Status: Fini

Jesuit will host St. Paul's in the first dual meet of the year for the two schools on Thursday, November 5th, but this one will be a first of another sort.  If Mother Nature cooperates, this will be the first official OUTSIDE dual meet held in Louisiana*.  The meet is scheduled to be held at Jesuit's John Ryan Stadium in Metairie.

Status of event as of 2:45 p.m. on November 5th:

First-year Jesuit coach Sheridan Moran came up with the idea to hold an outdoor match upon learning that the University of Iowa, in an effort to best Penn State's dual meet attendance record, intends on hosting Oklahoma State on November 14th in Iowa's Kinnick Stadium, where the Hawkeyes' football team plays their games.  If all goes well the Jesuit-St. Paul's meet will beat that feat by 10 days.

"It should be great for the kids and the fans to experience something new," said Moran.  "The world is changing and wrestling has to continue to evolve if we want to compete with other sports, old and new. I know several colleges have done it early in the season and it has been successful."

Coach Craig Ketelsen of St. Paul's agrees.  "This is Sheridan Moran’s idea – it is done in college more and more, with Cael Sanderson [the coach at Penn State] trying to set the record attendance for a dual and take it from Iowa U.  It has become a 'thing'.  We will be the 1^st in Louisiana."

John Ryan Stadium has room for 622 fans in the covered grandstand section surrounding home plate, and sideline bleachers can hold another 680 people.  A stadium style concession stand will provide food and drinks.

Junior varsity matches are scheduled to start at 5 p.m., followed by varsity matches at 6 p.m.  A small break is scheduled after the 152 lbs. match.

Jesuit has finished as the Division I runner-up (to Brother Martin) for the past three years.  The Blue Jays will be tough again this year, but will need to replace three state champions they lost to graduation.  Seniors Guy Patron, Jr. and Joseph Dupre, both Division I runners-up in 2015, will be assisted by classmates Austin Ashburn, Griffin Mason, Evan Palmisano, Kyler Pisciotta and Brandon Wolff.  Returning juniors include Jackson DeGruy, Jordan Giewat and William Rosevalley.  The Larriviere twins, sophomores Adam and Eli, will be well-experienced sophomores for the Blue Jays.

St. Paul's has placed 6th (2015), 5th (2014) and 4th (2013) over the same period.  Last year the Wolves had five state placers (1st-6th), and none of them graduated.  They will be led by seniors Hunter Bourgeois (Division I runner-up at 138 lbs.), Billy Harrison (5th at 132 lbs.), Sam Dufour (5th at 152 lbs.) and Collin Francis (6th at 220 lbs.).  Jared Thieler, a sophomore this season, placed 6th at 113 lbs. in 2015.  More good news for the Wolves is that sophomore Cole Houser and senior Steven Van Zandt, both of whom were one match away from placing, both return this season.

Both schools have football games scheduled on the following Saturday, so both teams may be missing a few members, but such problems generally affect only the heavier weight classes. 

Teurlings Catholic Rebel Open

Three-time Division II state champion Teurlings Catholic has scheduled their Rebel Open on November 21st at their football stadium, which will be, weather permitting, the first outdoor Louisiana tournament.  In the event of inclement weather the event will be moved to Lafayette High School.

* A reader imparted that Belle Chasse and Buras might have held meets outside before this.  Research is underway and any additional knowledge would be very much appreciated.  1) Belle Chasse administrators and coaches have no recollection of such events.

Back to Top