The more things change …

Published 8:00 am Wednesday, August 28, 2019

The color of the shirt may have changed, but the mannerisms, tone and general congeniality didn’t as new Highland Baptist coach Rick Hutson won his first Iberia Parish Sugar Cane Jamboree luncheon “Not-So-Sweet” award Tuesday at his new school to go with the nine he won in his 20 years at New Iberia Senior High.

Hutson, the master of speaking in front of a crowd, drew third in the rotation of the five speakers at the luncheon and followed NISH assistant coach Robert Pinckney, speaking for first-year head coach Curt Ware, and Westgate assistant coach Derek Landry, speaking for head coach Ryan Antoine. Jeanerette coach C.C. Paul was unable to attend,

Delcambre coach Artie Liuzza and Loreauville coach Terry Martin completed the rotation at the luncheon, which is the traditional kickoff for the Iberia Parish Sugar Cane Jamboree, which will be held Thursday and Friday at Westgate High.

From the beginning, Hutson had the assembled diners in the palm of his hand.

“I don’t know how to do this without a podium,” Hutson said after the speakers learned the usual podium set up for the event at Landry’s Cajun, Seafood and Steakhouse had been broken earlier in the week. “I can’t do this without notes and I was expecting the notes to be up here (gesturing at a higher level than the table) and I don’t know if I can read them.

“First I’d like to introduce my principal Mr. Tim Sensley and assistant principal Brittany White. Now I’d like to introduce the rest of the Highland people here (brief pause while Hutson is counting to zero on his fingers) … exactly.”

The laughter from the crowd was a good indication that the new HBCS coach was going to win his second “Not-So-Sweet” Award in a row and third in the last four years.

Intermixing his talk about changing jobs and his faith and the fact that was sad to “walking away from a potential state championship team that was loaded with talent to go to a school that went 0-10 the year before.”

Hutson said he was asked by many why he left NISH and his explanation was classic Hutson.

“Was it because I wanted to go to a smaller school with a smaller roster and smaller players for a smaller salary?” He said. “Was it due to the fact that I missed mowing grass, mowing practice fields and painting (yardlines on the field) on pre-game days, which NISH deprived me of the last four years (because it has an all-weather artificial turf field)? And I was also asked if I had been taking drugs or was dropped on my head.

“I thought that this would be good for my spiritual life and it has been, because I’ve never prayed as often or as hard as I have the last four months.”

By the time Hutson was finished, even master of ceremonies Raymond Partsch III, from 103.7 The Game, acknowledged to the crowd that Hutson was a hard act to follow.

But Liuzza gave him a good run.

The new Delcambre coach, who was head coach at Highland Baptist three years ago, stepped up and opened by thanking the sponsors and his principal but also the three coaches who turned down the job before him — and Liuzza was off and running.

“Coaching at Delcambre is a lot of fun and they really want to win very badly,” Liuzza said. “In my three years at Delcambre, winning has become a fond and distant memory. I remember winning this award (Not-So-Sweet) in 2014. I remember it as the year Coach Hutson didn’t show up,”

Liuzza, known for his run-oriented offense, also broke out the props as he told a tale of being on top the press box at Jeanerette calling the offense when he got a buzz on his phone. He waited to check it out during a lull in the action and it was from his principal asking “Why don’t we throw the ball?”

He then proceeded to give his principal, Chantel Helms, a headset so she can better get in touch with the coaches. Helms had buried her face in her hands as Liuzza told the tale of her mid-game phone call, but Liuzza said he is glad to have a principal who is passionate about sports.

After those two, Loreauville coach Terry Martin, kept it low key, talking about his young team, but did get in one zinger at Hutson.

Usually at events like the luncheon, such as the Kiwanis “Crying Towel” luncheon he’s spoken at many times, he said, there is some pressure to prepare a good, funny speech.

“The one thing I can say about being here, none of us have a shot with him (Hutson) around so there’s no pressure on us at all,” Martin said.

Leading off the luncheon was Pinckney after Ware bowed out claiming that he was new and not familiar with luncheon protocol.

The long-time NISH assistant talked about this being the first time a Class 5A school coach left to go coach a smaller program at a smaller school, referring to Hutson.

“That tells you about the talent level that we have this year,” Pinckney said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Landry, speaking for Antoine for the fourth straight year, said that no matter how many times he tries to explain some of the issues the Tigers potentially face this year, the answer from everyone is the same.

“Yeah, but you have (Kayshon) Boutte,” Landry said, referring to the WHS senior receiver and LSU commit who is ranked atop the state’s recruiting rankings by many national recruiting services.

2000: Mike Delcambre, Delcambre High

2001: Rick Hutson, New Iberia Senior High

2002: Rick Hutson, New Iberia Senior High

2003: Rick Hutson, New Iberia Senior High

2004: Craig Brodie, Westgate High

2005: Kirk Crochet, Loreauville High

2006: Darcy Delcambre, Delcambre High

2007: Rick Hutson, New Iberia Senior High

2008: Darcy Delcambre, Delcambre High

2009: Rick Hutson, New Iberia Senior High

2010: Terry Lewis, Jeanerette Senior High

2011: Rick Hutson, New Iberia Senior High

2012: Rick Hutson, New Iberia Senior High

2013: Darcy Delcambre, Delcambre High

2014: Artie Liuzza, Highland Baptist

2015: Jack Franks, Jeanerette Senior High (in place of Ananias Johnson)

2016: Rick Hutson, New Iberia Senior High

2017: Mark Broussard, Delcambre High

2018: Rick Hutson, New Iberia Senior High

2019: Rick Hutson, Highland Baptist