Salmen heads to Breaux Bridge tonight

Salmen’s Spartans travel to Breaux Bridge tonight and take on the Tigers in the regional round of the state playoffs with kickoff at 7.

Salmen enters tonight’s action with an 8-2 record. The losses came against John Curtis and Franklinton, both in overtime.

The fifth seeded Spartans are coming off a 41-7 victory over Pearl River, while No. 21 Breaux Bridge upset 12th seeded East Jefferson 42-6 last week.

Last year, Salmen got to the semifinals before losing to Archbishop Shaw 14-10. The Tigers made it to the quarterfinals last year, but like Salmen, Shaw ended Breaux Bridge’s season.

Tonight’s winner faces either Vanderbilt Catholic or Edna Karr.

Tigers coach Michael Mowad is in his 26th year. He’s led the Tigers to 24 playoff appearances and one state title in 2005 when Bastrop had to forfeit.

He said the Spartans are a very good football team.

“They’re very aggressive. The quarterback has a phenomenal arm with great receivers,” Mowad said. “They’ve got the total package. They run the spread. They’re unique as their running back is behind the quarterback the running back can hunt where he wants to go. They run lots of sweeps and they like to get to the sideline and cut it upfield.”

Offensively, the Spartans run a lot of formations out of the shotgun, including the pistol.

Quarterback Matt Lipham had a big game last week, accounting for four touchdowns. He connected on 10-of-17 for 169 yards and three touchdowns, including a 19-yard strike to Greg Brickley on Salmen’s first offensive play from scrimmage. Lipham also had a three-yard rushing touchdown.

His other touchdown passes were to George Williams for 38 yards and Jamal Robinson for 13.

James Foucha led the receiving corps with three catches for 68 yards. Williams finished with two receptions for 51 yards, while Robinson had caught two passes for 29 yards. Brickley tallied two receptions for 20 yards.

The running backs are Errol Scott, Jordan Stevenson and Josh Adams.Scott led the rushing attack, carrying the ball 13 times for 53 yards and a 19-yard score. His 36-yard punt return set up the Spartans’ first touchdown.

Stevenson posted four totes for 42 yards and a two-yard touchdown run.

Defensively, Salmen runs a 3-3.

Last week, T.J. Price recovered a fumble, which set up the second touchdown. Also Alonzo Stokes blocked a punt, which Shaun Jackson recovered.

Salmen also attempted a squib kick near the end of the first half. The ball hit a Pearl River player and DeJuan Mackey came up with it.

For Breaux Bridge, the Tigers’ offense operates out of spread, but will also go to a two-back set.

Senior Hunter Landry is the quarterback. This year, he’s hit on 83-of-174 for 1,516 yards with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

The running backs are seniors Joston Dugas and Latrelyn Pete along with sophomore Lamar Davis.

The wide receivers are senior Lane Theriot and sophomore Travin Dural. The receivers have similar numbers. Theriot’s caught 29 passes for 636 yards and seven touchdowns, while Dural has 31 receptions for 650 yards and eight scores.

Dugas tops the Tigers with 701 yards, while adding four touchdowns. Pete has 127 attempts for 688 yards and 10 TDs.

Defensively, Breaux Bridge runs the 50 and plays some cover three.

Mowad said his top defenders are tackles Denzel Alexander and Quinton Thomas, nose guard Churphy Stewart and free safety Trev Patt.