GLORY DAYS | Springsteen sang about ’em; Louvier looking to restore ’em at Gladewater
The last couple of seasons, Gladewater has finished the regular season with 3-7 records, making the playoffs, but losing in the first round of the UIL Schoolboy football playoffs.
With four teams advancing into the playoffs nowadays, sometimes three wins are enough. But, it’s not the norm.
Before beginning his fifth season as the head football coach at his alma mater, Gladewater High, Jonny Louvier knows full well it probably will take more than three wins to make this year’s postseason.
When you play in Class 3A in East Texas, no matter the district, you know your schedule will be tough.
GLADEWATER BEARS
Coach: Jonny Louvier (Fifth season, 33-34 overall, 23-22 at Gladewater)
All-time record: 558-430-33
Stadium: Jack V. Murphy Stadium; 2406 Hendricks Street, Gladewater 75647
2023 results: 3-8
Returning lettermen/starters: 22/15
Lettermen lost: 8
Offense: I-formation
Defense: 4-3
In the latest bi-annual re-alignment, 8-3A Division I, has quite a cast of competitive teams: Jefferson, Sabine, Liberty-Eylau (a newcomer), along with Tatum, Atlanta and White Oak for the Bears.
Finishing in the top four is the goal.
Gladewater returns 22 lettermen and 15 starters (eight on offense, seven of defense).
Some of the premier offensive returnees in this year’s I-formation will be junior running back Carsin Cooper 6-0, 210, wide receiver Brayson Woods a 6-2, 195 junior, junior quarterback Luke Brown 6-0, 180 and senior center Mason Thompson 6-0, 225.
A season ago, Cooper rushed for 1,263 yards and 11 touchdowns on 161 carries as a sophomore. Woods is the top receiver returning from last year’s team, catching 22 passes for 268 yards and scoring five touchdowns, three of those receiving and two rushing.
Brown played quite a bit at quarterback, passing for 452 yards, while Thompson will be a three-year starter as he anchors the offensive line.
Notables in the Bears’ 4-3 defense will be Mason Budro 6-2, 190 Jr. ILB, Woods 6-2, 195 Jr. S, Cooper 6-0, 210 Jr. DL, Kayson Harris 6-2, 200 Jr. OLB, Brown 6-0, 180 Sr. DL and Landon Porter 6-0, 215 Sr DL.
Defensive stat leaders returning include Budro, Woods, Brown and Porter. Budro had 66 tackles, four sacks and two fumble recoveries, while Woods had 31 tackles and two interceptions. Brown added 24 tackles and Porter 22.
Neither Harris, a linebacker, or Cooper, a defensive lineman, played a lot on defense last season, but according to Louvier, both are expected to step in and play key roles in 2024.
Junior Grafton Morgan returns, following a sophomore season in which he averaged 33.0 yards per punt, and converted 31-of-33 extra point attempts.
“Our offensive and defensive lineman have a good core coming and have the potential, I believe, to be really good.” said Louvier.
In answering what he felt would be a weakness, he was quick to point out inexperience. “We will only have 7 seniors so our biggest weakness will be inexperience at the Varsity level.”
Yes,the Bears have enjoyed deep playoff runs, winning 13 games in 1984, ‘87, ‘89 and ’90 under coaching icon Jack Murphy, but their deepest recent runs came in 2018 (11-2) one of the best turnaround stories in the state, following a 2-8 campaign, and then a 10-4 in Louvier’s first season as the head coach at Gladewater a season later in 2019.
Murphy, who’s teams at Gladewater compiled a 205-110-7 record between 1969 and 1998, was inducted into the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor in San Antonio recently. His teams won or shared nine district championships and made 14 playoff appearances, winning 12 or more games six different times.
This year’s schedule includes four Thursday night contests, beginning on opening night at Jack V. Murphy Stadium in Gladewater (Aug. 29) at 7 p.m. against Daingerfield. “They reached the fifth round of the playoffs last season (vs. Tidehaven) and will be a good test for us.”
Other Thursday games will be Sept. 12 at West Rusk in New London, as well as the district opener against Jefferson at home on Sept. 26, and at Tatum on Oct. 17.
On Friday, Sept. 6, the Bears visit Diana to meet New Diana, on Sept. 20, Gladewater travels to Longview to face Spring Hill, on Oct. 4, the Bears visit Sabine in Liberty City, and a week later the Bears host Liberty-Eylau for homecoming on Oct. 11. A week after an open date, the Bears entertain Atlanta on Senior Night, Nov. 1, and close the regular season at White Oak on Nov. 8.
The West Rusk contest on Sept. 12 is the KYKX Game of the Week, and is the Bears’ only scheduled 7:30 p.m. kickoff.