East Ascension hires Keowen, Scotlandville’s Clark moves to administration – The Advocate

As a baseball player at Central High, Kade Keowen followed the progress of other schools, including East Ascension.

Now Keowen, an assistant coach at LSU-Eunice the last four years, has been hired as the Spartans new coach.

When I was in school, East Ascension was one of the good programs, Keowen said. They won a state title when I was in school. Theres so much tradition there. Theres a sense of community. Alumni and the community are loyal and follow their school, which is so important. I can't wait to get started.

It is the second head coaching job on the high school level for Keowen, a former LSUE player who spent one season as the head coach at False River Academy and was an assistant coach at Denham Springs High for one season.

Keowen is one of two former local baseball standouts changing jobs.

Darren Clark, who led Scotlandville to a 21-13 record and a playoff victory this spring, is moving into administration at Scotlandville after spending six years as the schools baseball coach. He is a former Baker High and Southern University standout who was also director of baseball operations and hitting coach Alcorn State before coming to Scotlandville.

In other coaching news, former Nicholls State and Dunham/Chapel Trafton basketball coach J.P. Piper is the new boys basketball coach at Lutcher High.

Denton Mallas is the new head football coach at Louisiana School for the Deaf.

Clark said he's proud of what the baseball program accomplished on his watch.

The thing Im proudest of is changing the culture of baseball here, Clark said. We have guys who are dedicated to baseball and not just playing it until its time to start another sport. Its a big step for an urban baseball program and a journey I think will continue.

Im not totally closing the door on coaching, but Im dedicated to helping our principal, Tiffany Quiett, get every phase of this school to the highest level. I think I can learn a lot from her and this process.

The 31-year-old Keowen starred at Central from 2001-04 and spent two years at LSU before playing one season at LSUE. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox and played in their minor-league season system through 2010.

PIPER TO LUTCHER: Piper was head coach at Dunham/Chapel Trafton from 1993-2002, a stint that included a Class 1A title and a 1A runner-up finish. He was the head coach at Nicholls from 2004-16 and was the Southland Conference Coach of the Year in 2008-09 and also had a win over LSU in 2010.

Piper spent last season as head coach at Morgan City High, leading the Tigers to the regional playoff round. He succeeds Chase Delrie, who resigned last month to become boys basketball coach at French Settlement.

MALLAS SUCCEEDS GREMILLION: Mallas is a former player at Wisconsin School for the Deaf and graduated from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. He was a volunteer coach at LSD in 2015 and became a full-time assistant last fall.

Mallas is LSDs first deaf head football coach since the late Glen Deville, who coached through 1992. He succeeds Susan Gremillion, who was 14-5 in two seasons and led the War Eagles to a deaf national championship last fall.

Follow Robin Fambrough on Twitter, @FambroughAdv

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East Ascension hires Keowen, Scotlandville's Clark moves to administration - The Advocate