Two Louisiana prep stars commit to SEC schools

Haughton's Prescott picks Mississippi State; Evangel's Castellano opts for Vanderbilt

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Dave Moormann
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Jul 27, 2010, 1:58pm
Two Shreveport-area athletes pledged their allegiance to the Southeastern Conference when Haughton (La.) quarterback Dak Prescott committed to play football for Mississippi State next season and Evangel Christian (Shreveport, La.) third baseman Connor Castellano agreed to play baseball for Vanderbilt.

Prescott attended a Mississippi State camp after having earned first-team All-City honors as a junior. He declined several offers from Southland Conference schools, as well as those from Memphis and North Texas.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while,” said Prescott, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound pro-style quarterback.

Evangel third baseman Connor Castellano, The Times' 2010 All-City Player of the Year, committed to play baseball at Vanderbilt University this morning.

As for Castellano, he chose Vanderbilt over Louisville. Castellano hit .523 as a junior with 12 home runs and 35 runs batted in. The left-handed hitting Castellano has made the Class 2A All-State team each of the last two years, and Evangel reached the Class 2A quarterfinals last season.

Castellano was the Shreveport Times’ 2010 All-City Player of the Year.”

"Louisville is in the Big East and has a great nonconference schedule," Castellano said in explaining his decision. "Playing in the SEC every weekend is super special. The atmosphere is like a football game, but it's at a baseball park."

LSU pursues West Monroe’s Turner

Given that LSU made him a scholarship offer, West Monroe (La.) athlete Paul Turner has an opportunity to play in the SEC, as well. Turner, who plays quarterback and in the secondary for the defending Class 5A state champions, has yet to make a decision.

LSU tendered the offer after Turner attended its annual football camp. The Tigers are looking at Turner as a wide receiver and defensive back.

Turner also has offers from Ole Miss and Mississippi State of the SEC, TCU, Texas A&M, Navy, Louisiana Tech, the University of Louisiana at Monroe and McNeese State.

Turner completed 78 of 132 passes for 1,511 yards and 13 touchdowns last season and ran 131 times for 1,054 yards and 17 touchdowns.

"He's an athlete," West Monroe coach Don Shows said of Turner. "I think either you got it, or you don't got it. And I think he's got it."

Bachman back; Dees hired

After abruptly resigning as Evangel Christian’s head coach, John Bachman has returned to coaching as the offensive line coach at Bastrop (La.). His son, Thomas, is offensive coordinator.

Bachman led Evangel to the Class 2A state title last December before stepping down in late February. Former Evangel quarterback Phillip Deas was named Evangel’s interim head coach. Deas has since been made permanent head coach.

In three years as Evangel’s head coach, Bachman guided the Eagles to a pair of state-championship game appearances and a berth in the 2007 state semifinals.

Bastrop won the Class 4A state championship from 2005-07, although the Louisiana High School Athletic Association later ruled the Rams' ineligible for the 2005 state title.

"I can't say enough about Coach (Brad) Bradshaw and the job he's done," Bachman said. "All the times we went over and played in the jamboree over there, and then we played them in back-to-back seasons (2007-08), we developed a relationship. I knew the job he'd done, and, as far as myself, I really admired and respected the job he's done over there."

Girls basketball: Claiborne looking for coach

After having reached at least the second round of the state playoffs in each of Cornelius Dunaway’s two seasons, Claiborne Christian (West Monroe, La.) is looking for new girls basketball coach.

Dunaway recently stepped down despite having been named the District 2C Coach of the Year last season.
Dunaway also coached boys basketball but will be replaced by junior high girls and boys coach Josh Taylor, who will continue to coach the junior high boys.

"Coach Dunaway did a great job, and really I hate to see him go," Claiborne principal Chad Olinde said.  "He was excellent with fundamentals. Two years ago, he had a young squad, and he really stressed fundamentals big time, and the girls did a great job under Coach Dunaway. He was really one of the best around at teaching."

Other than District Most Valuable Player Angel Hamilton, the Lady Crusaders will return their entire team, including three All-District players and seven All-District selections.

Softball: Moreman passes away

Former Byrd (Shreveport, La.) softball coach Dan Moreman died at 63 after battling cancer. Moreman was lured out of retirement to coach Byrd for the 2010 season after having become a fixture in the Shreveport community.

Several years ago the administration at Evangel renamed its field Dan Moreman Field in honor of the coach who took the Eagles to their first state tournament berth. Moreman also coached at Centenary College.

“He was one of the sweetest, most genuinely respectful, good-hearted men I'd met in my life," said former Centenary standout Micah Rhodes, who worked with Moreman at Evangel. "He was so pleasant to be around. He was one of those guys I was always extremely happy to see. Seeing him made my day so much better."

Moreman assumed the Byrd post despite having had cancer-related surgery before the start of the season. He guided Byrd to an undefeated District 1-5A record and a state playoff berth.
 

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