TDL: Two-A-Days - Vinton Lions

Vinton, LA (KPLC) - After an unusual 2020 season, the Vinton Lions are hoping to get back on track. With numerous veterans leading the way on both sides of the ball, head coach Lark Hebert is hopeful their numbers will help them play better under the Friday night lights.

“I feel like we have a little depth I hope to play a bunch of kids and grow. We have some older kids, so we feel good about our leadership,” said second-year head coach Lark Hebert. “Our expectations are to be very competitive and have a chance every Friday night or Thursday night.”

That veteran leadership starts with senior quarterback Lukas Bunting who started all six games for the Lions a season ago. Joining him will be the running back tandem of Keshawn Budwine and CJ Jack who made all-district as a safety.

“We have a returning running back it’ll be his third year starting and it’s Keyshawn Budwine and he should get the ball a bunch. We moved CJ Jack from safety to tailback CJ started as a freshman and made all-district as a free safety, so we expect some things out of him,” Hebert said. “Those two running backs are going to really give us an opportunity to make some big plays. Logan Beard returns he was a starter last year at wideout he’s only a junior he’s had a really good summer during the pass scales and those types of deals.”

Defensively, the Lions bring back experience in the secondary and at linebacker. Hebert thinks will be a key factor in their success this season.

“Carrington Daley who’s a corner he’s a senior played last year who’s coming back. Jacob Rogers is the other corner both of those kids are probably the two hardest working kids we have on our team most consistent in their play and effort, so we’re really excited about them,” Hebert said. “Young upfront on the D-line and we have an older group at linebacker with Ethan Hoffpauir and Memphis Stone.”

The Lions will start the season with a tough non-district schedule, but Hebert is hoping that will help his squad get better as the season goes on.

“We’re going to play Westlake, south Beauregard and we’re going to play Welsh in non-district games so we’re going to have a tough schedule and also Opelousas catholic so if we can survive that and hopefully, we’ll just keep getting better each week, said Hebert. “I think that that depth early could help us maybe win a close game because we won’t have so many kids going both ways and hope that we’re improving and in better shape and that we can start maybe pulling some kids in critical situations to play on both sides in districts.”

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