Northshore all-stars square off against Southshore

Senior high school football players take center stage in the Louisiana Superdome at 2:30 tomorrow afternoon representing the Northshore and the Southshore in the Joe Johnson Lake Pontchartrain All-Star Classic. Admission is $9 with tickets being sold the day of the game at the Superdome ticket office.

The Northshore squad captured last year’s event, 27-6.

St. Tammany Parish Athletic Director Larry Favre said this year’s game has been renamed for former New Orleans Saints defensive end Joe Johnson, a member of the Saints Hall of Fame. Johnson played seven seasons for the Saints (1994-1998 and 2000-2001).

Favre said Johnson has joined the game sponsorship along with Nike and Schutt Sports, which are back again from last year.

“It is great to have Joe Johnson involved with the all-star game. He is one of the big sponsors this year. Through his sponsorship a Friday night banquet for the players and coaches was added,” Favre said.

Favre said Johnson showed up at the Northshore all-stars first practice last Sunday to address the team.

“He delivered a great message to the players. We’re thankful to have his sponsorship this year,” Favre added.

Favre, the former head football coach at Fontainebleau High, said he has attended the Northshore all-star practices and feels good about the team’s progress. He highlighted the dedicated effort of the players and coaches.

Mandeville coach Guy LeCompte, who led the Skippers to a 9-2 season, will serve as the Northshore club’s head coach and will also coach the receivers.

“It is truly an honor to work with these coaches and players. It’s been an outstanding experience leading up to this weekend’s game. The players are fantastic. They have a great work ethic along with tremendous attitudes. We only had five days of practice to get ready, but they have picked up things pretty quick,” LeCompte said.

“It’s a lot of fun working with the coaches. They are all willing to do whatever they have to. It’s been a great experience and friendships have been formed in a short period of time.”

LeCompte said all the players pull for one another. When asked if it would be a challenge to share the playing time, he said that would be decided under game conditions.

“One thing I know is that when you replace one good player you are putting in someone else who is also a good player at that position. Being seniors, these players have lots of actual game experience. There won’t be much of a drop off between positions when we do make substitutions,” LeCompte said.

The Northshore all-stars have four quarterbacks on the roster, including Slidell High’s Blake Forbis. The local running backs include Clay Fritscher (FHS) and Channing Wise (NHS). Chris Faulk (NHS), an LSU verbal commitment, will help anchor the offensive line along with Michael Eason (Salmen), William Howell (PRHS), Jonathan Lilly (SPS), Nate Lee (Salmen), Randy Mace (SHS) and Justin Piglia (PRHS).

The Northshore has a number of talented local receivers, including Will Bunns (MHS), Archie Ambo (NHS), Andrew Cossé (NHS), Patrick Huval (SPS), Isiah Tate (Salmen) and Jacob Maxwell (PRHS).

Defensively, Fontainebleau has two aggressive pass rushing defensive linemen, Darrel Brown and Gerald Gruenig, on the roster with Kentrell Thomas (MHS), Jason Smothers (SHS) and TJ Peterson (PRHS). The linebackers have a strong St. Tammany flavor with Stephen Arthur (PRHS), Jordan Bodenheimer (SPS), Hayden Harper (MHS), Jeffry Joiner (CHS), Dedrick Parson (Salmen) and Chris Wade (NHS).

In the secondary, Mandeville has two players, Kody Keowen and Jerry Mitchell, a verbal commitment to the University of Arkansas. David Edgerson (Salmen) will also be at that position.

Special teams will include punter Matt McCormick (CHS), place kicker Kevin Pence (NCS) and returner Justin Walker (NHS).

Mike Bourg, the Northshore Panthers head coach who guided his Panthers to a 7-2 record and a spot in the playoffs, served as the Northshore all-stars’ offensive coordinator in last year’s contest and will serve in that capacity again.

“It is an honor and a blessing to be asked to coach these athletes. I have coached against some of the players and have heard about others. We have some fantastic players, and I love interacting with them. It’s great having an opportunity to work with other coaches,” Bourg added.

“This year it will be a little tougher. The Southshore has a lot of good athletes. In an all-star game when you only have four or five days to prepare it makes it a real challenge,” Bourg said.

“Offensively, we hope we can catch them in a bad defense. Hopefully, we call the right plays at the right time, catching them in the wrong defense. Defensively, there are no special regulations, so there will probably be a lot of blitzing.”

Bourg said he tries to put in as many offensive plays as possible.

“I try to have more plays than I will actually need to give us variety. We scrimmaged on Wednesday, and we have evaluated what the offensive players feel most comfortable with on the offensive side of the ball,” he said.

Bourg added that every offensive player would wear an armband to assist in the play calling. He added he loves interacting with the talented players and having an opportunity to work with the other coaches.

The other Northshore squad coaches include Lions’ first-year coach Malter Scobel as defensive coordinator, MHS’ Craig Jones (linebackers), MHS’ Harl Penton (defensive line), Amite head coach Alden Foster (running backs), NHS’ Christian Monson (offensive line) and Bogalusa head coach Craig Jones (defensive backs).