North Central claims first victory
North Central ended its four-week football odyssey Friday night and punctuated the occasion with a victory.
North Central claims first victory North Central ended its four-week football odyssey Friday night and punctuated the occasion with a victory. Check out this story on dailyworld.com: https://www.dailyworld.com/story/sports/high-school/2014/09/28/north-central-claims-first-victory/16399871/
Louisiana Published 6:06 p.m. CT Sept. 28, 2014
GUEYDAN – No more bus rides, at least this week.
The Hurricanes spoiled Gueydan's homecoming Friday night with a 20-18 victory and now North Central has a homecoming of its own – literally and figuratively – Friday night in the first home game of the season,
North Central (1-3) hosts Bunkie in the Hurricanes' homecoming game, an occasion that is meaningful in several ways, says Hurricanes' head coach Jacobi Thierry.
"The players are looking forward to playing at home. For the past four games they have gotten on the bus every Friday. I don't know how many miles we've traveled, but each game was at least an hour and a half ride," said Thierry.
NCHS beat Gueydan in LeBeau last year and on Friday night the Hurricanes got another win over the Bears.
"It was a real big win on the road. The boys got a chance to feel how it is to win. We have a lot of young players and the seniors did a good job after the game of getting the players to stop clowning and get their minds ready because we have another game ahead," Thierry said.
Thierry said the win was important because the Hurricanes had to finish game by protecting a narrow lead.
Gueydan, Thierry said, scored a touchdown in the final two minutes and then failed to tie the game when a two-point conversion failed.
The Bears executed after the touchdown, an onside kick with a minute 44 remaining, but North Central's Arthur Pitcher recovered for the Hurricanes at midfield.
NCHS was able to run out the clock from that point and acquire a second win in as many seasons.
The Hurricanes play one of the state's most challenging schedules – eight road games – and Thierry said journeying so far so quickly isn't easy.
"It's been tough, not so much physically but mentally. Being on a bus for so long becomes a mental thing, a mind set," Thierry said.
Thierry said the Hurricanes have made some adjustments over the past few weeks which will help them avoid losses like NCHS experienced at Highland Baptist and Jeanerette, which scored a combined 96 points against his team.
"We've made some adjustments, moving players to different positions. Teams have been trying to get to the outside on us, so we've put guys like Jacory Lamb and some of our seasoned players there.
"Offensively we've done some things, like putting our quarterback (Dontarious Joseph) at a receiver and using Jacory (Lamb) in a Wildcat (direct snap)," Thierry said.
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