2023 Louisiana Prep Football Preview: Ellender Memorial High School (Houma)

Ellender Patriots

Head Coach: John Haslitt (1st year)

2022 Record: 5-5

Class & District: 4A (District 7

There was a QB battle in the summer that should go all the way into the season. There’s Kade Adkins (5-10, 175) and Chris Lopez (5-10, 150). Both kids will play a huge part in this team’s success. The run game returns one of the best running backs in the district in second-year starter Xaviah Bryant (5-9, 180) who was All-District last season and has really good hands catching the ball out of the backfield. The WR group is a new unit and one of the new starters is Tamaj Lagarde (6-1, 160, 4.55) who has good hands and will be counted on to have a big season for this program. The offensive line has a chance to be good with starters OG/DT Khylnn Stevens (5-11, 305), second-year starter OT Rene Simmons (6-2,245), center Cole Voisian (5-10, 215) and OG Branson Landry (5-10, 210).

The defense will be led by their front seven with some experience coming back in 2023. The key players in the front are DT Jason Powell (6-2,275) who is a tough big-time player, second-year starter DT Ma’Khai Gautreaux (5-10, 240), LB/DE Southern LeBouef (6-0, 260), LB Cruzito Pareges (5-9, 210) and DT Khylynn Stevens (5-11, 305) who is a two-way starter. In the secondary, you have second-year starter FS/DB Kavin Robinson (5-6, 155) and strong Safety Ajalon Mouletrie (5-10, 175).

The special teams return one of the better players in the state, kicker/punter Chris Lopez. Lopez was an all-state punter in 2022.

Head coach John Haslitt might be the new head coach, but he's not new to the school. This year will be his 20th year at the school. Coach Haslitt was the QB coach, linebackers coach & wide receivers coach and coached all positions on defense over the last 20 years in the program.

The Patriots are currently 0-5 and are hoping to pick up their first win entering the heart of district play in a tough district.

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