Patriots face toughest challenge

North Vermilion High School faces a major challenge Friday night when they travel to Crowley. Their opponent is one everyone likes to call the standard for 3A football, Notre Dame.

The Pioneers are undefeated on the season and have an impressive list of victims this season, including Teurlings Catholc and LaGrange. The Patriots struggled at the beginning of the season with an 0-3 record, but turned it around to the point where they are now taking on Notre Dame for the possibility of a district title.

“To start 0-3 and be playing in this game is a testament to the players and the coaches,” head coach Tommy Byler explained. “I think if you look at the power ratings, there’s really no way we won’t be in the playoffs, so we’ve accomplished one of our goals there.

“We told our kids that they’re getting an opportunity to do what no one else can do,” he added. “This is a game that people will reemember, and it’s certainly not one people expected North Vermilion to be in at the start of the year.”

Notre Dame presents a problem for its opponents not because of a complex strategy, Byler said, but because of their ability to do what they do well.

“What they do is not difficult,” he explained. “You can know what they’re going to do and it’s still hard to stop. It’s not complicated, but it’s tough.”

Still, the Patriots have several things going in their favor. The element of surprise is one of them. North Vermilion is never 100 percent sure who the leading running back will be until the game is underway. One week, it could be the surprise talent of Jordan Windmon, the next Mike Bessard, or the next one of the returning starters in Trey Broussard or Taylor Abshire.

“You can’t go in against Notre Dame knowing for sure what you’re going to do,” Byler said of this week’s opponent. “There’s going to be a new wrinkle every time you play them.”

The Patriots are going to Crowley to take on the Pios for a chance at the district title, with the game set to kick off at 7 p.m. Friday night.