Louisiana Football Magazine 2026 Class 4A Football Preview (Written by Lee Brecheen)

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4A District 10

Archbishop Shaw Eagles

Head Coach:Hank Tierney(5^th year & 27 years overall)

2025 Record:8-6

2025 Playoffs:2^nd Round beat Haynes Academy HS, Quarterfinals beat Loyola Prep HS, Semifinals beat Vandy Catholic and State Title Game lost to St. Charles Catholic HS.

Signees Colleges:DB Jackson Williams(LSU)

2026  Non District Games: Week 1 Hahnville HS(Home), Week 2 West Jefferson HS(Home),Week 3 Archbishop Rummel HS(Home), and Week 4 Calvary Baptist HS(Home)

Team Outlook: “Great Spring Game against Destrehan HS one of the better programs in Louisiana the last few years,” said coach Tierney. “We have a chance again to be pretty good on paper.”  “If we can put it all together, we might be the most talented team overall since I came back to Shaw 5 years ago.”

The Offense returns a key position player in Quarterback Allen Shaw III (17 total Touchdowns and 1,454 total yards full season), the best athlete in the school (MVP State Title Game with 3 Touchdowns), back for almost 3 years under center at 5'9" 165 pounds with a good arm and runs this Offense really well. The team also has another QB, Anthony Condoll 5'9" 170 pounds, who can come in and get reps if needed with a good arm also. Skill players around Shaw will be WR Nasir Parker 6'5" 195 pounds; WR Braylon Jackson 6'4" 180 pounds; WR Tyre Lowe 6'0" 170 pounds; WR Peyton Matherne 5'9" 160 pounds, SR; WR Cobey Jones 5'9" 160 pounds, SR; TE/HB Brandon Girod 6'1" 190 pounds; RB Tairon Ponds Jr. 5'11" 190 pounds; RB Allen Shaw V 5'9" 180 pounds; and RB Calvin Ellsworth 5'7" 180 pounds. The Offensive Line will have some size and some experience, and the group has a chance to be pretty good in the end, led by 3-year starter, leader Craig Bourgeois 5'10" 255 pounds; OT Charles Duvernay 6'5" 270 pounds; OT Kaden Clark 6'1" 260 pounds; Center D.J. Camp 5'11" 245 pounds; and two players still battling for the 5th spot, Kamber Georges 6'2" 305 pounds and SR Jayden Ramsey 6'2" 315 pounds.

The Defense will return some very special players to lead the team in 2026: OLB Tahj Turner 6'0" 210 pounds (64 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks in 2025), 2nd-year starter; Safety/OLB Rontrae Carter 6'0" 190 pounds (Two-Time All-State/District Defensive MVP 2025), 5th-year starter, big-time hitter, leader; OLB/DE Ronnie Miller Jr. 6'3" 215 pounds, SR; DE Jaiden Weber 6'1" 215 pounds, SR; leader LB Ethan Lentz 6'0" 192 pounds, a 3-year starter, tough as nails; and 2nd-year starter FS Dejuan Rivera 6'2" 180 pounds, one of the top Safeties in Louisiana, SR, leading tackler from the 2025 season. More players to watch are DT Dakari Keys 5'11" 225 pounds, 2nd-year starter; DT Mahdi Hammad 6'0" 285 pounds; CB Logan Love 6'2" 170 pounds, new starter; Safety Canaan Harris 6'1" 205 pounds; and a few players battling for starting spots or in the rotation: CB Bryce Tibbs 5'9" 160 pounds, 4.40 speed in the forty; OLB/SS Brandon McGowan 5'11" 180 pounds; CB Jai Johnson 6'1" 170 pounds; and Safety Chase Leblanc 5'10" 185 pounds.

Special Teams has a chance to be a strong spot in 2026, led by Kicker Jon Carlos D'Bran 5'11" 175 pounds; Long Snappers Ted Reine III 5'11" 185 pounds, Nolan Walters 6'2" 190 pounds, and Drew Miller 6'0" 180 pounds; and the Punting job was open after Spring Practice. In the return game, one of the best will get some reps again, Rontrae Carter, and a team full of capable athletes will get a shot as well.

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Belle Chasse Fighting Cardinals

| Jaxon Jones

| Photo by: Mitch Mire

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Head Coach :Stephen Myers (12^th year)

2025 Record:11-2

2025 Playoffs:2^nd Round beat Opelousas HS,3^rd Round beat West Feliciana HS,Semisfinals lost to Iowa HS.

Signees Colleges:DT Savion Barthelemy(Washington State),and LB Logan Jackson(Nicholls State).

2026  Non District Games:Week 1 McMain(Home), Week 2 Riverdale HS(Home),Week 3 South Plaquemines HS(Away),Week 4 McDonough #35 HS(Home),Week 5 Lakeshore HS(Away), and Week 6 John Ehret HS(Away).

Team Outlook: “We will be a young team in 2026 having to replace our starting Quarterback, Running Back, and a total of 16 really good seniors said coach Meyers.” “We also lost the entire Defensive Line.” “I am excited about our Linebackers and Offensive Line coming back on Offense and Defense to build around in 2026.”

In 12 years under Coach Meyers, the program is 83-51, and in the last 9 years the program is 71-31, showing great stability for any program. The Cardinals had 6 shutout wins in 2025 and held opponents in 10 of the 13 games to under 10 total points in 2025.

The program will be led by experienced players OT/DT Holden Orgeron 6'3" 250 pounds, a 4-year starter; RB/DB Khai Wallace 5'9" 155 pounds, 3-year starter; LB/TE Hank Sauer 6'0" 200 pounds, 3-year starter; Center/DT Haiden Meyers 6'0" 250 pounds, 4-year starter; and CB Chris Moses 5'8" 150 pounds, a 2nd-year starter. All these kids up top are the glue to building around a young team overall in 2026.

More key players to watch are RB/LB Carter Couvillion 5'10" 210 pounds; LB Logan Smith 5'10" 185 pounds; WR Cole Adams 6'1" 175 pounds; RB/LB Bentile Burt 5'9" 180 pounds; OL Chris Duong 5'10" 275 pounds; OL/DL Royce Frelich 6'1" 210 pounds; DB Cooper Faucheaux 5'8" 160 pounds; Quarterbacks Jaxon Jones 5'7" 155 pounds and Cruz Leblanc 6'0" 200 pounds, also an MLB for the team; RB/DB Tyreke Encalade 5'9" 160 pounds; RB Elijah Ancar 5'9" 175 pounds; RB/LB Parker Rodrigue 5'7" 200 pounds; OL Brayson Ballivero 5'8" 260 pounds; OL Joshua Castillo 6'2" 305 pounds; DB Elijah Sylve 5'8" 150 pounds; LB Skyler McRae 5'10" 160 pounds; DT/OL Nicholas Vanacore 6'2" 225 pounds, new starter; and RB/DB Jaden Lee 5'10" 170 pounds.

Special Teams will be strong again with Kickers Jaden Lee and Hank Sauer; Punter Cruz Leblanc; and Long/Short Snappers Haiden Meyers and Bentile Burt.

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Kenner Discovery Swamp Owls

Head Coach:Bryan Crayton(2^nd Year)

2025 Record:4-7

2025 Playoffs:1^st Round lost to Leesville HS

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Bonnabel HS(Home), Week 2 Jefferson Rise HS(Away), Week 3 Thomas Jefferson HS(Away), Week 4 Patrick Taylor HS(Home), Week 5 Morgan City HS(Away), and Week 10 Ben Franklin HS(Away)

Team Outlook: “Our team motto in 2026 is: Brick by Brick,” said coach Crayton. “Trying to get better every day.” “I am excited for the 2026 season with close to 60 players coming back for the Fall.”

The Offense will be led by returning starting Quarterback Franklin Hernandez 5'11" 185 pounds. Hernandez also will play some Free Safety for the team.

The Defense will be led by All-District Defensive End/OLB Michael Enriquez-Morrison 6'2" 210 pounds, led the team in tackles in 2025 with 75 total tackles.

More players to watch are OL/DL Dekarbry Warren 6'4" 300 pounds, a 4-year starter, leader; SS/WR Chase Nicholas 6'1" 185 pounds, a 3-year starter, leader; RB Christian Torres 5'9" 185 pounds, 4.6 speed in the forty, starting Running Back; OL Aldo Garcia 6'4" 285 pounds; LB Alex Hernandez 5'11" 205 pounds; WR Reed Daigle 5'10" 170 pounds; and CB/WR Lavon Brown 5'10" 160 pounds. 

Special Teams, starting at Kicker and Punter, will be Casey Mitchell 5'10" 170 pounds.

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The Willow Lions

| Ahmad Vappie

| Photo by: Quentin Rhodes

Head Coach:J.J Smith(8^th year)

2025 Record:8-2

2025 Playoffs: Did not play for District Honors in both 2024 and 2025.

Signees Colleges: CB/WR Cyrus Buckels(Jackson State), RB Mark Rhodes(Millsaps), DB Tyrell Johnson(Mississippi Valley), Athlete Kaiden Thomas(Tulane W.O)

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Patrick Taylor HS(Home), Week 2 Country Day HS(Home), Week 3 Sophie B. Wright HS(Away), Week 4 Newman HS(Away), Week 5 De La Salle HS(Home).

Team Outlook: “We are excited to finally play for District Honors in 2026, and we will be bigger across our starting lineup knowing the challenges will be bigger this year in a tough District Schedule and excited to play in 2026,” said coach Smith.

The program returns two of the best players in the District on Offense as playmakers: 4-year starter WR Ahmad Vappie 6'3" 180 pounds, senior, holds every record for the school as a Wide Receiver going into the 2026 season; and you have one of the best playmakers in Louisiana coming back in WR/RB/Athlete Darryl Franklin, a 4-year starter with legit 4.40 speed or better, 5'7" 160 pounds, and a human highlight reel for anyone to see every week. The Offense also has two really good new Quarterbacks competing. Both can play, and if one doesn't start at QB, he can play another position: QB/WR Marcus Joseph 6'2" 175 pounds, a 3-year starter, leader, mostly as a WR, sleeper; and QB Max Beabout 6'3" 170 pounds, also a very talented kid.

More players to watch in 2026 are CB Gabriel Lombard 5'10" 165 pounds, 3-year starter; LB T'Khi Johnson, leader of the Defense, over (100 tackles in 2025), 5'11" 180 pounds, 3-year starter; OL/DL Jack Landry 6'0" 230 pounds; OL Riley Kilbert 6'3" 250 pounds; TE Owen Bayer 6'5" 220 pounds, 3-year starter; OT/MLB Nathan Somma 6'2" 225 pounds, 3-year starter; OG Jackson LiBerto 6'0" 205 pounds; DT Justin Waldron 6'3" 354 pounds; RB Dejon Glasper 5'10" 160 pounds; RB Cornell Ross 5'9" 165 pounds; Safety Ian Tuttle 5'10" 165 pounds, 3-year starter; MLB Jayden Wright 5'11" 205 pounds; LB Landen Kaywood 5'9" 175 pounds, 2nd-year starter; Brayden Phillips 5'7" 150 pounds, Safety battling to start; Safety Christian Hodges 5'6" 145 pounds, battling to start; and letterman WR/FS Sebastian Dop 6'2" 175 pounds is the team's 4th WR, rotating in with experience on both sides of the football.

Special Teams starting Punter and Kicker will be Max Beabout, but in the Fall there's some more players that will enter the mix at both Punter and Kicker, and Long Snapper has a few players competing through the Summer for starting roles. In the return game, one of the best in Louisiana returns in Darryl Franklin, a big-time playmaker.

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Young Audiences Charter

Head Coach:Christopher Dennis(3^rd year)

2025 Record: 9-0 (2025 did not play for District or Playoffs)

Signees Colleges: CB O’Keefe Brown(Texas College), and WR Caleb Scott(Texas College)

2026 Non District Games: Week 1 Sophie B.Wright HS(Home), Week 2 McMain HS(Home), Week 3 Landry HS(Away), Week 5 Ellender HS(Home),and Week 7 B.T.W HS(Away)

Team Outlook: “Relentless give 1,000 Percent effort and bring that every play and every down,” said coach Dennis. “We will play for District in 2026 1^st time and we are a young team with only 5-7 seniors on the Roster.” 

I was able to see this program play in a full game in 2025, and I was really impressed with how much talent they have for such a young program, and they are well coached too.

There are several big-time playmakers back with experience, led by WR/DB Mahki Simmons 5'11" 175 pounds, a 3-year starter with 4.45 speed, had over 700 yards receiving in 2025 and many big plays. There's also WR Brenin Reed, led the team with over 1,000 yards receiving in 2025, a special talent with 4.45 speed in the forty; CB Roland Robinson Jr. 6'3" 180 pounds, lockdown CB; SS/FS Robert Wallis 6'3" 185 pounds, a sleeper talent; QB Marcus Soule 6'1" 182 pounds, a 3-year starter, leader of the team; WR Lionel Harrison 5'10" 173 pounds, 4.5 speed in the forty; RB Caleb Jackson 5'10" 191 pounds, a 3-year starter, one of the best RBs in New Orleans; WR Troy Brooks 5'9" 178 pounds; SS/CB Gregory Taylor 5'9" 175 pounds; CB Juelz Kagler 5'10" 180 pounds; CB Aldarion Davis Jr. 5'9" 170 pounds; RB Sam Nunnery 5'10" 205 pounds, rotates in with power; and WR Malki Bargky 5'9" 178 pounds, 4.45 speed, big-time playmaker.

Key Linemen and Linebackers back are DE/LB Edward Bailey 5'11" 205 pounds (9 sacks in 2025); MLB Tristen Richardson 5'10" 270 pounds; Center Brice Moore 5'10" 280 pounds; TE/OT Brice James; OT Christian Diaz 6'5" 278 pounds; MLB Uriah Bradstreet 5'9" 190 pounds, brings energy and leadership; and DE/OLB Adyn Lemieux 6'1" 205 pounds, really quick off the edge as a pass rusher for the team.

Special Teams, starting at Kicker and Punter, will be Jamie Jones 5'7" 160 pounds. In the return game will be one of the best in New Orleans, led by Mahki Simmons, both a kick and punt returner for the program with incredible feel for the open field with the ball in his hands.

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