The two New Iberia Senior High graduates each helped teams win championships this year, and both were honored Friday night by having their jerseys retired between varsity basketball games at the NISH gym.
“I’m very appreciative of this,” said Raymond, a 1987 NISH graduate who was an assistant coach with LSU’s national championship football team this fall. “It’s been a wonderful experience. It’s been a good time for the LSU program. It couldn’t be any better in the state of Louisiana for LSU right now.”
 New Iberia Senior High principal Curt Landry, center, applauds as Corey Raymond, left, and Kerry Joseph have their jersey numbers retired at a ceremony Friday night between the boys’ and girls’ varsity basketball games at NISH. - Lee Ball / The Daily Iberian Advertisement
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He earned his degree at LSU in 1993, and after retiring from football coached three years in high school before joining the LSU staff last year. He was an assistant strength coach and assistant defensive backs coach for this year’s 12-2 team that won the SEC championship and beat Ohio State 38-24 in the BCS championship game in the Louisiana Superdome.
Joseph, a 1991 NISH graduate, earned All-District honors in football and track, winning the state title in the javelin and discus. He went on to set 15 passing and total-offense records at McNeese State University, where he earned All-Conference honors and was named Southland Conference MVP in 1995. He also was named the Louisiana collegiate player of the year as a senior in 1995, helping the Cowboys to the No. 1 ranking and the Division I-AA semifinals that year, passing for a school-record 2,485 yards and 27 touchdowns.
He topped that this season by leading the Saskatchewan Roughriders to the Canadian Football League’s Grey Cup championship, earning league MVP honors in the process by passing for 4,002 yards and 24 touchdowns and rushing for 13 more touchdowns, second highest total by a QB in CFL history.
“It’s a special moment,” said Joseph. “It’s something you don’t really think about when you’re playing or when you graduate.
“I’ve truly been blessed. I can’t complain about one thing this year. From the season we had, to coming home to be honored by the city with Kerry Joseph Day (in January), to being honored by your high school.”
Raymond’s No. 19 and Joseph’s No. 11 join that of former Texas A&M and New York Jets running back Johnny Hector among the retired NISH jerseys.
“It was a great year for both of them,” said NISH assistant principal Joel McFarland. “When we started the Hall of Fame, we wanted to start giving back to the guys who came through here. We were going to just do Corey this year (with a retirement ceremony) and Kerry next year, but when Kerry won the Grey Cup this year, it was perfect timing.
“I can’t think of two better guys (for the honor). Throw all their athletic accomplishments out, and as impressive as all that is, they’re better people. That’s what our kids need to see, our students need to see.”
Comments
TD wrote on Mar 8, 2008 6:10 PM:
They were phenomenal athletes in high school, college, and the pros. Both were extremely friendly and outgoing too. I am happy for both of them.
You could tell in high school they were both going to play in the pros.
"
kj fan wrote on Feb 14, 2008 4:27 PM:
JPL wrote on Feb 13, 2008 3:51 PM:
Mrs Mildred - wrote on Feb 11, 2008 8:16 PM:
cownutbhorn wrote on Feb 10, 2008 9:03 AM:
Big Roughrider Fan wrote on Feb 9, 2008 12:28 PM:
MJY wrote on Feb 9, 2008 11:31 AM: