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Jarod Duhon (left) was an offensive lineman for the Wildcats in early 2002-03 Brandon Johnson was a former defensive lineman and tight end who graduated from Abbeville High in 1999.

Former Abbeville High Wildcat football players coaching at Kaplan

Sometimes you just have to break tradition and go where your heart is at that moment.
The Abbeville Wildcats travel to Kaplan on Friday to battle the Pirates in a non-district game. For years, the game has been billed as the biggest rivalry in Vermilion Parish.
But over the last 10 years, the rivalry has kind of fizzled because the Pirates have won each game.
When the two square off again Friday, there will be two coaches on the Kaplan sideline who were once Wildcat football players who once bled red. Today, they bleed black and gold.
Kaplan defensive and offensive line coach Jared “Pork Chop” Duhon and volunteer coach Brandon Johnson are very familiar with the big rivalry game.
Duhon has been an assistant coach at KHS for the last three years. He was a 320 pound lineman for the Wildcats, whom graduated AHS in 2003. He played under former head coach Brent Indest.
“It is just another game for me,” said Duhon, who now weighs 285
pounds. “When I first got out of college and was an assistant coach at Rayne, it was big for me playing Abbeville, because I knew the coaches at Abbeville. Now, I don’t know any. It is still a rivalry game because we are playing for the Russo Trophy.”
Over the last three years, Duhon has been heckled by Abbeville High classmates who see him wearing a Kaplan shirt.
Brandon is a 1999 Abbeville High graduate and played on the defensive end and tight end for the Wildcats for four years. His AHS head coaches were Gerald Laughlin his freshmen year and Indest his final three.
When he was a senior in high school, Brandon became a father when Julius Johnson was born. The Johnson family remained in Abbeville for the first six years of Julius’ life. He was destined to be a Wildcat.
That changed when his father, and mother, Marvet, purchased a house in Kaplan in 2005.
Brandon never thought about the Kaplan/Abbeville rivalry until his son reached high school at Kaplan.
“At first, I really did not think we would see Julius playing football,” said Brandon. “He did not have the love of the sport. He did not care to play. He decided he wanted to be a football player as a 12-year-old who is turning 13. He got serious about it.”
Julius is familiar with Abbeville and the Kaplan rivalry. He grew up in Abbeville and knows most of the AHS players.
“Julius knows a little about the rivalry, but as far as the history of the Russo Trophy, he does not know,” Brandon added.
Julius is looking forward to the game.
“You do not play any other team different, whether it be Abbeville, Erath or North Vermilion” Julius said. “You are supposed to play them like any other team, play them hard and fast.
“As for me, I grew up in Abbeville. The majority of the Abbeville players are either close friends or family. Knowing that my dad came from Abbeville and that is where I was originally going to play, it makes me want to compete even more,” Julius added. “My Abbeville friends know I am here and I will be giving my all. They are going to comeback even harder. It is a rival game for me.”

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