2026 Independent, and Home School Preview for Louisiana Football Teams Preview (Written by Lee Brecheen)

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Louisiana 11 man Private Football Independent teams

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Class 4A

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Oak Forest Yellow Jackets

| Kade Perkins & Jack Benoit

| Photo by Lee Brecheen (Louisiana Football Magazine)

Head Coach:Phil Junkins(1^st year)

2025 Record:4-7

2025 Playoffs:1^st Round lost to Heritage HS Mississippi

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Jackson Academy(Away), Week 2 Amite School Center Mississippi (Away), Week 5 Bowling Green (Home), Week 8 Columbia Mississippi (Away), Week 9 Silliman Institute(Away), Week 10 Jackson Prep HS Mississippi (Home)

Team Outlook: “We are going to be young up front in the trenches," said coach Junkins. “We do return some quality skill players on both sides of the football.” “New starting Quarterback.” “We have our work cut out for us but the kids are willing to work hard they have put in the work in the off season, and we will get after you on Friday night’s as a team.” “Excited too that 3 out of our 4 District games will be home games in 2026.”

New Head Coach Phil Junkins spent a few years as head football coach for Bowling Green High School and recently was on the staff at Oak Forest in 2025 coaching the offensive line.

The Yellow Jackets return 3 big-time leaders in 3-year starters TE/DE Jack Benoit 6'2" 235 pounds, RB/Punter Kade Perkins 5'9" 185 pounds, and DE/FB Dylan Husband 6'0" 215 pounds. Benoit is one of the most talented players in the district as a defensive or offensive player. Perkins returns after rushing for over 1,000 yards in only 5 games because of an injury with legit 4.55 speed and is the program's top playmaker in the district. Husband will provide toughness on both sides of the football and is athletic enough to carry the ball as an RB/FB.

More talented players to watch are starting quarterback Braxton Wascom 5'10" 170 pounds, a 1st-year starter, FB/LB Elisia Saragusa 5'9" 180 pounds, OL Brady Berner 5'10" 235 pounds, WR/CB Kahne Andrews 6'2" 180 pounds, OT/DT Brody Williams 5'9" 235 pounds, LB Duely Deaton 6'1" 195 pounds, LB Jackson Carter 6'2" 215 pounds, RB/LB Brice Berrios 5'11" 180 pounds, DT Tanner Mulkey 5'10" 225 pounds, OL Brody Morgan 5'11" 265 pounds, OL Noah Spitala 6'3" 318 pounds, and OL Luke Harper 6'3" 250 pounds, all offensive linemen competing for starting spots for the first time in the program but talented players.

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Class 3A

Silliman Wildcats

Head Coach:Chet DeLee(4^th year)

2025 Record: 5-6

2025 Playoffs: Semisfinals lost to Brookhaven Academy Mississippi.

Signees Colleges: Athlete Isaac Darba(Arkansas Monticello), and OT Cooper Taylor (Nicholls State).

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Adams County Mississippi, Week 2 Brookhaven Academy Mississippi, Week 3 Cathedral Mississippi, Week 4 Parklane Academy HS, Week 8 Copiah Academy HS, Week 9 Jackson Prep HS,and Week 10 Oak Forest HS

Team Outlook: “We will be young in 2026," said coach DeLee. “Need to get experience in a few key spots to become a good team in 2026.” “We do return some players with experience.” “We will also run more spread in 2026 on Offense.” “ 

The Wildcats have 2 players still competing at QB Gus Pendarvis 6-1 165,and newcomer QB Jack Gilkison 6-4 180 also a OLB/Safety for team.Both of these kids will be starting at another position if not at QB.

More key players to watch are OT/LB Peyton Varnado 6-0 230,RB/OLB Cade Henderson 5-5 165 one of the strongest players on team(430 Squat Max),RB/WR Will Henderson 5-5 150,WR Woodsie Perkins 5-7 140,TE/LB Cort Tucker 5-10 180 a 3 year starter leader,OLB/TE Isaac Jenkins 6-2 200,OG/DT Stetson Harold 5-9 210,DT/OL Wyatt Griffin 6-0 265,OLB Christian Tinkler 5-10 170 new starter,Center Dane Guidry 5-11 240 new starter,FB/DT Tynes Guidry 6-1 255,OT Jack Atkinson 5-10 230,DT Mikey Dykes 5-11 255, and WR/DB Ethan Pace 6-0 160 one of the best Athlete’s on the team.

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Bowling Green Buccaneers

| Marcus Barnett Jr.

| Photo by Lee Brecheen (Louisiana Football Magazine)

| Ryn Rivenbark

| Photo by Lee Brecheen (Louisiana Football Magazine)

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Head Coach:Dean King(2^nd year)

2025 Record:1-9

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Adams County Christian School (Home), Week 2 Brookhaven Academy (Away), Week 3 Wayne Mississippi (Away), Week 4 Chief Home School (Away), Week 7 Oak Forest (Away), Week 9 Centerville Academy Mississippi (Away), Week 11 Acadiana Home School (Home)

Team Outlook: “We had a tough 2025 season losing 13 starters to injuries for the season," said coach King. “ Excited, we return most of our starters in 2026 on both sides of the football.” “We will be able to play most of our players just one side of the football which will help us a lot for a tough long season.” 

The offense and program will be led at quarterback by Joel Dupey 5'10" 170 pounds, a transfer from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Hammond.

The defense and offense will be led by RB/LB Nathon Pylot 5'7" 225 pounds (squats 425 pounds) and Safety/RB/P Ryn Rivenbark 6'0" 195 pounds, two big-time leaders for the team.

More key players to watch are Safety/WR Cole Cooper 6'2" 190 pounds, OL/DL Cashton Kinlaw 6'3" 255 pounds, WR/DB Kolt Killingsworth 6'1" 175 pounds, LB Landon Boyd 5'10" 185 pounds, LB Brasyn O’Bryant 5'11" 185 pounds, WR/CB Keelon Jackson 6'0" 170 pounds, DT/FB Nick Shillings 5'10" 220 pounds, DE Marcus Barnett Jr. 6'2" 225 pounds, DT Layton Walters 5'11" 195 pounds, OG Paxton Brumfield 5'10" 260 pounds, OT Colin Walters 6'0" 315 pounds, and two brothers transferred in from Franklinton High School, Luke Wright and Caleb Wright, who both will start on the offensive line. Luke Wright will be a center at 6'0" 270 pounds, and Caleb Wright will be an OG at 6'0" 290 pounds.

Christian Home School Educators Fellowship League

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Chef Patriots of Baton Rouge

Head Coach: Broderick Fowler(3rd year)

2026 Playoffs: Will compete at the end of season in Orange Beach, Florida with teams from all over the US for a title.

2026 Football Schedule: Week 1 Northside(Away), Week 2 Central Hinds Mississippi(Home), Week 3 Bowling Green(Home), Week 4 ACCS(Home), Week 5 Bye week, Week 6 Wayne County Mississippi (Away), Week 7 Christian Collegiate Academy (Away), Week 8 Park Place Christian(Home), Week 9 Amite School Center(Home), Week 10 Bye Week, Week 11 ACA(Home), Week 12 East Rankin Academy Mississippi (Home).

Team Outlook: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another,” said coach Fowler from Proverbs 27:17. “ Our motto is “Teamwork, Toughness, and Trust”

The coaching staff at Chef is impressive, from Head Coach Fowler to Offensive Coordinator, former LSU QB Marcus Randall, and former state champion Parkview Baptist High School coach Jay Mayet, who is the defensive coordinator.

Key players to watch will be RB/DB Keimon Hardieway 5'7" 190 pounds, TE/DE Roddy Hebert 6'0" 200 pounds, OL/DL Ethan Grady 6'5" 325 pounds, FB/LB Marion Winn 5'8" 195 pounds, and starting quarterback Mickey Montgomery 5'11" 175 pounds

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