After more than four decades associated with Barbe High School, 12 as head football coach, Mike Cutrera has retired.

Calcasieu Parish School Board Public Information Officer Holly Holland confirmed Cutrera’s retirement Friday morning.

Cutrera was the area’s longest tenured head coach since the retirement of Jennings’ Rusty Phelps at the end of the 2022 season. Cutrera has led the Bucs since 2011, compiling a 92-38 record nine trips to the playoffs and five district championships.

In his first season at the helm, Cutrera led the Bucs to the Class 5A quarterfinals. He followed that up with one of the best seasons in program history as the Bucs went 13-2 and reached the state finals for the second time in program history. That historic season included the Miracle on McNeese Street when the Bucs beat West Monroe 49-48 in the semifinals, recovering two onside kicks and scoring three touchdowns in the final 2 minutes, 8 seconds of the game.

Cutrera was the 2012 Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 5A and the 2011 and 2012 American Press All Southwest Louisiana Coach of the Year.

Cutrera, a 1982 Barbe graduate, served as an assistant at Barbe in 1987, the year he graduated from McNeese State, until he replaced long-time Buc head coach Jimmy Shaver for the 2011 season.