Alexandria Senior High’s Amyrion Mingo was chosen on the Class 5A All-State football team selected by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association and announced over the holiday weekend.
Mingo began the season at receiver but flipped to cornerback early on as the Trojans shored up their biggest weakness. The senior finished the season with 27 tackles, a team-leading three interceptions and 11 pass breakups while earning first-team all-district in District 2-5A. Mingo still caught 19 passes for 204 yards and four TDs in limited offensive action.
Three more Trojans made honorable mention: Jason Blackwell, Jeremiah Jeffers-Wright, and J.T. Lindsey.
Blackwell, the Trojans’ senior free safety, battled injuries all season but still was a first-team all-district selection in District 2-5A and finished with 76 tackles, four pass breakups, one fumble recovery and one interception returned for a TD.
The anchor in the middle of the ASH defensive line, Jeffers-Wright was a District 2-5A first-team selection and finished with 70 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, two sacks and 10 QB hurries.
Lindsey transitioned from backup to starter with no problem and turned in the most rushing yards by a Trojan during the Thomas Bachman era. A first-team selection in District 2-5A, he finished the season with a parish-leading 1,587 yards on 272 carries for an average of 5.8 yards per carry and scored 23 rushing touchdowns. Lindsey also caught 11 passes for 142 yards and three TDs.
Catholic High-Baton Rouge quarterback Daniel Beale and Ruston linebacker Jadon Mayfield earned top honors on the team.
Beale and Mayfield were selected as the All-State Offensive and Defensive players of the year, respectively, after each helped his school win an LHSAA championship. Each was a returning all-state player.
Dutchtown’s Guy Mistretta earned Coach of the Year after he guided the school to the first semifinal appearance in school history.
Beale led Catholic to the Division I select championship with 2,974 yards passing and 39 touchdowns. He completed 213 of 338 passes and had just eight interceptions. In the state final, Beale completed 18 of 26 passes for 360 yards and four touchdowns as Catholic defeated Acadiana 55-31. The UL commitment completed his four-year varsity career with more than 8,400 yards passing and 105 touchdowns.
Mayfield spearheaded the Ruston defense as the Bearcats won a state championship for the first time since 1990 after they reached the state final for a second year in a row. Ruston defeated Zachary 31-17 in the state final. Mayfield had 12 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two tackles.
The District 2-5A defensive MVP ended the season with 116 tackles, 16 for loss, six sacks and one fumble recovery.
Mistretta coached a Dutchtown team that won 11 games, reached the state semifinal and clinched share of the district title with an 8-1 regular-season mark.
2023 Class 5A All-State football team
OFFENSE
Pos. Player, School Ht. Wt. Cl.
WR Jarvis Davis, Airline 5-10 160 Jr.
WR Trey’Dez Green, Zachary 6-7 230 Sr.
WR TaRon Francis, Edna Karr 6-2 205 Jr.
OL Devin Harper, Captain Shreve 6-6 295 Jr.
OL Joseph Cryer, Natchitoches Central 6-4 290 Sr.
OL Nate Green, West Monroe 6-5 310 Sr.
OL Kavion Broussard, Zachary 6-6 280 Sr.
OL Bryce Godfrey, John Curtis 6-3 280 Sr.
QB Daniel Beale, Catholic-BR 6-1 195 Sr.
RB Jordan Hayes, Ruston 5-9 160 Jr.
RB Cashmire Batiste, Carencro 5-9 175 Sr.
RB Nate Sheppard, Mandeville 5-11 180 Jr.
K Aeron Burrell, Parkway 6-2 180 Sr.
ATH Koby Young, Holy Cross 6-1 182 Sr.
DEFENSE
DL Talan Bingham, Terrebonne 6-2 235 Sr.
DL Geordan Guidrey, Ruston 6-3 260 Sr.
DL Dominick McKinley, Acadiana 6-7 280 Sr.
DL Corey Adams, Edna Kar 6-4 265 Jr.
LB Jadon Mayfield, Ruston 6-0 228 Sr.
LB Shamarius Harris, Acadiana 5-11 215 Sr.
LB Kolaj Cobbins, Destrehan 6-3 215 Sr.
LB Tah’j Butler, Edna Karr 6-2 225 Sr.
DB Aidan Anding, Ruston 6-0 165 Jr.
DB Carter Hanberry, Dutchtown 6-0 200 Sr.
DB EJ McDonald, Captain Shreve 6-2 180 Sr.
DB Anthony Robinson, Destrehan 6-1 190 Sr.
P John Chance, Captain Shreve 6-1 200 Sr.
RS Jaden Bardales, Walker 5-8 150 Sr.
ATH Amyrion Mingo, ASH 5-11 170 Sr.
Outstanding Offensive Player: Daniel Beale, Catholic-BR
Outstanding Defensive Player: Jadon Mayfield, Ruston
Coach of the Year: Guy Mistretta, Dutchtown
Honorable mention: Jason Blackwell, Alexandria Senior High; Jeremiah Jeffers-Wright, Alexandria Senior High; J.T. Lindsey, Alexandria Senior High; Bob Patterson, Airline; Ben Taylor, Airline; Sincere Walker, Airline; Greg Manning, Benton; Jamarion Otis, Captain Shreve; L.J. Prudhomme, Captain Shreve; Camryn Davis, Natchitoches Central; Russell Babineaux, Acadiana; Jackson Hammond, Acadiana; Ezekiel Hypolite, Acadiana; Jadon Weber, Brother Martin; Ervin Smith, Catholic-BR; Brooks Wright, Catholic-BR; Chantz Babineaux, Carencro; Kameron Cyprien, Carencro; Kevin Jefferson, Chalmette; Jaden Williams, Chalmette; Dashawn McBryde, Denham Springs; Arrington Adams, Destrehan; Jackson Fields, Destrehan; Jayce Mitchell, Destrehan; Lakedrin Harvey, Dutchtown; Diego Spears, Dutchtown; Richard Anderson, Edna Karr; Edward Brown, Edna Karr; Rahji Dennis, Edna Karr; Sebastian Miller, Fontainebleau; Cole Canatella, Holy Cross; Nick DiGerolamo, Holy Cross; Krosse Johnson, Holy Cross; Dagan Bruno, John Curtis; Zachary Drake, John Curtis; Michael Turner, John Curtis; Edis Chavez, John Ehret; Khayree Lee, John Ehret; Wardell Mack, John Ehret; Kyle Williams, Northshore; Kristian Doyle, Ouachita; Bishop Davis, Ponchatoula; Jaidyn Martin, Rummel; Semaj Jones, Ruston; Sam Nations, Ruston; Zhy Scott, Ruston; Jahkeem Stewart, St. Augustine; Cayden Arnold, St. Paul’s; Cale Daigle, St. Paul’s; Drew Talley, St. Paul’s; J.D. Lafleur, Sulphur; Kylan Billiot, Terrebonne; Jayce Johnson, Terrebonne; Jalil Mathews, Terrebonne; Jamari Evans, Walker; Chris Dade, West Monroe; Hayden Federico, West Monroe; Collin Watkins, West Monroe; Tyson George, Zachary; Stetson Bell, Zachary; Kam Peterson, Zachary; Kameron Thomas, Zachary.