By Jerit Roser
Class 4A teams and players toppled decades-long title droughts and major state records alike during a historic 2024 football season.
The 2024 Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 4A All-State Team, selected by a panel of sports writers across the state, reflects the achievements of a momentous fall.
Leesville senior running back Xavier Ford earned Outstanding Offensive Player honors with his new state-record 3,467 yards and 52 touchdowns on 332 carries and 13 catches for another 239 yards and four scores.
The Wampus Cats’ star capped a prolific career with his biggest campaign yet to finish with high school totals of 8,592 yards and 120 touchdowns on 997 carries.
District 3-4A swept the top player awards as versatile Iowa senior Cohen Charles won Outstanding Defensive Player honors.
On defense, Charles finished with 159 tackles — including 109 solo stops, 13 tackles for loss, and two sacks — as well as 16 pass breakups, four interceptions, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.
He also carried the ball 82 times for 795 yards and 17 touchdowns, caught four passes for 65 yards and a touchdown, and returned three punts for scores.
Dennis Skains earned Coach of the Year honors after he, his staff, and his senior class helped lead Cecilia to its first state championship since 1995.
The Bulldogs navigated injuries during the regular season and four straight road playoff games as a No. 18 seed to reach the Division II Non-Select title game for the second straight year.
Once there, the resilient bunch overcame a late deficit to bring the trophy back to St. Martin Parish.
Division-II Select champion Archbishop Shaw, which won its first title since 1987, tied for the most all-state selections in Class 4A with three: senior leaders Jasper Parker and Jacob Washington on offense and sophomore budding star Rontrae Carter on defense.
Eighteen different schools were represented on the 29-player list.
LSWA CLASS 4A ALL-STATE CHART
OFFENSE
Pos Player School Ht Wt Cl
WR Jakai Anderson McDonogh 35 6-0 165 Jr.
WR Jacob Washington Shaw 6-4 175 Sr.
WR Jeremiah Bushnell Iowa 6-3 190 Jr.
OL Gresham Perry Teurlings Catholic 6-4 300 Sr.
OL Tommy Bower E.D. White 6-4 275 Sr.
OL Beau Webb Franklinton 6-3 255 Sr.
OL Jace Williams Assumption 6-1 280 Sr.
OL Nathan Dubroc North DeSoto 6-1 265 Jr.
QB Dezyrian Ellis Franklin Parish 6-2 175 Jr.
RB Xavier Ford Leesville 5-10 210 Sr.
RB Jaylon Coleman Vandebilt Catholic 5-9 160 Sr.
RB Tyrese Mosby Plaquemine 5-8 185 Sr.
PK Ty Powell E.D. White 6-4 175 Sr.
ATH Jasper Parker Shaw 6-2 185 Sr.
DEFENSE
Pos Player School Ht Wt Cl
DL Jeremiah Griffith Wossman 5-11 175 Sr.
DL Paul Boudreaux Vandebilt Catholic 5-10 200 Sr.
DL Reshad Sterling Lutcher 6-3 235 Sr.
DL Keith Newsome McDonogh 35 6-2 210 Sr.
LB Luke Jones West Ouachita 6-0 195 Sr.
LB Charlie Diedrich E.D. White 6-1 220 Jr.
LB Dy’Traevous Lively Westgate 5-11 210 Sr.
LB Ke’Sean Hines Wossman 6-1 225 Sr.
DB Brent Gordon Cecilia 6-0 180 Sr.
DB Rontrae Carter Shaw 6-0 170 So.
DB Cohen Charles Iowa 6-0 170 Sr.
DB Jakobie Anderson McDonogh 35 6-0 170 Sr.
P Cameron Ott Assumption 6-1 175 Sr.
ATH Brian Broussard St. Thomas More 5-10 170 Sr.
RS Diesel Solari Cecilia 5-8 171 Sr.
OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER: XAVIER FORD, LEESVILLE
OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER: COHEN CHARLES, IOWA
COACH OF THE YEAR: DENNIS SKAINS, CECILIA
Honorable mention
Travis Adams, Tioga; Corey Amos, Opelousas; D.J. Anders, Franklinton; Tashod Badon, Pearl River; Ethan Baer, St. Thomas More; Grant Barbera, E.D. White; Savion Barthelemy, Belle Chasse; Dre Bernard, Washington-Marion; Ben Brewer, Loyola; Roderick Bingham, Plaquemine; Christian Blackmon, Northwood-Shreveport; Braylon Calais, Cecilia; Henry Cardenas, Shaw; Jeremiah Coleman, Istrouma; Jacob Crain, Franklinton; Jordan Cunningham, Southwood; Kaleb Daniels, Teurlings Catholic; Luke Delafield, North DeSoto; Jac Ebarb, Loyola; D’Shaun Ford, Opelousas; Kyle Gegenheimer, Lakeshore; Tavias Gordon, Westgate; Jayden Hagger, Tioga; Landon Hammond, Opelousas; Brandon Henderson, Woodlawn-Shreveport; D’Andre Herron, Leesville; T.J. Hullaby, Peabody; Leesville, Davian Jackson, Westgate; Rylan James, Loranger; Dylan Johnson, Wossman; Kyran Johnson, Northwood-Shreveport; Reece Jones, Lakeshore; Devin Joseph, Loranger; Matthew Lee, West Ouachita; Adam LaMark, Shaw; Chaz Martinez, North DeSoto; DK Mitchell, Booker T. Washington-Shreveport; Gabe Mocek, St. Thomas More; Jaylen O’Neal, Booker T. Washington-Shreveport; Vito Odom, Douglass; M.J. Owens, West Ouachita; Jacob Pajinag, Leesville; Kyree Paul, Istrouma; Marcus Palmer, Woodlawn-Shreveport; Terrance Pitre, South Lafourche; Jack Purser, Teurlings Catholic; Zack Malveaux, Opelousas; Demetrius Robinson, Minden; Darryon Simmons, Istrouma; John Sneed, Northwood-Shreveport; Trenajh Smith, South Terrebonne; Justin Thomas, Northwood-Shreveport; Kenny Thomas, North DeSoto; Uriah Wade, DeRidder; Jordan Veal, Peabody; Jacques Vicknair, St. Charles; Johnathan Walker Jr., Iowa; Carl Williams, Franklin Parish; Mason Wilson, Shaw; John Walker, Plaquemine; Kylin Wheeler, Rayne; Quintin Wilson, Woodlawn-Shreveport.