This upcoming weekend in Acadiana will be a great one for high school football. There will be mini-wars taking place all over the state. But specifically with STM, Westgate, Vermillion Catholic, Carencro, and Teurlings/LCA. Earlier today I wrote 3 reasons why Teurlings will defeat LCA you can check out that story here:

But now here are 3 reasons LCA will defeat Teurlings.

1. JuJuan Johnson, JuJuan Johnson, JuJuan Johnson

Similarly to Teurlings, LCA has its own star quarterback in JuJuan Johnson. However, unlike Teurlings, LCA goes as far as Johnson will take them. He means everything to LCA. His dual-threat ability really opens up the rest of the field for everyone else, especially LCA's running backs. Defenses are so locked in on Johnson that you begin to forget about the other playmakers on the field. Play-by-play announcer for LCA Ian Auzenne had this to say about Johnson:

JuJuan Johnson makes the offense tick. Defenses have to key in on him because of his speed and quickness when running the ball, but they also have to respect his arm. His dual-threat abilities have allowed the LCA offense to truly spread itself around the field.

Mike "The Bandit" Benard play-by-play announcer for the Saint Martin Parish game of the week had this to add about LCA and Johnson:

LCA goes as #7 goes (JuJuan Johnson)… Johnson a 4-star junior who has an LSU offer was responsible for 7 TDs against De La Salle … he is the heart and soul of LCAs offense 

LCA all year has been explosive on the offensive front and that all starts with Johnson. Color commentator for LCA Brandon Comeaux told me this about Johnson and that offense:

 They are one of the few high school teams that I’ve seen that can score so quickly - and make it look so effortless - and do it so many times against tough competition. The passing attack routinely turns crossing routes into 70 and 80 yard touchdown plays. And their running game can gash opponents while it’s being overshadowed by the passes being launched all over the field. And the driving force orchestrating this attack - JuJuan Johnson - he is one of the best complete dual threat quarterbacks I’ve ever covered. 

When it comes to LCA's offense it can't be understated that for them to win Johnson has to be on his p's and q's. And if he is then LCA can defeat the Rebels of Teurlings.

2. LCA Has Experience In Big Games

This team has experience. For the past 5 years, LCA has made it to the state title game. They know what it takes to get to the promised land. They have a defense that is used to playing together and while they may not be statistically the best defense, they have studs who can get it done. I asked Brandon Comeaux his thoughts on the defense and this is what he had to say:

Defensively, this squad might not win many statistical categories, but they have made many big stops when needed to, and their physical style of play leaves opponents remembering them well after the final whistle. It’s a squad loaded with playmakers who make great in-game adjustments that have proven to be the difference in wins and losses.

This team knows how to make great in-game adjustments and that's a testament to not only their coaching but their experience as well. Here's what Ian Auzenne had to say about the said experience and the defense:

Ty Lee, Cooper Martin, and Melvin Hills are three names on the defense that you have to watch out for. Lee and Martin might be the best pair of defensive backs in Acadiana (if not in all of Louisiana). They have made life difficult for opposing quarterbacks and receivers all season long. Hills, meanwhile, has been a monster at linebacker, shutting down runners and making quarterbacks pay for stepping up in the pocket. LCA has a boatload of experience as they played in a state title game in each of the last five years. They know what it’s like to reach the mountain top. To get back there, they’ll have to beat a district foe, Teurlings, who beat them in dramatic fashion. They may also have to face another district opponent who beat them in the regular season, STM, to win the title. They’ll have to draw on what they’ve learned in those games this year plus draw on the experience of their past trips to the Superdome to guide them back to the winner’s circle.

They will need the defense to tap into their past experiences in big games, come through for the team, and stop Preston Welch. If that happens then LCA will win the game.

3. They Played Teurlings Already This Season

Earlier in the regular season, LCA lost to Teurlings 21-17. That was an extremely close game that could've swung the other way. Going into this game LCA knows all of the mistakes that cost them the game and they will be ready for said mistakes. Because they lost that game on simple mistakes that are correctable. Also, it's hard to beat a team twice in a season and for those reasons, I feel confident that LCA can beat Teurlings on the second go around.

No matter what happens Friday, Acadiana will have at least one team headed to the state championship game. I'm excited to see who comes out as the winner of the war between LCA & Teurlings.

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