HARVEY, La. — As the final seconds ticked off the game clock at Harold "Hoss" Memtsas Stadium in Harvey, La., Friday night, the celebrations began to crown J.T. Curtis the winningest high school coach of all time.
But according to the Louisiana High School Athletic Association, the Patriots 41-7 win over previously unbeaten Catholic League rival Edna Karr gives Coach Curtis 592 wins and not the sole record of 622 – which would eclipse previous holder John McKissick's 621.
On Tuesday, the LHSAA confirmed that it would not validate the new record due to 30 games the school had to forfeit during a three-year period beginning in 2013 for the use of an ineligible player. Curtis has challenged the ruling several times but has not been able to have it overturned.
As players, parents, students and alum all rushed to don freshly-printed T-shirts with "622" in school colors adorning the front, media swarmed Curtis to ask him if he was in fact the winningest coach in the history of high school?
"Well, I'll let you decide," Curtis said. "If you can count, we'll go from there."
WWL-TV's Aaron S. Lee followed up asking if the record actually mattered to him at this point in the season – and career.
"No, it really doesn't," Curtis claimed. "What what more could you ask for in a game like this tonight? I mean, those kids were executing. They were excited. They played hard.
"So we coach to see these young men be able to accomplish things," he continued. "Because it's not easy to do what they did tonight, and I'm proud of how they executed their offense and their defense in our kicking game. And that's what makes me continue to want to work hard and be a part of this."
With the win Curtis hands fellow District 9-5A opponent Karr (8-1, 5-1) its only loss of the regular season, while the Patriots finish 7-2 overall, 4-2 in Catholic League play.
Playoffs begin next week.
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