Broncos’ semifinal loss closes book on Fontenot’s career
Published 10:53 pm Friday, November 15, 2024
LAFAYETTE — Rene Fontenot’s storied 33-year career ended Friday at the high school state volleyball tournament as Ben Franklin ended Sam Houston’s season in the semifinals.
“I’ve been talking about this (retirement) all year and really every day has been a celebration and I have truly lived in the moment,” Fontenot said. “I guess to some extent as you get older, you get better at that, to just enjoy the here and now instead of worrying about all the things that don’t matter anyway. So I really, really am thankful for the season that we’ve had and have enjoyed it.”
No. 2 Sam Houston (39-7) won the first set 26-24 but No. 3 Ben Franklin (30-9) rallied to win the next three 25-9, 25-23, 25-16 at the Cajundome. The Falcons beat the Broncos in straight sets on Oct. 4 at the Covenant Christian tournament.
“Really the whole year has been enjoyable,” Fontenot said. “The outcome of today doesn’t diminish that.
“They’re a great group of young ladies who are intelligent and driven and committed. And anybody in our area (in order) to develop has to do a lot of traveling all year to develop and to get better in volleyball specifically. And I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Fontenot ended her career with a record of 821-414 and 19 state tournament appearances, including 10 semifinal matches and a pair of runner-up seasons in 2008 and 1999. She won more than 30 matches in nine seasons and led the Broncos to the playoffs every season since she took over the program in 1992.
After the match, Fontenot reminisced about all the players she watch go through her program.
“Years and years of talented athletes that become incredible wives, mothers, business owners, people,” Fontenot said. “Having all of those memories with them and then being able to see them out in the community because I live in Moss Bluff and follow a lot of them on social media. I have loved to see each season of their life.”
Sam Houston’s Ava Henry and Aubrey Portie had double-doubles in the Broncos’ first semifinal match since 2009.
Sam Houston trailed 22-20 after a kill and block by Cori States but rallied on a Lainey Johnson kill and a set to the back left corner by Chloe Sanchez to take a two-point lead. Portie and Henry finished the set with powerful shots from the middle of the net.
The Broncos reclaimed the momentum in the third set to overcome a five-point deficit and owned a late 21-19 lead after a 7-0 run, putting them on the verge of a 2-1 match lead. But the Falcons stopped the bleeding and got back-to-back kills from States to put the Broncos on the ropes.
“It was hard to recover from set two,” Fontenot said. “But we talked about some specific things that we needed to address so you’re not worried about the whole emotional picture. And they’ve been really good at focusing on details to try to settle their minds and then go in to compete again. And they did a really good job at that in set three.”
While the first and third sets were tight battles, the Broncos struggled in the second and fourth. They fell behind 12-3 in the second set and 11-0 in the third with several unforced errors.
“We just didn’t have a strong enough first contact game today,” Fontenot said. “And unforced errors kind of plagued us through the set. But it’s an incredible group.”