St. Paul’s one of few not affected by reclassification

    It has been said that change is good.
    It could be for Archbishop Hannan, which moved up in class and into a new and more accessible and competitive district.
    It was definitely not for St. Charles Catholic and De La Salle, who were placed in a district with 25-time state football champion John Curtis.
    But one school that was not involved in the redistricting ballyhoo is St. Paul’s.
    The Wolves remain in District 6-5A, a league they have dominated over the past four years.
    But like the other schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, St. Paul’s has been victimized by the public school-laden Louisiana High School Athletic Association, whose principals forced them into one of four playoff classes known as “Select.”
    It wasn’t long ago that St. Paul’s could have joined – and would have been welcomed  in – the Catholic League with Archbishops Rummel and Shaw, Brother Martin, Jesuit, Holy Cross and St. Augustine.
    The Wolves chose to remain in their northshore district to compete for a district title against their common neighbors from Covington, Slidell, Hammond and Ponchatoula.
    After St. Paul’s won four consecutive district championships, every public school principal in District 6-5 voted to move them and all other non-public schools out of a common playoff class, although their districts remain intact.
    St. Paul’s is once again favored to repeat as the 6-5A champion and build on its 29-game district win streak, while the four other sub-5A schools in the archdiocese will battle for advantageous playoff spots in their respective Select playoff classes.
    Here’s the early line:

District 6-5A
    Covington and Slidell have new head football coaches, and Hammond’s staff has been together just one year.
    St. Paul’s success is attributed to the veteran staff head  coach Ken Sears has built around him.
    The Wolves lose key players every season but have one constant: their consistency and soundness on both sides of the ball.
    Look for senior running back Marcus Gaines to be among the area’s top rushers and receivers. The offensive line will feature the talents of tackles Parker Jacquillard and Tanner Stuard.
    They will be tested early against Rummel in St. Paul’s jamboree, then take on the Class 4A reigning champion Edna Karr, Jesuit and McDonogh 35.
How they’ll finish:
    1. St. Paul’s, 2. Mandeville, 3. Ponchatoula, 4. Covington, 5. Fontainebleau; 6. Northshore, 7. Slidell, 8. Hammond.

District 11-3A
    Welcome home, St. Charles  Comets … I think.
    Reclassification has taken the Comets from a Baton Rouge-area district into one that has three schools from New Orleans and Curtis.
    And while none of the four in this district will be able to compete with Curtis, St. Charles will be near the top of the final standings.
    The team is in a rebuilding year, but coach Frank Monica and his staff will make the Comets competitive with most other teams on their schedule. Playing East Jefferson at Yenni Stadium will be an early test.
    Look for senior running back Austin Webber to have a big season.
    Under first-year head coach Ryan Manale, De La Salle enjoyed a winning season and a second straight playoff berth in 2012.
    Manale has the program on the rise, although the Cavaliers will be young and lacking in depth.
    Rummel transfer, quarterback Ryan Walden, will lead an offense that returns six starters. One of the key players will be tight end Logan Sylve as a blocker and receiver.
    This may not necessarily be the Cavs’ season, but with the influx of 90 freshmen entering the school this year, the future looks bright.
How they’ll finish:
    1. John Curtis, 2. Lusher, 3. St. Charles Catholic, 4. De La Salle, 5. McMain.

District 7-2A
    Neither Pope John Paul II nor Hannan will be short on experience as they become district mates for the first time.
    Head coach and athletic director Mark Jeanmard likes what he sees from his John Paul squad. And what is exciting is the returning veteran players to run the newly installed triple option offense.
    Dual quarterbacks Blayne Haro and Joe Feraci will take turns at the helm, depending on down and distance situations. And backs Michael Nobile and Chanse Caire will be the go-to ball carriers.
    Like most small school teams, several Jaguar players will see duty on offense and defense. Among the best on both sides of the ball are  tackles Sean O’Brien, twice the state powerlifting champion, and Spencer Dean.
    A Sept. 20 game at Newman will be a tester before they open district play. The Jags will host Hannan on Oct. 4.
    Coach Pat Lambert is in his fourth season at Hannan, and playing in their own stadium for the first time in 2012, the Hawks enjoyed a 6-4 record.
    By moving to District 7-2A, Hannan will be playing a more balanced schedule against teams with which it can compete.
    And with the area of Goodbee enjoying rapid growth, this school looks to grow with it.
    The Hawks return 16 starters, many who have played together since the eighth grade.
    The backfield may be the most experienced in the district.
    Senior quarterback Korey Ziegler is as adept at running as he is throwing the ball.
    Ziegler has his three favorite targets – Kyle Sewald, Jason Brooks and Daniel Hollander – back in tow.
    Tailback Michael Froeba was a 1,000-yard rusher as a junior and looks to better his 1,030-yard performance.
    If that’s not impressive enough, the defense has even more experience returning.
    So Lambert has a reason to look forward to a new season in a new district.
How they’ll finish:
    1. Springfield, 2. St. Thomas Aquinas, 3. Archbishop Hannan, 4. Pope John Paul II, 5. Northlake Christian, 6. Pine, 7. St. Helena Central, 8. Mount Hermon.   

PLAYERS TO WATCH