Predicting the first day of the Louisiana High School Football State Championships

In just a few days, Louisiana’s 2024 high school football season will be in the rearview mirror and we’ll limit ourselves to writing posts like “90 Days Until Fall Camp!”

With that in mind, let’s take a moment to enjoy a great season with comeback stories like the trio of Central BR players who were sidelined by an accident just before week one and have now returned to lead the Wildcats to their first Victory to lead Superdome Classic appearance. More on this game, which will be played on Saturday, later…

Here are our predictions for Day 1 of the LHSAA Prep Classic. All games will be played at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

Thursday, December 11th – 12 p.m

OCS shouldn’t have been here. This was the worst year for the northeast Louisiana powerhouse, at least in terms of seeding. Well, when you have an offensive mastermind like coach Steven Fitzhugh and a gutsy quarterback like Luke Vidrine, who called his own number on fourth down to win in the semifinals at No. 2 Ascension Catholic scoring the winning touchdown is no shock. The Eagles upset undefeated No. 3 Covenant Christian and the Bulldogs.

Vidrine, a junior, passed for nearly 2,300 yards with 25 touchdowns and five interceptions. He only had 141 yards but scored seven scores. Makin Lenard (180-1,444 yards, 24 TDs) is the primary running option. Cameron Volion (29-650, nine TDs) and Patrick Turpin (39-642, nine TDs) are the leading receivers.

Defensively, Cooper Russell (6-5, 205, Sr.) has over 100 tackles. Volion and Turpin are tied for the team lead with three interceptions each. OCS, which only lost to Oak Grove, intercepted 18 passes.

Vermilion Catholic fields about half as many players as the Eagles, who have nearly 60 on the roster.

If you live in the Lafayette area, you’ve no doubt heard the name Jonathan Dartez mentioned. The senior quarterback rushed for 2,508 yards with a game-high 301 carries and 42 touchdowns. He can throw it too (1,600 yards, 22 TDs, two INT). Luke McLain added another 500 yards rushing.

Receivers Allen McLain and Hudson Hebert combined for about 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns. Jyrin Bessard, Ross Dartez, Matthew Mollere and William Simon all caught TD passes.

Both teams have an excellent coaching staff. Vermilion Catholic has a young former big school head coach in Brett Blakey (North Vermilion) as its defensive coordinator.

CHOOSE: Vermilion Catholic. This just seems to be his year. Let’s not forget that the Eagles lost to the OCS Eagles in the 2022 title game. The “Bayou-based Eagles” are hungry. VC’s offensive line has met every challenge this year, with Dartez regularly rushing for 200 yards. He rushed for nearly 400 yards in a win at Riverside Academy.

Thursday, December 11th – 3:30 p.m

This is a rematch from 15 years ago, won by the Tornado in a battle against natural disasters. The Hurricanes have not appeared in the title game since, while Haynesville finished second to Oak Grove in 2023.

According to Jimmy Watson of the Shreveport Times, Ethan Henderson and Donnie Critton each scored two points in Haynesville’s win over No. 12 General Trass last week. QB Isaiah Washington, Yasmin Meadors and Byruss Burns each added a point.

South Plaquemines and Haynesville (David Franklin) are both coached by alumni who won state championships as players at their schools. Lyle Fittte’s Hurricanes are led by QB Rod Parker (1,577 yards passing, 17 TDs), RB JyHeim Williams (102-1,049, 13 TDs) and receiver Alex Phillips (53-764, nine TDs). Parker (85 runs, 382, ​​9 TDs) has a feel for the end zone when the Canes are in the red zone.

CHOOSE: SOUTH PLAQUEMINES — Two of the state’s most storied prep football programs are finally meeting again. Before the three were combined to form South Plaquemines HS, Port Sulfur, Buras and Boothvillle-Venice all met Haynesville in classic late-round matchups.

If the Hurricanes can strike quickly and gain a lead, the Tornado could have a difficult time keeping up with the Wing-T offense.

Thursday, December 13th – 7 p.m

A third straight game featuring Blue Bloods programs from the South and the North? Yes, please.

St. James QB JaJuan Jackson doesn’t have freshman size (6-1, 205) and he didn’t play like one either. The scary thing is that the Wildcats will also be bringing back RB Kani King-Young and versatile WR/KR Jakias Villaneuva next year. Young scored the game-winner last week to avenge a loss to Union Parish in 2023

Sterlington has won eight of its last nine games, with its only loss coming against Union Parish. The Panthers produced two 100-yard rushers last week in Hagen Herring and Gaven Evans. Both have surpassed 1,000 yards this season. St. James knocked Sterlington, which has an excellent kicker in Aidan Parker, out of the playoffs in the 2023 semifinals.

CHOOSE: St. James – Villaneuva and King-Young are underrated 2026 prospects who can make it at any time. King-Young (5-9, 190) is getting rave reviews from those getting their first look at the RB. Our crystal ball shows Villaneuva returning a punt for the winning touchdown.