BY DAVID FOLSE II

Sports Editor

Concluding one of the most successful careers in the history of Louisiana High School Football, East St. John quarterback Ryan Perrilloux took home a pair of national awards this week.

Perrilloux was named USA Today National Player of the Year and also took home the Gatorade Player of the Year honors. Not unexpectedly, the Wildcat quarterback was also named Mr. Football for the State of Louisiana as well as District 6-5A MVP.

“It’s always fun to get all of those awards and those accolades,” Perrilloux said. “But without the team helping me through it, it would not be possible. This time of the year is fun because a different award comes out every day.”

The number one Christmas wish for dozens of Division I-A schools, Perrilloux had a memorable senior season. Throwing for 3,546 yards on 225-342 passing for 30 touchdowns and rushing for 1,460 yards on 226 carries for another 37 touchdowns, he set a state record for total yards in a single season with 5,006. If that wasn’t enough, he also returned a punt for a touchdown and had a touchdown reception which allowed him to shatter the single-season state touchdown record with 69.

For his career, his 12,715 total career yards are second behind only former Evangel star Brock Berlin in the Louisiana record books.

“He more than lived up to the hype this season,” Dauterive said of his senior quarterback. “Clearly we weren’t as good of a team as we were the year before. He is just such a special athlete. He’s just one of those kinds of players that come along once in a lifetime.

“I have been coaching for 37 years. I got to coach Doug Flutie in the Candian Football League and other outstanding young men. Nobody is close to this guy. This guy is a freak. 26.5 points a gme in basketball, leads the district in home runs and he hit .700 in American Legion play. He can do it all. The only thing we didn’t do this year was get him a license to drive the bus because he was too young. He did everything else.”