Predicting Day 1 of the Louisiana High School Football State Championships

In a few short days, the 2024 Louisiana high school football season will be in the rearview mirror, and we’ll be reduced to making posts like “90 days until fall camp!”

With that in mind, let’s take a moment to savor what’s been a terrific season with comeback stories such as the trio of Central-BR players who were sidelined by an accident just prior to Week One and have now returned to lead the Wildcats to their first Superdome Classic appearance. More on that game, which will be played Saturday, later….

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

Thursday, December 11 – 12 PM

OCS wasn’t supposed to be here. This was the northeast Louisiana powerhouse’s down year, at least in terms of seeding. Oh 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 score the winning TD in the semifinals at No. 2 Ascension Catholic, it’s not a shocker to see the Eagles upset undefeated No. 3 Covenant Christian and the Bulldogs.

Vidrine, a junior, has passed for nearly 2,300 yards with 25 TDs and five interceptions. He only has 141 yards but has rushed for 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 apiece. OCS, which only lost to Oak Grove, has picked off 18 passes.

Vermilion Catholic dresses out approximately half the number of players as the Eagles, who list nearly 60 on the roster. 

If you reside in the Lafayette area, you’ve undoubtedly seen Jonathan Dartez’s name mentioned. The senior quarterback has rushed for 2,508 yards on a workmanlike 301 carries with 42 TDs. He can throw it, too (1,600 yards, 22 TDs, two INT). Luke McLain has added another 500 yards rushing.

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

Both teams have tremendous coaching staffs. Vermilion Catholic has a  young former large school head coach as its defensive coordinator in Brett Blakey (North Vermilion). 

PICK: Vermilion Catholic. This just seems like its year. Let’s not forget, 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 running for 200 yards. He went for nearly 400 yards in a win at Riverside Academy. 

Thursday, Dec. 11 – 3:30 PM

This is a rematch from 15 years ago won by the Tornado in a battle of natural disasters. The Hurricanes haven’t been back to the title game since, while Haynesville finished as 2023 runner-up to Oak Grove.

Ethan Henderson and Donnie Critton ran for two scores apiece last week in Haynesville’s blowout of No. 12 General Trass, according to Jimmy Watson of The Shreveport Times. QB Isaiah Washington, Yasmin Meadors and Byruss Burns each added a score. 

South Plaquemines and Haynesville (David Franklin) are both coached by alums 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 carries,382, 9 TDs)  has a nose for the end zone when the Canes are in the red zone.

PICK: South Plaquemines – Two of the state’s most storied prep football programs finally meet again. Before the three were consolidated into South Plaquemines HS, Port Sulphur, Buras and Boothvillle-Venice all faced Haynesville in classic late round matchups. 

If the Hurricanes can strike quickly and get a lead, the Tornado could be in trouble playing catchup with the Wing-T offense. 

Thurs., Dec. 13 – 7 PM

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 hasn’t performed like one, either. The scary thing is the Wildcats will also return RB Kani King-Young and versatile WR/KR Jakias Villaneuva next year. Young scored the game-winner last week to avenge a 2023 loss to Union Parish

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

PICK: St. James – Villaneuva and King-Young are underrated 2026 prospects who can take it the distance anytime. King-Young (5-9, 190) is getting rave reviews from those getting their first glimpse of the RB. Our crystal ball has Villaneuva returning a punt for the winning TD.