When life gives us lemons, we’re told to make lemonade. And when injuries alter the trajectory of a rivalry, you make a new game plan.
That is what Donaldsonville High School is doing Friday night. The Tigers (3-4) host longtime rival St. James (4-2) in a District 7-3A opener set for 7 p.m. at Boutte Memorial Stadium.
“We want to make the playoffs bad,” Tigers running back Blake Turner said. “We’re willing to fight for it.
“Every game now is important because we want to move up (in the power rankings) as much as we can to get a home playoff game. And this one means a lot.”
The rivalry is old school, steeped in proximity along the river road as it winds through Ascension Parish and into St. James.
First-year Donaldsonville coach Darnell Lee, a longtime East Ascension coach, is new to the school and rivalry. After a 3-2 start, the Tigers lost two in a row. Injuries prompted multiple lineup changes along the way. Now they face the Wildcats, who are ranked fourth in the latest LSWA Class 3A poll.
“Some of the stuff is crazy. I don’t think you could make it up,” Lee said. “We had one guy break his toe running routes at home without shoes on. Turner … he’s missed about three games.
“We’ve got a couple of guys waiting to see a doctor so they can be cleared to practice and play. None of that has stopped these guys. They have continued to work.”
The rivalry with St. James also provides motivation and lthe Tigers toughest challenges to date.
St. James was LHSAA’s Division III nonselect runner-up a year ago. The Wildcats have retooled in key positions, including quarterback, where freshman Ju’Juan Jackson has 880 passing yards and eight TDs.
Wide receiver/return specialist Jakias Villanueva has 42 catches for 497 yards and five TDs. Donald Brown has 770 yards passing with 13 TDs for DGHS.
A first-year football player, 6-foot-5 basketball standout Skyler Garrison, has played both wide receiver and QB. He has 331 passing yards and five TDs.
It’s not just skill players trading positions. The Tigers have moved defensive linemen to offense.
Learning new positions is the norm. And so is the unwavering support the DHS team receives.
“The school and the community have supported us since day one,” Lee said. “Win or lose, they’re with us and that means a lot.”