District 9 Class 3A

By Lee Brecheen

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Fisher Gators

(photo credits Fisher High School)

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Head Coach: Tevyn Cagins

2023 Record: 3-7

2023 Playoffs: None

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduated: FS/RB Lance Leblanc, WR/Safety Lane Creppel, RB/LB Evan Phillips, OG/DT Logan Rome, and OT/DT Kaleb Barient-Duplantis. 

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Team Outlook: “Numbers are up for the team. No more iron man football for us in 2024. We can let players play mostly one side of the ball finally. More skilled as a team in 2024. We also will run a new 3-4 Defense,” said coach Cagins. 

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The Gators return a leader in 3 year starting QB Nickson Thibodeaux (6-2, 215) SR passed for 516 yards with 3 Touchdowns in 2023 and ran for 389 yards with 1 Touchdown. This was a kid who was a Defensive End as a 8th grader and now a QB. The Offense has more skill players in RB Sypler Tamborella (5-8, 150) 15 tackles in 2023 also as a DB, WR/CB Jay Lewis (5-11, 175) SR 23 tackles in 2023, RB Lance Defiore (5-10, 225) SR 65 tackles with 3 Sacks & 3 TFL loss in 2023, WR Jacob Bourgeois 1st year starter but All District in Basketball, WR Colton Kareoaow 1st year starter, and some young players mixed in for depth. Key Lineman back are OL/DT Lucas Plaisance (6-0, 210) 2nd year starter, DE Julian Bourg (5-10, 190) SR 29 tackles in 2023, 2nd year starter, OL Colby Doucet (5-9, 200) SR 2nd year starter, and DT Cullen Mamolo (6-1, 215) new starter. Linebackers and Safeties back you have MLB Kale Parria (5-8, 160) 43 tackles in 2023 leader, LB Randy Lacrosse (5-8, 180), and Safety Tyler Mike (5-9, 165) new starter. 

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Haynes Academy Hornets

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Head Coach: Paul Longo

2023 Record: 3-7

2023 Playoffs: None

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduated: WR/CB Payton Drumm, OG/DE Kirby Mueller

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Team Outlook: “We are moving up to a new District in 2023 and I am excited. We have 8 three year starters back. We are multiple on Offense and Defense we will be a 3-3 stack. The Offense returns QB Trent Helwig, who has 9 starts in his career. His first Touchdown thrown on varsity was as a 8th grader,” said coach Powell. 

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The Offense also has back RB Lochlen Claverie (6-1, 205) ran for over 100 yards a game in 2023 for the full year with power and good speed. Claverie coach said is a 4 year starter and leader. The rest of the skill players back are WR Tony Pedalino (5-10, 180) SR, RB Brady Cribby (5-9, 175), WR Logan Breaux (6-1, 185) SR, TE Will Schexnayder (6-2, 200), DB Dom Patella (6-0, 165) SR, DB Andrew Nugent (5-10, 165) SR, and DB Zach Poynter (5-7, 170). Key lineman and Linebackers back are LB Farris Eslaih (6-0, 185), LB Sam Adams (5-10, 180), LB Carter Sternberger (5-8, 175), Ol Trey Burns (6-2, 285) SR 4 year starter leader, OL Bradley Perry (6-0, 225), DL Nick Rodriguez (5-8, 185) SR, and DL Matthew Bonura (5-8, 180). 

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Jefferson Rise Blazers

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Head Coach: Trent Mackey (2nd year) 

2023 Record: 4-7

2023 Playoffs: 1st round lost to Parkview Baptist HS 42-8

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduated: WR Marques Coleman, WR/DB Davantae Harden, DB Tremaine Scott, OLB Jordan Allen, DE Kyle Robertson, DE Javon Marco, DE/FB Joshua Ranson, OL Brennan Moses, and OL/DL Will Smith. 

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Team Outlook: “We are building this program brick by brick. We have faced hurdles over the last few years with the hurricane during year one, and losing players every year, but i have confidence that we are on track to build a really good program with our younger guys contributing in big time roles and growing with the program. Hard work doesn’t guarantee success but if you fail to word hard that guarantes failure Geaux Blazers!,” said coach Mackey. 

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The Offense has a few young talented skill players coming up in the program. Lets start at QB with Joshua Wilkins a starter on the Basketball team last two years and now QB for the program in football with outstanding skills as a new starter. Theres also a young QB who will get reps QB and other skill spots in Kymani Atkins very explosive player will be a big play guy for the team in 2023. More skill players in the program are RB/LB Tyrin Lewis both a LB & RB has power and tough for both sides of the football, CB Nathaniel Cooper has ball skills and speed to cover all WR’s. Cooper could end up best player on the Defense in 2024, WR Dontavious Pierce (5-10, 150) has a great work ethic for the team with in 2023 lead team with 9 total Touchdownns 3 rushing, 5 as a WR and 1 as a kickoff returner, DB Camron Roby made 2nd team All District in 2023 as a DB and a hard worker and finally Malachi Roby will play WR/RB/DB and in the return game as a big time playmaker with 4.5 speed. Key Lineman and Linebackers in the program are Center Cody Encardes (6-0, 255) smart, tough and coach says gritty, with leadership already as a player, DE John Scott (5-10, 210) SR All District in 2022 as a DeYoziell Vargas (5-8, 240) can play anywhere in the trenches for the program with good feet and smart with blocking and tough, DE Tyavian Stevenson (6-1, 220) a talented young player who might make his mark in 2024 tough and smart football player for the program and DL/OL Jahron Mott (6-2, 310) can’t be blocked by one player which every team needs in the middle of there Defense a true NG/DT. 

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Patrick Taylor Academy Tigers

Head Coach: Kenneth Bourgeois (3rd year) 

2023 Record: 9-3

2023 Playoffs: 1st round beat Sophie B. Wright 52-42, and 2nd round lost to University High HS 62-6. 2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduated: QB Ethan Tran (Milsaps), RB Bryce Boutte (Tulane), DE/RB Rasheed Brown, WR Anthony Fisher, OT Leo Fritez, OLChris Richert, OG Joshua Gauthier, OT Javius Turner, OL Brandon Shubert, TE Owen Cakely, DT Shri Dasaan, OLB Kinkaid Hinyup (Milsaps), LB Ethan Barthelemy (Milsaps), LB Gavin Bonner, CB Seth Childs, SS Antonio Cuartaz, Kicker Khoi Nquyen and SS Beaux Faucheaux

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Team Outlook: “We lost 28 seniors from the 2023 team. Will be very young but talented in 2024. We will run a 4 wide Offense in 2024 with only 6 seniors on the team in 2024. Academic school that has kids who play hard with some talent,” said coach Bourgeois. 

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A lot of new starters in 2024 but team has a lot of young talented players in 2024. The Offense will have a new starting QB in Parker Marks (5-9, 160) but hes very capable of running this Offense and will get only better as the season goes along with talent around him. The young skill talent back are RB Logan Rogers (5-10, 178) 2nd year starter leader, WR Preston Champagne (5-8, 155), WR Jeremy Gibson, WR Jayden Cavet, WR Jalen Patterson also good in Basketball, and young players moving up during the Summer to get reps. The Offensive Line will roll out Center Anthony Scandurro (5-10, 245) 2nd year starter oldest of the OL leader, OG Bryce Berthelot (6-0, 245), OG Smaran Tamidella (5-10, 215), OT Shane Simmons (5-9, 195), and OT Roger Poirier (6-0, 225) SR. The Defensive front seven will again be mostly new but players are there in DT/DE Jackson Norwood (6-4, 285) big time player on the front, DT Kenneth Tran (5-8, 220) SR, DE Hunter Smith (6-0, 215), LB Luke Felder, LB Maaz Rathor (6-0, 180), LB Alex Prestonbach, LB Kairen Dufrene was a Tight End in 2023, and LB Saif Sharbah (5-10, 180) played Tight End in 2023. The Secondary has some talent too in Safety Mason Beach (6-1, 170) SR 4 year starter 2nd team All District in 2023 and means so much to this team in leadership, CB Ryne Reeves (5-8, 155), CB Imran Habib, DB Duyanh Nugyen, and DB Antonio Barthelemy coming back from a injury in 2023 and now healthy (5-10, 155) really good Athlete for the team. 

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Thomas Jefferson Jaguars

Head Coach: Kenneth Bush (6th year) 

2023 Record: 1-8

2023 Playoffs: None

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Team Outlook: “I am very excited about the up coming season, we are returning 22 letterman. This group of young men are dedicated and have been working hard all off season. We are hoping to improve and be competitive through out this up coming season. The spirits are high in the locker room. We are hoping to take that to the playing field,” said coach Bush. 

The Offense will return one of the better RB’s in th District in RB/DB Bryce Wilkerson (5-10, 180) SR ran for 914 yards in 2023 with 10 Touchdowns, 3 where as a WR and 2 where Kickoff return Touchdowns. “Bryce has been working hard during the off season and expectations are high going into his senior year. Bryce has soft hands, good speed, and good vision, we plan to get him the ball as a runner and receiver as he has big play ability,” said coach Bush. The rest of the Offense you have QB Jaden Louis (5-8, 150) Bot big in stature but tough and smart player, DB/WR Sir ChristianWeaver (5-10, 175) SR All District in 2023 with 3 interceptions, 2 kickoff returns for Touchdowns and 4 touchdowns as a WR. We expect Sir Christian to be a force on both sides of the ball this season said coach Bush”. WR/DB Thamus Jenkins (5-10, 160) 2 way starter, FB/LB Derek Watson (5-9, 195) SR tough kid, and five Wide Receivers all 2 way starters DB/WR Nicholas Chevis (5-8, 160), WR/DB Jai Mitchell (5-10, 160) SR, Safety/WR Jonathan Dupont (5-10, 160), and WR/DB Josiah Mitchell (5-10, 160) SR. All the lineman in the program are 2 way starters in OL/DL Ashton Woods (5-10, 205) , OL/DL Raed Salem (5-8, 200), OL/DL Daniel Chastant (5-11, 225) , OL/DL William irving (6-1, 235), and OL/DL Tommy Conaway (6-2, 240). Theres also starting Linebacker FrankTaulli (5-10, 165) brings experience in 2024 on Defense.

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