MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / Febuary 3, 1999

LAPLACE – A host of River Parishes athletes saw their dreams of playing at the next level come true Wednesday as they signed their letters of intent with schools across the nation.

Two of the biggest names in the River Parishes both signed with schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference. East St. John defensive lineman GregGathers signed with Georgia Tech while St. James running back ChadJasmin inked with Clemson. Both Gathers and Jasmin were among the topprospects in the state at their positions according to many recruiting publications.

Gathers joins former football teammate Kerry Watkins and basketball teammate Robert Joseph at Georgia Tech. Watkins was a red-shirt widereceiver for the Yellow Jackets this past season. But Gathers said whilehaving former teammates at the school is a bonus, it was not the reason he chose Georgia Tech over SMU and Florida, the other two schools on his list. A recent selection to the Louisiana High School Association’s Class5A Academic All-State team with a 3.1 grade point average, Gathers likedwhat he saw in Georgia Tech’s academic program.

“It was an easy choice,” Gathers said. “It is a good institution with goodacademics, good football, in a good city and is close to home. I look at theacademics and being able to play early.”East St. John coach Ronnie Stephens said Georgia Tech was getting aquality player on and off the field.

“Georgia Tech is getting a quality football player, a good student and a great person,” Stephens said. “He is solid in school and has a good head onhis shoulders. He knows where he is going.”He did not have a bad choice. All were quality schools. Georgia Techstarted recruiting him last spring and did a good job of selling the school.”Gathers faced Jasmin this year in the River Parishes Jamboree and may get the opportunity to go against him again in the future. Jasmin made itofficial at a ceremony in his honor Wednesday night at the St. JamesReception Hall in Vacherie surrounded by family, friends and supporters.

The all-State running back chose Clemson over LSU and Nebraska after earlier decommitting to Tulane when coach Tommy Bowden left for Clemson. At a recruiting banquet in Metairie last week, Jasmin saidBowden and the coaching staff was a deciding factor in him going to play for the Tigers.

St. James High School principal Ridgely Mitchell spoke at the ceremonyWednesday night and said he knew Jasmin was something special when he coached him on the freshman squad.

“The first time we handed the ball to him, I turned to coach EZ (Lionel Ezidore) and said this kid is blessed,” Mitchell said.

Jasmin’s teammate, defensive back Chad Smith, also signed Wednesday with Norfolk (Va.) State. Smith chose Norfolk over Western Kentucky,Idaho State, Baylor and Memphis and said he liked the school because they looked at his playing ability and not his size.

“They didn’t look at my size,” Smith said. “They looked at the heart of theplayer and not the size of the player.”Smith was the only high school player signed by Norfolk, which is rebuilding with a new coach. Smith said he has been told that he will startat kick and punt returner his first year and may see time at tailback. Inhis second year, he could be playing either tailback or on defense, probably as a cornerback.

St. James coach Rick Gaille said both players have worked hard to becomegood students as well as good football players. He stressed that they stillhave the responsibility to represent St. James High School as well as theircommunity at their new schools and to be an example to the players that follow them.

“They have a great responsibility ahead of them,” Gaille said. “Once aWildcat, always a Wildcat.”Two other local players who may have the opportunity to play each in college are St. Charles Catholic’s Kenny Ordeneaux and John Price.Ordeneaux signed with Northeast Louisiana while Price chose Nicholls State over Southern Mississippi and Southwestern Louisiana. NichollsState travels to Northeast to open the 1999 season.

Price spent two years in Thibodaux while growing up and said he felt at home at Nicholls State. He said he has a shot at starting as a freshmandepending on how he does in practice.

“Hopefully I can show what I can do,” Price said.

St. Charles Catholic coach Wayde Keiser said Nicholls is getting a playerthat can play where ever he is needed.

“I think they are getting an excellent athlete and the key word is athlete,” Keiser said. “He can do so many things. I am really happy for NichollsState as well as the Prices.”Also heading to Nicholls State are West St. John teammates TorrianThomas and Pendarvis Morris.

“Nicholls State is getting two excellent student-athletes,” West St. Johncoach Laury Dupont said. “They are very quality players. I believe they aregoing to be an asset to the program and both will contribute.”Destrehan’s Lance Carter also signed to play with the Colonels on Wednesday. The District 6-5A defensive MVP in 1997 had 65 tackles thispast season to go along with six interceptions. Carter led the team intackles in 1997 and was third in 1998. Over the past two years he hasreturned two fumbles and two interceptions for touchdowns while being named to the all-State team both years.

“Lance was a very instinctive football player,” Destrehan coach Scott Martin said. “He is always in the right place at the right time.”Teammate Marcus Bates will have an opportunity to play against Carter in college, signing with Southland Football Conference rival McNeese State.

“Marcus is a tremendously talented athlete,” Martin said. “He was animpact player for us.”Across the river, Hahnville defensive back Karone Champagne signed with Southern Mississippi. Cham-pagne had seven interceptions in his junioryear. Lutcher offensive lineman Bradford Smith signed with Jackson State.John Curtis’ Cornell Bazile, a resident of LaPlace, signed with Memphis.

Bazile visited the campus Jan. 22 and chose the Tigers over NortheastLouisiana last Thursday.

“I like the program and the academic program,” Bazile said. “I liked thecoaches and the players.”

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