WINNING WITH YOUNGSTERS

"If you would have told me, 'Coach, you’re going to be 3-0 going into East Ascension,' I would have said, 'You’re crazy, you're nuts,' " Detillier said. "I’m pleasantly surprised. I guess they’ve matured and taken grasp of their roll quicker than I thought they would."

Nineteen of the 35 players who aren't back from Lutcher's 2006 championship team were seniors. That means Detillier was going to have an inexperienced team anyway. Now they're inexperienced and young.

“I’m pleased with the early season success," Detillier said. "But we haven’t played a complete game yet. We’ve lost the turnover battle every week except the first week. We’ve found a way to win. We’re playing good, but we haven’t played that complete game yet."

Winning, Part II
One Bulldog who isn't young is quarterback Blaine Gautier. The senior is leading the team not just from an experience standpoint, but from an on-the-field standpoint. He leads the Bulldogs in points (18), yards rushing (143) and yards passing (582).

"“The thing about Blaine, he doesn’t have the supporting cast he had the last couple of years," Detillier said. "We’re asking Blaine to do a little bit more and he is."

Friday, against Thibodaux, Gautier was 24-of-25 for 319 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 35 yards. And yet, Detillier said it might not have been the quarterback's best game.

"Statistical-wise, boy he had a good night," Detillier said. "But Blaine himself would tell you he missed a few reads, a few passes. That’s Blaine. He might not get the read right, but two plays later - heck you can’t coach it- he’s makig a play."

Forming a defensive wall
Nelson Stewart knows one thing for sure: Having three seniors on the defensive line is a darn good thing. Newman's head coach is relying on Mandela Kazi, Bruno Vetter and Bryan Poppler this year to help stuff the run.

Consider the experiment a success. Newman has allowed only 15 points through three games, and this past weekend, in a 42-6 win over Ben Franklin, held the Falcons to fewer than 100 yards rushing a week after they ran for more than 300.

"Overall, our defensive front played really well," Stewart said. "We were able to penetrate up front and plug up our gaps. Outside linebackers helped us on the edge. Overall felt like we executed real well and prepared."

And, for Newman's future opponents, there's this - Stewart feels like his defense is getting better with each passing week.

"Even nights when you don't click offensively, they give you a chance," he said. "We've been able to minimize playing both ways. They're the strength of our team."

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