Comeaux High’s Jaden Celestine enjoyed the best season of his career last year as the Spartans ended a long losing streak.
Celestine, who finished as the Acadiana area’s fourth-leading rusher, established himself as one of the best running backs in the state.
As a junior, Celestine rushed for 1,648 yards on 186 carries and scored 24 touchdowns to help the Spartans snap a 33-game losing streak and enjoy their first five-win season since 2019.
However, there is concern whether Celestine and the Spartans will have an opportunity at an encore performance this fall.
The back-and-forth regarding the potential closing of Comeaux High has left the team in limbo.
For now Comeaux will remain open, but that doesn't mean the football team will compete in the fall. Coach Marquis Newsome said there’s a good chance there won't be a football season at Comeaux even if the school remains open.
Not long after, a fundraiser was held by Landon Fitzgerald — a high school teammate of Newsome's — to raise money for the football team, it was announced that the school would close. Fitzgerald is a Comeaux graduate and owner of "Perfect Fitz."
Newsome and his Spartans staff along with the support of Fitzgerald decided to provide Comeaux players with keepsakes such as jerseys with their names embroidered on the back, helmets, compression shirts featuring the Spartans logo and their jersey number as well as sports bags.
“We spent every bit of money on the kids, because we were under the impression that the school was closing,” Newsome said. “So, we gave the kids all of their jerseys and had their names put on the back of them. So even in the event the school stays open, having football is very unlikely. We don't have a game schedule because everybody pulled out from the schedule.”
After it was announced the school would remain open, Fitzgerald made Comeaux High alumni shirts in an effort to raise money for things the program might need.
Those shirts raised a little less than $1,100 but considering there may not be a football program to support, Fitzgerald decided to use the money to support a Spartans player.
That player was Celestine.
“I feel blessed. I’m truly honored to have them think of me in that moment,” Celestine said. “This just shows you that if you are good to people and kind, it can get you really far in life.”
Considering he may not have the chance to play football this season, Celestine plans to use the money to help pay for the more than 20 football camps he’s planning to attend in an effort to get his name out as a college recruit.
“It’s going to play a big part in my journey,” Celestine said. “It’s going to be a major help especially with the rental cars, the food and the gas. I’m putting that toward all of the expenses for going to these camps and getting myself exposed more.”
In what has been tabbed as a sponsorship, Fitzgerald said “he felt the need to do so after praying about.”
“All I wanted to do was use my resources that I’ve been blessed with to bless somebody else,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s not a whole lot of money, but I just thought of him because from my understanding he may not be able to play his senior year. So, it was really important for him to go to these camps.”
Celestine, who plans to commit in June or July, has scholarship offers from Arkansas State, Nicholls State and Lamar.
“I'm not saying he's getting affected more than others, but he has the most potential out of the whole team, and this situation is kind of putting a damper on things,” Newsome said. “It has created some uncertainty, so the least we can do is help him go to camps this summer, and that's kind of how we came about giving the sponsorship.”