L’Observateur / December 20, 2000

BATON ROUGE – Mickey Roussel led Riverside to its second perfect regular season and a trip to the Class 2A state championship game in the past three seasons in 2000.

Roussel was honored for those achievements by being named the Class 2A Coach of the Year by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association last week.

Riverside went 10-0 during the regular season, capturing the District 9- 2A title for the second time in three years with a 6-0 record. The Rebelsadvanced to the Class 2A state championship where they fell to Ouachita Christian, 28-14. It was the third time Riverside has made the trip to thechampionship game under Roussel.

Roussel was joined on the LSWA all-State team by two of his players on the first team – offensive lineman Jason Blanchard and defensive lineman John Champagne.

Blanchard, a senior, led a line that helped the Rebels rush for 3,699 yards and pass for another 1,838 yards. He was also a first team all-District 9-2A and all-Metro selection.

Champagne, also a senior, was the defensive MVP of District 9-2A. Herecorded 11 sacks and 23 solo tackles.

St. Thomas Aquinas senior running back Byron Robertson was selected asthe Class 2A offensive MVP. Robertson carried 188 times in 2000 for1,936 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Ouachita Christian senior defensive lineman Brandon Hurley was named the defensive MVP in Class 2A. Hurley had 23 tackles behind the lineamong his 73 tackles and also had seven sacks, four pass breakups and one blocked kick.

Robertson was joined in the first team all-State backfield by Coushatta quarterback Delvin Lewis, Many running back Darnell Williams and Iota running back Jason Miller. Moses Wilson of Oakdale and LaTroy Calhoun ofCoushatta were the wide receivers. The tight end was Loyola’s CassidyKing.

Joining Blanchard on the line was Vinton’s Pike Pickett, Ouachita Christian’s Rudy Niswanger, Christian Life’s Ryan Phillips and Iota’s Feliz Hebert. Newman’s Todd Rhoden was the kicker.Champagne and Hurley were joined on the defensive line by North Vermilion’s Doug Daly and DeQuincy’s Robert Hooker. Linebackers wereOuachita Christian’s Dustin Morris, Oakdale’s Jamaal Deloach, Ferriday’s Stanley Smith and Loyola’s Jon Alston. In the secondary were VermilionCatholic’s Steffan Primeaux, Pickering’s Rico Bethea, Christian Life’s Michael Clayton and Farmerville’s Kenneth Haulcy.

Welsh’s Byron Achan was selected as the kick returner. OuachitaChristian’s Keith Andrews was the punter and McCall’s Jeremy O’Neal was named at the athlete position.

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