Karr back on top: State champion defeats Alexandria | Preparatory sports

Back in the Dome and back on top, Edna Karr is state champion again.

The top-seeded Cougars left little doubt as they defeated No. 2 Alexandria 53-8 in the LHSAA Division I Select State last Saturday at Caesars Superdome.

Karr (13-0), a state champion for the first time since 2019, scored three touchdowns and another score in the first quarter — plus two safeties on defense — before Alexandria (13-1) scored its first score. From there, the lead continued to grow, allowing Karr to build a lead large enough to trigger a running clock, a goal coach Brice Brown set earlier in the week.

“The first goal we talked about on Tuesday was that we expected to run for time in the state championship game,” said Brown, the head coach of five of Karr’s seven state titles. “And I don’t want to sound arrogant or cocky, but that’s the expectation, right? When you have a national signing day and you sign four guys to Division I schools, that’s the expectation.

“Anything else would have been unsatisfactory given our current situation. Not just because of our talent, but also because of the preparation. The preparation and performance matched today. And I think that’s the best thing about this group.”

Quarterback John Johnson rushed for three touchdowns, threw for two scores and accumulated 358 yards of total offense. The junior completed 10 of 17 passes for 197 yards and threw both touchdowns to LSU signee TaRon Francis, who finished the game with three receptions for 66 yards.

Normally a prolific passer, Johnson did plenty of damage, rushing 19 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns. His work on the ground offset the uncharacteristic four interceptions Johnson threw in the first half, all on deep pass attempts.

Johnson, the LHSAA Outstanding Player Award winner, rated his game a “six out of 10” and said it was “one of my worst games I’ve ever played at Karr” because of the interceptions.

“I stayed calm,” Johnson said. “I can’t put my head down. If I put my head down, the team would put their head down. They follow me. I held my head up and said, ‘We’re going to go out there and get the 50. Let’s score 50 points,’ and we did.”

Johnson came into the game with 32 touchdown passes this season. But Karr got to the state finals with Johnson using his legs more, scoring five points in the quarterfinals and semifinals.

“One thing he did today was put it on his shoulders,” Brown said. “He ran the ball well. That’s what a lot of people didn’t expect from him. If they leave eight guys (defenders in coverage), he becomes another running back on the field.”

The Karr defense made its presence felt early when junior safety Aiden Hall, an LSU commit, returned an interception for a touchdown on the second play from scrimmage.

Defensive tackle Richard Anderson worked his way into the backfield on several plays, including a stop on standout running back JT Lindsey in the end zone for a safety. Lindsey, an LSU signee, rushed 22 times for 115 yards.

The next safety came when senior defensive end Lyric Hawkins brought down the Alexandria quarterback on a drop-back into the end zone.

Anderson, another LSU commit who has yet to play a season of high school football, had five tackles for loss in the first half, including a sack. He finished the game with seven tackles, including six for loss.

“All the guys that play next to me are seniors, so just playing hard for them helped me,” Anderson said. “I have to win for them. … That’s what we did. We came out dominated.”

Both teams’ first pass attempt resulted in a Karr touchdown, the first in an interception return by Hall and then a long scoring reception by Francis for a 14-0 lead – all less than two minutes into the game.

Karr’s next possession lasted six plays, five of which were good for a first down or touchdown, as Johnson gained 12, 10 and 20 yards before getting past a defender for a 5-yard touchdown run and a 21-0 Lead achieved – still less than half of the quarter.

Johnson went for another goal before halftime, helping Karr take a 32-8 lead. Karr opened the second half with a 10-play drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run for senior Bryant Sanchez.

Daejawn Smith, a Louisiana Tech signee, had five catches for 81 yards. Oliver Mitchell, a Tulane signee, had two catches for 50 yards. Sanchez, who scored on the first drive of the second half, rushed 14 times for 98 yards.

“This is a great collection of talent that is very well coached and disciplined,” Alexandria coach Thomas Bachman said. “I don’t want to take anything away from that. But with 18 points in the first half, we kind of saw them.

“I think we have a good football team. We played a lot of really good people. It’s a huge achievement to make it here. But we weren’t just trying to make it here.”

Alexandria reached the state finals for the second time in five seasons. However, this was the school’s first time playing for a title in the Dome after the 2020 finals were held at Northwestern State in Natchitoches during the coronavirus pandemic.