RB/LB Jestin Kelly eligible to play for Port Allen High

It has already been a very good week for Port Allen High running back-linebacker Jestin Kelly.

The 5-foot-10½, 230-pound Kelly learned Monday that he was ruled eligible to play for the Pelicans by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association.

On Tuesday, the senior who previously played at Redemptorist received his first scholarship offer from Grambling, said PAHS coach Guy Blanchard.

Blanchard said other schools expressing an interest in Kelly, who moved to Port Allen late last spring, include the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the University of Southern Mississippi.

The addition of Kelly gives the Pelicans two backfield mates/linebackers who are expected to be college bound. PAHS’ Darian Claiborne committed to Texas A&M over the summer. Claiborne is also a linebacker and plays quarterback for the Pelicans.

“It looks like everything is coming together for him (Kelly) right now,” Blanchard said.

Turf and timing

Live Oak High and Lutcher High planned to unveil artificial turf fields at scrimmages this week, but different obstacles have altered those plans.

Class 5A LOHS will not be able to use its new stadium and turf because of ongoing construction at its new school site. Meanwhile, Class 4A Lutcher has pushed its scrimmage back one day to allow workers time to finish installing its turf.

“The turf is down and the stands are up ... the stadium is ready to go,” LOHS Athletic Director Brian Hargroder said. “But the access road that runs back from the front of the school to the stadium hasn’t been poured yet. So the contractors won’t give us permission to use it (stadium).”

With its new stadium unavailable, Live Oak will scrimmage Albany at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the school’s existing stadium located at the old LOHS school site in Watson.

Lutcher coach Tim Detillier said the Bulldogs have moved their scrimmage with West St. John to Friday at 7 p.m.

“The guys who are installing the turf are working as fast as they possibly can,” Detillier said.

Two sites now

All four Ascension Parish high schools will still participate in the LeBlanc Jamboree next Friday.

For the first time in years all the games won’t be played at East Ascension’s Spartan Stadium in Gonzales.

Dutchtown will face EAHS at Spartan Stadium as usual. But St. Amant will travel across the Mississippi River to take on Donaldsonville High at Boutte Stadium.

“It’s still going to be the LeBlanc Jamboree, it’s just going to be played at two sites,” East Ascension coach Paul Bourgeois said.

“It’s a format change. We’re going to pool the money and resources.”

Coaching ties

First-year Scotlandville coach Eric Randall has not coached high school football in more than a decade since leaving Southern Lab.

Randall’s staff will include three coaches who played for him at SLHS brothers Jason and Jeffrey Stampley along with Delwyn Daigre.

Another first-year assistant, John Jenkins, was Southern University’s center when Randall played quarterback for the Jaguars.

• Former St. Michael the Archangel and McNeese player Chad Davis is coaching wide receivers for the Warriors.