Football Preview: LeCompte welcomes full offseason, upcoming season at Country Day

The coach is a proven winner.

The program has proven it can win consistently in recent years.

The recipe for success appears to be cooking in Metairie at Country Day.

In 14 years as a head coach, Guy Lecompte has guided three different programs to 109 wins against just 53 losses. That included a trio of semifinal appearances at Mandeville.

Additionally, Lecompte was part of three state championship teams as part of the staff at Salmen with Bill Stubbs.

Clearly, Lecompte, an outstanding tactician, understands what it takes to build a winner.

A determined taskmaster, Lecompte did not have a regular offseason with time to implement his schemes a year ago after leaving Holy Cross to accept the job at Country Day.

Still, in his first season with the Cajuns, Lecompte continued those winning ways with a 4-3 record, falling to powerful Ouachita Christian in the Division IV quarterfinals.

“Everyone faced challenges,” Lecompte said. “The culture that has been created here is phenomenal. We had two quarantines back-to-back last August. The parents, kids, school and coaches were outstanding. We’ve put together an outstanding coaching staff. There were a lot of blessings. The kids did everything we asked of them. We never felt the pressure was too much. It was a good year, despite the conditions.”

With a full offseason to prepare, Lecompte and the Cajuns have good reason for optimism in 2021.

“I feel better going into this season,” Lecompte said. “Before we played Episcopal, we had a week of practice. We were trying to figure out who our quarterback was. Our proposed quarterback ended up at another position and now he is at a third position. We have had a good offseason in 7-on-7 competitions. We got a lot of work in this summer that we didn’t get last year. We were learning names last year with masks on.”

Despite losing key players in Dylan Simmons, Douglas Heebe, Daniel Conwill and Carter Boron to graduation, the Cajuns return 12 starters, including six each on offense and defense.

Offensively, sophomore Dawson Simmons (5-10, 160) returns after starting as a freshman. Simmons will only be better and has an outstanding future ahead of him running the spread attack. Simmons completed 46-of-87 passes for 827 yards and nine touchdowns with six interceptions and rushed 76 times for 291 yards and three scores last season. Michael Talbot returns and will take snaps at quarterback as well.

“Having Dawson back is important,” Lecompte said. “He has a year of experience behind him. He is able to run well and is a dual threat quarterback who throws it very well. He has good vision. He sees the defenders and sees the field well. He anticipates what defenders do.”

Seniors Scott Isacks (6-5, 233) and Christian Daly (5-10, 184) will share time at running back. Isacks is a returning starter, who rushed 62 times for 455 yards and two touchdowns last season. Daly had seven carries for 43 yards. Dawson Simmons could also see time at running back after rushing 42 times for 289 yards and six touchdowns and catching 12 passes for 215 yards and two scores last season.

“We will also use Michael Talbot at running back,” Lecompte said. “He can take snaps at quarterback and will give teams different things to prepare for. We will have a stout backfield.”

Talbot rushed 19 times for 85 yards and two touchdowns and completed 16-of-35 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns with four interceptions last season.

At wide receiver, junior Evan Nunez (5-8, 147) is back and will be joined by senior Andrew Conrad and sophomores Sinnott Bland (5-8, 138) and Yash Gupta (5-10, 140) while juniors Clayton Gehman (6-1, 175) and Cam Terrell (6-3, 180) will man the tight end spot.

Nunez had 18 catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns, Bland had two catches for 37 yards and Gupta caught five passes for 27 yards last season.

“Having the 7-on-7 time this spring and summer has helped,” Lecompte said. “Gupta is a great route-runner and his effort is great. Nunez returns and was a top receiver last year. Gehman will step in and Terrell comes from basketball and both have good size and athleticism. Bland is young but athletic and runs good routes. Andrew Conrad is coming from basketball and he is big (6-3) and explosive. We have some depth.”

Up front, three starters return, led by junior Will Lafaye (5-10, 187) and sophomores Jake Ibieta (5-11, 184) and Ethan Smith (5-10, 188). The new starters are senior Miles Lemmier (6-1, 220) and sophomore Casey Rizzi (5-8, 186).

“We were able to implement our strength and conditioning program this year and it has really helped,” Lecompte said. “We were undersized last year. We have upgraded our weight room and they are in there constantly. We are much stronger and have some experience. Chris Chetta is doing a great job with our offensive line. Some will have to play both ways.”

Defensively, junior Colin Cummings (6-1, 187) anchors the front at end while Gehman and Conrad will play on the other side. Lemmier will play defensive tackle in the 3-3-5 scheme. Cummings had 25 tackles and a forced fumble last season.

“It is a challenge to manage snaps with players going both ways up front,” Lecompte said. “It is new for me and I am learning, feeling my way through it, trying to figure out the best way to maximize time.”

The linebacker spot should be solid with returning starters in junior Michael Talbot (5-10, 202) anchoring the unit, along with Daly. Joining them will be junior A.J. Laugand (5-9, 181). Talbot was in on 39 tackles, including five for loss with an interception last season while Daly was the team’s leading tackler with 49 stops, including five for loss with two sacks.

“We have good linebackers, including Isacks,” Lecompte said. “Laugand was ineligible last year and is good. Daly has been lights out for us.”

The secondary may be the strongest spot with three returning starters, including junior free safety Jack Schwing (5-7, 140), junior safety Ben Stassi (5-5, 133) and junior corner Maximo Valobra (5-7, 147). Stassi had 32 tackles, Schwing was in on 21 stops, Stassi had 32 tackles and Valobra had 11 tackles and an interception last year.

Senior Parrish Abramson (6-2, 158) will be counted on at cornerback while junior Taj Oberhelman (5-8, 162) will start at strong safety. Sophomore Maddox Moss (5-7, 120) will also see time at safety. Abramson had 28 tackles with a forced fumble and fumble recovery last season.

“Abramson has emerged for us and he can play,” Lecompte said. “He was getting reps at quarterback and we were short-handed in the secondary. We put him at cornerback and he did a heck of a job. Oberhelman is doing an outstanding job. Stassi returns and Valobra played his first year of football last year and is better. Moss will be counted on as well. We have gotten more guys involved.”

Junior Connor Gibbs (5-9, 160) returns will handle kicking and punting duties. Gibbs made all three field goal attempts last season.

The schedule opens at home against Northlake Christian on Sept. 3 before a tough road trip to always tough Ascension Catholic. An annual rivalry against an outstanding Episcopal team follows in Metairie before the Cajuns renew acquaintances with long-time rival Newman at Yulman Stadium on Sept. 24.

Country Day heads to Hoss Memtsas Stadium to face Thomas Jefferson on Sept. 30.

“It is a tough non-district schedule,” Lecompte said. “I have always liked to schedule tough. Kids look forward to playing better teams. It makes us better as coaches and it tests and improves the players. To prepare to face the likes of Calvary Baptist and Ouachita Christian, you have to play these kind of teams.”

District 9-1A play opens against a big rival in St. Martin’s Episcopal at home on Oct. 8. The Cajuns then face a tough test in Edgard against West St. John.

The final two games include a home game with Algiers Rise and a trip to Reserve to take on Riverside Academy.

“There are really good coaches in this league,” Lecompte said. “I was surprised Brandon Walters left at West St. John. Kevin Dizer and Frank Gendusa are outstanding coaches with character who do it right, as Brandon did. I’m sure West St. John will be talented. St. Martin’s is improving, making a run. Riverside is talented. I think anything goes. You have to be at your best weekly.”

Lecompte salivated over and over again about the character and culture of the players in his program and feels strongly it will continue to breed success.

“Our goals are always the same, we are aiming for a state championship,” Lecompte said. “They are working so hard. I would love to see it for these guys. We want to win a district title and we want to win a state title. We put a lot into it. That is not going to change.”

What the Cajuns lack in size and numbers, the experience, winning tradition and solid coaching more than compensate for. If Country Day can stay healthy, another winning season awaits with a chance to advance further in the playoffs.

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