TWO HEAD COACHES HIREDBonnabel (Kenner) tabbed an alumnus as its new head coach, while
East Ascension (Gonzales) hired Sulphur's former head coach as the next person to run its program and serve as athletic director.
Reggie Rogers, a 1992 graduate, will take over at Bonnabel after having served as Helen Cox's (Harvey) offensive coordinator since 2005, a year after he joined the school upon its creation. Rogers will replace Craig Lingle, who is not coming back after the Bruins finished 3-7 last season. Helen Cox averaged 24 points per game this past season and lost in the first round of the playoffs to eventual Class 4A state champion Franklinton, 67-20, to finish 5-6.
East Ascension hired Paul Bourgeois, who was an assistant at Westlake last season after having spent nine years as Sulphur's head coach. Bourgeois, 46, was one of 33 applicants and four to be interviewed for the job.
Bourgeois was 56-32 in nine seasons at Sulphur, including a 13-10 loss to district rival Acadiana (Scott) in the 2006 Class 5A state title game. Acadiana won the championship again last month.
DUTRUCH EARNS RUDY AWARD FINALIST SPOTPope John Paul II (Slidell) senior guard
Tyler Dutruch is among 12 finalists for the
High School Football Rudy Award, which went to Parkview Baptist's (Baton Rouge) Calob Leindecker last year.
The second-year national award honors those who have overcome adversity and is named for former Notre Dame player Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, the central figure of the movie "Rudy".
A Type 1 diabetic, Dutruch was an All-District performer despite having to take daily insulin shots.
Dutruch was among 50 semifinalists and 250 original nominees. Four scholarship winners will be announced Jan. 18, and the overall national winner will be declared at a Feb. 11 awards ceremony.
