JOURNAL SPORTS
Captain Shreve placed three players, Airline and Parkway one each on the Class 5A All-State football team selected by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
Gator junior offensive lineman Devin Harper, senior defensive back EJ McDonald and punter John Chance were named to the first team. Harper, regarded as one of the top offensive lineman in the Class of 2025, helped Shreve score a regular season school-record 416 points. McDonald came up with numerous big plays from the defensive backfield with five interceptions and three fumble recoveries, one he returned for a school-record 96 yards and a touchdown. Chance, also an outstanding placekicker, had a punting average of 39.8 yards with a long of 78 yards and had six inside the 20.
It’s only the second time in Captain Shreve history the Gators placed more than two on the first team. The other came in 1973 when five Shreve stars were named to the Class 4A All-State team and coach Lee Hedges was named the coach of the year after the Gators won their only state championship.
Airline was represented by junior receiver Jarvis Davis, who was one of the top receivers in the state regardless of class. He finished with 94 receptions and 1,276 yards and nine touchdowns. He had a season-high 203 yards against Haughton and four other games of 100 or more yards, along with four others with more than 90 yards. His 94 catches are the third-most in Caddo-Bossier history.
Parkway senior kicker Aeron Burrell, an LSU signee, was a first-team selection. He kicked nine field goals on the season that included a Bossier Parish record 55-yarder and five of 40 or more yards, along with a walk-off 32-yard game-winner at Natchitoches Central.
Airline’s trio led local players named to the honorable mention list with three. The state’s leading passer, junior quarterback Ben Taylor, senior tight end Bob Patterson and senior linebacker Sincere Walker represented the Vikings. Three other locals selected for honorable mention status were Benton senior running back Greg Manning and Shreve junior running back Jamarlon Otis and junior lineman LJ Prudhomme.
Catholic High-Baton Rouge quarterback Daniel Beale and Ruston linebacker Jadon Mayfield earned top honors on the team.
Beale and Mayfield were selected as the Offensive and Defensive players of the year, respectively, after each helped his school win an LHSAA state championship. Each was a returning all-state player.
Dutchtown’s Guy Mistretta earned Coach of the Year after he guided the school to the first semifinal appearance in school history.
Beale led Catholic to the Division I select championship with 2,974 yards passing and 39 touchdowns. He completed 213 of 338 passes and had just eight interceptions. In the state final, Beale completed 18 of 26 passes for 360 yards and four touchdowns as Catholic defeated Acadiana 55-31. The UL commitment completed his four-year varsity career with more than 8,400 yards passing and 105 touchdowns.
Mayfield spearheaded the Ruston defense as the Bearcats won a state championship for the first time since 1990 after they reached the state final for a second year in a row. Ruston defeated Zachary 31-17 in the state final. Mayfield had 12 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two tackles.
The Louisiana Tech signee and District 2-5A defensive MVP ended the season with 116 tackles, 16 for loss, six sacks and one fumble recovery.
Mistretta coached a Dutchtown team that won 11 games, reached the state semifinal and clinched share of the district title with an 8-1 regular-season mark.
2023 Class 5A All-State football team
OFFENSE
Pos. Player, School Ht. Wt. Cl.
WR Jarvis Davis, Airline 5-10 160 Jr.
WR Trey’Dez Green, Zachary 6-7 230 Sr.
WR TaRon Francis, Edna Karr 6-2 205 Jr.
OL Devin Harper, Captain Shreve 6-6 295 Jr.
OL Joseph Cryer, Natchitoches Central 6-4 290 Sr.
OL Nate Green, West Monroe 6-5 310 Sr.
OL Kavion Broussard, Zachary 6-6 280 Sr.
OL Bryce Godfrey, John Curtis 6-3 280 Sr.
QB Daniel Beale, Catholic-BR 6-1 195 Sr.
RB Jordan Hayes, Ruston 5-9 160 Jr.
RB Cashmire Batiste, Carencro 5-9 175 Sr.
RB Nate Sheppard, Mandeville 5-11 180 Jr.
K Aeron Burrell, Parkway 6-2 180 Sr.
ATH Koby Young, Holy Cross 6-1 182 Sr.
DEFENSE
DL Talan Bingham, Terrebonne 6-2 235 Sr.
DL Geordan Guidrey, Ruston 6-3 260 Sr.
DL Dominick McKinley, Acadiana 6-7 280 Sr.
DL Corey Adams, Edna Kar 6-4 265 Jr.
LB Jadon Mayfield, Ruston 6-0 228 Sr.
LB Shamarius Harris, Acadiana 5-11 215 Sr.
LB Kolaj Cobbins, Destrehan 6-3 215 Sr.
LB Tah’j Butler, Edna Karr 6-2 225 Sr.
DB Aidan Anding, Ruston 6-0 165 Jr.
DB Carter Hanberry, Dutchtown 6-0 200 Sr.
DB EJ McDonald, Captain Shreve 6-2 180 Sr.
DB Anthony Robinson, Destrehan 6-1 190 Sr.
P John Chance, Captain Shreve 6-1 200 Sr.
RS Jaden Bardales, Walker 5-8 150 Sr.
ATH Amyrion Mingo, Alexandria 5-11 170 Sr.
Outstanding Offensive Player: Daniel Beale, Catholic-BR
Outstanding Defensive Player: Jadon Mayfield, Ruston
Coach of the Year: Guy Mistretta, Dutchtown
Honorable mention: Bob Patterson, Airline; Ben Taylor, Airline; Sincere Walker, Airline; Greg Manning, Benton; Jamarion Otis, Captain Shreve; L.J. Prudhomme, Captain Shreve; Camryn Davis, Natchitoches Central; Russell Babineaux, Acadiana; Jackson Hammond, Acadiana; Ezekiel Hypolite, Acadiana; Jason Blackwell, Alexandria; Jeremiah Jeffers-Wright, Alexandria; J.T. Lindsey, Alexandria; Jadon Weber, Brother Martin; Ervin Smith, Catholic-BR; Brooks Wright, Catholic-BR; Chantz Babineaux, Carencro; Kameron Cyprien, Carencro; Kevin Jefferson, Chalmette; Jaden Williams, Chalmette; Dashawn McBryde, Denham Springs; Arrington Adams, Destrehan; Jackson Fields, Destrehan; Jayce Mitchell, Destrehan; Lakedrin Harvey, Dutchtown; Diego Spears, Dutchtown; Richard Anderson, Edna Karr; Edward Brown, Edna Karr; Rahji Dennis, Edna Karr; Sebastian Miller, Fontainebleau; Cole Canatella, Holy Cross; Nick DiGerolamo, Holy Cross; Krosse Johnson, Holy Cross; Dagan Bruno, John Curtis; Zachary Drake, John Curtis; Michael Turner, John Curtis; Edis Chavez, John Ehret; Khayree Lee, John Ehret; Wardell Mack, John Ehret; Kyle Williams, Northshore; Kristian Doyle, Ouachita; Bishop Davis, Ponchatoula; Jaidyn Martin, Rummel; Semaj Jones, Ruston; Sam Nations, Ruston; Zhy Scott, Ruston; Jahkeem Stewart, St. Augustine; Cayden Arnold, St. Paul’s; Cale Daigle, St. Paul’s; Drew Talley, St. Paul’s; J.D. Lafleur, Sulphur; Kylan Billiot, Terrebonne; Jayce Johnson, Terrebonne; Jalil Mathews, Terrebonne; Jamari Evans, Walker; Chris Dade, West Monroe; Hayden Federico, West Monroe; Collin Watkins, West Monroe; Tyson George, Zachary; Stetson Bell, Zachary; Kam Peterson, Zachary; Kameron Thomas, Zachary.