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(Courtesy of the Advocate Newspaper)

Lafayette Parish Interim Superintendent Francis Touchet Jr. has been selected by the school board to serve as the next superintendent of the district.
The Lafayette Parish School Board voted unanimously Thursday to move Touchet to the permanent position. He has served in the interim role since July after former Superintendent Irma Trosclair resigned.
“I want to thank the board for their vote of confidence, but more importantly for the vote of confidence in our team,” Touchet said. “We will strive to continue to always put students first, and we will always make sure that our employees are in the best hands in doing so.”
Touchet was the only applicant for the superintendent position.
Touchet is a Kaplan High graduate, played football for USL and then taught in Vermilion Parish Schools. He was also a principal at Erath High School.
The position was advertised as required by law and as requested by school board members, according to Board Attorney Robert Hammonds.

“Mr. (Tommy) Angelle, Mr. (Justin) Centanni and I actually personally visited the post office and opened the P.O. box,” Hammonds said. “We double checked at the desk to make sure that the one application that was contained therein was in fact the only application. That application was submitted by your interim superintendent, who is eminently qualified to serve as a superintendent in the state of Louisiana.”
Hammonds said the board could either make a motion to select Touchet as the next superintendent or “do something else in this process as it moves forward.”
Britt Latiolais, who represents District 5, made a motion to select Touchet, pending any contract negotiations. The school board did not discuss the matter further, and there was no public comment on the topic.

Amanda Blanco, spokesperson for the Lafayette Parish School System, said the position was posted on the school system’s website and advertised from Aug. 6 to Aug. 20 in The Daily Advertiser, The Acadiana Advocate, The Baton Rouge Advocate and The New Orleans Advocate. Blanco said the position may have also been posted to job boards, but she did not have a definite answer before this story’s publication deadline. This recruitment process was the same as that used to recruit for the previous superintendent, Blanco said.

Touchet served as the associate Lafayette Parish superintendent, focusing on district accountability and academic support. He joined the district in July 2019.

He has been an educator for more than 30 years, according to his application. He started his career as a science teacher and football and track coach in Vermilion Parish. He moved into administrative roles in 1998. He served as assistant principal and principal in the parish, including serving as the principal of Erath High School for five years. While he was principal, the school was one of the state’s top-performing high schools.
He moved to the Louisiana Department of Education in 2012 as a network leader who worked with more than 40 school districts throughout the state on district-wide initiatives.
When the board voted to search for a new superintendent, they debated whether that decision should be left to them or passed on to the newly elected board, which will be seated in January.

Vermilion Catholic built a 50-8 first-half lead on the way to a 57-14 homecoming win over Centerville on Friday.
The Screaming Eagles remained unbeaten at 8-0 overall and 4-0 in District 7-A.
VC led 28-0 after one quarter after Jonathan Dartez and Tyjh Williams each scored two touchdowns.
Dartez opened the scoring with a two-yard TD run, then scored on a 25-yard pass from William Simon.
Williams then added touchdown runs covering 22 and 49 yards to build the lead to 28-0, with Dane Richoux kicking all four point-after touchdowns.
After Centerville scored to make it 28-8 with 8:51 to go in the second quarter, the Eagles scored three quick touchdowns in the next three minutes.
Dartez passed to Ross Dartez for a 33-yard touchdown, then scored on a three-yard run. Jackson Trahan made it 50-8 with a 29-yard fumble return with 5:55 left in the half.
Jonathan Dartez hooked up with Ross Dartez for a 31-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter before Centerville scored early in the fourth to make the final 57-14.
Williams led Vermilion Catholic with 76 yards and two touchdowns on only four carries. Jonathan Dartez added 34 yards and two TDs on the ground, threw for 70 yards and two touchdowns, and had one reception for 25 yards and a TD.
Ross Dartez had two catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns. Simon went 1-for-2 for 25 yards and a TD passing.
Vermilion Catholic finished with 211 total yards and held the Bulldogs (4-4 overall, 0-4 district) to 202 total yards, including 38 yards rushing on 24 carries.
The Eagles travel to Morgan City on Thursday to face Central Catholic (6-2 overall, 4-0 district).

On Friday, during a match between the Abbeville Wildcats and the Erath Bobcats, a 5-foot tall freshman defensive back named Joseph Davis made the biggest play of his young life.
He took the ball from an Erath receiver’s hands deep in the endzone with 11 minutes to play, preventing Erath from scoring and possibly tying the game. This gave Abbeville the football and a ton of momentum on offense. As a result, Abbeville drove 80 yards in five minutes and scored, securing a huge district 20-12 win. Abbeville’s overall record improves to 6-2, while Erath’s falls to 1-7.
Davis, who is a full-time starter on the junior varsity team, said he and a teammate switched coverage and began guarding EHS receiver Cameron Soirez, who was running in the corner of the endzone.
“I went up and took the ball from him,” said Davis. “It was a big play.”
Davis worked his way up into the starting lineup because he plays on the junior varsity team and played varsity sparingly at the beginning of the season.
Abbeville head coach Roderick Moy praised Davis, saying, “He is a great tackler and someone we can count on. He is never too good to play junior varsity. He has played every JV game every Wednesday and started for us on Friday night. He is so unselfish. He gets his butt chewed weekly for his mistakes, but he takes it. Then he comes out and makes huge plays for us.”
According to Moy, the AHS defense helped win the game against Erath.
Davis’s interception was undoubtedly a game-changer and a testament to his skills on the field. Ending any chances of EHS making a comeback was defensive back Tajh Judge to secure the victory.
Moy said the AHS defense played a crucial role in securing the win, keeping the Wildcats in the game while the offense stepped up when it mattered most.
After Davis’ interception, Abbeville started its possession at the 20-yard line with just over 10 minutes left in the game. Moy’s objective was for the team to score a touchdown and take time off the clock.
During the drive, Zaylun Williams, a linebacker playing fullback, made a crucial play. Known as the “Enforcer,” Williams carried the ball up the middle and for a 37-yard run to the EHS 13-yard line. Two plays later, Justin Montgomery scored the security touchdown.
Throughout the game, the Wildcats relied on running the ball, while the Bobcats successfully passed it. EHS sophomore quarterback Jack Landry attempted to pick apart the AHS defense, completing 9 out of 13 passes for 92 yards in the first half and ending the game with 15 out of 25 passes for 146 yards.
Abbeville started strong by marching 80 yards in five plays, scoring on their second possession of the game. The longest play was a 65-yard run up the middle by TeZarron Stewert. Edmar Simon III scored a five-yard run for a 6-0 lead.
The Bobcats responded on their next drive by marching 60 yards on three passing plays and three runs by Landon LeMaire, covering a total of 14 yards. Jack Landry completed a nine-yard TD pass to Christian Pillette with 11 minutes left in the first half.
Abbeville’s defense stopped the two-point conversion, keeping the game tied at 6-all.
Abbeville took the lead on an 12-yard run from quarterback DaZavien Maze with 7:15 left to play in the first half. They finished the half with a 12-6 lead.
Abbeville travels to St. Martinville next Friday, while Erath is home against Crowley.

January 8, 1961 ~ October 17, 2023

ABBEVILLE — Funeral services will be held at 3:00 PM on Friday, October 20, 2023 at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville honoring the life of Gina Marie Vaughan, 62, who died Tuesday, October 17, 2023 at Abbeville General Hospital. She will be laid to rest at Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery with Russell Hayes officiating the services. Those serving as pallbearers will be Shane LeBlanc, Brody Dupuis, Luke LeBlanc, Marcus LeBlanc, Brett Vaughan, and Rixby Broussard.
She is survived by her son, Brett Vaughan and his wife, Karlie; granddaughter, Zayda Vaughan; step-grandson, Carter Derouen; brother, Scott Smith; sisters, Lisa Vaughan, Natasha LeBlanc, and Marlene Patterson; brother-in-law, Shane LeBlanc; nephew, Luke LeBlanc; nieces, Lauren LeBlanc, Alyssa LeBlanc, Melissa Bobo, and Megan Bobo; great-nephews, Maverick Dupuis and Lincoln Boudreaux; and great-nieces, Hailey Lattero and Layla Bobo.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Virginia Landry Norman; step-father, Cecil Norman; Godchild, Matthew Primeaux; grandparents, Alton and Leta Dubois Landry; and father of her son, Alvin Hull.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles St., on Friday, October 20, 2023 from 9:00 AM until time of services.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.