MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / March 8, 2000

LAPLACE – East St. John celebrated an 8-4 bi-district championship seasonat its annual football awards banquet Thursday night at the LaPlace Holiday Inn.

The Wildcats finished as the runners-up in District 7-5A in 1999 and advanced to the state regionals. It was the fourth straight season theWildcats advanced to the postseason.

Senior wide receiver Roydel Williams was presented the team’s Most Valuable Offensive Player award by coach Nick Mitchell. Coach David Guillot presentedthe Most Valuable Defensive Player award to senior defensive back Deval Caesar Senior offensive lineman Ernest Ricks was given the Scholastic award by principal Debra Schum. Ricks also received the Outstanding OffensiveLineman award given by coach Shane Moras.

Senior quarterback Floyd Smith, who overcame an injury to lead the Wildcats to the playoffs, was the recipient of the Wildcat award given by trainer Jeanne Leroy.

The special team award, given by coach Wayde Keiser, went to senior kicker Billy Hogan. The Outstanding Defensive Lineman award was presented bycoach Dan Erwin to senior Edward Campbell. Junior running back Chuckie Burlwas presented as the Outstanding Offensive Back by coach Mitchell. Juniordefensive back Brandon Mason was the recipient of the Outstanding Defensive Back award given by coach Keiser.

Senior wide receiver Randy Sutherland received the Most Improved Offensive Player award from coach Lou Holloway. The Most Improved Defensive Playeraward was given by coach Lance Ledet to junior defensive back Brandon Brown.

Coach Marc Hebert presented the Offensive Newcomer award to sophomore running back Tremaine Moore. The Defensive Newcomer award was presentedby coach Richard Bohn to junior linebacker Bryson White.

Williams, Smith and Campbell received the Captain’s award from coach Eric Zammit.

All-District 7-5A patches went to Williams, Smith, senior wide receiver Chris Bush, Campbell, sophomore linebacker Tie Reese, Caesar, Burl and Hogan.

Bush, Williams, Ricks, Hogan, Campbell, Reese, Caesar and Mason also received patches for making all-River Parishes. Williams also receivedpatches for all-Metro, all-State and Louisiana Football Magazine’s Player of the Year for the South Region.

Lettermen jackets went to Jaamall Mason, Blake Maus, Clifton Dunn, Reese, Jonathan Miles, Louis Gardner, Malcolm Anderson, Jonas Jones, Orlando Dunn, Lamar Duhe, Corwin Lennix, Rene Bordelon, Rashad Williams, Vernon Bailey, Michael Ridley, Hogan, Darnell Rixner, Mason, Caesar, Brown, Burl and Darwin Pittman.

The team’s seniors were honored for winning 27 games over the last three years and making the playoffs all four years of their careers. Honored wereAnderson, Brandon August, William Brignac, Bush, Campbell, Caesar, Terron Charles, Brandon Collins, Nelson Cornelius, Benjamin Cotton, Victor Curly, Samuel Davenport, Duhe, Clifton Dunn, Hogan, Lennix, Emmanuel Miles, Jarrod Nabor, Reese, Ricks, Rixner, Smith, Sutherland and Roydel Williams.

“We will miss this group, greatly,” head coach Ronnie Stephens said.

Williams thanked the coaching staff on behalf of the senior class.

“On behalf of the senior class, I would like to thank the football staff and coach Stephens for pushing us in practice and staying on us,” Williams said.

“It paid off in the end.”Stephens thanked the booster club and Schum for their support.

Tulane assistant football coach Frank Scelfo was the guest speaker. Scelfotalked about success and what it took to be successful. He said he looked atpeople who have been successful and that what they had in common was their work ethic.

Scelfo pointed to three former Tulane players – P.J. Franklin, JuJuan Dawsonand Shaun King – as examples of those whose hard work paid off.

“Everybody in here is successful,” Scelfo said. “Success is not given to you.It’s something to be earned. Hard work is the only way to do it. Your workethic is the common denominator of how successful you are.”Robert Beadle served as the master of ceremonies for the event. HaroldKeller gave the invocation while Ricks delivered the benediction.

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