Coaching carousel spins locally

Nate chooses UNO: Frye signs NLI with Privateers
May 7, 2013
Vandy should lift its shield of secrecy, give public answers
May 7, 2013
Nate chooses UNO: Frye signs NLI with Privateers
May 7, 2013
Vandy should lift its shield of secrecy, give public answers
May 7, 2013

The coaching carousel spun wild and out of control this week in the Tri-parish area.


In total, one coach was replaced and two new coaches were hired in moves that swept through three prep sports.

The busy week started in St. Mary Parish where Morgan City High School got its new football coach.


He lands in the program with both familiarity in the Tri-parish area and also state championship experience.


The Tigers announced this week that they have hired veteran prep football coach Dennis Lorio to lead their team into the future.

Lorio, 61, is a familiar name to many locally because of his tenures with Thibodaux High School.


The coach operated two successful stints with the Tigers from 1987-1991 and also from 2008-10.


He posted a 66-30 record in his years with the school, most notably winning the 1991 Class 5A State Championship.

After resigning from the Tigers’ program in 2010, Lorio quickly landed at East St. John, where he served as an assistant coach in 2011 and part of 2012.


He was one of 60 applicants to apply for Morgan City’s job.

With the Tigers, Lorio will be taking over a program that is seemingly on an upward trend.


Former coach Brandon Nowlin turned the Tigers from a winless team to its 4-6 mark in 2012.


The Tigers have been on the brink of the playoffs in each of the past two seasons.

In addition to the football gig, Lorio will also be Morgan City’s athletics director.


 

Terriers replace Washington in boys’ basketball


After three-straight district championship seasons, Vandebilt Catholic boys’ basketball coach Henry “Hank” Washington’s tenure came to a close this week.


Sources close to the Terriers’ athletics department confirmed to the Tri-Parish Times this week that the school has parted ways with its boys’ basketball coach.

The source said no reasons were given for the split, but players have been told that they will have a new coach going forward.


Calls made to the school asking about the decision were unreturned.


Attempts to reach Washington were unsuccessful.

If gone from the program, the school will be replacing its most successful boys’ basketball coach in recent years.

Under Washington’s guidance, the Terriers have established themselves as one of the elite boys’ basketball programs in the Tri-parish area.

The Terriers have been undefeated in both district play and home games in the past three seasons.

In five total seasons with the team, Washington posted a 92-54 overall record.

In his final season, the Terriers were 22-7 and advanced to the second round of the LHSAA Class 4A State Playoffs, where they were ousted by Alexandria in a tightly contested road tilt.

No information has been given regarding the school’s timeline to name a new coach.

The new hire will be taking over a program in transition, as the school graduated elite guards Lionheart Leslie and Elijah McGuire.

 

Vandebilt hires Dixon as girls’ basketball coach

The Vandebilt Catholic girls’ basketball team has its new leader.

He comes to the program with rich local roots.

The school announced this week that Capitol High School boys’ basketball coach Katrell Dixon has been hired to be the team’s new coach.

If the name ‘Dixon’ sounds familiar around local girls’ hoops, it’s not a coincidence – it should.

The Lady Terriers’ new coach is the son of Ellender coach Kenneth Dixon, who has established himself as a local coaching icon with multiple state championships to his credit.

In Dixon, the Lady Terriers will be getting a coach with experience in many realms.

While at Capitol, Dixon was an assistant coach and head boys’ basketball coach. Capitol posted a 4-18 record last season.

Prior to his stint with the Baton Rouge-based school, Dixon also spent time with Ellender and McKinley in his more than 15 years as a coach.

Like Vandebilt’s boys, the Lady Terriers are also a program in transition.

The program returns just four varsity players from last year’s roster, which advanced to the LHSAA Class 4A State Semifinals last season.

That group didn’t get the opportunity to play in the semifinals because of the program’s well-publicized use of an ineligible player in playoff competition.

That whirlwind led to former coach Kathy Luke’s eventual departure from the program.