District 9 Class 1A

By Lee Brecheen

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Central Private Redhawks 

Head Coach: Cole Holden (2nd year) 

2023 Record: 3-8

2023 Playoffs: 1st round lost to Ascension Catholic HS. 

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key players Graduated: RB/SS Hunter Pourciau, SS/WB Wyatt Johnson, WR/DB Luke Browning, OL/DL Dawson Glover, OL/DL Stephen Lambert, OL/DL Braiden Morgan, and TE Grant Austin. 

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Team Outlook: “Take next step as a program in 2024. We went from 28 players in 2023 to over 40 players in 2024. First time have Spring for the program in several years,” said coach Holden. 

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The program has 2 QB’s who can start at any given time in Seth Hatfield (6-1, 170) played a lot in 2023 did a good job and QB/SS Laiken Laudermilk missed a good amount of last year returns (6-1, 185) really good Athlete. Both players are starters in the program regardless what happens at QB. The skill talent is better in 2024 for the program more players skill spots are HB/LB Aiden Pomerleau (5-9, 185) SR, leader, RB/DB Carter Sumner (5-10, 160) SR, CB Houston Hunt (6-0, 165), DB Davin Bergan (5-10, 160), RB/OLB Blake Mixon (6-1, 175) new starter tough kid, DB Zack Browning (5-10, 170), RB/DB Luke Mire (5-11, 165) new starter, and DB/WR Cade Tate (5-10, 160) SR. Key lineman back and Linebackers are OLB/TE/WR Clayton Kimball (6-3, 210) SR also one of the top Baseball players in the state, LB/FB/DT Jacob Weaver (6-1, 210) 3 year starter tough strong kid SR, DE/TE Brody Gibson (6-2, 185), DT/OG Christian Corsentino (5-10, 185) SR, LB/OG Peyton Varnado (6-1, 195), OT Timothy Hartman (6-0, 250) SR, OL/DLHuxley Penard (5-11, 220), TE/DE Kyler Hart (6-1, 190) SR new starter from the Baseball team, Center/DT Gage Guillory (6-0, 240), and some younger players for depth. 

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Kentwood Kangaroos

(photographer: Delane Wilson)

Head Coach: Cornelius Blount (1st year) 

2023 Record: 10-3

2023 Playoffs: 2nd round beat Ferriday HS 46-8, Semisfinals round beat Homer HS 48-20, and State Title game lost to Oak Grove HS 49-28 in Overtime. 

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduated: WR/RB/CB Shemar Cooper, WR/CB Ke’Vante Carter, OLB Chris Gordon, WR Eric Earl Jr, OG/DE PJ Wilson(Southern U), OL/DL James McKnight, and OL/DL Christopher Gordon

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Team Outlook: “Tough 2024 schedule East Feliciana HS, Amite HS, Southern Lab HS, and Jewel Sumner HS. We lost to Oak Grove in the State Title game in 2023. We need to keep the Kentwood tradition going would be 51 straight years in the playoffs in 2024. Young team. Feel good about up and coming season,” said coach Blount. 

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The program does return some leaders in 4 year starter Lymichael Callahan (5-10, 210) SR best player on the team 2 way starter All District several times both at DE/OLB. Callahan had 28 Sacks in 2023 incredible feat. Runs a 4.6 forty and always brings it. RB/OLB Shun Jarron Burton (5-9, 210) SR returns ran for over 1,300 yards in 2023 with power and speed. Also back is WR/CB Jermaine Brown (5-11, 170) SR with 4 interceptions in 2023 and big time hitter for program. Brown has run the 100 meters in track as low as 10.7 and 200 meters 21.7. More key players back for this young team are OT/DE Jaquavis Blount (6-0, 220) SR 17 Sacks in 2023, WR/CB OJ Hookfin (5-7, 160) new starter Athlete, Center Kadarius Zanders (6-0, 300) new starter, MLB Jayden Cohn (6-0, 175) a baller coach calls him, WR/CB JaMarius Campbell new starter 4.45 speed, QB Alonzo Ard (6-0, 210), OLB Chance Briggs (6-3, 180), QB/WR Ahmade Bickham Jr (6-3, 165), OT Ivan Williams (6-2, 240), and CB Ricky Briggs (5-6, 150) 4.4 special player. 

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Southern Lab Kittens

Head Coach: Darrell Asberry (8th year) 

2023 Record: 12-1 Won District 4-0

2023 Playoffs: Quarterfinals beat Central Catholic HS 35-0, Semisfinals beat Ouachita Christian HS 38-34, and State Title game beat Riverside HS 42-35. State Champs in 2023. 

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduated: OT/DT Jude Foster (Ole Miss), LB Ashton Raymond, CB/SS Dylan Day (U Miami), DT/OG David Howard, OC/DE Ethan Jupiter (Southern U), QB Marlon Brown, OG/DT Dalton Toussaint, DE Herbert Collins, DE Evan Mickles, LB Chase Square, CB Ronald Johnson III (Southern U Track), and CB/SS Marquette Duncan. 

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Team Outlook: “State Champs in 2023. Young team with some experience back. We will have 28 new players on varsity in the program in 2024,” said coach Asberry. 

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The Offense actually has a chance to be better than in 2023 which is scary. The Offensive Line will be young but a lot of gifted skill players are back of the team i saw play in 2023 in person. The QB position will have a new starter but its someone who lettered and played a lot in 2023 with a lot of ability Jerry Bottley IV (6-2, 185). The Offense also has a talented young QB in Dexter Richard Jr. The Offense will return one of the fastest units in Louisiana at the skill spots in WR/CB Keenan Butler (5-9, 165) SR 11 yards per catch in 2023 2nd year starter 4.5 speed, WR Denim Hunt 12 touchdowns with 692 yards and 21.8 yards per catch in 2023 with 4.43 speed in the forty. You also have back WR/DB Logan Dauphine, WR Jayce Wright (5-8, 145), WR/DB Jayden Hatch, WR Anthony Weatherspoon, WR Kohen Griffin, WR Caden Trumble, WR/CB Zade Richmond and WR Marquez Williams (5-6, 151) SR 4.4 speed. The run game will return. I think the biggest sleeper RB in Louisiana Armariyan Asberry (6-0, 207) SR with power, speed and toughness with a burst in the open field. Asberry should be on track for another 1,000 yard plus season. You also have RB/LB Trevoris Norman (5-6, 170) SR brings quickness and burst, RB Maurice Brown Jr (5-6, 164) 4.5 speed, and RB Kaleb Williams (5-6, 175) small but power and tough with speed. The Offensive Line lost some talent but returns talent in OL/DT Randall Johnson (6-4, 285), OT Jayden Thomas (6-3, 240), OT Sami Abdelhak Jr (6-4, 305), OL/DL Braylon Lawrence (5-10, 275) SR, OT/OG Jeremiah Lee (6-1, 260), and OL/DL Eneas Davis (6-3, 265). The Defense like the Offense lost some talented players but again return talent in all positions. The front seven lead by DT Jerren Smith (5-11, 265) SR returns with 5 Sacks in 2023 tough leader for team. The front seven also has 2 way starter DT Randall Johnson (6-4, 285), DT Creston Hawkins (6-3, 295) 2 Sacks in 2023, DT Eneas Davis (6-3, 250), DE/OLB Efrem Peters (6-0, 225) new starter, LB Chad Jones Jr (5-11, 220) 4.55 speed leader 3 year starter, OLB Isaac Millican (5-8, 190) SR, LB/DE Jaiden Fletcher new, DE/LB August Roy new, MLB A’Milkel Dwih new, RB Norman will play some LB. The Defensive Backfield will be Athletic & fast again lead by CB Keenan Butler, CB Michael Plummer (5-7, 160) SR, DB Jayden Hatch (6-0, 165), CB/Safety Ja’Ryus Harris (6-0, 175) 2nd year starter averaged 4 tackles game in 2023, CB Gerald Seaton, CB Caleb Harvey, and CB Zade Richmond (5-10, 176). Special Teams the Kicker and Punting job will be decided over the Summer. The return game will be one of the best in the state lead by Kick & Punt Returner Marquez Williams & Denim Hunt. 

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Thrive Academy 

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Head Coach: Devon Breaux (1st year) 

2023 Record: 2-8

2023 Playoffs: None

2024 PLayoffs: 

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Key Players Graduated: DE/TE Tabari Dalton, TE/DE Cartez McIntyre, QB/DB Sintrell Franklin, OG/DT William Gray and WR/DB Leonard Hicks. 

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Team Outlook: “Most seniors ever for the school in 2024 with 14 total. We only had 4 seniors in 2023. And 2022 zero seniors. It will be the most experienced team ever for the school,” said coach Breaux.

The program returns its best player in 2024 QB/RB/CB Keiron Ross (6-3, 170) SR and the leader of the program and team. Ross will play several positions to help this team win in 2024 with 4.55 speed and high IQ of the game. The rest of the key players back for the Bulldogs are QB Ethan Aguilera (6-2, 180) SR started some games in 2023 so has experience as a new starter, CB/WR Christopher Patton (5-9, 150) SR leader lock down CB with 4.5 speed in the forty, MLB/RB Kent Trosclair returns with 32 tackles in 2023, SS/RB Rodney Bridgewater (5-10,175) SR, FS/WR Isaiah Doucette (5-9, 170) SR a 5th year starter since his 8th grade year, OG Cooper Simmons (5-11,185), TE/DE David Burns (5-11, 190) teams best WR with great hand and tough after the catch, OT/DT Richard Rogers, CB Deven Johnson (6-0, 165) SR, DT Albert Simmons(5-6,180) SR tough as nails for his size and quick, Center Adrian Eckels a 2nd year starter leader, RB/WR Brayden Oregeron (5-10, 180) SR, and LB Jeremy Williams (5-9,170)SR. Special Teams the teams strength will be the return game lead by speedster Brayden Orgeron, Keiron Ross and Jeremy Williams.

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