Signing 1

ST. MARTINVILLE – The University of Wisconsin-River Falls football program knows where to go to get good players.

Tuesday at St. Martinville Senior High, the Falcons signed one of the area’s best cornerbacks in Karon Jeanlouis.

Jeanlouis, a 6-foot-0, 170-pound senior, landed an early scholarship offer from the University of Memphis and received interest from UL, Colorado State and Mississippi State.

In the end, Wisconsin-River Falls was the best program with an available roster spot for Jeanlouis.

“Their coaches liked my abilities on both sides of the football,” said Jeanlouis, who also played receiver for St. Martinville. “They noticed how I guarded the best receivers and held them to the least amount of yards possible.”

The Division III Falcons are located near the Wisconsin/Minnesota border in the city of River Falls (population approximately 17,000). River Falls is considered a suburb of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area, located 30 miles west.

The Falcons went 7-4 last season, 5-0 at home. In 2017, the university unveiled a $63.5 million athletic complex. Mandrel Butler (SMSH) and Ethan Simon (Loreauville) signed with UWRF last year. Westgate defensive end London White signed this week.

“I’m excited to join Mandrel because he’s a big reason why I’m the player I am today,” Jeanlouis said. “When I first moved to St. Martinville, Mandrel took me under his wing and showed me how to play defensive back. He made me into a great DB.”

Jeanlouis has tremendous speed.

He already has the second-fastest time in school history in the 200 meters, fourth in the 100. He ran a leg on the 4 X 1, 4 X 2 and 4 X 4 relay teams that all rank top three in school history.

“He’s a really good kid and a really good cover guy,” SMSH defensive coordinator Damon DeRouen said. “He’s a speedster. We always put him on the best receiver. He has a high ceiling, being that it’s only his second year of playing football. He came out in the spring of his sophomore year.

Signing Day was especially memorable for Jeanlouis. His father, Ricardo Jeanlouis, Sr., signed with Louisiana Tech after his senior season as a defensive back at Loreauville High. In 2010, Jeanlouis, Sr. died in an automobile accident.

“It’s a very emotional story,” Karon said. “My dad was bringing some shoes for me to my grandmother’s house when I was four years old. On the way there, he had a wreck.”

“My family always wanted me to play on the next level. They said I was destined to do it.”