The best 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 JT Lindsey in the LHSAA’s Division I Select final earlier this month.
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.
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.
Joining him on the All-State first team was his junior ASH teammate, linebacker Xzavier White. They were the offensive and defensive MVPs on the Rapides Parish Journal’s All-Parish Team announced Friday. White, the Trojans’ middle linebacker, piled up an astonishing 188 tackles with 15 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and 13 QB hurries.
Two Trojans were honorable mention All-State, Jakobi Morris and Darius Washington. Morris, the right guard for ASH, was a powerful run blocker for Lindsey and was selected to the All-Parish and District 2-5A all-district first teams. Washington was the Trojans’ leading receiver with 59 receptions for 826 yards and 14 touchdowns, and was also All-Parish.
ASH played at the Caesars Superdome for the first time in an LHSAA title game. The Trojans previously advanced to the Prep Classic and lost on a failed two-point conversion to Acadiana when it was played at Northwestern in Natchitoches in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic.
Adams, voted the Outstanding Defensive Player for the 5A team, 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 ASH 53-8 in the LHSAA Division I select final.
Simoneaux coached Central to its first football state championship in 58 years. The Wildcats dominated Ruston 42-0 in the final. 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
Position, 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 JT 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
Position, 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, Central6-5, 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: JT 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; Darell 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; Carmaro 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.