Optimism high at St. Ed basketball

There is plenty of excitement on the St. Edmund basketball court as the Lady Jays look to continue their winning ways and the Blue Jays have a new head coach.
Lady Jays head coach Erica Zaunbrecher heads into the 2013-2014 basketball season having to replace four graduated starters from last season’s team that advanced to the Class 1-A quarterfinals.
Despite the losses to graduation, Zaunbrecher believes that this year’s team can be a good one. “These players had to practice against last year’s team and they know what to do,” commented Coach Zaunbrecher. “It’s a new season and they just need to develop confidence in themselves and stay positive.”
Senior Maddie Andrus returns as a starter this season and will be joined by three other seniors in the starting lineup. They are guard Samantha Bertrand, guard/post Margaret Vidrine, and post player Constance Fontenot. Junior guard Payton Trowell completes the starting five at this point.
Other players that figure to be in the rotation for the Lady Jays this season include junior post player Maggie Miller and versatile sophomore Sydney Thibodeaux. Junior Jamie Lebouef is dealing with a lower leg injury that makes her unavailable as the season begins.
“We’re going to be counting on some sophomores and freshmen to develop and give us some depth as the season progresses,” said Zaunbrecher. “I’d like see some younger players step up and compete for a spot.
"I would love to see our players se their own potential and focus on coming together as a team."
The Lady Blue Jays will compete in District 5-1A this season against Catholic of Pointe Coupee, False River Academy, North Central, Pointe Coupee Central, and Sacred Heart of Ville Platte.
“Our district will be competitive, especially local teams like Sacred Heart and North Central,” commented Zaunbrecher.
The Lady Jays will face Port Barre in the Turkey Tournament on Monday at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart of Ville Platte.
The first home action for the Lady Jays is against Basile High on December 3.
The St. Edmund boys basketball team will have their third head coach in the past four seasons as Hunter Dawkins takes over to direct the Blue Jays.
The roster is limited to just five players while the football team is still in the playoffs.
Christian McFarlain, Quentin Swann and Andrew Mosbroker are the three seniors on the court right now along with sophomores John Guillory and Dylan Bieber.
“Christian is a great shooter and good defender and leads our team while the others don’t have a lot of varsity experience,” the coach said.
Stone LeJeune, Drew Brown, Kyle Dupre, Alex Hunt, Zach LaFleur, William Cachere, Cullen Brown and Kyle Verdugo will join the squad at the close of the football season.
“It will take a while to make the transition but hopefully we will be adjusted by the time we start district (Jan. 10 against Catholic High of Pointe Coupee).”
A graduate of St. Stanislaus College Prep in Bay St. Louis, Miss., Dawkins brings a wealth of basketball knowledge to the Blue Jay program having played and coached under the leadership of Jay Ladner (now at Jones County Commity College).
The Blue Jays finished 6-17 overall and 5-9 in district last year, but Dawkins is confident his team will do better this season.
After entertaining Iota at 2 p.m. on Saturday, the Blue Jays will take on host Sacred Heart of Ville Platte at 8 p.m. on Monday in the annual Turkey Tournament.
“I am excited about the possibilities here at St. Edmund,” Dawkins said. “I have high expectations for our team and I want us to earn at least 15 wins.
“I want our kids to be prepared to play the best teams in our district and put us into a situation where we have a chance in the fourth quarter against teams like North Central and Pointe Coupee Central.”
“I think we will be competitive this season,” Dawkins said. “It may start slow, but we will get better as the year goes.”