More in store? North DeSoto not complacent after West Monroe win, No. 1 ranking
by William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor
A year ago, North DeSoto went into its non-district matchup with West Monroe, a shell of itself physically and mentally.
The Griffins had lost their top offensive threat in wide receiver Cole Cory, and the team’s entire starting secondary was a M-A-S-H unit with four new starters.
West Monroe sent North DeSoto to its worst loss of the season – 63-14 – in a game that could have derailed the remainder of the Griffins’ season.
North DeSoto, though, rallied with seven consecutive wins that included the District 1-4A championship. The Griffins advanced to the Division II non-select state quarterfinals, where they were eliminated 50-47 by eventual state champion Cecilia.
“No excuses, we went into that game with West Monroe with both hands tied behind our back,” North DeSoto coach Dennis Dunn said. “We were not only hurting physically but, in many ways, mentally hurting as well because of who we lost. Our kids loved those guys. It was going to be difficult with them.
“Mentally, we were not prepared to play a team like West Monroe, and they took our manhood,” Dunn said. “I told people that I had no idea what it was going to be last Friday, but this year we’re going in with a loaded gun. Our guys were fully prepared.”
North DeSoto unleashed a 17-point first quarter, survived a 28-0 run from West Monroe, for a 39-28 victory that helped the Griffins (3-0) remain undefeated heading into Friday’s District 1-4A opener at Northwood (3-0).
North DeSoto also surged in Monday’s Class 4A rankings released by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, taking over the No. 1 position after previously top-ranked Franklin Parish was upended, 33-30, by Calvary Baptist.
“It can be rat poison, as Nick Saban says,” Dunn said of the No. 1 ranking. “It’s a win that’s kind of a program-defining win. However, to keep it in perspective, our kids understand that beating West Monroe was not the goal. Winning Week 3 was not the goal.
“As big a game that we have coming up with Northwood, beating them is not the goal,” Dunn said. “Our goals are more internal in terms of what we want to accomplish. The culture is mission-focused, and we stay on mission. It’s a milestone victory for sure, but not one where we’ll stay in this moment.”
North DeSoto received nine of 11 first-place votes and 127 total points. The Griffins are ranked ahead of No. 2 Teurlings Catholic (3-0), co-No. 3 Franklin Parish (2-1) and St. Thomas More (1-2), and No. 5 Franklinton (2-1).
“I gave them some Saban stuff this morning,” Dunn said. “We’re not going to eat any rat poison. More people have died coming down from Mt. Everest than climbing it.”
North DeSoto followed its powerful running attack of Kenny Thomas and Braelyn Latin, who were part of a 245-yard effort on the ground against West Monroe.
Led by returning Class 4A All-State selection Nathan Dubroc, the Griffins have a luxury with four returning starters to pave the way.
They rely on a veteran interior group of left tackle Brady Floyd, left guard Mason Guillory, center Grant Murray, right guard Chance Walker, right tackle Dubroc, and Miller Warren, the team’s H-back and tight end.
“This is an experienced offensive line,” Dunn said. “You’ve got a leader in (quarterback) Luke (Delafield) who’s been there since basically the day he walked in as a freshman and has been the guy. He didn’t have a great stat game (12 of 24, 2 interceptions, 140 yards), but his game management and leadership were calming and effective.”
Thomas scored two of his three touchdowns in the opening quarter to help North DeSoto to a fast start. The Griffins also turned Logan Addison’s interception into a 37-yard field goal from Dakota Denny during the first-quarter blitz.
West Monroe, which had won its first two games, answered with four consecutive touchdowns during the second quarter for a 28-17 lead at halftime.
“It was the first test of adversity this season,” Dunn said. “It was a defining moment at halftime. It was the first adversity we had faced in this young season. I thought our guys responded. I told them at halftime this could very well define you for the rest of the season, the way you respond to this. I said responsibility is responding to adversity with ability. I was so proud of their effort.
“I harped we’re 11 down, this is nothing to overcome if we’ll stay steady,” Dunn said. “We were in a good rhythm. The whole focus during the week was matching the physicality in the box, and if you’re close in the fourth quarter, you’ve got a shot. That was the message all week, and our kids responded to matching the physicality in the box, which, for the most part, I thought we did. In the fourth quarter, it was close, and our kids won the game in the fourth quarter.”
Thomas, a Louisiana Tech commitment, led North DeSoto with 34 carries for 197 yards and three touchdowns, with Latin adding 79 yards and 2 TDs on 12 attempts. Thomas has rushed for 3,723 yards and scored 53 TDs during his career.
“I was proud of both backs,” Dunn said. “We’ve got two backs that are pretty phenomenal right now. There were not many creases because West Monroe’s really good again in the box. Those guys stayed on track, and I thought in the fourth quarter, we leaned on them pretty good, and we were getting some push.
“We told the backs early on it may be two-and-three-yard gains, but in the fourth quarter those gains are going to turn into five, six, seven, and eight-yard gains, and you’re going to break some,” Dunn said. “That was the case. We wanted to be patient and get some first downs. Controlling the line of scrimmage, not getting away from the running game, the times that we did get stuffed. We just kept pounding it.”
North DeSoto scored the go-ahead touchdown on a TD run from Latin and a two-point conversion pass from Delafield, a Northwestern State commitment, to Christian Ashworth.
The second half shutout by the defense was keyed by senior safety Ethan Ivey’s 14 tackles and two tackles for loss.
“He may be our most improved player,” Dunn said. “He’s a two-year starter and really has had a great start to the season.”
Linebackers Porter Doyal contributed 13 tackles, Addison four tackles, and Bryce Evans seven tackles to go with a game-sealing interception.
The team’s standout performances included linemen Jonathan Perry (6 tackles) and Landryn Berry (5 tackles), and defensive back Braylen Delton (2 tackles, 2 PBUs).
“I was proud up front of both sides, just matching their physicality,” Dunn said. “The year before, they just whipped us in the box, and that was something I think our guys remembered and took pride in and wanted to match that physicality.”
Dunn, who won nine state titles at Evangel Christian Academy, was aware of the potential North DeSoto had because of his familiarity with the Stonewall area.
During recruiting trips during his tenure at Louisiana College, Dunn could sense the town’s growth, and the Griffins’ growing commitment toward athletics was apparent with so many sports enjoying success.
“I’m from this area,” he said. “I thought this place had a chance to do something really special, and that’s one thing that interested me in the job when (DeSoto Parish Superintendent) Clay Corley came to visit me about the job.
“I was intrigued because of the community,” he said. “I was raised seven miles from here. I could just feel the opportunity to build something special happening. When I got here, we just went to work.”
North DeSoto has been a playoff regular since Dunn’s arrival. The Griffins won first-round playoff games in each of their first two seasons before advancing to the Division II non-select state championship game against Lutcher in 2022.
His guidance and ability to get players to believe have pointed North DeSoto to among the state’s top Division II non-select programs, evidenced by three successful trips to the state quarterfinals or better the past three seasons.
“It took four years to get your DNA into this thing that we were trying to instill,” Dunn said. “Guys have to be patient in jobs like this. Once you hit Year 4, and you’re coaching your guys, you see where it has a chance to go. The fourth year was Luke’s first year and these seniors. Since that time, they’re 36-7. I saw sparks of some really special things in those first three years.
“It took offseason work, instilling discipline and accountability and some of the little things people don’t understand,” Dunn said. “You declare what the standard is, and you point to that standard every day and hold players and coaches accountable to the standard. Our saying today is the standard is the standard. In my opinion, and it sounds like a cliché, culture beats strategy every time. I think the other night (against West Monroe) was a culture win, not necessarily a strategy win.”
North DeSoto opens district play at Northwood on Friday, where half of the league’s eight teams are undefeated.
“You can throw out the records in this game,” Dunn said. “This is always two very supportive communities: Stonewall and Blanchard. Both love their high school football teams. This is what high school football’s all about: to play in this kind of game. Our guys know this is just the next step. Northwood’s a fun game, but they’re not the goal.”