Video: Allstate Sugar Bowl and National Football Foundation honor scholar-athletes

Annual Luncheon Recognizes 30 High School Football Players

NEW ORLEANS – The Allstate Sugar Bowl Chapter of the National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame held its 2023 Awards Luncheon on Wednesday afternoon at the Audubon Tea Room. The highlight of the event was the announcement of the winners of five college scholarships from the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

Thirty local high school football players were recognized for their achievements in the classroom, in the community and on the football field. The honorees were chosen from a group of nominated scholar athletes from the New Orleans area. Each of the 30 student athletes with introduced individually with their accomplishments highlighted at the event. From that group of 30, five were selected to receive Allstate Sugar Bowl Scholarships: four for $10,000 and one for $20,000 each. The scholarship winners were chosen based on essays submitted after being notified of their selection as scholar-athletes.

Mason Williams from Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies was the recipient of the $20,000 Oliver Delery Scholarship, named for the Sugar Bowl Committee-member and past president who passed away in 2020. The $10,000 scholarships were awarded to Garrett Cantrelle (Holy Cross School), Corey Ruth (McDonogh 35 High School), Alejandro Varela (Thomas Jefferson Academy), and Roland Waguespack, IV (Jesuit High School).

In addition to the high school honorees, two local leaders were recognized for their contributions to the community and the sport of football.

Eddie Bonine, the executive director of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) since 2015, was presented with the Contributions to Amateur Football Award, which is given annually to an individual for his or her effort to promote the game, preserve its history and ensure its future. Bonine has been the executive director of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association since 2015. During his tenure at the LHSAA, Bonine has overseen numerous successful initiatives, including the implementation of a football playoff system, introduction of a statewide high school bowling championship, and the expansion of girls sports throughout the state. His leadership and commitment to promoting fairness and sportsmanship in high school athletics have made a lasting impact on the Louisiana high school sports community.

The director of athletics at Tulane University, Troy Dannen, was presented with the Distinguished American Award, which is presented each year to an individual who has set the standard for a life of service to the community and has made a significant contribution to the betterment of amateur football. Dannen is wrapping up his seventh year as Tulane University’s Director of Athletics. The 2022-23 year has been one of significant success for the Green Wave. Most visibly, the Green Wave football team recorded one of the best seasons in program history. The Wave rolled to a 12-2 overall record, winning the American Athletic championship and then shocking No. 8 USC in the Cotton Bowl. The Cotton Bowl was the Wave’s first major bowl appearance since the 1940 Sugar Bowl. In addition, the Tulane men’s basketball team posted a 20-11 record, its first 20-win season since 2012-13.

The New Orleans Chapter of the National Football Foundation was established in 1971. The Sugar Bowl took over sponsorship of the chapter in 2000 and since then it has recognized over 600 student-athletes while distributing over $700,000 in scholarship money.

2023 National Football Foundation Scholar Athletes (alphabetical by high school):

Hayden Morel (Archbishop Hannan High School)
Academic Achievements: National Spanish Honors Society; Principal’s Honor Roll; Crimson Honor Roll. Athletic Achievements: Two-year letterman; starting quarterback and long snapper; Coaches Award (team’s highest honor); two-year starter on the baseball team; baseball defensive MVP 2022. Extracurricular Activities: Campus Ministry, Student Ambassador, Big Brother. Name of College Attending: Mississippi State or South Alabama.

Casey Avrard (Archbishop Rummel High School)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society; Mu Alpha Theta. Athletic Achievements: Two-year letterman; starting quarterback; Manning Award Futures honoree; also lettered in baseball. Extracurricular Activities: Student Council; student ambassadors; church alter server. Name of College Attending: Undecided.

Jason A. Brown, Jr. (Archbishop Shaw High School)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society, National Science Honor Society Member, AP Scholar with Honors, National Merit Commended Student. Athletic Achievements: Four-year letterman; team captain; all-academic for football, swimming and wrestling; Friday Night Football Scholar Athlete; two-time all-state in wrestling; Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year. Extracurricular Activities: Student Government Vice President, Peer Minister, Student Ambassador, Drama Club President, Choir Member, Food Pantry Volunteer. Name of College Attending: Undecided.

Nicolas Malek (Brother Martin High School)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society, Principal’s Honor Roll 8th-12th grade. Athletic Achievements: Four-year letterman; team captain; team’s “Tough Award” Recipient; Friday Night Football Scholar Athlete of the Week; Clarion Herald’s Elite Football Team; Bob Conlin Award – highest team honor; also lettered in track and powerlifting. Extracurricular Activities: Student Minister, Student Ambassador, Key Club, Close Up participant, volunteered at homeless shelters, volunteer coach. Name of College Attending: Tennessee.

Josh Thornton (De La Salle High School)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society; Gold Torch Honor Roll. Athletic Achievements: Four-year letterman; Team Scholar Athlete 2021 and 2022. Extracurricular Activities: Open House Tour Guide. Name of College Attending: Undecided.

Charles Atkins (East Jefferson High School)
Academic Achievements: Honor Roll, Principal’s List, Friday Night Football Scholar Athlete. Athletic Achievements: Four-year letterman; team captain; Mike Miley Award; Team Defensive MVP; Class 5A All-State; all-district; district defensive MVP; tallied 21 sacks; also lettered in basketball and track. Extracurricular Activities: Weightlifting. Name of College Attending: Undecided.

Justin McCright (Frederick A. Douglass High School)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society; AP Scholar; Honor Roll – four years; Principal’s Honor Roll; Bard Early College Program. Athletic Achievements: Three-year letterman; team captain; team Character Award; all-district; also lettered in track, earning team MVP honors. Extracurricular Activities: FCA, very active in his church. Name of College Attending: LSU.

Mason Williams (Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies)
Academic Achievements: National Merit Semifinalist, College Board African American Recognition Award, Presidential A Honor Roll, Patrick F. Taylor Scholar Award, AP Scholar with Honors, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta. Athletic Achievements: Four-year letterman; team captain; LHSAA All-Academic Football Team. Extracurricular Activities: Summer camp volunteer, student tutor, soup kitchen volunteer. Name of College Attending: Undecided.

Garrett Cantrelle (Holy Cross High School)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society; High Honor Roll; Holy Cross Tiger Award for the student that best reflects the values of the school. Athletic Achievements: Four-year letterman; team academic award for highest GPA; also lettered in basketball and lacrosse; basketball team captain. Extracurricular Activities: Ambassadors at Holy Cross, Senior Class President, Second Harvest Food Bank volunteer. Name of College Attending: Ole Miss.

Cooper Couvillion (Holy Cross High School)
Academic Achievements: Honor Roll, National Honor Society. Athletic Achievements: Three-year starter; team captain; Holy Cross Toughest Tiger Award. Name of College Attending: LSU.

Austin-Jake Guillory (Isidore Newman School)
Academic Achievements: Honor Roll; Friday Night Football Scholar Athlete of the Week. Athletic Achievements: Three-year letterman; Defensive MVP; team captain; helped team to three state semifinal appearances; two-time all-metro. Extracurricular Activities: Homecoming king; Crochet for a Cause Club; Chess Club; Second Harvest Food Bank volunteer; Black Boys Read Nola book club. Name of College Attending: Harvard.

Roland Waguespack, IV (Jesuit High School)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society, Academic All-State; First Honor Roll every quarter; WGNO Friday Night Football Scholar Athlete of the Week. Athletic Achievements: Four-year letterman; two-year team captain; All-South Louisiana First team; Clarion Herald all-city; district champion; state runner-up, team leadership committee. Extracurricular Activities: Student Body President; peer support advisor, Co-Host of Jesuit’s student life podcast; Big Brother; Classics Society; Sports Analysis Club; volunteer coordinator of Hams For Fams; camp counselor. Name of College Attending: Dartmouth.

Nicholas Dalferes (John Curtis Christian School)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society and Honor Roll, Taylor Scholar Award. Athletic Achievements: Five-year letterman; three-year starter; team captain; Football State Championship; all-district; Offensive Lineman of the Week on Friday Night Football; Mike Robertson Award; also lettered in wrestling, placing third at the state championships. Extracurricular Activities: FCA; Spirit Club; stage crew for school play. Name of College Attending: LSU.

Deshaun Batiste (John F. Kennedy High School)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society; 4.0 Honor Roll all four years. Athletic Achievements: Three-year letterman; two-year team captain; Nola.com Defensive Player of the Year; 66 tackles and 18 sacks; two-time all-state; two-time district MVP; two-time all-metro; two-time team MVP; also lettered in baseball and basketball. Extracurricular Activities: Big Brother Program. Will play football at Troy University.

Nicholas Scandurro (Kenner Discovery Academy)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society; Key Club. Athletic Achievements: Four-year letterman; three-year starter; two-year team captain; team HEART Award; district champion; three-year baseball starter. Extracurricular Activities: Boy Scouts of America; animal shelter volunteer; started his own lawn-mowing business. Name of College Attending: LSU.

Brandon Edinburgh (L.B. Landry High School)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society; Honor Roll; WWL-TV A+ Athlete; ranks at the top of his academic class. Athletic Achievements: Two-year letterman; two-year team captain; Westbank Quarterbacks Club Honors; also lettered in baseball and basketball. Extracurricular Activities: Student Government. Will play football at Langston University in Oklahoma.

Corey Ruth, Jr. (McDonogh 35 High School)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society; honor roll; 24-Plus Club. Athletic Achievements: Three-year letterman; three-time all-district; two-time team captain. Extracurricular Activities: Student mentor; Silverback Society for mentoring middle school boys. Name of College Attending: Undecided.

Aubrey Posey (Northlake Christian)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society; Vice-President of the STEM Club; two-time All-A Honor Roll; Patrick F. Taylor Foundation Scholar. Athletic Achievements: Three-year letterman; team captain; first-team all-district; helped team to district championship; also lettered in baseball. Extracurricular Activities: Founder/Entrepreneur for Field and Fin Outfitters; internship with a design and building firm. Name of College Attending: Undecided.

Luke Schlegel (Northlake Christian)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society; All-District Biology II Louisiana Rally; Most Outstanding Representative at Louisiana Boys State; WGNO Scholar Athlete of the Week. Athletic Achievements: Three-year letterman; team captain; first-team all-district; helped team to district championship; also lettered in golf and soccer. Extracurricular Activities: Student Ambassador; Student Leadership; Homecoming Court; certified nursing aid. Name of College Attending: Undecided.

Trenton Vincent Jr. (Patrick F. Taylor Academy)
Academic Achievements: Principal’s Honor Roll; National Honor Society; Posse Scholarship Winner. Athletic Achievements: Three-year letterman; two-year team captain; also earned a district championship in the discus for the track team; team captain for the basketball team. Extracurricular Activities: Eagle Scout; Senior Class Vice President; Black Student Alliance; animal and homeless shelter volunteer. Name of College Attending: Case Western Reserve University.

Pierce Williams (Pope John Paul II Catholic High School)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society; Honor Roll, five years; advanced placement courses in math and science. Athletic Achievements: Two-year letterman; all-district; also lettered in baseball and golf. Extracurricular Activities: Future Health Professionals Club; History Club; church fair volunteer; summer camps for baseball and football; enjoys golfing, hunting, and fishing. Name of College Attending: Undecided.

Grant Gendusa (St. Martin’s Episcopal School)
Athletic Achievements: Five-year letterman and starter; team captain; District Defensive MVP; all-metro; honorable mention all-state; team defensive MVP; helped St. Martin’s to the best football season in history with a state semifinal trip. Name of College Attending: Undecided, but has multiple offers to play football.

Seth Mandella (St. Martin’s Episcopal School)
Athletic Achievements: Four-year letterman; team captain; all-metro defensive back; honorable mention all-state; helped St. Martin’s to the best football season in history with a state semifinal trip; also lettered in basketball and track & field for four years. Name of College Attending: LSU.

Joshua Yancey (Saint Paul’s School)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society; Gold, Blue, and President’s Honor Roll; Mu Alpha Theta – Math Honor Society. Athletic Achievements: Four-year letterman; all-district; Punisher Award; Beast of the Week; Academic All-State. Extracurricular Activities: Drum Line; weight-training; Mental Toughness & Physical Training. Name of College Attending: Undecided.

Dylan Buckel (Saint Paul’s School)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society; Honor Roll Every semester since eighth grade; LHSAA All-Academic Scholar Athlete; Mu Alpha Theta. Athletic Achievements: Four-year letterman; team captain; also lettered in basketball and served as a team captain. Extracurricular Activities: Eucharistic Minister for Saint Paul’s; youth sports camps; Miracle League Basketball Program; Community Aid Drive following Hurricane Ida; Student Ambassador. Name of College Attending: South Alabama.

Rasaan Mitchell (Sophie B. Wright Charter School)
Academic Achievements: Honor Roll. Athletic Achievements: Two-year letterman; team captain; led team in sacks and tackles for loss; also lettered in basketball. Extracurricular Activities: Drama Club, Debate Team. Name of College Attending: Southern Miss.

Alejandro Varela (Thomas Jefferson Academy)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society; National English Honor Society; A Honor Roll; TOPS Honors Award; LHSAA Academic All-State. Athletic Achievements: Four-year letterman; two-year team captain; two-time Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award; two-time all-district; Magnet Bowl Championship. Extracurricular Activities: Leadership Club; Chess Club; Volunteer at Holy Name of Jesus Gator Fest; volunteers cutting grass, cleaning and renovating apartment buildings. Name of College Attending: University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Derrell Martin, Jr. (Walter L. Cohen High School)
Academic Achievements: A Honor Roll. Athletic Achievements: Three-year letterman; two-year team captain; first-team all-district running back; second-team all-district linebacker. Extracurricular Activities: Volunteer with Lunch Box feed the homeless initiative. Name of College Attending: Southern University at Baton Rouge.

Davon Bocage (West Jefferson High School)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society; four-year Honor Roll student. Athletic Achievements: Three-year letterman; team captain; all-district; also lettered in basketball. Name of College Attending: Rochester Community and Technical College in Minnesota.

Ian Barnes (The Willow School)
Academic Achievements: National Honor Society; Da Vinci Scholar; Honor Roll for 11 years; never had less than an A; graduating a year early. Athletic Achievements: Three-year letterman and starter; team offensive MVP; also a starter on the basketball team. Extracurricular Activities: Jazz Band; music honors; community service volunteer; delivers meals to the elderly. Name of College Attending: Boston University.

The Allstate Sugar Bowl has established itself as one of the premier college football bowl games, having hosted 28 national champions, 102 Hall of Fame players, 52 Hall of Fame coaches and 21 Heisman Trophy winners in its 89-year history. The 90th Allstate Sugar Bowl Football Classic, which will double as a College Football Playoff Semifinal, is scheduled to be played on January 1, 2024. In addition to football, the Sugar Bowl Committee annually invests over $1 million into the community through the hosting and sponsorship of sporting events, awards, scholarships and clinics. Through these efforts, the organization supports and honors thousands of student-athletes each year, while injecting nearly $2.4 billion into the local economy in the last decade. For more information, visit www.AllstateSugarBowl.org.