Central Catholic names three new coaches

Central Catholic High School announced three new hires Monday as it will enter the 2021-22 school year with new football, baseball and softball coaches.
The school announced via its Facebook page that C.L. Grogan will be its new football coach, while Brent Hidalgo will take over the baseball program. Sunni Rae Blanchard will lead the softball team.
Grogan will replace Tommy Minton as the Eagles’ head coach. Minton was hired last week as the new football coach at Vandebilt Catholic.
Minton served two stints at Central Catholic, most recently from 2014 through this season.
During his football career, he has won more than 200 games at several stops.
During his most recent run at Central Catholic, Minton compiled a 44-30 mark, with one semifinal appearance and two quarterfinal appearances. During the 2020 season, the Eagles finished 2-4 and missed the playoffs during a shortened season that was made even shorter after the Eagles had one game canceled due to a hurricane and another because of COVID-19 protocol.
“It’s tough to leave a great place like CC with many close friends, but this was too good of an opportunity to pass up for me,” Minton told KWBJ-TV 22 last week.
Grogan is a Patterson High and Northwestern State University graduate. In addition to a stint in the Arena Football League, he worked as an assistant at Patterson High as well as Natchitoches Central High School. Since 2019, he has worked at Central Catholic as a defensive coordinator and with the defensive backs and wide receivers.
“It’s a blessing to be in this position, and it kind of came at the right time,” Grogan said.
He said they have to go over a few things with the team and then it’s off to work for their fall season with their summer workouts June 1.
He already has the advantage with knowing his players.
“I have some great kids, some kids that want to work, some kids that want to get better, so it’s going to be an exciting transition for myself and the kids,” Grogan said.
Hidalgo will replace Tyler Jensen as the head baseball coach. Jensen and his family are moving to Youngsville where he will start the prep baseball program at Acadiana Renaissance Charter Academy.
Jensen served as head baseball coach at Central Catholic since 2012 and has compiled a 217-76 mark. During his 10 years as head coach, he led the Eagles to the state tournament seven times, including six straight seasons, 2012-17. He also advanced to the state championship game four times — 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2017 — winning the 2016 state title.
This past year’s squad was upset in the regional round of the playoffs 2-1 in a best-of-three series against Central Private. The Eagles finished the season with a 16-10 mark.
“My time at CC has been special not only for me, but for my family as well,” Jensen said. “It has been great to us. It is truly a special place with special people. I look back at the last 10 years (as the head coach) and am thankful for the experiences we have had. The relationships that have been built will last a lifetime. I have had the pleasure to coach not only good baseball players, but also good men. The success we have had has been a true testament to their hard work and dedication to each other and the program.”
Hidalgo graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He has served as an assistant coach for the past two seasons where he worked with the pitchers and catchers.
“I could not be more excited to continue my stay at Central Catholic and serve as the head coach. Central Catholic represents a standard of academic and athletic excellence, which will continue to be upheld by me, the assistant coaches and by the players,” Hidalgo said.
In all, he has six years of experience in an assistant coaching role, with other stops at Berwick High School and Beau Chene High School.
“Coach Hidalgo possesses all the characteristics and leadership skills of a great baseball coach, both on and off the field,” the school said in its announcement. “We are excited to have him lead our baseball program that has a strong tradition of excellence, and we look forward to having it continue as a powerhouse program.”
Blanchard will replace Linda Sanders as the school’s softball coach. Sanders served in the position for three years before stepping down following this season to return to her home state of California.
In three years as head coach, Sanders compiled a 55-22 mark with two quarterfinal appearances. This past season, the Lady Eagles finished 22-8 and fell to Catholic High-Pointe Coupee in the quarterfinals.
Blanchard served as assistant softball coach this past season.
“I’m beyond excited to see what this year has in store as the head coach of the Central Catholic High School softball team,” Blanchard said. “I am thankful that the administration has given me this opportunity. We have a great group of girls who are willing to put in the work to become successful, both on and off of the field.”
She is an Assumption High graduate and a former all-state softball player.
She attended Loyola University in New Orleans where she was a four-year starter for the volleyball team.
“She brings to the table experience on the field as a powerhouse player as well as a unique gift to connect with players as a mentor and now head coach,” the school said in its release.