offensive line and wide receivers were engaged in blocks and on the right assignments over and over again, with Joe Langlinais and Luke McLain being the unselfish players that they are and leading the way off the edges. Allen McLain III, with 175 yards receiving on three catches and his blocking setting the edge in the run game, was huge and a massive difference-maker. Ben Constantin coming in to get us in two tight-end personnel was a great wrinkle, and he really stepped up all week and embraced the challenge.”
Coach Prejean said the win was also a team effort.
“The stat line is what it is and worth talking about because it deserves recognition, but it was such a complete team effort against a heavily talented Riverside Academy football team,” Prejean said. 
“We knew we had to execute a vertical passing game when they loaded the box, but we also still had to find ways to run against a loaded box and were able to accomplish those two things. It’s tough when you are down two explosive athletes like Ross Dartez (broken collar bone)  and Jyrin Bessard (injured elbow)  but so proud of the young guys that stepped in and stepped up.”
The Eagles jumped on Riverside Academy 21-0 in the first quarter. 
Dartez had touchdown runs of 42 and 34 yards in the first quarter. Then, he capped off the quarter by throwing an 87-yard touchdown pass to tight end Allen McLain III.
Dartez would connect with McLain for a 61-yard touchdown catch, making it a 28-7 game.
McLain had three catches for 175 yards, and he scored two touchdowns.
VC went into halftime, leading 28-14.
The Eagles’ defense came up big and did not break with a defensive stop on fourth down in the red zone, allowing no points. 
Coach Prejean praised his defense for holding Riverside’s explosive offense.
“Defensively, to get two turnovers on downs inside the 20 was critical, and to get stops on both of their initial possessions of the halves was huge to set the tone of each half,” the coach said.  “You’re not going to stop them, and we knew that, but we did enough to limit them when needed. Their offense is so explosive that you can’t afford to miss an opportunity to get them off the field, but we were able to take advantage of enough of those opportunities to make a difference.”
Dartez and the offense also rewarded their defense for every stop they got, building on the lead. Dartez would show off his speed, outrunning defenders down the sideline almost the length of the field for a 91-yard touchdown midway in the third period.
That long run would be his fifth touchdown of the night.
Dartez also had touchdown runs of 2 yards, 44 yards, and 17 yards. His 17-yard TD came at the 6-minute mark in the fourth quarter to make it 49-34.
GAME NOTE: The last time VC lost a regular-season game was in 2021 against Erath (36-34). Dartez, then a freshman, was the quarterback in that game. Since that loss, Dartez has not lost another regular-season game.
VC has now won 30 straight regular-season games.