CHS Bulldogs have tradition, state title to build on in 2025
– Many of the familiar names may be gone from Cecilia High School’s 2024 Division II Non-Select state championship football team, but the Bulldogs return plenty of experience Quarterback Diesel Solari, receiver Ellis Stewart and defensive back Brent Gordon Jr. all graduated and have moved on to the college ranks (Coffeyville Community College, Arkansas- Pine Bluff and UL Lafayette, respectively), and the bulk of the offensive line also graduated in May, and head coach Dennis Skains also left the program after nine seasons.
But the Bulldogs return some experienced, talented players on both sides of the ball under first-year head coach Cody Champagne, who has been on the CHS coaching staff for two decades.
“We have a lot of guys that spot played last year and saw a lot of time, on offense for sure,” Champagne said as the team wrapped up summer preparations. “Those guys are going to step it up into starting roles for sure.”
That group is led by junior Braylon Calais, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound multi-talented dynamo who is expected to play running back, quarterback and receiver for the offense and some linebacker play as well.
Calais rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a sophomore in earning first-team All-District honors at running back and honorable mention All-State honors. He has played some receiver but primarily was a quarterback before reaching the high school ranks.
Champagne said that Calais does everything right in the classroom and the school hallways, as well as in the locker room and as a leader. But his athletic ability just shines when he’s playing.
“When you put him on the field, he’s just different out there,” Champagne said. “It’s all the intangibles he has that makes him the person he is, the player he is.
“He’s got a skill set that’s unmatched for a lot of kids, so we’ve got to make sure we use him that way.”
Other key returners are senior quarterback Collin Dore, who also has been a running back and receiver, and junior receiver Jermaine Davis, also a senior.
The offensive line returns only one starter, right tackle Ethan Journet but the coach thinks the group will be productive once they come together as a group.
“I think on offense we’re going to be fine,” Champagne said. “The big thing is, we have some great guys on the offensive line, it’s just going to be how they jell. That’s a unit you’re going to rely on, no matter what, especially at the end of games. They’ve got to go through the fire and I think we’ll be fine once they settle in.”
Six starters return on the defense.
“You also have some guys on defense that were huge parts of what we did, spot played, and a lot of them were sophomores and juniors and now they’re juniors and seniors,” Champagne said. “I expect to do the same thing we did last year, just keep it rolling.”
Early on, defense could be a team strength.
“I think, first of all, you should expect the same thing you’ve seen the last couple of years, offense, defense, special teams,” Champagne said. “Our defense I think is a little ahead of what they were last year scheme-wise. I think they understand a little more of what we do. You expect the guys who played a lot of football last year on the defensive side to be ahead.”
Key returners on defense include senior linebacker Braylon Jones (6-2, 210) and junior defensive back Franky Frank (5-10, 170).
The Bulldogs have seen a lot of success in the past decade-plus with 11 straight playoff appearances, including quarterfinal trips in 2017 and 2021 and two straight trips to the state finals in 2023 and 2024, going 71-39 under Skains.
Having much of the coaching staff returning helps the team’s continuity.
“We have the blueprint and we’ve just got to build on it, and I think we are doing that,” Champagne said. “We’re just excited. The kids are excited to be on the field and prove we can be consistent.”
Calais and Jones both said their goals include returning to the Superdome for a third straight year.
“The thing about them is you want to make sure they’re staying hungry,” Champagne said of the team. “I think we’ve got to go into it like we’ve got something to prove, and we do. We all have something to prove, even though we were the state champs last year.
“Just looking at it, I think a lot of people don’t think with a new coaching staff that we can continue what we’ve been doing, so they’ve got that chip (on their shoulder) and we do too (as coaches).”
SUMMER WORK – Preseason workouts are wrapping up for the Cecilia High School football team after a hot summer. The Bulldogs take the field on Friday at St. Martinville to open defense of their 2024 Division II Non-Select state championship. (Chris Landry)
