Redemption or Repeat? Rummel and Shaw Collide for the Megaphone

by: Mike Strom // GeauxPreps.com Contributor

Standing in the damp, late-night Marrero air inside Shaw’s Joe Zimmerman Stadium, Rummel coach Nick Monica did not spare the rod in succinctly assessing his football team’s shocking rout by arch-rival Shaw.

“It was the most disgusting defensive performance that I’ve ever seen,’’ Monica said then of the 43-28 defeat a year ago in which the host Eagles piled up 522 yards, including 315 rushing, that featured 5 rushing touchdowns and 190 yards by running back Jasper Parker and another 277 yards coming via the passing and running of quarterback Mason Wilson.

Monica’s base opinion has not changed, but it has mellowed as the two Jefferson Parish all-boys Catholic schools rivals prepare to square off for the 58th meeting of the Megaphone Trophy game scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Joe Yenni Stadium.

“It was disgusting,’’ Monica reiterated this Wednesday. “We watched it again this week with the kids and showed them just exactly how bad it was. We showed them all of the basic things that they did wrong. The scheme that (Shaw) threw at us was nothing complex, nothing that we hadn’t seen before. We just didn’t play with that stinger and that passion that we normally play with and expect them to play with.

“I don’t know if it had something to do with our captain and center (Nate Lousteau) tearing his (anterior cruciate ligament) in pregame or what. But we had a couple of seniors (for whom) our expectations were higher. Not that as a group (that) we were expecting huge things from them. It was just some simple things.

“I think the kids who returned were disappointed (watching the replay) not just in watching themselves, but in watching some of their former teammates and what they (all) put on the field. So it’s not that we’re focused more on payback because of what Shaw presented. (Our motivation) is (about) what we put on the field.’’

In Monica’s mind, all three phases of the game contributed to a defeat that snapped a streak of 11 consecutive Raiders victories stretched over a span of 16 years. Shaw’s victory also narrowed Rummel’s series lead to 31-26-0.

“The offense was equally bad in the first half,’’ Monica said. “We actually made it a game in the second half because our offense woke up. We’re a stop away or a fourth-down conversion away from making it a one-possession game with about six minutes to go in the game. So as bad as we played, we were there.

“Yes, it was bad. But they expect better of themselves and we (the coaches) definitely do. So it’s still painful to watch and I actually turned it off midway because it still kind of gets the blood boiling a little bit watching because some of the things and mistakes that they made were really frustrating.’’

The Raiders rebounded from the Shaw loss along with the frustrations of an injury-plagued 4-6 regular season and 2-4 Catholic League district record to advance as a No. 18 seed to the Division I Select state semifinals where they sustained a 28-16 loss to eventual champion Catholic of Baton Rouge. The loss to Catholic involved a bizarre game that was halted after three quarters and played over two days (Friday and Saturday) due to severe lighting and rain delays. The score was tied 14-14 prior to the 18-hour weather delay that required Rummel to bus round-trip to Baton Rouge twice.

Shaw, meanwhile, ended the regular season on an eight-game winning streak ignited by the Rummel victory. The Eagles advanced as a No. 5 seed to the Division II Select semifinals where they lost at top seed and eventual state champion St. Thomas More, 69-30, to finish a 10-3 campaign.

Rummel (2-0) enters this year’s Megaphone Game undefeated and unranked despite recording victories against a pair of state-ranked teams. The Raiders defeated University, 13-7, in Baton Rouge last week after opening the season by downing Lafayette Christian, 42-35, at The Shrine on Airline in Metairie. U-High was top-ranked in Class 3A.

Shaw (1-1) carries a No. 7 state ranking in Class 4A to Metairie after defeating West Jefferson, 49-0, last Friday at Joe Zimmerman Stadium. The Eagles opened the season ranked No. 3 in Class 4A before absorbing a 48-21 pounding by Karr at Joe Zimmerman in a game played under persistent and often heavy rain. Karr is and was ranked No. 2 in Class 5A.

“Rummel had the (Megaphone) trophy for 16 years till last year,’’ Shaw coach Hank Tierney, in his third season back with the Eagles, said. “I don’t think the Shaw kids even knew what it was, to be honest with you. The first year (Tierney was back in 2022) I tried to make it a big deal and (the players) looked at me like I was crazy because they had never seen the trophy. Rummel beat us pretty good (31-12) two years ago.

“Then this past year (2023) we were 0-2 going into the Rummel game and not playing very good at all honestly. We tried again to make it a big deal just to try to get some motivation for the game and we played really, really well. Probably the best game we played all year. We beat a very good Rummel team that got to the (state) semifinals and really had a chance to beat Catholic (of Baton Rouge) until that (weather) delay.

“So (Shaw players) found out what (the trophy) was last year because they actually got to get it back. They know what it is now because it’s here. We’ve talked about it already this week. We tell the kids about the history of the (series), (how) the schools started the same year, and that it’s the big rival game. We’re not in the same district, but we play every year despite that.

“We also tell them that Rummel is a very good team, which is the truth. (Rummel) went on the road and beat a very good U-High team after beating a very good Lafayette Christian team that we play next week, actually.

“So we realize it’s the biggest rival game for Shaw of the entire year, particularly not being in a district with any real traditional rivals even though we try to make Belle Chasse vs. Shaw a big rival game because of the proximity of the schools. So this is the big rival game even though we’re not in the district. Then, too, knowing how good Rummel is and how good their program is, it’s a huge game for us.’’

The run-preferred Raiders are led offensively by senior quarterback Generald Buggage, running backs Norman Taylor and Coryan Hawkins, and wide receivers Kendrick Joseph and Micah Green while junior linebacker Carlin Kinchen Jr. and senior end Fred Banks have paced the defense. Kinchen had two forced fumbles versus U-High.

Taylor, a 5-foot-9, 175-pound senior, is averaging 126 yards a game and 6.3 yards per carry via a team-leading 252 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns on 40 carries while Hawkins, a 5-foot-9, 185-pound sophomore, is averaging 74 yards per game, and 5.9 yards per attempt with 148 yards and two touchdowns coming via 25 carries.

A 5-foot-11, 185-pound senior, Buggage has completed 15 of 25 passes for 295 yards and one touchdown while being intercepted once in addition to rushing twice for 55 yards with a 51-yard run versus University. Joseph has four receptions good for 113 yards and no touchdowns. Green has two catches good for 94 yards and a touchdown.

“G (Buggage) has been pretty good,’’ Monica said. “He’s been efficient, I’ve found. He’s made good decisions. In fact, the first scoring drive last week, he pulled a pass down, he tucked it, and ran for about 50-something yards. Everything was covered. So he’s been making good, sound decisions. We’re possessing the ball. He’s been good with that. We haven’t had to throw too many passes yet, which has been good, but when we have he’s been pretty efficient.’’

Parker and Wilson remain the linchpins of Shaw’s Slot Option offense as the Eagles regroup from two physically demanding outings versus St. Augustine (in jamboree action) and versus Karr in the opener. Senior slot back Gavin Richard and senior wide receiver Jacob Washington are developing into emerging forces. Linebacker Rontrae Carter continues as the defensive ringleader.

Parker, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound Michigan commitment, has rushed for 197 yards and 3 touchdowns on 23 carries in two games, although Shaw starters played only the first half versus West Jefferson. Wilson has completed 10 of 27 passes for 201 yards and 4 touchdowns while being intercepted once, but enters off of a sizzling performance against West Jeff, going 6 of 10 for 140 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Richard leads the team with 5 receptions good for 101 yards and 3 touchdowns with Washington, another Michigan commitment, ranking second with three receptions good for 80 yards and a touchdown, all versus West Jefferson. The Eagles also feature one of the Metro area’s top kickers in Henry Cardenas, who formerly used the surname of Zelaya.

“We got physically beat in the jamboree (by St. Augustine, 20-7), which was kind of unexpected, but it is what it is,’’ said Tierney, who ranks sixth among LHSAA football coaches with a career record of 320-127-0 compiled during 37 seasons and counting. “We rebounded against an out-manned West Jefferson team that was not like St. Aug and Karr. But we needed a big win. We needed some confidence.

“Honestly, we didn’t play really well, but we still managed to roll up a lot of points and a lot of yards and we got a shutout. So a win is a win. You take it any way you can get it. And it was a big win. It restored a lot of confidence to our kids, but we know it’s a different cat this week. We know that.’’

Tierney’s concerns about the physicality of his team remain with the answer to be determined.

“It’s like anything else. You don’t really know (what kind of team you have) until you play against a really good team,’’ Tierney said. “I think probably nine of Karr’s 10 opponents would say the same thing I said, we got physically beat. St. Aug was unexpected because we knew nothing about them.

“Of course, we’re the only team that had to play against No. 4 (St. Augustine defensive tackle Jakeem Stewart who subsequently resigned from St. Aug and enrolled at Karr), too. I figured that (St. Augustine) would be a lot better because I knew how good of a coach (Robert) Valdez is and they were (better). But they were physically dominating as was Karr.

“I’m sure Rummel watching the film is going to be saying the same thing, ‘We’re going to be more physical than Shaw.’ So it’s up to us to step up and get back to being how we’ve always been and that’s physical. We won’t know that until Friday night about 10 o’clock.

“Rummel is a very physical bunch on defense, big and physical. So, obviously, we’ll have to step up. And they run the ball, they run the ball very well. So it definitely will be a physical game. We’ll have to do that better than we have.’’

Regarding the Shaw challenge Rummel faces, Monica said, “They’ve got a big senior class, so this is a group and a season that they’ve pointed a finger at. They’re probably one of the favorites in Division II. They have three really good high school football players on the offensive side who are all in the backfield a lot. The quarterback, the running back, obviously, and they have another senior (in Richard) who they move around.

“(Richard) is a good football player and they do a lot of things with him. He is just as valuable as the other two because of the amount of things that they can do with him from playing receiver to the flex back in the option game. He’s even been a Wildcat quarterback and run some option himself. So I think those three guys are a really difficult challenge for anybody.’’

Tierney and Monica each said payback is not involved.

“I know for us when we lost the first year, going into the second year we didn’t make (revenge) a big deal,’’ Tierney said. “We made it a big deal about trying to get the Megaphone back, not payback. I think payback would be more up Rummel’s alley because they had (the trophy) for so long.  I’m sure Rummel is saying it’s payback because they have owned the Megaphone. ‘We gave it to Shaw for one year. We’re taking it back.’ That’s their theme more than ours.’’

Rummel’s theme this season is to get better one game at a time, one week at a time. Then rinse and repeat.

“We have two good wins right now,’’ said Monica, now 39-19-0 and in his sixth season at Rummel with a 2019 Division I Select state championship over Catholic-Baton Rouge. “The first half of both games were identical. It was 13-0 (Rummel’s favor) and the other team scores a touchdown right before the half. Both games were 13-7 at the half. Then the second halves were completely opposite.

“The second half of the first game (versus Lafayette Christian) was a bunch of fireworks and it was going to come down to whoever could get a stop. This past week (versus University) it was going to be who was going to get the most first downs. So it was two completely different second halves and finishes.

“I think (those victories are) going to be a good gauge for us. Right now they look really impressive and Lafayette Christian followed it up with a good performance last week in beating Carencro pretty soundly. So I think watching these two teams go through their schedule and their season will tell us just how significant these wins were.’’

Who can blame the Raiders for their approach, what with a monstrous District 9-5A Catholic League schedule forthcoming that in order reads versus John Curtis, Brother Martin, Warren Easton, St. Augustine, Holy Cross, Jesuit, and then Karr.

“With the schedule we have, we just keep stressing to the kids (about) finding ways to win, which they’ve done,’’ Monica said. “But, at the same time, there’s so much needed to be fixed and corrected that we can improve on. That’s also the message. It’s, ‘Hey, you’re 2-0. You’ve got two good wins and you haven’t come close to doing everything right.’

“So I think that could be a really good thing, but (our players) also have to fix (the mistakes). So that’s going to be the challenge. Of course, it’s better to fix it after wins than losses. But if we want to show up week in and week out, we’re going to have to fix those things and make sure they are corrected. We’re going to start playing teams that are more familiar with us, so we’ve just got to keep getting better.’’

Shaw’s remaining schedule has its share of thorns. The Eagles must travel to play at Lafayette Christian after Rummel, then play De La Salle, go to St. James, and are at home versus Walker, La., before facing a District 9-4A schedule of Kenner Discovery, Belle Chasse, and St. Charles Catholic.

“We have great respect for Rummel,’’ said Tierney, who owns a 16-7 record versus Rummel in his 22nd season as Shaw coach counting two forfeited victories. “The keys to victory are always the same: Run the ball, stop the run, and don’t turn the ball over. Those are the keys to victory in every game and you can credit that to (former Shaw coach) Joe Zimmerman, 1978. Run the ball, stop the run, win the turnover battle. And one more, win the kicking game. We’re in good shape in the kicking game, for sure.’’

As for the Raiders, their blank canvas remains very much a work in progress.

“I didn’t really have any (expectations for the team) at the beginning,’’ Monica said. “You never really know what you have until you start seeing other people play and you put your team out there. All I knew is that we liked our team, but we also knew that we were playing 10 really good teams. The one thing we knew we had to do was show up weekly. You were going to get tested weekly and so the only way to win enough of those was to keep getting better weekly.’’