If a Plaquemines Parish School Board decision stands, Cyril Crutchfield no longer will coach football at South Plaquemines (Port Sulphur) after having won three Class 1A state championships over the past 10 years.
At a disciplinary hearing June 7, Crutchfield was terminated as football coach and suspended without pay as a teacher for the first 30 days of the 2010-11 school year. Furthermore, he was suspended without pay as a bus operator for the first five days of the upcoming school year.
Crutchfield’s attorney, Gibby Andry, said Crutchfield will appeal the rulings to the 25th Judicial District Court in Plaquemines Parish.
The school board’s actions stemmed from an incident that took place at the school April 19. South Plaquemines teacher Kellie Granito testified before the board that she heard Crutchfield, 43, use sexually explicit profane language in her presence and that of her senior English class.
The board heard testimony from eight witnesses, including Crutchfield, three South Plaquemines seniors and Plaquemines Parish School Board Superintendent Denis Rousselle, who recommended that Crutchfield be disciplined and terminated as football coach.
Despite being subpoenaed, student witnesses Paul Isidore and Taylor Scott did not appear. They provided written statements that corroborated Granito’s charges. Prosecuting attorney Bob Hammonds entered the statements as evidence, although both Isidore and Scott publicly recanted their statements shortly after the allegations against Crutchfield became public.
“I just didn’t feel like we got a fair shake,” Crutchfield said. “The cards were stacked against us.”
The board took action after viewing and hearing nearly six hours of evidence and testimony. The board deliberated slightly less than an hour before voting 6-3 to support Rousselle’s disciplinary recommendation. The board voted 5-4 to suspend Crutchfield as a bus operator.
“Whatever the board wants is fine with me,” Rousselle said. "This is nothing personal for me.''
In four years at South Plaquemines, and before that at Port Sulphur, which was closed after Hurricane Katrina, Crutchfield fashioned a combined record of 105-33.
In addition to his three state championships, he directed the two schools to a combined five championship games and seven state semifinal appearances. As track and field coach, he won five district championships and the 2009 state title.
Track and field: Boudreaux honored
In 44 years of coaching track and field at his alma mater, Catholic (Baton Rouge)'s Pete Boudreaux, 68, has won numerous awards and championships. The latest one, though, caught him completely by surprise.
The highly respected Boudreaux was named the USA Track and Field High School Boys Track Coach of the Year.
“I can’t believe it,” said the affable Boudreaux. “I’m flattered ... I really am. Obviously, I didn’t get into coaching for things like this, but it’s nice.”
Boudreaux guided the Bears to the Class 5A state cross country title last fall, the Division I-Classes 5A and 4A indoor track and field championship in February, and the Class 5A outdoor crown in May. Catholic accomplished the same feat during the 2008-09 school year.
During his esteemed career, Boudreaux has won 15 state cross country titles, seven state indoor championships and 11 state outdoor crowns.
Baseball/softball: All-state teams chosen
Winning state baseball and softball championships paid dividends with the announcement of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Classes 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A all-state teams.
Catholic (Baton Rouge)’s Kyle Achord was named the Class 5A Baseball Coach of the Year after the Bears won their first state title since the 1970s. St. Thomas More (Lafayette) pitcher Prophet Gaspard (25-4) was named the Outstanding Softball Player after leading her team to its second consecutive state softball title.
Barbe (Lake Charles) first baseman Hommy Rosado, a native of Puerto Rico, was named the Outstanding Baseball Player after hitting .486 with 26 home runs for the state semifinalists.
Kenny Vial earned Softball Coach of the Year honors for guiding Hahnville (Boutte) to its first appearance in the finals. State champions Teurlings Catholic (Lafayette) and Vandebilt Catholic (Houma) reaped three of the four top honors on the Class 4A team.
Teurlings Catholic senior third baseman Tyler Girouard was named the Outstanding Baseball Player after hitting .473, while his coach, Mike Thibodeaux, was selected Coach of the Year.
Vandebilt Catholic senior pitcher Saidee LeMaire (24-7) was chosen the Outstanding Softball Player, with Beth Domingue of runner-up Houston (Lake Charles) chosen as the Coach of the Year.
Ryan Leonards of state-champion Notre Dame (Crowley, La.) was named the Outstanding Baseball Player on the Class 3A all-state team. Leonards hit .517 and sported a pitching record of 9-1. Parkview Baptist (Baton Rouge) shortstop Jacee Blades batted .525 in being named the Outstanding Softball Player.
Rayne’s Deserea Dunn and Bobby Gilliam of Loyola College Prep (Shreveport) were the softball and baseball coaches of the year, respectively.
Class 2A state champion Northlake Christian (Covington) produced the Outstanding Baseball Player in pitcher Bryan Picou and the Coach of the Year in Rowland Skinner.
Rosepine pitcher Christina Hamilton was chosen as the Outstanding Softball Player and Stephen Wren of Opelousas Catholic as the Softball Coach of the Year.
Bowling: Rivers Jones wins national honor
River Jones of Redemptorist (Baton Rouge) was named to the 2009-10 Dexter/United States Bowling Congress High School team that featured five boys and five girls.
He will receive a $1,000 scholarship and an All-America Team award at the USBC Junior Gold Championships in Indianapolis in July. A four-year team captain, Jones recently graduated with a 3.81 grade point average and will attend Northwestern State.
LHSAA: State sites awarded
Shreveport-Bossier City will play host to the Top 28 Finals tournament for boys and girls basketball in 2012 and 2013. Bossier City’s CenturyTel Center also will be the site of the state wrestling tournament for 2011 and 2012.
The announcements were made at the Louisiana High School Athletic Association’s summer meeting.
New Orleans will be the site of the Division 13 state soccer tournament in 2011, while Sulphur will play host to the state softball tournament for the next four years.