Louisiana’s Winningest High School Football Coaches List Updated

by Hunter Bower, GeauxPreps.com Owner

The Louisiana Sports Writers Association has released its updated list of Louisiana’s all-time winningest football coaches prior to the start of the 2022 season.

Among the highlights are the active tenures of the state’s three winningest coaches. Legendary coach and the state’s wins leader, J.T. Curtis, became just the second coach in the country to win 600 or more games last season and sits just 18 wins shy of tying the national record held by Summerville (SC) High School’s John McKissick.

Also included is St. Thomas More’s Jim Hightower who sits at 447 total wins while Notre Dame’s Lewis Cook needs only 18 wins to reach 400 career total victories.

Hank Tierney, who returns to Archbishop Shaw for a second stint, became just the ninth coach in Louisiana prep football to win 300 or more games while helping lead Ponchatoula to the state title game for the first time since 1951.

Other active coaches who are members of the elite 200-win club are Ouachita Christian’s Steven Fitzhugh (227), North DeSoto’s Dennis Dunn (222), Vandebilt Catholic’s Tommy Minton (220) and Jenning’s Rusty Phelps (210).

LSWA’s Louisiana Prep Football’s All-Time Wins List

Prior to 2022 Season

Rank	Coach	School	Years	W	L	T	PCT	Games
1	J.T. Curtis*	John Curtis	53	603	75	6	0.886	684
2	Jim Hightower*	Catholic-PC, St. Thomas More	48	447	132	1	0.772	580
3	Lewis Cook*	Rayne, Crowley, Notre Dame	35	382	89	0	0.811	471
4	Alton “Red” Franklin	Haynesville	35	365	76	9	0.821	450
5	Don Shows**	Farmerville, Jonesboro-Hodge, Pineville, West Monroe	32	345	78	0	0.816	423
6	Vic Dalrymple	Oak Grove	32	320	99	0	0.764	419
7	Dale Weiner	St. John, Trafton, Catholic-PC, Catholic-BR	35	317	109	0	0.744	426
8	Racer Holstead**	Tallulah, Tallulah Academy	41	310	155	8	0.664	473
9	Hank Tierney*	West Jefferson, Ponchatoula, Archbishop Shaw	34	300	120	0	0.714	420
10	Dick McCloskey**	Hanson Memorial	39	286	141	6	0.667	433
11	Frank Monica	Lutcher, Riverside, Jesuit, St. Charles	30	284	91	0	0.757	375
12	George “Dee” Faircloth	Vidalia	45	274	197	6	0.581	477
13	Dutton Wall**	Port Sulphur, Welsh, Sacred Heart-VP	38	273	153	2	0.640	428
14	Johnny Buck**	Kinder, Opelousas Catholic	36	271	132	7	0.670	410
15	L.J. “Hoss” Garrett**	Arcadia, Ruston	39	270	122	19	0.680	411
16	Tim Detillier	St. Charles, Lutcher	30	266	112	0	0.704	378
17	David Currier	Kentwood, Bowling Green	31	264	112	0	0.702	376
18	Charlie Brown**	Neville	30	263	66	6	0.794	335
19	Joe Keller**	Reserve	38	262	73	15	0.770	350
20	Lewis Murray**	Bogalusa, Bowling Green	35	259	123	7	0.675	389
21	Donnie Perron	Port Sulphur, Port Barre	29	257	93	0	0.734	350
22	Jack Salter**	Covington	34	256	110	8	0.695	374
23	Donald Currier	Woodland, West Feliciana, Franklinton, Amite	31	254	111	1	0.695	366
24	Wayne Reese**	B.T. Washington, Carver, Washington-Marion, McDonogh 35	39	252	188	0	0.573	440
25	Carroll Delahoussaye	St. Martinville	28	246	92	1	0.727	339
26	Jimmie Morris	Welsh, Loranger	31	243	136	0	0.641	379
T27	Jimmy Shaver	Barbe	27	238	100	0	0.704	338
T27	James Waguespack**	St. James, Cecilia, Beau Chene	35	238	158	0	0.601	396
T29	Bobby McHalffrey**	Ferriday, Haughton, Plain Dealing Academy	35	237	127	2	0.650	366
T29	Paul Trosclair	Eunice	26	237	107	0	0.692	344
T31	Travis Farrar**	Springhill	32	236	110	9	0.677	355
T31	Don Jones	Wisner, Sterlington, Plaquemine, Crowley, Woodlawn-BR, Patterson	35	236	146	3	0.617	385
33	Henry Crosby**	Lincoln, West Jefferson, Douglass	31	229	93	0	0.711	322
T34	Larry Dauterive	Winnfield, E. Ascension, Riverside, Opelousas Catholic, East St. John, Opelousas	26	228	85	1	0.728	314
T34	Raymond Peace**	Sicily Island	26	228	58	5	0.796	291
T34	Jay Roth	Archbishop Rummel	23	228	58	0	0.797	286
T37	Laury Dupont	Thibodaux, West St. John, Vandebilt Catholic	27	227	101	0	0.692	328
T37	Steven Fitzhugh*	Ouachita Christian	23	227	77	0	0.709	304
39	Roman Bates	Capitol, Christian Life	35	225	158	6	0.586	389
40	Dennis Dunn*	Woodlawn-SH, Evangel, Pineville, North DeSoto	23	222	72	0	0.755	294
41	Tommy Minton*	Plaquemine, Central Catholic, Vandebilt Catholic	28	220	109	0	0.669	329
42	Lee Hedges	Byrd, Woodlawn-SH, Captain Shreve	28	216	92	5	0.698	313
43	Parry LaLande	South Cameron	28	215	101	1	0.680	317
T44	Woody Boyles**	Oak Grove, River Oaks	31	210	83	10	0.710	303
T44	Max Caldarera**	Westlake	34	210	165	0	0.560	375
T44	Rusty Phelps*	Newellton, Jennings	26	210	138	0	0.603	348
T47	Charles Baglio	Independence	22	206	61	0	0.772	267
T47	Elton Shaw	Assumption, Kentwood, Jewel Sumner, Valley Forge	29	206	109	5	0.652	320
T49	Lucas “Buddy” Marcello	Vandebilt Catholic, South Terrebonne	31	205	105	12	0.655	322
T49	Charles “Hoss” Newman**	Lake Providence, Winnfield, Benton, Trinity Heights	32	205	119	7	0.630	331
51	Keith “Moose” Munyan	Mangham, LaSalle	27	204	93	6	0.683	303
T52	Bobby Conlin**	Brother Martin	27	203	100	5	0.667	308
T52	Tony Reginelli	Newman	26	203	63	0	0.763	266
T54	Kirk Crochet	Loreauville	28	201	122	0	0.622	323
T54	Robert Hannah	River Oaks	27	201	113	0	0.640	314
56	Mike Mowad	Breaux Bridge	26	200	98	0	0.671	298

*Active coach ** Deceased