Football Preview: Bonnabel more experienced and better for 2021

Entering his fourth year on the job, Bonnabel head coach Brett Bonnaffons is hoping to establish consistency.

The Bruins have been up and down but have not been a consistent winner for many years now.

The promise going into the 2020 season was largely stopped due a rash of injuries.

A total of 13 Bruins went down, missing a total of 63 games in 2020.

“Last year was overwhelming,” Bonnaffons said. “With the injuries sustained and the pandemic, it was just so much to overcome. We know things will be better this season.”

Bonnabel is an experienced team heading into 2021, returning 18 starters.

The Bruins must replace three solid linemen who graduated, including offensive linemen Christian Parker and Taylor Tate, along with defensive lineman Ramad Jackson.

Junior Henry Piedy (6-0, 180) steps in to run the offense at quarterback.

“He has been a basketball player who has not played football since middle school,” Bonnaffons said. “In the summer, he really came on and progressed. He is big and has ability. He has room to grow.”

He has a returning starter in junior Kyrin Brown (5-8, 180) at running back. A year ago, Brown rushed 63 times for 304 yards and two touchdowns and caught nine passes for 110 yards.

“Kyrin will be our leader in the backfield,” Bonnaffons said. “He has a chance to be a phenomenal high school running back. He has a powerful lower body.”

The wide receiving corps is a good one, with three returning starters.

They include seniors Amir Butler (5-8, 150), Mike Rodriguez (5-11, 150) and Jaquell Rhodes (5-8, 150). Joining them is senior Dorian Bailey (5-11, 200). Rhodes had 14 receptions for 147 yards and a touchdown last season and rushed dix times for 56 yards and a score. Rodriguez caught 10 passes for 105 yards and Bailey had eight catches for 155 yards and a touchdown.

The tight end is junior Zaid Padilla (5-11, 180).

“Rodriguez started last year before he broke his leg,” Bonnaffons said. “Butler is small but he is tenacious as a slot receiver and blocks well. Bailey was ineligible last year and he is ready to explode. He runs well and has good size. Rhodes is a transfer from John Curtis. He became eligible during the season last year and showed that he can play. He will touch it quite a bit.”

Up front, the Bruins should be quite good, with four starters back from a year ago.

The seniors are left guard Jakoby Reed (6-2, 275) and left tackle Miguel Coelho (6-3, 280) while the junior starters back are right guard Robert Baterseh (6-1, 240) and right tackle Justin Walker (6-2, 265). The new starter at center is senior Simon Jordan (6-2, 270). Barterseh was the all-district center last season.

“Baterseh is one of the top five athletes I have been around in my life,” Bonnaffons said. “He can run and he squats 600 pounds. He will play a lot on defense at linebacker, where he can play at the next level. Simon Jordan can be a really good center. Coelho and Reed are returning starters and they have very good size. Walker started two games last year and has size and talent. Nick Robertson could play right guard. Jaden Jones could play at guard as well.”

The defense is even more experienced with 10 of 11 starters returning.

The only new starter is junior defensive end James Young (6-3, 250).

The returning starters up front include senior Josh Martin (6-4, 280) at defensive end and senior Chris Marin (5-11, 240) at nose tackle. Martin is simply outstanding, the leading tackler a year ago with 75 stops, including 16 for loss with five sacks. Marin had 34 tackles, including seven for loss.

“Marin is a college prospect with an offer from McNeese,” Bonnaffons said. “He was an outside linebacker as a sophomore. He has really grown. He will continue to grow. Marin started three games in his sophomore year. He is very athletic and strong. Young is a prototypical defensive end with great potential and size.”

All three linebackers return, including Baterseh (6-1, 240) in the middle, senior Ronald Usannaz (5-10, 180) on the weak side and senior Rondell Houston (5-10, 200) on the strong side. Baterseh had 17 tackles, including five for loss last season. Usannaz had 59 tackles, including five for loss with an interception.

“Baterseh will be great,” Bonnaffons said. “Usannaz is one of the best players on the team. He tore his ACL last March but he is back in full now. He is having a really good summer. He has offers from Louisiana College, Millsaps and Fort Lauderdale. Houston started at wide receiver for us last year. He switched over in our last game and did very well.”

The entire secondary returns as well, including corners Nick Allen (5-10, 180) and Nester Perez (5-9, 160), along with safeties Marquis Gaddis (5-10, 180 Sr.), Warren Hollister (5-11, 160) and junior Brayden Ward (5-10, 160). Perez and Ward each had two interceptions in 2020 while Hollister had 29 tackles, including six for loss with an interception.

“The best in the secondary is Allen,” Bonnaffons said. “He started three games for us last year and has converted from running back. He is only a sophomore and a good basketball player. Perez had to play some at quarterback last year. He had two interceptions last year. Ward had two interceptions last year. Gaddis and Brandon Martin are competing and will both play. Hollister is a senior who can be good.”

Junior Nester Perez will handle kicking and putting duties and he converted 32-of-37 extra points last year.

The schedule opens with a very tough challenge at powerful Destrehan before the battle of Kenner between the Bruins and Kenner Discovery. The final pre-district game is at McDonogh 35.

“Destrehan is a perennial power,” Bonnaffons said. “My wife is the head track coach at Hahnville. We love the St. Charles Parish atmosphere. We want the Kenner rivalry with Kenner Discovery. I went to college with Frank Daggs and you know they will be well coached and McDonogh 35 is always good.”

District 8-5A play begins on the road at Higgins before the big rivalry contest with East Jefferson. After a trip to always tough John Ehret, the Bruins host much improved West Jefferson. After facing Riverdale, Bonnabel closes by hosting Chalmette and Grace King.

“Higgins will be better and Riverdale will run an offense which no one sees,” Bonnaffons said. “East Jefferson has a really good quarterback and it is a good team. Grace King has the same coach for the second straight year and he is good. Chalmette is always tough to play. West Jefferson is really good and John Ehret is always the team to beat and they have a lot of players back.”

With a very experienced team, Bonnabel is certain to improve on last season’s 1-5 record.

“We will give everyone a fight,” Bonnaffons said. “I don’t know how many we will win but we will battle everyone. Depth is a key for us. We have to stay healthy. If we definitely improve on last year. We lost our quarterback and our running back at times last year. We have to stay healthy.”

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