At the October 2 Webster Parish School Board meeting, the Doyline High School 2020 State Champion basketball team received acknowledgement of their achievement after three years.
“This is something that’s been in the works for several years,” said Superintendent Johnny Rowland. “I know it’s late, but it’s never too late to recognize excellence.”
Superintendent Rowland played a video montage of Doyline High winning the championship mixed with scenes of students watching the win and welcoming the team back to Doyline. The last time Doyline had won the state championship was in 1967.
Coach Mike Normand, head coach for Doyline High School, started by recognizing some former administrators who, as he said, “really put the importance of athletics back in our school.”
“That was Mr. Maz Bursey, Mr. Leroy Hamilton, and Mrs. Sheri Brown. Those three reinstated the importance of our athletic program,” said Normand. “The best decision I’ve made in 29 years was getting Roderick Clark to be my assistant. He has been the world to our program.”
As Coach Normand related where many of the former team members are now and what they are doing, he became visibly emotional as he spoke of Decari Markray, who had died in an auto accident on his way to basketball practice at Bossier Parish Community College, two years ago that day.
“This is kind of hard for me,” said Normand. “I want to make sure he gets his credit and everybody else does.
“Decari was the state MVP that year. In the championship game he scored 25 points and 26 rebounds — one of the best games ever to be played in the state championships. In the semis and the finals, he had 55 points and 41 rebounds. He set a single game and a two-game record down there — any class.
“More importantly than all that, Decari was a great person. He was a great ball player, obviously, but he was smart, funny, and he’d give anybody the shirt off his back. And probably the biggest compliment I can give him is, to this day, I never thought I’d meet anyone who hated and took losing as personally as I do, but he’s the one. That boy hated losing. His determination is what made the difference. He wasn’t walking out of that place with a second place trophy.
“That championship team set a foundation for our program,” said Normand. “In the last four years, our record is 106 wins and 10 losses. And I’m going to tell you right now, other than that [championship] win, our boys probably remember the 10 losses the most, because that’s just not what they accept. That attitude comes from all those boys. They just had that attitude. I’d like to say that it’s about me, but it’s about the entire program, the boys, the town, the community, the assistant coaches. It’s about everything.
“I don’t know what this year’s team is going to be, but I’m ready for it, the team’s ready for it, our town’s ready for it. And I guarantee you, there’s a boy up in Heaven looking down, and he’s letting everybody know that we refuse to lose.”
Normand also paid remembrance to Mr. Todd Patterson, who was principal of The Doyline High School at that time. Normand said, “The very first thing I said in the locker room after the championship, before I even spoke to the team, I said, ‘Mr. Patterson, do you remember the first thing you ever told me as principal of Doyline High? You said, “The only thing I want from athletics is a ring.” You got your ring.’”
Superintendent Rowland presented Coach Normand with a plaque commemorating the win. Doyline High School’s current principal, Walt Ritchie, and 2020 team members Jaylin Ealy, Jake McDivitt, Tony Salgado, and Zach Normand were also present to accept the award.