District 7-Class 3A

28th Year Louisiana Football Magazine High School Previews for 2025

by Lee Brecheen. 

(Previews were written solely by Lee Brecheen since 1997 for Louisiana Football Magazine.)

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Berwick Panthers

Head Coach:Mike Walker(8th year) 

2024 Record:2-7 

2024 Playoffs: None

2023 Record:2-8 

Key players Graduated: WR/DB Carter Whipple(College Baseball), DE/OLB Stephen Jones(Lafayette Prep School), OL Dylan Armond, QB Evan Crappell, CB Austin Geisler, OT/DE Jason Matthews, OL Donnie Adams, RB/LB Cole Morris, OL/DL Treylique Pratt. 

Team Outlook: The team will have a lot of spots open to new starters where players have never played varsity before in 2025. See how much it takes for our success with the new starters' growth said Head Coach Mike Walker.”

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Tidbits: The Panthers don't have big numbers these last 3 years, but what they do have is really good players and a really good coaching staff to get the most out of the kids. Head Coach Walker does a great job with the players he has. Former Panthers Quarterback Mitchell Sanford did a great job as a starter for the Ole Miss Baseball team in 2025 and 2024. Sanford signed with LSU in Baseball, then went to Nicholls State, then Ole Miss. Sanford was All District 4 times in High School and made All District in both Football & Baseball.

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There will be a few position battles in Spring/Summer to win, and you will see again several top players do the iron man 2-way starters for the program in 2025. The QB spot has a position battle between Vincent Dohmann, 6-1 170 SR, lettered in 2024, and QB Eli Crochet, a new player in the program. Whoever doesn’t get the QB starting nod will be a starter at another skill spot for the team. Key skill 2 way players in the program are WR/DB Miguel Melendez 6-4 190 SR returning starter with 4.6 speed and good hands, WR Carter Dupuis 6-0 170 SR 2nd year starter will be a playmaker for the team in 2025, RB/WR/DB Maddox Sampey 5-11 185 with good speed power a returning starter leader FB/HB/LB Jordan Mayon 5-10 210 2nd year starter, and Safety Layf Bella a 3rd year starter 5-10 170 and Defensive Leader.

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Key players back in the trenches and front seven are LB Kolson Toups 5-10 190 2nd year starter, OL/DL Aiden LeCompte 6-0 215 2nd year starter, OG/DT Kaden Leonard 3rd year starter getting better every year, and the rest of the trenches and front seven will be decided over Summer amond some younger players that dont have experience yet on varsity.

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Special Teams will be Punter/Kicker Collin Lacoste back as a starter. Lacoste was pretty automatic in extra points in 2024 and has a good leg with experience.

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Donaldsonville Tigers

Head Coach:Darnell Lee(2nd year)

2024 Record:6-6

2024 Playoffs:2nd Round lost to St. James HS

2023 Record:4-7.1st Round lost to Amite HS

Key players Graduated: WR Tahj Williby(Southern U), CB/FS Traejan Spurlock, WR/FS Michael Herbert, QB/LB/RB Blake Turner, DT/OL Terrill Nicholas, LB Makhi Landry.

Team Outlook: Feel we will be better than last year. Feel like we have the right staff in place now, we are stronger,  more disciplined as a team, and the culture is the best it’s been. We are getting there in a good way said Head Coach Darnell Lee.”

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Tidbits: Some people might have forgotten, but Coach Darnell Lee was not only a 3-year starter in college at McNeese State in Lake Charles as a Defensive Back, but was All-Conference and one of the best players on the team when he was there. Coach Lee is an Alum of East Ascension High School. The 2025 version Tigers will be an Athletic/Fast team overall, and like the coach said, a strong team too, with enough linemen to have a great year in 2025. Coach told me he expects close to 60 players in the Fall, which is a great number of players for the program. The Tigers lost 13 football players from the 2024 team to graduation.

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The Offense will have more than one playmaker back leading the Offense. Some of those players are CB/WR 2024 All District Khy Jones 5-10 178 2nd year starter 4.4 speed in the forty, FB/LB/TE Jaden Allen 5-10 250 All District in 2024, QB Skylar Garrison 6-4 210 started last 4 games of the 2024 season, WR Azren Milam 5-8 150 new starter, RB/WR/Safety/CB Isaac Rodrigue 5-8 160 has another level gear speed wise 4.40 speed in the forty, RB/SS Quinnton Dabney 6-0 188 another fast 4.5 in the forty player on Offense, WR/CB Zaylon Paul 5-10 150,2024 All District, WR/CB Donald Brown 5-9 135 also will play some Wildcat QB for the Offense, RB/LB Zyon Davis 5-11 205 power and quick, and 2024 All District WR/OLB DeCaleb Green 6-5 185 2nd year starter with a lot of upside.

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Key lineman and Linebackers in the program are OT Darnell Sterling 5-11 260 3 year starter leader, OG/DT Rayshawn Dunham 5-10 250 3 year starter All District in 2024, OL/DL Treyshawn Dunham 5-10 260 3 year starter,2024 All District OL/DL Ashton Green 6-3 335, OLB Zaylon Phillips 6-0 185, LB Kaden Sanders 5-10 195 rotates in, DE Kaiser Wilson 5-10 198 2nd year starter, DT Ronquell Winchester 5-9 365 good feet for a big kid, OL Jonathan Riley 5-10 265 2nd year starter, and OL Robert Clark 6-0 285 new player to keep a eye on will get reps on the Offensive Line.

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Special Teams, the Kicker and starting Punter will be Mario Gonzales, 5-7, 180 pounds, All District in 2024, with a really good leg.

Patterson Lumberjacks

Head Coach:Shannon Craig(3rd year)

2024 Record:1-8

2024 Playoffs: No

2023 Record:1st Round lost to North Webster HS 

Key players Graduated:2024 All District DB/WR Carlos Brooks, RB/DB Courtney Williams, OL/DL Tyran Morales,

Team Outlook: We had a spring-controlled scrimmage with Loreauville High School. The last two senior classes have been small, and this year we return 19 seniors, the biggest class in a long time of seniors for the school. Most of these 19 players have either started or played a ton for us. We had some bad luck in 2024. The 1st week of the season, we had all five starting Offensive linemen go down with injuries, and we were not the same after that in 2024 said Head Coach Shannon Craig.”

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The Offense will return leader and 3-year starting QB Hayven Keller, 6-1, 190 pounds can make all the throws and looks to have a great senior season in 2025. The Lumberjacks do return some quality skill players with experience lead by RB Daylan Jones 5-9 165 tough kid and strong, WR Javyn Christopher 5-8 155 legit 4.4 speed in the forty, WR Linzy Howard 5-9 165 playmaker, CB Willie James 5-11 185 SR best Defensive Back on the team, DB Jarrad Williams 6-0 180 a 3 year starter, Safety/WR/OLB/DE/CB Javien Colbert 6-0 165 SR Hon Mention All State/All District in 2024 with 6 interceptions and 85 tackles for the program big time Athlete playing several spots, SS Draycen Verdun 5-11 185 hitter in the secondary, WR/CB Jamall Pollard 6-0 175 playmaker, and these kids will rotate in RB Joshua Navy, WR Greg Johnson, WR/CB Jadyn Hillebrandt 6-0 175, and CB Brilyan Johnson 5-9 165.

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The team does return some lineman with experience in 2205 lead by 3 year starter OL Damian Bias 6-2 280, OL Noah Leblanc 5-11 275 returning from a injury in 2024, OT/DT Zilin Blackston 6-2 270,2024 All District OLB/DE Jace O’Gwin 5-11 170 60 tackles in 2024 and lead team in sacks, MLB Chance Rochel 5-10 190 had 56 tackles in 2024, DE/FB Carleton McGuire 5-10 225, LB Skylar McKinley 5-10 185, MLB/FB Damauri Bennett 5-10 210, OL/OG Dallas Bass 5-9 240 back from a injury in 2024, and DT/NG Levi Brown a new starter 5-8 215.

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Special Teams Kicker and Punter will be open spots going into the Summer & Fall.

St. James Wildcats 

Head Coach:Lavanta Davis(4th year) 

2024 Record:10-3

2024 Playoffs: State Runner Up in Class 3A to Sterlington HS

2023 Record:11-3.2nd Round beat North Webster HS,3rd Round beat Many HS, Semifinals beat Sterlington HS, and in State Title Game Runner Up

Key players Graduated:2024 All State SS/WR Jarrell Williams(Henderson State),2nd team All State LB/TE Chaidyn Parker,2nd team All State CB Garry White, DB Christian Turley, WR/TE Ramon Cooper, All State OC/MLB Kaileb Charles, Hon Mention All State OG Gerald Jones, All State OC/LSP Andre Mahler, RB Cameron Leblanc,2024 Hon Mention All State DE/OLB Caleb Williams(MIT Long Island, NY), OL Kaleb Charles 

Team Outlook: This season is about leadership, toughness, growth, and consistency. Relentless is this year’s slogan. Our coaches and our players are embracing it. We’ll stay focused and committed to our process, and the results will take care of themselves said Head Coach Lavanta Davis.”

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Tidbits: I said this in the Sterlington High School team preview, it would not surprise me to see both these teams back in a rematch in the State Title game if they are on opposite sides of the bracket in 2025 come playoff time. St. James High School will field an Offense as good and talented as any Offense you will see in Louisiana, any classification this coming season. Top 4 favorite players to see play in person from St. James High School: QB Corey Webster(LSU CB), DE Savion Jones(LSU), QB Lowell Narcisse, and RB Chad Jasmin(Clemson).

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The Offense will return Quarterback 2024 Hon Mention All State/All District Jaquan Jackson for his 2nd year as the starter talented kid had a big time Freshman season in 2024, and now stands 6-2 205 pounds with a cannon arm and build very similar to former St. James High School QB Lowell Narcisse currently the Head Coach at Thibodaux High School in 2025. This Offense has the weapons to beat you in either the passing game or the run game. It will be hard to defend in 2025. Here are some of the great players back on Offense skill spots 3 year starter 2024 All State/All District/Offensive District MVP WR/RB Jakias Villanueva 5-7 155(1,200 yards receiving in 2024),3 year starter big time player,3 year starter 2024 2nd team All State/All District RB Kani-King-Young 5-10 195 SR ran for over 1,000 yards in 2024 special player, WR Kamon Mitchell 5-11 170 started as a Freshman in 2024 and already to me looks like former Lutcher HS WR Jarvis Landry, WR Landon Gravois 5-11 170 a returning starter, RB Chayden Frazier 5-10 200 4.6 speed in the forty, WR Raki Lee 5-11 155 a 2nd year starter, WR Kanye Zenon 6-1 160, and RB/LB Derrick Pittman will also rotate in for reps. The Offensive Lineman are mostly 2 way players will see action on DL too are OC/DT Chase Gassen 6-0 300 2nd year starter, OG/DT Kain Gravois 6-0 325 a 2nd year starter, OG Amure Marshall 5-8 315 a new starter, and OT/DE I’Xavier Anderson, 6-3 250. More Offensive Lineman competing to start or play are OC/OG Andon Mahler 6-0 215, OT/DT Legend Jones 6-3 190, and a few others competing.

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The Defense will be led by 2024 All-State/All-District Nolan Zenon, a LB with 142 tackles in 2024,113 of those solo, and had 21 tackles in the State Title game in 2024. Nolan is 6-1, 200 pounds, and was also the MVP of the District on Defense in 2024. More players to look for in 2025 on Defense are Safety 2024 2nd Team All State/All District Jy Blain 6-0 175 a 3 year starter big time hitter,2024 Hon Mention All State/All District as a RB now mostly CB Kendrick Joseph Jr 6-1 175, LB Ansyn Joseph 5-9 160 a new starter, FS Kaden Brown 5-10 155 a new starter, Safety Malik Harry 5-11 155 a 2nd year starter,2 way starter FS Kamon Mitchell, DE I’Xavier Anderson a 2 way starter, CB Allyn Deal 5-9 145 will get reps, DE James Rose 6-4 200 new starter, and OLB/DE Demonte Lemar 6-5 195 a new starter.

Special Teams returning as the starting Kicker & Punter will be 2024 All District Punter Kani-King-Young. The Long Snapper will be Landon Gravois. Jakias Villanueva returns as a 2024 All District Kicker Returner, a big-time playmaker.

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