WHAT I THINK I KNOW

The Ed Reed River Parishes Jamboree at Destrehan and the Sid Theriot Jamboree at Fontainebleau included some of the alleged top teams in the area (Destrehan, Mandeville, Curtis, Hahnville, St. James, and Lutcher).

I had a few ideas about what I'd see prior to going to each game, basically going on what I had heard from friends and read in the paper and gathered from coaches. Destrehan was loaded, Curtis is a beast, St. James is fast, etc.

But after watching the games, I certainly came away with different thoughts. This is what I think I know after taking in these extravaganzas.

1.) Mandeville looked good. Maybe not world-beater good, but good. Get past all of the normal preseason penalties (false starts, holding, etc.) and the Skippers appear to be a team that could do some damage in the postseason.

Quarterback Chad Plaisance showed he has a firm grasp on how to run a game from under center. Oh, and he can throw the ball pretty darn well, too. He showed that skill when, after being forced into a second-and-14, he threw a beauty of a pass that Colin Conn caught for a 79-yard touchdown.

Guy LeCompte, Mandeville’s head coach and pictured above talking with his offense during Friday's jamboree against Holy Cross, has the program on the right track. Only in his second year, he is spreading the ball around on offense. And his defense isn’t too shabby, either. Also, think about this: Michael Mauti, the Skippers' best linebacker who already has committed to play at Penn State, isn't playing right now because of a foot injury. Once Mauti gets back, the Mandeville defense could be scary good.

2.) I’m not sold on Curtis. I know what you’re thinking. Head coach J.T. Curtis didn’t call anything special Friday night in his team’s game against Fontainebleau, which it won 22-0. And the Patriots always start out slow during the season before getting it all together to make another run at a state championship.

I’m not saying Curtis isn’t really good. All I’m saying is that it looked really beatable against the Bulldogs. The veer isn’t the easiest system to run, and it’s even harder to stop. But this team doesn’t have Joe McKnight this year. A team with any kind of talent should give Curtis a run…at least early in the season.

3.) Destrehan should be the team to beat in the area in Class 5A. The Wildcats, coming off a 10-2 season, is stacked. Quarterback Jordan Jefferson joins a bevy of skill players being recruited by Division I schools, and he showed glimpses of why Thursday night against Lutcher. He’s fast, has a good, mostly accurate arm and is an athlete.

But what can’t be forgotten about Destrehan is the defense. The unit shut out Lutcher, the defending 3A champions, holding the Bulldogs to 131 total yards in the 30-minute game. Add to that a 65-yard interception return for a touchdown, and you get the picture that as good as the Wildcats’ offense is, the defense might be just as good.

If you disagree with me, great. If you agree with me, even better. But either way, I'd like to hear from you. Leave a comment on the comment section or email me at bhandwerger@wwltv.com explaining why you agree or disagree with me.