(Submitted photo/Courtesy of Petry Photography)
The 2012-13 Central Catholic basketball team includes, front row from left, Luke
Landry, Brent Green, Stefano Guarisco and Charlie Solar. On the second row, from left, are Josh Singleton, Garret LeBlanc, Nicholas Case, David Brown and Tyler Hoffpauir. On the third row are assistant coach Ron Case, Lamar Grogan, Dontrell Brown, Jalen Johnson, Cedric Gant and head coach Ree Case.
gstoute@daily-review.com
Central Catholic has beaten Class 1A’s eventual state champion the past two years.
The only problem with that is it means the Eagles haven’t won the Class 1A title during that time span.
White Castle and Christian Life have in 2011 and 2012, respectively.
Central Catholic, who entered the season as the No. 1 seed in the Class 1A playoffs in 2012, fell on the road in the regional round to a hot-shooting Plain Dealing squad, the No. 17 seed.
Now, with multiple players who have years of experience returning, Central Catholic hopes this year they can finish the deal.
Although Central Catholic started its season later than most teams across the state because all of its team played football, it has not kept the squad from excelling.
Starting off the season with a 4-3 mark after losing its first contest in St. Thomas More’s Sunkist Shootout, the Eagles (12-3) have won eight straight.
Along the way, they earned the consolation title at the Sunkist Shootout and defeated Christian Life, Class 1A’s top ranked squad in the initial Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 1A poll, in Morgan City last week.
Central Catholic is ranked second in the first poll of the season.
While the squad has had to replace senior standout Lloyd Grogan, a first-team Class 1A All-State selection a year ago and five-time district most valuable player, this year’s squad returns plenty of experience.
Senior Dontrell Brown was an honorable mention Class 1A All-State selection a year ago, and he, along with returning team member senior Josh Singleton, were first-team all-district selections last year.
Juniors Tyler Hoffpauir and Nicholas Case were second-team all-district selections, while senior Lamar Grogan and junior Brent Green were honorable mention selections.
Other members of this year’s squad include seniors David Brown and Luke Landry, sophomore Garret LeBlanc, freshmen Stephano Guarisco, Cedric Gant and Charlie Solar, and eighth-grader Jalen Johnson.
Besides district play, the squad still has two other big nondistrict contests remaining, an exhibition game in Madison Prep and Scotlandville High’s Hall of Fame Basketball Classic Jan. 26 at Baton Rouge Community College against Central of Baton Rouge, and a home contest Jan. 29 against Vandebilt Catholic.
Central Catholic will continue district play tonight when it hosts Gueydan in a 6:30 p.m. contest.
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