JOURNAL SPORTS
District 1-5A teams put up gaudy offensive numbers that were undeniable when the Louisiana Sports Writers Association selected its Class 5A All-State Team.
Seven local stars, six on offense, made the first team. Another 13 were honorable mention selections. A panel of sportswriters from across the state selected the team.
On the All-District 1 team, league coaches split the quarterback honors between Airline senior Ben Taylor and Evangel sophomore Peyton “Pop” Houston. The LSWA handled the spotlight a bit differently, but made both first-team All-State picks – Taylor at quarterback and Houston as an athlete.
Joining Taylor on the All-State first team was his favorite target, junior Kenny Darby. Captain Shreve’s prolific offense also had two first-team choices, senior tackle Lionel Prudhomme and junior running back Jamarcea Plater.
The other local All-State first-team selection on the offensive side was junior kicker Asher Murray of Byrd.
Evangel provided the only defensive first-team All-Stater, senior linebacker Damari Drake.
The dozen local honorable mention selections included three players from Huntington and Parkway, and two from Airline, Benton and Byrd.
The top offensive and defensive players from Class 5A faced each other in a state championship game, with Edna Karr defensive lineman Corey Adams celebrating with teammates after defeating an Alexandria Senior High team led by running back J.T. Lindsey in the LHSAA’s Division I Select final.
Another state final included the state’s top 5A coach, David Simoneaux of Division I Non-Select champion Central.
Adams, voted the Outstanding Defensive Player for the 5A team, made 47 solo tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, 20 quarterback hurries, one interception, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
For Alexandria, the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Lindsey was picked as the LSWA 5A Outstanding Offensive Player after compiling 2,476 yards and 33 touchdowns on 324 carries. The LSU signee ran for 100 yards in 13 of the 14 games, coming up two yards short in the one other game. He topped 200 yards six times.
LSWA CLASS 5A ALL-STATE CHART
OFFENSE
Position, player, school, ht., wt., cl.
WR Kenny Darby, Airline, 6-1, 175, Jr.
WR TaRon Francis, Edna Karr, 6-1, 205, Sr.
TE Ahmad Hudson, Ruston, 6-7, 230, So.
OL Ervin Smith, Catholic-BR, 6-2, 285, Sr.
OL Lionel Prudhomme, Captain Shreve, 6-3, 295, Sr.
OL O’Ryan Mosely, Terrebonne, 6-3, 295, Jr.
OL Sam Nations, Ruston, 6-2, 287, Sr.
OL Leon Noil, Edna Karr, 6-4, 275, Jr.
QB Ben Taylor, Airline, 6-1, 185, Sr.
RB J.T. Lindsey, Alexandria, 5-11, 185, Sr.
RB Nate Sheppard, Mandeville, 5-10, 190, Sr.
RB Jamarcea Plater, Captain Shreve, 5-9, 180, Jr.
PK Asher Murray, C.E. Byrd, 5-11, 160, Jr.
ATH Peyton Houston, Evangel Christian, 5-11, 185, So.
DEFENSE
Position, player, school, ht., wt., cl.
DL Corey Adams, Edna Karr, 6-4, 250, Sr.
DL Richard Anderson, Edna Karr, 6-4, 320, Jr.
DL DK Mays, Central6-5, 255, Sr.
DL Dylan Berymon, Ouachita, 6-3, 305, Jr.
LB KD Mays, Central, 6-0, 195, Sr.
LB Zheric Hill, Ruston, 6-0, 220, Sr.
LB Xzavier White, Alexandria, 6-1, 220, Jr.
LB Damari Drake, Evangel, 6-0, 215, Sr.
DB Jayden Reed, Neville, 5-11, 175, Jr.
DB Aidan Anding, Ruston, 6-0, 170, Jr.
DB Jacob Bradford, Catholic-Baton Rouge, 5-11, 190, Sr.
DB Aiden Hall, Edna Karr, 6-2, 185, Jr.
P Creighton Wilbanks, Mandeville, 5-10, 170, Sr.
ATH Keeman Thibodeaux, Acadiana, 5-9, 175, Sr.
RS Ja’den Williams, Chalmette, 5-9, 160, Sr.
OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER: J.T. Lindsey, Alexandria
OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Corey Adams, Karr
COACH OF THE YEAR: David Simoneaux, Central
Honorable mention
Eric Anderson, Chalmette; Cole Austin, Benton; Chantz Babineaux, Carencro; Russel Babineaux, Acadiana; Drew Bailey, Sam Houston; Ayden Baker, Airline; Juelz Baptiste, St. Augustine; Payton Bell, Ruston; Taden Bingham, Terrebonne; Brayden Blade, Neville; Arsenio Bolds, Edna Karr; Chris Bourg, Jesuit; Blaine Bradford, Catholic-BR; Jiwaun Brock, Covington; Joshua Brown, Holy Cross; Xavier Brown, John Curtis; Julian Burns, Neville; Thomas Campbell, Neville; Alvin Celestin, Terrebonne; Wydell Clark, Ouachita; Derrick Collins, Southside; Darell Cottonham, C.E. Byrd; Jeffrey Curtis, John Curtis; Malachi Dabney, Destrehan; Jarvis Davis, Airline; Trez Davis, West Monroe; Caden DiBetta, Acadiana; Nick DiGerolamo, Holy Cross; CJ Dudley, Parkway; Kaleb Duncan, Evangel; Luke Dutil, Southside; Jack Elliot, Ruston; Zyron Forstall, Jesuit; Jax Gallier, Parkway; Ty George, West Monroe; Rida Ghazzali, Riverdale; Myd Gilbert, Destrehan; Syre Gilmore, St. Augustine; Jaxson Granier, Thibodaux; Sam Greer, C.E. Byrd; Jordan Hayes, Ruston; Caden Heck, Covington; Royuan Jackson, Huntington; Jacob Jeffrey, Hahnville; Lester Johnson, Rummel; Cayden Jones, Walker; John Johnson, Edna Karr; Jamard Jones, Rummel; Bennan Keim, St. Paul’s; Dan Lane, West Monroe; Luke Leger, Barbe; Jabari Mack, Destrehan; Nate Malek, Brother Martin; Carmaro Mayo, Parkway; Darryus McKinley, Acadiana; Zaccheaus McNabb, Central Lafourche; Noel Mora, Holy Cross; Jakobi Morris, Alexandria; Malik Myles, H.L. Bourgeois; Jaylon Nichols, Neville; Drew Poche, East Jefferson; Dylan Post, St. Paul’s; Steven Ranel, Central; Chase Ravain, St. Paul’s; Tyler Roark, West Monroe; Warren Roberts, St. Augustine; Easton Royal, Brother Martin; Cam Riley, Neville; Davekio Ruffin, Zachary; Braxton Scriber, Acadiana; Ramon Singleton, Southside; Calvin Smith, Hahnville; Daejawn Smith, Edna Karr; Drew Talley, St. Paul’s; Norman Taylor, Rummel; Keeman Thibodeaux, Acadiana; Parker Todd, West Monroe; JQ Turner, West Monroe; Witten Van Hoy, Benton; Thomas Vaughn, Warren Easton; Brennan Villa, St. Paul’s; Darius Washington, Alexandria; Jamarion Washington, Huntington; Jadon Weber, Brother Martin; Tyler Welch, Huntington; Zane Wyss, Captain Shreve.