Nicholls football is preparing to finish off their 2013 season with a game against in-state rival Southeastern Louisiana University on Thursday, Nov. 22.
Nicholls and the Lions of Southeastern Louisiana play annually in the River Bell Classic, of which the winner is awarded the River Bell Trophy. The two schools are 94 miles apart, which is closer than any two football-playing schools in the Southland Conference. Nicholls holds a 12-10 lead in the series, but Southeastern has taken the last two games.
The Colonels are currently 4-7 heading into the last game of the season on Thursday against Southeastern Louisiana. The team’s four wins this season against Football Bowl Subdivision opponent Western Michigan University, Langston University, Arkansas Tech University and Northwestern State University, is their most since 2010 when they also had four victories. A win over the Lions will give the Colonels five wins for the first time since 2007, when they finished 6-5.
“The hard work we’ve been putting in [has led to more wins]. I know the senior class came in with new coaches, new schemes and everything,” senior linebacker Siegan Vergenal said. “We had to change this whole program. It’s a long time coming, and we’ve been striving this past four years, and the wins are finally coming.”
Despite injuries to key players such as junior quarterbacks Beaux Hebert and Kalen Henderson, senior runningbacks Marcus Washington and Dalton Hilliard, Jr., and senior wide receiver Erik Buchanan, the Nicholls offense has been able to put up points almost at will thanks in large part to sophomore quarterback Tuskani Figaro.
Figaro, a native of Lafayette, who saw his first action this season against Western Michigan, has accumulated 996 yards and eight touchdowns through the air with 1,150 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
Nicholls honored their 23 seniors, namely Washington, a native of Lillian, Ala., who finishes his career ranked eighth on the school’s all-time rusher list, wide receiver Buchanan, a native of Aberdeen, Miss., and offensive lineman Abasi Salimu, a native of Los Angeles, Calif., when they played their final home game against the Central Arkansas University Bears last Saturday.
Tough seasons through the years taught the senior class lessons that helped carry the team forward in 2013.
“Never giving up. That’s the biggest thing,” Vergenal, a native of New Iberia, La., said. “There were plenty of times when the team was down. I was down personally, and I came from a high school where we won a lot, so never giving up was the biggest thing.”
Vergenal has no regrets about his career, saying, “I’m happy I chose Nicholls. This is where I wanted to be when I look back at it. Just the people here. I have great friends, great coaches. No regrets at all.”