Carencro – In the 2022 season, the Carencro Bears only played nine regular season games and only lost to the Southside Sharks and Acadiana Rams, with the loss to the Rams coming off a failed two-point conversion attempt late in the game. They’d get their revenge on Acadiana in the first round of the playoffs, but Brother Martin ended their season in the third round. This year, the Bears return to a 10-game schedule and will look to make it even farther in the playoffs.
IMPACT PLAYERS
Joni Martin ATH, 5’10”, 170 lbs, SR
The real question is what position won’t Martin be playing this year for the Bears. Coach Tony Courville has him listed as a DB, RB, WR, KR, and PR. He’s been a three-year starter and is a two-time All-District defensive back. Martin feels that with his ability to play all over the field, he “benefits the team on both sides, because anytime they need a play on offense I can make it, anytime I need to make a play on defense I can make it. I’m just trying to make everyone better, you know, benefit the team.”
Austin Dyson WR/DB, 6’2”, 175 lbs, SR
Dyson is also a multi-faceted player with him lining up on both offense and defense. He’s super athletic with good speed and moves that led to him being a starter for the second year. Dyson loves this team’s chances at making it far in the playoffs and spoke briefly that “if we keep grinding like we are right now, I think we have a shot at state because that’s always our goal to get there. Everyone always says dome… I think everyone on our team has the mentality of getting there.”
Khaleb Celestine LB, 6’1”, 190 lbs, SR
Celestine is going to be the quarterback of the defense for Carencro. He’s got range as he’s a sideline-to-sideline player and will make noise with his pads. Celestine will enter his second year as a starter and mentioned that as a leader of this defense, “it’s a lot to hold on your shoulders, if someone messes up, it’s on you too. So you have to make sure everyone knows what they’re doing and know what you’re doing at the same time.”
HEAD COACH TONY COURVILLE
Courville heads into his 35 season as a coach, he’s had two stints with the Carencro Bears for a total of 25 years while spending time with Teurlings in between. He led his team to a perfect 7-0 on the road last year. Courville is a defensive-minded head coach with his formation most often going to be a 4-2-5. The head man says that with this team, he “loves the enthusiasm…and now that football season is finally here, they are ready to perform on Friday nights.” To get back in the state title game, the coach mentioned that Carencro needs “to be healthy… minimize mistakes… and take it one week at a time.”
2022 RECORD – 9-3
2023 SCHEDULE
Sept. 1 vs Alexandria
Sept. 8 vs Barbe
Sept. 14 @ Southside
Sept. 22 vs Sulphur
Sept. 29 @ New Iberia
Oct. 6 vs Lafayette
Oct. 13 vs Comeaux
Oct. 20 @ Sam Houston
Oct. 27 @ Acadiana
Nov. 3 @ Archbishop Shaw
Make sure to listen to Carencro Bears football live over the air on Z105.9 FM or by downloading the free Z105.9 FM mobile app.