Season starts one week late for three local football teams

The far-reaching wrath of Hurricane Ida did not spare high school football.

Three local schools – Plaquemine, East Iberville and White Castle – were sidelined Friday night due to cancelations related to Hurricane Ida.

The after-effects of the storm forced Plaquemine to scrap its season opener at Lake Charles Charter. White Castle’s Week 1 bout with Southern Lab fell by the wayside, along with East Iberville’s visit to Slaughter Charter.

Now, the three schools are ready to move forward.

Plaquemine Green Devils are set to entertain the Assumption Pioneers of Napoleonville, a replacement opponent for East St. John.

The Pioneers stepped in due to widespread damage to the LaPlace area, home for East St. John.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Andrew Canova Green Devil Stadium.

The cancelation falls in place with the calamity over the past two years, ranging from a pandemic to a severe flood.

“It’s been a crazy couple of years,” said Plaquemine coach Paul Distefano, who heads into his 10th year at the helm of the program. “Our older players did not get to play in spring 2020 because of the pandemic, and then we had the issues with that spring flood and now the new heat exhaustion law.

“Everyone is in the same boat, so I’m not complaining,” he said. “I just feel bad for the kids.”

As for Assumption, they’re no stranger to the Green Devils. AHS competed in 7-on-7 drills at Plaquemine ever week during the summer.

“We’ve been able to get a good look at their skill guys, and they have some skilled athletes, a really good quarterback and a couple of really good receivers who are dynamic with the ball,” Distefano said.

East Iberville is still set to face Denham Springs, but Ida’s onslaught created major hardships to Livingston Parish, which is also trying to regroup after the Category 4 storm.

The ongoing renovations to the East Iberville Stadium eliminate any chance of moving the game to St. Gabriel.

As for now, head coach Justin Joseph will plan on playing Friday night. at Yellow Jacket Stadium

“We’re all keeping hopeful that it will go one as planned,” he said. “I can tell you from their jamboree a week ago that they have a good program.

“When their coach (Brent Beard) has a a program, I know it’s going to turn around,” Joseph said

For White Castle, the schedule was adjusted on Monday. Originally scheduled to host Class 4A Liberty on Friday, the Class 1A Bulldogs instead will play the Patriots at 7 p.m. Thursday at Plaquemine High.

The game will mark the start of Season 2 for head coach Marc Brown.

It will also mark the first meeting between the Tigers and Patriots, who have reinstated the program for the first time since its name change from Lee High and conversion to a magnet school.