Louisiana Football Magazine 2026 Class 3A Football Preview (Written by Lee Brecheen)

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District 2 

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Beekman Charter Tigers

| Elaythan Armstrong

| Photo by: Antoinette Byas

Head Coach:Greg Hill(1^st year)

2025 Record:3-7

Signees Colleges:QB/Punter Eli Owens(East Texas Baptist).

2026  Non District Games:Week 1 Buckeye HS(Home), Week 2 LaSalle HS(Home), Week 3 Cedar Creek HS(Away), Week 4 Magnolia School Excellence HS(Away).

Team Outlook: “ This year's team has not only a new Head coach but a lot of new faces," said coach Hill. “Last year the program I saw had 34 players. Now since I was hired in December we had 61 players in the Spring and I am excited about that for this season.” “We are young but we have a very hungry team.” “Coach Purvis did some great things at Beekman Charter and I will continue to build what he started for the Tigers in 2026.” Coach Hill also made a splash hire, bringing in veteran coach Tommy Tharp as the team's Defensive Coordinator.

The Offense will lean on the run game at 1st, returning 2 Running Backs, Elaythan Armstrong 5'9" 175 pounds, 3-year starter, and 3-year starter SR Trenton West 5'7" 150 pounds, who combined for 1,400 yards of offense in 2025. There will be a QB battle in the Fall among three really talented players. RB Trenton West 5'7" 150 pounds is the top player here moving to QB going into the Summer, Jeremy Spivey 6'1" 160 pounds, and QB Tyson Stevens 5'11" 180 pounds.

More key skill players back for 2026 are SR DB Marquis Edmonds 5'10" 170 pounds, DB Julius Tennant, WR Kaden Kelly 6'1" 170 pounds, TE Korbin Rainey, RB/DB Victor Tucker with 4.66 speed, FB Jahiem Robinson 5'10" 175 pounds, also a LB on Defense, leading tackler on Defense in 2025, RB/LB Carson Oden 5'9" 180 pounds, and a few younger players competing.

More top Linebackers and Linemen to watch in the program are OL/DL Trystan Hawkins 6'2" 240 pounds, DT Khyson Bershell 6'0" 290 pounds, OL/DL Cason Avery 6'4" 250 pounds, OL/DL Braylen Jones 6'1" 255 pounds, OL/DL Brody Nichols 5'10" 330 pounds, OL/DL Cole Faulkenbury 5'11" 260 pounds, DT/OL Tyler Nichols 5'9" 280 pounds, and LB Korbin Rainey 6'0" 185 pounds, a senior 2-way starter for the team.

Special Teams: Starting Kicker will be Landon Cruise 5'9" 160 pounds senior.

Caldwell Parish Spartans

Head Coach:Cleo Head(4^th year)

2025 Record:3-8

2025 Playoffs:1^st Round lost to Richwood HS

Team Outlook: “We are returning a lot of experience on both sides of the football in 2026,” said coach Head. “We have more leadership returning for a season than in the past teams I’ve had here.” “We do have 2 really good Quarterbacks and both will battle to start throughout the Summer and start of Fall.”

The Quarterbacks coach was talking about were QBs Case Abrams 5'10" 200 pounds, who missed most of the 2025 season with an injury and is now ready to play in 2026, and QB Bridger McCann, returning as the starter from the 2025 season, 5'10" 185 pounds. If Case Abrams does not start at QB, he can easily play at Running Back for the team to help them win.

Here are some of the top skill players back for the Spartans: RB/OLB Demarion Thompson 6'1" 180 pounds, a difference maker for the run game and Defense with 4.6 speed in the forty, WR/CB Jalen Brown 6'0" 180 pounds newcomer, 4.6 speed, FS Ashton Gaston 5'10" 175 pounds, CB/WR Quanderius King Jr. 6'1" 170 pounds, WR/CB Dewayne Tatum 4.6 speed in the forty, CB/RB Nyzear Jordan 5'10" 180 pounds, FB/MLB Andrew May 5'10" 190 pounds, a 3-year starter leader, SS Jahari Stanley 5'10" 170 pounds, 2nd-year starter, SS Easton Phillips 5'10" 175 pounds, and a few younger players that will play for depth.

Key Linemen and Linebackers back for the program are LB Bleu Flores 6'1" 190 pounds, big-time hitter, DE Landon May 6'0" 230 pounds, OG/DT Leo Valencia 6'3" 270 pounds, OG/OC/DT Brody Young 6'2" 245 pounds, OG/DE Maddox Schulte 5'9" 260 pounds, DE Alex Frazier 6'3" 195 pounds, OG/DT Eli Atwell 6'2" 235 pounds, OG/OC/DT Nathan Poole 5'10" 255 pounds, LB Lander McCann 5'10" 170 pounds, new starter, and new starter OL/OC Kenny Eggins 5'8" 260 pounds.

Special Teams: The program did not have a Kicker or Punter prior to Spring, talking to Coach Head, but they do have a pretty good Long Snapper in Jahari Stanley.

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D’Arbonne Woods Timberwolves

| Carson Riser

| Photo by: katyeldridge photography)

Head Coach:David Demoss(3^rd year)

2025 Record:6-5

2025 Playoffs:1^st Round lost to Parkview Baptist HS

2026  Non District Games: Week 1Madison HS(Home), Week 2 McGehee,Arkansas(Away), Week 3 Arcadia HS(Home), Week 4 Homer HS(Away), and Week 5 Vidalia HS(Away).

Team Outlook: “Continue success we've had in the past,” said coach Demoss. “ We will return a really good group of seniors in 2026.” “Just try and take that next step for the program.” “The Defense will go to more of a 3 man front in 2026.”

You will see a few players starting both sides of the football field, quality players are OL/DL Carson Riser 6'3" 280 pounds, 3-year starter leader, RB/DB Daltin Albritton 5'7" 175 pounds, 3-year starter, OLB/RB Ethan Thrash 5'9" 172 pounds, 3-year starter, RB/LB Dylan Rodriguez 5'7" 185 pounds, 2nd-year starter, TE/DE Jerhico Adkins 6'4" 200 pounds, 3-year starter, DB/RB Bradley Thrash 5'8" 160 pounds, 2nd-year starter, LB/DE Cameron Miller 5'9" 180 pounds, Safety/Athlete Derby Hanson 5'11" 175 pounds, WR/CB Austin Grier 5'10" 155 pounds, OL/DL Cisco Martinez 5'10" 240 pounds, CB Tyrone Nelson 5'7" 160 pounds, 2nd-year starter, OL/DL Grant Aubrey 5'11" 255 pounds, DE Mikey Carey 6'2" 180 pounds, OLB/DT Omari Grifin 5'11" 215 pounds, and RB/DB Ethan Boggs rotating in.

The starting Quarterback will be Ryder Genis 5'8" 180 pounds, new starter with 4.65 speed in the forty, and was a Running Back in 2025 for the program.

Oak Grove Tigers

| Jamarion Collins

| Photo by: Ella Mareee

| Pooka Hale

| Ellaree_Photography

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Head Coach:Ryan Gregory(13^th year)

2025 Record:10-3

2025 Playoffs: 1^st Round beat Port Allen HS, 2^nd Round beat Richwood HS, and Quarterfinals lost to St. James HS

Signees Colleges:TE/LB Devin Franklin(UL),OG/DT Previn Bowie(Louisiana Christian),DE Cullen McIntosh(McNeese State)

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 West Ouachita HS(Home), Week 2 Franklin Parish HS(Home), Week 3 Mangham HS(Away), Week 4 Ouachita Christian HS(Away), Week 5 Sterlington HS(Home).

Team Outlook: “We are ready to make strides in 2026,” said coach Gregory. “Starting the new season need to grow and get better with a talented really young team.” “The strength of the team will be our skill players in the program that have experience.” “We do need to rebuild our Offensive Line graduating 4 starters from a year ago.” 

The Tigers' storied program will return starting Quarterback Bryson Reeves, who got a ton of experience in 2025 and looks to grow even more in 2026. There will be some really good skill players back, like coach said, on both sides of the football: RB Patrick Hill 5'10" 185 pounds senior, WR Jeremiah Washington 6'2" 170 pounds, WR Jensen Hurley 6'3" 180 pounds, RB Zhalarrion Williamson 5'9" 190 pounds, CB/WR Jamarion Collins 5'9" 175 pounds, CB Cade Helmer 5'9" 160 pounds, Safety Brodie Duff 5'9" 180 pounds, RB/WR/QB James Gregory 5'9" 170 pounds will play all over the field in 2026, and HB/LB Bryan Chavez.

Key Linemen and Linebackers returning are Center Grant Titetz 6'1" 215 pounds, OL Connor Walters 6'3" 295 pounds, OL Bryson Rainey 6'2" 250 pounds, OL Jasper Williamson 6'3" 290 pounds, OL Ty Castilaw 5'9" 220 pounds, DE/LB Jackson Emmanuel 5'11" 210 pounds, LB Gaige Smith 6'0" 198 pounds has a chance to break many school records for tackles and other stats in 2026, LB/FB Weston Ferrell 5'10" 185 pounds, DE/OLB Aiden Taylor 6'0" 180 pounds, DT Roderick Miles 5'9" 230 pounds, DT Damion Jones 5'9" 250 pounds, OLB DJ Pickron 6'2" 180 pounds, and DE Pooka Hale 6'3" 223 pounds.

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Richwood Rams

Head Coach:Stanley Smith(1^st year)

2025 Record:6-5

2025 Playoffs:1^st Round lost to Oak Grove HS

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 General Trass HS (Away), Week 2 Woodlawn/Shreveport HS (Away), Week 3 Ouachita Christian HS(Home), Week 4 Wossman HS(Home), and Week 5 Lakeview HS(Home).

Team Outlook: “A lot of unknowns and still evaluating figuring out the pieces to the puzzle since I got hired in June of 2026,” said coach Smith. “The goal will be to become a team and put it all together for Fall practice to be on the same page.” “We are working hard to build this program back up and find some depth for the football team.”

New Head Coach Stanley Smith was a great hire for the Rams program. Coach Smith won a State Title with Ferriday High School in 2019, and for many years had Ferriday playing for Championships every year, and I think he will do a great job at Richwood High School. He is a great coach and knows how to build a program.

The Offense will have a few players to count on like WR Kameron Williams 6'2" 170 pounds, RB Jaylon Cain 5'6" 165 pounds, TE/HB Chris Qualls 6'1" 180 pounds, WR JaQari Brown 5'8" 155 pounds, 4.45 speed in the forty, WR/RB Damarion Pollard 5'10" 175 pounds, 4.5 speed, QB Jacci Haley 5'10" 165 pounds, a lefty, really good Athlete, and RB Alonzo Sullivan 5'10" 170 pounds.

A few Linemen will have to possibly play both sides of the ball till depth is established. Here are some top Linemen to watch: DE Brandon Butler 6'2" 225 pounds, OG/DT/DE Frankie Coleman 5'11" 210 pounds, OG Tyler Sapp 6'0" 250 pounds, OL/DL Armonti Moye 5'8" 185 pounds, and OT/DT Cornelius Gix 6'2" 235 pounds.

More key players to watch are OLB Derrick Dickens 6'0" 180 pounds, a 3-year starter leader, Safety Kaylan Moran 5'10" 165 pounds, DB Keantre Haley 5'10" 165 pounds, DB Anderson Sledge 6'1" 155 pounds, and OLB Curtis Rucks 5'6" 165 pounds.

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Union Parish Farmers

Head Coach:Dimitri Carr(1^st year)

2025 Record:8-6

2025 Playoffs: 1^st Round beat Rayville HS, 2^nd Round beat Erath HS, Quarterfinals beat Kinder HS and Semisfinals loss to Jena HS.

Signees Colleges: OT/DT Ari Slocum(Southern Mississippi), LB Javion Henderson(Louisiana Christian).

2026  Non District Games: Week 1 North Desoto HS(Away), Week 2 Alexandria HS(Home), Week 3 Southside HS(Home), Week 4 Calvary Baptist HS(Home), Week 5 Haynesville HS(Home).

Team Outlook: “We will continue to be hard nosed, gritty, and play the best teams in the State and to compete for championships every year,” said coach Carr. “We played 17 Freshman in 2025 which will pay huge dividends for this upcoming season.” “Our Motto has been and will be Iron sharpens Iron.”

For the 1st time in 20 years, the Farmers have a new Head Coach in alumnus former Farmerville HS player Dimitri Carr, starter on the 2001 State Title team, who has 10 years of experience as a head coach at Arcadia High School and started his coaching career at Farmerville HS, now Union Parish.

The team will not lack playmakers and speed, led by 4-year starting Quarterback Braxton Patterson 5'9" 182 pounds, leader, team captain, gritty player, 3-year starter FB Terrance Wallace 5'10" 235 pounds, power, wow, and toughness, returning starter, WR/DB Marcus Ross 5'11" 160 pounds, 4.5 speed in the forty, 3-year starter, WR/DB Charvarius McElroy 5'9" 165 pounds, 3-year starter, RB/DB/Safety Hopson Chance 5'10" 175 pounds, big-time hitter, 3-year starter, Safety Jeremiah Pearson 5'10" 175 pounds, 2nd-year starter, WR Anthony McNeal 6'1" 170 pounds, CB Delijah Furlow 6'1" 170 pounds, RB Jaylen Jenkins 5'11" 185 pounds, and CB/Safety Daijon Nute 5'11" 165 pounds.

Key players at Linebacker and in the trenches will be TE/DE Jontae Lee 6'3" 228 pounds, returns after missing the 2025 season with 4.8 speed in the forty, TE/LB Jayden Gatson 6'0" 215 pounds, 2nd-year starter, LB Kyle Haulcy 6'0" 185 pounds, OLB Jamar Nelson 5'11" 180 pounds, 4.59 speed, DE Michael McNeal 6'1" 160 pounds, DT Javion Washington 5'11" 300 pounds, DT Ben Knoles 5'10" 280 pounds, DE/OT Damarian Davis 6'4" 245 pounds, OL Jai McDaniel 6'0" 270 pounds, leader, OL/DT Evan Williams 5'10" 200 pounds, OC/OG/OT Ronald Lewis 6'0" 210 pounds, 3-year starter, OG Chace Ward 6'2" 265 pounds, OG/OC Bradley Hurd 6'0" 240 pounds, and more young linemen competing in the Fall.

Special Teams will return a 4-year starter and one of the best Kickers in Louisiana, Ryan Reeder 6'2" 175 pounds. Reeder also has experience playing Wide Receiver for the team, too. In the return game, Marcus Ross and Charvarius McElroy 5'9" 165 pounds will be playmakers all year for the program as Kick Returners/Punt Returners.

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