JOURNAL SPORTS
As the 2023 prep football season approaches, it’s a good time to appreciate the most successful coaches in state history.
The Louisiana Sports Writers Association annually updates the list of coaching wins. Headlining the group locally is the late, great Lee Hedges, the only coach in Louisiana high school football to guide three different schools to the state finals: Byrd, Woodlawn and Captain Shreve.
Noteworthy this season: J.T. Curtis needs seven wins to become America’s most successful prep football coach of all time. There’s not much doubt that his John Curtis Patriots will pass that milestone late this year.
| LSWA’s Louisiana Prep Football’s All-Time Wins List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Prior to 2023 season | ||
| Coach | Last school coached | W-L-T |
| J.T. Curtis * | John Curtis | 615-77-6 |
| Jim Hightower * | St. Thomas More | 460-133-1 |
| Lewis Cook * | Notre Dame | 392-92-0 |
| Alton “Red” Franklin | Haynesville | 365-76-9 |
| Don Shows ** | West Monroe | 345-78-0 |
| Dale Weiner | Catholic-BR | 317-109-0 |
| Vic Dalrymple | Oak Grove | 312-102-0 |
| Racer Holstead ** | Tallulah Academy | 310-155-8 |
| Hank Tierney | Shaw | 309-123-0 |
| Dick McCloskey ** | Hanson Mem. | 286-141-6 |
| Frank Monica | St. Charles | 284-91-0 |
| George “Dee” Faircloth | Vidalia | 274-197-6 |
| Dutton Wall ** | Sacred Heart-VP | 273-153-2 |
| Johnny Buck ** | Opelousas Cath. | 271-132-7 |
| L.J. “Hoss” Garrett ** | Ruston | 270-122-19 |
| Tim Detillier | Lutcher | 266-112-0 |
| David Currier | Bowling Green | 264-112-0 |
| Charlie Brown ** | Neville | 263-66-6 |
| Joe Keller ** | Reserve | 262-73-15 |
| Lewis Murray ** | Bowling Green | 259-123-7 |
| Donnie Perron | Port Barre | 257-93-0 |
| Jack Salter ** | Covington | 256-110-8 |
| Donald Currier | Amite | 254-111-1 |
| Wayne Reese ** | McDonogh #35 | 252-188-0 |
| Carroll Delahoussaye | St. Martinville | 246-92-1 |
| Jimmie Morris ** | Loranger | 243-136-0 |
| Steven Fitzhugh * | Ouachita Christian | 240-78-0 |
| Jimmy Shaver | Barbe | 238-100–0 |
| James Waguespack ** | Beau Chene | 238-158-0 |
| Bobby McHalffey ** | Plain Dealing Acad. | 237-127-2 |
| Paul Trosclair | Eunice | 237-107-0 |
| Travis Farrar ** | Springhill | 236-110-9 |
| Don Jones | Patterson | 236-146-3 |
| Dennis Dunn * | North DeSoto | 234-74-0 |
| Henry Crosby ** | Douglass | 229-93-0 |
| Larry Dauterive | Opelousas | 228-85-1 |
| Raymond Peace ** | Sicily Island | 228-58-5 |
| Jay Roth | Rummel | 228-58-0 |
| Laury Dupont | Vandebilt Cath. | 227-101-0 |
| Roman Bates ** | Christian Life | 225-158-6 |
| Tommy Minton * | Vandebilt Cath. | 225-116-0 |
| Lee Hedges ** | Captain Shreve | 216-92-10 |
| Parry Lalande | South Cameron | 215-101-1 |
| Rudy Phelps | Jennings | 214-146-0 |
| Woody Broyles ** | River Oaks | 210-83-10 |
| Max Caldarera ** | Westlake | 210-165-0 |
| David Franklin * | Haynesville | 207-62-0 |
| Charles baglio | Independence | 206-61-0 |
| Elton Shaw | Valley Forge | 206-109-5 |
| Lucas “Buddy” Marcello | South Terrebonne | 205-105-12 |
| Charles “Hoss” Newman ** | Trinity Heights | 205-119-7 |
| Keith “Moose” Munyan | LaSalle | 204-93-6 |
| Bobby Conlin ** | Brother Martin | 203-100-5 |
| Tony Reginelli | Newman | 203-63-0 |
| Kirk Crochet | Loreauville | 201-122-0 |
| Robert Hannah | River Oaks | 201-113-0 |
| Mike Mowad | Breaux Bridge | 200-98-0 |
| * – Active coach; ** – Deceased | ||