By Rodrick Anderson
Written for the LSWA
Hamilton Christian’s Javon Vital displayed skills beyond his years while leading the Warriors to their first LHSAA championship. Southern Lab’s Shaila Forman battled back from injury to close her high school career with another LHSAA title.
Though their individual stories are different, the players now share a common bond. They were selected as the Outstanding Player award winners on the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 1A all-state teams.
Forman missed her junior season with an ACL injury but pushed through recovery in time for her senior season and led the Kittens to their third LHSAA championship in four seasons.
Forman, a Lamar University signee, averaged 22 points, five rebounds and two assists. The Division IV select title-game MVP scored, she scored 24 points in the final as Southern Lab beat Cedar Creek 67-57.
Only a sophomore, Vital was the lynchpin to the Warriors’ first state title in program history. In the other Division IV select final, Vital earned title-game MVP honors with 20 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and three steals. In the Warriors’ semifinal win over Crescent City, the 5-foot-9 multi-sport athlete posted a triple-double with 16 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds.
Vital was hard to stop. Even when teams would converge on him in the lane, he had the vision to find his teammates. He averaged 15.5 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals with six triple-doubles.
Hamilton Christian’s Dexter Washington and Lakeview’s Dewaskie Fuller are the 1A boys and girls Coach of the Year respectively.
After several great seasons over the last six years, including a five-point loss to Oakdale in the finals in 2023, Fuller led the Gators to their first state championship. The Gators (30-4) finished the season on a 22-game win streak and beat Arcadia 38-34 to win the Non-select Division IV title.
Washington also led the Warriors to their first state championship on their seventh trip to Marsh Madness since 2017. Five years after Hurricane Laura heavily damaged their school and lost several potential starters leading up to this season, the Warriors went 20-7 and beat postseason rival Southern Lab 61-58 in the Select Division IV state championship game.
LSWA CLASS 1A ALL-STATE CHARTS
Boys
First team
Player School Ht Cl Pts
Brayden Brown, Southern Lab 6-0 Sr. 16.3
Benjamin Case, Central Catholic 6-1 Sr. 25.2
Dwight Magee, Crescent City 5-9 Jr. 28.7
Trey Spann, Lincoln Prep 6-0 Jr. 19.8
Javon Vital, Hamilton Christian 5-9 So. 16.0
Second team
Player School Ht Cl Avg
Chad Elzy, Ascension Catholic 5-9 Sr. 16.8
Seth Ned, Hamilton Christian 5-10 Sr. 19.5
Jamarcus Reliford, Lakeview 6-1 Sr. 13.6
Daylon Telsee, Lakeview 5-5 Jr. 13.9
Jake Terry, Cedar Creek 6-2 Jr. 17.0
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: JAVON VITAL, HAMILTON CHRISTIAN
COACH OF THE YEAR: DEXTER WASHINGTON, HAMILTON CHRISTIAN
Honorable mention
Jyrin Bessard, Vermilion Catholic; Tyler Green, East Iberville; Parker Jennings, Central Catholic; Tae’Shawn Jones, Centerville; DJ Kelly, Ascension Episcopal; Charles LaGarde-Leblanc, Southern Lab; Latney Lasyone, Montgomery; Nathan Neal, St. Frederick; Lawrence Pickney, JS Clark; Bailey Streams, Covenant Christian; Landon Tinsley, Northwood-Lena; Jaden Ward, Jeanerette.
Girls
First team
Player School Ht Cl Avg
Avery Ryan, Cedar Creek 6-2 Jr. 12.6
Timberlyn Washington, Lakeview 5-4 Sr. 19.0
Shaila Forman, Southern Lab 5-10 Sr. 22.0
Asia Patin, Southern Lab 5-6 Jr. 14.0
DeAsia Alexander, Arcadia 5-10 So. 16.0
Second team
Player School Ht Cl Avg
Da’Zya Johnson, Lakeview 5-11 Sr. 13.0
Cambrieion Link, White Castle 5-5 Sr. 24.0
Jade Oliney, Central Catholic 5-6 Sr. 20.4
Garri Lawson, St. Martin’s 5-8 Jr. 22.5
Taylor Barnaba, J.S. Clark 5-2 Jr. 16.4
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: SHAILA FORMAN, SOUTHERN LAB
COACH OF THE YEAR: DEWASKIE FULLER, LAKEVIEW
Honorable mention
Milah Ballou, Hamilton Christian; Ali Broussard, Vermilion Catholic; Jamya Cain, Southern Lab; Maddie Carey, Covenant Christian; Madison Clarke, Highland Baptist; Avery Cournoyer, Merryville; Caroline Galliano, Covenant Christian; Jordan Gleason, Central Catholic; Caroline Laverne, St. Edmund; Megan Manuel, Oberlin; Ashleyn Odom, St. Frederick; Anna Pinter, Catholic-PC; Kelsey Robinson, White Castle; Kori Wesley, Southern Lab; Miranda Williams, Merryville.