Woodlawn Scores Jamboree Victory Using Stingy Defense, Timely Offense

Woodlawn Scores Jamboree Victory Using Stingy Defense, Timely Offense

Aug 29, 2017

The Woodlawn Panther offense used an eleven play drive, capped by the victory formation, to seal the victory Friday night over East Ascension in the 2017 jamboree. Clinging to a one-point lead and facing a 3rd and 15, Louisiana Tech commit Xavier Lodge picked up 22 yards to force East Ascension to use their final timeouts.

Senior captains prepare for the coin toss before the 2017 jamboree.

The Panthers only score of the night came early in the first half. After Junior Jacob Barnes’ kickoff pinned the Spartans on their own 13 yard line, the defense forced a three and out. Senior defensive back Jonathan Scott had the big play of the drive, tackling an East Ascension ball carrier for a six yard loss. The Spartans were forced to punt from their nine yard line, and when the punter mishandled the snap, senior linebacker Shaun McCray tackled the punter at the one yard line.

Three plays later, senior quarterback Brian Byrd found junior receiver Bryson Reaser alone in the back of the end zone for the touchdown. Barnes’ extra point put the Panthers up 7-0.

The Spartans were able to quickly answer, scoring on a ten play drive on their next possession. However, senior linebacker Daron Mosely was able to break through the line on the extra point attempt and block the kick, retaining the Panther lead by the score of 7-6.

The Panther defense held East Ascension’s offense to 72 total yards on the game. Woodlawn was especially stingy against the run, allowing only 11 yards on 14 carries.

The night began with the underclassmen getting a chance to play in front of a packed stadium on a Friday night. Woodlawn’s freshman team fell 14-0 to East Ascension’s freshmen. The Panthers shut the Spartans out in the second half.

Woodlawn’s JV team also fell to East Ascension’s JV by the score of 3-0.

Woodlawn will be back in action Friday, September 1 at home. The Panthers will host Live Oak in the opening game of the 2017 season. Two of Woodlawn’s service clubs, National Honor Society and Beta Club, will be hosting a tailgate beginning at 4 pm. The game is set to kick off at 7 pm. Students are encourage to wear white to the game.

Former Woodlawn Coaches Elected into Hall of Fame

Former Woodlawn Coaches Elected into Hall of Fame

Apr 26, 2017

Two former Woodlawn High School coaches with a rich history in Louisiana were recently elected to the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame. Kenneth “Kenny” Almond and Don Jones were both members of the 2017 Induction Class. The coaches, along with seven others, were inducted at the 39th Annual Induction Ceremony held on April 12, 2017 at the Crowne Plaza in Baton Rouge.

Coach Kenny Almond speaks to his Woodlawn team during a break in action.

Almond began his coaching career at Baker Junior High School as the seventh grade basketball coach in 1971. He spent four years there before landing his first high school job as the head basketball coach at Central High.

After a two-year stint at Central, Almond became the head basketball coach at Lee High School, where he led his team to a district title and state runner-up finish in 1982.

Almond went on to coach at three more schools in Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas, with his most successful stop here at Woodlawn High. While at Woodlawn, Almond compiled a record of 455-167, giving him a winning percentage of seventy-three percent. During the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 seasons, Almond’s Panthers were ranked as high as number two nationally and won 56 straight games. His Woodlawn teams also won nine district championships, three state runner up titles, and three state titles.

During Almond’s 39-year coaching career, he compiled an overall record of 892-402 and earned multiple awards and honors. In total, Almond won three state championships (all at Woodlawn), four state runner-up titles (three at Woodlawn, one at Lee High), and two additional state semifinal appearances (both at East Ascension). He has been named Boys Basketball State Coach of the Year three times, District Coach of the Year fourteen times, and the Advocate Metro Coach of the year twice. In 2014, he was awarded the Louisiana Mr. Basketball Award and was inducted into the LHSBCA Hall of Fame in 2013.

“To be included in this group of coaches being inducted into the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame is certainly an honor. This is nice..humbling really,” Almond said. “This honor is shared with and could not have been accomplished without the athletes, coaches, and managers that I was so fortunate to work with. And it’s a reminder that things were really good.”

Jones began his coaching career in 1971 at LaSalle High School as the head football coach. This stop was the first of many for Jones during his 35-year career. He went on to coach at eight other Louisiana high schools, including his final stint here at Woodlawn.

Coach Don Jones is seen during a game versus Central in 2012.

Jones was the head coach at Woodlawn from 2006-2012. In that time, Jones led the Panthers to two district titles and four playoff appearances.

Jones’ teams won fifteen district titles, and he had a career record of 233-150-3 as he coached at schools in the Baton Rouge, Acadiana, and Monroe areas. Jones also spent seven seasons at an assistant coach at University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana-Lafayette) before returning to the high school ranks.

Jones success as a high school football coach earned him many honors and awards, including the District Coach of the Year eleven times and the LHSCA 25-year plaque in 2003. Jones was highly involved in the LHSAA, LHSCA, and the LFCA. He was the LHSCA All-Star Football Coach in 1999, the LHSCA President in 2002, and served on the LHSAA Executive Committee from 2004-2005.

“I have been so blessed to coach the greatest sport on earth for forty plus years,” said Jones. “There is nothing like “Friday Night Lights. I could not have achieved the success that I’ve had without the support of my family. I also owe this honor to every coach that I worked with and every player that I have coached with which made it all possible. Being inducted into the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame is very humbling.”

Woodlawn Football Hosts Second Annual Golf Tournament

Woodlawn Football Hosts Second Annual Golf Tournament

Apr 11, 2017

Chad Sabadie, EBR School System

As Woodlawn High School strives to get the word out that it’s entered a new era of its storied history in Baton Rouge, a growing tradition was once again prominently displayed on the links.

Coach Daniel Luquet and the Woodlawn Football Program hosted its second annual Golf Tournament April 10th at Santa Maria Golf Course in Baton Rouge. Nearly 200 local golfers participated in the fundraiser as the number of overall teams shot up from 33 a year ago to 47 in 2017.

“It continues to grow,” Woodlawn Principal Scott Stevens said. “We get a lot of alums and prominent folks, especially in our area to participate and say, hey Woodlawn is still here and still a viable option for everybody. We just love having it, especially here at Santa Maria being in our backyard.”

Rob Wise of ITinspired, 4th from left, has been a key Woodlawn sponsor over the last two years.

Coach Daniel Luquet stressed the importance of the day, “The biggest thing for me is that our kids are going to grocery shop, try to get jobs in this community. In order to get those jobs, and get those people to understand what Woodlawn is about and what our kids are about, you’ve got to invite them to things like this. For me, it’s all about trying to stay local because we’re products of Baton Rouge.”

An action-packed event featuring two separate golf flights, sponsored holes, catered food, in-tournament competitions and raffles, Woodlawn raised close to $15,000.

“Companies being a part of this is big, and in the long run we’re trying to raise money for our football program, but really we’re just trying to get the awareness out there that the product that is Woodlawn is a good product,” Luquet said. “We’ve got good things and great things happening, and we want everyone to know about it.”

From former Woodlawn standout and MLB pitcher Chad Durbin to Food Network personality Jay Ducote, a longtime Baton Rouge resident, there was also no shortage of star power at Santa Maria.

“When you look at the schools across the spectrum, one of the things these public schools need is more funding for the extra-curricular activities,” Ducote said. “So the coaches or instructors, the art teachers and band directors, can actually go out and do the things they want to help students succeed more, and I know a good bit of the faculty and staff here at Woodlawn, and by getting the chance to come out here and help them out is really important to me, giving back to the public schools who really need it. This is a great community event, it’s been a Who’s Who of Baton Rouge out here.”

Jay Ducote, Coach Daniel Luquet, and Aimee Tortorich pose at the Gov’t Taco hole during the 2017 golf tournament.

Nearly a decade ago, Ducote worked as a teacher and baseball coach for then Lee High School in Baton Rouge and knows what an event like this means for both the school and parish.

“It shows that there is community support for these community schools, and the East Baton Rouge School System is really doing some great things, and people need to know more about it,” Ducote said. “A lot of people seem to just pass over these public schools, and don’t really understand it unless you’re in it. The amount of great work that goes into these schools and the teachers and coaches who are putting the blood, sweat and tears into the work they do, and making these students’ lives better.”

Tournament participant Rhett Diez of MMR raved about the overall experience.

“They do very well with putting the program on, football wise and tournament wise, great community people,” Diez said. “They’re rising up, you look at this parish still rebuilding after the flood, and I think they’re doing well as far as moving forward.”

Jake Deloach, Woodlawn Class of 2006, was equally impressed with how far his alma mater has come.

“From my experience in high school, we didn’t have the funds,” Deloach said. “We didn’t involve ourselves in things like this. It’s a good thing, and I’m glad to be a part of it now.”

Reconnecting with alumni and the surrounding community continues to be a top priority for Principal Stevens and his faculty and staff.

“Daniel Luquet does a great job of connecting with business around us, and reconnect and say we’re here and want you to be a part of Woodlawn High School,” Stevens said. “In my three years as principal, putting a really great eye on Woodlawn that we’re a great public high here in Baton Rouge. We want to give back to the community and get the community involved in what we do, whether it be ROTC, Beta, National Honor Society or Robotics, just trying to give back to the community as much as we can.”

Golfers pose at the 2017 Woodlawn Football Golf Tournament.

Luquet added, “The people we have working here know what this school is about. I tell people all the time, we put the product out. Our football practices are open to the public, our basketball practices are open to the public. We’re not hiding anything, we’re right there on Jefferson, come see us. We try to do as much as we can in the community. We’re not trying to be anybody else. We’re just trying to be Woodlawn and do things the right way. We’re just trying to take the student and prepare them for what this world has to offer. I’m proud of what we do and the people associated with Woodlawn. I’m proud of events like this and other events to promote the school. I’m happy to be a part of the Woodlawn family.”

For more information on Woodlawn High School, visit www.woodlawnhighbr.org.

Hill Named 2017 Outstanding Woodlawn Volunteer

Hill Named 2017 Outstanding Woodlawn Volunteer

Mar 20, 2017

Junior Kerrington Hill was recently selected by voters to receive the 2017 High School Junior Volunteer Scholarship from the Greater Baton Rouge State Fair Foundation. The scholarship is valued at $500.

Hill performed in Blurred Lines, a program at Woodlawn sponsored by the Culture Club.

Hill, a 17-year old junior originally from West Monroe, currently maintains a 3.3 GPA while participating in football. Hill was a team captain on the 2016 Panther Football team, while playing linebacker. He is also a member of the BETA Club, Culture Club, the ICare Team Spirit Club, and National Honors Society at Woodlawn High.

Following the Baton Rouge flood in the fall of 2016, Hill and his Panther teammates assisted in cleaning and demoing homes that were impacted by high waters. When he was not helping the football team work on homes, Hill assisted family and friends in the area who worked on their homes.

“Helping those in need after the floods taught me to be grateful for what I have,” said Hill. “I learned how important it is to help others that need help.”

After graduation, Hill plans on attending a university in order to study Marketing and Business. While he is undecided on where he will continue his education, Hill says that he has looked at both LSU and Morehouse College.

Hill and fellow team captains take the field for the coin toss at Hahnville on September 2, 2016.

The Greater Baton Rouge Fair Foundation has been able to provide scholarship awards to students in each high school in East Baton Rouge Parish and surrounding parishes for 22 years. The award is given to a student who has given his or her own time as a volunteer both in school activities and in activities outside of school.

Hill’s picture will be featured in the Advocate, as well as at www.gbrsf.com.

 

 

Date Set for 2nd Annual Panther Football Golf Tournament

Date Set for 2nd Annual Panther Football Golf Tournament

Feb 3, 2017

The Panther football team will host their Second Annual Golf Tournament on Monday, April 10th. The tournament will once again be held at Santa Maria Golf Course, located at 18460 Santa Maria Parkway. The four-man scramble tournament will have a morning and afternoon tee time again this year. The morning golfers will tee off at 8 AM, followed by a 1 PM tee time for the afternoon group.

Jay Ducote passes out food to golfers at the 2016 Golf Tournament.

“The bottom line is, the goal of the golf tournament is to raise money for our student-athletes within the football program. But secondarily, we are looking to continue to build relationships with members of the Baton Rouge community,” said Head Coach Daniel Luquet. “We are proud of the things that we do at Woodlawn, and we want people in our area to see those things. The golf tournament is one of the ways we do that.”

Coach Luquet and his staff were extremely pleased with the outcome of last year’s tournament. The tournament featured 33 four-man teams and over 75 sponsors. Golfers were inundated with food and beverages around the course. The tournament looks to increase the amount of food around the course, with a plan to have six vendors on hand to pass out food along the 18 holes.

Many local businesses and community members have already agreed to sponsor the tournament again this year. Local celebrity chef and soon-to-be restaurant owner Jay Ducote has once again agreed to donate his time and services. Ducote will again team up with City Pork to feature pork tacos from his upcoming restaurant, Gov’t Taco. Rob Wise and the group at ITinspired, Blaine Brignac and his team at Farm Bureau, Mike Tramonte of Tramonte’s Meat and Seafood Market, and local supermarket Hi Nabor have also all agreed to once again sponsor the tournament.

This year’s tournament will once again feature multiple side games that golfers can compete in throughout their 18 holes. Among these games will be a longest drive competition, multiple par three competitions, and golfers will once again have the opportunity to catch a punt for a shorter drive off the white tees of a selected hole.

Along with many food and games available, golfers will also have the opportunity to win multiple prizes through raffles and drawings. One of the headliners of this year’s prize package will be donated by City Pork. The restaurant is offering a Cochon De Lait for 25 people, available for pickup or delivery.

“We had a great time at last year’s tournament, and we look for an even better turn out this year. This is quickly becoming one of the highlights on our spring calendar, and leads us seamlessly into Spring Football and our summer workouts,” added Luquet.

Those interested in playing in the tournament or sponsoring the tournament can find the registration form at the bottom of this article. The registration fee for golfers is $100 each. A hole sponsor is also a $100 donation.

For more information about the upcoming tournament, please contact Coach Luquet at (504)644-3569 or at [email protected].

Golf-Tournamnet-Registration-and-Sponsor-Form