Here's how ASH, Many have reached semifinals of LHSAA football playoffs

Playing a semifinal game at home in December makes those grueling two-a-day practices in August worth it.

After close wins last week, Alexandria Senior High (6-1) and Many (9-0) have one final hurdle Friday night  before the LHSAA Prep Classic in Natchitoches Dec. 27-30.

More:ASH, Many move on to semifinals; Tioga drops to Warren Easton

“You can see it in the kids’ eyes, they’re ready to go to work,” Trojans coach Thomas Bachman said. “They’re ready to prepare and they’re ready to handle their business day in and day out. Friday’s going to get here and we have to do everything that we can as coaches to make sure that they are prepared.”

ASH hosts District 2-5A nemesis and Class 5A powerhouse West Monroe (7-1) as it tries to avenge its only regular season losses over the past two years.

Although the Trojans kept the Rebels scoreless during the second half the previous two games, slow starts plagued them each time as they were unable to dig out of their halftime holes.

“Our message all week is, ‘No matter what comes our way, we’re going to stay together, continue to play and continue to battle,’ ” Bachman said. “At the end of it, we’re going to find a way.”

While Bachman knew during the summer that this was a special group that could make a playoff run, the focus has always been to take things one game at a time and focus on getting better.

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“I think it’s always the goal, but you don’t look this far down the road to be honest with you,” Bachman said. “A big thing around here we hammer into them is what you do today matters. Whether that’s the offseason, the summer or today’s practice, everybody’s going to be excited for Friday night. Wanting to play well on Friday night, you have to prepare well for whatever meeting, drill or rep you’re getting. Regardless of whoever the opponent as, you keep your head down and do the work.”

While the Trojans are new to this stage, that cannot be said for the Tigers.

Many is in its fifth straight 2A semifinal and will host General Trass (8-2),   who are in the semifinals for the first time since 1963.

“They’re playing with a lot of confidence and they’ve gotten hot over the last part of the last part of the year,” Tigers coach Jess Curtis said. “They’ve done a great job of building their program. In the semifinals, you’re going to get a hot team playing with confidence and we’re a hot team playing with confidence.”

The Panthers are averaging 46 points per game in the playoffs and can hurt teams running and passing. Last week, running back Wydett Williams rushed for 167 yards and two touchdowns in their win against St. Helena.

More:Many football coach Jess Curtis would play LHSAA Classic ‘in a pasture’

“They can run the ball and they can throw it, so they’re balanced,” Curtis said. “They’re well-coached and going to have a lot of athletes. We’re going to have to be ready.”

After an unexpected two-week layoff, the Tigers finally got on the field and defeated Amite in the quarterfinals.

“We had to fight our way out of there,” Curtis said. “We had to shake a little rust off and play our style of football. I’m proud of the kids. They found a way. We’re glad to survive and we get to come back home to God’s country and play football here in Many this week.”

SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS

Class 5A

No. 6 ASH (6-1) vs. No. 10 West Monroe (7-1)

Class 2A

No. 1 Many (9-0) vs. No. 12 General Trass (8-2)