District 9 Class 4A

By Lee Brecheen

Archbishop Shaw Eagles

(photo credits Lee Brecheen)

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Head Coach: Hank Tierney (3rd year) 2nd term 25 years 1st term at school. 

2023 Record: 10-3 Won District 3-0

2023 Playoffs: 2nd round beat Evangel Christian HS 20-13, Quarterfinals beat Kennedy HS 20-13, and Semisfinals to St. Thomas More HS 69-30. 

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduating: DB Louis Foster (Grambling State), WR Cameron Marigny-Bolden, LB Darelle McAfee, DE Jayden Scott (Grambling State), DT Kilas Francis (Grambling State), OL Raymond Howard (Air Force), and DE Trevor Whitted, and TE George Sartor. 

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Team Outlook: “A lot of production back. Feel good about the Offensive & Defensive front. We have a sound Secondary all new. Lost all 4 Secondary starters from the 2023 season. We also lost a total of 7 starters from 2023,” said coach Tierney. 

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This has a chance to be the best Shaw team in quite some time in 2024. The Offense will bring back some really good playmakers in RB Jasper Parker (6-1, 200) SR with power and speed big time back and one of the best in the US. WR Jacob Washington (6-3, 180) also a SR has tremendous ability downfield for this team in the passing game. The QB returns in Mason Wilson (5-10, 190) SR had a really good year in 2023 passed for 1, 500 plus yards, and ran for over 1,000 yards and knows the Offense in and out. More skill players counted on to step up in 2023 are WR Ivan Smith (6-1, 170) SR, WR Stephen Houin (5-11, 160) SR, WR Austin Amadeo great Spring, RB Caleb Williams (5-9, 155) SR rotate in, RB Darrell Harris (5-8, 155) SR rotates in, and WR Gavin Richard (5-9, 158) SR leader. The Offensive Line will be a good unit in 2024 lead by 2nd year starter Bryson Bustamante (5-11, 240) SR, 2nd year starter Adam LaMark (6-2, 300), OL D’Artanian Miller (5-11, 245) 2nd year starter leader, OT Carter Newsham (6-3, 235) new starter with a few players competing to start like OL Omari Johnson (5-10, 250) SR, OL Gustavio Rivera, and OL Kaiden Johnson. The Defense will be strong on the Defensive Line in 2024 lead by DE Sheldon Green (6-4, 225) SR 2nd year starter with 4.7 speed, DT Gibson Lumene (5-10, 250) SR, DT Jonathan Williams, and DT Michael Banks. The Linebackers and Defensive Backs also have a chance to be really good positions for this program in 2024 OLB/SS All District Rontrae Carter, LB J’Quan Carter, LB/SS Trystan Evans (6-0, 180) SR, LB Ethan Lentz, FS Dacati Richardson (6-2, 180), CB Nelson Carter, CB Christian Langford (5-9, 150) new starter, CB Allen Shaw, and CB D’Andre Franklin (5-8, 155). Special Teams the team will rely on Kicker Henry Zelaya (5-11, 155) SR 80% of his kickoffs go right in the end zone. This kid has the leg to help the program win close games in 2024. 

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Belle Chasse Cardinals

(photo credits Lee Brecheen)

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Head Coach: Stephen Myers (10th year) 

2023 Record: 7-4

2023 Playoffs: 1st round beat Parkway HS 43-16 for 1st playoffs win in history of the school, and 2nd round lost too Destrehan HS 31-10. 

2024 Playoffs: Non-Select

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Key Players Graduating: RB/LB Jaedon Voisin (Southeastern), OC/DE Sterling Barthelemy (Arkansas Baptist), LB Cedric Harris, Kicker Trey Furey, (Houston), RB Kaleb Wallace, WR Nico Relle, DB Leon Jackson, WR/DB Jacob Black, and FB/LB Aedan Westbrook. 

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Team Outlook: “We will be young in 2024. We only have 8 seniors on the team. The last 2 years we lost too many good players. Lat year we won our first playoffs game in school history. Our Offensive Line should be improved, we need to replace many our our skill players on Offense. Defensively, we will be replacing many starters. We had a good Spring, and we need to have a great Summer and August and have our young players keep improving.”

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The Offense returns QB Amari Ambrose a dual threat QB has experence now looking to have a big season his senior year in 2024. The rest of the skill talent will have some speed in RB/DB Khai Wallace, RB Dillan Carter, RB/LB Hilario Rodriguez, and WR Ayden Vinsor (5-10, 170) SR. The Lineman in the trenches will be OL Bryant Richard (5-8, 215) leader tough kid, OL Vedaan Petrovich (6-, 285), OL/DL Holden Orgeron (6-3, 245), OL Gage Delahoussaye (5-10, 290), OL Joseph Johnson (6-1, 220) SR, DE/TE Savion Barthelemy (6-2, 290) a big time player for the program, and a few mixed in young players to help the program. The Linebacking core and Defensive backs you have DB leader Bryce Dusang (5-10, 160) SR, DB Trace Adams (5-10, 175) Sr leader, DB Gavin Barganier (5-9, 160), and LB leader tough kid Logan Jackson a name to remember in the next 2 years for the program. A few players will start  both sides of the football but this program has always made it work under coach Myers because of toughness and high effort from the players. 

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Kenner Discovery Swamp Owls

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Head Coach: Phillip Sprunk (6th year) 

2023 Record: 2-8

2023 Playoffs: None

2024 Playoffs: Select

Key Players Graduating: DB Cameron Gardner (Cisco Texas JC), Center Ethan Schoen, LB Spencer Newton, TE Lionel Johnson, and DE Zaid Abdallah. 

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Team Outlook: “1st losing season since starting the program 2018-2019 season first year of varsity football. We lost 10 seniors from the 2023 team. Return 18 starters with great young kids behind them. We will install a new Pro Style Offense in 2024 for the program,” said coach Sprunk. 

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The program can build around a talented QB returning in Jamar Hodges (5-10, 172) who started in 2023 week 5 and did a good job learning his first year under center. The Offense returns 5 key players at the skill spots in RB Christian Torres, RB Gage Bertel (5-9, 185) leader 2nd year starter, RB Kevine Green (5-9, 200) moved from DT for 2024, WR Brenden Hebert 2nd year starter, and WR Antonio Castro lettered as a TE in 2023. The Offensive Line will be the glue tot his team with good size and experience OT Melvin Licona (6-2, 230) SR, Center Ethan Domingine (6-0, 270) SR All District in 2023 2nd year starter, OG/OT Dekarbry Warren (6-3, 290), OL Lucas Acevedo (5-11, 250) new starter, and OG Jorge Vasquez (5-9, 200). The Defensive Line also has a chance to be the strength of the Defense DT Baron Von-Ants (6-2, 240) SR 3 year starter leader, DE/OLB Ronald Alcindor (5-10, 200) SR, DT/DE Adriel Alberto (6-2, 225) lettered in 2023, and DT/DE Braydon Fehn (5-11, 240) SR 3 year starter big time leader. The Linebackers and Defensive Backfield will be MLB Evan Danove (5-10, 198) SR 3 year starter stud for Defense leader, LB Ray Hernandez (5-10, 205) SR, OLB/Safety Mehki Dunbar a ball hawk, CB Kendrick Powell (6-0, 180) SR All District in 2023, CB/Safety Jordan Andrus (6-0, 170) SR, Safety Chase Nicholas, SS/FS Chris Burge (6-0, 170) 4.65 speed, DB/WR Braylon Byrd a 3 year starter also a WR for the team, SS/FS Nicholas Cardenas (5-10, 170) 2nd year starter, and a few younger players for depth. Special Teams will be Kicker Sebastain Domingues a SR (5-8, 150) will do a good job there. 

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ST. Charles Catholic Comets

Head Coach: Wayne Stein (4th year) 

2023 Record: 13-1 Won District 3-0

2023 Playoffs: 2nd round beat Ascension Episcopal HS, Quarterfinals beat  Notre Dame HS 31-21, Semisfinals beat University Lab HS 10-7, and State Title game lost to Calvary Baptist HS

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduating: WR Daniel Joseph (McNeese State), QB Brady St. Pierre (Southeastern Baseball), DB Kaden Foster (Southeastern), DE/OLB Jayden Breaux (ULL), LB Kyle Cannon (Southeastern), Punter/DB Brayden Bertucci (BRCC Baseball), DB Kayden Cambre (Louisiana Christian), TE Brandon Kragle (Delgado Baseball), DB Logan Barrios (Walsh College Ohio), RB Jeremiah Willis, OL Aiden Ocmond, LB Andrew Bosco, RB Jackson Monica (Delgado JC Baseball), OL Dillon Duley, and DE Hudson Heltz. 

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Team Outlook: “Lost 17 every down starters from the 2023 team. Secondary & Defensive Line we are rebuilding with many players competing this Summer for spots,” said coach Stein. 

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The Comets last 3 years have been incredible winning the State Title in 2021, 2022 and almost won three in a row in 2023. Coaches and fans are incredible for this school in Laplace, Louisiana. This place has a energy with it for toughness and you can feel it when you get out your car and go to the field before a game warmups. In 2024 young team like coach said but i think the program will go backwards by no means. The Offense will be in great hands with a new starting QB but a QB who ran onto the field in the State Title game and has experience in a few games and hes ready to win for this program Landree Leblanc (6-0, 170) good arm and great feet when flushed out pocket. More skill players in the Offense are FB/TE new starter lettered many games in 2023 Gideon Marix (6-1, 190) SR, WR Jackson Doster (5-7, 155) SR, 2nd year starter WR Noah Tucker (5-11, 160) SR sleeper, RB Skyler Edwards bell cow of the Offense ran for 1,008 yards in 2023 will get the ball 20 times a game or more with 4.5 speed power, RB Evan Duffour will rotate in, and look for more new WR’s and RB’s to fight for reps for this ever evolving young Offense. The Offensive Line also young will build around OL Matthew Lang (5-9, 235) SR, OG/OC Aidan Lowry (5-11, 220), and 2nd year starter Jacques Vicknair (5-11, 215) and TE/FB Gabe Kugler new starter. The Defense lost a lot also but will like the Offense have some leaders to build around in DE Shane Zimmerman (5-10, 205) SR 3 year starter big time leader for program, FS Dax Pregeant (5-11, 160) a 2nd year starter, DB Re’Shawn Hilaire (5-9, 162) a 3 year starter leader 4.55 speed, DE/OLB Kenneth Hall (6-3, 195) SR can rush the passer, DT Dylan Rosales (6-1, 225) SR new starter experienced player, LB Creed Marix (5-10, 195) new starter lettered, LB Brooks Monica (5-11, 180) new starter lettered, DT Byron Bailey (5-11, 240) new starter lettered, and CB Prystyn Cambre (6-1, 160) new starter with experience from last year  with 4.5 speed. Special Teams will be Kicker/Punter Tyler Milioto a very good player keeping Special Teams strong again. 

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Willow School Lions

(photo credits Lee Brecheen)

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Head Coach: JJ Smith (6th year) 

2023 Record: 6-4

2023 Playoffs: None

2024 Playoffs: Select

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Key Players Graduating: MLB/OLB Zachary Breaux, WR Chris Boudy, SS Graham Ferguson, LB Jack Trotter, OT/DE Graham Williams, OT Enzo Marino (Nich State), DT Audwin Jackson, OL/DL Nathan Johnson

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Team Outlook: “Kids have bought in to continue the growth. We had also some close games where close. Like where the program is currently going in 2024,” said coach Smith. 

The Lions return one of the best QB’s in the New Orleans area in SR Jake Guichet (6-0, 185) 5th most passing yards by a QB in New Orleans for the 2023 season. Guichet is also a very good Baseball player for the school too. The Defense returns one of the best Defensive Backs in the New Orleans area in Tyrell Johnson (6-0, 165) 5 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery and did all this in 2023 in his 1st year starting varsity. This program is not hurting for skill talent theres a few to mention in WR/CB Cyrus Buckels (5-10, 165) 4.59 speed, WR Xavier Ramsey (5-6, 150) 4.5 speed, FB new starter Owen Rahey (5-7, 175), RB/WR Darryl Franklin scored 5 touchdowns in 2023 can fly, WR/HB Ronan Theall (5-11, 195) SR 4.79 speed leader, WR Ahmad Vappie (6-2, 168) 4.45 speed, CB/WR Ian Tuttle (5-9, 150) great hands, CB Sheldon Petty (6-0, 165) lettered in 2023 good player, RB/WR Mark RhodesJr (5-10, 165) ran for 200 yards in one game in 2023 4.5 speed, WR/TE Nathan Mitchell (6-4, 178) blocks coming on, and TE/FB James Macphee (6-0, 175) lettered in 2023 new starter. The lineman in the program are quality kids but the program lost some good experienced players from the 2023 season. The trenches will be OG/DT Gerald Donsereaux (6-0, 280) 2nd year starter, DE/OT William Wombacker (6-4, 185), OC Jerod Joseph (5-10, 230) 3 year starter leader, OL/DE Max Winkler (6-3, 175), DE/LB Alexander SewellJr (5-10, 175) tough leader lettered in 2023, TE/OL Owen Bayer (6-4, 180) and OL/DE Nathan Somma (6-0, 185) new starter. Linebacker you also have leader OLB T’khi Johnson (5-11, 165) smart hard worker high IQ of game. Special Teams will be Mauro Nunez at Kicker (5-9, 155) impressed in Spring.

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