Coach Barry “Tut” Musemeche already sees how having an extra La. High School Officials Assn. scrimmage opportunity two weekends ago will help his St. John High football team get well prepared for the upcoming gridiron season.
It all came around last week when his Eagles went up against 5-A Scotlandville High in a second preseason scrimmage.
“By the time we finish this week’s jamboree game with St. Michael’s we will have seen three completely different styles and offensive-defensive systems. That is really going to help us get prepared for the season. Getting an opportunity to scrimmage Livonia in the officials’ workout was a blessing. Before we play our first game we will have seen a variety of offenses and defenses,” noted Coach Musemeche last Saturday.
The Eagle coach said Scotlandville ran a different system than Livonia and hosted with a very athletic football team, especially up front.
“Scotlandville was a real test for us. They are good. They are very talented up front and return their big back from last year as well as some other speed in the backfield. It was a physical workout. Both teams were very physical. We held our own. Our young offensive line did well against their athletic defense,” explained Musemeche.
This was the third year in a row Musemeche has sent an SJHS team up against 5-A Scotlandville in a preseason scrimmage and the Eagle coach said this year’s opponent was the best and the most prepared of the three.
“They were in better condition and were more athletic than the previous ones we faced. We went up against their option offense, which we don’t face usually. We ended up doing very well against it. Our defensive front group led the way for us. Our defensive ends Herman Fitch and Nathan Voison as tackle Curtis Jones were outstanding and Kade Yarbrough turned in a solid effort at linebacker,” said Musemeche.
The SJHS coaching staff did not view any film on either Livonia or Scotlandville prior to the scrimmages. Musemeche said he did so on purpose. “I wanted to see how our players and coaching staff would adapt during the scrimmages to the different styles of play. We managed to adapt very well and that pleased me. We are making progress,” noted the coach.
The Eagles played very well in the early going of the workout. Junior Da’vante Williams intercepted a SHS pass and returned it to the 35-yardline. Not long after, Williams grabbed a pass from senior quarterback Mike Martinez and got the ball down to the two-yardline. Junior running back Kaleb Campesi then scored on a short run.
