High school football is here and to celebrate the start of the season, we are going to be getting you guys in the mood for some football with season previews on all of the teams in the Bayou Region.
We will be going by class and in ABC order, starting in 5A, then going all the way down to 1A with CCA and Central Catholic.
We previewed Central Lafourche in Day 1, so now let’s move to the next team on the list: the H.L. Bourgeois Braves.
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Offense was a huge struggle for H.L. Bourgeois in 2023. The Braves started the season 2-1 and had high hopes for a strong year. But the team just couldn’t sustain offensive success. After the 2-1 start, the Braves scored just 27 more points in the final 7 games of the year and were shutout 4 times.
But with some talented returnees back in 2024 and talented playmakers, H.L. Bourgeois believes they have a new level of buy-in and will be able to build on last year’s 2-8 season and do more.
Expectations are high in the Braves’ fieldhouse and Coach Sterling Washington said he is pleased with what he has seen from his team in preseason camp. Throughout the summer, the point of emphasis for the Braves has been finding, developing and growing depth at both lines of scrimmage after being brutally thin in the spring. Washington said the Braves have talented players in their freshman class who will step in and play and he’s also excited about returnees like Tyren Winslow on the defensive line and Kentrae Lacy on the offensive line.
“We needed to build depth there and we did,” Washington said. “We have work to do and a ways to go, but we didn’t have enough bodies in the spring. And now, we have more. So that’s a great thing for us. And we’re working hard to develop those guys and get them ready to go.”
If the Braves can hold up at the line of scrimmage, they have playmakers. Quarterback Conner Wallace is back, as is talented halfback Malik Myles. The Braves also have skilled playmakers on the outside who can stretch the field. Defensively, Washington said he likes what he’s seeing from linebackers Wilbert Ledet and Javarion Navarre, as well as defensive back Ja Ja Jones.
H.L. BOURGEOIS OVERVIEW:
2024 Record: 2-8
End of Season: Missed Playoffs
Head Coach: Sterling Washington
Key Returnees: Quarterback Conner Wallace, running back Malik Miles, offensive lineman Kentrae Lacy, defensive lineman Tyren Winslow, linebacker Javarion Navarre
Strengths: Explosive playmakers, experience at quarterback and improved chemistry in the locker room.
What we need to learn: For H.L. Bourgeois to make the strides they hope to make in 2024, they are going to have to hold up in the trenches. The team was razor thin up front in the spring, but Coach Washington and his staff have developed younger players throughout the summer. Those players will have to step up and give depth to the Braves for them to have a chance in 5A.
Schedule: (all games at 7 p.m., and * denotes district game)
September 5 – vs. Ascension Catholic
September 13 – vs. Assumption
September 20 – vs. Central Catholic
September 27 – vs. Patterson
October 4 – at Hahnville*
October 11 – vs. Destrehan*
October 18 – at Thibodaux*
October 25 – vs. Terrebonne*
November 1 – at Central Lafourche*
November 8 – vs. East St. John*
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By-U Sports says: “H.L. Bourgeois has a schedule set up to win more than 2 games this fall, and they have a talented roster that has been working extremely hard to try and build on last season and go beyond it. For the Braves, getting off to a strong start is key. They have 4-straight home games to start the season, including winnable games with 1A schools like Ascension Catholic and Central Catholic. If they stumble out of the gates, it will be difficult to recover with the meat of the schedule coming in Weeks 5-8, but with a strong start, the Braves can build momentum and maybe get the ball rolling. Look out for Malik Myles – one of the most explosive and exciting players to watch in our area.”
