PAGE 2 | FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010
FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010 | PAGE 3
5
Stories & photos Mike Pervel • Chris Kinkaid Mike McCall • Joey Michel Cover design • Chad Hebert
Covington
Lions Fontainebleau
Bulldogs Mandeville
Skippers Northshore
Panthers St. Paul’s
Wolves Slidell
Tigers
6 8 10 18 21 24
Cover Story
Who will step up and challenge St. Paul’s in 2010?
PAGE 4 | FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010
FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010 | PAGE 5
King of the Mountain! St. Paul’s has dominated District 7-5A four of the past five seasons. Will someone be able to knock them off the cliff in 2010? By Mike Pervel St. Tammany News
S
t. Paul’s Wolves captured the District 7-5A crown last season finishing with an unblemished 7-0 record in district play, one game ahead of the Mandeville Skippers. The Wolves have scratched and clawed their way to supremacy in the tough district having won four district titles in the last five years, finishing second to Mandeville two years ago. The Wolves, a No. 7 seed in last year’s playoffs, closed out the season with a 10-2 overall record, falling to the Thibodaux Tigers 27-17 on the road in the regional round. The Wolves dominated Destrehan in the bi-district round, taking a convincing 35-14 victory over the Wildcats. St. Paul’s coach Ken Sears is entering his 12th season as the Wolves head coach. Sears, who along with an exceptional coaching staff, has recorded a 69-49 mark over the past 11 years. St. Paul’s ongoing success is no small accomplishment given the fact the Wolves compete in one of the toughest districts (7-5A) in the state year in and year out. Sears said he has quality, skill position players returning on offense led by senior quarterback Alec Duncan. He clicked on 73-of149 attempts (49 percent) for 1,358 yards. He connected on 13 touchdowns, tossing just five interceptions. Duncan has the luxury of having a gifted, swift receiver in senior wide out, Jermaine Sams, who hauled in a team-high 27 receptions for 648 yards, averaging 24 yards per catch. He latched on to seven scoring tosses, including an 89-yard bomb. Coach Sears said its great having so much experience at the skill positions on offense, but is somewhat concerned about the overall lack of experience along
the offensive line. “We are kind of retooling our offensive line and we’ll take it one practice at a time to find the best fit across the O-line. Hopefully, we can be an offense that can move the chains and score some points,” Sears said. The Wolves’ offense, which loves to pound the ball at you, features senior running back Mikhail Washington, who rushed for 528 yards on 94 carries last season, averaging 5.4 yards per rush despite missing a couple games due to a sprained ankle. Junior fullback Dylan Long came through with a very productive season rushing for 711 yards with a 5.3 yard per carry average and is a crushing type blocker as well. The Wolves have also touted a solid, consistent defense over the years. “We feel like we will be strong up front with three returning starters. I don’t think there is one player defensively that doesn’t have varsity experience. That’s a result of coach Lee Pierre and his coaches doing a good job of rotating players,” Sears added. “We have had a strong defense and our guys know what they are doing.” This time around, the Wolves’ D-line is anchored by senior tackle Mickey Johnson, a First Team All-District selection. A mountain of a man and a power lifter, he is listed at 6-2 and 310 pounds on the roster. Johnson recorded 11 sacks to go with 37 solo stops and
22 assists. Senior middle linebacker Tyler Tourelle, the Wolves’ leading tackler, registered 54 individual tackles with 32 assists. He is the quarterback of the Wolves’ defense and according to coach Sears is a heady player and does a good job making defensive adjustments. “Tyler is a smart player and he has put on about 10 or 15 pounds of additional muscle. We expect him to have a great year. He’s really quick and he is a good guy to run the defensive show,” Sears said. St. Paul’s football success is all about being prepared. “We’ve had that target on our back for awhile so we know every game will be a battle. It comes down to preparation,” said the St. Paul’s mentor. Mandeville’s Skippers cruised into second place last year closing district with a 6-1 mark only losing to the Wolves 24-14 at home in the opener. MHS recorded a 7-4 overall mark, dropping a disappointing 21-14 bi-district playoff game to Westgate. MHS Skipper Guy LeCompte enters his fifth season navigating to a 32-14 record for the Skippers. LeCompte’s spread offense is triggered by junior signal caller Matt Bergeron. In limited action, he completed 14-of-31 attempts for 110 yards with a TD and two interceptions. LeCompte describes Bergeron as a talented player, who plays with poise and confidence.
LeCompte likes the ability and depth of his receiving corps. “We have a number of quality guys who are pushing each other. It helps everybody stay motivated,” LeCompte said. LeCompte also said he likes his running backs with junior Charles Jones, the Skippers’ top gainer with 768 yards on 158 rushes and a team-high 10 TDs. LeCompte also likes senior Westley LaBorde, who he described as a very hard runner. He picked up 150 yards on 53 rushes last year. Defensively, the Skippers’ linebackers, are led by junior Sam McGivern and have added junior backer Timmy Broussard, a transfer from Class 2A Northlake Christian School. LeCompte said his club returns more players this year than in the past two years (lost 56 in two years). “Last year we played quite a few sophomore allowing us to put more experience on the field this year. We believe the experience plus the fact that we open with John Curtis in week one followed by Rummel will make us better in the long run, hopefully in the playoffs,” LeCompte said. Covington’s Lions earned a third place district finish (4-3), going 4-6 as head coach Malter Scobel enters his third season. The Lions were in the district hunt until they couldn’t close the deal and dropped their final two games at St. Paul’s (20-3) and at Mandeville (35-21).
The key returning player is senior wide out Jay Bickham, a Second Team All-District performer, who caught 27 passes for 566 yards and four TDs. Bickham averaged 20.5 yards per reception. Junior quarterback John McDowell, who saw limited game action, takes over as the Lions starter. Coach Scobel described McDowell as a talent athlete. Scobel liked what he saw from McDowell when he was in the varsity lineup and said the Lions usually put the ball in the end zone with him. Coach Scobel said the team’s defensive strength would be its front seven, which returns four players plus another two, who will split time. The Seniors Devin Perez, Bubby Keen and James Smith lead the Lions defense. Scobel said he would also be counting on juniors Daniel Larocca, Latrell Peterson and Otha Peters to produce again. Scobel said this year’s team is the strongest he’s had since he’s been with the program. Fontainebleau’s Bulldogs have put last season’s disappointing 1-9 record behind them and look to return to the school’s former winning tradition. FHS looked impressive in last year’s opener against Biloxi High, winning 33-7, but then struggled. They dropped three consecutive ballgames by just two points each. They were also in their final three contests, SEE 5A, PAGE 27
PAGE 6 | FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010
Aug. 27 – John Curtis • Sept. 3 – St. Amant • Sept. 10 - @Franklinton • Sept. 17 – Denham Springs • Sept. 24 - @Slidell* • Sept. 30 – Ponchatoula*
Covington Lions Founded: 1913 Head Coach: Malter Scobel 2009 Record: 4-6 Home: Jack Salter Stadium
★
Finishing games is big focus for Lions By Mike Pervel St. Tammany News
C
ovington’s Fighting Lions enter the 2010 season with hopes of continuing its return to prominence in District 75A play. The Lions finished 4-6 overall and came in third in the district race with a 4-3 mark. CHS head coach Malter Scobel is entering his third season and sports an 8-12 record with the Lions. Covington saw some encouraging signs with the Lions dropping a 7-0 spring contest to the Jesuit Blue Jays. The Lions went 1-2 in the LSU 7-on-7.
“We lost one of the games on the last play. We saw some good things,” Scobel said. Coach Scobel said it has been somewhat of a strug-
gle over the past two years, but there has also been a number of positives with the program. The Lions were in the hunt for a possible playoff berth, but
came up a little short as they dropped their final two games against St. Paul’s (20-3) and Mandeville (3521) to end up third in district play behind St. Paul’s
and Mandeville. “Playing those top two district opponents to close the season in weeks 9 and 10 is tough. We played St. Paul’s and Mandeville tough going into the fourth quarter. We were tied with Mandeville 21-21 and trailed by 10 to St. Paul’s. We’re getting closer, but like I told the players, I’m tired of being close. It’s time to win,” Scobel added. “Overall, we are the strongest we have ever been in my 2 1/2 years here. Offensively, we must be able to move the chains by running the ball and protect against turnovers and penalties, which hurt us
last season,” Scobel said. Scobel said his club would operate out of the gun with a two-back set. “We will be more of a running team this year, running a power option. We are going to try to ground and pound the ball as much as we can to control the clock,” said the Lions’ mentor. “We’re going to a twoback, one tight end and sometimes two tight end formation, which I think will open up the passing lanes for Jay Bickham. If we can get him five catches a game, I’m hoping two can SEE LIONS, PAGE 7
Oct. 8 - @Fontainebleau* • Oct. 15 – Hammond* (Homecoming) • Oct. 22 - @Northshore* • Oct. 29 – St. Paul’s* • Nov. 5 – Mandeville* (*denotes district games)
FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010 | PAGE 7
» 2010 covington lions No. 2 3 5 7 8 10 11 12 13 15 17 18 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 40 42 43 46 47 48 49 50 51 53 54 55 56 57 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 74 76 77 78 79 80 82 83 84 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 96 97
Name John McDowell Jarius Bickham Otha Peters Ridge Buisson Charles Silas Andrew Breeland Latrell Peterson C.J. Sims Austin Daix John Schaffer Lomarco Jacobs Rhett Crouch Deonte Casnave Jabari Pea Antoine Brumfield Robert Brown Tyler Kelley Aaron Spallino Joel Murphy Jacob Sandifer Austin Nebe Jace Markey Zach Lehmann Eddie Harris Jacob Powell Cameron Chatellier Jarret Keen Michael Babin Matthew Anders Noah Schmitz Brandon Alford Gerald McDowell Lincoln White Bradley Bellanger Logan Robinson Blake Camardelle James Smith Eric Crouch Tre Langla William Steele Kyle Bordelon Jared Crain Christian Core Jordan Fernandez Justin Thompson Caleb Willie Byron Sharp Devin Bedford Reed Woessner Brandon Fuzette Casey Cannon Ryan Mathies Doud Williams Cameron Danos Joshua Grunder Buddy Duracher Joe Graves Andrew Core William Bailey DJ Appe Haiston Varnado Joseph Ohler Thomas Denenea Daniel Thompson Andrew Denenea Ryan Froust Bryan Talamo Calvin Betancourt Matt Herman Devin Perez James Sewell Dalton Predergrast Daniel LaRocca Daniel Holden Dylan Perez Shawn Lam Broderick Bankston
Pos. QB WR/DB LB/TE WR/K DB DB/QB LB DB/WR WR LB/K DB/RB WR RB WR/DB DB/RB DB/RB DB WR/QB DB DB DB LB DB/K DB DB RB LB/FB FB DB FB TE DL DB DE LB DB LB/TE DE LB LB LB DL LB LB DE OL OL OL DL/OL OL OL OL DT OL OL OL OL/DL OL OL OL/DL OL OL WR WR/S WR WR WR WR WR DL/OL DL TE DL/OL DL DL LB LB
Ht. 6-0 5-11 6-2 6-1 5-9 5-8 6-1 5-4 6-1 6-0 5-9 5-6 5-5 6-0 5-9 5-9 5-9 5-7 5-8 5-8 5-9 5-9 5-9 5-9 5-11 5-7 5-11 5-7 5-10 5-11 6-1 6-1 5-11 5-11 6-0 5-10 5-9 5-10 5-6 5-10 5-8 6-0 5-10 6-0 5-9 6-5 5-11 6-0 6-0 5-9 5-6 6-0 5-11 6-2 6-3 6-1 6-3 5-9 5-11 6-3 6-0 6-2 5-10 6-3 6-1 6-0 5-8 5-9 6-0 6-0 6-0 6-0 6-0 5-9 6-0 5-2 6-1
Wgt. 180 178 210 176 158 165 213 128 138 190 160 158 215 169 168 175 165 123 140 132 141 194 170 143 169 181 232 168 184 191 192 210 153 175 168 170 192 172 145 185 210 245 180 161 159 315 190 245 304 174 233 240 245 240 266 328 288 170 210 265 251 253 157 165 149 162 138 139 190 205 191 183 236 224 173 138 208
Class Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Fr. Jr. Fr. So. So. Fr. So. So. So. Fr. Fr. So. So. So. So. So. Sr. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Fr. So. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. So. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. So. So. Jr. Jr. So. So. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. So. So. So. Fr.
“He’s going to be fine. He is the least of my worries.” MALTER SCOBEL CHS Head Coach, on QB John McDowell
LIONS: Looking to improve in 2010 » FROM PAGE 6
go deep for touchdowns,” Scobel said. The Lions return three senior starters on offense led by second team all-district wide out Jay Bickham along with offensive linemen DJ Appe and Haiston Varnado. Bickham, an elusive receiver, is the Lions’ go-to guy. Last year, he hauled in 27 catches for 566 yards and four TDs, averaging 20.5 yards per reception. He has excellent speed and moves, which give defenses fits and he usually sees double coverage in most passing situations. The receiving threat ran a 4.4 forty-yard dash earlier in the summer. “Coach Scobel tells me I need to make big plays again this year. I need to do whatever I can to help my new quarterback John McDowell. I think he’ll be able to step up and make big plays for us,” Bickham said. “I like to use my speed to get open and I think I have pretty good hands,” Bickham said. “I want to be a good senior leader and help keep everybody on the right path,” Bickham said. Bickham, who is also the Lions’ starting point guard on the basketball team, said he is working out at cornerback and hopes to get some quality time on the defensive side of the ball. Bickham said the team is working hard as a unit preparing for the season. “We will need a lot of freshmen and other young players to step up this year so we can be successful.” Bickham said he also plans on running track doing the 100 meters, high
JUNIOR QB JOHN McDOWELL
jump and 4x100 meter relay. Junior John McDowell gets the starting nod at quarterback after seeing limited playing time last
season. He displayed accuracy when given the opportunity. He completed 8-of-11 passes without an interception, throwing for 93 yards
and two touchdowns. He also ran for a score. Scobel described McDowell as a talented athlete. “He got some playing time last year and when he did play with the varsity, we normally scored. He’s going to be fine. He is the least of my worries,” Scobel said. Senior Brandon Alford (6-1, 192) gets the nod at tight end and a number of other players will see time at the position. Scobel said he has a number of players that will see time on both sides of the ball. Scobel said a number of his defensive players would be required to log time on the offensive line. Scobel said junior Cameron Chatellier, sophomore Deonte Casnave and freshman Robert Brown will have the ball spread out between them. “There is no Phillip Bickham (First Team AllDistrict performer) this time around. Those are SEE LIONS, PAGE 17
PAGE 8 | FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010
Aug. 27 – FHS Jamboree • Sept. 3 – Biloxi • Sept. 10 – Archbishop Shaw • Sept. 17 – Archbishop Rummel • Sept. 24 – Hammond* • Sept. 30 - @Northshore*
Fontainebleau Bulldogs Founded: 1994 Head Coach: Mike Materne 2009 Record: 1-9 Home: FHS Dawg Pound
★
Bulldogs look for redemption in 2010 By Mike Pervel St. Tammany News
T
he Fontainebleau Bulldogs are looking to rebound from last season’s disappointing 1-9 campaign. Head coach Mike Materne, in his second season, described this year’s squad as a group of very hard workers. The Bulldogs conducted camp at Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Miss., and Materne liked what he saw. “It was the hottest I can remember at camp and they worked through it. We practiced three times a day and conducted meetings in mid-afternoon. We kept
them pretty busy,” Materne said. The Bulldogs’ record last season was not indicative of how they played, being in a number of their ballgames as they battled some key injuries. “I’m enthused about the upcoming season. We’re still kind of iffy in the offensive line, but they continue to work hard. I’m not disappointed with the O-line, but in my mind that is still a question. We have a bunch of good kids, who are responsive to the coaches,” Materne added. Materne said he likes the improvement by his junior quarterback Conner Smith. “He showed improve-
ment week to week at the end of the season. I was impressed with his play during the 7-on-7’s and he has the ability to run the ball, which will give us a different look,” Materne said. Smith saw quite a bit of action last season filling in for injured starter Addision Melancon, who broke his ankle. “Getting the playing time last year was important. When I went in everything was so fast for me. I should be immune to the pace of the game,” Smith said. “I’m not the biggest guy (6-1, 165-pounds), but I’ll do the best I can to help lead my team. I give it
everything I have. I like staying in the pocket, but I can also throw on the run,” Smith added. Smith said his offensive line is coming around. “They are giving everything they have, working hard and are getting stronger in the weight room.” Smith said he wants to inspire his teammates and perform his best. He said he has loads of confidence in his team’s
running game led by the reliable senior Ryan Brooks. “ R y a n a lways gives it his all. He has the biggest heart in the world. He gives eve r y t h i n g he has on every play and he’s an all around great guy,” the quarterback said. Brooks, 5-8, 170-pounds, runs a 4.6 forty-yard dash and gained 419 yards. “We got a lot done during camp. We are getting better and better everyday
trying to improve with each practice,” Brooks said. “We are looking for some redemption this season trying to restore the program to what it was. We need to be aggressive offensively,” Brooks added. Joining Brooks in the backfield will be fullback Chris Fisher, who he describes as a hard runner and a good blocker. Brooks said he is also working out at corner back. Coach Materne said his team isn’t big in the backfield, but he said there isn’t a kid that works harder than Ryan Brooks. “He’s going to give you SEE DAWGS, PAGE 9
Oct. 8 – Covington* • Oct. 15 - @Mandeville* • Oct. 22 – Slidell* • Oct. 29 - @Ponchatoula* • Nov. 5 - @St. Paul’s* (*denotes district games)
FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010 | PAGE 9
» 2010 fontainebleau bulldogs No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 87 88 89 90 91
Name Jalean Brooks Bobby Tyson Greg Atkinson Dylan Malbrough Darius Hill Chase Sims Chris Fisher Brandon Kent Brandon Black Conner Smith Rene Metoyer Jordan Bourgeois Gerard Bell Niles Jones James Kinter Jason Westereng Bryce Lawrence Randy Sherman Caleb Downing Tanner Brignac Jacob Finn Patrick Doyle Andrew Collins Ryan Brooks Zach Workman Daniel Zellner Mason Catanzaro Franco Centanni Ted Conrad Tyler Lopez Alex Barreirro Rashad Boatner Vincent Williams Larry Heard Jesse Barreirro Thomas Savoie Trey Dyson Nathan Dupart Blair Butler Josh Burkart Blake Coco Wayne Nunes Holden Lee Josh Fortunia Josh Kinler Garrett Kugelmann Chase Veronie Chad Babin Christopher Neff Simon Doyle Phillip Heisser Pat While Justin Walker Tyson Lawson Zach Harper Thomas Mundle Jesse Black Aaron Parr Colby Nuccio Justin Hanson Grant Waters Josh Istre Austin Leray Ben Gourgues Joe Butcher Allen Tate Barrett Creech Ryan Hollis Josh Edwards Tyler Sterling Benjamin Ford Daniel Sutor Daniel Priola Dillon Kugelmann Dylan Finnegan Christopher Mon Lorenzo Soto Taylor Reicke Alex May Nick Bradley Justin St. Germain Michael Seither Devin LeBlanc Maxwell Smith Dustin Johnson Jacob Simpson Beau Monk Garrett Meyer Dominic Pizzitolo
Pos. DB RB/DB WR/K RB/DB WR/DB QB/DB RB QB/DB DB/QB QB WR WR RB/WR DB/WR WR/DB DB/WR DB DB QB RB DB DB LB/RB RB/DB WR WR DB LB QB/DB WR/DB WR/DB RB/LB RB WR/DB DB RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB DB RB/DB LB RB/LB RB/LB DB LB RB/LB WR/DB TE/LB RB/LB OL/DL DL/OL DL OL OL DL OL LB/RB OL OL/DL OL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/LB DL OL/DL OL OL OL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL OL/DL OL/DL TE TE TE/LB WR/DB WR TE WR/DB DL LB/TE
Ht. 5-7 5-9 5-11 6-0 5-7 5-5 6-0 5-10 5-10 6-2 5-6 6-2 5-9 5-7 5-10 5-8 5-9 6-0 5-10 5-10 5-11 5-9 5-11 5-8 5-10 5-11 5-10 5-7 6-3 6-2 5-8 5-8 5-10 5-6 5-10 5-4 5-7 6-0 5-11 5-9 6-2 6-0 5-10 5-7 5-9 5-10 5-8 5-9 5-7 5-11 6-0 5-10 5-9 5-9 6-4 5-8 5-10 5-9 5-7 6-0 5-10 5-9 6-0 5-9 6-5 6-0 6-5 5-11 6-4 5-7 5-7 6-0 5-6 6-3 5-10 6-3 5-9 6-0 5-9 5-6 5-7 5-10 5-11 5-4 6-0 6-2 5-6 5-9 6-0
Wgt. 145 170 162 193 138 135 205 147 172 163 135 188 158 124 145 146 134 160 147 185 174 159 170 170 164 150 139 158 165 169 135 183 223 130 148 146 131 138 150 145 182 163 177 155 194 170 124 150 150 217 275 296 160 260 222 167 230 150 190 201 185 226 208 200 240 204 293 212 240 177 187 192 172 389 190 316 265 282 195 152 120 163 155 100 160 213 135 180 195
Class Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Fr. Sr. So. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. So. Jr. So. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. So. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. Jr. Fr. So. Fr. Sr. Jr. Fr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Jr. So. Fr. Sr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. So. Jr. Jr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Fr. So. Sr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Fr. Fr. So. Fr. Jr. So. Sr. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Fr. Jr. Jr.
DAWGS: Junior QB to trigger offense » FROM PAGE 8
100 percent. I don’t care if it is stretching, sprints or running plays, he gives you his all. You can count on him and he knows how to find the hole,” Materne said. He said he would have lots of players going both ways, saying he needs to have his best 11 on the field. Materne said he is blessed to have a great staff including Hall of Fame coach Allie Smith, a former head coach at Covington High, who will serve as the offensive coordinator, Mike Woods, former head coach at Abramson and Mike Lavin at Ecole Classique. Second-year coach Chris Blocker, the defensive coordinator, will run a base 50scheme. Despite having 22 seniors, they don’t have much game experience and the Dawgs’ defense is replacing a number of starters who graduated. “We lost some key defensive performers, who will be tough to replace. We are banking on our guys gaining experience very quickly,” Blocker said. Blocker said the defensive unit is working together pretty well and showed decent progress at camp. “The thing that impresses me is that these players respect one another a great deal. They are also one of the hardest working groups I have been around,” said the defensive coordinator. Blocker expects big things from senior defensive tackle Pat White. “Our defense will only be as good as he is.” Blocker added. White, 5-10, 296-pounds, must anchor the Dawgs’ Dline. “I think we are going to look pretty good this year. Camp went really well. We got a lot accomplished and learned a lot of stuff. The heat was something else, but we worked through it,”
JUNIOR QB CONNER SMITH
White said. “Our defense is coming
around. We have some good linebackers and good cor-
ners. I think we have the potential to be a solid defensive unit,” White added. White said the team has put last season behind them and are looking to improve. “We just need to finish games. We are working hard to get the conditioning in. I don’t get pushed back too often. I need to be aggressive off the ball and hold my ground,” said the senior tackle. White is also vying for time at the center position with Tyler Lawson. Senior Brandon Black, a two-year starter at corner back, talked about the secondary. “We will win as a team and lose as a team. We are working hard on the team aspect,” Black said. “We had a good summer camp and learned a lot. We identified our mistakes and worked on them. We SEE DAWGS, PAGE 17
PAGE 10 | FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010
Sept. 3 – John Curtis • Sept. 10 – Archbishop Rummel • Sept. 17 – West Jefferson • Sept. 24 - @St. Paul’s* • Sept. 30 – Slidell* • Oct. 8 - @Ponchatoula*
Mandeville Skippers Founded: 1920 Head Coach: Guy LeCompte 2009 Record: 7-4 Home: Sydney Theriot Stadium
★
Skippers boast boatload of talented WRs By Mike Pervel St. Tammany News
M
andeville High head coach Guy LeCompte is entering his fifth year at the helm of the Skippers and
likes what he sees from his team early on. LeCompte has posted a 32-14 record in his four seasons with the Skippers. MHS went 6-1 in district finishing behind the St. Paul’s Wolves last year and
were 7-4 overall, falling to Westgate 21-14 in the bidistrict round. The Skippers return six offensive starters and four on defense. LeCompte said his club benefited from the 7-on-7
competition in Hoover, Ala. “Our 8-team pool actually had 43 Division I offers so we faced a number of quality opponents. We faired well and were seeded 19th out of 32 teams after pool play. I felt like our boys
competed and we were in every game. We were a lot more competitive than the previous year,” LeCompte said. “Our offense was productive and we were able to put points on the board.
Last year was the first year we were in Hoover, and I think that helped prepare us. There was no intimidation this time around,” LeCompte said. SEE SKIPPERS, PAGE 11
Oct. 15 – Fontainebleau* • Oct. 22 - @Hammond* • Oct. 29 – Northshore* • Nov. 5 - @Covington* (*denotes district games)
FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010 | PAGE 11
» 2010 mandeville skippers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 16 17 19 20 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 54 55 57 58 59 61 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 73 74 75 76 77 78 80 81 82 84 85 86 88 89 91 92 94
Name Elijah Levee Jerry Petersen Todd Primo Josh Glass Jabarrey Stuart Sean Zemke Zachary Tircuit Marc Zemke J’wan Bickham Tim Broussard Matt Bergeron Zac Barrient Charles Reece Nick Morgan William Redd Jonathan Baham Zach Boudreaux Jonathan Gioe Chris Knight Matt Duris Charles Jones Daniel DeMelo Joe Starkey Nate VanHorn Xavier Marcus Rache´ Diaz Vincent Lombardo Westley LaBorde Brian Devillier Mitchell Pike Austin Roy Austin Cherry Alfredo Beauchamp Jamar Mitchell Joe Joe Robichaux Kyle Pellegrini Zach Belou Sam McGivern Michael Truesdell Brian Kinch Preston Winget Hunter Harwell Jack Ingalls Jacob McKay Brenden Dugas Sam Ingalls Derek LeCompte Hogan Crosby Dee Johnson Ryan Niedermair Marc Ostendorf Tyler Thompson Cole McHugh Charlie LeBlanc Brandon Webre John Dombrowski Monroe White Christian Dragna Jeffrey Smith Justin Gore Caleb Williams Kiegan Marek Greg Siener Josh Miller Hunter Townsend Malcolm Warner Zak Kromer Sam Skansi Trev Whitten Garrett Dinicola Colby Lacombe Jonathan Nelsen Matt Nungesser Ethan Blouin Stuart Cranner Forrest Holt
Pos. WR DB DB WR DB WR/QB QB WR DB LB QB QB WR QB DB DB DB DB DB DB RB RB RB RB WR LB LB RB LB DL LB DB DB DB DB K/WR LB LB LB LB DL LB LB DB LB OL LB OL DL OL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL DL WR WR DB WR WR LB DB DL DL DL
Ht. 5-10 6-0 5-9 6-0 5-10 6-6 5-8 6-3 5-5 6-0 5-11 5-10 6-3 5-11 6-0 6-1 6-2 509 5-9 6-2 5-11 5-9 6-0 5-8 5-9 5-8 6-1 5-8 5-9 6-1 5-11 5-10 5-7 5-8 5-8 5-10 5-10 6-0 6-1 6-4 6-2 5-9 509 5-9 5-8 5-9 6-0 6-0 5-7 6-3 5-7 5-11 6-1 5-5 5-11 6-6 6-0 6-2 5-10 5-10 6-2 6-3 6-5 5-11 5-11 6-1 6-1 5-11 6-2 6-2 5-6 5-10 6-0 6-0 6-0 6-2
Wgt. 161 182 148 155 158 203 137 192 122 185 170 170 197 169 151 166 162 156 150 161 186 171 170 157 149 231 203 167 177 215 181 155 153 130 153 168 163 211 202 223 215 142 152 150 165 220 171 192 265 231 185 231 220 196 310 243 209 290 248 256 210 187 244 265 244 190 152 140 184 165 147 152 173 211 241 216
Class Sr. Jr. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. Fr. Jr. So. Jr. Sr. So. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. So. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. So. Sr. So. Jr. So. So. So. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. So. So. So. So. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. So. Sr. So. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. So. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. So. Sr. Sr. Jr.
SKIPPERS: MHS QB has poise, coach says » FROM PAGE 10
Offensively, junior quarterback Matt Bergeron (511, 170) will trigger the Skippers’ spread offense and will have a number of targets to choose from. LeCompte said he’s excited about the depth he has at the receiver position and the fact the players are pushing each other to improve. “We are deeper at the receiver position than we have ever been. I’m excited about the whole group,” LeCompte said. LeCompte said there are certain characteristics that you look for in a quarterback, and one is poise. “Matt is a student of the game. He is able to keep his eyes downfield despite the pressure of the rush. He has good pocket presence. He’s a natural for the position,” LeCompte said. Bergeron, a lefty, who completed 14-of-31 passes for 110 yards with one TD and two interceptions last season, talked about the 7on-7 competition. “We competed well going against some of the top competitors in the nation. Our receivers did a great job. Most of them are juniors, but they have experience,” Bergeron said. “I played a good bit last year and they did too so we are used to each other. I came to Mandeville in the eighth grade so I have learned from the best like quarterback Chad Plaisance. I was a ball boy in the seventh grade. I have been around coach LeCompte’s offense so I’m really comfortable with it,” Bergeron added. “I really don’t feel pressure. I came into the West Jeff game last year and I thrive on pressure. The offensive line is very good this year. They are working really hard and I’m very proud of them. I couldn’t do anything without them and they are the heart of our
AUSTIN ROY
SAM McGIVERN
SEAN ZEMKE
offense,” Bergeron said. Bergeron said he and his senior center Christian Dragna have played together since junior high. Senior offensive guard Greg Seiner (6-5, 244) is another stalwart up front. LeCompte said he has a good offensive line and likes their size. “Those guys have been working really hard and have made big strides forward. We are looking to
continue to improve up front,” LeCompte said. Junior receiver Sean Zemke (6-6, 215) is a big target for Bergeron. Zemke said he is anxious for the season to get underway. “We have a really good quarterback in Matt (Bergeron) and he’s smart. He’s going to spread the ball around. He’s a calm customer and has a good
release. He’s quick and can read the defense,” Zemke said. “We have a good passing game, but we also have a nice running game with Charles Jones. He’s a big threat that the defense has to look out for and that should help open up our passing game,” Zemke added. SEE SKIPPERS, PAGE 20
PAGE 12 | FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010
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FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010 | PAGE 17
LIONS: Open season at home against perennial powerhouse John Curtis » FROM PAGE 7
some big shoes to fill and will have to use a couple guys to do that,” Scobel said. CHS returns four defensive starters from last year’s squad including senior end Devin Perez, junior tackle Daniel Larocca, senior linebacker Bubby Keen and junior backer Otha Peters. “The strength of our defense is our front seven. They will have to tote the burden, while a young secondary gets some playing time under their belt,” Scobel said. Perez (6-0, 205) said the Lions have a young defensive squad, but are working well together. “We’re getting better everyday as a unit and we are getting stronger. We’re in better shape and we are focusing on closing the fourth quarter this year. We let a couple games get away from us last season so we are working on that not happening again when we
are tired late in games,” Perez said. “When you’re tired, you just need to continue pushing through, mentally and physically. That was one of our main focuses during the summer,” Perez added. “I’m looking forward to us having a good season. We have gotten a lot faster and stronger as a team during the summer. I think we are going to be in a lot better shape so we can have an opportunity to finish games this year and hopefully get some more wins,” Perez said. “Our defensive line has the experience and we have lots of playing time between us. We know what is expected of us (Daniel Larocca and Bradley Bellanger) and it is just up to us to come out and do it,” Perez said. Perez said he feels Peters will be a playmaker for the Lions’ defensive unit. Perez said he likes to use his quickness getting to the quarterback.
JAY BICKHAM
BUBBY KEEN
DEVIN PEREZ
“I’m not the biggest, but I think I’m a smart player and I have to work with what I’ve got. My technique, good hands and quickness off the ball is what will help get me through,” said the senior defensive end. Perez attended the Nicholls State lineman camp earlier in the summer. “It helped me with my technique and what I learned at camp should help me as a pass rusher.”
Keen (5-11, 232), a starting strong side linebacker, will also see time at fullback. “I think we are looking real good on defense up front. We have a lot of players to replace in the secondary, but a number of young guys are stepping up back there,” Keen said. “Losing Kyle Crouch at middle linebacker hurts, but guys like Otha Peters, James Smith and Latrelle Peterson are looking good. We have some other guys,
who can back up the position,” Keen said. “If the defensive line can get to their spots and hold their position, it will keep blockers off of our linebackers. Everybody has to do their job,” Keen added. Covington had a couple close games late in the season that they weren’t able to finish. “We have to learn how to finish games and come to play ball for an entire four quarters. We have to be prepared for anything to
happen late in games,” Keen said. Scobel said entering the season, the question mark is his defensive secondary. “We are still trying to find safeties. We will have different players against running teams and other guys when we face passing teams. We just haven’t found one that can do both yet,” Scobel said. The Lions struggled with special teams last season so Scobel has named Greg Salter as the Special Teams Coordinator. “They have worked hard and coach Salter has done a good job with that during the summer so I’m hoping we are improved in that area. We can’t give up blocked kicks and that is what hurt us last year,” Scobel added. Additionally, Scobel said he is still looking for a kicker and a punter. “I have a good coaching staff and I trust those guys. They know how to get things done.”
“Coach (Mike) Materne has been my coach for four years, and he is like a father figure to us all. Him becoming head coach last year was really cool because we already knew him on a personal level.” BRANDON BLACK FHS Cornerback
DAWGS: Kick off regular season Sept. 3 vs. Biloxi High at home » FROM PAGE 9
BRANDON BLACK
PAT WHITE
RYAN BROOKS
focused on our weaknesses not our strengths,” Black added. “I like the ability and experience of our secondary when it comes to defending the pass. Our motto in the secondary is to not get beat deep,” Black said. Black said the team has good leadership.
“We treat each other with respect. We are like a family,” the senior corner back said. “Coach Materne has been my coach for four years and he is like a father figure to us all. Him becoming the head coach last year was really cool because we already knew him on a personal level. Playing for him is just great,” Black said.
PAGE 18 | FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010
Aug. 27 - @Salmen Jamboree • Sept. 3 - @Salmen • Sept. 10 - Brother Martin • Sept. 17 - Pearl River • Sept. 24 - @Ponchatoula* • Sept. 30 - Fontainebleau*
Northshore Panthers Founded: 1981 Head Coach: Michael Bourg Jr. 2009 Record: 2-8 Home: Northshore Stadium
★
Northshore ready to bounce back in 2010 By Chris Kinkaid St. Tammany News
L
ast year, Northshore struggled from the outset. In the season opener against Salmen, their versatile senior quarterback Jervious Epherson suffered a season-ending injury, and Northshore lost its first three contests. District wins over Ponchatoula and Fontainebleau put the Panthers at 2-3 overall and 2-0 in league play. But from there, Northshore lost its final five games. Senior linebacker James
Johnson, who is playing the weakside, said last year was hard for him. He said it was tough to go through such a difficult season. Johnson said last season just makes everybody want to win more. This year, the Panthers are ready to make a run to get back to the playoffs where they were in 2008. Northshore coach Mike Bourg enters his fifth season as the head coach with a 22-18-career record. Offensively, the Panthers operate out of the spread. Bourg said the offensive line isn’t real big, but is athletic. Senior Chaz Cavignac
(6-foot-4, 265 pounds) moves from tackle to center. Bourg said Cavignac has been their most impressive lineman. “He looked really good at center,” Bourg said. “I think he’s going to have a chance to play on the next level.” Senior Taylor Vallette (61, 247) is the right tackle, while sophomore Michael Chatman (6-0, 250) handles the left-tackle duties. The left guard is senior Tim McGrath (5-11, 194) and senior Chad Tournillon (5-11, 206) is the right guard. The running backs are senior Patrick Johnson and junior Jared Faciane along
with senior Sammy Crifasi and sophomore Marshall Wadleigh. Johnson returns to the starting lineup after compiling 253 yards on 82 carries (3.0 yards per tote). Bourg said Faciane would be a receiver and running back. Johnson said the Panthers are going to have a real good offensive line. “We’re going to follow them and run,” Johnson said. The starting quarterback spot is up in the air as junior Steven Gaines and senior Eric Verzwyvelt battle for the position. Bourg said sophomore quarterback/wide receiver
Dylan Kelly may see time at receiver with the varsity squad, but is calling signals for the junior varsity team. Bourg said Kelly is a good athlete. The wide outs are juniors Quinn Harris and Delshawn Hogan. Defensively, the Panthers are changing from a 4-3 to a 3-3 stack under first-year coordinator Jeff Mills. Bourg said up front is the key and the line is filled with seniors Xavier Coleman (6-0, 220), Brandon Taylor (6-0, 240) and Terangi Phifer (5-11, 264) is the nose guard. “I think he’s going to be one of the best nose guards
that we’ve had here and I think he’s going to be one of the best nose guards in the district and in this area,” Bourg said. “He might not get a lot of recognition because of his height, he’s not real real tall, but he’s a man.” Phifer talked about the strength of the line. “We’re fast, we come off the ball, strong and we run sideline-to-sideline,” Phifer said. The linebacking corps includes seniors James Johnson (5-8, 195), Eugene Young (5-10, 190) and Devin Busby (5-10, 183) along with SEE PANTHERS, PAGE 19
Oct. 8 - @Hammond* • Oct. 15 - St. Paul’s* • Oct. 22 - Covington* • Oct. 29 - @Mandeville* • Nov. 5 - Slidell* (*denotes district games)
FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010 | PAGE 19
» 2010 northshore panthers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 27 28 30 31 32 33 34 37 40 42 43 44 45 49 50 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 74 76 77 79 80 82 83 84 86 87 88 91 93 94
Name J.R. Vappie Quinn Harris Nick Ledet Jamal Collins Marshall Wadleigh Sammy Crifasi Nicholas Souhlas Jake DiCarlo Jerome Walker Steven Gaines Hakeen Riley Dylan Kelly Stefen Shirah Eric Verzwyvelt Mitchell Cossé Anthony Parker Dwyne Overstreet Austin Green Kameron Broussard Darien Esteves Patrick Johnson Emjay Johnson Hayden Stubbs Josh Dakin Jared Faciane Nick Houston Austin Oalmann Paul Waddell Brandon Taylor Brandon Smith Ben Murchison James Johnson Garik Stein Jared Leeper Sal Battaglia Gary Impastato Hank Badon Eugene Young Chase Evans Tim McGrath Steve Guercia Josh Harrison Chaz Cavignac Joey Price Jacob Baroni Tyler Welch Devin Busby Eric Fabre Shucri Mustafa Everette Vince Chad Tournillon Evan Joffrion Evan Groomer Anthony Muñoz Taylor Wade Ben Farmer Justin Fernandez Bradley Baker Michael Chatman Christian Flucke Taylor Valette Terangi Phifer Zach Collins Alex Rabalais Delshawn Hogan Daniel Flot Gregory Mullen Jonathan Hilton Tré Dixon Savio Bui Jake Vallette Xavier Coleman Sammy Impastato Steven Diecidue
Pos. DB WR LB WR RB FB WR WR DB QB WR QB/WR DB QB DB DB DB QB WR RB RB RB DB DB WR DB LB WR DL WR RB LB DB DB LB LB LB LB DL OL LB LB OL OL OL OL LB OL LB DL OL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL DL DL DL TE WR/K WR TE/P WR WR TE DL DL DL
Ht. 5-8 5-7 5-10 5-7 5-10 5-9 5-11 5-7 5-7 5-10 6-1 5-10 5-7 6-0 5-9 5-10 5-8 6-1 6-2 5-7 5-5 5-3 5-9 6-1 5-5 5-9 5-9 5-7 6-0 5-6 5-7 5-8 5-11 6-0 5-10 5-8 5-11 5-10 5-8 5-11 5-9 5-8 6-4 5-11 5-9 6-0 5-10 6-0 5-7 6-0 5-11 6-0 5-9 6-1 6-1 6-3 6-1 6-4 6-0 6-1 6-1 5-11 6-4 6-0 6-1 6-0 5-11 6-4 5-11 5-8 5-10 6-0 5-7 5-11
Wgt. 160 130 161 125 167 185 168 135 172 160 175 160 135 184 151 161 145 150 180 148 170 140 143 156 155 145 153 130 240 130 150 195 151 158 160 185 185 190 180 194 208 200 265 237 221 195 183 185 179 168 206 241 202 258 218 260 210 260 250 203 247 264 247 194 200 160 155 230 160 135 185 220 212 230
Class Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. So. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. So. Sr. So. Sr. So. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. So. So. Sr. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. So. Jr. So. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. So. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. So. So.
“We’ve got strength up front, speed outside, all good tacklers and all very smart. They’re not selfish.” JAMES JOHNSON NHS LB, on the Panthers’ defense
PANTHERS: New ‘D’ alignment coming » FROM PAGE 18
juniors Nick Ledet (5-10, 161) and Hank Badon (5-11, 185). James Johnson said the group has speed. “Everybody’s fast. Everybody’s willing to hold somebody up so we can go for the strip,” Johnson said. “Everybody’s willing to do a little bit extra to win.” He also said the line could be the best line to ever come through Northshore. “We’ve got strength up front, speed outside, all good tacklers and all very smart. They’re not selfish. They all want to make plays for everybody,” James Johnson said. The cornerbacks are seniors J.R. Vappie and Mitchell Cossé, while junior Josh Dakin is the safety. Vappie saw limited playing time last year, getting in just two games due to a broken foot. He said the injury made him appreciate the game more. “Watching from the sidelines gives you a whole new perspective,” Vappie said He said they’ve got a good group of smart backs. “Everybody’s good,” Vappie said. “Dakin at safety is very good, can come downhill and hit anybody. We have depth as well because our other cornerback, we have Mitch (Cossé) and Jerome Walker switching out at that spot.” Cossé returns to the field after breaking his ankle in 2008, while sliding into home plate in a Panthers’ baseball game. Bourg said
Mitchell, whose older brother Andrew graduated from NHS in 2008, has looked pretty good. Bourg said Cossé is smart. “He’s a lot like Andrew. He’s just smart on the field, he knows the game and that’s going to help him. He’s not as fast as J.R. (Vappie) on the other side, but I think he and J.R. are both smart. I think that’s going to help them out.” Senior Daniel Flot handles the field goals, extra SEE PANTHERS, PAGE 20
TERANGI PHIFER
PAGE 20 | FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010
District 7-5A key games to watch for
Mandeville @ St. Paul’s Sept. 24 • Hunter Stadium
Slidell @ Northshore Nov. 5 • Northshore Stadium
Local bragging rights, as well as the district title, could be decided in this early-season clash.
Neither team wants to lose this battle of Slidell rivals held at the end of every regular season.
SKIPPERS: MHS possesses depth on defensive side of ball » FROM PAGE 11
Jones, a junior, topped the Skippers’ rushing game last season with 768 yards and 10 TDs. Coach LeCompte likes his running game with Jones and senior Westley LaBorde. “Charles (Jones) brings great quickness and speed to the game. He’s a great leader for us. Westley is a hard nosed runner, who made some big plays for us last year,” LeCompte said. Defensively, returning starting junior left outside linebacker Sam McGivern (6-0, 211), said he couldn’t wait to get the season started in hopes of winning a district title. “I think we have a good
shot at being strong in district and we want to make a deep run into the playoffs. We are a motivated group,” McGivern said. McGivern made 33 solo stops and had 23 assists with two stops for losses. He intercepted two passes, recovered two fumbles and returned one for a score. McGivern prides himself in having a solid work ethic. “I’m ready to go every play. I bring everything I have every day. I’m sure everybody on the defense feels the same way,” McGivern added. McGivern said he feels the Skippers’ defense will be strong. “I think we will be pretty good. The linebackers will have to step it up and the
secondary is looking good,” said the junior backer. McGivern praised defensive coordinator Craig Jones referring to him as being a very smart man. “He knows what he is doing. He comes up with great scouting reports and he is a really good coach. He knows how to get his players motivated,” McGivern said. Senior linebacker/strong safety Austin Roy (5-11, 181) is a versatile player, who feels the team is looking pretty good. “We have a few spots that we are continuing to work on to get better at. Overall, I’m excited about the season and I think if we continue to work hard we can be pretty good this
year,” Roy said. Mandeville has always been known for having
solid linebacker play. “We have some good younger players who are
stepping up and I think this group is going to be pretty good. We had a couple players who changed positions and are looking strong in their new spots,” Roy added. Roy described himself as a hard working player. “I try to do what I can to be the best player to help my team. I’ve been working on dropping back to defend in pass coverage, but I think I am able to handle both the run and the pass,” Roy said. Former Northlake Christian School starting quarterback junior Timmy Broussard has transferred to Mandeville and is working out at linebacker in the Skippers’ scheme and adds depth based on his athleticism.
JAMES JOHNSON
PATRICK JOHNSON
J.R. VAPPIE
JUNIOR QB MATT BERGERON
PANTHERS: Only travel outside St. Tammany twice » FROM PAGE 19
points and kickoffs. Bourg said the punting job is up in the air. Northshore fans will have an excellent chance to see their team play this season as the Panthers leave the parish just twice for dis-
trict games against Ponchatoula Sept. 24 and Hammond Oct. 8. The jam-
boree is set for Aug. 27 at Salmen and then Northshore returns to Salmen the following week to begin the season and compete in the Spanther Bowl. The district opener is against Ponchatoula and homecoming is against Fontainebleau Sept. 30.
FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010 | PAGE 21
Aug. 27 – Rummel (FHS Jamboree) • Sept. 3 – Karr • Sept. 10 - @Central Baton Rouge • Sept. 17 – Cohen • Sept. 24 – Mandeville* • Sept. 30 – @Hammond*
St. Paul’s Wolves Founded: 1911 Head Coach: Ken Sears 2009 Record: 10-2 Home: Hunter Stadium
★
Wolves gear up to defend District 7-5A title By Mike Pervel St. Tammany News
T
he St. Paul’s Wolves proved to be the cream of the crop last year, taking the District 7-5A title with a 7-0 mark and finished 10-2 overall, bowing out in the regional round of the playoffs. St. Paul’s head coach Ken
Sears enters his 12th season as the Wolves’ mentor after logging a 69-49 record. Sears said he loves this team’s tireless, work ethic. “This is an extremely hardworking group. I know we can put our head on the pillow at night knowing we gave an outstanding effort in the off-season,” Sears said.
Senior quarterback Alec Duncan (6-2, 200) will be back under center to spearhead the Wolves’ attack. Duncan completed 73-of149 passes (49 percent) for 1,358 yards. He tossed 13 TDs with five interceptions. “I think we can be a very good team this year. We have a lot of returning skill
players on offense. The only place we have new starters is on the offensive line, but I trust them and they have had a good summer,” Duncan said. “We have great chemistry in the backfield with Mikhail (Washington) and Dylan (Long) and they have loads of confidence along with juniors Markell
Powell and Kris Brumfield, who will step in and should do very well,” Duncan added. “I have very big expectations for our offense this year. Jermaine (Sams) has had a great summer and he is lightening fast. He is an explosive receiver and once he gets the ball in his hands it’s hard to catch him. He
has good hands and I have confidence in him,” said the senior QB. Sams pulled down a team-high 27 receptions for 648 yards, averaging 24 yards per catch with 7 TD catches (long of 89 yards). Senior Johnny Williams returns at tight end. SEE WOLVES, PAGE 22
Oct. 8 – Slidell* (Homecoming) • Oct. 15 - @Northshore* • Oct. 22 – Ponchatoula* • Oct. 29 - @Covington* • Nov. 5 – Fontainebleau* (*denotes district games)
PAGE 22 | FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010
» 2010 st. paul’s wolves No. 1 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Name Mikhail Washington Trent Domingue Mitch Brumfield Markell Powell Keaton Moore Ed Duplessis Alec Duncan John Gremillion Jay Washington Reed Wilson Collin D’Angelo Tyler Tourelle Stephen Gully Jordan Alex Smith Patrick Duncan Kris Brumfield Peyton Blank Dane Stubbs Parker Galloway Turner Valois Jermaine Sams Gray Westervelt Joseph Long Justin Elzy Marcus Gaines Nick Noggerath Chris Dill
Pos. RB K/P DB RB LB/FB LB QB DB RB/DB SE/DB QB LB DB LB QB RB K DB DB QB SE TE/SE RB/FB RB/DB RB DB LB
Ht. 5-8 5-10 5-5 5-11 6-0 6-0 6-2 5-9 6-0 5-11 5-10 6-0 5-9 5-9 6-0 5-6 5-11 5-8 5-8 5-9 6-0 6-1 5-11 5-5 5-6 5-7 5-10
Wgt. 170 155 120 175 180 185 200 165 150 175 140 210 170 190 170 135 170 170 170 140 175 150 185 120 145 130 190
Class Sr. Jr. Fr. Jr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. So. Sr. Fr. So. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Fr. Fr. Sr.
No. 27 28 29 30 31 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 41 42 43 43 44 45 46 47 48 48 49
Name Pos. Tyler Tamboli DB Aaron Behlar RB Trevor Warner RB Matt Johnson DE/LB Jay Simoneaux LB Cole Abraham RB Justin Reyes FB/RB Wesley Tate RB David Stechmann DB David Englehardt FB/LB Sean Lozes DB Chris Reyes DB Jacques Guilory DB Peter Stegeman LB Jackson Murrell DB Luke Posner DB Ariean Loo-HernandezRB Matt Stumpff DB Daniel Conlin DB Cole Landry FB/RB Mitchell Blaise LB Steven Richard LB Hudson Dudley DB Marc Gremillion DB Tanner LeBlanc FB Brandon Darce LB Christian Berry DB
Ht. 5-8 5-9 6-0 6-1 5-5 5-10 5-7 5-7 5-11 5-7 5-8 5-7 5-8 5-10 5-11 5-8 5-6 5-6 5-5 5-7 5-9 5-9 5-11 5-7 5-10 5-7 5-10
Wgt. 155 135 185 180 150 165 160 150 170 155 155 160 145 140 140 140 125 150 140 160 160 185 150 135 150 145 140
Class Jr. Fr. Sr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Jr. So. So. So. So. Jr. Sr. So. Fr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Fr. So. Jr. Sr. So. Fr. Fr. So. So.
No. 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75
Name Pos. Cullen Toups RB Brandon Delahoussaye LB Lewis Melton C/OG Ross Hodgins LB Dee Koepp LB Jacob Macheca C Grant Hodgins C/OG Mason Cole DE Garrett Melton LB Jermaine Chatman DT/DE Shane Burkholder OG Gabe Emerson OG Andre Marshall OT Tucker Faust C Jase Stubbs OG Casey Spinelli K Christian Voelkel OG Kyle Cuntz C Tanner Stuard OG Brandon Charitat OG Jose Castro DT Brennan Walters DT Sam Welty OT Colin Cunningham OG Zack Mangrum DT Tim Dawson OT Matthew Landry OT
Ht. 5-7 5-11 6-0 5-6 6-1 5-8 5-11 6-1 5-8 6-0 6-1 5-11 6-2 6-1 5-10 5-10 6-0 5-7 5-10 6-2 5-11 6-5 6-0 5-10 5-10 6-0 6-1
Wgt. 140 175 290 170 205 180 225 170 165 210 240 235 185 200 205 170 230 205 185 195 180 255 255 220 220 180 205
Class Fr. Jr. Jr. Fr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Fr. So. So. So. Fr. So. Fr. Sr. Jr. Sr. So. Fr. So.
No. 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99
Name Austin Loper Parker Jaquillard Stephen LeBlanc Paul Jaquillard Rico Bedford Andy Short Ryan Malone Charles Anzalone Matt Clark Handsome Monica Morgan Bourne Johnny Williams Zack Jennings Garret Shearman Jimmy Farris Parker Richerson Trevor Hartmann Brian McIntire Patrick West Justin Sciortino Tanner Warner Greg Morales Jonah Johnson Nick Blaise Gustavo Garcia Mickey Johnson
Pos. DT OT OT OT SE SE TE/DE TE DE TE TE TE/P/K DT SE SE LB TE DE DE/DT DE DT DT DE DT DE DT
Ht. 6-0 5-10 6-3 6-3 6-1 6-0 6-1 6-0 6-2 6-2 6-1 6-3 5-10 5-10 6-0 6-0 6-1 5-11 6-0 5-10 5-10 6-1 5-11 5-6 6-2 6-2
Wgt. 250 195 235 250 165 180 170 180 190 210 180 210 240 140 145 170 180 175 170 205 150 225 185 180 210 310
Class So. Fr. So. Sr. So. Jr. So. So. Fr. Fr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Fr. So. Fr. So. Fr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Fr. So. Sr.
WOLVES: Defending champs return strong » FROM PAGE 21
Senior running back Mikhail Washington (5-8, 170) said he feels his Wolves will have a great season.
“We had a good camp and we are looking good as a team. We are looking forward putting everything together to have a tremendous year,” Washington said.
Washington, who runs a 4.53 forty-yard dash, has set a goal to gain 1,000 yards and at least 500 receiving yards. Last season, he gained 528 yards on 94 totes, averaging 5.4 yards
per rush with four TDs. “I think my hands have really improved since my freshman year. If I miss a pass I’ll do 10 pushups on my own. I need to continue to train hard to get better,” Washington added. Washington said the team had a very competitive camp and there were no downfalls. Junior fullback Dylan Long returns after picking up 711 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Washington said with Long blocking it makes his life a lot easier. Sears said the offensive line is a little bit of a question mark, but it helps having the experience they have at quarterback, in the backfield and at receiver. “We just have to find the best fit. Hopefully, we can be an offense that can move the chains and put points on the board,” Sears said. Sears said his two senior offensive tackles Paul Jacquillard and Grant Hodgins had great summers along with senior offensive guard Colin Cunningham. He also praised the work of sophomore center Kyle Cuntz. “We have some depth on the O-line and we like going into the season
SENIOR QB ALEC DUNCAN
knowing we have six or seven guys, who can step in. It’s more of an experience factor with the line,” Sears said. Sears said switching to
defense he feels his Wolves will be strong up front led by senior tackle Mickey Johnson (6-2, 295). SEE WOLVES, PAGE 26
FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010 | PAGE 23
PAGE 24 | FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010
Aug. 27 - @Salmen Jamboree • Sept. 3 - Holy Cross • Sept. 10 - Salmen • Sept. 17 - @John Ehret • Sept. 24 - Covington* • Sept. 30 - @Mandeville*
Slidell Tigers Founded: 1908 Head Coach: Artie Liuzza 2009 Record: 5-5 Home: L.V. McGinty Stadium
★
Eight starters returning for Tigers in 2010 By Chris Kinkaid St. Tammany News
S
lidell’s Tigers enter this season after a tough one last year that saw them just miss out on the playoffs. In 2009, Slidell went 5-5, but could have been 7-3 had they not blown a pair of double-digit leads against district foes Ponchatoula and Hammond. Against Ponchatoula, the
Tigers led 17-6 at halftime before suffering a 27-17 loss. Two weeks later, they were up on Hammond 13-0 and 20-7 before falling 34-33 in overtime as the Tornadoes converted a two-point attempt to win it. “You can look back at a couple games here or there and you could say if we would’ve won this one or that one, I don’t know,” Slidell fourth-year coach Artie Liuzza said. “I think it
goes back to taking each week one at a time and not worrying about all of that crazy stuff and worrying about just trying to get better each game. If you do that, then that other stuff will take care of itself.” Junior defensive end Gavin Toussaint said missing the playoffs and being so close hit them hard. “We came back with a whole different attitude, which is facing the season
with a whole different mindset and we’re ready to go,” Toussaint said. Since taking over for Wayne Grubb, who stepped down to take an assistant principal job, Liuzza, who enters his 29th year with the school, has compiled a 15-16 record and guided his team to the playoffs his first two seasons as the head coach. Offensively, Slidell operates out of the spread. The
unit features eight starting seniors and three juniors, but just three are returning starters. Liuzza said that’s been common the past couple seasons where they’ve had a lot of seniors. “We’re replacing eight on offense and six on defense,” Liuzza said. “We did that last year and we had eight to replace on offense. We replaced those guys with seniors that were coming up from JV experi-
ence. This is kind of the same scenario.” The players moving up don’t have much experience. “Hopefully we get better as the season rolls on,” Liuzza said. One of the keys to the offense this season is going to be the running game and the Tigers have a good stable of backs. Senior SEE TIGERS, PAGE 25
Oct. 8 - @St. Paul’s • Oct. 15 - Ponchatoula* • Oct. 22 - @Fontainebleau* • Oct. 29 - Hammond* • Nov. 5 - @Northshore* (*denotes district games)
FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010 | PAGE 25
TIGERS: Missed postseason in ‘09
» 2010 slidell tigers No. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 29 30 32 33 34 35 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 48 49 50
Name Morgan Williams Jonathan Populis Reggie Howard James Donaldson Jamil Evans Clarence Age Austin Sigsworth Bradley Myers Matt Conaway Errol Williams Chris Burch Lloyd Brown Geames Green Jessie Carter Thomas Chaptial Darion Causey Brennan Broussard Stephon Smith Josiah Mullen Antonio Marshall Jonathan Miles Errol Legier Stephen Smith Josh Campbell Brent Campbell Courtney Rutledge Justin Brewer Lawrence Harvey Christen Legier Nick Glover Greg Mendez Adam Perrone Michael Chaptman Logan Lewis Denzel Dawson Eugene Giles Jeremiah Maat Ethan Martin Aaron Miller Jared Ponce Robert Bradley Josh Ohler Adam Mitchell Cody Downs
Pos. DB QB DB WR DB DB QB QB QB DB WR DB DB DB WR DB LB RB DB RB RB RB DB DB LB DB DB LB RB LB DB LB DB LB DB DB LB P/K LB LB LB LB DB DL
Ht. 6-0 5-8 5-0 6-0 5-11 5-6 6-0 5-9 5-9 5-7 6-1 5-8 6-0 5-1 6-1 5-9 5-11 5-11 5-11 5-11 6-2 5-7 5-10 5-9 5-6 5-10 5-7 5-11 5-10 5-8 5-6 5-8 5-9 5-10 5-6 6-0 5-11 6-0 5-10 5-8 5-9 5-8 6-0 5-10
Wgt. 157 145 102 143 170 133 192 170 145 157 161 178 153 117 168 185 185 171 152 176 206 153 154 161 157 147 145 175 153 220 151 151 168 183 180 169 170 145 213 236 170 218 185 210
Gr. 12 11 10 12 10 10 10 11 10 10 12 11 10 10 12 11 11 12 11 11 12 11 12 12 11 10 10 10 10 12 10 10 12 12 11 10 11 12 10 12 10 11 12 10
No. 52 57 58 59 62 63 64 66 68 70 71 72 74 75 76 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 88 89 90 93 95 96 97
Name Dewitt Peters Glenn Carmedelle George Ray Chance Johnson Kerry West Brandon Hostetler Silas Parker Fernando Reyes Michael White Cameron Jones Cameron LeBeau Mickey Wortman Brett Kincade Tyler McShan Kevin Brown D.J. Berns Jason Huntington C.J. Hampton Blake Thiesen Brandon Baham Marvon Calyen Sean Harrison Damian Sparks Aaron Treadway Tabor Gamblin Desmond Kirksey Justin Andry Gavin Toussaint Daniel Alfred Matt Guidry Jodice Marks
Pos. LB OL OL OL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL DL OL OL OL WR WR WR WR WR WR WR K WR DL DL DL DL DL
Ht. 5-8 5-9 6-5 5-9 5-10 6-0 5-7 5-7 5-7 6-3 5-8 6-4 6-1 5-7 5-9 6-0 5-11 5-11 5-7 6-1 6-2 5-9 5-8 5-6 6-0 5-5 5-9 6-0 5-5 5-7 5-10
Wgt. 194 206 300 171 336 244 243 172 209 300 215 253 184 194 247 229 273 171 139 174 178 132 131 130 175 134 213 220 172 190 178
Gr. 12 10 12 10 12 10 10 10 10 12 10 11 11 11 11 12 11 12 11 12 11 10 10 10 10 10 12 11 10 11 10
» FROM PAGE 24
Jonathan Miles (6-foot-2, 206 pounds) comes back to the starting lineup after rushing for 700 yards last season. New to the starting lineup, but a player who comes with experience is St. Paul’s transfer senior Stephon Smith, who finished with 132 carries for 981 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Wolves last season. Also, junior Antonio Marshall can play running back and wide receiver. The Tigers implemented the Wildcat a little in 2009, which gave them the opportunity to use the running game in a different way. “That was our first year kind of running it, but it seemed to work out well for us. I liked it and the players really liked it,” right tackle George Ray (6-5, 300) said. “It was new, kind of updat-
JONATHAN MILES
ed on the formations, but it worked out well for us.” The other returning starter is senior left guard D.J. Berns (6-0, 229). The new starting linemen are senior left tackle Cameron Jones, senior right guard Kevin Brown and junior center Jason Huntington. Ray, a second-year starter, talked about the line. “We only have two
returning starters,” Ray said. “Other than that, we have some young guys, but I feel that they are going to step up and do the position on the line. They have a great mindset coming out that they are going to step up, work hard regardless of whether they’re young or not or inexperienced. They are going to come out and play the game.” For the second-straight year, Slidell has a new starting quarterback. Junior Bradley Myers is calling signals for the Tigers. Last year, Myers got experience with the junior varsity team, but saw limited playing time in varsity action. Liuzza talked about his signal caller. “He’s a junior. He got a lot of JV experience last year, small kid, picks things up real well, coachable and I suspect he’s going to get SEE TIGERS, PAGE 26
PAGE 26 | FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010
WOLVES: Johnson and Tourelle bolster St. Paul’s defense » FROM PAGE 22
“We rotated lots of people last year so our guys have game experience. Coach Lee Pierre (defensive coordinator) and his staff do a good job of rotating guys in and out to keep them fresh,” Sears said. Johnson said he feels the Wolves are coming in with a pretty strong team. “We still have room for improvement, but we are looking forward to owning the district title again and then making a good run in the playoffs getting past the quarterfinal round,” Johnson said. Johnson, a first-team alldistrict selection, registered 11 sacks last year. He recorded 37 solo tackles with 22 assists. “As a senior leader, my teammates are looking up to me. It’s important for me to step up and do my job. Defensively, everything starts up front with the Dline where I’m one of the leaders along with senior Matt Johnson and juniors Mason Cole and Greg
JERMAINE SAMS
MICKEY JOHNSON
TYLER TOURELLE
Morales. We have a good linebacker in Tyler Tourelle behind us. It’s our job to keep the offensive guard off of him so he can make plays,” Johnson said. Johnson, who ran a 4.96 forty-yard dash at the LSU camp, said his quickness off the ball and his strength are his keys. “If I can get my hands on the offensive lineman first, the battle is done. We want to get off to a quick start to let the district know we are coming. Coach Sears’ philosophy is to play physical football. We like to pound
the ball at our opponents,” Johnson said. Johnson said a number of colleges are looking at him including LSU, Oregon, UCLA, Nebraska, Tennessee, Michigan, Florida State, Mississippi State and Memphis not necessarily in any order. Senior middle linebacker Tyler Tourelle, the Wolves’ leading tackler, logged 54 individual stops with 32 assists. Tourelle talked about the upcoming season. “It will take a lot of hard work and preparation for us to be successful. We had
a great camp (Nicholls State) and summer workouts went well. Consistency and everyone bringing it every single day is important. We have the mindset and the attitude that we want to get to the Dome to win a state championship,” Tourelle said. Tourelle talked about the Wolves’ defense. “Everybody has to have each other’s back. All eleven of us flying to the ball making tackles is what it will take. We will have to live up to expectations. We are at the top of the pole as
the defending district champs so everybody is hunting for us,” Tourelle added. To u r e l l e said this year ’s group of linebackers is one of the best they have had including himself, senior Dee Koepp, a returning starter, senior Chris Dill and juniors Mitchell Blaise and Brandon Delahoussaye. Wolves’ defensive coordinator Lee Pierre said the defense had a very good summer with conditioning and weight lifting. Pierre praised his middle linebacker. “Tyler is the quarterback of our defense and he makes the adjustments. He’s a very smart player,” Pierre said. “We had good 7-on-7’s with Franklinton. We’re excited about the season. We play in a very difficult district so it will be
a tough road to defend our district title.” “The target is on our back, but we know the work we need to do and have the experience. We know you have to be prepared each week and be ready to go due to the quality of our district opponents,” Pierre added. Pierre said he is expecting a lot from Johnson to anchor the Wolves’ defensive front and make the disruptive plays in the backfield like he did last season. “With the loss of Houston Bates (defensive end attending Illinois) our ends are stepping up to fill his shoes. Matt Johnson, a returning starter, had a great camp and Mason Cole ( junior) is coming along really well. We can flip them both from side to side at end,” he said.
TIGERS: Experience on defense could propel 2010 squad » FROM PAGE 25
better with each game too hopefully with experience.” Defensively, the Tigers run a multiple set under second-year coordinator George Herdliska. The unit has six seniors and five juniors in the starting lineup. Four starters return in senior linebackers Adam Mitchell and Nick Glover along with senior cornerback Morgan Williams and junior linebacker Darion Causey. The new starters include senior tackle Dustin Andry, senior linebacker Logan Lewis and senior cornerback Stephen Smith, a St. Paul’s transfer. The rest are juniors including, ends
Toussaint and Matt Guidry free safety Lloyd Brown and linebacker Jeremiah Maat. Toussaint said the line doesn’t have a lot of size, but they are focusing on speed and technique. He described himself as a speed rusher. Toussaint said having a year in Herdliska’s system helps for this season. “This year, we’re more comfortable with the plays and the playbook. It just seems like more of a smooth transition than last year,” Toussaint said. “It was kind of rough.” Liuzza said the strength and experience is in the secondary. He said the line and line-
GAVIN TOUSSAINT
GEORGE RAY
MORGAN WILLIAMS
backers are working hard, but they are just inexperienced at those positions. On special teams, Brennan Broussard should be handling all of the kicking duties. Liuzza said
Broussard’s a good athlete. “He’s kind of like (last year’s kicker) Chris Barnes a little bit. He’s a soccer kid, who played as a freshman and then had a knee injury and sat out last year. He was
able to play soccer last year. He’s athletic. With any bad snaps or anything like that, he can go get them and make a play if he has to. He’s got a pretty strong leg, kind of like Chris did.”
Liuzza said he didn’t kick last year, but feels Broussard can get it in the end zone. Liuzza said if Broussard gets a hold of one, he could nail it. Slidell opens the regular season with a pair of home games Sept. 3 and 10 against Holy Cross and Salmen. Following a road game against John Ehret, district play starts against Covington. Following two road contests against Mandeville and St. Paul’s Sept. 30 and Oct. 8, the Tigers return home against Ponchatoula. Their final three games are at FHS, home for Hammond and then a road game against Northshore.
FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010 | PAGE 27
5A: Wolves in hunt for repeat » FROM PAGE 5
losing by just four, six and four points respectively. Head coach Mike Materne enters his second year with Louisiana Hall of Fame coach Allie Smith serving as offensive coordinator and Chris Blocker in his second season as the Dawgs’ defensive coordinator. The Bulldog offense returns senior running back Ryan Brooks, who rushed for 419 yards with four touchdowns. Junior quarterback Conner Smith, who saw limited time under center, returns as the starter. He completed 24-of-49 passes for 317 yards. Defensively, the Bulldogs will need a strong season from senior tackle Pat White. Coach Blocker said the Dawgs’ defense would need White to be a force inside. He said the defense will have to jell quickly. Senior Phillip Heisser, who is the leading returning tackler from last year, recorded 46 tackles for the Dawgs.. Northshore is attempting to regroup after coming off a disappointing 2-8 season. The Panthers will be counting on a running attack featuring senior Patrick Johnson, who gained 253 yards on 82 carries. The Panthers will also rely on versatile junior running Jared Faciane, who will also log time at wide receiver. Senior Eric Verzwyvelt and junior Steven Gaines are com-
peting for the starting quarterback position. Defensively, the Panthers’ Mike Bourg, is employing a new defensive scheme switching from a 4-3 alignment moving to a 3-3 stack. The Panthers return two starting defensive linemen in seniors Terangi Phifer (5-11, 264) and Brandon Taylor (6-0, 240). Xavier Coleman (6-0, 220) will join them along the Panthers’ defensive front. Junior safety Josh Dakin, the Panthers’ leading returning tackler with 40 stops, hopes to bolster the NHS secondary. Slidell’s Tigers slipped to 2-4 in district play and missed the playoffs at 5-5 overall under coach Artie Liuzza. They open the season with a new quarterback, junior Bradley Myers. The Tigers’ running game could be a strength, led by senior Jonathan Miles, who ran for 700 yards. St. Paul’s senior transfer Stephon Smith should be a key part of the Tigers’ running game. He gained 981 yards on 132 carries (7.4 yards per carry), finding the end zone 10 times. Second-year defensive coordinator George Herdliska will stick to showing multiple looks across the unit. The Tigers have four defensive returning starters including senior linebackers Adam Mitchell and Nick Glover along with senior corner back Morgan Williams and junior corner Darion Causey.
PAGE 28 | FOOTBALL 2010 | SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010