CCHS to host West St. John Wednesday

All of the goals attainable to this point that the Central Catholic Lady Eagles have set, they have reached with a squad that, coming into the season, certainly had some big spots to fill from a year ago.
Now, the only goal that remains is one that originally was a long-term achievement: a return trip to the Pontchartrain Center.
“To actually have the opportunity to even go to the Pontchartrain Center in the first year that’s supposed to be our rebuilding year I think is phenomenal for this team,” Wise said of the place where the Lady Eagles have made four consecutive state semifinal appearances. “I think it’s great for them as a young class. It’s great for the two seniors, who may have lost a little bit of hope early on thinking that it was going to be impossible for them to do something that they have done in the last three years and yet, it’s not impossible, and not often you see long term goals really reached in a short period of time.”
However, before the Lady Eagles can begin making plans for a return trip to Kenner, where they have advanced to the state semifinals the past four years, there still remains work to be done in the form of two wins.
That starts with a Division V first-round matchup Wednesday at 6 p.m. between the No. 10 seed Lady Eagles (19-20) and No. 23 seed West St. John (12-6).
While the Lady Eagles have had a first-round bye in years’ past with more experienced teams, Wise said that not clinching a bye as one of the top 8 seeds this year actually is beneficial to her team.
“Having to play that first game is a good thing for this team,” Wise said. “I think if we wouldn’t have, if we would have got a bye, it wouldn’t have been good for us. I want to play. Of course we’re going to see our district friends West St. John again. That’s fine but I want to play. It’s a good thing for them.”
As for having to face a district foe who the Lady Eagles swept twice in three games in district en route to a district title, Wise said it doesn’t both her having to face them again.
However, it doesn’t mean it makes things easy facing each other for the third time.
“I will say anytime you play a team three times, some difficulties (are) going to present themselves,” she said. “You know each other very well, you know what each other’s going to do. You know the mannerisms of each team.”
Still, she said that for a confidence factor, she thinks that it is good for her team to face someone they know they can beat.
As for what her team will face in West St. John, she said she expects a confident group to come in knowing they can jump on Central Catholic like they did during a rally in one of the sets of their second matchup against the Lady Eagles.
Wise said she likes the idea of her team having to be challenged.
“It’s a good thing,” Wise said. “I’m looking for my team to get pushed early on. I want to see if they’re going rise to the occasion knowing it’s a different part of the season.”
Wednesday’s game will begin at 6 p.m. Admission will be $7.