Berwick High football aiming for playoffs in 2015

Bolstered by three straight junior high school parish championship classes, Berwick High plans to be in the playoff mix in 2015.
The Panthers finished a disappointing 2-8 in 2014 after a rash of injuries crippled the team’s hopes.
“I thought we were ready to make that step last season but injuries gutted us,” Berwick Coach Craig Brodie said. “We have a little more depth now, but hopefully the injury bug doesn’t hit us like it did last season.”
Berwick led for three quarters against Jeanerette last season before losing 30-21. Berwick went into the game limited because of injuries and lost quarterback Jeremy Boudreaux early in that game. The Panthers went the next couple games with standout running back Braden Billiot under center. While Billiot put up big rushing numbers, defenses stacked the box to thrash the Panthers’ offense and season.
Berwick, however, will dress 67 players this season, the most in the Tri-City area, with more expected.
“We had 81 guys out for spring,” Brodie said. “Of course, they weeded themselves out through the summer, but we have a full roster right now. I also think we’ll have a couple freshmen who transferred in. I also feel like we’ve started to change the whole culture of the program to one of winning.
“The work ethic has gotten better and the offseason commitment has gotten a lot better. We had 85 percent of all athletes attend their required summer workout sessions. It shows that they have the desire to improve,” Brodie said.
Berwick has 11 seniors on the team, all having played four years.
Berwick has youth at quarterback this season with sophomore Collin Louviere starting and freshman Mitchell Sanford as his understudy.
“Collin got some varsity experience last year, and he’s done a really good job preparing for the season,” Brodie said.
According to Brodie, he “wouldn’t be terribly worried putting Mitchell into a game.”
Both quarterbacks got valuable experience facing a different team in seven-on-seven play every Wednesday, and the team also played in tournaments this summer.
The Panthers will remain a spread team but look to be more multiple this season.
“We have more one-back and even two-back sets as well as using tight ends,” Brodie said.
Expect to see junior D.J. Robicheaux and sophomore Joshua Carver as the primary ball carriers for Berwick, while freshman Joshua Jones and junior Druvan Robinson also will get touches. Other runners in the mix include juniors Cooper Roussel and Ryan Hover, sophomore Lucus Hatch, freshmen Caleb Perry and Rustin Ratcliff and junior Ty Duthu.
Berwick will field a solid receiving duo this season.
Senior Audwin Williams returns after earning first-team All-District 9-3A honors as a junior as an athlete and Louisiana Sports Writers Association Honorable Mention Class 3A all-state honors in 2014. Williams finished with 37 catches for 520 yards and six scores. He averaged 14.1 yards a catch.
“He has been outstanding for us, and he’ll likely return kicks and punts for us this year, too,” Brodie said. “We will get him touches anyway we can.”
Williams is being recruited by Southern, Nicholls State, Stephen F. Austin, UL-Lafayette and Northwestern State.
Lined up on the other side will be sophomore standout Kenan Jones. Jones started both ways for Berwick last year as a freshman and was named second-team all-district at wide receiver.
“He’s just a great athlete,” Brodie said. “He was third in the state in the triple jump last year, and he won the district championship in the long, triple and high jumps. He’s also a hard worker and colleges are already contacting him.”
Other wide receivers are senior Beau Boudreaux, junior Tysin Meads, senior Logan Angeron, junior Larenz Clark and senior Tanner Caldwell, while senior Lionel Langley, and freshmen Seth Giroir and Cruz Crawford will see time at tight end.
Senior center Blake Bergeron, a three-year starter and second-team all-district selection in 2014, leads the offensive line. Seniors Brodi Mire and Dylan Toups will be the tackles and senior Gavin Barrilleaux and junior Austin Vercher will be the starting guards. Matthew Legendre, a 6-4, 320-pound freshman, and senior Christian Draper also will get meaningful reps.
“We really feel good about the experience we have on the offensive line,” Brodie said. “I think it will be a strength of ours.”
Junior John McCorkle will be Berwick’s kicker, while Boudreaux and Louviere will work at punter.
Berwick will run a 3-4 defense this season. The defensive line is led by Langley, a senior three-year starter, along with Legendre and Bergeron.
Brodie plans to use his linemen types in an offensive/defensive rotation. Some of these players include junior Rory Strother, senior Charles Benedietto, juniors Trenton Hebert, Bristol Gros and Austin Bergeron, and sophomores Michael Aucoin, Chaz Perry and Kenny Rhodes, among others.
“We also have a bunch of wide receiver/defensive back types that we’ll rotate with core starters like Kenan Jones in the secondary.”
Williams will see time at defensive back when needed, Brodie said.
Expect to see Caldwell, Ryan Hover, Robicheaux, Clark, Angeron, Boudreaux, sophomore Tavaris Howard and freshman Barrett Hover getting reps in the secondary.
The linebackers will feature Duthu, Roussel, Robinson, Crawford, Perry, Giroir and junior Grant Oubre.
Berwick will participate in the Morgan City High School Jamboree Friday. The Panthers will face Covenant Christian Academy in a 6 p.m. contest.