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

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District 9

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Berwick Panthers

Head Coach:Mike Walker(9^th year)

2025 Record:1-9

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Morgan City HS(Home), Week 2 Hanson HS(Away), Week 3 Franklin HS(Away), Week 4 Houma Christian HS(Home), Week 5 West St. Mary HS(Home).

Team Outlook: “ Eager too get back to being competitive,” said coach Walker. “We would like to get back to the playoffs again in 2026.” “We have a young team but feel like it will pay off with huge dividends for our future which is bright for the Panthers.” “We also like to see where we measure up against the top teams in Class 3A in 2026.” 

Returning at Quarterback will be Eli Crochet 5'10" 170 pounds, a leader for this program with experience.

More skill players to keep an eye on are RB/HB Jordan Mayon 5'10" 200 pounds; RB/Safety Reid Beadle 5'10" 170 pounds; RB Justin Wiggins 6'0" 180 pounds; RB/FB/LB Uyless Collins 5'10" 190 pounds; WR/SS Blake Blanchard 5'8" 150 pounds; WR C.J. Terry 6'0" 180 pounds; CB Rickey Frederick 6'0" 160 pounds; SS Noah Day 5'11" 160 pounds; DB Jayob Rogers 5'8" 160 pounds; Safety Bohan Dehart 5'10" 170 pounds; Safety Hank Percle 5'8" 170 pounds; and HB/LB Michael Patureau 5'10" 180 pounds.

Key Linemen and more Linebackers to watch are OG/DT Kaden Leonard 6'2" 300 pounds, a 4-year starter and leader; TE/DE Aiden Geisler 6'4" 200 pounds; Center/OG Parker Harrison 5'10" 260 pounds; OL/DL Caden Torres 6'0" 250 pounds, a tough kid who can pull; OL/DL Benson Landry 6'0" 245 pounds; and OL/DL Diego Pullido 6'0" 260 pounds.

Special Teams: Returning for the 3rd year as the starting Kicker/Punter will be Collin Lacoste 5'10" 160 pounds.

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Lutcher Bulldogs

| Jamylion Joseph

| Photo by: Darriaus Striggs Jr.

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| Ashton Stark

| Darriaus Striggs Jr.

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| Head Coach Dwain Jenkins

| Photo by Lee Brecheen (Louisiana Football Magazine)

Head Coach:Dwain Jenkins(11^th year)

2025 Record:8-5

2025 Playoffs:2^nd Round beat Iota HS,3^rd Round beat Franklin Parish HS 42-41, and Quarterfinals loss to Iowa HS 28-21.

Signees Colleges:OT Jayden Michael(UL Lafayette) and DT Caden Parquette.

Team Outlook: This could be the year Lutcher High School goes back to the State Title game, or at least has a chance to, with all the pieces there. They do have to rebuild the majority of the Offensive Line, and most of the Defensive Linebacking group graduated too. The Offense will have a chance to be one of the best in Louisiana by season's end.

The Offense has as much skill talent as any Lutcher team you will see and looks like a championship Offense going into the 2026 season, with starting Quarterback Terron Charles 6'3" 195 pounds returning. There is also WR/CB Ashton Stark 5'11" 175 pounds, a 4-year starter and leader with over 1,000 career receiving yards, more than 65 career catches, and over 12 career Touchdowns.

There's also more experienced playmakers back in WR Johnny Jones 6'2" 185 pounds; RB Jaimylon Joseph 5'9" 180 pounds (395 rushing yards on only 56 carries in 2025); WR Le'Andre Booth 6'3" 185 pounds; WR/CB Karmond Johnson 5'10" 170 pounds; WR/CB/SS Marcald Simon 6'0" 175 pounds; and some young backs rotating in.

The Offensive Line will have some new faces and some starters back, led by returning starter Colin Hastings 6'0" 270 pounds, leader; OL Caden Long 5'11" 270 pounds; OL Curtis Cotham 6'1" 275 pounds; and possibly OT/DT Javonte Alexander 6'5" 285 pounds, who might become a two-way starter, along with some more new guys mixed in for depth.

The Defense will have a few new starters but returns senior leader DE Dylan Webster 6'1" 235 pounds; CB/WR Jayce Ferrygood 5'9" 165 pounds; Safety Brayden Krumbolt 5'8" 170 pounds; DT Braylon Washington 6'2" 300 pounds; CB Karmond Johnson; LB Beau Guzman 6'0" 215 pounds; CB Ashton Stark, a two-way starter; and OLB/Safety Chase Williams 5'10" 180 pounds.

Special Teams Kicker and Punter will be Dylan Dalaneuville 5'11" 170 pounds. He has a really good leg and might also play some Safety for the team. Long Snapper will be Ethan Gravois 5'11" 170 pounds.

Patterson Lumberjacks

Head Coach:Tremaine Lightfoot(1^st year)

2025 Record:2-8

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Jeanerette HS(Away), Week 2 Central Lafourche HS (Away), Week 3 West St. Mary HS (Home), Week 4 Covenant Christian HS (Home), Week 5 South Lafourche HS (Home).

Team Outlook: “We will play with toughness, execution, and play fast is my mind set as a coach,” said coach Lightfoot. “I am excited after taking the job with the amount of size we have as a team but just need to grow up overall and we have the skill and size to become a really good team now in 2026.”

New Head Coach Tremaine Lightfoot was the Defensive Coordinator for Opelousas High School in 2025 and played college football for UL, graduating in 2017. He is an alum of Patterson High School, graduating in 2012.

The new starting Quarterback will be Donte Haywood 6'3" 170 pounds, an athletic player with great upside.

There will be a lot of speed and experience back at the skill spots on both sides of the football, led by CB/WR Jamall Pollard 5'10" 165 pounds with 4.5 speed in the forty; RB/OLB Daylan Jones 5'8" 200 pounds, a power runner with a good burst; WR/CB Jadyn Hillebrand 6'2" 175 pounds; CB/WR Jailyn McDaniel 5'7" 150 pounds, a lightning-in-a-bottle type playmaker; WR/DB Gregory Johnson 6'6" 190 pounds; and RB/DB Tilen Hardy 5'8" 165 pounds.

Key Linemen and Linebackers back are DT/OL/LB Damauri Bennett 5'11" 220 pounds; OLB Joshua Navy 5'10" 165 pounds with 4.6 speed in the forty; OL/DL Zilin Blackson 6'3" 285 pounds, a strong kid and leader; OT Jamal Hartman 5'11" 205 pounds; OT Javynn Watson 6'6" 230 pounds; OG/DT Damian Bias 6'1" 305 pounds, a strong 4-year starter and leader; DT/OL Mateo Beltran 6'0" 235 pounds; OL/DL/TE Ja'Kayden Blanchard 6'4" 255 pounds, a transfer from Central Catholic High School and a 3-year starter; DT J.R. Williams 5'8" 230 pounds, senior leader; and LB Nate Jones 5'10" 200 pounds, a newcomer and new starter who might also play some RB in 2026.

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St. Charles Catholic Comets

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| Photo provided by 

| Parker Millet

| Photo provided by Parker Millet

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| Landree Leblanc

| Photo by: tpics

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| James Tyson

| Photo by Lee Brecheen (Louisiana Football Magazine)

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Head Coach:Wayne Stein(5^th year)

2025 Record:13-1.District Record 3-0

2025 Playoffs:State Champs.2^nd Round beat Northside HS, Quarterfinals beat E.D White HS, Semisfinals beat University High, and State Title Game beat Archbishop Shaw.

Signees Colleges: SS Dax Pregeant(Baseball Mississippi Delta JC), CB/WR Prystyn Cambre(Nicholls State), RB/DB Skyler Edwards, OL Kolt Krieg(Nicholls State)

Team Outlook: “2025 was a great year and winning a State Title is the goal, but in 2026 it’s a new team and we have to go execute and fill some key spots to have a chance to compete again at a high level," said coach Stein. “I am proud of last years team and 18 seniors.” “We are working hard to be in that position again in 2026.”

How many Head Football Coaches do you know in high school who are also the Head Baseball Coach and win a State Title in football and baseball in the same year like Coach Stein did in 2026? Like coach has told many people, including me, St. Charles Catholic is in its Golden Years right now, and he's right.

One of the team's best players and biggest leaders returns in Quarterback Landree LeBlanc 6'0" 185 pounds, back for his 3rd year as the guy. In 2025, he passed for 1,448 yards, ran for 474 yards, and accounted for 21 total Touchdowns. LeBlanc gives the program a chance to go back and compete for another State Title. He is a big-time leader and competitor. He was also All-District in baseball.

More key skill players back to watch are CB James Tyson 6'0" 180 pounds, senior (Squats 575 pounds); WR/RB Evan Duffour 5'8" 175 pounds, leader and returning starter; FB Maddox Mader 5'8" 195 pounds; FS/SS Bryce Dupard 6'2" 195 pounds; WR Ben Bordelon 6'1" 180 pounds; WR Rohen Revader 5'10" 160 pounds; RB/WR Caleb Alexander 5'11" 160 pounds; Safety Aaron Hillie 5'8" 178 pounds with 4.59 speed in the forty, a big-time player for the Defense; WR Chad Smith; and RB/DB Peyton Taylor.

Key Linemen and Linebackers back to watch are LB Creed Marix 5'11" 205 pounds, All-District, a 3-year starter and leader; DT Byron Bailey 6'0" 255 pounds, a 3-year starter and leader; OLB/DE Jireh Hall 6'1" 198 pounds with 4.6 speed in the forty; OLB Kaden Asevedo 5'11" 200 pounds, an all-out leader; DE Cole Hebert 6'2" 230 pounds, athletic and tough; DE Tyler Bovia 6'1" 220 pounds, returning starter; OG/OC Parker Millet 6'2" 270 pounds, recovering from an injury that caused him to miss Spring but should be back 100 percent for the Fall, leader; TE/DE Santana Arceneaux 6'3" 215 pounds; and Center Logan Dewhirst 5'11" 195 pounds, a returning starter.

Special Teams: Kicker and Punter were still having a few players competing during Spring and probably will continue through the Summer or early Fall before those spots are won. Long Snapper will be one of the best in the District with Creed Marix 5'11" 205 pounds returning.

St. James Wildcats

Head Coach:LaVanta Davis(5^th year)

2025 Record:10-3

2025 Playoffs:2^nd Round beat Many HS, Quarterfinals beat Oak Grove HS, and State Title game runner up to Sterlington HS.

Signees Colleges:Athlete/RB Jakias Villanueva(Grambling State), RB Kani King-Young(Texas College), and LB Nolan Zenon(Tuskegee College)

2026 Non District Games:Week 1 East St. John HS(Away), Week 2 West St. John HS(Home), Week 3 Terrebonne HS(Home), Week 4 Dunham HS(Away), and Week 5 Landry HS(Away).

Team Outlook: “Team Motto in 2026 is: Chasers, means Commitment, Hunger, Accountability, Sacrifice, Effort, Resilience and Standard. We are chasing everything from District Championships, playoffs to State Title and in the Classroom,” said coach Davis.

I saw 285 teams play in 2025, either in person or on full-game film through Hudl or YouTube, and St. James will return as much talent as anyone in Louisiana with experience on both sides of the football. I would put these guys up against any Class 5A team any day of the week. That's how good they can be in 2026.

This is a program that won the State Title in 2024 and played for another one, finishing runner-up in 2025. For the 3rd year in a row, they will compete to win it all. The coaches at St. James do a great job in development and having their teams play with emotion and high effort, as good as anyone in Louisiana.

The Offense lost some special players to graduation but returns a few special players in Quarterback JaJuan Jackson 6'2" 230 pounds; WR Raki Lee 5'11" 175 pounds with 4.5 speed in the forty; WR Kamon Mitchell 5'11" 170 pounds with 4.45 speed, a special player; WR Dylan Clark 5'9" 150 pounds with 4.5 speed; RB/WR Montrell Steib 5'6" 155 pounds with 4.5 speed; RB Jaden Villanueva 5'9" 170 pounds with 4.45 speed, a special player; WR Peyton Williams 5'11" 175 pounds; RB Xavier Johnson 5'10" 185 pounds, rotating in; CB/WR Kaden Brown 5'10" 160 pounds with 4.5 speed, the starting CB who will also play some WR; FB/LB Ansyn Joseph 5'8" 195 pounds, team leader; and FB Jayven Ausama 5'10" 190 pounds, rotating in.

Key Linemen, Linebackers, and Defensive Backs back to watch are DB/RB Jye Blain 5'10" 180 pounds with 4.5 speed in the forty; Safety Darryl Jasmin 5'10" 165 pounds; CB Kendrick Joseph 6'1" 170 pounds, a big-time senior leader and prospect; CB/Safety Malik Harry 5'10" 150 pounds with 4.5 speed; OLB Myron Jasmin 5'11" 180 pounds, senior leader; OLB Ay'Den Zenon 6'3" 175 pounds; DT/OT I'Xavier Anderson 6'3" 255 pounds; OL/DL Chase Gassen 6'0" 300 pounds, senior leader; OL Kain Gravois 6'0" 330 pounds, leader; OL/DL Kyle Bazile 6'2" 240 pounds; Center/OL Andon Mahler 6'0" 230 pounds; DE James Rose 6'4" 205 pounds; OL/DL Kaiden Alexander 6'0" 250 pounds, rotating in; and LB Bentley Labat 5'9" 180 pounds, rotating in.

Special Teams Kicker will be Hayden Schexnayder 5'8" 150 pounds, the returning starter. Long Snapper will be Andon Mahler. Punter will be starting Quarterback JaJuan Jackson. The return game has as many as 10 players who run in the low 4.5s and can make things happen or take the top off a Special Teams unit on either punt or kick returns.

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Vandebilt Catholic Terriers

Head Coach:Brian Wallace(3^rd year)

2025 Record:11-2

2025 Playoffs:2^nd Round beat Covenant Christian, Quarterfinals beat Lake Charles Prep HS, and Semisfinals loss to Archbishop Shaw HS.

Signees Colleges: QB Ethan Haney(Ottawa Kansas), OT Cylis Hill(Nicholls State), RB Jace Smith(Bethany College) and LB Zavien Moses(Bethany College).

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Terrebonne He(Away), Week 2 Archbishop Rummel HS(Away), Week 3 Thibodaux HS (Away), Week 4 Lakeshore HS (Home),and Week 5 E.D.White HS(Home)

Team Outlook: “The past 2 years we have had a lot of success but in 2026 will be a new team," said coach Wallace. “We graduated 42 seniors from the 2025 team.” “We will have a challenge being in a newer District and having a tougher schedule in 2026.” “We will also have to replace the entire Defensive Line inside and all new Running Backs and a new Quarterback.”

The new starting Quarterback will be Cullen Verdin 5'11" 185 pounds. He got experience starting on the JV team in 2025 and looked good last year.

The Wide Receiver room will be strong, returning All-State Punter/WR Corey Bourgeois 6'2" 185 pounds; Will Ardoin 6'0" 180 pounds, a 2nd-year starter; and WR Harper Voisin 5'9" 160 pounds.

The Offensive Line might be the strong point of the team starting the 2026 season, returning one of the best in the District in Phillip Senac 6'4" 275 pounds, a 3-year starter; OL Joe Delahoussaye 6'3" 280 pounds, a 3-year starter; OG Patrick Mustin 6'4" 305 pounds; OG/OC Myles Chauvin 5'9" 265 pounds, a 2nd-year starter; and new starter Jay Hall 6'2" 255 pounds. Also back will be FB/TE Easton Klingman 5'8" 175 pounds.

In the run game, you have two new players rotating in: Taylor Vestal 5'8" 165 pounds and RB Xavier James 5'11" 185 pounds.

The Defense will return some experience in the front seven, led by DE Josh Fairchild 6'1" 205 pounds, senior and 3-year starter; DE/DT Gerald Moore 6'2" 250 pounds; LB Keith Patterson 5'9" 185 pounds, a 2nd-year starter; LB Jack Falgout 5'11" 200 pounds, a 2nd-year starter; and LB Krash Menard 5'9" 170 pounds, who led the team in tackles on Defense in 2025 with 86 total tackles.

The Secondary will be led by All-State CB Jayden Calloway 5'11" 165 pounds, who had six interceptions in 2025 and made many big plays for the team on Defense; FS/CB Caleb Troxler 5'10" 165 pounds; FS Liam Voisin 5'9" 155 pounds; and Safety Brendan Billiot 5'10" 165 pounds, a tough player every down for this team in 2026.

Special Teams: Returning at Punter will be one of the best in Louisiana in All-State Corey Bourgeois 6'2" 185 pounds, who has a cannon leg. The new starting Kicker will be Ethan Prejean 5'9" 160 pounds. The new starting Long Snapper will be Zach Thibodeaux 5'9" 170 pounds.

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