Louis Heaton
Class of 1984
Louis Heaton etched an indelible mark in Green Wave football and basketball history as a rugged athlete who exhibited savvy, a blue-collar work ethic and admirable leadership ability.
A four-season letterman on the gridiron, Louis was veritably a one-man wrecking crew on defense. He contributed when called upon with enviable efficiency to the Green Wave offense, yet it was while anchoring the NMHS ‘D’ that he truly shined.
Louis distinguished himself on defense as a sophomore and earned lofty accolades for his performances as a junior, highlighting his efforts with a Green Wave record 93-yard interception runback for touchdown.
He stamped an exclamation point on his Green Wave football career as a senior by keying a streak of 16 straight quarters of shutout defense. Credited with more than 150 tackles during the fall of 1983, he ran another interception back 60 yards to paydirt and inspired the long-struggling NMHS gridiron program to a 5-5 record.
Louis earned league and state laurels and was accorded Green Wave football’s cherished Michael Rosato Memorial Trophy for his four-year contributions.
A two-time captain of the Green Wave and twice selected as the team’s MVP back, Louis is remembered as one of NMHS football’s very best players.
Louis brought an athletic grace to the basketball court to match his strength and determination. He rebounded with ferocity, tenaciously defended much taller rivals and scored points at a double-figure clip for three straight seasons.
In tandem with a corps of talented teammates, Louis helped the Green Wave post 17-3 and 18-1 regular-season records in his junior and senior seasons. His efforts were integral as the host team won the Joseph Wiser Holiday Tournament championship three straight years. Louis was honored as an all-WCC selection as a senior.
The Green Wave didn’t live up to expectations in WCC and state tournaments, but Louis offered solid performances against the best of competition. Twenty years after his graduation, Louis still ranked 10th all-time in Green Wave boys’ basketball annals with 731 points.
A two-time captain and all-WCC selection in each sport, Louis closed the book on his Green Wave athletic career having helped elevate NMHS football and boys’ basketball to a higher standard.
