Terms such as “unique” and “historic” can be overused descriptors in general and in particular for accomplishments in sports.
But few, if any, Louisiana high school football teams have navigated a season quite like Ouachita Parish’s weathering of four straight losses, a fifth-place District 2-5A finish and a No. 14 seed to mount an inspiring, “Revenge Tour” run to its first state title since 1989.
The Lions’ collective resilience to not only stick together through their adversity, but become better — and championship good — was one of the defining storylines of the season on a statewide level.
And for his and his staff’s leadership throughout that memorable performance, Benjy Lewis has been voted Louisiana vs. All Y’all’s first Charlie Brown Coach of the Year.
“The game tonight is really representative, especially in the second half, of our football season this year,” Lewis said following Ouachita’s thrilling, 21-20 comeback over top-seeded Ruston in the Division-I Non-Select title game. “I think there was a time that most people in the state and definitely people in our area would’ve counted us out and said that we were gonna be a one-and-done (in the playoffs). And these guys thought different. This group of guys is one of the most resilient groups I’ve been around.
“I think the thing that’s special that I’ve told everybody all weekend and all week long is the difference in this day and age where the transfer portal and all those things are becoming more prevalent and they’re seeping in is these guys made the decision when they were much younger, eighth grade and even earlier, to stick together, to do this together and to win a championship. And there were days that these guys had some awful harsh things heaped on them, said about them. Their losses that they took, that we took, that hurt, and we owned that and we made that part of our story.”
[ LVAY Leonard Fournette III Offensive Player of the Year | Derek Stingley Jr. Defensive Player of the Year ]
Ouachita Parish was one of three double-digit seeds to reach the semifinals this season in any of the LHSAA’s eight playoff brackets and the only to advance the title games in Caesars Superdome.
Only 10 double-digit seeds have reached title games since the association moved to its split postseason format in 2013, including just four in Class 5A or Division I.
Dating back to the LHSAA beginning seeded brackets in 1999, the Lions became the third-lowest seed to ever win a championship in Louisiana’s highest classification or division behind only Acadiana’s 2010 and 2014 teams — the former of which was only seeded so low because of four forfeited victories.
Ouachita joined 2018 Zachary in Class 5A and 2015 Catholic-Baton Rouge in Division I — both No. 6 seeds — as the only teams at that level to beat their brackets’ No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 teams to win the championship.
The Lions beat No. 19 St. Amant at home before road upsets of No. 3 Destrehan, No. 6 Parkway and No. 2 Neville and the neutral-site defeat of No. 1 Ruston with the five victories coming by a combined 19 points and none by a margin greater than seven, another testament to their ability to rise to the biggest challenges and tightest moments.
“I’m really proud of and for him for the job that he and his staff and team did this year,” said former Neville coach Mickey McCarty, who hired Lewis as an assistant in 2011 and later promoted him to defensive coordinator. “It was really a remarkable run throughout the playoffs. And, from a coaching perspective, the whole thought of keeping that team together through some tough losses, keeping them together and believing in one another and believing they could win a championship, they earned it, and he’s certainly a deserving Coach of the Year.”
Other finalists for Louisiana vs. All Y’all’s inaugural Charlie Brown Coach of the Year included Edna Karr’s Brice Brown, Haynesville’s David Franklin, Iowa’s Tommy Johns and Jena’s Jay Roark.
The award is named for the late Charlie Brown, the legendary Neville coach who led the Tigers for 30 seasons and remains among Louisiana’s career leaders in both total wins (263) and win percentage (.794).
Brown’s teams compiled a combined 263-66-6 record during his three decades at the helm from 1963 to 1992 with just one losing season, state championships in 1972, 1983, 1984 and runner-up finishes in 1982, 1991 and 1992.
Prior to his tenure as head football coach, Brown served 12 years as a top assistant to Bill Ruple, including four championships and another title-game appearance, and coached the Tigers’ baseball program to four championships (195, 1958, 1961, 1962).
“Many thanks for honoring my father with the naming of your High School Coach of the Year Award,” Bob Brown, Charlie’s son, said. “I’m sure he would be thrilled to be remembered in this way. Making it even more special is the first recipient being Benji Lewis. They were friends for many years, and my father held him in high regard as a coach and a family man.”
Charlie Brown remained a consistent presence at Neville practices and games as a mentor and supporter to both coaches and players until his passing in 2011 — the year McCarty and the Tigers hired Lewis.
