[StBernard] THE FUSS ABOUT NUSS

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Fri Sep 29 21:30:58 EDT 2006


THE FUSS ABOUT NUSS
The reopening of Chalmette's Bobby Nuss Stadium proved a great experience
for many in St. Bernard Parish
Friday, September 29, 2006
By Jim Derry
Staff writer

There weren't 70,000 people in attendance, nor were the bands U2, Green Day
or the Goo Goo Dolls playing music to teary-eyed fans. There was no day-long
tailgating, no streaming lights shining high in the sky, no banners and no
confetti. The people at ESPN didn't know anything about it, either.

But don't tell the people of Chalmette the reopening of Bobby Nuss Stadium
last week was any less important than the reopening of the Superdome on
Monday night. And don't tell them they worked any less to get their facility
ready.

There wasn't much fanfare last Friday, and unlike the Saints, the Owls lost
their homecoming.

St. Bernard Parish was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina, and Bobby Nuss Stadium
did not escape its wrath. Eight feet of water sat on the field for days, and
when it finally receded, the process of growing grass again took months. For
some time, it appeared there may never be another football game played
there.

But when the resiliency and dedication of the students, faculty and
volunteers was strong enough to get them through the tragedy, it became
apparent the games indeed would begin again. Some even went as far as
calling it therapy for the soul.

"I think this is going to be an unbelievable help, not only to the kids but
to the parents in the stands," Chalmette Athletic Director David Brossette
said. "They'll see people they haven't seen in a while, and they'll just
enjoy the company. I think it's going to be great for the community, as
well, because there aren't a heck of a lot of things going on in St. Bernard
Parish.

"Once the lights go out, you're in trailers and in some of the houses,
living upstairs, so I think it's going to help."


A long tradition


So much of the school's history was played out at what was known as
Chalmette Stadium until 1982. The facility's name was changed to Noel Suarez
Stadium in 1983, and then to Bobby Nuss Stadium in 1991 after the school's
legendary coach who died a year earlier of a heart attack.

In the first game played there in 1962, Armand Bennett scored the only
touchdown as the Owls defeated Slidell 6-0. In 1968, in what some consider
the greatest victory in school history, Norris Weese ran back the opening
kickoff against Istrouma 97 yards, and Chalmette won its first playoff game.


Thirty-five years later, Karl Bartholomew did the same against Newman in the
final game of the 2003 season, and the Owls finished the regular season
undefeated for the first time. There were tough moments, as well.

"In a hurricane-like rainstorm that lasted the entire game that many Owls
fans still talk about these days, Woodlawn quarterback Joe Ferguson (who
later played for Arkansas and in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills) threw two
touchdown passes to beat us 14-0 (in 1968)," Chalmette sports information
director Jim Bickford said. "They went on to win the state championship with
an undefeated record the next week."

Most recently, in 2003, the Owls were 11-0 and "had visions of the
Superdome," according to Bickford, but it was not to be. A 97-yard touchdown
pass helped Lutcher defeat the Owls in a second-round playoff game.

In the game, Chalmette quarterback Seth Edwards threw what would have been
the winning touchdown pass, but the score was nullified when officials said
Edwards was past the line of scrimmage when he threw the ball.

In the final game at Bobby Nuss before Katrina, the Owls won for the 21st
time in 23 games, soundly defeating Grant 50-16 in the first round of the
Class 3A playoffs in Nov. 2004.


'A big milestone'


With Friday's reopening, the common theme among players, coaches and
administrators was, despite a loss to St. James, there's no place like home.


For months, it was anything but a certainty the stadium would reopen. Then
when school officials were ready to give the reopening a green light, they
weren't sure -- and still aren't -- when the lights would be ready.

First, the Chalmette Jamboree would be played at home. Instead, the Owls
played at Mandeville. Then they hoped to install portable lights for the
Holy Cross game Sept. 15. When it was realized that wasn't feasible, the
game was moved to Sept. 16 at Salmen High School in Slidell.

Chalmette played an afternoon game last week and will play at 4 p.m. today
against South Plaquemines. Now the hopes are the lights will be on for the
Ben Franklin game Oct. 13.

"You feel bad for the seniors, because all of them wanted to come back and
play under the lights," Brossette said. "It will happen; there will be a
game played under the lights."

When the seniors speak, though, they are ecstatic just to have a home
season. Quarterback Zac Kruse "tossed and turned all night" before the St.
James game.

"He was so wound up, I don't think he slept a wink," Zac's father, Billy
Kruse, said. "He was so excited (Friday) morning that he left without
locking the door to the trailer."

For Brossette, it has been a long work in progress. He thanked the St.
Bernard Parish School Board, as well as the determination of the school's
principal, Wayne Warner.

"The main goal is before Mr. Warner leaves, and I'm not sure how much time
he has left as principal, I'd love to see him, as humble as he is, be able
to walk out there and get a state championship trophy in something.

"He is definitely a rock for this community. What he did for people after
the storm is unbelievable."

Like most everyone else who had a part in giving 65 students a chance to
play football this season, much less in their home stadium, Warner doesn't
like to talk about himself or his accomplishments.

Instead, the man who has been running Chalmette High School since 1973
thanked everyone, and he even thanked FEMA. "FEMA helped," he said. "I know
there's a lot of things people can say bad about FEMA, but I thank them."

With the first home game out of the way, maybe the Owls can just concentrate
on football.

"To see the student body up there and everything, it felt great," Coach Tony
Jurich said. "It's just great to be back home. It's a big milestone for us."


. . . . . . .

Jim Derry can be reached at jderry at timespicayune.com or (504) 232-9944.






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