District 9 Class 2A

By Lee Brecheen

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Independence  

Head Coach: Travis Mikel (2nd year) 

2023 Record: 3-7

2023 Playoffs: None

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduating: 

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Team Outlook: “Had to forfeit 2 wins in 2023. Exciting young guys buying in every day. We have the talented 2026 class strength of our team. We only have 9 lineman in the program after Spring pratice. We graduated 6 lineman from the 2023 team,” said coach Mikel. 

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The Offense will get behind QB JaMarcus Weatherspoon (6-1, 175) for leadership with 4.6 speed and the ability to get this program back to the playoffs. More key skill players are RB/Safety Terrance Hines (5-11, 185) power and strong, WR/CB Dorin Sellers All District in 2023 2nd year starter playmaker, WR/DB Gabe Ballet (6-0, 185) SR team captain leader tough kid, FB/TE Elijah Saragusa (5-10, 195) 2nd year starter, CB Roy Jackson (5-10, 170) 4.55 speed, FS Deion Melton (5-9, 165) tough player for the Defense and a few younger players for depth. Key lineman and Linebackers back are OT/OG Gavin Hamm (6-3, 285) 2nd year starter leader, OG Brayden Tayson (6-0, 260) SR 2nd year starter, OLB/DE Jayden Anderson (6-2, 215) Athletic, OLB/DE Christian Butler (6-3, 230) 2nd year starter MLB in 2023, OLB Kordell Hines (6-3, 200) SR sat out 2023 season is back with a high motor, and Center Jose Pinto (5-11, 255) SR 2nd year starter still new to football. Special Teams Kicker will be Jose Pinto. 

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Northlake Christian Wolverines

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Head Coach: James Willis (5th year) 

2023 Record: 7-3

2023 Playoffs: 1st round lost to St. Thomas Aquinas HS. 

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduating: LB/RB Gavin Krone (Southern Nazrenne), LB Ben Harrison, WR/DB Ollie Brumfield (Loyola Track), WR/RB/DB Chase Mizell (Springhill U Soccer), and OL/DL Dylan Angelo. 

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Team Outlook: “We will open the Offense up more from more of a running Offense in 2024,” said coach Willis. 

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The program will be lead by 2nd year starting QB Luke Leblanc (6-1, 190) SR gamer field general for program. The program has some quality players back with experience in OL/DL Lee Dautervie (6-1, 305) 3 year starter leader, WR Luke Voelkel (6-0, 175) SR, TE/DE Gavin Hunter (6-1, 200) SR and FB leader new starter, RB Kam Casnave (6-1, 230) stronger in 2023, DB/WR Jordan Willis (6-1, 185) big time Athlete, OL/DL Wyatt Perritt (6-2, 275), LB Trace Crane (6-0, 195) DB/WR Charlie Gilmore (6-1, 180), LB/QB Colton West, and OT Drake Orazio (6-3, 310) 2nd year starter tough kid. 

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Pope John Paul II Jaguars

Head Coach: Phillip Pigot (4th year) 

2023 Record: 8-3

2023 Playoffs: 1st round lost to Lake College Prep HS

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduating: QB/OLB Allen Ramer, TE/OLB Mikey Strain (Millsaps), MLB/OG James Thompson, and Kicker Daniel Whitehouse (Villanova). 

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Team Outlook: “We will run the Wing-T Offense in 2024. Defense a 3-3 Stack new Defense. A lot of players play both sides of the football for us. We are excited about our Offensive Line one of the best we’ve had at the school with some depth,” said coach Pigot. 

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New starting QB will be Blaze Rodriguez (5-9, 165) a 4 year starter Athlete for the program tough leader. Rodriguez will also start at CB for the team as one of the best DB’s in the district. More key skill players back are WR/Safety Kade Lacoste (6-2, 190) also a Baseball Prospect, RB/WR Gus Pizza (5-11, 180), FB Nick Andre (6-0, 205) SR, RB/CB Josh Greenwood (5-9, 175), FB Dominick Smith (5-10, 195) RB/Safety Aiden Fairchild (5-10, 170), RB/CB Trevin McCall (5-9, 160), and FB/LB Jack Roniger (6-1, 205) tough strong kid. Key lineman and Linebackers back are OLB/TE Andrew Hoff (6-5, 210), LB Keiron Green (6-0, 210) SR new starter, LB Brayden Green, OT/DT Wyatt Higgins, OG Sean Smith (6-3, 275), DE/OC Michael Thiel (6-0, 230), OLB Joseph Sprinkle, OT Jax Dean (6-1, 250), OT/DT Colin Koinrumpf (6-3, 265), LB Cole Monnier (6-1, 200) SR, DE Brady Dehard (6-3, 210), and MLB Wesley Geiman (5-11, 210). Special Teams always strong for the program will have at Kicker Kale Oerthing (5-11, 185) a talented player. Punter will be Carter Chiasson (6-2, 180) SR also a very good player for this program. Long Snapper will be Noah Panks. 

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St. Helena Central Hawks

Head Coach: Chris Gordon (3rd year) 

2023 Record: 4-5

2023 Playoffs: 1st round lost to Port Allen HS

2024 Playoffs: Non-Select

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Key Players Graduating: Athlete/WR/DB Darrell Singelton Jr (Nebraska), DB/WR Marquis Dunn, DB/WR Atravien Harness, DB/WR Cameron Wheeler, WR/DB Hollis Doughty, OT/DT Chris Brumfield, and DE/OT Donovan Burton. 

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Team Outlook: “Excited about the up coming year. Kids have bought in. We play a lot of players on both sides of the football. I think we will have a very successful season. Numbers are not as high as i would like but kids we have work and again have bought in,” said coach Gordon. 

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The Offense returns a 3 year starting QB in Aderrion Baker (6-3, 189) Dual Threat player with a really good arm All District in 2023 and a leader for the program. The program has really good skill players still in RB/LB Miguel Bonds (5-7, 210) SR 2 year starter, RB/DE Jonathan Daniel (5-10, 225) SR 2nd year starter, RB/OLB Jarvis Brister (5-9, 190) SR talented player, QB/DE Willie Martin (6-3, 225) SR 4 year starter All District in 2023 with 4.6 speed, WR/FS Tim Dorsey (6-3, 180), Safety/WR Donte Chaney (6-0, 210) SR All District 3 times big time leader for program, RB/OLB KJ Smith smooth runner with power, and WR Jamairon Robinson a track star with 4.45 speed. Key lineman and LInebackers back are OG Braylon Muse (5-8, 215) SR Center in 2023 a 3 year starter leader, Center George Taylor (6-0, 230) new starter, OL/DT RT Rhems (6-5, 265), OG/DT/TE Jamerious Wells (6-2, 320) and OG GeKeithan Williams (5-9, 215) SR 3rd year to start for the program and leader. 

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St. Thomas Aquinas Falcons

Head Coach: Tino Fletcher (1st year) 

2023 Record: 5-6

2023 Playoffs: 1st round lost to Newman HS. 

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduating: WR/DB Cace Reed, RB/LB Kendrell Perry, QB/DB Justin Domiano, Kicker Jonathan Bickford, RB/LB Kohen Rowbatham, OL/DL Lincoln Crouch, and TE/LB Braeden Bovie. 

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Team Outlook: “Putting together a new coaching staff after i was hired for this year. First time at school was in 2018-2022 as a assistant coach. I coached Defensive Backs for the program before and Defensive Coordinater. We will be rebuilding in 2024. Our feeder schools play flag football so there’s a lot to teach about the game once we get most of our kids because most kids don’t know how to tackle before they get to us,” said coach Fletcher. 

The Offense will have a new QB in Chase Oalman (5-10, 185) a leader knows the system. Key skill players back are RB/DB Clifton Bonds (5-9, 180) SR 2 year starter was hurt in 2023 now healthy, WR Chad Cusimano SR, FB/OLB Dean Cusimano (5-10, 190) SR leader, WR Cohen Boudreaux (5-10, 170) new starter, WR/DB Parker Roubigue (5-9, 190) 2nd year starter leader, and RB Juy Eskano (5-7, 180) really fast and also runs Track for the program. Key lineman back to help the program are OL/DL Brody Crouch (6-0, 215), OT/DE Juan Triste (6-3, 225) SR recovering from a injury, Center/DT Mason Craft (5-8, 220) SR leader, OL/DL Ryan Jackson (5-9, 215) SR leader, OLB/TE/FB Evan Jump (6-1, 185) SR, OL/DL Aiden Brown (5-11, 190), OLB Ashton Carstens (5-8, 178) SR, OL/DE Mason Forest (6-1, 205), OT/DE Lorenzo Buckley (6-2, 200), LB Ross Perrilloux (6-0, 190) SR, and a few younger players for depth. Special Teams after Spring was wide open at Kicker & Punter.

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