WC Bulldogs split games on hardwood

White Castle High’s Bulldogs pushed their season record to 10-9 last week by splitting games against a pair of upper classification foes.

Coach Ronald Johnson’s Castlemen opened the holiday week with a 77-68 victory over visiting 5-A Terrebonne High, but an even tougher 4-A Istrouma High visited the historic old WCHS gym and hung a 70-52 loss on the Class A locals.

WCHS entered the week’s action rated the unofficial number eight team in Class A basketball by Ken Ramsey. Istrouma was rated number ten in 4-A basketball by the unofficial poll, while 5-A Terrebonne High was considerably lower at the number 35 spot.

Istrouma looked very much a top ten Class 4-A hoop club as they led from the start of the game at WCHS. The Indians took an early 11-9 lead and expanded it to 44-19 by intermission. White Castle could gain no ground in the third period and Istrouma closed the game out with a final 22-18 advantage in the fourth quarter to win by 18. It was a rare lopsided home loss for the proud White Castle boys’ hoop program.

Senior guard Generra Varmall led the WCHS offense in the loss with a team-high 15 points. The duo of Ronald Martin and Dontrell Thomas added the support of 10 points apiece. Terrell Elzy added 7, while the trio of Daniel Allen, Jontrell Major, and Quadry Allen combined for 8 more WCHS points. Daniel Bryant led four Indians in double figures with a game-high 17 points.

Istrouma also won the Junior Varsity game by a narrow 34-33 score in overtime.

The Bulldogs played much better earlier in the week, but still sustained a challenge from 5-A Terrebonne.

The visitors kept the game close and led by halftime. WCHS jumped out to a 16-14 lead, however Terrebonne rallied back quickly with a 25-21 margin and a narrow 29-27 halftime lead. The Bulldogs refused to give in to the upper classification foes and battled in the third quarter to a 20-11 margin. The Bulldogs held on to win with a 20-18 advantage in the final stanza.

The WCHS duo of Varmall and sophomore Martin combined to lead the locals’ offense with 54 points. Varmall bagged 31 markers, while Martin tallied a career-high 23 points. Thomas provided White Castle with a trio of double-figure scorers as he netted 15 points. Major added 6 and Elzy had a trio. Albert Sylvester paced the Terrebonne club with 29 points and was backed by a pair of teammates in double figures.

WCHS won the Junior Varsity game, forging a 44-32 victory.

Coach Johnson continues to challenge his Bulldogs this week and next. The Castlemen tangled with 2-A Donaldsonville High last night (Wednesday) after press deadline and hosts fellow 1-A Central Catholic High tomorrow (Friday) night. WCHS hosts 2-A St. John of Plaquemine Monday of next week and then hosts 4-A Zachary later in the week. District 9-A competition begins in two weeks with games at home against parish rival North Iberville and West St. John.