Emery Wirtz and Derrick Tezeno have achieved a lot during their high school careers.
Both won championships, both have carried their teams to the LHSAA tournament multiple times and also are returning Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 1A All-State selections.
This season, Wirtz and Tezeno cap their accomplished careers as the Outstanding Players on the LSWA’s 2020-21 Class 1A All-State teams.
Wirtz led Ouachita Christian to its first state title by averaging 17 points and eight rebounds per game, while Tezeno carried North Central to a fourth straight LHSAA Marsh Madness tournament with averages of 26 points, 12 rebounds five assists and two steals.
Two District 7-1A coaches, East Iberville’s Mark Temple and White Castle’s Dawan Carter, were selected as the Coach of the Year recipients. Temple’s EIHS team won the school’s first girls basketball; Carter’s Bulldogs were the 1A runners-up to Arcadia.
Temple’s five-year journey of building East Iberville into a contender was fulfilled in a comeback victory over Northwood-Lena in the title game. Carter, an alumnus and longtime assistant, became the Bulldogs’ coach in over the summer and led them to their first title game since 2018.
Wirtz was joined on the first team by Cedar Creek junior Sarah Adams (21.0 PPG), Highland Baptist senior Marin Barras (25.0 PPG), East Iberville senior Dedricka Wilson (20.0 PPG) and Haynesville senior Marissa Tell (19.0 PPG).
Opelousas Catholic senior Keon Coleman (33.5 PPG), Calvary Baptist senior Daniel Ortiz (23.0 PPG), Crescent City senior Kurt LaBeaud (17.1 PPG) and Riverside Academy senior Gage Larvadain (27.5 PPG).
LSWA CLASS 1A TEAM
(Players from Acadiana area in bold)
BOYS
First Team
Derrick Tezeno North Central 6-6 Sr. 26.0
Keon Coleman Opelousas Catholic 6-4 Sr. 33.5
Daniel Ortiz Calvary 6-0 Sr. 23.0
Curt LeBeaud Crescent City 5-11 Sr. 17.1
Gage Larvadain Riverside 6-1 Sr. 27.5
Second Team
Labree Williams Jr. Calvary 6-6 Jr. 15.0
Jaqualon Crane Arcadia 6-0 Sr. 15.0
Kevin Martin White Castle 6-1 Sr. 12.0
Xane Hunter Country Day 5-10 Sr. 16.5
D.J. Lewis Central Catholic 6-5 Sr. 19.2
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: DERRICK TEZENO, NORTH CENTRAL
COACH OF THE YEAR: DAWAN CARTER, WHITE CASTLE
HONORABLE MENTION: Seth Brown, St. Frederick; Ivan Clark, Tensas; Jamarcus Deculus, Delhi; Mason Russell, Hamilton Christian; Demarcus Jack, Elton; Tyler Young, Grand Lake; Tyler Smith, Central Catholic; Eric Washington, Delhi; Bud Holloway, Oak Grove; Reginald Stoner, North Central; Alex Broussard, Vermilion Catholic; D’Anthony Kimble, Homer; Takeviuntae Kidd, Homer; Tyler Jefferson, Arcadia; Jervonte Greene, White Castle; John Kelly, Crescent City; Omarion Layssard, Northwood-Lena; Randarius Morris, Northwood-Lena.
GIRLS
First Team
Emery Wirtz Ouachita Christian 5-10 Sr. 17.0
Sarah Adams Cedar Creek 5-6 Jr. 21.0
Marin Barras Highland Baptist 5-10 Sr. 25.0
Dedreka Wilson East Iberville 5-9 Sr. 20.0
Marissa Tell Haynesville 6-1 Sr. 19.0
Second Team
Avery Hopkins Ouachita Christian 5-7 Jr. 15.0
Ya’Jaia Goudeau North Central 5-11 Jr. 28.0
Madison Mahfouz Merryville 5-9 Sr. 21.7
Vici Woods Elton 6-1 Sr. 24.0
Ayleyah Winn Northwood-Lena 5-8 Sr. 16.0
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: EMERY WIRTZ, OUACHITA CHRISTIAN
COACH OF THE YEAR: MARK TEMPLE, EAST IBERVILLE
HONORABLE MENTION: Ariana Victor, Merryville; Taylor Gordon, East Iberville; Jayden Ellerman, Ouachita Christian; Ashanta May, Delhi; Tishanti Anderson, Oak Grove; Conleigh Laseter, Ouachita Christian; Riley Spradlin, Cedar Creek; Katelyn Harrison, North Central; J’Nyria Kelly, St. John; A’Myrie Foulcard, Hanson Memorial; Laurielle Bias, Central Catholic; Tiyan Heard, Lincoln Prep.