The 2023 Cecilia Bulldogs have people thinking about the past. Jamaican Dartez, Raymond Calais, and other members of some of the best Bulldog teams of all time have come to mind as this year’s group has made their way back to the Caesars Superdome.
Plenty of Bulldog teams have brought the school and community together, creating a buzz around town. However, this iteration has a chance to become the first since 1995 to win the title. That team, the only championship team in school history, defeated Edna Karr 12-9 to win the 3A championship the year after Dartez graduated.
Despite the buzz, Cecilia head coach Dennis Skains thinks his group can handle the pressure.
“Obviously there is an excitement around, but we have played in several big games this year and I think they (the team) are preparing like they always have,” said Skains.
The opponent in their way is none other than Opelousas High, a district foe that Cecilia beat 25-22 earlier this season. The Tigers have not lost since that contest, putting together an impressive run that includes eliminating the defending champions Lutcher as well as the top seed in North DeSoto.
As far as whether or not being familiar with the opponent helps or not, Skains was not so sure.
“I don’t know if helps is the right word… You kind of know what you are getting, which is a well-coached football team that plays extremely hard,” he added.
The Bulldogs’ star quarterback Diesel Solari has been given lofty comparisons to players like Dartez and Calais. The electrifying dual-threat player has led the offense with a combination of running and passing, but he also plays on defense, contributing to the Bulldogs’ secondary. While he and his teammates have played in some big games, they have not experienced the wild ride that a trip to the Superdome creates.
Skains knows that as much as he and his coaching staff try to prepare the team, the players will be going through something very unique.
“There is nothing you can do to prepare them for it, so we are going to challenge them to be bigger than the situation,” added Skains.
Despite those difficulties, however, Skains and his staff feel this group has answered the call several times this season, and that the extras that go into a trip to the title game will not be too much for them.
“Usually when we challenge them, they respond,” he said.
Cecilia will look to respond in a big way on Friday at noon when they take on the Opelousas High Tigers in the Caesars Superdome. And while the comparisons to Dartez’s and Calais’ great Bulldogs teams bring back great memories, this group is hoping to accomplish something that those greats did not and only the 1995 team did: winning a state championship.