By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
Winning state championships is tradition for the Peabody boys basketball team, and so is recognition on the Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-State teams.
There was plenty for Peabody to celebrate when this year’s Class 4A All-State lists were announced. Four Peabody student-athletes, including girls standout McKayla Jones, were in the spotlight, and so was one Peabody graduate.
One other parish competitor got All-State recognition. Tioga’s Naomi Dishmon joined Jones on the 4A girls All-State honorable mention list.
On the boys team, two Warhorses made second-team All-State: senior Malachi Anderson and freshman Corey Blake Jr.
Peabody’s other senior, Devontre Sword, was an honorable mention choice.
And former player Troy Jones was the boys 4A state coach of the year – not his mentor and still current Peabody coach Charles Smith, who won his 10th state title with a team that finished 31-1 after blowing out Northside in the state finals 82-61, the third romp over the Vikings in 2025-26.
Jones, who won two state championships (2010, 2012) for Smith as a player at Peabody, helped Northside (Lafayette) to its first appearance in the state championship since 2014.
Despite entering the LHSAA Division II select state playoffs as a No. 12 seed, Northside made a surprising charge to the state finals, winning at No. 5 Lake Charles Prep 66-65 in the regionals and defeated No. 13 St. Michael-Baton Rouge 66-55 in the quarterfinals. The Vikings upset No. 1 Madison Prep 65-61 in the semifinals to advance to the state finals.
Peabody was led by Blake, a 6-2 guard, with a 15-point scoring average. Anderson, a 6-5 post player, scored 13 per game.
Sword was the Warhorses’ top scorer in both state tournament wins, getting 19 in the semifinals as Peabody ended the game on a 10-1 run for a 52-48 edge over hometown favorite Washington-Marion in Lake Charles, and posting 20 in the championship contest. He was named the Division II Select Tournament MVP.
All-State teams are compiled by a 12-member committee from around the state, comprised of LSWA members who cover high school sports. Local sportswriter LaMar Gafford is the Cenla representative. Two five-person teams are chosen in basketball, along with honorable mention selections.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com