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Fresh from the most meaningful postseason football victory not only in school history, but in his 15-year coaching career as well, Jay Roth returned to campus this past weekend where he confronted a pair of head coaching competitors.

Awaiting him were David Johnson of St. Augustine and Mark Bonis of Brother Martin, whose Purple Knights and Crusaders, respectively, had faced West Monroe in the opening two rounds of the Class 5A state playoffs.

Both coaches offered Roth all of their game films. For the past two weeks, Jesuit Coach Wayde Keiser, whose Blue Jays fell to Rummel 14-7 in the playoffs, has called to offer complimentary words and encouragement.

Not to be outdone, Shaw Coach Scott Bairnsfather will send Rummel several of the Baden footballs that finalists must use in the LHSAA/State Farm Prep Classic. The Shaw footballs have long since lost their shiny slick exteriors since the Eagles made three consecutive appearances in the Superdome Classic under Bairnsfather.

Rummel (14-0) will be seeing its first football title Saturday at 7 p.m. against six-time state kingpin West Monroe (14-0) who spends almost as much time in the Superdome as Tulane or the Saints. The Rebels looked as beatable in the first two rounds against Martin (28-17) and St. Aug (27-26) as they have looked unbeatable in the most recent two rounds against Thibodaux (45-21) and Catholic High (52-6).

Catholic League mates Jesuit (with 7), St. Aug (3), Brother Martin (1) and Shaw (1) each have experienced that state championship feeling that has eluded the Raiders. “I am excited for Rummel and I am happy for all of the former players and, shoot, I’ m a former player,” said Roth, who quarterbacked the Raiders in the late 1970s. “I want the players to enjoy this week. They have earned it. You cannot take anything away from them.”

When the horn sounded Friday at icy Cajun Field in Lafayette, the air temperature was 26 degrees which meant nothing to a sea of ecstatic Raiders who stormed the field following another typical, slim Rummel 7-6 win against Westgate of New Iberia. Roth said he assumed the role of a fan.

“I just stayed back and watched the players, hugging, rolling in the snow and ice. They stayed on the field until security ran us off. In the (postgame) showers their fingers and toes were stinging they were so cold.”

Roth anticipated a noisy trip back to Metairie but his players threw him a curveball. “When the lights on the bus went out, there was not another word,” said Roth. Rummel has survived through 14 weeks with three one-point victories, another by four points, one by five points and three by a touchdown.

Well documented have been the team’s two saviors: defense and special teams. The Westgate victory came courtesy of a 31-yard interception return by Ben Jefferson, a nickel back, and the critical extra point by Marc Raziano.

Well-documented have been the major contributions of defensive end Myles O’Brien, linebackers Chris Randle and Philip Helmstetter and free safety Carvin Johnson, seniors all. But no defense can lift a team to a state title game with but four contributors.

Senior end Neal Lavin, at just 180 pounds, compliments O’Brien who had three sacks on Westgate’s final series Friday. The tackles are John Bertucci, a junior, and first-year starters Jeremy New and Blaise Smothers who alternate. Senior linebacker D’wann Dunbar, another first-year starter, joins Helmstetter and Randle.

The strong safety is Lance Lasiter, a senior who had four game-saving interceptions. The cornerbacks are a pair of gnats: Michael Langley, a 5-foot-7, 165-pound senior, three-year starter, and Ryan Magee, a 5-6, 138-pound junior, along with Jefferson.

“They respect and love one another,” said Roth of a defense coached by coordinator Eddie Jaquillard and assistants Joey Boh, Nick Monica and Darryl Roule, four of the Raiders’ coaches. (The Rebels have 23 coaches). “At practice, they are intense and focused, always hitting and getting after each other,” said Roth. “I was told that Helmstetter made a halftime speech Friday that had some of them crying.”

“We knew at the beginning of the season that we had the potential to be here,” said Helmstetter. “We are unselfish and we have playmakers. I couldn‘t sleep Saturday morning because of all the phone calls.” (He didn’t seem to mind.)

‘”We have good character and we are well-coached,” added Randle. “And we know we can lean on each other.”

Johnson, who is bound for Michigan, said he welcomes the week-to-week burden of a defense that ofttimes has to produce points and a short field for a struggling offense. “I would do it all over again,” Johnson said. “I don’t mind. We have understood our role since the beginning of the season.”

“We have a positive attitude and we just keep chipping away,“ said O’Brien. “It is an amazing feeling to be here after 46 years of Rummel football.