State of the Program: South Lafourche football looks to return to playoff-caliber in 2023
South Lafourche football coach Brian Young had a tumultuous start to his tenure with the Fighting Tarpons, due to things out of his control. His first season in 2020 saw the start of football season postponed until October due to the pandemic. When SL took the field, the team struggled, finishing the season with a 2-4 record.
2021 was more of a mixed bag — the Fighting Tarpons finished the regular season 4-3 and claimed a berth in the LHSAA playoffs, but only after the season's first three games were canceled due to Hurricane Ida.
Young's first "normal" season with SL in 2022 was a step back, as his team fell to 2-8, including a month-long winless streak. The Fighting Tarpons will need to regain their 2021 form if they will be a contender in Class 4A District 7.
The tradition
South Lafourche enters 2023 with one of the strangest playoff streaks in LHSAA football. The Fighting Tarpons have made the postseason in odd numbered year since 2015, but have missed in even numbered year. While 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021 have resulted in November football for SL, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022 haven't.
More High School Football: State of the Program: H.L. Bourgeois football looks for stability in Washington's third season
Looking to keep that streak alive, starting quarterback Carson Orgeron returns for his senior season, fresh off a 2022 where he earned all-district honors.
The challenge
Orgeron will have to attempt to repeat his all-district performance without his top target, however. Receiver Jacob Curole was one of the top players in recent South Lafourche history, but he's since graduated.
More High School Sports: Vote for the Houma- and Thibodaux-area Preseason High School Athletes of the Year
The schedule will also prove to be tough for the Fighting Tarpons, with four games against 2022 playoff teams. One of those is a road contest against fellow Class 4A District 7 program Lutcher, a team that won its ninth state championship a season ago.
Expectations
A difficult schedule does South Lafourche no favors, and the Fighting Tarpons will need to pull off an upset or two to clinch another playoff spot. However, this season's team should still improve from last year's.
The schedule
Sept. 1: @ St. Edmund
Sept. 8: vs. Thibodaux
Sept. 15: @ Central Lafourche
Sept. 22: vs. South Terrebonne*
Sept. 29: @ Lutcher*
Oct. 6: vs. Assumption*
Oct. 13: @ Morgan City*
Oct. 20: vs. St. Louis Catholic
Oct. 27: @ A.J. Ellender*
Nov. 3: vs. Vandebilt Catholic*
*Class 4A District 7 game
This article originally appeared on The Courier: State of the Program: SL looks to return to playoff-caliber in 2023
