Louisiana All-Prep Classic Teams | Small Schools Defense
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The LHSAA’s Prep Classic state championship event provided nine title games’ worth of dozens of memorable performances to wind down Louisiana’s high school football season. Prep Redzone will recognize the best — including several record-setting efforts — during the next…
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Continue ReadingThe LHSAA’s Prep Classic state championship event provided nine title games’ worth of dozens of memorable performances to wind down Louisiana’s high school football season.
Prep Redzone will recognize the best — including several record-setting efforts — during the next couple days with its first Louisiana All-Prep Classic Teams.
A Small Schools Team representing the Class 1A, Class 2A, Division IV and Division III levels and a Large Schools Team representing the Class 3A, Class 4A, Class 5A, Division II and Division I levels will each feature 40 players: 20 on offense (12 by position, one flex and seven honorable mentions) and 20 on defense and special teams (14 by position and six honorable mentions).
Small Schools: Offense | Defense
Large Schools: (Released Thursday and Friday)
PREP REDZONE
LOUISIANA ALL-PREP CLASSIC TEAM
SMALL SCHOOLS DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (4)
DL: Bryson Baker — 6-0, 305 DL — Oak Grove (2021)
Kenean Caldwell and Bert Hale’s heir in the middle of the Oak Grove defensive front lived up to his ever-lofty expectations in his final high school game. Baker was a problem for opposing Grand Lake with nine tackles, including two for loss, and quickly diving on a loose ball for a fumble recovery.
DL: Shelton Eaves — 6-0, 230 DL — Many (2021)
Eaves’ four tackles don’t pop off the stat sheet, but were just two shy of the Tigers’ team lead against a Kinder offense that ran just 37 offensive plays. The senior was active up front, and his biggest impacts may actually have come on two plays on which he couldn’t get into the backfield, but rather deflected a pass and blocked an extra-point attempt.
DL: Collin South — 5-7, 195 DL — Kinder (2021)
The Yellow Jackets’ undersized defensive lineman finished with 15 tackles, including one for loss, against a Many offense that ran just 56 plays. A week after racking up 83 points in the semifinals, the Tigers compiled just 164 yards for an average of just 2.9 yards per play, and 26.8 percent of those plays ended wrapped up in a South tackle.
DL: Denham Smith — 6-1, 230 DL — Calvary Baptist (2022)
The high-powered offenses in the Division IV matchup were always anticipated to light up the scoreboard. The game figured to swing toward which team could come up with a few pivotal defensive stops, and Smith’s disruptiveness up front helped limit Ouachita Christian to scores on just six of its 14 full possessions. The junior finished with eight tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one quarterback hurry, as Calvary Baptist pulled away.
Denham Smith the first me there for Calvary Baptist to help disrupt the play and lead to the fourth-down stop.
The Cavaliers have a 48-33 lead and the ball now with 11:52 remaining. pic.twitter.com/MvgvkIW7KN
— Jerit Roser (@JeritRoser) December 29, 2020
LINEBACKERS (3)
LB: Masey Lewis — 6-4, 240 DL/LB — Lafayette Christian (2022)
A talented 2022 class was a big reason the Knights were able to claim a fourth straight state championship — even with senior star Sage Ryan Sage Ryan 5'11" | 190 lbs | DB Lafayette Christian | 2021 State LA sidelined by injury — and a big reason to believe they could become just the second program in LHSAA history to extend that streak to five titles. Fitzgerald West Jr., Jordan Allen and B Rylan Green Rylan Green 6'3" | 245 lbs | TE West Monroe | 2021 State LA typically headline that group, but no one played bigger than Lewis in the Division III state championship game. The big edge rusher finished with game highs of 10 tackles, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, as well as 3.0 tackles for loss, en route to Most Outstanding Player honors.
Masey Lewis with a strong rush to get in the running lane… and B Rylan Green Rylan Green 6'3" | 245 lbs | TE West Monroe | 2021 State LA comes darting in for the stop.
Lafayette Christian forces the St. Charles turnover on downs. pic.twitter.com/zpKKlxdpPv
— Jerit Roser (@JeritRoser) December 28, 2020
LB: Mandel Eugene Mandel Eugene 6'1" | 190 lbs | LB St. Charles Catholic | 2021 State LA Jr. — 6-1, 205 LB — St. Charles Catholic (2021)
The Tulane signee scored his team’s only touchdown in the defensive struggle with his 83-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter. The return was one of the longest in Louisiana high school state championship history, including the longest at the Division III or Class 2A level. And Eugene added three tackles, including one of his Comets’ two sacks in the 12-7 loss.
LB: Javontae Morris — 5-9, 180 LB — Oak Grove (2022)
The leading tackler for the Tigers’ stingy defensive effort and lopsided victory. Oak Grove’s 33-7 rout of Grand Lake was the largest margin of the four small school games and the second largest of the weekend. And the seven points the Tigers allowed the Hornets tied for the fewest in any of small school matchup and second-fewest in any of the nine games. Morris finished with 11 tackles, including one for loss, in the middle of the defense.
DEFENSIVE BACKS (4)
DB: B Rylan Green Rylan Green 6'3" | 245 lbs | TE West Monroe | 2021 State LA — 5-10, 165 DB — Lafayette Christian (2022)
The junior made plays all over the field, as always, to finish with seven tackles, including 2.5 for loss, and a pass breakup. Green is one of Louisiana’s most active defensive playmakers, flying all over the field and exhibiting a toughness and physicality beyond his size. At halftime, the Knights’ safety had to change to a No. 47 jersey because “too much” blood had gotten on his typical No. 19. But he never slowed down. And, in the immediate wake of the victory, Green was already talking about his excitement to pursue a fifth straight state championship next season, showing his focus and leadership and setting the tone for LCA’s run at further history.
DB: Tackett Curtis — 6-3, 196 DB — Many (2023)
His younger teammate garnered official Most Outstanding Player recognition for his 23-yard interception return for a much-needed insurance touchdown in the fourth quarter of a 16-13 victory. But the impact the ever-physical Curtis had on the low-scoring, defensive slugfest — particularly to help Many take the lead in the first half — can’t be overstated. With the Tigers trailing, 7-0, late in the first quarter and struggling to move the football, the sophomore swiped an interception and returned the ball to the Kinder 29-yard line to set up his team’s first score. After the Yellow Jackets’ next possession, Curtis provided a further spark with a 36-yard punt return down to the 6. A blocking penalty forced Many to start back at its own 30, but an eventual 32-yard field goal claimed a 9-7 lead. And the Tigers never trailed again. Curtis, who already holds 10 early offers, finished with a team-high six tackles against a Kinder offense that ran just 37 plays.
DB: LaTarrus Jackson — 5-8, 150 DB — Calvary Baptist (2021)
Speaking of those timely defensive stops that helped the Cavaliers pull away from Ouachita Christian in the Division IV shootout, the undersized defensive back they call “Pop-Tart” swiped two interceptions and returned them a combined 89 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Jackson also recorded nine tackles and played tight enough coverage on the perimeter to leave Eagles quarterback Hunter Herring Hunter Herring 6'4" | 205 lbs | QB Ouachita Christian | 2021 State LA narrowly missing the tight windows available on shots down the sideline.
DB: Jordan Allen — 5-10, 180 DB — Lafayette Christian (2022)
One round after flexing his coverage muscle with a shutout individual performance in the semifinals, Allen was called upon again for his physicality in run support against a St. Charles team that sticks predominantly to the ground. The junior showed once again his comfort and confidence doing either with a four-tackle performance that garnered Michigan State, Houston and SMU offers in the days following the contest. The Knights won, 12-7, and allowed just 130 yards of total offense on 54 plays (2.4 yards per play), including just 39 yards on 4-for-10 passing.
KICKER (1)
K: Louie Davies — 5-9, 165 K — Lafayette Christian (2021)
The Knights’ senior was one of just two of the eligible kickers for this position to make a field goal. Davies connected on an early 24-yarder that was the difference in scoring until a safety with two seconds remaining cushioned the margin to its 12-7 final. He also made his only extra-point attempt, whereas his counterpart split a pair, and easily led the group with a 59-yard average on his three kickoffs, the second and third of which reached the end zone. His first kickoff of the day was fielded at the 3-yard line and returned just 12 yards despite an illegal block that left St. Charles starting from its own 10.
PUNTER (1)
P: Branson Aguillard — 5-10, 175 ATH — Grand Lake (2021)
Aguillard was one of two punters in the small school games to average more than 40 yards per punt. The other, Calvary Baptist’s Jordan Wallace, earned All-Prep Classic honors as a wide receiver with his 202-yard performance. Aguillard’s five kicks for 221 averaged a consistent 44.2 yards despite a slow start with his 33-yarder just two minutes into play. He followed up with 51 yards on his next attempt, then 41, 49 and 47 on his subsequent tries, and downed two balls inside the 20.
RETURNER (1)
RET: Kelvin Holloway — 5-10, 150 ATH — Oak Grove (2021)
Grand Lake finally got onto the board late in the third quarter of the Class 1A matchup to pull back to within 14-7 of Oak Grove. But the Tigers’ speedy, versatile senior immediately took the ensuing kickoff 85 yards to the house to re-seize all the momentum. That kickoff return was Holloway’s lone of the game, but “Bud” made the most of the opportunity and made left his mark in the return game. He added a short 6-yard punt return and at one point appeared to be taking an interception back the other direction, too, before a penalty behind him in the secondary negated the takeaway.
Honorable Mentions:
Cade Bedgood — 5-10, 194 LB — Calvary Baptist (2023)
Kaiden Jones — 5-11, 230 DL — St. Charles Catholic (2022)
Trey Kelly — 5-11, 192 DB — Calvary Baptist (2021)
Dustin Lang — 6-1, 185 LB — Calvary Baptist (2023)
Tylen Singleton — 6-2, 180 DB — Many (2024)
Brayden Zeigler — 5-11, 215 LB — Lafayette Christian (2022)