MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / March 29, 1999

The 1998-99 soccer season was a memorable one in the the River Parishes. For the boys, L’Observateur MVP Allan Doubleday helped lead St.Charles Catholic to its first playoff victory while Hahnville’s Rafael de Vega, the Coach of the Year, led the Tigers to their first semifinal berth.

For the girls, the Hahnville Lady Tigers, behind MVP Tyna Wells and Coach of the Year Mendi Leboeuf, won their second straight district championship.

Boys

Allan Doubleday St. Charles CatholicJunior Forward Most Valuable Player

Doubleday was the leading scorer for a Comets team that made history this past season.

The junior forward had a goal in the Comets’ upset of Pope John Paul, a state runner-up the previous season. Doubleday also had a goal in theComets’ 2-0 victory over Westminster in the bi-district playoffs, the first playoff victory in the program’s history.

He would add another one in the team’s loss to Country Day in the regionals, the first home playoff game for the Comets.

St. Charles Catholic coach Andy Roussel said Doubleday would try to gothrough six players if given the chance, calling him the “one of the finest players the school has seen.” Doubleday led the team with 22 goals andadded two assists.

Rafael de Vega Hahnville Coach of the Year

The Hahnville Tigers also made history under de Vega, advancing to the Division I semifinals for the first time in school history.

The Tigers raced through District 8-I play, winning the district championship with a 12-0 record. Hahnville opened the playoffs with a 7-0 victory over East Jefferson and followed by edging Northshore, 1-0. A 5-0 victory over Slidell gave the Tigers their first ever quarterfinal playoff victory. Acadiana ended Hahnville’s season with a 1-0 victory in thesemifinals.

Hahnville finished the season at 27-4-2, earning a No. 3 ranking in thefinal Division I state polls.

Kurt Biven St. Charles CatholicJunior Goalie

Roussel said Biven was very consistent in goal with senior sweeper Christian Panquerine adding that he was able to keep the Comets in every game.

Jason Brignac St. Charles CatholicSenior Forward

Roussel said Brignac helped the team by bringing a football mentality to the game. Brignac led the team with 10 assists and was second with eightgoals. The senior forward scored two of those goals in the Comets’ upsetof Pope John Paul during the season.

Chris Claudet Hahnville Senior Fullback

Claudet helped lead a Tiger defense that held opponents scoreless over the first three games of the playoffs. The senior fullback was honored with afirst team all-District 8-I selection after the season.

Joseph Folsegraff East St. JohnSenior Fullback

Folsegraff an all-District 8-I second team selection.

Joe Griffin Hahnville Senior Sweeper

Griffin could get it done on both ends of the field, scoring two goals in the Tigers semifinal win over Slidell. The senior sweeper was a Division I all-State selection as well as being named to the District 8-I first team.

Griffin has also been named to the National Soccer Association of America’s all-Southwest team.

Mark Griffin Hahnville Junior Forward

Griffin was one of the Tigers’ leading scorers in being named to both the Division I all-State team and the District 8-I first team. Griffin will beone of four returning juniors looking to repeat the Tigers’ success next year.

Jarrad Larousse Hahnville Senior Halfback

Larouse was one of the Tigers’ leading offensive players before going down with an injury late in the season. The senior halfback was honoredfor his accomplishments with a first team all-District 8-I selection.

Paul Murray Destrehan Senior Forward

Murray was a second-team all-District 8-I selection for the Wildcats.

Christian Panquerine St. Charles CatholicSenior Sweeper

Roussel said Panquerine “had the most heart of any athlete I have ever experienced.” One of the team’s top defensive players, Panquerine sawsome action on offense late in the season and scored four goals and had two assists.

Ricky Rodriguez Destrehan Senior Halfback

Rodriguez was a first-team all-District 8-I selection.

Girls

Tyna Wells Hahnville Senior Midfielder Most Valuable Player

Hahnville coach Mendi Leboeuf said Wells was a player who had very good skills while also playing with a lot of heart.

“It is often to hard to find both but she possessed both qualities,” Leboeuf said.

Wells possessed very good speed and improved her ball handling skills tremendously during her career with the Lady Tigers. She helped the LadyTigers capture the District 11-I title, scoring 11 goals and assisting on seven others in district play. Overall, she scored 19 goals and had 12assists in being named the co-offensive MVP in District 11-I.

Mendi Leboeuf Hahnville Coach of the Year

Leboeuf led the Lady Tigers to their second straight district title in 1998-99. Hahnville finished with a 9-1 record in district play and a 12-9-1 record overall.

A year after advancing to the state semifinals, the Lady Tigers were back in the playoffs, falling to Fontainebleau, 5-3, in the bi-district playoffs.

Megan Shurley Destrehan Senior Sweeper

Shurley was selected as the Outstanding Defensive Player in District 11-I after leading the Lady Cats defense in 1999. Destrehan coach JenniferAcosta called the senior sweeper a coach on the field. Shurley was also afirst team all-District 11-I selection.

Helen Beard East St. JohnSophomore Midfielder

Beard showed great sportsmanship for the Lady Cats. One of the team’sbest all-around players, she also showed dedication on and off the field.

Christy Becnel Hahnville Junior Sweeper

Becnel was one of the leaders on a Hahnville defense that was one of the main reasons why the team captured a second-straight district title. Thejunior sweeper was a first team all-district selection.

Erin Crisham Hahnville Junior Forward

Crisham formed a dangerous combination with Wells, scoring 12 goals and assisting on four others in district play. The junior forward was selectedto the District 11-I first team.

Esther Garatie Destrehan Sophomore Midfielder

Garatie helped lead the Lady Cats to a 7-3 record in District 11-I and a 12-9 record overall. The first team all-District 11-I selection was secondon the team with 18 goals and added six assists.

Jennifer Hicks Hahnville Sophomore Goalie

Hicks was outstanding in goal for the Lady Tigers, especially during district play. In 10 district games, the first team all-District 11-Iselection allowed a grand total of seven goals while making 86 saves.

Katie Logan Destrehan Sophomore Forward

Logan was one of the leading playmakers in the River Parishes, scoring a team-high 25 goals. The first-team all-District 11-I selection alsoassisted on six other goals.

Katie Madere East St. JohnJunior Stopper

Madere provided leadership on defense for the Lady Cats in their first year of existence. Madere was like a coach on the field, helping out goalieAshley Fallon.

Emily Nassar Destrehan Sophomore Forward

Nassar led the Lady Cats in assists with 11 in being named second team all-District 11-I. The sophomore forward also added seven goals to theDestrehan attack.

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