‘Reese Bowl’ for district title features father-son coaching showdown

Are you ready for Reese Bowl II?

When McDonogh 35 meets Booker T. Washington on Friday, November 8, for the District 10-3A football championship, it will be a father versus son affair.

Wayne Reese, Sr., who picked up career-win number 251 last week, will lead his McDonogh 35 Roneagles against the Lions of Booker T. Washington, coached by Wayne Reese, Jr.

“The good thing about this is that we both do the same things,” said the veteran of 38 seasons as a head coach.  “It’s going to come down to which team executes what they do best.  There’s no added pressure because it’s my son on the other sideline.”

The Roneagles (6-3,3-0) have won six-in-a-row after dropping their first three games to St. Aug, Karr and Thibodaux.  The Lions (7-2,3-0), have notched six of their last seven outings losing to Slidell and Newman—setting the stage for the district-showdown.

Reese, Jr. says he doesn’t feel pressure, however facing his father is emotional and brings back memories.

“I think about the years that I was a young boy when he got his first head coaching job here at Booker T.  I was a ball boy and all these years later I’m still running into people telling me how my father impacted their lives,” said the younger Reese, who played center for his dad at Carver in the early-1990’s.

“Everything I know I learned from him…on the football field and off.  Things like how to be a good father, waking up early and working hard.  Never have your head down and always look up and move forward.”

The inaugural Reese Bowl was an unofficial outing.  It was a jamboree prior to the 2018 regular season. The son got the best of the father in that one.

Nearly everyday Junior drops by Senior’s home to talk shop at the end of long work days for both.  And if you think that routine will change this week because they will compete against each other…think again.

“I’m proud of him and what he has accomplished in a short period of time. He’s got a good football team,” says Wayne, Sr.

The descendent stands firm in saying he had an ever-present teacher and role model. One hopes he never loses.

“Words will never express what he means to me.  Hopefully one day he will come here to help me at Booker T.”

Don’t bet against it.

Professionally, Wayne Reese, Sr. and Wayne Reese, Jr. are separated by 37 years and 244 victories.

Paternally, they have an unbreakable bond.  One that can’t be ruptured even by their quests for a championship.