By Christopher Dabe
The top offensive and defensive players from Class 5A high schools faced each other in a state championship game, with Edna Karr defensive lineman Corey Adams celebrating with teammates after defeating an Alexandria Senior High team led by running back J.T. Lindsey in the LHSAA’s Division I select final.
Another state final included the state’s top 5A coach, as selected by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association: David Simoneaux of Division I non-select champion Central. A panel of sportswriters from across the state selected the team.
Adams, voted the Outstanding Defensive Player for the 5A team, played on a Karr defense that included fellow first teamers Richard Anderson and Aiden Hall.
The Ole Miss signee completed his senior season with 47 solo tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, 20 quarterback hurries, one interception, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Undefeated Karr won the Catholic League for the third year in a row, and District 9-5A coaches selected the 6-foot-4, 250-pound Adams as the district defensive MVP.
His efforts helped Karr win its first state championship since 2019 and its seventh overall, as Karr overwhelmed Alexandria 53-8 in the LHSAA Division I select final.
For Alexandria, the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Lindsey was picked as the LSWA 5A Outstanding Offensive Player after compiling 2,476 yards and 33 touchdowns on 324 carries. He also had 18 receptions for 248 yards and three TDs. The LSU signee ran for 100 yards in 13 of the 14 games, coming up two yards short in the one other game. He topped 200 yards six times.
Alexandria played at the Caesars Superdome for the first time in an LHSAA title game. The Trojans previously advanced to the Prep Classic when it was played at Northwestern State in Natchitoches in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic.
Simoneaux coached Central to its first football state championship in 58 years. The Wildcats dominated Ruston 42-0 in the final. Central began the season without three players who were injured in a car crash the day before the team’s first game.
The Wildcats started the season with a 6-0 record and finished 13-1. The title was Simoneaux’s second. He coached Catholic-Baton Rouge to a Division I select title in 2021. He also previously coached Catholic-Pointe Coupee to a title game in 2019.
LSWA CLASS 5A ALL-STATE CHART
OFFENSE
Pos player school ht. wt cl.
WR Kenny Darby, Airline, 6-1, 175, Jr.
WR TaRon Francis, Edna Karr, 6-1, 205, Sr.
TE Ahmad Hudson, Ruston, 6-7, 230, So.
OL Ervin Smith, Catholic-BR, 6-2, 285, Sr.
OL Lionel Prudhomme, Captain Shreve, 6-3, 295, Sr.
OL O’Ryan Mosely, Terrebonne, 6-3, 295, Jr.
OL Sam Nations, Ruston, 6-2, 287, Sr.
OL Leon Noil, Edna Karr, 6-4, 275, Jr.
QB Ben Taylor, Airline, 6-1, 185, Sr.
RB J.T. Lindsey, Alexandria, 5-11, 185, Sr.
RB Nate Sheppard, Mandeville, 5-10, 190, Sr.
RB Jamarcea Plater, Captain Shreve, 5-9, 180, Jr.
PK Asher Murray, C.E. Byrd, 5-11, 160, Jr.
ATH Peyton Houston, Evangel Christian, 5-11, 185, So.
DEFENSE
Pos player school ht. wt cl.
DL Corey Adams, Edna Karr, 6-4, 250, Sr.
DL Richard Anderson, Edna Karr, 6-4, 320, Jr.
DL DK Mays, Central,6-5, 255, Sr.
DL Dylan Berymon, Ouachita, 6-3, 305, Jr.
LB KD Mays, Central, 6-0, 195, Sr.
LB Zheric Hill, Ruston, 6-0, 220, Sr.
LB Xzavier White, Alexandria, 6-1, 220, Jr.
LB Damari Drake, Evangel, 6-0, 215, Sr.
DB Jayden Reed, Neville, 5-11, 175, Jr.
DB Aidan Anding, Ruston, 6-0, 170, Jr.
DB Jacob Bradford, Catholic-Baton Rouge, 5-11, 190, Sr.
DB Aiden Hall, Edna Karr, 6-2, 185, Jr.
P Creighton Wilbanks, Mandeville, 5-10, 170, Sr.
ATH Keeman Thibodeaux, Acadiana, 5-9, 175, Sr.
RS Ja’den Williams, Chalmette, 5-9, 160, Sr.
OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER: J.T. Lindsey, Alexandria
OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Corey Adams, Karr
COACH OF THE YEAR: David Simoneaux, Central
Honorable mention
Eric Anderson, Chalmette; Cole Austin, Benton; Chantz Babineaux, Carencro; Russel Babineaux, Acadiana; Drew Bailey, Sam Houston; Ayden Baker, Airline; Juelz Baptiste, St. Augustine; Payton Bell, Ruston; Taden Bingham, Terrebonne; Brayden Blade, Neville; Arsenio Bolds, Edna Karr; Chris Bourg, Jesuit; Blaine Bradford, Catholic-BR; Jiwaun Brock, Covington; Joshua Brown, Holy Cross; Xavier Brown, John Curtis; Julian Burns, Neville; Thomas Campbell, Neville; Alvin Celestin, Terrebonne; Wydell Clark, Ouachita; Derrick Collins, Southside; Darrell Cottonham, C.E. Byrd; Jeffrey Curtis, John Curtis; Malachi Dabney, Destrehan; Jarvis Davis, Airline; Trez Davis, West Monroe; Caden DiBetta, Acadiana; Nick DiGerolamo, Holy Cross; CJ Dudley, Parkway; Kaleb Duncan, Evangel; Luke Dutil, Southside; Jack Elliot, Ruston; Zyron Forstall, Jesuit; Jax Gallier, Parkway; Ty George, West Monroe; Rida Ghazzali, Riverdale; Myd Gilbert, Destrehan; Syre Gilmore, St. Augustine; Jaxson Granier, Thibodaux; Sam Greer, C.E. Byrd; Jordan Hayes, Ruston; Caden Heck, Covington; Royuan Jackson, Huntington; Jacob Jeffrey, Hahnville; Lester Johnson, Rummel; Cayden Jones, Walker; John Johnson, Edna Karr; Jamard Jones, Rummel; Bennan Keim, St. Paul’s; Dan Lane, West Monroe; Luke Leger, Barbe; Jabari Mack, Destrehan; Nate Malek, Brother Martin; Camaro Mayo, Parkway; Darryus McKinley, Acadiana; Zaccheaus McNabb, Central Lafourche; Noel Mora, Holy Cross; Jakobi Morris, Alexandria; Malik Myles, H.L. Bourgeois; Jaylon Nichols, Neville; Drew Poche, East Jefferson; Dylan Post, St. Paul’s; Steven Ranel, Central; Chase Ravain, St. Paul’s; Tyler Roark, West Monroe; Warren Roberts, St. Augustine; Easton Royal, Brother Martin; Cam Riley, Neville; Davekio Ruffin, Zachary; Braxton Scriber, Acadiana; Ramon Singleton, Southside; Calvin Smith, Hahnville; Daejawn Smith, Edna Karr; Drew Talley, St. Paul’s; Norman Taylor, Rummel; Keeman Thibodeaux, Acadiana; Parker Todd, West Monroe; JQ Turner, West Monroe; Witten Van Hoy, Benton; Thomas Vaughn, Warren Easton; Brennan Villa, St. Paul’s; Darius Washington, Alexandria; Jamarion Washington, Huntington; Jadon Weber, Brother Martin; Tyler Welch, Huntington; Zane Wyss, Captain Shreve.