Berwick looking to clinch playoff berth

It comes down to all the marbles Thursday in Maurice.
The Berwick-North Vermilion winner advances to the Class 3A playoffs, while the loser’s season is likely over.
“It’s a big game alright,” Berwick Coach Craig Brodie said. “If we win, we’re in, but if we lose, we probably end up seeded 33rd or a little lower.”
The Louisiana High School Athletics Association Class 3A playoff field takes the top 32 seeds. Berwick is ranked 30th in the latest unofficial power rankings.
The district-finale was moved to Thursday, too, to avoid inclement weather Friday. The start time also was moved up 30 minutes to 7:30 to allow the school’s cheerleaders and dance team, many of whom will be in action today at 5 p.m. in a first-round Division III volleyball playoff game, an opportunity to attend.
“It moves everything up a day, so we loss that (Thursday) walk-through,” Brodie said. “But the game plan is in, and we would be just fine-tuning things, so it’s not really a big deal.”
Berwick (3-6, 1-4 District 8-3A) comes into the contest off a 55-33 district loss to E.D. White last week. EDW rolled up 535 yards of offense (526 rushing and nine passing).
“We gave up 14 points in the first three minutes of the game,” Brodie said. “We also struggled on offense, and we can’t have a bad start like that if we want to win this week. But just having this opportunity is big for our rebuilding program.”
The Panthers haven’t advanced to the playoffs since 1996.
Berwick had 381 yards of total offense in last week’s game (141 yards rushing and 240 yards passing). The Panthers got on the scoreboard in the first quarter on a touchdown reception by Kenan Jones from quarterback Collin Louviere.
Standout receiver Audwin Williams caught two second-quarter touchdown passes.
Berwick trailed, however, 42-20 at halftime.
“We feel like we can score,” Brodie said. “Our offense is playing pretty well, and the spread (offense) allows us to react to whatever the defense is trying to takeaway. We can run if we have to. We’re a little young at running back, but Collin does a great job of running the football from the quarterback position.”
Louviere was 5 of 13 passing for 86 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The sophomore also rushed 16 times for 76 yards and a score.
For the season, he has completed 59 of 147 passes for 1,011 yards with 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also has carried 111 times for 466 yards and four scores.
Mitchell Stanford also saw time under center last week, completing 9 of 12 passes for 154 yards and three touchdowns. Sanford, a freshman, has completed 32 of 73 passes for 514 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions this season.
Freshman Josh Jones also had 69 yards on seven carries last week.
Williams finished last week’s game with three catches for 109 yards and two scores, while Jones had four catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. Williams has 42 receptions 872 yards and 10 touchdowns this season, while Jones has 17 catches for 381 yards and three scores.
North Vermilion (3-6, 1-4) also comes into the game after a lopsided loss. Patterson manhandled North Vermilion, 62-17, in front of a large and vocal crowd in Maurice last week.
North Vermilion took a 3-0 lead on the first series of the game when standout Connor Dupuy kicked a 48-yard field goal with 9:26 remaining in the first quarter.
The Patriots would never lead again after Patterson’s Tristen Ausama broke free for a 47-yard touchdown run on the Lumberjacks’ third play from scrimmage.
North Vermilion trailed 49-10 at halftime but did have some big plays in the passing game.
North Vermilion got a pass over Patterson’s run-first defense when quarterback Dade Dieterich connected with Dupuy on a 75-pass-and-run for a touchdown in the first quarter. The Patriots added another touchdown after pulling off a 52-yard flea flicker pass that the ’Jacks ran down at the 12-yard line.
Dylan Dent scored on a 12-yard run at start of the fourth quarter for the Patriots.
“They are a balanced team and had a couple big pass plays against Patterson,” Brodie said. “We just have to come out and play well from the beginning, because they like to jump on you early. We can’t have a repeat of last week.”
North Vermilion had 350 yards of total offense last week (240 passing and 110 rushing).
Dieterich has completed 67 of 135 passes for 1,100 yards with seven touchdowns and eight interceptions this season. He’s also carried 80 times for 667 yards and eight touchdowns.
Dent is the top running back with 144 carries for 564 yards and seven touchdowns.
The biggest offensive weapon for North Vermilion is Dupuy. In addition to his field goal, he caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Dieterich and he gained 52 yards on a flea-flicker in which he gained 52 yards.
He finished the game with four catches for 168 yards. He totaled 80 yards in kickoff returns, too.
Dupuy has 26 catches for 547 yards and two touchdowns this season.
Kickoff is 7p.m.
Additional reporting by www.vermiliontoday.com.