John F. Kennedy Cougars

By Lee Brecheen

Head Coach: Lynarise Elpheage (4th year)

2022 Record: 10-2

Class & District: Class 3A (District 9)

2022 Playoffs: 1st Round Bye, Defeated Archbishop Hannan 30-0 in 2nd Round, Lost to E.D. White 42-20 in Quarterfinals of DIvision II (Select) Playoffs

For the first time in school history, the John F. Kennedy High School Cougars made it all the way to the quarterfinals in 2022. However, the program had 18 seniors graduate in 2022 and the linemen overall will be very young this season. The school has a very large 2025 Class coming up which means a solid foundation for years to come for the program.

The Cougars currently have a record of 4-1 on the season two wins over 5A schools (Terrebonne and Live Oak). Their only loss came in a 20-14 nailbiter against currently undefeated 5A program St. Amant. That is a great start to a program replacing 90 percent of its starters from a year ago.

John F. Kennedy CB Bernard Causey (Photo taken by Juan Filmz Photography)

The offense still has playmakers after losing a ton of talent from a year ago. Those playmakers are WR Ralo Egana (5-8, 160, Sr.) who is a three-year starter, WR/DB James Evans (5-9, 165) who has caught 14 receptions for 252 yards and two touchdowns as of Sept. 28, WR Joey Davis (6-1, 175) who is a big-time playmaker, four-year starter CB/WR Bernard Causey who is an Ole Miss commit (6-0, 170), WR Johthan Strowder (5-7, 160) also fast 4.5 speed, RB Omarion Brown (5-8, 175 )who has rushed for 220 yards and one touchdown as of Sept. 28, RB Nick Thomas (6-0, 247) and new starting QB Amyne Darensbourg (6-1, 172) who is a new starter with size to become a good player, and is having a good year as he has thrown for 591 yards and five touchdowns as of Sept. 28. Darensbourg was a starting Safety in 2022.

The lineman and linebackers in the program most of these guys are young but they have talent in these players that are veterans DT/OG David Phoenix (5-11, 240, Sr.) who is a big-time leader, DT Romelle Williams (5-11, 265, Sr.), OG Henry Frazier (6-0, 260), OG De’Edrick Mossup (5-10, 250), center Kelvin Grant (5-9, 240) and several other young lineman will provide depth in the trenches and the young kids have responded so far this year as starters with the experienced players I mentioned above.

John head coach Lynarise Elpheage, I remember as one of the great athletes I’ve ever seen in person in the new-orleans area when he played for G.W. Carver High School in new-orleans back in the day. He also played at Tulane from 2000-2002 where he was a two-time All-Conference performer as both a defensive back and as a return specialist and had eight interceptions in his last season with the Green Wave in 2002. He is in my top 10 players to ever watch play at a skill position from the new-orleans area in my 32 years of doing this. Coach Elpheage is also a great young coach, and he's done wonders with the Cougar program.

Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, The Sports Scouting Report with Lee Brecheen, and click on the bell to be notified whenever we release a new episode. If you want to listen on the go, follow us wherever you get your podcasts! We have a show three times a week where we interview coaches and recruits statewide in both football and baseball. If you click/press on the logo below, it will take you directly to our YouTube channel!