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Barbe’s Michael Fulton makes the stop on Acadiana’s Ezekiel Hypolite during a game at Barbe High School on Nov. 4, 2022.

Rodrick Anderson / American Press Archives Iowa’s Hayden Lebleu tackles Iota’s Clay Doucet during a nondistrict game on Sept. 2, 2022, at Iowa High School.

Sulphur: ‘We are going to run the football at you’

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

The Sulphur Tors have leaned towards pass-oriented offenses the last several years, but new head coach Cody Gueringer plans to take the Tors down a different path that is a little more grounded.

“It begins with the overall identity of what we want to do,” Gueringer said. “We are going to run the football and be a power-oriented type of team.

“We are going to take the offense from what we were in Welsh. It’s just a power run scheme. That is a toughness perspective, a desire to have perfection. We are going to run the football and impose our will on people. We are not going to sit here and shy away from physicality. We are not worried about running vertical concepts and what not. We are worried about imposing our will on people and telling people we are going to run the football at you.”

One huge factor in the switch is quite literally the biggest kid on the field in 3-star LSU commitment J.D. Lafleur, who is listed at 6-6, 240 pounds.

“We are going to use our personnel to our advantage,” Gueringer said. “Obviously, J.D. Lafleur is a major factor for us.

“He has grown up a lot in the run game. Run scheme wise, he is dominant. We need that dominant point of attack type of blocker. He is also OK with being a decoy, which shows overall maturity as a person. He is the most low-maintenance superstar I will probably ever coach in my career. Everything is going to cater through him. He is going to be a distraction for defenses. They are going to have to cater to him.”

Lafleur will lead the way in making room for converted running back Grayson Stelly and firstyear quarterback Addison Constance in the spread power offense.

“He (Stelly) has to carry the load for us and

do his job,” Gueringer said. “We have a few guys that can run the rock and help establish the run game. Hopefully, he (Stelly) can do it this year.

“(Constance) understands the offense and puts us in really good situations. Obviously, when the Friday night lights come on, you get a little star struck, but he has done really well calming himself down and putting himself in a good situation. We are teaching nuances in practice to prepare him to be successful on Friday night. He can really spin it. He can throw from every platform. He can definitely sprint the ball out and get downhill as far as shoulder wise and throw the football on the run.”

The Tors return two offensive linemen in Clay Perkins and Noah Mouton, plus a pair of receivers in Austin Babaz and Brodie Depriest. The Tors are rebuilding their defense with a pair of returning defensive backs in Elijah Coleman and Jace Keiser.

“There are a lot of guys that are returning starters, but they just didn’t start consistently in that many games,” Gueringer said. “Coach (Christian) Bruchhaus has done a great job defensively.

“Those guys are using what we have to our advantage. Again, we don’t have those massive guys that are going to eat up the gaps. We are going to

be able to move and put ourselves into situations to make tackles in space. Jace Keizer is definitely the leader. We moved Jace to free safety, and he has done great with that coverage wise, sort of coming up and hitting in the run game, but also being able to play the pass, as well.”

Gueringer has succeeded in increasing the roster since the Tors finished last season with 43 active players on the sideline.

“Player wise, we have added a lot of guys,” Gueringer said. “We are at 167, 175.

“That is ninth grade included. It is a nightand-day change in the locker room and having a media room upstairs. It is day-by-day but building that first cornerstone of culture is pivotal. We are working on changing the culture and understanding our role and putting kids in the best position possible to be successful.”

‘We are not going to sit here and shy away from physicality. We are not worried about running vertical concepts and what not.’

Cody Gueringer Sulphur Tors head coach

Sulphur tight end and LSU commitment

J.D. Lafleur (4) will play a major role in the Tors’ power run game.

Rodrick Anderson American Press Archives

Sam Houston: Experience-filled team older, wiser

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

With a underclassmen-heavy lineup in 2022, the Broncos showed some flashes of what they could do. Now a year older, the Broncos look to turn the corner this season and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

“ ‘It seems like y’all are going to have a good season,’ I am hearing that from everybody,” Sam Houston head coach Chad Davis said. “We were 4-6 last year and in a lot of games.

“Hopefully that group of kids being in that situation last year, we can get over that hump this year and win those type of games. We are looking strong. We have a lot of guys coming back with a lot of experience. We haven’t proved anything, so we are just trying to get better every day.”

Sam Houston last won a playoff game in 2006 when it was still playing in Class 4A — five years before they made the move to 5A.

Many of those young starters were on the offensive side and are now juniors in Gavin Stout (QB), Cole Flanagan (WR), Drew Dronet (WR), Ty Stout (WR) and Drew Bailey (RB).

Stout is a three-year starter after throwing for 2,318 yards with 25 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. Dronet also had a breakout season with 10 total touchdowns and an area-leading 973

yards on 63 receptions.

“It is going to be his (Gavin Stout) third year starting,” Davis said. “He is progressing very well.

“He has taken complete ownership of the offense. He is the voice, and the one holding them accountable. He is doing a good job with it. He had a great year last year, and we just hope that we don’t fall,” Davis said. “The kid

works his butt off. He is a great kid. We have to keep him to do what he can do and not play out of his standards.”

Sam Houston averaged more than 30 points a game last year and could see that increase with a big offensive line that returns four starters in Conner Long, Dennis Myers, Jack Davis and Conner Ducote. All four are

seniors and weigh over 250 pounds.

“We only lost one,” Davis said. “We are still having a battle right now for who is going to be that fifth guy.

“But it is a big offensive line, and probably the biggest one that we have had in a good while. We are really hoping they can set the tone up front for us.”

Sam Houston returns

five starters on the defensive side, including all-district second team linebacker Wyatt Fontenot, but will have to replace the entire defensive front. Fontenot recorded 100 tackles last year. Other returners include two three-year starters in Elijah Scarborough (LB) and Aaron Gott (CB) along with Phillip O’Neal (CB) and Cooper Smith (S).

“Our leader on the defensive side is Wyatt Fontenot,” Davis said. “He is a senior mike linebacker. He has been a leader since day one. He is a big-time weightroom guy. He is starting to come out of his shell and really speaking up. When he speaks everybody listens. If he can control that side of the ball, it is going to be a good thing.

“I want to see them play fast and play physical, play smart and not give up big plays. If we keep the football in front of us and let those linebackers run and make plays, we are going to be successful.”

Up front will be senior Tyler Guillory (6-3, 205) and juniors Christien Guidry (6-0, 245), Romalis Jackson (6-2, 225) and Hunter Dautriel (6-2, 250).

“We lost four guys across the front last year, but we have about six or seven guys that are rotating on the front four this year,” Davis said. “It is coachable kids.

“They have good size. They have motors. We have some depth there, so definitely looking forward to how they play.”

Senior kicker Ethan Boom is back after making 31 of 39 PATs as a junior and a pair of field goals.

“This is Ethan Boom’s second year kicking, and he has definitely shown a lot of progression, so we are really excited about that,” Davis said.

Special to the American Press

Left: Sam Houston's Gavin Stout led the area last year with 973 yards on 63 receptions. Right: Wide receiver Drew Dronet scored twice in the first half for Sam Houston against Comeaux last season.

Barbe: 13 starters returning to the gridiron

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

The postseason has been tantalizingly close for the Barbe Bucs the last two years.

Last season, the Bucs led Acadiana 31-17 in the final week of the season. A win in that game likely would have put them into the postseason, but the Rams came back to win 35-31. They lost three games by four points or less in 2022 and four by nine or less in 2021. Had the close calls turned in their favor, the postseason would have been a reality.

First-year head coach Skeet Owens plans on getting the Bucs over the hump.

“You have to finish games,” Owens said. “You have to make plays down the stretch.

“In all those games, there were plays we should have made or could have made, and we just didn’t make them. Whether that is becoming mentally tougher or becoming better coaches, guys stepping up, it could be any number of things. That is what we preached on this spring. It is finishing games and playing four quarters.

“2021 was very similar to last season. We went 4-6, but we could have easily been 8-2. The same thing, we couldn’t finish games, whatever

the case was, turnovers making plays. We have been preaching finish whatever you are doing, trying to get them mentally tougher to play four quarters.”

Nearly all of the starting spots are slated to be filled by juniors and seniors, including 13 returning starters, but building depth will be an early season must.

“We are going to have to have some guys that haven’t played any Friday games get in there at some point whether it is rotations or injuries,” Owens said. “Whatever the case is, some of

these younger guys are going to have to play.”

On defense, the Bucs lost their top tackler (John Henry Richard, 87 tackles) and leader in the secondary in Kandyn Kordova, but return seven starters.

“We have about six- and-a-half starters coming back,” Owens said. “We have Classie Ballou coming back, who is coming off his second ACL surgery, at one of our linebacker positions. Hopefully, he can stay healthy and help us about quite a bit. Hayden Bissenberger is back and has

come on well. He has put on some weight. He is picking up reads and decision making a lot better. Michael Fulton is back and Lucas Puckett at the defensive end, who played a lot at the end of the year. They are looking good. They just have to stay healthy. If we can stay healthy, we can play with people but you never know.”

The Bucs’ secondary will be led by three-year starting cornerback Dane Dixon.

“He started as a freshman,” Owens said. “We threw him into the fire at corner his fresh -

man year. “That was the first year back from COVID. He started last year and finally started putting on some weight. He moved around to safety a little bit. We expect good things out of him.”

Big-time playmaking

wide receiver Jamaal Levi is at McNeese State now, so the pressure will be on returners Carson Sanford (QB), Eric Jones (RB) and Landon Victorian (WR) to create explosive plays.

“He (Sanford) has done well,” Owens said. “I wouldn’t say he was lacking confidence, but he just didn’t have a lot

Barbe head coach Skeet Owens said he expects running back Eric Jones (24) to create explosive plays this season.

of Friday night experience.

“It was new to him and, of course, he had to play Southside as his first start. After that, he did well. He has matured running the offense.

“(Jones) has a lot of great energy. He is a great kid and always positive. He is probably the hardest worker we have in the program. He is here right now working out on his own. I want him to weight more. He is about 172. I want him at about 182. He is trying to put it on. He runs hard. I can’t say enough about him.”

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Leesville: Controlling the line of scrimmage key

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

The Leesville Wampus Cats have one of the top running backs in the state, but they don’t want just one big playmaker. They want them all over the field and on both sides of the line.

“What we are going to ask is just to play within the system,” Leesville head coach Robert Causey said. “Nothing more and nothing less. We look to be more balanced.

“I think every offensive system, no matter what you are, you want to run the ball when you want to and throw the ball when you want to. You don’t want defenses to dictate your tempo and what choices you call on offense. That is what we are looking for this year — controlling the line of scrimmage and that gives you the ability to have a lot more flexibility in what you do and how you attack. On both sides of the ball we are looking to

find who our playmakers are. I think at any level, you can’t ride just one guy. Eventually, it is going catch you. You can go as far as you can, but the more weapons you have on either side of the ball increases your chances

for success.”

Junior running back Xavier Ford has put on more weight to his 5-foot-11 frame after running for 2,581 yards and 33 touchdowns, leading the Wampus Cats to the quarterfinals. And

the extra muscle hasn’t diminished his explosive running style.

“He has put on 15 to 20 pounds,” Causey said. “I wish I could lose it as fast as he gained it. He is the type of kid that it is not going to

Leesville’s Xavier Ford has added more weight to his frame, which has only added to his explosive running style, coach Robert Causey said.

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affect him. If I put on 20 pounds, I ain’t running fast. A kid like him, he is an athlete. It does not affect him. It all balances out.”

The Wampus Cats have some holes to fill after losing 10 first or

second team all-district players. Senior all-district wide receiver Izaiah Farley gives the offense deep threat, while junior Andrew Lewis is the only returner on the offensive line.

Four return on the defense in defensive tackle Deandre Heron, linebacker Ty England and defensive backs Evan Combs and Jeremiah Lee.

“The kids know the scheme,” Causey said. “We have holes that we have to cover and weaknesses that we have to overcome.

“What I like about it is the intensity that they play at and the knowledge of what we are asking them to do. They understand the defensive scheme. We have some kids that played some last year. We are only returning four out of 11, but some of those guys got playing time last year. A lot of them are first-year seniors getting to start. They want their time to shine.”

DeRidder: Nine back on defense

By Scooter Hobbs American Press

Although missing some key pieces from last year, the DeRidder Dragons will have a wealth of experience returning for the 2003 season. It really jumps out at you on defense, where nine of the Dragons’ starters from a year ago will be back.

That has Dragons fans excited after going 6-4 last season, good enough for a Class 4A playoff appearance before losing to St. Martinville.

Among the returners are linebacker Kenias St. Roman, who’s getting long looks from some area colleges his senior

season. He’s one of those nine defensive starters from last year who’ll be back, including the entire front seven of the 3-4 alignment.

“We’re looking forward to the coming year,” veteran head coach Brad Parmley said. “There’s a good number of returning starters.”

The only defensive holes are in the secondary where DeMarco Watts and Austin Ventroy will step in as safeties behind returners Jatari Harris Rhodes and Kirkland Leblanc.

Xavier Watson, Dylon Rhodes and Tanner Lestage join St. Roman in the linebacking corps, while the front three returns intact with Jayden Aswell, K’veion Williams and Trey Bynum.

“It’s exciting to see this group grow and develop,” Parmley said. The offense may be more a work in progress, especially missing the bulk of the running back with the loss of backs Ronnie Crosby (1,355

yards, 14 TDs) and Alex Archield (719 yards, 16 TDs). That chore will fall mostly to Dylan Vines, who had just 125 yards on 26 carries last year while scoring twice. The Dragons do get back quarterback Uriah Wade, who threw for 540 yards a year ago while running for another 138. He’ll have returning receivers Semont Fairley, last year’s leader with 156 yards, with Javaughn Fairley joining him as a starter this year after registering 100 yards on just three catches last season. Tight end Jacob Hernandez is also back.

‘It’s exciting to see this group grow and develop.’

Brad Parmley DeRidder head coach

Rodrick Anderson / American Press Archives

DeRidder running back Reed Williams runs along the sidelines during a scrimmage against Sulphur on Aug. 17.

LaGrange: Bringing back old traditions

By Rodrick Anderson

American Press

New LaGrange head coach Idaibi Ogbanga knows firsthand the history behind the Gators program. And he believes he can get the team back to its winning ways.

“My brother graduated with the Class of 2000,” said Ogbanga, a 2005 LaGrange grad. “1999 was the last time we beat Barbe.

“That was my brother’s senior year. I remember sitting in the stands and they stopped the two-point conversion. We want to bring it back to the old tradition. LaGrange had so much tradition. A lot of alumni and fans want to see the team be successful. I am trying to bring back the pride in LaGrange.”

The Gators went to the playoffs eight times from 2008 to 2016, but just once since 2017.

Even though the Gators have one win in the

last two seasons, Ogbanga sees talent throughout the roster.

“We have a potential to compete and win some games,” Ogbanga said. “We have talent here.

“The kids work hard

and the buy-in has been good since day one. I think we will definitely be able to compete with everyone on the schedule. I think there will be a lot of colleges that will come through and offer

some of our kids scholarships. We have kids that can play college ball. I think it is just exposure and winning some games.”

Running back Keshaun Doucet is looking for a

LaGrange’s Larry Bellard tackles a Kaplan ball carrier during a Class 4A non-district matchup at LaGrange High School last season.

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breakout season in his final run as a Gator behind a young offensive line Ogbanga expects will exceed expectations. Royale Stewart and Francis Turner return up front.

“He (Doucet) told me he wants 2,000 yards,” Ogbanga said. “He has been working very hard this summer. The guy can flat out play. He probably makes the best cuts that I have ever seen as a running back.

“Remember the kid Kelan Tanner? He is like 6-4 right now and already 290 pounds and can move. I don’t know how he wasn’t starting last year. He is going to be a big Division I player before he leaves LaGrange. It is not like he is just a big 6-4 kid that can’t move. He has size and it is not sloppy. The offensive line is young but they are a lot better than what people are going to expect. Our linemen have been the best group all summer.”

Senior transfer Saint

McKenzie (Lamar, Houston, Texas) will start at quarterback. McKenzie is originally from Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

“He is a leader and vocal,” Ogbanga said. “He came in Day 1 and wanted to learn the playbook and the concepts.

“He has a canon for an arm and makes good, accurate passes. He is Canadian, that is what is crazy. He moved to Houston and his dad works at the plants. Then his dad got a job around here. He is a phenomenal kid with a 3.75 GPA.”

Seniors Jordan Lewis and David Martin will be McKenzie’s top targets.

“(Against) anybody one-on-one, I am going to give it to them (Lewis, Martin) 100 percent. Those kids can flat out play. They are fast. I think (Martin) is going to have a breakout year. Lewis is going to be a defensive back and can play anything.”

The Gators return two on the defensive line in Braylon Hardy and Braylon Williams, and a pair of linebackers in Isiah Lewis and Larry Bellard, plus cornerback Patrick Bertrand.

“They are working on being more aggressive with attention to detail,” Ogbanga said. “We are keeping it very basic and just lining up correctly.

“I feel like 90 percent of defense is about lining up correctly. The other 10 percent is heart. Nine times out of 10, if you line up incorrectly, you are going to give up yards. We are working on the little things, understanding reads and keys. I feel like at times we overthink ourselves instead of just going back to the basics and make kids play as fast as possible.”

Dennis Babineaux / American Press Archives

LaGrange Gator Keshaun Doucet (30) runs through the line of scrimmage against Kaplan during a Class 4A non district match-up last season.

Washington-Marion: Speed is their strength

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

Head coach Jules Sullen has plenty of confidence in his team heading into the 2023 season. While the season hasn’t started yet, Sullen has already witnessed much progress in a team that limped to 0-9 record in 2022.

“There is no doubt that they are going to do better,” Sullen said. “The strength of our team this year is our speed.

“We worked hard in the weight room, but I am going to say on both sides of the ball we are going to try our best to utilize our speed.”

Injuries slowed the Charging Indians last season, but the experience the underclassmen gained will benefit them this season.

“We had a lot of kids that played last year. Officially, as reference to starters, I would say 12. When you lose some of the better kids that we lost due to injuries or whatever it may be, you have to play some guys. I don’t think people know why last year was truly a tough one. We had multiple season-ending injuries. We had kids for numerous reasons who weren’t able to play, so we had to play a lot of young guys. Quite naturally as a coach when faced with a situation like that you begin immediately to play your younger guys as you look towards the future.”

The W-M non-district schedule includes three teams that reached the playoffs last year, including quarterfinalist Lakeshore (Non-select Division II), plus four road games to open the season.

“The major concern is that we play a very tough non-district schedule. They are basically sophomores and juniors, so you never know how well

they will adjust to suc cess early in the season or not so successful early in the season. But every thing should prepare us for going into district.”

To help mitigate the affect of any future in juries, Sullen is training a vast group of offensive skill players.

“I would say it is not one guy,” Sullen said. “It is a plethora.

“We are going to play a plethora of skill guys. My kids are finally start ing to understand that one man really doesn’t determine the success of our program. Last year, we kind of got caught up in that. We had some guys that didn’t play, and it hurt us in the long run. We are going to play a plethora of running backs and a plethora of receivers that is going to make us that much more exciting to watch.”

Seniors Joshua Smith (RB) and Markel Sene gal (WR) are the most experienced skill players returning for W-M.

“I think he (Joshua Smith) is going to do a dynamic job. He is going to be a senior,” Sullen said. “Orlando Griffin is another young man who also played on the defensive side. He is going to play running back for us and some linebacker. Markel Senegal is another young man who played. He is about 6-2, 190. He plays kind of a z-receiver for us.

Dylan Williams, Grayson Boulard (starting since sophomore year), Ashton Thomas.”

Six-foot-five, 165-pound sophomore Monte Farmer will start at quarterback and will have three returning

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linemen to protect him seniors in Boulard (DB), er Devante Galmore look put some,” Sullen said.

At Memorial our physicians and athletic trainers are everywhere athletes need us to be.

Left: Washington-Marion’s DeKoury Flagg hands the ball off to Joshua Smith during a 2022 game against Leesville. Right: Washington-Marion’s Grayson Boullard holds off the tackle of Leesville’s Hunter Cummings last season.

‘My kids are finally starting to understand that one man doesn’t determine the success of our program.’

Jules Sullen

Washington-Marion head football coach

Jennings: New coach on sidelines this season

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

After more than two decades under the leadership of Rusty Phelps, Jennings will have a new boss on the sidelines this season.

Former Kinder head coach Bret Fuselier will look to add to the standards that Phelps set in his 200-win career.

“The thing is how do you replace a guy like Coach Phelps?” Fuselier said. “The thing is you don’t come in here and try to emulate what he did.

“He had great success over here and you can’t get caught up in doing that. You have to be yourself. It is not like I am feeling pressure from it per se. What he did over here was great, but the thing is that we have to look forward. We are just trying to win that first ballgame this year.”

Jennings went 4-8 in 2022 and reached the non-select Division II regional round before falling to Leesville 21-7.

Fuselier is switching the offensive from the split-back veer to the flexbone, but is keeping the defense in the same 4-2-5 with seven starters back, including six seniors in Jude Duhon (DL), Derian Edwards (LB), Walte Robertson (LB), Dwayne Moore (WS), Zae Douglas (CB) and Wyatt Fontenot (FS). Junior Davien Edwards returns on the defensive line.

“Of course, you look at the linebackers and that is where it starts with Walter (Robertson) and Pop (Devian Edwards) at linebacker,” Fuselier said. “They bring that leadership.

“In the secondary, you have Wyatt Fontenot back at free, Stretch (Zae Douglas) back at corner and D.J. Moore is another one returning from last year. We have some other guys that are pretty capa-

ble, younger guys that we are asking to step up. I think they are ready for it athletically and mentally. I think in the backend, we have a chance to be pretty good back there. Our question mark is going to be on the defensive line just like on the offense it is our offensive line. We have a lot of guys to replace.”

The Bulldogs return just four offensive starters from last year’s non-select Division II regional finalist team, but two are in the back field in quarterback J.J. Benoit and dual-threat running back ReJohn Zeno (1,083 rushing yards, 334 receiving, 13 total TD).

Senior Kyle Touchet and junior Isaac LeJeune are back to lead the offensive line.

“That is the thing, we have lost so much from the offense last year,” Fuselier said. “Four starters are back but other than that we have fresh faces out there. “I do feel good about their abilities, but it is going to take time for this offense to get going. There are growing pains every year on offense, much less when you are installing a new offense. It is just about getting these kids to learn the offense to where they are comfortable and we can play fast.”

2022 FOOTBALL STANDINGS

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Jennings quarterback J.J. Benoit was part of last year’s non-select Division II regional finalist team.

Jennings Bulldog ReJohn Zeno catches the pass and takes it to the end zone.

Dennis Babineaux American Press Archives

Iowa: Raising the bar and the expectations

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

It is pivotal time for the Iowa Yellow Jackets. They have won 22 games in the last two seasons and are coming off the first semifinal appearance in program history. Now they have to show they can continue to sustain that success with a handful of returning starters.

“It is a whole new season and a lot of new faces,” Iowa head coach Tommy Johns said. “But I thought it was one of our better offseasons that we have ever had.

“I told the kids that it was probably the most critical offseason in the history of the school. Coming off a season like that you raise the bar and raise the expectations. I think that the kids are up to the challenge. It is going to be a completely different challenge. You are not going to sneak up on anybody or anything like that. We are going to have to go out and earn every victory just like last year.”

One of the biggest questions for Iowa is how to replace running back Ronald Young, who is now at Prairie View A&M. He ran for 1,870 yards and 21 touchdowns last year. Quarterback Cole Corbello will likely take a bigger role in the Yellow Jackets’ run game and will play some running back and wide receiver, while Jonathan Walker will double up at wide receiver and running back.

Senior transfer Josiah Bushnell will see time at quarterback, also.

“Obviously, Ronald was a major piece of our offense last year,” Johns

said. “We are going to move some guys around. Cole Corbello is going to be like our Swiss army knife.

“He is going to be all over the place. Jonathan Walker is going to be in the backfield and at receiver. We are going to move some guys around until we find the right

place they need to be. We are going to have some good stuff. That is two guys right there that can handle it and Luke Guillory is going to be the x-factor, our tight end. He had a tremendous offseason. He committed to U.S. Air Force Academy and we are going to flex him out a lot and do

some different things with him. This is a great addition to the things we can do offensively.”

In addition to Guillory, Iowa returns two on the offensive line in Damian Reed and Jude Guillory.

“They are starting to gel a lot,” Johns said. “Damian Reed was an allstate guard last year and

Luke is back. Luke was honorable mention allstate. Jude Guillory, his brother, is back, as well. We got a couple of new guys in Drue Winfrey, Aiden Gubanscik that have really stepped up and will do well for us.

“We are not going to be as big as we were last year. We have some guys

that can move and are quick. We are going to do some things a little differently offensively to adjust to what those guys can do.”

If the offense can get close, kicker Matthew Vest is another weapon for the Yellow Jackets. He has made 87 percent of his point after kicks in two seasons.

Johns has to rebuild the defensive line but a pair of linebackers return in Austin Latour and Hayden Lebleu plus free safety Joe Natali and safety Cohen Charles, who will also play running back.

“We lost all four,” Johns said. “And really the only one that is coming back that had significant playing time is Andrew Duhon.

“We are going to do some different things defensively because we are not very big. But I do think they are athletic and can move. They will allow us to be a little more multiple than last year.

“Austin is a senior and Hayden is going to be a junior. Hayden started as a sophomore last year and did a great job and Austin had a great junior season and we’re looking forward to what he can do as a senior. Both are very intelligent and know the system.

“It is amazing how after playing a year how quickly you can develop moving forward that they know the system. They are a lot more comfortable. You can tell by the way they are playing. That has been a big key for us helping those young guys up front and getting them lined up correctly.”

Dennis Babineaux / American Press Archives

Left: Yellow Jacket Jonathan Walker (4) makes the grab downfield against Rayne during a Class 3A non district match up at Iowa High School in Iowa, La., last season. Right: Iowa Yellow Jackets tight end Luke Guillory (87) gets extra yards after the catch against the Jennings Bulldogs in 2022.

St. Louis: Aim is to be ‘consistent contenders’

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

Saints’ head coach

Brock Matherne wants his team to take the next step in its evolution this year.

“We definitely went out this year as a coaching staff and researched and did the things we felt we needed to do to take that next step in Division II,” St. Louis head coach Brock Matherne said. “From the last two years that I have been in this Lake Charles area our goal has been to win a state championship.

“We know the history of St. Louis. We are trying to change that narrative to be consistent contenders. We don’t want to just go out and have that one year. We want to be consistent contenders in Division II that everyone has to respect.”

St. Louis Catholic gave up a single touchdown in the playoffs last year but lost a 6-0 defensive battle with Madison Prep in the regional round.

“We expected to win that game and came up short,” Matherne said. “That game carries a chip for our seniors that were juniors last year. Those guys talk about that and think about that and work because of that every day.”

With its whole front seven intact from 2022, St. Louis defense looks to continue its dominance

after holding opponents to 17.3 points last year.

“When you bring back that many guys and you bring back your whole front seven and only lose two defensive backs, we are looking to play some conventional football and lean on our defensive and special teams to carry the load.”

Linebacker Graham Montet exploded for 157 tackles last season and will once again play

alongside fellow senior linebackers Luke Mere and Noah Ellendar. Seniors Kade Nugent, Ethan Goss and Nathan Gray will hold the line, while Luke Pierson and Hank Hebert return in the secondary.

“I think he (Montet) is the most underrated players, in my opinion, not only in Southwest Louisiana but the whole state,” Matherne said. “He is probably going to

break our school record by week five. He is just a leader. “He does everything we ask of him. He is full speed. He is a player-coach on the field. His counterpart, Luke Mere the weak side linebacker, is another three-year starter. He just gets everybody lined up. Then our two monsters on the defensive line — Kade Nugent broke multiple school records his last

year as a junior and Ethan Goss, the other defensive end. That is our big four on defense, and we are going to lean on them for leadership. We are here to play real good defense. Defense wins championships, and we will go as far as they take us.”

The offense is equally filled with experienced players in senior linemen Jacob Fruge, Jordan Davis and Evan Rodericks.

Three seniors return in the skill positions in receivers Trey Tate and Andrew Svarney and running back Kyle Tuener, but the key to the Saints offensive success will be finding replacements for quarterback James Reina, a 1,000-yard passer and rusher, and receiver Grant Evans, who is now playing for Mississippi State. Luke Pierson will take over signal-calling duties.

“Any time you lose a kid to graduation and he moves on to Mississippi State, that is hard to replace,” he said. “We are going to look to replace him, but we know we have a different identity.

“We know we are not going to be able to do the things we have done with those guys the last two years. But with Luke Pierson at quarterback our team believes in that guy. They voted for him as our legacy number. He is just a leader and loves competing. He is the type of guy that you want to have at quarterback. And we have a really good sophomore quarterback behind him that is going to see some playing time in the different packages that we do in Connor Boudreaux. We are really comfortable in our quarterback room right now.” Kicking specialist Landon Daughdril is back after making 47 of 48 PATs and averaging 35.8 yards per punt.

American Press Archives

St. Louis Catholic’s Graham Montet scores on a 10-yard run against Westlake last season.

South Beauregard: Big senior class to carry the load

By Rodrick Anderson

American Press

He took over the South Beauregard program late in the summer, but Brad Kellogg is hoping a big senior class can help the Golden Knights continue the late-season progress they made in 2022.

South Beauregard closed last fall with wins over Pickering and Westlake and is looking for its first winning season since 2016. At least half of the 13 seniors have been starters or part-time starters since their freshmen year and many know Kellogg from his time as an assistant at South Beauregard in 2018.

See KNIGHTS,

‘What has impressed me the most is that they just kind of fell into our system. We do have a familiarity, so it is not like I just walked in the door.’

Brad Kellogg South Beauregard head coach

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South Beauregard’s Cooper Cole carries the ball for a short gain during a 2022 game at Cougar Stadium.

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“Hud (previous head coach Dwight Hudler) had a short senior class that year and a he had a bunch of freshmen starters,” Kellogg said. “Well, these kids are seniors now.

“It is the way they just took me in. The first day I talked to them, I know it is tough. Hud had been here 12 years. He also did the junior high, so he was the guy for a long time. What has impressed me the most is that they just kind of fell into our system. We do have a familiarity, so it is not like I just walked in the door. They just hadn’t seen me in a while.

“They were in my class and they knew who I was. I think they are buying into what we are wanting to do. They are working hard, and that makes me feel good.”

Leading the defense will be a pair of four-

year starters in defensive back Bryce Deason and linebacker Mason Derouen, who has played some fullback, as well.

“(Wade) Zito being here and being their defensive coordinator for their whole football career has helped,” Kellogg said. “We are not trying to sale something different on defense.

“It is really just leadership, especially those two (Deason, Derouen), and getting the other seniors to buy in and believe in me as their new head coach in their last year.

“We look for them to be leaders on the field and use their strengths. I feel like we are going to be OK on defense because we have nine returning starters on defense. We are looking for leadership, not just X’s and 0’s.” While the defense isn’t changing, the offense is as it switches to the double wing.

Quarterback Jesse Shuff

graduated and sophomore Walker Langton will step into the role.

Christian Wold, who also plays baseball, returns to football after not playing last season and will start at running back.

“It is the same offense we ran when I was the head coach at DeQuincy,” Kellogg said. “Matter of fact, my offensive coordinator at DeQuincy is my offensive coordinator now, Case Marcantel.

“Me and him are familiar with each other.

It is a double-slot, two tight end, double-wing, that is pretty much 100 percent of it. We are going to throw the ball. We threw the ball quite a bit when I was at DeQuincy. We are a ball control offense, eat the clock, control the game.”

Other returning starters include offensive lineman Kellen Vincent, Tristan McKinney, who will play on both sides of the line, and running back Cooper Cole.

Teacher of the Week Coming soon!!

LC College Prep: Trailblazers look to follow in footsteps of 2020 team

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

In 2020, Lake Charles College Prep reached the highest point in its short history, the Class 3A semifinals.

Head coach Erick Franklin feels the 2023 Trailblazers have the same drive as that 2020 team.

“I think the overall leadership has improved and the will to do everything I need done and just be dominant at what they do,” LCCP head coach Erick Franklin said. “They are not just selling it, they want to win a true championship.

“I think it is one of the first teams I have had since we went to the semifinals that had that kind of hunger. They will not settle for just being a district champ. They want that, of course, but they want to be a state champion. I can tell by their work ethic.”

LCCP has reached at least the regional round in four of its last five seasons.

“It is a good group,” Franklin said. “I am excited about this group.

“I have been waiting for this group for a while. This group is my group that has been around my house pretty much all their life. My son is the same age as them, so a lot of his friends are in this group. They have been Prep kids since they were in kindergarten, they have been wanting to be here.”

The Trailblazers’ defense has been one of the best in the area the last three years and held opponents to 17.9 points last season. That seasoned group includes seven returning starters in seniors Karson Graham (DL), Erick Franklin Jr. (DB), Cameron Hill

During the school year, a teacher will be chosen weekly by the schools and will be featured on the front cover of the American Press and on americanpress com

(DB), Michael Ned (DB) and Myrtis Dightman (DB) along with juniors Bryce Richard (LB) and Braylon White (DB).

“Pound for pound, I think it is the best secondary that we have had in my years here,” Franklin said. “From corner to strong safety and weak safety, they are really talented.

“I think in that secondary, there are probably two or three more college kids. They can cover and tackle, and they are very strong. Last year, I think we gave up 17 points a game for the season and 11 or 12 points in district. I think that goes down this year.”

Franklin Jr. earned American Press All-Southwest Louisiana Big School honors last season and recently committed to Stephen F. Austin. He is expected to lead the defense along with Richard.

“Erick Franklin Jr. is very smart, IQ wise,” Franklin said. “He is physical and our best man-cover guy. He is an overall good football player.

“Bryce is another IQ guy that is sharp, very talented, strong and physical. He tackles well. He played DE for us last year and had 90 tackles. My thing is that I am really big on getting kids in the right position to set them up to be college football players. He is about 6-0, 6-1. I am not sure how much taller he is going to get,

so I moved him to mike linebacker this year. Moving him to linebacker, I expect 120, 130 tackle season.”

The Trailblazers return their entire offensive line in Kyron Henderson, Brandon Druilhet, Jeremiah Freeman, Garrett Durriseau and Micah Lewis, plus sixthman Mark Rigmaiden. Also back is 1,000-yard rusher Dy’Len Rubin and receivers Elijah Garrick and Matt Higginbotham, but they had to find a replacement for quarterback Josiah Bushnell. That job will fall to freshman Dylan Vital. “I think the receivers are going to be better than last year, overall,” Franklin said. “Losing Josiah Bushnell throws a wrench in a lot of things, but I think we have a freshman kid who I think is going to be a college kid one day in Dylan Vital.

“Early in the year, it is going to be tough on him because he is a freshman, but I think as the year goes on we are going to see really good things from him. He has a strong arm and is smart. He is not as athletic as Josiah, but he is a smart kid with a strong arm. The good thing about it is he is coming with an offensive line that has five guys coming back. Last year we played with three freshmen, a sophomore and a junior. All those guys are a year older, and we have a 1,000-yard running back, so that helps out.”

One of the most valuable resources we have for our children are teachers. They change lives, inspire ideas and encourage growth among the youth.

‘It is a good group. I am excited about this group. I have been waiting for this group for a while.’

Erick Franklin LC College Prep head coach

Dennis Babineaux / American Press Archives Lake Charles College Prep running back Dy’Len Rubin ran for more than 1,000 yards last season.

Westlake: Rams will not use youth as an excuse

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

The Westlake Rams will be young this season, but head coach John Richardson doesn’t see any reason why the Rams can’t be a dangerous team.

“I kind of heard the McNeese coach say this the other day because they have a young team coming up. He said a young team can be a dangerous team,” Richardson said. “That is what I told my team that I wanted us to be.

“We are going to have some growing pains and things like that, but we are not going to use that as an excuse. We are building something here. We are building something for the future. But we want the future to be sooner rather than later.”

The Rams have just six returning starters and lost three players who are currently on FCS rosters in Tristan Goodly and Ethan Koonce at Southeastern and Kristian Ozane at Davidson

College. Goodly was the Rams’ top offensive threat last season with 15 touchdowns and was recently named the American Press Male Athlete of the Year. Koonce and Ozane were defensive stalwarts who recorded more than 100 tackles in 2022 and earned American Press All-Southwest Louisiana Big Schools honors.

The Rams return three offensive linemen in Hadley Hardesty, Jace O’Hare and Aydin LeFrere. Running back Ryan Allen (74 car., 440 yards, 4 TD) came on strong late in 2022 after he was pressed into service because of injuries.

Kevin Rideau is expected to blossom at wide receiver af-

ter switching midway through the 2022 season from quarterback. Rideau will fill the void left by Goodly and will be joined by sophomore Peyton Kile.

“I went up to enrollment and made sure I wasn’t missing anybody,” Richardson said. “But we do have two kids that I think have a chance to develop into pretty good receivers.

“Hayden Kile was actually the fastest guy on the football team last year as a freshman. Kevin Rideau, who started off last year as quarterback for us and we moved him to receiver, had a really good offseason, too. Kevin is about 6-2, 6-3 now, so we think he has the potential to be a good

receiver, too. Obviously, you are looking at the experience factor but the potential is there for both of these guys to be really good players down the road. He (Rideau) looks a lot more comfortable out there at wide receiver.”

Richardson is turning to a freshman quarterback, Brody Anderson.

“Obviously as a freshman coming in, he has some things to learn, but I think he has a chance to be a really special player. He is already 6-1 and about 170 pounds or so as an incoming freshman, so he is not your typical freshman. He has a really good spring with us and a really good summer. I think he is going to develop into a really good player for us.”

Defense will be a big question for the Rams with one returning starter, a move to the 3-3 stack scheme and defensive coordinator Brad Kellogg now the head coach job at South Beauregard. “We were able to get Coach McZeal back,”

Richardson said. “He had been the defensive coordinator for Jennings for years and worked for me at Welsh and Westlake at one point.

“We also got Lark Hebert on our staff now. We were able to secure some really good coaches on that side of the football.

Experience is obviously going to be a thing because we are playing young guys back there, but I think we really have some talent in these younger guys. As the season progresses and

everything, I expect us to get better and better.”

The defense will rest on 6-2, 170-pound, senior linebacker Josh Parr.

“Being the only guys with experience, he is going to have to step up and be a leader,” Richardson said. “It is one thing to show all these guys in practice, but when you turn on the Friday Night lights it become a different game. Being the one guy that does have that experience out there he is going to need to lead the way.”

‘We are going to have growing pains and things like that, but we are not going to use that as an excuse.’

John Richardson Westlake head coach

Rodrick Anderson / American Press Westlake wide receiver Kevin Rideau readies for a collision with a Rosepine defender during a scrimmage on Aug. 17 at Westlake High School.

2022 Southwest Louisiana prep football stat leaders

Kinder: Ready for second season in Class 3A

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

Over the last decade-plus, Kinder has become accustomed to success until their first season in Class 3A — which was an eye-opening experience. But in turn, they learned what they needed to do to get back on the right path.

“What we have learned is that we have to be a lot better,” Kinder head coach Justin Reed said. “We have to work harder.

“A lot of those programs in our district have been successful programs for a long time. They are not going to come down and meet us. We are going to have to go meet them where they are. Hopefully, that has lit a fire under our guys coming into this year.”

Reed, who was the Yellow Jackets’ offensive coordinator last season, is making adjustments across the board in his first year as head coach after Kinder went 2-7 last year.

“We have had to overhaul our defense,” Reed said. “We have adjusted our offense some.

“We overhauled our offseason program. Really from top to bottom, we have made some adjustments to hopefully get us to take the next step and meet some of those quality programs in our district.”

Offensively, Kinder is moving to the pistol option after running the flexbone.

“It is going to be very similar to the offense we ran in the past, but it is just not going to be under center,” Reed said. “I have a background in the spread, and I played in the spread.

“I coached it for seven years at Sulphur. I just

‘What we have learned is that we have to be a lot better. We have to work harder.’

feel like this style of offense marries the aspects of the spread that I know along with the option game that I have learned since I have been back over here.”

Four offensive linemen return in Ty Sonnier, Cam Bellow, Guy Hayes and Hunter Sonnier, which should help smooth out the transition.

Also back is slot backs Donte Botley and Noah Romero and fullback Ben Fontenot.

Junior Landon Rice will make his third position change after playing wide receiver and safety. Reed has plenty of confidence in his new quarterback. “Landon is a smart kid,” Reed said. “He is a very coachable kid, and he has played a lot of big games. “He has been starting for two years for us. He started at wide receiver as a freshman and strong safety as a sophomore. He played baseball all over the country this summer. He has been in a lot of big-time situations against high-quality opponents no matter what the sport is. That is something that gives us confidence going into this year.

“We feel like he is not going to be wide-eyed on Friday nights. He is going to be someone that we trust to give us information back on the sidelines about what is happening on the field.”

Five of the Yellow Jackets’ returners on the

defensive side are seniors in linemen Erick Lavan and Cam Bellow, linebacker Ben Fontenot and Botley at free safety. They will lead the change from a 4-2-5 to a 4-3 scheme.

“We are looking for simplicity,” Reed said. “No. 1, I feel like in order for us to be a good defense, it has to be simple.

“We have to have a set of rules that we follow. Hopefully, that will allow our kids to play a little faster. Last year, we were kind of tinkering with some things and schemes.

“Mentally, it kind of overloaded our kids at times, and we weren’t able to play fast. The scheme that we are switching to is a very simple scheme, nothing too complex. Hopefully that allows us to play faster and have a little success.”

Fontenot led Kinder with 74 tackles last season.

“He has been starting for three years,” Reed said. “He is definitely the leader of our football team. It is a cliche to say it, but it really is true. He is like having another coach out there on the field.

“He understands exactly to a ‘T’ what the coaches are wanting to accomplish each play. He is a very mature kid. He has a lot of excellent leadership qualities that a lot of these guys in the locker room tend to follow. We are looking forward to see him take charge of that defense.”

Justin Reed Kinder head coach

Welsh: Courville era begins for Greyhounds

By Scooter Hobbs American Press

Welsh’s proud and rich football tradition is now in very young hands.

But 26-year-old Ronnie Courville, who served a short apprenticeship for his entire coaching career under previous Greyhound head coaches Cody Gueringer (now head coach at Sulphur) and John Richardson (now at Westlake) is no stranger to lore and history of the program.

The McNeese graduate has been at the school six years and grew up in nearby Jennings.

Welsh went 9-2 last season, finishing second in District 5-2A before falling in the second round of the playoffs to Oak Grove. The Greyhounds, of course, are no strangers to the playoffs.

“They left a great structure and a great culture,” Courville said of the coaches he served under. “I feel like what I learned the most from

them is how to structure things.”

Courville, who was mostly on the defensive side of the ball during his six years as an assistant, will stick with the Greyhounds’ spread attack on offense. But leading passer Gabe Gillett and rusher Kennon Legros, who had just over 1,400 yards 21 rushing touchdowns are gone and will have to be replaced.

“We have a couple of younger guys that are going to move into starting roles,” Courville said.

“But I think we have a lot of potential for sure.”

The Greyhounds will find something for returning all-state de-

fensive end Troy Pattum to do. He’s listed at both that position and tight end for this season.

But the rest of skill spots on offense are newcomers, including junior Jonavon Begnaud will take over at quarterback, while Hayden Van Ness is expected to be the featured running back. Both are talented backs, but, all told, only four offensive starters return.

It’s only slightly better for the ‘Hounds 4-3 defense, where five starters are back. But they get back leading tackler Carter Phelps, who had a pair of sacks among his 80 total tackles to lead the team a year ago.

Southwest Louisiana prep football week-by-week schedule

Week 1

Thursday, Aug. 31

Nondistrict: DeQuincy at Westlake, North Central at Merryville.

Friday, Sept. 1

Nondistrict: Barbe at LaGrange, Many at Sam Houston, Washington-Marion at Sulphur, South Beauregard at DeRidder, Leesville at Jennings, Iowa at Iota, Welsh at Kinder, Magnolia School of Excellence at Lake Charles College Prep, St. Louis Catholic at Crowley, Oakdale at Vinton, Pickering at Elton, Rosepine at East Beauregard, Hamilton Christian at Grand Lake, Basile at Lake Arthur, Oberlin at Pine Prairie.

Week 2

Thursday, Sept. 7

Nondistrict: Iota at St. Louis Catholic.

Friday, Sept. 8

District 3-5A: Barbe at Carencro, New Iberia at Sam Houston, Acadiana at Sulphur.

Nondistrict: DeRidder at Many, Haughton at LaGrange, Jena at Leesville, Washington-Marion at Northside, Iowa at Rayne, Jennings at Eunice, Kinder at Church Point, Westgate at Lake Charles College Prep, Rosepine at South Beauregard, Westlake at Welsh, Oberlin at Oakdale, East Beauregard at Pickering, Loreauville at DeQuincy, Grand Lake at Westminster Christian, Mamou at Lake Arthur, Merryville at Vinton, Ville Platte at Basile, Elton at Northwood-Lena, Hamilton Christian at Highland Baptist.

Week 3

Thursday, Sept. 14

Nondistrict: Kinder at Rosepine, Vidor, Texas at St. Louis Catholic, Pickering at Grand Lake, Welsh at Hamilton Christian.

Friday, Sept. 15

District 3-5A: Sam Houston at Barbe, Lafayette at Sulphur.

Nondistrict: DeRidder at Jennings, LaGrange at Kaplan, Leesville at Iowa, Washington-Marion at West St. Mary, Opelousas at Lake Charles College Prep, DeQuincy at South Beauregard, Vinton at Westlake, Oakdale at Ville Platte, Lake Arthur at Jeanerette, Basile at Sacred Heart, Mamou at East Beauregard, Montgomery at Elton, LaSalle at Merryville, Oberlin at Sicily Island.

Week 4

Thursday, Sept. 21

District 5-1A: Oberlin at Merryville.

Nondistrict: DeQuincy at St. Mary’s.

Friday, Sept. 22

District 3-5A: Sam Houston at Comeaux, Sulphur at Carencro.

District 3-3A: Iowa at Jennings, St. Louis Catholic at Kinder, Lake Charles College Prep at South Beauregard.

District 5-1A: Elton at Basile, Gueydan at East Beauregard.

Nondistrict: Pineville at Barbe, Westlake at DeRidder, Catholic-Pointe Coupee at LaGrange, Leesville at Catholic-New Iberia, Washington-Marion at Lakeshore, Grand Lake at Oakdale, Welsh at Pickering, Vinton at Rosepine, Lake Arthur

at Delcambre, Westminster Christian at Hamilton Christian.

Week 5

Thursday, Sept. 28

Nondistrict: Rosepine at DeQuincy.

Friday, Sept. 29

District 3-5A: Southside at Barbe, Sulphur at Sam Houston.

District 3-3A: Kinder at Iowa, Westlake at Lake Charles College Prep, South Beauregard at St. Louis Catholic.

District 5-1A: Basile at Gueydan, Merryville at Elton, Hamilton Christian at Oberlin.

Nondistrict: DeRidder at Marksville, LaGrange at North Vermilion, Opelousas at Leesville, Peabody at Washington-Marion, Iota at Jennings, Oakdale at St. Edmund, Pickering at Lake Arthur, East Beauregard at Grand Lake, Vinton at Erath, Loreauville at Welsh.

Week 6

Thursday, Oct. 5

District 3-4A: LaGrange at DeRidder, Washington-Marion at Leesville.

District 3-3A: Iowa at South Beauregard.

District 5-2A: DeQuincy at Vinton, Grand Lake at Welsh.

District 5-1A: Oberlin at East Beauregard, Elton at Gueydan. Nondistrict: Highland Baptist at Merryville.

Friday, Oct. 6

District 3-5A: Barbe at Sulphur, Sam Houston at Acadiana.

District 3-3A: Jennings at Kinder, St.

Louis Catholic at Westlake.

District 4-2A: Oakdale at Avoyelles, Holy Savior Menard at Pickering.

District 5-2A: Lake Arthur at Notre Dame.

District 5-1A: Hamilton Christian at Basile.

Nondistrict: Lake Charles College Prep at St. James, Logansport at Rosepine.

Week 7

Thursday, Oct. 12

District 3-3A: Westlake at Iowa, Lake Charles College Prep at St. Louis Catholic.

District 4-2A: Rosepine at Pickering.

District 5-1A: Basile at Oberlin, Merryville at Hamilton Christian.

Friday, Oct. 13

District 3-5A: New Iberia at Barbe, Sam Houston at Lafayette, Southside at Sulphur.

District 3-4A: Leesville at DeRidder, Rayne at LaGrange, Eunice at Washington-Marion.

District 3-3A: South Beauregard at Jennings.

District 5-2A: Welsh at DeQuincy, Grand Lake at Lake Arthur, Notre Dame at Vinton.

District 5-1A: East Beauregard at Elton. Nondistrict: Breaux Bridge at Kinder, Mamou at Oakdale.

Week 8

Thursday, Oct. 19

District 3-4A: Washington-Marion at Rayne.

‘We have a couple of younger guys that are going to move into starting roles. But I think we have a lot of potential for sure.’

Ronnie Courville Welsh head coach

American Press Archives

Welsh wide receiver J.J. Artis attempts to make the catch at the back of the end zone in the final seconds of the first half of a game on Sept. 3, 2022.

DeQuincy: Woodard pushing Tigers to succeed

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

Tate Woodard is in his first season as a head coach, but he is not taking it easy on the DeQuincy Tigers.

“I do want to complement our kids,” Woodard said. “When I took over in the spring we made the offseason harder.

“We made the summer workouts harder with a lot more conditioning stuff going into it. They took it in stride with the amount of physical exertion that we put on these guys to get their bodies in shape. We don’t have a whole lot of kids and we are not real deep, so we try to get these kids where they can play iron man football. A bunch of them are going to play a lot of football. We are a 2A school, and it comes with the territory. These guys have to be in shape. They really took that

in stride this year. It is impressive the way they have taken to that.”

The end goal is to bounce back from a 2-8 2022 season and Woodard sees better physical shape as a key to that.

“We are not going to be the biggest or fastest team, but I hope that we have instilled in them enough to go out and compete no matter what the score is,” Woodard said. “We have a real tough schedule.

“There are a lot of teams on that schedule that are better than us, but I am hoping that our guys can be in well enough shape early in the year that if we do the right things that we can have a chance in the fourth quarter. There were a lot of games that we weren’t even in the second half last year that we can be in if we are in better shape and take care of the football in the

first half and finish.”

Woodard will place a lot of trust in his defense this year that returns eight starters, including a pair of first-team all-district performers in linebacker Shiloh Cotlong and defensive tackle Dacorius Griffin.

“Our defense, I believe, will hopefully be the strength early in the year,” Woodard said. “We have eight guys back on that side of the ball.

“We only had two all-district guys last year and they were both on that side of the ball, a defensive lineman and a linebacker. Hopefully that can carry us early. Our schedule is really tough. We play some teams that are really good. We are going to have to not turn the football over and play good defense to be in those games.”

Other returners include defensive ends

Hayz Hext and M.J. Clark, linebacker Wyatt Lavergne, cornerbacks Lindsey Joyce and Kheidren Leday and safety Quentin Pharris, a three-year starters who returns from an injury shortened 2022 season.

The big question mark for the Tigers will be on the offensive side where they have to replace quarterback Reese Ashworth and the entire offensive line. Junior Carson Rainwater will start under center after going 1-1 in place of

Ashworth while he was in concussion protocol. The Tigers return their top receiver in sophomore Kolby Pool (15 rec., 201 yards), Griffin at tight end and two backs that shared time in Cotlong and Lavergne, the Tigers’ top rusher last year.

“It is not just him (Ashworth),” Woodard said. “We lost the entire offensive line.

“On offense, we have Cotlong and Wyatt Lavergne who rotated in at running back last year. Kolby Pool is also back

at receiver, and Decorius Griffin at tight end. But outside of that everyone of these guys is brand new.

“Not having Reese is a huge blow. He was a four-year starter, maybe not at quarterback but he was a four-year starter on the football team. Losing that leadership is a blow, but not having any offensive linemen with any sort of Friday night experience is going to be tough, especially breaking in a new quarterback.”

Woodard sees a pair of juniors in Hayes at guard and left tackle Grayson Henderson as the key to the Tigers’ all-underclassmen offensive line that will also include junior Carter Buxton and sophomores Carter Kellogg and Gunnar Grove. Junior Kohen Cormier returns at kicker after making 17 of 18 PATs last year.

Vinton: Lions’ roster growing, but still needs depth

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

First-time head coach Tyler Lavergne is looking to rejuvenate the Vinton Lion program. The Lions opened the 2022 season with a Week 2 win over Merryville before getting slammed with injuries to key players and struggling to finish the season with

enough players just to keep playing.

Lavergne hopes to not only increase the roster size but build back the community interest.

“We are planning on getting an interest back into the football program, within the community and within our school,” Lavergne said. “We had a great spring

and a great summer with a good turnout.

“We finished the season last year with 18 players dressed out. Over the spring and summer, we have had a good 35-36 kids come out and start to participate in football. It is a good thing. We are starting to get some excitement back in the program.

Anytime you get a new coach and change things up, kids get excited again. That is our goal moving forward, to do it with that momentum and continue to build a great football program back in Vinton. Vinton has had a long history of very successful football

‘We are planning on getting an interest back into the football program, within the community and within our school. We had a great spring and a great summer with a good turnout.’

Tyler Lavergne

Vinton head coach

‘We are not going to be the biggest or fastest team, but I hope that we have instilled in them enough to go out compete no matter what the score is.’

Tate Woodard DeQuincy head coach

See VINTON, C24

Pickering: New coach turns to powerlifting to beef up team

By Rodrick Anderson

American Press

Pickering has seen a lot of turnover in the coaching department of late with three head coaches in the last four seasons. This year, they will not only have a new head coach, but many new, youthful faces on the roster. Head coach John Daugherty has big plans for the Red Devils, who are looking to end a 21game losing streak. “I am trying to do some different things,” Daugherty said. “Discipline and weight room is

big with me and I think some of the kids hadn’t been used to the discipline and expectations. The kids I do have are working really hard and they like it. I think that is going to be key for us moving forward.“

Daugherty started a powerlifting program when he arrived in January and is starting to see a change in the football team.

“We put together a boys’ and girls’ team quick and qualified six girls and four boys, the four boys all play football, to the state meet

in a month and half,” Daugherty said. “They saw something good can come from the work. My powerlifting team on both sides has doubled over the summer. Obviously, the football team has been impacted because of that.”

The Red Devils have

just two returning starters in senior offensive tackle/nose guard Logan Snead and junior fullback/linebacker Augustus James, who played on the offensive line last year.

Daugherty is ditching the pass-heavy offense of last season for the double-wing featuring James,

quarterback Braden Ford and wingbacks Xavier Mitchell and Jaden Mazera.

“We are going to go double-wing, which is a proven offense, especially in the small school level,” Daugherty said. “You don’t have to have a ton of plays.

“You just have to be good at the plays you do. Plus, it also allows us to be able to double-team, so there is not as many one-on-one blocks. As we progress, we can add more things to it.”

Daugherty hired seasoned coach Brian Wil-

liams to help turn around a defense that allowed 66.2 points in 2022.

“He has a lot of experience and knowledge, and he is going to bring the 4-2-5,” Daugherty said. “So we are hopefully doing better on containing plays and not letting plays get outside of us.

“That seemed to be a problem last year, and hopefully we’ll be better at tackling and getting the other team into a punt situation to where we can get back on offense. They gave up a lot of points on defense here the last couple of years.”

Lake Arthur: Davis looks to young Tigers to generate success

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

The Lake Arthur Tigers have seen plenty of success at the sub-varsity level over the last couple of years and hope to turn that into wins with a young roster at the varsity level this season.

“We are excited about this team,” Lake Arthur head coach Tarius Davis said. “It is a young team, but we are excited about that because our young groups experienced a lot of success over the last couple of years coming up from the sub-varsity ranks, of course, to the varsity rank.

“We think it is going to be a very good team. We just have to stay healthy. That is a big part when you play small school football when you have guys going both ways. We are excited about everything. We have a full staff for the first time. We have some really good coaches that we are very fortunate to have.”

The Tigers will rely on underclassmen with just three seniors, who are all returning starters, as they seek their first winning season since 2018. Two first-team all-district seniors return to

spearhead the Tigers’ offense in quarterback Ray Levi and wide receiver Kenyon Boese. Levi is a dual threat and led the Tigers in rushing (772 yards, 13 TD) and passing (627 yards, 3 TD) yards last season.

“Ray and Kenyon

are in that bunch, two really good athletes and playmakers for us,” Davis said. “Offensively, they are going to have to provide a lot of explosive plays for us.

“Kenyon was a guy that was really a basketball player that picked up

football several years ago. He looked really good this summer.”

Senior Derek Levi returns at defensive tackle.

“Derek has come along the last couple of years,” Davis said. “He is going to start for us on that defensive line.

“Coach (Alan) Bryant has been strengthening, conditioning and coaching that line up. He has those kids looking good. They are flying around to the ball.”

Also back on the defensive side are linebackers Robbie Strauss and Carson Myers, defensive tackle Ahmad Boudreaux

and strong safety Cole White.

“Ahmad Boudreaux is going to another one of those guys on the defensive front,” Davis said. “He is going to have a good year.

“He is probably in the best shape that he has been in since I have been here. I attribute that fact to Coach Bryant and our strength and conditioning this summer. Tyler Mallett played for us last year as a freshman. He is put together like he looks like a senior. Robbie Straus and Carson Myers at linebacker can really run to the football.”

‘I am trying to do some different things. Discipline and weight room is big with me ... .’

John Daugherty Pickering head coach

American Press Archives

Lake Arthur quarterback Ray Levi threw for 627 yards and rushed for 772 and 13 touchdowns in 2022.

American Press Archives

Lake Arthur defensive lineman Derek Levi grabs Welsh quarterback back Gabe Gillett during a game on Oct. 21, 2022.

‘It is a young team, but we are excited about that because our young groups experienced a lot of success over the last couple of years.’

Tarius Davis Lake Arthur head coach

Oakdale: Grunt work in the trenches will be key

By Scooter Hobbs

Press

American

The Warriors should have plenty of potential flashy fireworks from its veer offense in District 4-2A this season.

The key will be the grunt work in the trenches for the Warriors, who finished 7-2 last season before falling to Haynesville in the second round of the Class 2A playoffs.

“Quality depth up front will likely be our biggest challenge,” fifthyear head coach Destin Dieterich said.

Among the keys are jack-of-all-trades athlete Deekota Johnson and running backs Derrick Green, who ran for 239 yards last season, and Ruffin George, who’s looking to play a bigger role running the ball this season. Wide receiver

Elijah Anderson had 100 yards and two touchdowns on five catches last year.

That’s the good news. But somehow Oakdale will have to replace Cedric Allison’s 1,875 yards rushing, not to mention his 21 touchdowns.

“We only lost seven seniors but they made up a large part of our production,” Dieterich said. “We do have quite

a few returning skill players who will need to make some plays for us until our very youthful linemen can gain some experience.”

The latter is the question mark for the Warriors, who’ll have to replace to the bulk of the up-front guys.

Wyatt Johnson, all 330 pounds of him, and Aidan Valle are the returning mainstays up front and

will be a big key in keeping that veer offensive attack humming. Both could play both sides of the ball. Defensive standouts

include linebackers Conner Vinson and Charles Shird, with Green, George and Johnson also seeing action there.

Rosepine: Eagles look to continue postseason success

By Scooter Hobbs American Press

Brad Ducote thought his football coaching days were over, but an abrupt departure of his successor brought him back to the sidelines.

As interim head coach, Ducote will look to continue the Eagles recent run of success. Ducote is 43-15 in five seasons, including three 10-win campaigns in the last four years. Troy Gardner stepped down for personal reason before the Eagles’ preseason scrimmage against Westlake last week.

The Eagles are coming off one of the school’s best years, 10-3 last season and finishing second in District 4-2A (3-1) before advancing all the way to the Class 2A quarterfinals where they fell to eventual state champion Many by a mere 14-7. It was the Eagles’ second consecutive quarterfinal appearance, the only two in school history.

He’ll have an inexperienced team that returns only seven starters, four on offense and three on defense.

“This group is a very talented group,” Ducote said. “Are they as talented as the last two years?

‘This group is a very talented group. Are they as talented as the last two years? That is yet to be seen.’

Brad Ducote Interim Rosepine head coach

That is yet to be seen.

“Overall, these kids have been in the shadows of the Grants (Ducote), Ethan Freys and Donahues. It is next man up mentality. I am really excited to see how they do in live game action.”

The bulk of the offensive skill production that produced a fairly balanced 2,496 yards rushing and 1,658 yards passing last season will have to be replaced, with only one starter returning among the four offensive skill position players, fullback Lane Willis. But three of the five offensive linemen return — including first-team all-district performer Blaine Savoie at guard and Gabryel Leslie and Keyton Jackson at the tackles, both of whom were honorable mention.

“We lost quite a bit on both sides,” Ducote said. “We do have three returning lineups and I would say that is where

our maturity is. That is a good place to have it. If the other two guys step up we should be pretty solid on both sides of the football I would say right now that would be our strength.”

But the glamour positions will be mostly new faces, with running backs Devin Janice Landon Lawrence getting the inevitable task of replacing Grant’s Ducote’s 1,700 yards rushing and 23 touchdowns.

“I have two different tailback backs that will probably split time, Devin Janice and Landyn Lawrence,” Ducote said. “I saw some good things about of them in the scrimmage.

“I have a fullback, Lane Willis, that I am super excited about. He has increased his speed quite a bit and has always been a good blocker. I really think he is going to thrive with what we have.”

Defensively the re-

‘Quality depth up front will likely be our biggest challenge.’

Destin Dieterich

Oakdale head coach

turners are spread from up front (defensive end

Kobey Collins), to a linebacker spot (Lawrence) to the free safety (Auston Thompson).

Rodrick Anderson / American Press Archives

Rowan Embry throws on the run during a scrimmage at Westlake High School on Aug. 17.

Grand Lake: Offensive line play key to winning

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

Grand Lake has an explosive trio in the backfield that combined for more than 3,000 yards and 37 touchdowns in 2022.

They just need to combine it with the right offensive line to continue the string of postseason success. The Hornets have won at least one playoff game in four consecutive seasons, reaching the regional round last fall.

“I have seen this over the years,” Grand Lake head coach Jeff Wainwright said. “When you have a great offensive line, they can carry you a long way. It takes both.

“You have to have great backs to make a run in the playoffs. I feel like we have the backfield speed and experience where we can have those explosive plays to put people in a bind. I really think the outcome of this team will lay in the hands of the offensive line, if they can get it together.”

Juniors Wyatt Wilkerson and Zayne Armentor return on the right side of the offensive line and will be joined by seniors Connor Miano and Cass Verzywvelt and junior Tyson Smith.

“It is truly about the development of the offensive line, and I think you will see the growth

Jeff Wainwright

Grand Lake head coach

of that,” Wainwright said.

“We may score 14 or 20 points the first two or three games, then all of the sudden, bang, you are going to see us scoring 30 or 40 points.

“It is definitely not gong to be a change in the backs, it is going to be the offensive line figuring things out and learning how to communicate. Things get a lot harder when you forget to communicate, and you end up taking a wrong step and somebody gets hit in the backfield and somebody has to punt the ball.

Wilkerson will continue to play nearly every snap on both sides of the ball until the Hornets can develop much-needed depth.

“I have to find a way to get him some rest, so he can play fast,” Wainwright said. “If we have kids that develop more on defense, then maybe we will sub him a little on defense.

“If we get kids that develop on the offensive line, then maybe I can sub him out a little bit on the offensive line. We just have to get some depth. Last year just wore

him out, playing both sides of the ball. We ask him to do a lot and he gives a lot.”

Ian Vigo ran for 1,741 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2022, while Brent Hardesty and Brycen Guillory each topped 700 yards.

Kaden Taylor takes over at quarterback for graduated two-year starter Connor Guillotte, but is not lacking experience.

The Hornets return six on the defensive side in linemen Wilkerson and Kannan Bridges, linebackers Ezra Fontenot and Taylor, plus Hardesty and Guillory in the secondary.

“We have several players with experience,” Wainwright said. “Kaden (Taylor) has been out there since he was a freshman, and Brycen Guillory has been out there since he was a freshman. Ezra Fontenot played linebacker last year and he is coming back ask a junior.

“On the d-line, we have Wilkerson who is coming back. Last year as a sophomore, he ran the defense for us. He made the calls and is our quarterback on the defense.

We are hoping he has a good year, and all signs are that he will.

“Other than that, we have two or three defensive linemen that we have to plug in. We have a young kid, Charles McFarland, that is going to play at-will linebacker. He has to step up. He

played a lot as a freshman, probably more than most freshmen get to play. Charles is an exceptional athlete. But there is a difference between being a role player and taking somebody’s spot every now and then, and then the guy we are counting on. We are

hoping he can run with his assignment.” The Hornets will get a boost on both sides of the ball with the return of defensive back/running back Kealan Bell, who missed all of last season after suffering a season-ending injury in the preseason.

American Press Archives

Kaden Taylor takes over at quarterback for Grand Lake this season.

Rodrick Anderson / American Press Archives

Ian Vigo ran for 1,741 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2022 and helped lead the Hornets to the non-select Division IV regional playoffs.

‘When you have a great offensive line, they can carry you a long way.’

East Beauregard: New faces, same plan for Trojans

By Scooter Hobbs American Press

East Beauregard

will have a host of new starers in the lineup this season, but the Trojans will need no introduction to the focus of their signature double-wing attack.

Look for wing back Freddy Beall to get the bulk of the attention when all the shifting and motion is done from the ground-oriented offense. All he did a year ago was account for 1,382 of the Trojans’ 3,900 yards rushing while averaging a whopping 9.2 yards per carry. Zane Hildreth is no stranger to the crowded backfield and the Trojans

should get a lift with the return of multi-sport star Caleb Johnson. He played only two games last year, but returns from injury to guide things from the quarterback spot.

“We will have a little more speed in the backfield than usual,” coach Ronnie Simmons said, also mentioning Lawson Lewis.

But the rest of the Trojans are much more of a question mark.

“We lost 13 seniors off last year’s team,” Simmons said. “Some of those were two-way guys so it’s more than 13 spots to fill.”

Hardest hit was the defense, where only two starters return, with Zane Hildreth and Kaden Lee

both in the defensive line in the 5-3-3 alignment.

But Beall, who scored 19 touchdowns last season, will also have only three fellow returning starters around him on the offense. Two, however, are up front in the offensive line, including Jake Cooley and 6-foot-3, 285-pound Andy Burnaman, a second-team all-district selection last season

“Biggest factor for us will be how all these

young guys step in and contribute,” Simmons said. “If they can make the adjustment then I think we will be competitive.”

East Beauregard, was 5-6 a year ago but a 4-2 district record was good enough for a second-place finish in District 5-1A.

“Our offensive line will be solid, but we don’t have a lot of depth,” Simmons said. “So staying healthy is a big deal.”

Hamilton Christian: Warriors taking steps to get back to winning

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

The Hamilton Christian Warriors are changing things up this season in more ways than one as they look to bounce back from a 2022 winless campaign.

Dexter Washington, who led the Warriors to a district title in 2021, will retake control of the program after Ragan McDaniel left after one season.

“It is getting them to believe that they can win football games,” Washington said. “That is tough. You go 0-10 and you look around and the coach is gone, you lost some of your teammates and you are getting ready to depend on some other kids.

“You are wondering whether or not your program can win again. I was sitting down and talking to a player (recently). From where we started on June 4 to where we are now, not only in numbers but as far as the kids mentality, I asked him if we have come a long way. The last few days of practice before we gave them off the weekend, they felt like they were winners again. They were able to get some things out in the open. A lot of it was getting the mental aspects of the kids back together to compete for football.”

Washington is making changes on the field, as well. The Warriors are switching from the air raid on offense to a multiple offense to take advantage of two big downfield targets in receivers Sammy Knight (6-1, 200), who earned second team District 5-1A honors last

year, and Prince Love (61, 190), plus a pair of big bodies in the backfield in Kylan Alexander (6-0, 200) and Messiah Simien (6-2, 210).

“When you look at the team that we have, you are actually going to have the same type of athlete that Hamilton Christian has always had,” Washington said. “We are going to have a good quarter back.

“We are going to have a good running back, and we are going to have good receivers. The faces have changed, but they are the same type of kids. They are all dangerous football players when they get the ball in space.”

Germilyn McGruder, Derwin Rankins and Malachi Nolan return on the line and will be tasked with protecting freshman quarterback Javon Vital and give him the time to adjust to the starting role.

“We are moving one of our best athletes to the quarterback position, and we put the ball in his hands 60 times a game and rest five or six,” Washington said. “At some point he will grow out to the point where he can look people in the eye and do an interview and all that.

“As much as the guys look up to him, he looks up to the guys. It is so

crazy. The guys recognize his athletic ability and talent, but he looks up to them for leadership because they are older.”

The Warriors return their entire front four on the defensive side in Knight, Simien, Rankin and Nolan, plus Alexander at linebacker and Nate Carter at defensive back. But they are still trying to find all the right pieces as they switch from a 3-3-5 to a 50 defense to improve a defense that allowed nearly 48 points a game last season.

“One of the things we knew we had to shore up going into this season was putting in the right defensive players,” Washington said. “The kids are buying in.

“Matter of fact, we feel like, defensively, if the right guys buy in that our front seven may be pretty damn good.

“Messiah Simien, Malachi Nolen, Kylan Alexander, Sammy Knight — those are the guys that we are depending on. Those are four seniors, but they also played in the system two years ago when we won a district championship. Three of those guys were with me when we won, so I am going to be counting heavily on them to show up and show the kids that we are capable of winning.”

‘When you look at the team we have, you are actually going to have the same type of athlete that Hamilton Christian has always had.’

Dexter Washington Hamilton Christian head coach

‘We will have a little more speed in the backfield than usual.’

Ronnie Simmons East Beauregard head coach

Rodrick Anderson / American Press Archives East Beauregard’s Freddy Beall ran for 1,382 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2022.

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Hamilton Christian’s Javon Vital runs past Dominique Eaves during a game at Cougar Stadium on Sept. 29, 2022. Vital will start at quarterback this season.

Basile: Bearcats sticking to ‘Iron Man football’

By Scooter Hobbs

American Press

Veteran Basile coach

Kevin Bertrand calls

Class 1A “Iron Man football.”

He would know as the Bearcats could have as many as eight players going both ways this season.

Not to worry. Basile has done it before — as recently as last year when the Bearcats swept through District 5-1A with a perfect 6-0 record and finished 10-2 overall

before eventually falling in the state playoff quarterfinals to powerhouse Haynesville. Basile earned a first-round bye as district champions and beat Oberlin in the second round.

“We’re excited for the coming season,” Bertrand said. “But we must stay healthy to have a chance for success.”

The optimism starts with the line, where four starters return on the offensive front.

“We lost only one

‘re excited for the coming season. But we must stay healthy to have a chance for success.’

starting lineman,” Bertrand said.

The offensive big men include two seniors (Wyatt Bertrand and Emery LeJeune) and two juniors (Da’Shawn Randall with sophomore Romyn Cor-

tez) joining the mix this season. Who they’ll be blocking for will be more of a question mark, as the entire backfield will have to be replaced. “The experience on

Oberlin: Tigers look to keep churning out

playoff wins

By Rodrick Anderson

American Press

Head coach Curt Ware knows Oberlin’s history of success and he wants to add to it in his first season with the Tigers.

Oberlin has reached at least the regional round of the playoffs 11 consecutive years.

“I looked back over the last 10 years, Oberlin has, historically, won a lot of games,” Ware said.

“I am trying to build on what they have already done in the past. Obviously, every coach is a little different.”

Oberlin went 8-4 last year, but several seniors graduated, leaving holes to fill and no more evident than on the offensive and defensive line. The Tigers return no starting offensive linemen and one on the defensive side in Kaden

Darden, who will double as a tight end and anchor the offensive line.

“The skill guys are pretty good,” Ware said.

“If we can just get in somebody’s way on offense, I think we will be OK on offense. I think it hurts more on defense because we play some teams that are hitting you in the mouth. If you don’t have any size, it can cause you some problems. We are just undersized. Depending on what we are facing,

we may have to move around a little more than we would normally. We are going to try to play good, solid base defense. Moving around, we may have to do some different things as far as slanting and things.”

The lack of size and experience promoted Ware to switch the offense to the wing-T to take advantage of returning fullback Colby McMahon plus tailback Adarius Botley, fullback De’sean Deville and

quarterback Seth Lyons. Kristoph Brandon returns at wide receiver. “It is a little more modern,” Ware said. “It is not quite old school tradition.

“We do a few more things than that. I ran it in New Iberia and we had some success. I think it fits really good because at the end of the day it is an offense where your offensive line doesn’t have to be very good. They just need to be aggressive and need to be able to run. We do a lot of pulling and different things. If you have three good backs, I think you have a chance to be pretty good on offense.”

McMahon and Deville will also be the driving force on the defensive side at linebacker while Derrick Deville returns at free safety.

the line should help our new backs,” Bertrand said.

There is rebuilding to do in the backfield.

Junior Jackson Courville is penciled in at quarterback, flanked by running backs Bryan Hardy and Tucker Leblanc. Neither got much experience last season as Leblanc had only four carries for 33 yards.

Tyler Newman is the only returning starting receiver, with Kade Sweeney set to take over

at tight end.

Most of the names are the same on defense.

“Defense is experienced,” Bertrand said of a unit that normally lines up in a 3-2-6. “But replacing both linebackers will be challenging.”

Sweeney handles one of those spots, joined by Pierre Berzas.

All told, five newcomers have defensive spots spread out with two linemen, the two linebackers and one defensive back.

SCHEDULE

Continued from C17

District 3-3A: Jennings at Westlake.

District 5-2A: DeQuincy at Notre Dame.

Friday, Oct. 20

District 3-5A: Lafayette at Barbe, Carencro at Sam

Houston.

District 3-4A: DeRidder at Eunice, LaGrange at Leesville.

District 3-3A: Iowa at Lake Charles College Prep, Kinder at South Beauregard.

District 4-2A: Pickering at Oakdale, Holy Savior Menard at Rosepine.

District 5-2A: Vinton at Grand Lake, Lake Arthur at Welsh.

District 5-1A: Merryville at East Beauregard, Oberlin at Elton, Hamilton Christian at Gueydan.

Nondistrict: Sulphur at Destrehan, South Lafourche at St. Louis Catholic, Port Barre at Basile.

Week 9

Thursday, Oct. 26

District 5-1A: Basile at Merryville.

Friday, Oct. 27

District 3-5A: Barbe at Comeaux, Sulphur at New Iberia.

Nondistrict: Sam Houston at E.D. White

District 3-4A: Rayne at DeRidder, Washington-Marion at LaGrange, Eunice at Leesville.

District 3-3A: St. Louis Catholic at Iowa, Lake Charles College Prep at Jennings, Westlake at Kinder.

District 4-2A: Oakdale at Holy Savior Menard, Avoyelles at Rosepine.

District 5-2A: Lake Arthur at DeQuincy, Grand Lake at Notre Dame, Vinton at Welsh.

District 5-1A: East Beauregard at Hamilton Christian, Gueydan at Oberlin.

Nondistrict: Pickering at South Beauregard.

Week 10

Thursday, Nov. 2

District 3-5A: Barbe at Acadiana, Sulphur at Comeaux.

District 5-2A: DeQuincy at Grand Lake, Notre Dame at Welsh.

District 5-1A: East Beauregard at Basile, Gueydan at Merryville

Friday, Nov. 3

District 3-5A: Southside at Sam Houston.

District 3-4A: DeRidder at Washington-Marion, Eunice at LaGrange, Leesville at Rayne.

District 3-3A: Jennings at St. Louis Catholic, Kinder at Lake Charles College Prep, South Beauregard at Westlake.

District 4-2A: Rosepine at Oakdale, Pickering at Avoyelles.

District 5-2A: Vinton at Lake Arthur.

District 5-1A: Elton at Hamilton Christian

Nondistrict: Iowa at Cecilia, Ville Platte at Oberlin.

Notes: St. Louis Catholic plays its home games at Matt Walker Memorial Stadium at Sulphur High School. Lake Charles College Prep and Hamilton Christian Academy will both play their home games at Cougar Stadium.

‘I looked back over the last 10 years, Oberlin has, historically, won a lot of games. I am trying to build on what they have already done in the past.’

Curt Ware Oberlin head coach

‘We

Kevin Bertrand Basile head coach

American Press Archives

Oberlin’s De’sean Deville carries the ball during their game at Cougar Stadium on Sept. 29, 2022.

Elton: Indians look to continue upward climb

By Rodrick Anderson

American Press

2022 was a breakthrough season for the Elton Indians. Elton won a game for the first time since 2018, went 5-4 and reached the playoffs after posting a pair of winless seasons (2021, 2019) sandwiched around their 2020 season that was wiped out by Hurricanes Laura and Delta. But head coach Marcus Lejeune says the Indians’ rise from the cellar is not over yet.

“We are still building and trying to improve our program,” Lejeune said. “We are still not where we want to be.

“We are trying to change our culture. We had a good spring and pretty good summer in the weight room and seven-on-seven.”

Elton lost 10 seniors from last year’s squad but still returns 12 starters, five on offense and seven on defense. Lejeune has players training at multiple positions to lessen the blow of losing any one player.

“We are trying to get two varsity main guys in each position on both sides of the ball to pro-

Merryville: Graduation leaves many holes to fill

By Rodrick Anderson American Press

Like many small schools, it will be a numbers game for the Merryville Panthers after graduating a large senior class.

“We are going to be doing a lot of double-duty,”

Merryville head coach Bart Coody said. “We don’t have as many bodies this year as we did last year, but I feel like we have a very high character group.

“They are very disciplined, coachable and the work ethic is through the roof. I was talking to my coaches the other day, we are small and we don’t have a lot of kids but we are probably going to have more fun coaching this group than we have had in a while. They are all just good kids and they play for each other. Nobody is out for themselves. They are just a bunch of team-first guys.” They return six on the offensive side but have to replace 1,000-yard rusher Dakota Thompson and a 1,000-yard passer in Rem-

ington Coody. Three returners on the offensive side will slide over to new positions in senior Kade Royer (TE to FB), Chandler Blackmon (C to TB) and junior Stella Mirante (WR to QB). Other returners include senior wide receiver Bryson Coody and senior left tackle Corbin Cooper.

The Panthers have more than half their starting lineup returning on defense, but Coody is making a switch to the 3-3 stack formation after giving up 37.1 points allowed a game last season. Senior Newly Shrout, junior Jeremiah Robinson and sophomore Hunter Brister return up front while senior Kade Royer is back at linebacker plus a pair in the secondary in senior Bryson Coody and

vide us with depth and experience, so we want to have a drop off if somebody has to come out, especially early in the year,” Lejeune said. “We are going to be young on offense, so we are going to have to be patient.

“We have to step up. They know we have to be positive, play for each other and play as one team, play our positions and don’t quit. We have been getting better with that every season.” Hayden Courville, Jamarques Gross and Maverick Manuel return

on the offensive line plus tight end Anthony Gaspard and fullback

D.D. Actlis, but the Indians have to replace the offensive production of running back Demarcus Jack, Sherman Bellow and quarterback Jaden Ross, who combined for nearly 2,800 yards and 36 touchdowns. Tristan Leblanc and MaKelin Lemoine will start in the backfield in the Indians’ multiple-I offense.

“Those are two good ones (Leblanc, Lemoine),” Lejeune said. “We need to use those guys

VINTON

Continued from C18

through these halls and outstanding athletes. It is our job to get that momentum and culture back.”

With just five seniors, the Lions will need to create depth and avoid injuries.

“The depth chart is always going to be a struggle whenever you are working at a 2A program with a tough pre-district schedule playing these big schools,” Lavergne said.

“It can be a great thing and it can be a bad thing.

because they both play defense. They play everything, you know how it is at small schools. We are trying to raise the bar of our level of play. In order to do that, we have to have good, experienced guys, at least one at every spot.” Elton will have a seasoned defensive secondary with Bryce Robinson, Derek Ross, Leblanc and Lemoine back. Maverick Manuel and Jeramiah Fontenot return up front, while Gaspard will reprise his role at linebacker.

if need be. We want to be very good and very efficient with a small number of plays. We don’t have a very vast playbook. We like to keep it simple. It is kind of our motto both offensively and defensively.”

The bulk of the Lions returning players are up front in twoway players Jeramiah Holts, Gabe Riggins, Jordan Rogers and Ricky Favors.

“We have very strong, big linemen,” Lavergne said. “Coming back this year is Jeremiah Holts, who is a great prospect at 6-6 and 260 pounds.

sophomore Josh Robinson.

“We just have to be better defensively,” Coody said. “We scored plenty of points to win ball games last year, but we were giving up too many.

“It was just missed assignments and missed tackles. With the heat regulations, it is hard to spend a lot of time in pads hitting and tackling, so we are trying, when we can, to get as much work as we can in on that. We just have to be better tacklers and keep people out of the end zone, limit third- and fourthdown conversions so our offense can be on the field. It is hard when you are playing guys in both sides.”

The Panthers went 3-7 last year and missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

“It can be a great thing that it gets us ready and prepared for district. It can be a bad thing if we have some key guys that go down just like last year. It could be hard to get through that district and compete at a high level. Injuries played a big mountain for us last season.

“We had some key injuries at a hard time going into district. It was really tough and it killed all of our momentum. We are looking to change that by doing a lot of offseason and in-season lifts for injury prevention to keep these guys healthy going into the last round of the season and into the postseason.”

With a young team, Lavergne doesn’t want to make things complicated.

“We are just going to a very simple approach,” Lavergne said. “We are keeping everything simple.

“That way it allows us to be a little deep in the depth chart where we can give some guys some breaks

“He is a guy that is hard to get by. He is going to be a senior, we are looking and we are looking for a lot of good leadership to come out of him as well as our two other returning linemen.

“They have had a lot of gametime experience. Being young they got to play a lot given that we didn’t have a big turnout. They are bringing back a lot of experience and leadership.”

Junior wide receiver Landon Harbert is the Lions’ only returning skill player, while sophomore Braylon Beard will start at quarterback.

“I am excited about our young quarterback,” Lavergne said. “We will have Braylon Beard.

“He is just a sophomore and looking to get some game time valuable experience that we will use in the future. Just having him get those meaningful reps, we are looking to build off his success at quarterback.”

Jaidon Briggs returns at strong safety.

‘We are still building and trying to improve our program. We are still not where we want to be.’

Marcus Lejeune Elton head coach

‘We don’t have as many bodies this year as we did last year, but I feel like we have a very high character group.’

Bart Coody Merryville head coach