MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / August 24, 1999

LAPLACE – As the 1999-2000 school year opens, there will be a number of new faces on the sidelines, on the bench and in the dugouts of River Parishes schools.

Two of the biggest changes involve familiar faces in the River Parishes.

Frank Monica, who has coached at Lutcher, Riverside and Jesuit high schools and at Tulane, has added the head football coaching duties at St.

Charles Catholic. Monica, who has led the Comet baseball team to thestate playoffs each of the past two years, will also remain in that capacity.

After taking a year off from being a head coach, Lou Valdin returns to head up the Hahnville Tigers. Valdin, who led East St. John to playoffappearances in 1996 and ’97, served as the Tigers’ defensive line coach last season.

Monica will have a couple of new coaches on his staff. Joe Chango willcoach the offensive line and will also serve as the head track coach.

Dustin Melancon will coach linebackers while Paul Waguespack moves up to the defensive coordinator spot.

Former St. Charles Catholic and Tulane cross-country runner Zack Bordelonwill coach the sport and assist in track. Bordelon will become a full-timecoach when he receives his degree in December.

Mickey Simon will coach the boys’ soccer team. Norman Brignac, whohelped with the boys’ soccer team last year, will head up the school’s new girls’ soccer team this year. Mark Chapman will coach the golf team whileJeff Montz will head up the tennis squad.

David Lowry takes over as the school’s athletic director, succeeding Don Fernandez who has moved on to become the head boys basketball and golf coach at Lutcher.

Valdin will also have new staff members to work with. John Lambert willbe his offensive coordinator and will also be the head track coach. MikeSilva will coach running backs and quarterbacks while Claude Brumfield will coach the defensive line. Scott Haskew will head up the tennisprogram.

Lutcher will also have a new tennis coach, Kyle Cunningham, who will also coach freshman football. Rowdy Martinez will also coach freshmanfootball and assist head coach Scott Tribble with the baseball team.

The Bulldogs are also looking for a head softball coach after John Bentivegna, who guided the Lady Bulldogs to the Class 3A state title in 1998 and the semifinals this season, left the coaching profession.

East St. John also has a new softball coach, Sandy Stein. Stein has beenthe head softball coach at Nicholls State.

Wayde Keiser, who guided St. Charles Catholic to eight straight playoffappearances, will be the Wildcats’ defensive coordinator. And RichardBohn will coach the linebackers.

Joyce Mager takes over the girls’ soccer team. Daniel McCaughey will bethe boys’ head soccer coach. Former West St. John coach will assist withthe boys’ basketball team.

Riverside welcomes back Patrick Hymel, a graduate of the school. Hymel,the school’s assistant principal, will also coach the secondary in football.

Tim Taffi moves up to defensive coordinator. Head softball coach MattWhite will also take over as head girls basketball coach, replacing John McMillan.

Anne Strickland is the new head tennis coach at Destrehan. Chuck Hugheswill coach freshman football and assist with softball. Claire Thomas willassist with the volleyball team while Eric Parquet will be an assistant for boys’ basketball.

St. James has one new coach coming aboard, Barry Sebren, who will coachthe linebacking corps.

West St. John’s staff remains intact. Reserve Christian does not have anynew coaches on the high school level but Wayde Delaneuville will coach the school’s new seventh- and eighth-grade football team. Athleticdirector and head boys basketball coach Timmy Byrd will assist him.

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