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

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District 9

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Donaldsonville Tigers

| Khy Jones

| Photo by: aarons.view

Head Coach:Darnell Lee(3^rd Year)

2025 Record:8-4

2025 Playoffs:1^st Round beat Westlake HS, and 2^nd Round lost to Sterlington HS

Signees Colleges:LB Jaden Allen (Centenary), Athlete Donald Brown (Mississippi Christian College), and FS/WR Quinnton Dabney (Centenary)

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Assumption HS(Home), Week 2 Lutcher HS(Home), Week 3 White Castle HS(Away), Week 4 Port Allen HS(Away), Week 5 Woodlawn HS(Home) and Week 8 Springfield HS(Home)

Team Outlook: “Group young guys maturing into the leadership role to be successful as a team in 2026,” said coach Lee. 

The Tigers under Darnell Lee will have a chance to be really good again with some really good players back in Quarterback Skyler Harrison 6'4" 218 pounds, CB/WR Khy Jones 5'10" 178 pounds, 4.4 speed, a 3-year starter, leader, OLB/DE Decalb Green 6'5" 195 pounds (21.5 sacks with 62 tackles in 2025), RB/WR Isaac Rodrigue 5'9" 165 pounds, RB/DT Anthony Johnson 5'9" 208 pounds, OG Jonathan Riley 5'10" 260 pounds, OLB Zaylon Phillip 6'1" 185 pounds, WR Jadarius Rome 5'6" 130 pounds, wow, he's a playmaker for this team, WR/CB Zaylon Paul 5'9" 160 pounds, OG Robert Clark 5'10" 260 pounds, WR/CB Courtney Bennett 5'9" 160 pounds, 4.4 speed in the forty, DE Merrill Leblanc 5'10" 210 pounds, and Safety Rashad Joseph 5'8" 145 pounds.

Here are some more key players starting or rotating in: LB Kobie Stevenson 6'0" 190 pounds, CB Aaron Thomas 5'10" 150 pounds, OL William Southall 5'9" 340 pounds, LB Quindell Forcell 5'8" 190 pounds, DT Kaylon Augustus 5'11" 205 pounds, WR Kenzie Littles 5'9" 160 pounds, DE Kasey Carter 6'1" 202 pounds, OG Terez Octave 6'1" 315 pounds, and LB Cortez Johnson 5'8" 180 pounds.

Special Teams: The return game will be really strong, led by 3 players back: Jadarius Rome returning kickoffs, and Isaac Rodrigue and Kenzie Littles 5'9" 160 pounds also back to return kickoffs. All three of these kids are big-time playmakers.

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Dunham Tigers

Head Coach:Neil Weiner(13^th year)

2025 Record:13-1

2025 Playoffs: State Champs. 2^nd Round beat Northlake Christian HS, Quarterfinals beat Newman HS, Semisfinals beat Lafayette Christian HS, and State Title game beat Calvary Baptist HS

2026 Non District Games:Week 1 Parkway (Away), Week 2 Catholic HS BR (Away), Week 3 Collegiate BR (Home), Week 4 St. James HS (Home), and Week 5 Parklane Academy HS Mississippi (Away).

Signees Colleges:LB/SS Trevor Hamon (McNeese State),Colin Picou RB  (Massachusetts Academy), Athlete Khris Thomas (Tyler Texas JC), Athlete Richard Montgomery (Tyler Texas JC), WR Jarvis Washington (South Alabama), LB/RB Josh Lazard (Millsaps), and Eliot Trahan (Naval Academy).

Team Outlook: “Every season has a history of it’s own," said coach Weiner. “We are not trying to defend a Title.” “We are trying to be the best version of what we need to be a brand new year and turn the page to this year’s team.” “We need to develop some depth on the Offensive and Defensive Lines for the 2026 season.”

The Tigers return one of the best players in the US in 2026, Quarterback Elijah Haven, a rare 4-year starting QB for the program, a great kid, and will have a chance to have his best season as a QB, I think, in 2026 as a senior. Haven is a legit 6'4" and now 233 pounds.

Key skill players to watch for both sides of the football are WR/DB C.J. De Leon 5'11" 170 pounds, legit 4.46 speed in the forty, SS/CB William Dantin 6'0" 182 pounds, 4.6 speed in the forty, WR/DB Jarone Harris 5'10" 160 pounds, 4.6 speed in the forty, WR Brannon Cohn 5'7" 135 pounds, talented newcomer WR Calvin Ursin 6'1" 211 pounds, 4.5 speed in the forty, 2-way starter, leader, OLB/RB Richard Bonneval 5'4" 165 pounds, TE/DE Milo Johnston 6'4" 225 pounds, good hands, speed, and RB Beckett Wilson 5'10" 155 pounds.

Key Linemen and Linebackers returning will be LB/RB Jantzi Jackson 5'10" 200 pounds, LB James Johnson 6'0" 186 pounds, DE/TE Charlie Myers 6'0" 210 pounds, big-time leader, DE/TE Phoenix Deslattes 6'1" 185 pounds, LB Jack Temple 6'0" 176 pounds, talented newcomer Shaun Phillips 6'5" 275 pounds, DT/OT, OG/DT Miles Taylor 5'5" 227 pounds, Center Luke Kimble 5'9" 240 pounds, and OT/DT Teddrick Mills 6'3" 273 pounds.

Special Teams: Starting Kicker will be Max Dixon 5'10" 175 pounds, a new starter with a good leg. The Punting job and Long Snapper job will be decided over the Summer.

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Episcopal Knights 

Head Coach: Travis Bourgeois(27^th year)

2025 Record: 5-6

2025 Playoffs: 2^nd Round loss to De La Salle HS

Signees Colleges: Athlete Taj Callahan (Henderson State)

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Ascension Catholic HS(Away), Week 2 Northlake Christian HS(Away),Week 3 Catholic Pointe Coupee HS(Home), Week 4 Country Day HS(Home), Week 5 Albany HS(Away).

Team Outlook: “We are replacing 99% of our offense from the 2025 season," said coach Bourgeois. “We did not have a Spring Football game or practice with most of our team every year out with commitments to playing other Sports Programs at the school like Baseball/Soccer,Track and Basketball.” “We have a few positions we will decide starters in the Summer/Fall and will lean heavily in 2026 to start the season on the Defense to carry us with 8 starters back until the Offense gets some experience under them for a competitive tough season and District.” 

The Offense for the 1st time in 2 years will have a new Quarterback, and there are 3 kids that will battle all the way to Fall in leading candidate senior Michael Kelleher 5'8" 150 pounds, QB Eli Miller 5'9" 160 pounds, also can play some RB if not the QB, and Jude Young 5'11" 160 pounds will be given a chance to compete also.

More skill players, and some of these will see time on both sides of the football, to watch are All-Metro Defensive Back Max Ribes 5'10" 160 pounds, RB Aiden Bradford 5'10" 160 pounds, ran for over 400 yards in 2025, CB Townes Courville 5'8" 155 pounds, DB Brandon Kong 5'11" 170 pounds, CB/WR Landry Boyce 5'11" 160 pounds, returning starter, WR/DB T'Wayne Williams 5'11" 165 pounds, RB/DB Luke Dickerson 5'11" 165 pounds, WR/DB Drew Hebert 5'9" 150 pounds, WR James Inzer 5'9" 160 pounds, and WR Tate Gautreaux 6'0" 170 pounds.

Key Linemen, Tight Ends, and Linebackers returning to watch are DE/FB Chandler Amacker 5'11" 195 pounds, TE/DE Henry Kucharchuk 6'0" 175 pounds, TE/DE Brycen Bolden 6'1" 182 pounds, DT Luke Mendoza 5'10" 180 pounds, OL/DL Noah Henderson 6'1" 190 pounds, OL/DL Drew Freel 6'1" 210 pounds, OL Matteo Runge 5'11" 230 pounds, LB William Mullins 5'10" 175 pounds, DE Caleb Aguilard 6'0" 200 pounds, OL Carter Moore 5'11" 190 pounds, and Center Connor Graham 5'10" 160 pounds.

Special Teams will have a chance to be strong again, led by returning starting Kicker Trace Macias 6'0" 155 pounds.

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Northeast Vikings

Head Coach:Traye Jones(1^st year)

2025 Record:5-6

2025 Playoffs:1^st Round lost to Ferriday HS

Signees Colleges: TE/DE Alex Curvin(Minnesota State JC)

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Thrive Academy HS(Home), Week 2 Broadmoor HS(Away), Week 3 Baker HS(Home), Week 4 Glen Oaks HS(Away), Week 5 Capitol HS(Home)

Team Outlook: “Looking to build on the 5-6 season in 2025,” said coach Jones. “Our experience will be in the trenches.” “Skill talent we will be very young with mostly Sophomores and 9^th graders to build around for the future.”

Key players to watch will be QB/FS/RB/WR Tyree Riley 6'1" 180 pounds, 2nd-year starter, RB/DB Tyquan Riley 5'10" 160 pounds, CB/WR Marcus Collins 5'10" 150 pounds, OL/DL Terrion Bennett 5'9" 230 pounds, returning starter, OL/DL Troy Lewis 6'2" 265 pounds, 2nd-year starter, OL/DL Jairen Watson 6'0" 240 pounds, OL/DL Anthony Roomes 6'0" 220 pounds, LB/RB Tyler Evans 5'9" 190 pounds, and WR/LB Tyson Spears 6'4" 190 pounds.

Special Teams: Starting at both Kicker and Punter will be Kevin Vasquez 5'9" 125 pounds.

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Slaughter Charter Knights

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| Head Coach Patrick Clarkston

| Photo by Lee Brecheen (Louisiana Football Magazine)

Head Coach: Patrick Clarkston(5^th year)

2025 Record: 8-4

2025 Playoffs: 1^st Round beat Pope John Paul II, and 2^nd Round loss to Jewell Sumner HS

Signees Colleges: Athlete Thomas Carter Jr (Louisiana Christian), Athlete Ty Ford (Kentucky State), and Athlete Nadorian Johnson (Minnesota Technical College).

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Baker HS(Home), Week 2 St. Michael HS(Home), Week 3 East Feliciana HS(Away), Week 4 Parkview Baptist HS(Away), Week 5 Central Catholic HS(Away).

Team Outlook: “This year continues the success we’ve had and the strong foundation we have built up over these 5 years,” said coach Clarkston. “Our kids are ready to continue that success and ready to go for the 2026 season.”

The program will have a new starting Quarterback for the 2026 season, Gage Falgoust 5'8" 135 pounds, a really good Athlete with a high IQ of the game already. The Offense will need Albert Eubanks 6'0" 170 pounds, senior, to be the playmaker this year in a more leadership role going into his 3rd year as a starter. Eubanks has a chance to have a breakout year in the District.

More skill players to watch are FB/LB Keller Spinks 5'11" 185 pounds, senior, CB/WR Colton Borg 6'1" 170 pounds, senior, RB/OLB Gabriel Adams 5'7" 130 pounds, RB/WR Keejuan McCray Jr. 5'8" 130 pounds, RB Marley Perry 5'8" 130 pounds, TE/OLB Ja'Micah Jackson 5'11" 150 pounds, and FB/LB Joaqin Adams 5'11" 200 pounds.

Key Linemen back are OG/DT Dwayne Miller 5'11" 290 pounds, had a great Spring, DT/OG Phillip McKnight II 5'11" 190 pounds, DT/OG Lavell Matthews 5'10" 260 pounds, DE/OG Jacori Webb 5'10" 175 pounds, DT/OL Dixon Hopkins 6'0" 245 pounds, OT/DE Kruz Corban 6'1" 215 pounds, and OL/DL James Webber Jr. 5'10" 205 pounds.

Special Teams: Coach told me they have a few players competing at Punter and Kicker for this upcoming Fall.

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Springfield Bulldogs

| Gauge Flocke

| Photo by: Darius Loft

Head Coach:Tony Salim(1^st year)

2025 Record:2-8

Team Outlook: “ Excited about our 2026 football season,” said coach Salim. “Doubled our total football players from last year. We had 27 players in the program. Now we have 54 players that came out for Spring/Summer.” “We think we can turn things around in 2026 .” “We hired also some great coaches, Offensive Coordinator Hutch Gonzales, former All Southland Conference WR at Southeastern U in Hammond, and Defensive Coordinator Ian Goodley, a former All Conference Defensive Back from Southeastern U in Hammond.” “The Offense will be new in 2026 you will see the Run-Gun, Speed Option,and Jet Sweeps in our Offense with coach Gonzales coming in and excited about that.”

New Head Coach Tony Salim is not exactly new. He is the current Head Baseball coach the last 3 years at Springfield High School and also was at Springfield once before as the Head Baseball coach for 5 years.

The Offense will have a new starting Quarterback in Brady Stewart 5'10" 165 pounds, who has experience playing varsity and should have a good year. The program returns some really good Athletes, some new and some not, in WR/OLB Bryson Richard, 2nd-year starter, WR/RB Gauge Flocke 5'9" 165 pounds, 3-year starter, WR/RB/FS Elijah Logan 6'0" 190 pounds, 2nd-year starter, CB/WR Logan Ballard 5'6" 165 pounds, 2nd-year starter, WR/DB Chase Burches 6'2" 175 pounds, new starter, WR/RB/DB Brock Cothern 5'7" 180 pounds, new starter or rotate in, WR/DB Nyciere Mitchell 6'2" 160 pounds, new starter, and WR/DB Jacques Langlois 5'6" 165 pounds, new starter.

Key Linemen back are OL/DL Zachary Starkey 6'2" 265 pounds, senior, 3-year starter, OC/OL/DL Denley Laudermilk, 3-year starter, OL/DL Damario Williams 5'7" 260 pounds, and OL/DL Dylan Wall 5'9" 180 pounds, 2nd-year starter.

Special Teams: Conner Lipscomb 5'10" 140 pounds returns as the starting Kicker and Punter for the team.

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