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

District 2

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Buckeye Panthers

Head Coach:Aaron York(3^rd year)

2025 Record:5-5

Signees Colleges: LB Ty Curtis (Louisiana Christian), and DB Brayden Paulk (Millsaps)

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Beekman Charter HS (Away), Week 2 Logansport HS (Home), Week 3 Menard HS (Home), Week 4 LaSalle HS (Home), Week 5 Montgomery HS (Home), Week 6 Plain Dealing HS (Away).

Team Outlook: “Our kids have bought into the system we have,” said coach York. “The kids want to be winners. They are tough kids that work hard and we might not be the fastest team but we bring it and always have high effort which makes up for not being the fastest team on a football field.”

The Offense and team will be led by talented leader Quarterback Zachary Craig 5'11" 185 pounds, a 3-sport athlete in the school with a strong arm, and got a ton of experience as the starter in 2025. The Offensive Line and run game will be important again, led by OT Blayden Rozzell 6'0" 250 pounds; OL Shane White 5'11" 190 pounds; OL Jake Locke 6'0" 220 pounds; Center Trentin Johnson 6'1" 265 pounds; TE Fisher York 6'0" 185 pounds; and Running Backs Wade Jenkins 5'10" 185 pounds and Mason Tam 5'10" 170 pounds, rotating in for depth.

More players to watch in 2026 are WR Jackson York 6'0" 165 pounds, returning starter; DT Kain McClinton 5'10" 250 pounds; LB Cody Deville 5'10" 175 pounds; WR Cameron Paul 6'3" 170 pounds; DB Jackson Tam 5'10" 170 pounds; and DB Duke Paul 6'2" 175 pounds.

Special Teams Kicker will be Kolton St. Andre 5'9" 160 pounds, a new starter with a good leg

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Bunkie Panthers

| Trip Larwood

| Photo by: Nic Lang

| Mitchell Couvillion

| Photo by: Nic Lang

Head Coach: Jimmie Hillman(4^th year)

2025 Record:9-2

2025 Playoffs:2^nd Round lost to Catholic New Iberia HS

Signees Colleges: RB/LB Zion Lee(Navy), and DE Gabe Thomas (Jones,Mississippi JC)

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Eunice HS(Away), Week 2 Calvary Baptist HS(Home), Week 3 Avoyelles HS(Home), Week 4 Northside HS(Away), Week 5 Kinder HS(Home), and Week 6 Ouachita Christian HS(Away).

Team Outlook: “Going into next season we have 10 seniors that are starters," said coach Hillman. “Feel good about what we have.” “We do return 4 starters on the Offensive Line.” “Watching players grow and developing into roles will be competitive again in the Fall.” 

The new starting Quarterback will be Austin Fitzgerald 6'1" 200 pounds, who was able to get some starts and experience in 2025. Fitzgerald has a really strong arm and looks like he has a great future with the program.

You will have a few skill players play both sides of the football in 2026, led by RB Ketron Watson 5'9" 165 pounds, ran for 500 yards on 32 carries with 5 Touchdowns in 2025 with legit 4.4 speed in the forty, had a great Spring. More skill players to watch are DB/WR Kayden Dobbins 6'0" 170 pounds, a 3-year starter; DB N'Kavion Dixon 5'11" 155 pounds; had a great Spring WR/CB Xavier Stafford 5'11" 155 pounds, 4.5 speed in the forty; CB/WR Jordan Augustine 5'8" 140 pounds, 4.5 speed; WR Jeffery Rushing 5'10" 150 pounds, has really good hands; and WR/RB Carter Breaux 5'7" 170 pounds, rotating in getting reps.

The Defense returns a big-time leader in All-District Tripp Larwood 5'8" 170 pounds, had 107 tackles in 2025 and will lead a talented but young Defense.

Key Linemen and Linebackers to watch are OG Madden Sausada 5'8" 210 pounds; DT Ryder Apress 5'8" 210 pounds; DE/OLB Mitchell Couvillion 6'2" 200 pounds; LB/DE Jer'tavian Rideaux 5'11" 185 pounds; OG Thomas Welch 6'4" 270 pounds; DE/TE Cole Flook 6'2" 210 pounds; OG/OC Ethan Smith 5'11" 245 pounds, a 3-year starter, leader; and Center Graham Newton 5'10" 275 pounds. Also rotating in and getting playing time will be Offensive Lineman Jayden Eggins 6'0" 265 pounds and LB/FS Trayon Williams 6'2" 185 pounds.

Special Teams, one of the best in the District returns for his 3rd year as the starting Kicker/Punter, Patrick Lemoine 5'10" 185 pounds.

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Grant Cougars 

| Keith McKinney

| Photo by: Joni Lane

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| Shawn Williams Jr.

| Photo by: Joni Lane

Head Coach:Jarvous Felton(4^th year)

2025 Record:3-7

2026  Non District Games: Week 1 Caldwell(Away), Week 2 Menard HS(Home), Week 3 Calvary Baptist(Home), Week 4 St. Mary’s(Home), Week 5 Mansfield HS(Home).

Signees with Colleges: Kicker Jose Rivera(Louisiana Christian), DE Jake Glass(Northwestern State), and LB Brayden Sloan(Louisiana Christian)

Team Outlook: “Finish the fight is our team motto in 2026,” said coach Felton.

The Cougars will rely heavily on All-State Running Back, returning starter Aymaud Sykes 6'2" 185 pounds, who ran for 2,198 yards in 2025 with 35 touchdowns and set a state record with 10 touchdowns in one game in 2025. Sykes has crazy good skills you don't see every day in a high school football player. The Defense will be led by 4-year starter CB/WR Keith McKinney 5'10" 185 pounds, has 4.5 speed in the forty, tons of experience, and is a big-time leader.

More players to keep an eye on are RB/LB Javon Davis 5'10" 190 pounds; TE/WR Dante Rubin 6'3" 200 pounds; MLB Matthew Cooper 5'11" 205 pounds, big-time hitter; CB/WR Shawn Williams Jr. 5'11" 185 pounds; QB Gage Hossieui 5'10" 170 pounds, new starter; Center/DT Bentley Sibley 6'0" 280 pounds; Kicker Ethan Kilpatrick 5'9" 165 pounds, new starter; OL Damien Bracy 5'11" 265 pounds; OL Aiden Dombroski 5'11" 250 pounds; OL Kaiden Roberts 6'2" 270 pounds; DT Beau Crawford 5'11" 250 pounds; LB Cullen Carbo 6'0" 200 pounds; LB Colt Williams 6'0" 180 pounds; RB/LB Kylon Duhon 5'11" 200 pounds; OLB Ethan Seals 5'11" 180 pounds; DB Grayson Stroud 5'11" 170 pounds; CB Markeis Cooper 5'8" 160 pounds, 4.5 speed in the forty; and CB Jaedan Williams 6'0" 165 pounds.

Jena Giants

Head Coach:Jay Roark(15^th year)

2025 Record:12-2

2025 Playoffs: State Title Runner Up. Playoffs beat St. Helena Central HS, Mansfield HS, and Union Parish HS.

Signees Colleges: WR Zadrien Cooper(Southwest Mississippi JC)

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Mangham HS(Home), Week 2 Sterlington HS(Away),Week 3 Westgate HS(Away), Week 4 Tioga HS(Away), Week 5 Winnfield HS(Home).

Team Outlook: “2025 was a great year for our program even though we did not finish. I am proud of how our kids competed and how we were able to not have distractions to play in the 1^st State Title game in the history of the program,” said coach Roark.  “Our kids are now eager to get back to the Dome and now know what it’s like to play in a game of that magnitude and what to expect.” “It was also cool to see the community come together and support this program in New Orleans and all year in 2025.”

The Giants had one of the most explosive Offenses in Louisiana last year with 10 games scoring over 40 points, 4 games scoring over 60 points, and rushed for close to 4,000 yards in 2025, very impressive. The 14 seniors that graduated will be remembered forever in a program that could challenge again for a title in 2026.

The Offense will return half of the rushing yards in 2026 from Running Back, 4-year starter Daniel Hatcher, who ran for 1,189 yards with 25 Touchdowns in 2025. More players that will get carries in 2026 are RB Kayson Dean 5'8" 175 pounds; RB Kaeden Kittlin 5'9" 183 pounds; and RB/OLB Brian Evans 5'11" 180 pounds, 3 talented young backs with a chance to keep this rushing attack strong again in 2026. The Offense will have a new Quarterback in Athlete Jonas Jenkins 5'8" 165 pounds, a CB/WR for the program but the leading candidate to be the starting QB going into the Fall.

More players to watch in the Fall are OL Malik Wilson 5'10" 240 pounds, senior leader, 3-year starter; OL Cruz Humphries 5'10" 195 pounds; TE/FB/DT Nolan Williams 5'10" 215 pounds; OLB Cash Richardson 5'9" 165 pounds; DT Eli Estes 5'10" 230 pounds; OL Zy Harrison 6'1" 352 pounds; DE Parker Durham 5'10" 210 pounds; leader of the Defense, Safety Carter Nichols 5'9" 170 pounds; WR Brittain Johnson 5'10" 160 pounds; LB/Safety Logan Thompson 5'9" 170 pounds; and several younger players competing to start or add depth in the Summer/Fall.

Special Teams Kicker/Punter and Long Snapper are all jobs to win over the Summer/early Fall practice.

Marksville Tigers

Head Coach:Josh Harper(4^th year)

2025 Record:9-3

2025 Playoffs: 1^st Round beat Patterson HS, and 2^nd Round lost to Mansfield HS in Overtime 62-60

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Catholic Pointe Coupee HS (Away), Week 2 Abbeville HS (Home), Week 3 Peabody HS (Home), Week 4 Avoyelles HS (Away), and Week 5 Pineville HS (Away).

Team Outlook: “ We are looking forward to the 2026 season," said coach Harper. “We just need to stay healthy overall.” “We have some kids playing for the 1^st time and we have some really big time leaders also back to lead this team, a good mix.” “We do need some of the young Lineman to step up. Lost a few to graduation from the 2025 team.” 

One of the best players in Louisiana returns for his 4th year as a starter at Quarterback, Devin Lavalais 6'2" 180 pounds, legit 4.45 speed and looks 4.3 on the field. Devin is a QB/FS and could be the best WR in the District if he did not play QB. I have watched this kid play the last 4 years, and he is special.

More key players to watch will be OL/DL Keyshawn Moore 5'10" 220 pounds, a 3-year starter; WR/CB Jaden Price 6'2" 170 pounds, 4.5 speed, a 3-year starter; RB Jayden Holmes 5'10" 170 pounds, a 3-year starter; OL/DL Brayden Ramos 6'0" 265 pounds, a leader, 3-year starter; LB Keron Alexander 5'8" 180 pounds, a 3-year starter, 4.65 speed; OLB Dashawn Jones 5'8" 165 pounds, scrappy, 4.59 speed, a 3-year starter; WR/CB Noah Volker 5'9" 150 pounds, a 3-year starter; OT/DE Jason Beauclair 5'11" 210 pounds; OG/DL Derrick Woods 6'3" 285 pounds; WR/CB Kyan Carmouche 5'10" 155 pounds, 4.6 speed; WR/SS Issaiah Jacobs 5'11" 165 pounds; DT/OL Roderick Johnson 6'0" 275 pounds; and OLB/DE Jacorian McGlory 6'1" 185 pounds.

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