After winning the Louisiana State Title and battling to ranks of the top three in the Dixie Youth Nation, the 2012 version of the Ville Platte Majors have the bar set high before the season begins. With Sub-District set to begin this coming weekend in Oberlin, the VP All-Starts got things going early. They recently made a trip to Metairie to take on traditional power house, Wally Pontiff. It’s a tradition that has been going for quite some time.

“They (Pontiff) run a first class organization and we love coming here,” said VP Head Coach Smiley Fontenot. “This is a tradition I hope that continues even after I am no longer coaching.”

Fontenot hit the nail on the head as the Ville Platte fans had nothing but great things to say about the Pontiff community and the way they treated the visiting Ville Platte faithful.

The two teams met on the diamond on a hot Sunday afternoon in a pair of scrimmages designed to be learning tools for the players and coaches. Ville Platte won both games by scores of 8-5 and 20-1.

In game one, the boys in blue and white took a 2-0 lead after Cade Manuel scored on a single from Matthew Duplechain. Cole Brignac reached on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly from Julien Vidrine.

Pontiff scored five unanswered runs and went up in their next two at bats.

Ville Platte battled back with six runs in the top of the sixth inning. A two run home run from Blake Davenport got the momentum going and a triple from Alex Griffith helped the effort also. Walks to Matthew Santoro and Garrett Fontenot loaded the bases for Cade Manuel who singled in a run and tied the game. Brignac singled in two more runs and gave VP the 8-5 lead.

In the second game, Ville Platte dominated from start to finish. They scored four runs in the top of the first inning. Gavin Soileau scored on a double from Davenport. A single from Griffith brought Davenport across the plate. Later in the inning, Santoro hit a two run home to make it 4-0.

Ville Platte would continue to dominate as the game went on. Davenport finished his day with a 3-3 performance that included another home run and a pair of doubles. Santoro was also 3-3 with a pair of singles. Garrett Fonteot was 3-3 at the plate with a trio of singles. Julien Vidrine was 2-2 with a triple. Josh Castille also tripled in the third inning.

Ville Platte and Pine Prairie will travel to Oberlin this weekend to begin their sub-district action.

Oakdale and Pine Prairie meet Friday at 5:30 p.m. to be followed by Oberlin and Ville Platte at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday the action continues at 2 p.m. when Oakdale and Ville Platte collide. That game will be followed by Oberlin and Pine Prairie, which is slated for 4 p.m.

Sunday afternoon the teams will meet at 2 p.m. with Pine Prairie and Ville Platte getting set to tango. At 4 p.m., Oberlin and Oakdale meet.

The District Seven Tournament will be played in Vernon Parish and it set to begin Saturday, July 7th.