South Plaquemines hires new football coach

In the hopes of quelling the controversy that surrounded the termination of his predecessor, South Plaquemines (Port Sulphur) has hired Damien Mills as its new head football coach.

Mills, a former quarterback at Capitol (Baton Rouge), succeeds highly successful Cyril Crutchfield, who was relieved of his duties earlier this year after his alleged use of profane language.

Crutchfield guided South Plaquemines to three consecutive Class 1A state title appearances, including state championships in 2007-08. Since Crutchfield was fired in late April, the South Plaquemines football team has seen a dramatic depletion in its ranks.

With the hiring of Mills, the Hurricanes are hopeful of having those numbers rise again. Mills most recently was the offensive coordinator at Treasure Coast (Port St. Lucie, Fla.), which won the District 7-6A championship in Florida's highest classification last season.

The Titans reached the regional finals, or third round of the state playoffs before losing and finishing with an overall record of 8-4, including 4-0 in district.

Mills, 34, briefly worked in the Plaquemines Parish School System in 2005 as an assistant football coach and head basketball coach at now-defunct Buras before Hurricane Katrina struck.

Mills played collegiately at West Virginia Tech, where he also was an assistant coach.

Also considered for the South Plaquemines job were former Desire Street Academy (Baton Rouge) head coach Mickey Joseph and former East St. John (Reserve) assistant coach Shan Williams Jr.

Following Crutchfield’s dismissal, Williams directed the Hurricanes through summer workouts. Williams is scheduled to serve as defensive coordinator on Mills’ staff.

Destrehan names Stroud to top spot
Destrehan, another program with a proud winning tradition, hired a new head coach of its own in Chris Stroud, who was defensive coordinator when the undefeated Wildcats won consecutive Class 5A state championships in 2007-08.

Stroud, 45, succeeded, Stephen Robicheaux, who stepped down after nine years to become the St. Charles Parish school system’s Coordinator of Security, Safety and Emergency Preparedness. Stroud’s hiring is contingent on approval at the school board’s next meeting Aug. 11.

Stroud was one of 12 applicants to be interviewed, and Destrehan principal Stephen Weber said the sense of urgency in hiring a coach worked in Stroud’s favor.

"He had an advantage, obviously, with the time constraints," Weber said. "He has assumed a lot of the duties since Coach Robicheaux moved on. But he came in with a great attitude. He didn’t assume anything. He is young and motivated and will continue what I like to call the Destrehan way -- if not make it better."

A native of Franklin, Stroud began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Comeaux (Lafayette) before working, as well, at Tara (Baton Rouge) and East St. John.

"I’m very excited," Stroud said. "It’s a great blessing and a great opportunity.”
 
Softball: Byrd promotes assistant
After one year as an assistant coach, Byrd (Shreveport) named Emerald Doria as head coach to replace Dan Moreman, who is battling a recurrence of cancer.

Doria is Byrd’s fourth head coach in as many years, but she said she intends to remain longer than her predecessors.

"That was one of the first things I told (principal Jerry) Badgley," said Doria, who played at Shreveport’s Centenary College. "I think I'd be great for the head coach position because I don't plan on going anywhere. I told him I wanted to bring the program stability."

Moreman guided Byrd to a perfect District 1-5A record last season before the Yellow Jackets fell in the first round of the state playoffs.

Badgley is a former Byrd softball coach, as well.

"She's soft-spoken, and I was like that as a coach,” Badgley said of Doria. “I like that in a coach. Any time a coach can speak softly and the kids respect that, that to me is a great approach."

Baseball: Guilbeau commits to Alabama
An unofficial visit to Alabama was enough to convince Zachary senior pitcher Taylor Guilbeau that he wants to further his career with the Crimson Tide.

“The more I walked around (Alabama’s campus), it felt like it was home away from home,” Guilbeau said.

And, so, Guilbeau committed to Alabama and plans to sign in November during the early signing period.
The 6-foot-3, 170-pound left-hander made the Class 5A All-State team last year with a 10-3 record and a 1.40 earned run average.

Guilbeau said he also received scholarship offers from Arkansas, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Tulane, Southeastern Louisiana and McNeese State.
 
Athletics: Denham Springs coach airs show
Denham Springs athletic director and football coach Dru Nettles debuted his weekly radio show earlier this month with former major league pitcher Ben McDonald as Nettles’ first guest.

Nettles was McDonald’s freshman catcher on the Denham Springs baseball team that won the 1986 Class 4A state championship. McDonald later played baseball and basketball for LSU before embarking on a 10-year major league career with the Baltimore Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers.

A Denham Springs native, Nettles lettered four years in baseball and three in football between 1986-89. He still holds several school football records, including most career pass interceptions (12), most career pass interceptions in a game (3, in 1987), most pass interceptions in a regular season (8 in 10 games in 1987) and most pass interceptions in all games of a season (10 in 12 games in 1987).

Nettles is one of the few prep football coaches nationally to have his own weekly radio show throughout the year. The show features interviews with Denham Springs current and former coaches and players and focuses on the Yellow Jackets’ entire athletics program.

Nettles became head football coach and athletic director at his alma mater in 2005. In 2008, Nettles gave Denham Springs its first winning season and playoff team in 13 years. The Yellow Jackets reached the playoffs with another winning record in 2009.