Ouachita Christian Eagles

By Lee Brecheen

Head Coach: Steven Fitzhugh (26th season)

2022 Record: 13-1 (District & State Champions)

Class & District: Class 1A (District 2)

2022 playoffs: 1st Round Bye, Defeated Sacred Heart 49-0 in 2nd Round, Defeated Glenbrook 28-27 in Quarterfinals, Defeated Ascension Catholic in Semifinals, Defeated Vermillion Catholic 28-14 in Division IV (Select) State Championship Game

Ouachita Christian WR Tate Hamby

Ouachita Christian head coach Steven Fitzhugh, who is one of the best coaches in the state of Louisiana, won his sixth overall state title at Ouachita Christian HS and the school’s 8th total last season when the Eagles defeated Vermillion Catholic in the Division IV (Select) State Championship game.

The Eagles lost some key players from last year, including QB Landon Graves (walk-on at ULM), WR/DB Broc Hogan (walk-on at ULM), RB Chad Strickland (Harding U-Track), Tristan Wiley (ULM) and Breaux LaCroix (walk-on at ULM).

“We are still hungry and humble to compete in 2023 as a football team,” Fitzhugh said. “We have a new QB we are excited about, and we do return a lot of experience even though we lost some special players from last year’s team. I am proud of the players in this program and coaches. We went to 4 straight semis-final games in 4 years from 2019 to 2022.”

The offense will have a chance to be good again because of an experienced offensive line with

good size for Class 1A. Senior OT Ryder Bentley (6-6, 280), a three-year starter is one of the top players in Louisiana at his position. Also on the line you have senior Landon Ogden (5-9, 250), OL Beau Gregory (6-4, 220), senior center Drew Mosher (5-10, 240), TE Drew Dougan (6-1, 195), and OL Micah Mosher (5-10, 195). The program has a new starting quarterback in Luke Vidrine, whose dad was the school’s QB for OCS in 1998 and is now the team's offensive coordinator. The run game will be led by senior RB Zach White who had right under 1,000 yards rushing in

Ouachita Christian LB Noah Lovelady

2022. White is a 5-11, 185-pound who made the All-State team last season. You also have Makin Lenard 5-11 185, and RB/LB John Turner will get some carries. OCS lost a lot of its experience at wide receiver due to graduation but the team returns one of the best athletes in Monroe and all of Class 1A in senior WR/DB Tate Hamby (6-3, 195). Senior WR Jeff Hudnall (6-1, 175) has the experience and Patrick Turpin (6-1, 175) has played a lot of WR for the team too.

The defense for Ouachita Christian has a chance to be one of the best in all of Class 1A returning some special players in three-year starting senior LB Noah Lovelady (6-1, 215), who was named to the All-State team and the Defensive MVP of Class 1A in Louisiana last season. You also have a senior leader in LB Maddox King (5-11, 180) who is a three-year starter, 2022 All-State senior DE Ben Devall 6-2 255 pounds, senior LB/SS Parker Payne (6-0, 190), senior LB Cole Hopkins (5-9, 185), DE Stacey Shaw (5-9, 255), DB

Ouachita Christian DE Ben Devall

Andon Melton, FS/SS Aiden Eldridge (6-1, 180) and senior DT/NG Trace Busby (6-2, 265).

The Eagles’ special teams unit will be led by kicker Gavin Polk, who made 67/70 extra points in 2022 as a freshman. Returning punts will be Tate Hamby, who is one of the best in the state of Louisiana at doing so as he has returned five punt returns for touchdowns in 2022.

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