Manale, Jesuit hope for encore performance in 2022

It was certainly an auspicious debut for Ryan Manale in his first season as the head coach at Jesuit.

Manale led the Blue Jays to a Division I state championship game appearance, exciting the masses of alumni and supporters of the Jesuit program who came out in droves to watch a team have a special season which just fell short of a ninth state championship in school history.

It was a superb job done by Manale and his staff, getting the most of the talent on hand. Did he expect to see his team make a run to the state title game in his first season?

“Not necessarily,” Manale said. “I felt we had a great administration and staff and great students. I felt a really good sense when I took the job but when I saw the work ethic of our seniors last year and how they embraced me and the staff, I knew relatively early we had a chance to do very good things. We were better than expected.”

It will take a superb job to try to keep the 2022 Blue Jays at that level.

Lost to graduation are a host of very good players, including brilliant quarterback and team leader Jack Larriviere, along with key offensive linemen, key defensive linemen and linebackers Dennis Dougherty and Jake Cannizaro.

“For us, it is how and when we can sustain excellence,” Manale said. “When you look at the record book, the last time Jesuit made a run toward a state championship game, it was not sustained. Our league is so well coached and talented. I don’t know if our program is there yet to sustain excellence. We’ll find out this year.”

As many as seven players who started games offensively in 2021 return from last season.

The new quarterback is junior Beau Perez (6-4, 180).

“Beau is working hard to develop,” Manale said. “He’s one of those guys who was not a quarterback when he came to Jesuit, similar to Jack Larriviere. Beau was a fullback in middle school. Beau has huge shoes to fill. He keeps working every day and Coach Scott Bairnsfather does a good job with him.

A strength of the offense is at running back, where three solid contributors are back from a year ago in senior Jaron Duplessis (6-0, 190), talented sophomore Jasper Parker (6-1, 184), senior Harry Reinhardt (5-9, 170) and junior Patrick Berrigan (5-8, 180).

Duplessis rushed for over 700 yards and three touchdowns last season and had a touchdown catch. Parker, also an excellent guard in basketball, rushed for 390 yards in his freshman season. Reinhardt ran for 210 yards and two scores and Berrigan had two touchdown runs.

“Basically all our running backs return and they are a year older,” Manale. “Landon Garcia, a junior, tore his ACL in the spring and is lost for the season, unfortunately. We still really like our group and have some depth there.”

The wide receiver spot appears solid as well. Senior Jace Larsen (6-1, 160) was a star last season while senior Jason Thompson (6-0, 170) also returns. Sophomore Jacob Washington (6-2, 170) adds size and potential. Larsen had 29 catches for 690 yards and 16 touchdowns last season.

“Jace was our top receiver from a year ago,” Manale said. “Jason is a senior and he played plenty last year. The others in the mix are new. Harry Reinhardt will play some at wide receiver. Jacob has size and he will likely start as a sophomore. Freshmen Gavin Palmisano and Roman Larre’ will play for us.”

Senior Hollis McDaniel (6-3, 220) is the tight end while the offensive line returns three starters, including senior left tackle Roland Waguespack (6-4, 260), junior left guard Spencer Lanosga (6-1, 285) and senior center Jonathan Rouse (5-10, 210). McDaniel had a touchdown reception in 2021.

The new starters are likely sophomore Luke Cunningham (5-11, 240) at right guard and senior Dondi Davis (5-11, 215) at right tackle.

“Up front, our tight end, McDaniel, has good size, has good hands and is a good target,” Manale said. “Our offensive line is led by Roland Waguespack, a phenomenal young man. John Hopkins is interested in him. He is our senior class president.

“Lanosga is a heavyweight wrestler who started on the defensive line as a sophomore and we moved him to offensive line late in the season and he gave us size and strength. Rouse played a lot last year. Junior Garrett Kelly also played some at center. Sophomore Ethan Shankle and Sam Macaluso will also compete at right tackle.”

There are just four starters back on defense.

Basketball center Josh Washington (6-5, 225), a senior and the brother of Jacob, has come out for football to play defensive end but he is coming off a knee injury which caused him to miss the basketball season.

The starting ends are seniors Kyori Washington (5-11, 220), along with baseball star Hunter Oufnac (5-11, 225). The tackles include seniors Braden Helm (5-11, 190) and Patrick Rowell (5-11, 195) while seniors Joey Haase (5-10, 210) and Riley Morse (6-0, 180) and David Mejia (6-1, 255) will also see action. Helm had 24 tackles last season.

“We are young on defense, especially up front,” Manale said. “It will be one of the smallest defenses in the Catholic League. Braden Oufnac are leaders. Helm works hard. Rowell, David Mejia, Haase and Washington will play and Morse could play but he is hurt right now.”

At linebacker, one prominent starter anchors the position in senior Dominic LoGuidice (6-0, 220), who had 50 tackles in 2022.

Senior Tyler Autin (6-0, 205) will also start while four others including seniors Mason Jubenville (5-11, 205) and James Roniger (5-10, 200), junior Tucker Schibler (5-11, 215) and sophomore Wyatt Mire (5-8, 165) are in the mix.

“Loguidice returns and we moved Tyler Autin from safety to linebacker,” Manale said. “We feel good about both. The competition for the third spot is wide open. We will see who emerges.”

In the secondary, the corners should be good with returning senior starters Nick Jacobs (6-2, 205) and Nick Foley (6-0, 185) while the safeties are younger in junior Will Homes (6-0, 180) and freshman Beau Matulewski (6-0, 170). Senior Kole White (5-11, 152) should see action as well.

Jacobs and Foley each had an interception last season.

“We think our cornerback position needs to develop depth but we have Nick Jacobs, who is committed to Tulane, and Nick Foley returning,” Manale said. “Those are quality players. Homes and Matulewski are at the safety spots.”

The kicking game is very strong, perhaps the strongest aspect of the team.

Senior punter William Hudlow (6-0, 230) is committed to Tulane while senior kicker Aiden Corbello (5-9, 177) is also back and could have a college future.

“We are thrilled with our kicking game,” Manale said. “That is the area of least concern for us. Both of our specialists are outstanding and could make the difference in close games.”

The schedule is extremely talented and difficult.

“We open with Slidell, a Thursday night game,” Manale said. “That is a different dynamic. The Tigers are stable with good coaches. Ruston is strong and has caught West Monroe in that district and we go there before we play LCA, which has won four state titles in five years. They are superb.”

District play will be even tougher, with Karr now in District 9-5A.

“We open with John Curtis Christian and we know how good that program and team is,” Manale said. “St. Augustine will be very talented. Brother Martin is very good. Karr is elite. We play a very good Booker T. Washington team in the middle of the league. Holy Cross is vastly improved and a rivalry before we face Rummel.”

While the challenge is a large one, the Blue Jays are ready to meet it.

“Everything will have to be earned,” Manale said. “We are excited about the season but we know the target is on our back,” Manale said. “This upper class group has the first shot at sustaining success but we have a long way to go. We can control what we have on hand and be the very best at what we can be.”

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