John "Jack" Schommer was inducted into the Louisiana High School Athletic Association/Louisiana High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in January, 2009.

Here is the brief biography of Jack on the LHSAA Web site in the announcement of the year's inductees.

Known as the "Father of Cross Country in Louisiana," Schommer coached at St. Aloysius and Brother Martin in New Orleans. His teams won 19 city, 17 district, and three state titles before his retirement in 1990. Schommer died in 2000.

Jack coached football, track, and cross country at St. Aloysius. On Elysian Fields, he coached track and cross country and was Athletic Director from 1971-1992.

Jack becomes the third Crusader coach to enter the Hall, joining Johnny Altobello and Bob Conlin.

In 1958, St. Aloysius won the first track meet in school history by downing Terrebonne 70-68.5. Bobby Nuss's squad then won a triangular meet at West Jefferson with 72 points, "the first time that the Crusaders have ever taken both Jesuit and Holy Cross in the same meet."

Six thinclads qualified for the state meet, including double event winners Sam Bruiglio and John Giblaint.

 

Bobby Nuss (SA '48) on the left with a later Crusader track coach, Jack Schommer

A note in The Aloysian of February 2, 1951:

For his running and winning of the Jackson Day Race, Louis Levy, junior of Room 7, was presented a trophy on the night of January 13, by His Excellency, the Most Reverend Francis Rummel, Archbishop of New Orleans.

Presentation of the awards for the race, which was sponsored by the Young Men's Catholic Association, took place at Jackson Square.

Lou Levy returned to his alma mater to coach and teach in 1958. He moved to Brother Martin in 1969, where he became Assistant Principal. His six sons graduated from BMHS. He continued on the faculty until poor health forced him to retire. He went to his reward in 1999.

This is the 1992-3 Crusader golf team that won the Regional Championship and finished fourth at the State Tournament.

From L-R: Coach Louis Passauer, Ian Dermody, Sam Pons, co-captain Steven Vogel, who was individual state champ, Craig Alcon, co-captain Layne Savoie, and the faculty moderator, Bob Masson.

Bryan Fagot

Coach Randy Johnson's Powerlifting Team won the 1988 Southern Regional and AAAA Composite Championships. Individually, state championships were won by the following.

• Bryan Fagot (114 lb)
• Frank Davis (123)
• Andrew Lacombe (132)
• Ricco Impastato (181)

Sal Brocato won the regional 198 lb crown. Gianni Iadanza finished second in the 242 lb division.

Team members also set records.

• Fagot 395 lb deadlift
• Davis 415 deadlift
• Impastato state and national record holder in squat, bench, and total weight lifted

Only one St. Aloysius swimmer ever set state records - Jerry McNeill ('69). When Coach Joe Keller restarted swimming on Esplanade Avenue in 1966-7, he built the squad around Jerry.

• As a sophomore, Jerry set the record of 52.2 in the 110y freestyle at the State Meet.
• His junior year, McNeill broke the record in the 100y breastroke with a time of 1:07.5 at the State Meet at Tulane. He also finished second in the 220y freestyle.
• In his final year, Jerry swam in the Southeastern Inter-Scholastic Swimming Championship in Atlanta. He placed fourth in the 100y freestyle.

Jerry's brother Dennis swam on the 1967-8 team as an eighth-grader and again the next year as a ninth grader.

Jerry McNeill

Junior Brian Noto led the Brother Martin golf team to an outstanding year in 1976-7.

• The Crusaders won the district, city, and regional tournaments and finished second in state.
• Noto shot a six-under 66 to win the regional golf title. He then finished second in state to earn All-State honors.
• Archie Gonzalez finished fifth in the state tourney.
• Other members of the team were Rick Oster, Paul Reuter, and the only senior, Robert Wilson.

Don Oster coached the squad with Brother Lloyd, S.C. as the faculty moderator.

L-R: Paul Reuter, Archie Gonzalez, Robert Wilson, Brian Noto, Rick Oster

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