District 8-Class 2A

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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Baker Buffaloes

Head Coach: Marc Brown(1st Year)

2024 Record: 6-5

2024 Playoffs: 1st Round lost to Donaldsonville HS

2023 Record: 4-6

Key players Graduated: FS/WR Malik August(Arkansas Baptist), WR/DB/KR Jaylan Williams, LB/RB Mikelyn Landry,2024 2nd Team All State WR/CB Roy McBride(11 Interceptions in 2024), RB/LB Xavier Love, TE/OL/DE Terrell Freeman.

Team Outlook: Baker High School will have a new Head Coach in Marc Brown. The key to the season is for the team to stay healthy. Baker still has really good players; they just need to develop some depth and not have many injuries in 2025. The talent is there to have a winning season in 2025.

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Tidbits: Head Coach Marc Brown was hired in June of 2025. Coach Brown was the head football coach at Livonia High School, Brusly High School, and, most recently, White Castle High School. At  Baker High School, I had a chance to tour the school in May of 2025, and it is impressive to see the new school that has been built for Baker High School. I think it gives the Sports programs a chance to attract kids to go to the school with not only an updated school but nice facilities and new academic classrooms to compete with some of the schools in the District will help a lot.

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Baker High School return’s some big time leaders with 3 or more years experience to lean on like OT/DT Jamie Allen 6-5 275 pounds big time player who had 3 blocked punts in 2024 and 2 blocked field goals, FS/WR Jerren Williams 6-1 185 5 interceptions, with 1 pick 6 touchdown,3 fumble recoveries 2nd Team All District in 2024, DE/TE Deantrey Singleton 6-2 215, CB Donje Jarrod Williams 5-8 150, and DE/OLB Demone Richardson 6-3 215 4.6 legit speed in the forty these are kids that could start for any of the top Class 5A teams in Baton Rouge.

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More players to keep a eye on are OL Keyren, QB Stevenson Claiborne 6-0 150 talented Athlete with a good arm and feet in the pocket, WR/CB Landon Thomas 5-9 130, MLB/RB Devoris Cotton 5-11 195, OG/DT Dashon Jenkins 5-8 250,  FB/DT Keiland Burns 5-5 190, FS/SS Kelly Rice III 5-8 155,  OG/DT Tyrese Snearl 5-9 250, LB/RB Justin Triplet 5-10 190, WR/FS Jayshaun Montgomery 5-8 150, RB/CB Tramon Dunn 5-5 140.

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Special Teams returns one of the top Kickers in the District, Cesar Alejandro Murillo, 5-9, 180. Murillo made 16 field goals in 2024, which is pretty impressive for a high school Kicker in one season.

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Capitol Lions

Head Coach: Keith Woods(3rd year)

2024 Record: 1-9

2024 Playoffs: No 

2023 Record: 0-10 

Key players graduated: DE/OT Jakobe Patterson, LB/RB Damonda Peters, DE David Peters, HB/LB Terrance Stokes. 

Team Outlook: Trying to build and continue to grow the program. We are going to a new location for the high school in 2025. Capitol High School will move to Capitol Middle School in 2025. We are hoping that with grades 7 to 12, we will be able to get more kids out with the younger players on the same campus for the program said Head Coach Keith Woods.”

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Tidbits: The Lions should add a few younger players in the fall to give them some depth for the 2025 season. If they can stay healthy, I think they can improve some in 2025. Two of the best players I’ve ever seen play at Capitol High School in Football, where Rufus Porter played for Southern U as a Linebacker and the NFL, and QB Terrance Broadway was as talented as any QB I’ve seen play in person to come out of Baton Rouge.

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Coach Woods will build around some key leaders and players with experience coming back starting with DT/OC Drey Green 6-1 355 pounds 2nd Team All District in 2024 actually lost over 30 pounds really good player, OG/DT Jyron Davis 6-6 320 2nd Team All District in 2024, DE/OL Frederick Thomas 6-3 220 Basketball player turning into a really good football player, QB/DB Cameron Wilson 2nd year starter really good Athlete, WR/DB Deon Dixon 5-10 165 2nd year starter leading WR for the team, LB/RB/QB Daniel Hawkins 6-1 215, WR/CB Paxton Peters 5-9 155, and LB/OL Corey King 5-10 200 2nd year starter.

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Dunham Tigers

Head Coach:Neil Weiner(11th year)

2024 Record:13-1

2024 Playoffs: State Runner Up

2023 Record:8-3.1st Round lost to Parkview Baptist HS

Key players Graduated: CB/FS Bronson Bonneval,2024 2nd Team All State CB/WR Grant Morgan,2024 2nd Team All State TE/DE Malik Harrison,2024 All State OL/DL Hopelond Eldridge, OG/DT Joshua Beychok,2024 All State Punter/WR Eason Jarreau, LB Jack Higginbotham, MLB/TE Rives Johnson, OT/DE Aerick Kees, OC Connor Guidroz

Team Outlook: Most overall talented group of skill players we have had. The key for our team(any team, really) will be how our Offensive Line develops.  We are still unsure who our starting five will be once the season starts. Our Defense, once again, will be undersized but will rely on speed and an aggressive/attacking style of play said Head Coach Neil Weiner.”

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Tidbits: The 2024 season was a special season for the Tigers. One of the best seasons in the history of the football program, with 13 wins and just one loss.13 wins during the regular season and 5-0 in the District in 2024. Coach Weiner enters the 2025 season at Dunham School with a record of 97-31 in 10 years as the head football coach. It’s no secret, but it’s amazing the talent that has come out of this small school. I saw   Athlete Todd Kinchen one of the first big names (LSU) play, Sean Cangelosi was a heck of a WR at the school and (Louisiana Tech), CB Derek Stingley CB/WR(LSU) Now the NFL, RB Cary Koch lead the program to a State Title and Tulane/Virgina/CFL, and now 3 year starter QB Elijah Haven(Reminds me of former QB Terrelle Pryor Ohio State) will be the next one to be a special player from a school known for great academics and tough nosed kids in a winning program with great coaching.

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The Offense will have one of the better Passing Offenses in the state for Class 2A, led by National Recruit 2024 All State/District Offensive MVP QB Elijah Haven, 6-5 220, one of the best recruits in the United States as an up-and-coming junior in the Class of 2027. Haven is a man among boys in Class 2A. Helped lead his team to the State Title game in 2024.The WR unit will be the strength of the Offense with talented players back like 2 way starter DB/WR Khris Thomas 6-2 185 SR,2024 All State WR Jarvis Washington 6-4 190 SR both college prospects, WR Tyler Sotile 5-8 150 SR, and 2 way starter leader 3 year starter 2024 Hon Mention All State LB & 2nd Team All State Athlete, LB/WR Trevor Haman 5-11 200 pound SR also the team’s best Defensive player i saw in 2024 and in 2025. Haman plays with grit and toughness, and he is very agile for 200 pounds, making tackles or with the ball in his hands, a very determined kid. The run game will be RB JJ Harris 5-7 185 a SR who missed last season with a injury really will bring power and speed to the position, and then there’s 2024 All District RB Colin Pecue 5-7 170 SR starter in 2024 and also a starter at Linebacker on Defense another all out tough player for his size. The Offensive Line, like the coach said, is a work in progress still after Spring practice, and only 3 clear-cut starters are going into Fall camp: OT Christian Comeaux, 5-11 205 SR, OG Raymond Dragseth, 5-11 215, and Center Luke Kimball, 5-9 230.

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The Defense will have 4 starters from the Offense out of the 11 playing both sides of the football. Linebacker Trevor Haman is a force on Defense and Offense, but he is a tackling machine for this program and a leader, glue to the front seven with DT Eliot Trahan All All-State/District MVP on Defense in 2024. The rest of the front seven are DE Raymond Dragseth 5-11 215 SR, DE Charlie Myers 5-10 200, DT Eliot Trahan 5-9 185 SR, LB Richard Bonneval 5-5 155,3 year starter LB Colin Pecue 5-7 170,3 year starter LB Josh Hazard 5-9 165 SR, big time 3 year starter CB Richard Montgomery 5-11 195 a 4 year starter, DB Jarone Harris 5-10 155, DB Will Dantin 6-0 175, and 3 year starter 3 year starter  DB Kris Thomas 6-2 185 a 2 way starter All District potential both sides of the football in 2025.

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Special Teams returns 3-year starter Kicker/Punter Andrew Bardwell 5-11 155 for his senior season.

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East Feliciana Tigers

Head Coach:Darius Matthews(6th year)

2024 Record:6-6 

2024 Playoffs:1st Round beat Homer HS & 2nd Round lost to South Plaquemines HS 

2023 Record:6-6.2nd Round lost to Jeanerette HS 

Key players Graduated: OT/DT Amauri Barnes, DT/OL Tredon Green, OC/DT Davien Irvin,  OL/DL Robert Washington, DE/TE Bryson Williams.

Team Outlook: 2024, we had a great year, going all the way to the 2nd Round of the playoffs, proud of my young team. We also played well against State Champion South Plaquemines HS in the playoffs. We lost the game, but we fumbled in that game 3 times on the one-yard line, so we will learn from that experience. We still have a young group; we played several freshmen in 2024 who got experience. I think we are more focused, hungrier as a team to get over that playoff hump of the 2nd Round in 2025 said Head Coach Darius Matthews.”

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Tidbits: The Tigers have a really good group of speed/experience/size to compete for a State Title in 2025. I had a chance to visit with some of the players and the coach after the season at the school, and really came away impressed with what is coming back and their potential as a group. I had a chance to visit with the coach and interview some of the players at the school right after this past football season. The most talented player I’ve ever seen play from East Feliciana High School was in high School, Kendall Beckwith played QB and at LSU, played Linebacker, and in the NFL, Linebacker. I remember no one wanted to tackle Kendall Beckwith in high school; he was 6-2, 225 pounds with 4.59 speed in the forty.

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The Offense will have the ability to play 2 Quarterback’s with experience in Markus Cannon 5-11 185 a great Athlete played QB last year but can also move out to WR at anytime and make things happen and QB/Athlete/RB/WR/CB 2024 All District WR Ryan Moore can come in and also run the Offense at any given time for the team. This is a nice luxury to have for your program. Moore is 5-9, 168, and had over 1,500 all-purpose yards in 2024, and Markus is a big-time leader for the team. Skill wise most of the players in the program going back 15 to 20 years will be iron men 2 way starters and here are a few players to keep a eye on WR/CB Keshaun Toney 5-10 175 4.5 speed in the forty, WR/RB/LB Markeyle Cannon a 2 year starter great Athlete, LB/RB Alanthony Gibbs 6-0 189 2nd year starter, RB/HB/LB/DE Matthew King 6-0 215 2nd year starter, RB/LB Tony Ringo 5-8 175 2nd year starter, CB/RB/WR Kameron Wilson 5-7 150 a 3 year starter,  FS/WR Desmend Green 5-11 165 3 year starter 4.5 speed in the forty, WR/CB Elijah Gahman, WR/CB Contellus Williams 6-1 185, WR/CB E’rondic Goss 6-2 190 new starter, FB/LB/DE Kayden Wilson 6-2 215 2nd year starter, WR/DB Braden Dunn 5-10 165 new starter, and TE/DE Jayvon Jackson 6-1 165 with 4.6 speed in the forty. 

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The program will have some really good size in the trenches and here are some of the players to look for in 2025 DT/OL Bryson Gilmore 6-4 255 2nd year starter, OL/DL Greg Davis 5-10 265 new starter, DT/OL Roosevelt Dunn 6-1 240 new starter, OL/DL Ronnie Harrell 5-10 250, OL/DL Braylon Spears 5-10 220,  OL/DL Rodriguez Parker 6-5 325, and OL/DE Patrick Miller 6-3 220.

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Special Teams will be Tony Ringo as the Punter & Kicker. In the return game, you will see several players who run 4.6 or 4.5 in the forty, most notably the 4.45 speed of Ryan Moore in the return game.

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Episcopal Knights

Head Coach:Travis Bourgeois(26th year)

2024 Record:9-3

2024 Playoffs: Quarterfinals lost to Calvary Baptist HS

2023 Record:10-3

Key players Graduated:2024 2nd Team All State RB Reid Chauvin(LSU), LSP/DE Silas Hall(LSU), WR John Hart Singer, RB Nathan Sanchez, WR/DB David Olinde, TE/DE Sean Stewart, DB Brody Bailey, DE/DT JB Sessums, OL/DL Joshua Godfrey, OL/DL Matthew Boagni, WR Carson Furniss, TE/DE Henry Greene, DB Chase Finley,2024 2nd Team All State/District Defensive MVP LB/TE Chase Cresson, RB Will Ribes,2024 2nd Team All State K/P Jacob Berg, CB Neff Neuman

Team Outlook: Big transition year for us.Lost 19 seniors from the 2024 season to graduation. It will be next man up said Head Coach Travis Bourgeois.”

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Tidbits: The Knights are one of the most stable programs you will find at any level in the Baton Rouge area. Coach Bourgeois's teams have made it to the Quarterfinals a remarkable 8 straight years. This program has won a ton of playoff games in the last 20-plus years. What’s most impressive they tend to not rebuild but seem to win if there young or experienced as a roster it’s very impressive to watch and see over the year’s considering the Offensive & Defensive Lines at the school are one of the smallest in the state for Class 2A and it doesn’t hold this program back with many victories over way bigger program’s size wise as a team. Head Coach Travis Bourgeois is an Alum of Ascension Catholic High School in Donaldsonville, La.

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The Offense return’s 5 starters and all will be leaders for the team in 2025 like QB Zach Hu 5-11 170 a 3 year starter i think might have his best year yet has a good arm and good feet in the pocket a leader and smart kid running the Offense, Center William Garrett 6-1 205 2nd year starter,2024 All District OG Jacob Duval 5-11 180 2nd year starter, OL Oliver Grigsby 6-1 195 2nd year starter, and OG Drew Freel 6-0 205 2nd year starter. The Offense added a starter from the Defense for the 2025 season converted Defensive Back 2024 All District Taj Callahan 5-11 180 SR will now be a RB/OLB as a 2nd year starter in the program along with FB/LB Chandler Amacker 5-10 180, who played as much as a starter in 2024 on Offense will get more carries for the Offense and will be counted on for a big year in the Offense that likes to use more than one RB. Also on Offense in 2025, you will see TE/WR Malcolm Juban 6-0 180, new starter, WR Jeremy Mitchell 6-0 155, new starter, and RB/WR Jackson Young 5-11 175, newcomer. A talented player will help the Offense also in the run game and as a WR. The Offensive Line will have a new starter, Noah Henderson, 6-0, 180.

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The Defense will not return one starter from the 2024 season. Players to keep a eye on are DE Demetrick Johnson 6-0 180 new starter,2 way starter Chandler Amacker LB, Brandon Kong 5-11 175 new starter, DE/TE Henry Kucharchuk 6-0 175 new starter, LB Carter Hernandez 5-10 175 new starter, DB Landry Boyce 5-10 170 new starter, DB Townes Couvillon 5-9 150 new starter and DB Max Ribes 5-9 150 another new starter.

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Special Teams for the first time in many years will not have a Kicker or Punter in place after Spring, going into the Summer. This will be a competition among young players in the Fall.

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Northeast Vikings

Head Coach:Devyn Baker(5th year) 

2024 Record:4-6

2024 Playoffs: No 

2025 Playoffs:0-3

Key players graduated: WR/FS Marquise Gordon, OL/DL Tony Johnson, OL/DL Jeffrey Carter, RB/CB Ian Wade, RB/DE Jeromone Sampson, LB Cameron Williams.

Team Outlook: I feel like this will be my best team in 5 years at Northeast High School. The goal is to get back into the playoffs in 2025. We have a great coaching staff with 3 current assistant coaches who have been Head Coaches in the past: Juan Thomas(J.S. Clark HS), Tute Musemeche(St John HS), and Sean Beauchamp(Glen Oaks HS). We will have to replace all 3 linebackers from the 2024 season said Head Coach Devyn Baker.”

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Tidbits: Head Coach Devyn Baker is an Alum of Zachary High School Class of 2008. Coach Baker's son is a current All District Baseball player for Family Christian High School, Devyn Baker Jr, a Class C school in Louisiana. Coach told me he expects between 35 and 40 players total for the Fall.

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Key players back to lead the team will be QB/CB Jordan Sampson, 6-0 180, a 3-year starter in 2025, leader, and in his 2nd year as the starting QB.WR/SS Chris Barnes 6-0 160 recovering from a injury in 2024 will be a big playmaker for the team and 2 way player, OL/DL Troy Lewis 6-1 230 will be a 2nd year starter one of the best lineman on the team, OL/DL Tyreon Bennett 5-10 220 will be a 3 year starter and the ancor of the trenches for the team, RB/WR/QB Tyler Johnson 6-0 175 a 2 year starter in 2025 leader of the Defense, can play some QB and WR for the team, and finally TE/DE/K/P Alex Curvin 6-3 200 a 3 year starter leader and will handle all Special Teams roles outside of being a starting TE & DE also for the team.

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Slaughter Charter Knights

Head Coach:Patrick Clarkston(4th year) 

2024 Record:8-4

2024 Playoffs:2nd Round lost to Jewell Sumner HS

2023 Record:1st Round lost to Delhi Charter HS

Key players Graduated: OL/DL Terrance Armstead, OL/DL Bryce Washington, RB/WR/CB Joshua Thomas Jr, OL/DL Jayden Lavespere, OLB/TE Kyron Jackson.

Team Outlook: Did 9 days of Spring practice, including the Spring game. We scrimmaged Mentorship Academy HS. Young on both the Offensive & Defensive Lines in 2025. Offense grew and got better during the Spring. We should throw the ball more this upcoming season said Head Coach Patrick Clarkston.”

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Tidbits: Patrick Clarkston Jr, Head Coach Patrick Clarkston's son will be a starter this year for Sterling College in Kansas as an RB, 5-11, 225 pounds. This will be his SR year coming up. I was able to visit with the coach and take in practice this Spring, and really impressed with the effort these kids put in at Slaughter Charter High School. The Girls' Basketball team in Middle School won the State Title in 2024.  The Knights have had great success in Powerlifting for both Girls and Boys at the school. Three kids have won State in Powerlifting over the years: 2019, William LeDoux; 2023, Destiny Clarkston; and Jayden Lavespere, 2023.

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Slaughter Charter will return some really experienced leaders in 2025 to carry the team early on with players like 3 year starter All District 2024 Athlete/QB/WR/DB Ty’Kimion Ford 6-3 170 SR passed for 940 yards, ran for 816 yards and had 25 total touchdowns in 2024,  OLB/QB/RB Carson Baxter 6-1 170 SR ran for 513 yards with 5 touchdowns will be a 2nd year starter, LB Keller Sprinks 5-9 175 SR had 92 tackles in 2024 and RB/DB Thomas Carter Jr 6-1 180 All District in 2024 56 tackles with 3 interceptions and 3 forced fumbles going into his 4th year as a starter and leader.

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More key players to keep a eye on are OLB/RB Albert Eubanks 6-0 170, WR/LB Kaden Oakley 5-11 155, Center, Haden Millican 6-0 200 a 4th year starter, OG/DT Dewayne Miller 5-10 315 new starter, RB Brannigan Givens 5-7 150 4.45 speed new starter, RB/WR/OLB NaDorian Johnson 5-9 148, RB Gabriel Adams 5-7 130 rotate in, OLB Jack Gilkison 6-2 140 new starter, CB/RB Keejuan McCray Jr 5-8 130 new starter, OG Phillip McNight II 5-10 185 new starter, OG Lavell Matthews 5-10 254 new starter, DE/OG Jacori Webb 5-7 172 new starter, TE/OLB Malachi Wyre,  DT Dixon Hopkins 6-0 225 new starter, DE Kruz Corban 6-0 208 4.65 speed in the forty, and new player in the program RB Kaden Wicker 5-9 140 will be a big piece of the Offense in 2205 with big play ability at any time.

Special Teams Kicker will be Colton Borg, 5-10, 145, also a Cornerback/WR for the team, 2nd year starter, Punter will be Ty’Kimion Ford, and Long Snapper should be decided by late Summer.

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