District 5 Class 1A

By Lee Brecheen

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Berchmans Academy Saints

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Head Coach: Tyler Bourque (1st year) 

2023 Record: 2-6

2023 Playoffs: None

2024 Playoffs: Select

Key Players Graduating: None

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Team Outlook: “School has been around since 2014. 1st full year eligible for the playoffs. We run a pro style Offense. And get in the eye and throw it. The school was in 8 man football through 2021. The program won 3 State Titles in 8 man Football in 2017, 2019, 2020 in Acadiana Christian 8 man football league,” said coach Bourque. 

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16 starters return with 24 players total. The school is K through 12th grade. The team actually has some really good skill players for a young program led by RB Hayden Guidry, 2nd year starter with 4.6 speed, QB Aidan Barrouse a SR 2nd year starter (5-9, 160) with a cannon arm and 4 sport letterman. You also have FB/LB David Henry, 2nd year starter (5-9, 210), WR/CB Lawson Prince, great hands, WR Ethan New (5-9, 145) SR, WR/CB Colt Thomas, WR/CB Colston Davis, and Safety William Miller. Key lineman and Linebackers are OC/DE Harrison Hayes, OG Triston Moore, OT/MLB Kane Babin, OT Eli Simmons, OG/DE Miles Richard, OG/FB Saul Landry (5-10, 200) SR, and TE/DT Gabriel Menard (6-4, 210). 

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Catholic - P. C. Head 

Coach: Jacob Carruth (1st year) 

2023 Record: 8-4

2023 Playoffs: 2nd round lost to Riverside HS 14-12. 2024 

Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduating: QB/FS Hayden Elliott, Center/DE Jackson Jewell, Connor Kimball, DE/OL Ethan Capps, WR/CB Hudson Moore, RB/DE Cooper Laviolette, WR/CB James Saizon, and OG/LB Tanner Stevens. 

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Team Outlook: “Lost most of our secondary from 2023. We also lost 3 of our starting five Offensive Linemen. A Lot of young players we think will step up. Overall I feel good about our team and program,” said coach Carruth. 

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I saw this team play in 2023 and was really impressed with the young players coming back from last year's team. They have some gritty lineman and really underrated skill talent. The Offense will have a new QB but the starter went down in 2023 for a few games and Jude Morrison took over for a few games and did well and he's also a pretty darn good DB with 4.5 speed and great size 6-2 in height. The skill talent also has FB/WR Parker Jewell (5-9, 175) SR 4.55 speed, TE Luke Vosburg (6-2, 190) SR good Athlete blocker, WR/FS Brooks Capps a great Athlete, one of the fastest players in the District 4.45 and big time ability to separate, RB/DB Myka Nipple ran for 600 plus yards in 2023 as a backup with 4.59 speed, WR/RB/LB Cohen Higginbotham tough smart kid, and DB Edwin Williams new starter with great skills. The Lineman in the trenches return one of the best players in District OT/DT Rory Lambert (6-5, 305) SR with good feet and getting better every game dad played for LSU back in the day. You also have OL/DL Colby Canezaro (6-2, 260), LB/OG Zane Sonnier (5-10, 210), LB Carson Crabtree lettered in 2023, DT Tyler Dowden (5-10, 245) SR played OL in 2023, DT Jacob Caballero missed last season, and DE Grahm Roy (5-8, 220) really strong kid squats over 600 pounds. 

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JS Clark Academy 

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Head Coach: Juan Thomas (1st year) 

2023 Record: None

2023 Playoffs: None

2024 Playoffs: JV only 

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Key Players Graduating: 

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Team Outlook: “1st year to play 6 varsity games. We will go to District in 2025. We were 7-3 in JV in 2023. We did not have a Spring in 2024. We will run a 3-4 Defense for our program.” 

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The program has some really talented players in QB Kevin Johnwell, WR/RB/Safety Caden Arvie, RB Jeremy Sonnier, WR/QB Justin Chavis, TE/DE Evan Thomas, Center Denver Andrus, OT James Andrus, LB Austin Simon, LB/DT Dillon Jones 4.6 speed, CB Lonnie Christian, CB/RB Ashton Davis, RB/Safety Cohlen Hall, WR Dresean Payne 4.5 speed, OL/DT Isiah Simon tough, OG Jamar Doucet hard worker, and DE Hayden Sonnier talented. 

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North Central Hurricanes

Head Coach: Dwight Collins (1st year)

2023 Record: 1-9

2023 Playoffs: None

2024 Playoffs: Non-Select

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Key Players Graduating: OL/DL Lane Firmin, DT/OL Keelan Shelvin, DT/OL Shane Mitchell. 

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Team Outlook: “I think where Athletic, we have some speed.If we can come together as a team we can be very good. Im excited for this 2024 season coming up.We have some new  lineman also coming out to help the team,” said coach Collins.

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The new starting QB will be Joshua Powell a gifted player with the potential to be a good player for a long time for the program. There is some really gifted raw talent coming back on Offense at the skill spots in WR Steven Joseph (6-4, 165) SR sat out 2023 season with 4.5 speed in the forty. Theres also WR/TE Dylan Stovall with 4.45 speed, RB Tayshaun Mirbim (5-6, 165) 4.45 speed, WR Whitney Coleman, and QB/RB/DB Ethan Bush (5-10, 165). Theres a few players will play both sides of the ball in OL/DL Tristan Leblanc (6-0, 285) SR, OLB/Athlete Amarion Edwards (6-1,170) 4.5 sped, OL/DL Kion Dixon, OL/DL Lane Mitchell (6-3,270), OLB/TE Ryland Smith sat out 2023 season, DB/WR Cameron Shelvin (5-9, 150) SR big time in Track too for the school, RB/LB Ayden Minor (5-8, 170),and DB/WR Braxton Huff (6-2, 165).

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Opelousas Catholic

Head Coach: Cullen Matherne (2nd year) 

2023 Record: 7-4

2023 Playoffs: 2nd round lost to Ascension Catholic HS. 

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduated: QB Mark Collins (ULL Baseball), LB Jordan Luna, DE Peyton Hebert, OG Joshua Deville (Louisiana Christian), WR Dontre Henry (Springhill Baseball), LB Christian Lee, and Kicker Landon Miller (Louisiana Christian). 

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Team Outlook: “New QB and replacing our leader of the Defense. Return a few talented Athletes. Not much depth on the Offensive & Defensive Line’s. Scrappy and fundamental sound team. We will return 2 starters back on the Offensive Line,” said coach Matherne. 

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The new starting QB will be Kross Gillen has good size 6-2 in height, and good arm. The program like a lot of teams are short on depth in the trenches but the players they do have are good players in Center Hayes Latiolais (5-10, 235) SR, OT Sammy Griffin (6-3, 255) big time Athlete, TE/DE Myles Collins (6-4, 215) 3 touchdowns in 2023 great hands, DT/DE Jake Cypriano (6-0, 198) SR All District in 2023 and a few young players will have to step up in 2024. Skill players back for the program a good group RB Royce Butler has 5 straight 100 yard games, RB/LB Roland Bergeron (6-1, 205) SR leader of the team, CB Ky Daugherty (5-9, 170) SR had 2 interceptions in 2023, WR Roderick Tezano (6-3, 175) All District in Basketball in 2023, CB/FS/WR Roy Henry (6-1, 168) SR big time Athlete in both Baseball & Football. Key Linebackers back are OLB Braylin Harris (5-9, 185) SR with 4 interceptions in 2023 leader, LB John Parker Trahan tough leader, and LB Ethan Belleau leader tough gritty player one of the strongest kids on the team. Special Teams Kicker & Punter are open after Spring but the Long Snapper will be Myles Collins. 

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Sacred Heart Trojans

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Head Coach: Jacob Aguillard (2nd year) 

2023 Record: 3-8

2023 Playoffs: 1st round lost to Glenbrook HS. 

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduating: WR/FS Landon Leblanc, QB/K Wade Pitre, RB/P/LB Ike Perry, TE Cole Tate, WR Kaigan Comb, and Boyce Schexsnider

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Team Outlook: “Graduated 6 seniors, 4 were starters in 2023. Strength of the team will be our Offensive Line. All of our lineman are powerlifters and they are fun to coach. We are a close knit team,” said coach Aguillard”. 

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The QB position has a new starter in Ellis Fusilier, a letterman in 2023 with 4.6 speed, and there's also talented QB Ellis Chapman who can start at WR or DB if not QB for the program. The run game will be strong with a deep rotation of Jude Hebert (5-7, 155) SR ran for 600 yards with 5 touchdowns in 2023, and RB Ashton Duos All District in 2023 at LB and had 89 tackles, RB Gavin Patin lettered in 2023 with 4.6 speed. The passing game has some talent in WR Jedd LaFleur (5-8, 135) SR, WR/DB Jax Fontenot great hands lettered in 2023, WR Seth Guillory 4.6 speed also TE for team, WR William Jordan (5-11, 155) SR 2nd year starter also with 3 interceptions as a DB in 2023. Key lineman in program for both sides of the ball are OL/DT Kolton LaFleur 2nd year starter, OL/DL Lane Joubert (5-11, 210), OL/DL Danela Jeune (6-1, 198) SR 2nd year starter, OL/DL Rhett LeJeune (6-0, 205), and OC/DT Sawyer Skelton (5-11, 195) SR 2nd year starter. The Defense also returns DB Aaron Cormier, and LB Alex Pitre (5-9, 180) SR leader. 

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St. Edmund Fighting Blue Jays  

Head Coach: James Shiver (6th year) 

2023 Record: 7-4

2023 Playoffs: 1st round lost to Westminster HS 7-6

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduating: OC Matthew McGee, DE Copeland Miller, and FS Jay Lavergne 

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Team Outlook: “No Spring in 2024. Lost a 1, 000 yard rusher from 2023. We are still young but experienced. Defense we will run a 3-4. Strong spot is Linebacker and experience overall,” said coach Shiver. 

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The QB position is still competing among LB/TE/QB Kane West, 4 year starter strongest player on team (6-1, 215) SR, and Nathan Zaunbrecher a 6-4 in height tall talented player also. Both kids will start somewhere in 2024. The rest of the key players back for the season are RB/DB Henry Summerlin (6-0, 185) SR 4th in State for Wrestling his class, WR/DB Blake Moran a 4 year starter (6-0, 195) SR leader, DE/WR/TE/LB Marcus Gradney (6-1, 228) SR big time player for team, WR Seth Aucoin (5-8, 170) SR 4.55 speed caught a 97 yard Touchdown in 2023 longest in school history, FB Ryan Young (6-0, 210) SR 4.8 speed, DB/FS/SS Lannie Reed 4.65 speed, RB/OLB Nathan Driggs, LB John Paul Fruge (6-1, 170) SR leading tackler for team in 2023, CB Bo Thomassee (6-0, 160) SR, RB/FB/TE/DE Nathan Zaunbrecher plays a ton of positions for team, Max Smith RB/DE big time Athlete, OLB Ian Rider (6-0, 195) SR, OL/DL Charles Sonnier (6-2, 300), OL/DT Hayden Lasage (6-1, 305) SR leader, OLB KOy Trahan (6-1, 170) sat out with injury in 2023, OG Jon Michael Brown (6-1, 210) SR leader. Special Teams will be Kicker Nathan Driggs, and the Punter will be Ian Rider. 

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Westminster Christian 

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Head Coach: Byron Porter (2nd year) 

2023 Record: 6-6

2023 Playoffs: 2nd round lost to Ouachita Christian HS. 

2024 Playoffs: Select

Key Players Graduated: P/K Gabe Profitt, TE/DE Stellan Hill, OT/DT Brenn Ray, and WR Josh Cassimere. 

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Team Outlook: “Spring game we have film and it's my 1st Spring with the program. Excited and want to play well. Playoffs for the first time since 2016 for the program,” said coach Porter. 

The Offense has a chance to be one of the best in the District in 2024 lead again by QB Stephen George who is a great Athlete and this is his year to really shine now he's bigger and stronger (5-11, 175) in 2024. This program has a few 2 way starters at the skill spots like RB/LB Michael Cunningham (6-0, 200) SR sleeper power and speed, WR/CB Damian ThomasJr All District in 2023 as a WR with 4.6 speed, WR/RB/CB Dreylon Pitre (5-10, 170) SR All District in 2023 in Baseball, WR/TE/DB Evan Lemon, WR/SS Jamari White playmaker, RB/LB Kyle Horde All District LB in 2023, RB/FS Gavin Frith 4.50 speed, and TE/DE/HB Omar Guillory (6-3, 185). The school has some really good lineman in OG/DT Conner Payne (6-1, 245), LB Joseph Brown (5-11, 182) SR, OT/DT/DE Matt Leblanc lettered in 2023, Center Cooper Campo, OG Isiah Jolivette lettered in 2023, DE/OG/OT Sam Huguet a new starter, OT/DT Jack Huguet, LB/DT Alex Thomas and LB/TE Jack Hunt. Special Teams you have Mac Profit at Kicker with a talented leg. In the return game you have Jamari White as a Punt or Kick Returner does both really well.

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