Barbe, Jennings stand out in talent-rich decade

Published 6:00 pm Sunday, May 3, 2020

Over the last decade, Barbe and Jennings have been the most successful high school football programs among big schools in Southwest Louisiana.

The programs combined for 11 playoffs runs to the quarterfinals or better and the area’s only two trips by big schools to the Superdome in the last decade.

The schools account for nine players, and two of the three top awards, on the American Press All-Decade Big Schools team for 2010-2019.Prep-Notebook-10-22-13-photoBarbe wide receiver Trey Quinn. (American Press Archives)

Kirk Meche

Leading the way for the Bucs is one of its many offensive juggernauts is MVP and current Washington Redskin Trey Quinn. He was a four-year starter for the Bucs and finished his career with the national career receiving yardage record of 6,566 with 357 catches and 70 touchdowns. In his career, he had 8,927 all-purpose yards and accounted for 88 touchdowns and was named to the All-Southwest Louisiana team four times, twice as MVP, and was voted to the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 5A all-state first team three times.spkm.1213.Jennings.v.StJames-4.jpgJennings Head Coach Rusty Phelps gets a ball during pregame before taking on St. James during the LHSAA Football Class 3A Championship at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana on Friday, December 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Lake Charles American Press, Kirk Meche)

Kirk Meche

Jennings’ Rusty Phelps is the Coach of the Decade. Phelps, who has spent nearly his entire career with the Bulldogs, went 18-10 in the playoffs in the last decade, culminating with the Bulldogs’ stunning run to the Class 3A final last winter that included three consecutive one-point wins. Phelps led the Bulldogs to the semifinals in 2013 and 2017 and the quarterfinals in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016 and two wins from joining the 200-win club.

The defensive MVP is DeRidder lineman Daniel Crosley, who went on two twice earn All-Southland Conference honors at Lamar. Crosley was twice named the All-Southwest Louisiana Big Schools MVP and led the Dragons to the quarterfinals for the first time in program history in 2013 while recording 25 sacks as a sophomore and finished with 43 career sacks. He was named to the LSWA Class 4A all-state first team three times.

Crosley is joined on the all-decade team by a pair of teammates, including twin David Crosley (109 tackles, 2015), a linebacker, and defensive back DeShazor Everett, who had 130 tackles, 10 tackles for a loss as a senior in 2010 and went on to star for Texas A&M and currently plays for the Redskins.

Barbe has the largest contingent on the team. In addition to Quinn, quarterback Kennon Fontenot made the team along with offensive lineman Collin Fountain, tight end Desean Smith (135 receptions, 2,179 yards, 29 TDs), defensive lineman Chris Livings (114 tackles, 151⁄2 sacks) and kick returner Kirkland Banks. Fontenot owns nearly all of Barbe’s passing records and finished his career with 10,673 yards and 116 touchdowns and helped lead the Bucs to the Superdome in 2012. Banks was a threat on offense and special teams with more than 4,800 career rushing yards and 60 touchdowns.spdb_1011_st_louis_vs_jennings-10Now a Clemson Tiger, Travis Etienne was a star running back during his high school career at Jennings.

Dennis Babineaux

Representing the Jennings on the team is running back Travis Etienne (9,964 yards, 115 TDs), who won a national championship with Clemson in 2018 and two Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year awards, offensive lineman Ben Rozas, a two-time All-Southwest Louisiana honoree, and defensive back Malik Williams.

The rest of the offensive line consists of Leesville’s Matthew Anderson (Nebraska), South Beauregard’s Curtis Cox, a two-time Class 3A all-state first-team member, and Sam Houston’s Jerren Gilbert (Louisiana Tech).

At receiver is Iowa’s Cole Fleming and Lake Charles College Prep’s Glynn Johnson, who had 52 receptions for 1,068 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior in 2019. Fleming had more than 2,100 yards and 27 touchdowns in his final two seasons.

Joining Etienne at running back is Sulphur’s all-time leading rusher J’cobi Skinner (4,074 yards, 43 TDs) and LaGrange’s Markell Hawthorne, who ran for 1,648 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior in 2014.

The athletes are Washington-Marion two-way star Carrington McClinton, an All-Southwest Louisiana running back and linebacker, Sulphur’s Byron Walker, who had more than 4,000 passing yards and 1,700 rushing yards in his career, and Sam Houston wide receiver Tavyen Grice, who grabbed 122 passes for 1,595 yards and 13 touchdowns last season.

Two-time all-state placekicker Harrison Flynt of St. Louis rounds out the offense.

On the defensive line is 2019 All-Southwest defensive MVP JaCalon Pitre of Lake Charles College Prep and St. Louis’ Sam Bruchhaus.

Linebackers are W-M’s Melvin Jones, who had 125 tackles and eight sacks in 2011 and went on to play at LSU, St. Louis’ Mark Johnston, Sam Houston’s Mason Knighton, who had two 100-tackle seasons, and Iowa’s Darius Daniels, the 2017 All-Southwest Louisiana defensive MVP.

At defensive back is LaGrange’s Alvonoski LaFleur, who had 19 career interceptions and plays for Eastern Michigan, Westlake’s Tyler Stoddard, the 2010 All-Southwest Louisiana defensive MVP and Jennings’ Malik Williams.

The punter is St. Louis’ Kris Albarado while LaGrange’s Tirell Wellmaker and Michael Leday and Iowa’s Mark Mayes, the 2016 All-Southwest Louisiana defensive MVP, made the team at the utility position. Wellmaker had 12 interceptions in 2012 while Leday dominated with 143 tackles, 17 tackles for a loss and three sacks in 2015 to earn All-Southwest Louisiana MVP honors.Ninth in a series of all-decade high school teams.