Reading from front to rear : Earl Blanc, Herbert Boutte, Nicholas, Hicks, Nash, Percy Deterville, Rogers, Louis “Dockey” Neveu, Robert Lee, Edgar Mitchell Dapremont, Herman Deterville
Pictured above are the members of the 1940 basketball team from Xavier Prep who beat St. Landry of Opelousas, Louisiana to gain the title of State Champions at the annual State Rally of the LA Interscholastic Athletic and Literary Association. The game was a thriller from start to finish and was witnessed by over 4,000 fans at Southern University in Scotlandville, LA.
The final score was 33-23 in favor of the Preppers, but the score does not tell even half the story. The first and second quarters were tied at 7-7 and 12-12 respectively. By the end of the third quarter, St. Landry led 18-15. The team, coached by Mr. Alfred Priestley, came from behind and grabbed the lead to become victorious in one of the most exciting and closely contested championship matches in the Rally’s history.
Note: If any of you know the first names of the Prep’s players which are listed above, please send it to me. The newspaper article did not list them and I would love to give credit to each player that is shown above.
Source: The Louisiana Weekly 23 March 1940 page 5
L.V.C.
Earl Blanc, Herbert Boutte,
From Willis Rey, Earl Blanc’s nephew.
Thanks so much for this information. I have added their full names. Are either still living?
NO, both are deceased. Docky Neveu recently passed away. He used to visit my Uncle Earl, his teammate, often and they attended a Prep reunion together a few years back.
Willis
Dapremont, is either Peter or Edgar who are 1st cousins to Earl Blanc and second cousins to Willis Rey and myself…. George C Adams
P. Deterville is Percy Deterville, H. Deterville is Herman Deterville, Lee is Robert Lee
If any of our readers know the 1st names of the following young men in this photo, please send it to us. Their surnames are listed above… Dapremont, Rogers, Nash, Hicks, Nicholas……Lolita
Edgar Mitchell Dapremont