2024 Preview: Class 2A District 4

District 4  Class 2A

By Lee Brecheen

Dequincy Tigers

Carson Rainwater

Head Coach: Tate Woodard (2nd year) 

2023 Record: 2-8

2023 Playoffs: None

2024 Playoffs: Non-Select

Key Players Graduated: WR/DB Quentin Pharris, FB/LB Shiloh Cotlong, CB Kheidren LeDay DE/HB DeCouris Griffin, and FS Trey Joyce

Team Outlook: “We are better for 2023. Kids played hard in 2023. We have tough kids and where in every game we played, and will be this year. Big freshman & senior classes. Numbers of players are up. We will have 16 seniors in 2024,” said coach Woodard. 

The Offense returns QB Carson Rainwater goes into his 2nd year as the starting QB with a lot of experence and leader of team. The program also returns more leaders in RB/DE Hayes Text (6-3, 215) SR with 4.69 speed sleeper in recruiting. Theres also OT/DT Grayson Henderson (6-1, 255) SR leader, RB/LB Wyatt LaVergne (5-9, 175) SR All District RB in 2023 and LB leader tough kid, and DE/OLB McKinley Clark Jr (6-4, 190) SR new starter talented was All District in Basketball. More key players for the program are WR/P Nolan Schrader, DE/K Kohen Cormier (6-1, 195) SR, WR/FS Lindsey Joyce Jr (5-11, 155), WR/CB Koby Pool beat Offensive Player playmaker, LB/SS Mitchell Pharis (5-10, 155), OG/DT Bruce VanWinkle (5-8, 220), OT Carter Buxton (6-0, 250) 

East Beauregard Trojans

Lucian Gaspard

Head Coach: Ronnie Simmons (6th year) 

2023 Record: 6-5

2023 Playoffs: 1st round lost to Oakdale HS

2024 Playoffs: Non-Select

Key Players Graduated: WB/DB Freddy Beall, QB/DB Caleb Johnson, OG Andy Burnaman, DE/LB Kaden Lee, OL Jake Cooley

Team Outlook: “Will have to replace two great Running Backs in Johnson & Beall who combined for over 1, 600 yards in 2023 with 17 touchdowns. We will runa new spread Offense in 2024. We will be a faster team with a different Offense,” said coach Simmons. 

The program returns team leader RB Zane Hildreth (5-10, 190) SR ran for 424 yards with 8 touchdowns in 2023. Hildreth was also All District as a Defensive End in 2023 and Honorable mention All State and 2nd team All District RB. More skill players in the program back are WR/DB AJ Meeks (6-0, 165) had 116 yards rushing with 3 touchdowns and played some QB in 2023. Theres also QB Bryce Marler (5-9, 165) SR 4.59 speed new starting QB All District in 2023, WR Dakota Strother back full health from injury in 2023, WR Ryder Howell also back healthy, CB/WR Mykel Shaulius 2nd year starter, CB Sean Scalon lettered in 2023, and WR/Safety/OLB Hayden Woofter 2nd year starter and Athlete. Key lineman and Linebackers back are DE/OLB Shane Slayden (5-8, 175) SR leader, MLB Lawson Lewis back from a injury, and OLB/Safety Drew Fontenot 2nd year starter. Most of the lineman are 2 way starters Offensive & Defensive Line are OL/DL Lucian Gaspard (5-10, 205), OL/DL Toby Dyer (6-1, 290), Center Peyton Fox (5-9, 360) DT strong kid, DT/OL Clayton Cooley (6-2, 260), and Brent David also a TE/FB for the team. 

Pickering Red Devils

AJ Berry
Xavier Mitchell

Head Coach: John Daugherty (2nd year) 2023Record: 0-10

2023 Playoffs: None

2024 Playoffs: Select Will not compete for District

Key Players Graduated: OL/DL Logan Snead 

Team Outlook: “This year the Pickering football program will look to rebuild and chose to go Non-District in 2024. Last years team experienced low numbers and a very young team, built around mostly Freshman & SR, but the Powerlifting program continued to build success getting football players stronger and qualified seven returning members to the Class 2A State Powerlifting Championships back in March 2024. This past offseason has seen an increase in players, up to 29 on the varsity roster and much needed talent that did not participate in the 2023 season. Graduating only 1 senior, the 2024 team will be tremendous upgrade. Non District varsity Schedule will allow this program to compete with similar programs in numbers and depth, with the hope to have fair competition for building for the future, which should return as a 1A program with the next classification cycle. With a new multiple Offense that should spread the field and a new Defense this should be a great season to build on,” said coach Daugherty. 

The Offense at QB/Safety you have dynamic AJ Berry, did not play in 2023, All District in 2022, Berry can run a 4.49 in the forty. RB/LB for the run game you have Xavier Mitchell (5-9, 200) 2nd Team All District RB in 2023 with 477 yards rushing with 4 Touchdowns in 2023. Xavier won 2nd place in the 2023 Powerlifting Championships in March and is the teams strongest player squating 520 pounds, Benching 315 & Deadlifts 540 pounds. The top WR back also a DB is Ladarius Privitera did not play in 2023 great hands and ability to run after the catch. More key players in the program are TE/LB Tyler Cryer (6-2, 190) 2nd year starter 4.85 forty god blocker, HB/LB Hunter Noel (5-10, 175) 2nd year starter Also big into Powerlifting tough kid, OL/DL Augustus James (5-9, 220) with 5.0 forty speed One of the strongest on team with a Squat of 500 pounds, Benches 305 & Deadlifts 500. RB/WR/LB Kenneth Givens (5-8, 170) new starter also a starter in Basketball for the school lettered in 2022, WR/LB Braden Ford (5-9, 145) started 5 games at QB in 2023, moving to WR and LB for the team in 2024. Ford won a medal in Powerlifting 3rd Place with a 325 squat, 185 Bench Press and 360 Deadlift. More players are Patrick Power (6-0, 230) 2nd year starter, OL/DL Mariano Bunch (6-0, 185) 2nd year starter, OL/DL Braden Willis (6-2, 285) new starter, OL/DL Landon Noel (6-1, 250) new starter, OL/DL Matthew Blankenship (5-11, 235) lettered in 2023, WR/LB Connor Joseph (5-11, 175) 2nd year starter leader, and QB/WR/DB LJ Witte (5-11, 160) new starter whos very Athletic. 

Rosepine Eagles

(photos taken by action shots photography)

Head Coach: Frank Rosegrant (1st year) 

2023 Record: 3-7

2023 Playoffs: None

2024 Playoffs: Select

Key Players Graduated: RB/CB/LB Landyn Lawrence, OG/DT Blaine Savoie, DE/TE Kobey Collins, WR/CB Auston Thompson, OT/LB/P Gabryel Leslie, and OT/DE Keyton Jackson

Team Outlook: “Offense new install Wing-21 personal. Defense we will run a 4-2-5. We will be very young,” said coach Rosegrant. 

The Offense has a new starter at QB in Gabe McKee a (5-8, 160) SR with big time IQ of game and leader for the program. The rest of the Offense you have RB Brynum Chaney, RB/Safety Brentyn Meeks big time Athlete, WR Rowan Embrey (6-1, 165) SR was a QB in 2023, TE Aidan Shell (6-2, 212) sleeper good blocker Athletic, OL Jayce Hines (5-7, 213) SR tough strong player, OG/DT Devin Janice, OL Jayden Marrs (6-3, 257) SR 2nd year starter, and OL Patrick Gibson a great leader 2nd year starter for team. The Defense returns a really good front seven starting with DE Caleb Preece (6-2, 198) All State Wrestler also, DE Justin Walker, 2 way starter DT Devin Janice (5-6, 220), and OLB/DE Barrett Coody best player on team with 4.6 speed. Secondary lead by Safety Enok Garcia new starter, CB Aiden Messerschmdt (5-10, 170) SR 2nd year starter, and CB Zane Wellmaker (5-10, 155) SR. Special Teams is open both Punter & Kicker after Spring. 

Vinton Lions

Braylon Beard

Head Coach: Tyler Lavergne (2nd year) 

2023 Record: 1-9

2023 Playoffs: None

2024 Playoffs: Non-Select

Key Players Graduated: WR/DB Freddie Budwine (Tyler Texas JC) OT Jeremiah Holts (ULL), and LB/OC Jordan Rogers

Team Outlook: “We have 13 seniors in 2024. Big senior class for the school. We also have a QB battle might go into the Summer,” said coach Lavergne. 

The Offense has a good situation with 2 QB’s in 2023 starter Braylon Beard (6-2, 185) really good arm experience and talented QB Jerryckson Gonzales also started in 2023 2nd year. Gonzales is (5-10, 165) SR and Beard also a TE/DE for team will both start when one is not under center at QB. More key players back are RB Jaden Briggs (5-10, 165), OL/DL Gabe Riggins (5-10, 215) SR leader, OT/DT Ricky Favors (6-3, 230) SR bigger in 2024, WR Landon Harbort (5-10, 165) SR, FB/MLB Connor Courtmier (5-8, 160) SR, WR/FS Cameron Reeves (6-0, 140) SR tough as nails, DT/OT Donovan Harbert (6-0, 315) better player since 2023, and TE/LB Kason Hillery 2nd year starter.

Featured Articles

Recruiting Spotlight

Recruiting Spotlight: Landon Fredieu

Read more
Recruiting Spotlight

Recruiting Spotlight: Abrum Lewis

Read more
Recruiting Spotlight

Recruiting Spotlight: Lyndon Vallery

Read more