Deweyville Opens New Stadium

[KFDM COOP]

Pirates open new stadium

Van Wade

The Orange Leader

DEWEYVILLE — One of the most intriguing season openers will come at Deweyville’s Pirate Stadium tonight as the Pirates will lock horns with the Vinton (La.) Lions.

It will be a night of firsts as well.

It will mark the first game that the Pirates will get to play at their new stadium at the high school and it will also be the first meeting ever between the two schools.

“We’re kinda joking around and calling it the ‘Border Brawl’â€, said third-year Pirate head coach Dwight Bickham. “I think it’s a nice game between two good communities. It should be one heckuva football game too.â€

Both the Pirates and Lions made the playoffs out of their respective districts a year ago, adding on to the excitement.

The Pirates return a whopping nine starters on the offensive side of the ball and five on defense from last year’s 8-3 unit.

Leading the way is quarterback Brandon Powell, who passed for 778 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior. The Pirates are leaning on the likes of Stephen Gibson, Kane Kachtik and Keeton Addison to carry the workload out of the backfield. The Pirates lost 2,300-yard rusher Justin Williams to graduation.

Bickham got a good look at the Lions when they scrimmaged Oakdale and the Sulphur JV in recent weeks and came away very impressed.

“Vinton has some tremendous athletes,†Bickham said. “They have excellent team speed. They have a quarterback that is really good and receivers that can go get it. They like to spread the ball out and get in the ‘gun’. They’ll certainly be a big challenge for our defense.â€

The Pirates have seen all kinds of formations in their scrimmages against the likes of Hemphill, Center, West Sabine and Mount Enterprise.

“All of those scrimmages really helped us because we got four different looks, and that’s great early in the season because it helps you prepare for everything. The kids have played really well but, of course, it’s just scrimmages and it’s always hard to tell until that first real Friday night.â€

The Pirates are also “giddy†about playing their first game ever at the “new†Pirate Stadium.

“The kids are excited because they’ve been waiting for this moment for quite some time,†Bickham said. “I think they’re also feeling a little unfair pressure with it being in the new stadium and all. They’ll settle down though. It should be a great season opener and I think it gives both teams a very good test early on and you always can use that.â€

Predictions

Wade’s Pick: Deweyville 35, Vinton 34

Pruett’s Pick: Deweyville 46, Vinton 40

Rollinson’s Pick: Deweyville 42, Vinton 28

[DP#1FAN]

This will be a great match up. The "Border Brawl" game will be packed ! Get there early or bring a chair. Best of luck to all teams playing this weekend.

[Kryptonite proof]

Good luck to both teams and i hope the Pirates run away with this one. Wish i could be there but i'm stuck in this foreign country and wont be able to make the game. Should be a fantastic game and atmosphere i know everyone around there is excited about the stadium and even more about this years team

[SteelerCzy]

Let's go Pirates, open they new stadium with a win.

[stevieray]

Good Luck D'ville....my dad and brothers send their best to everyone in town.

[24 over par]

border brawl a game that should be played for a long time. its a shame vinton has to come over here every year because we cant cross the river

[DP#1FAN]

border brawl a game that should be played for a long time. its a shame vinton has to come over here every year because we cant cross the river

I think that has to do with school insurance.

[rhino1877]

Insurance problem for sure.

[24 over par]

only a problem for texas schools

[stevieray]

I see it more of problem for other states because they have to come over here....it's not really a problem for us.

[rhino1877]

No problems state wise, just a problem with certain insurances.