Louisiana high school football Top 25 rankings (11/1/2023)

No. 2 St. Thomas More has showdown this week with No. 5 Lafayette Christian

It seems like we just got started with football season, right? 

Well, it always passes quickly. The bad news is that the regular season comes to an end this week.

The good news is that the "second season," the postseason, is upon us. But, first things first. There are colossal district showdowns on the schedule this week.

Some, such as John Curtis Christian vs. Edna Karr, aren't for a district title, although there are multiple storylines surrounding that New Orleans metro area matchup.

In the Lafayette area, St. Thomas More meets Lafayette Christian to settle District 4-4A once and for all. Of course, that game is also a rematch of last year's thrilling Division II select state title game.

There are also intriguing non-district games, such as Carencro at Archbishop Shaw and Iowa and Cecilia.

Again, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. The first order of business is to rank the overall Top 25 heading to Week 10. 

Louisiana high school football computer rankings (10/31/2023)

1. Edna Karr, 8-0 (previous rank: 1) LHSAA Power Rating - Division I select No. 2

The Cougars rallied from a fourth-quarter deficit to clinch the Catholic League championship with a 39-31 win over Archbishop Rummel in Hammond. 2025 LSU receiver commit TaRon Francis caught nine passes for 107 yards and two TDs, according to nola.com's Josh Preston.

Francis also set up another score with an 81-yard kick return. Karr trailed by margins of 30-27, 24-20 and 17-13 during the game.

Next: vs. John Curtis Christian (6-2)

2. St. Thomas More, 9-0 (previous rank: 2) LHSAA Power Rating - Division II select No. 1

The Cougars got out to a 21-0 lead in their 31-21 win at Westgate. The Tigers trimmed the deficit to 21-14 in the second half before the Cougars got a field goal to make it a two-score game. Sam Altmann passed for 167 yards with two TDs - both to Landon Strother, who caught six passes for 101 yards. John Luke St. Pierre carried eight times for 55 yards and a TD. Hutch Swilley ran for 76 yards on 10 carries with a TD.

Swilley has carried 70 times for 563 yards and nine TDs this season. St. Pierre has rushed for 447 yards on 75 carries with six TDs. Gabe Mocek has 31 carries for 250 yards and seven scores.

Next: at No. 5 Lafayette Christian (8-1)

3. Destrehan, 9-0 (previous rank: 4) LHSAA Power Rating - Division I non-select No. 6

The Wildcats secured their state's best 23rd straight victory by defeating East St. John, 23-13. East St. John held a 10-7 lead before a Ryan Lacy field goal evened it up, according to Clyde Verdin of nola.com.

Destrehan quarterback Jackson Fields passed for 144 yards and a TD and ran for 46 yards with a score. Tailback Shane Lee rushed for 89 yards on 10 carries.

Next: at Thibodaux (4-4)

4. Ruston, 9-0 (previous rank: 5) LHSAA Power Rating - Division I non-select No. 1

The Bearcats disposed of Ouachita Parish, 49-7. Jordan Hayes rushed for 137 yards on 11 carries and three TDs, according to Matt Belinson of the Ruston Daily Leader. Quarterback Joshua Brantley completed 5-of-6 passes for 99 yards and a TD and rushed for 95 yards and a score.

Next: at West Monroe (8-1)

5. Lafayette Christian, 8-1 (previous rank: 6) LHSAA Power Rating - Division II select No. 2

The Knights scored 42 first-half points en route to a 56-7 rout of North Vermilion. Jalen Noel rushed for 130 yards on seven carries with a TD. LSU commit Ju'Juan Johnson completed 11-of-13 passes for 215 yards and five TDs to five different receivers. TJ Marzell caught three passes for 100 yards and a score.

According to LCA statistician Hayden Lessard, the Knights' first-team defense has limited its last three opponents to a total of 184 yards.

Next: vs. No. 2 St. Thomas More (9-0)

6. Zachary, 8-0 (previous rank: 7) LHSAA Power Rating - Division I non-select No. 4

The Broncos hammered Liberty Magnet, 54-16. No other details were available. Quarterback Hudson Spangler came into the game with 969 yards passing and 12 TDs with one interception. Spangler has shared time with Caleb Gonzales.

Tyson George had 32 catches for 561 yards and six TDs. LSU tight end commit Trey'Dez Green had 27 catches for 540 yards and six TDs.

Next: at No. 15 Catholic-Baton Rouge (7-2)

7. Calvary Baptist, 9-0 (previous rank: 8) LHSAA Power Rating - Division III select No. 1

The Cavaliers blanked Lakeside, 52-0. Calvary Baptist has allowed six points in its last four games with three shutouts.

Abram Wardell completed all 13 of his pass attempts for 223 yards and five TDs to five different receivers. Wardell has passed for 2,599 yards this season with 31 TDs and one interception.

Next: vs. Loyola College Prep (4-4)

8. St. Charles Catholic, 9-0 (previous rank: 9) LHSAA Power Rating - Division III select No. 2

The Comets blitzed Metairie Park Country Day, 49-7. The St. Charles Catholic defense held the Cajuns to 31 yards rushing on 19 carries, according to Ken Trahan of Crescent City Sports.

Jeremiah Wills ran for 94 yards on 12 carries with two TDs and caught a 41-yard scoring strike from QB Brady St. Pierre. Kyle Cannan had a pick-six.

Next: vs. Isidore Newman (8-0)

9. Neville, 8-1 (previous rank: 10) LHSAA Power Rating - Division I non-select No. 3

The Tigers trounced Franklin Parish, 58-14. J'Chione White ran for two quick touchdowns as Neville built a 27-0 lead in the first quarter, according to Jake Martin of the Ouachita Citizen. White finished with 87 yards and three TDs on four carries.

Next: Open 

Louisiana LookBack: Top takeaways from Week 9 of high school football

10. University Lab, 8-1 (previous rank: 11) LHSAA Power Rating - Division III select No. 4

The Cubs shut out Collegiate-Baton Rouge, 58-0. The U-High defense has held two foes scoreless and three opponents to single-digits.

The District 6-3A title will be up for grabs on Thursday when the Cubs host Parkview Baptist. The Cubs won last year's matchup, 35-7.

Next: vs. Parkview Baptist (8-1)

11. John Curtis Christian, 6-2 (previous rank: 12) LHSAA Power Rating - Division I select No. 10

The Patriots took down No. 15 Brother Martin, 26-7, to even coach J.T. Curtis Jr. with John McKissick at 621 on the all-time wins list. John Curtis rushed for 259 yards on 32 carries with three TDs, according to Matt Sims with Crescent City Sports.

Marlon Prout rushed for 128 yards on nine carries with a TD. QB Dagan Bruno tossed a 22-yard TD pass to LSU receiver commit Michael Turner.

Next: at No. 1 Edna Karr (8-0)

12. Acadiana, 7-2 (previous rank: 16) LHSAA Power Rating - Division I select No. 8

The Rams edged No. 3 Carencro, 27-26. QB Caden DiBetta completed three passes and all went for touchdowns. DiBetta was 3-of-11 for 162 yards with scoring passes to Jaydeon Bessard of 71 yards, Ezekiel Hypolite (62 yards) and Collin DiBetta (39 yards).

Hypolite rushed for 96 yards on 10 carries with a TD. Hypolite has tallied 722 yards on 68 rushes this season with 17 TDs.

Next: vs. Barbe (6-3)

13. Carencro, 8-1 (previous rank: 3) LHSAA Power Rating - Division I select No. 4

The Bears dropped a 27-26 decision to Acadiana in the District 3-5A title game. QB Chantz Babineaux completed 21-of-33 passes for 267 yards and a touchdown. Joni Martin had four receptions for 74 yards.

Babineaux led the Bears in rushing with 63 yards on 16 carries with a TD.

Next: at Archbishop Shaw (7-2)

14. North DeSoto, 8-1 (previous rank: 13) LHSAA Power Rating - Division II non-select No. 1

The Griffins beat Bossier, 55-8. No other details were available.

Cole Cory came into the game with a team-high 50 catches for 921 yards and seven TDs.

Next: at Northwood-Shreveport (5-4)

15. Catholic-Baton Rouge, 7-2 (previous rank: 14) LHSAA Power Rating - Division I select No. 7

The Bears defeated Scotlandville, 55-23. University of Louisiana QB commit Daniel Beale completed 18-of-27 passes for 334 yards and six TDs.

Next: vs. No. 6 Zachary (8-0) 

16. Holy Cross, 7-2 (previous rank: 17) LHSAA Power Rating - Division I select No. 3

The Tigers beat Jesuit, 30-0. It was the program's first win vs. Jesuit in six years, according to Lanny Vangilder of Crescent City Sports.

QB Cole Canatella completed 14-of-16 passes for 165 yards and a TD.

Next: vs. East St. John (7-2)

17. Captain Shreve, 8-1 (previous rank: 19) LHSAA Power Rating - Division I select No. 2

The Gators blew past Benton, 65-33. Jamarlon Otis ran for 236 yards on 26 carries with two TDs. QB Quortni Beamer rushed for 163 yards on 24 carries with four TDs.

Next: at Haughton (4-5)

18. Cecilia, 8-1 (previous rank: 20) LHSAA Power Rating - Division II non-select No. 7

The Bulldogs completed a perfect run through District 5-4A by defeating Livonia, 50-0. Diesel Solari accounted for three TDs - two rushing and one passing - to boost his season total to 35.

Next: vs. Iowa (7-2)

19. E.D. White, 9-0 (previous rank: 21) LHSAA Power Rating - Division II select No. 3

The Cardinals beat Sam Houston, 45-31. QB Jake Sternfels ran for two TDs and passed for two more. E.D. White has won 20 of its last 22 games.

Next: at St. James (8-1)

20. Dutchtown, 7-1 (previous rank: 22) LHSAA Power Rating - Division I non-select No. 8

The Griffins beat Denham Springs, 38-7. Gary Dukes ran for 89 yards and two TDs and caught three passes for 34 yards, according to Kyle Rivere of the Baton Rouge Advocate.

Linebacker Carter Hanberry blocked a punt to set up Dukes' first score, and the Griffins led at the half, 24-0.

Next: at East Ascension (3-6)

21. Airline, 8-1 (previous rank: 23) LHSAA Power Rating - Division I non-select No. 2

The Vikings beat Parkway, 33-16. QB Ben Taylor completed 34-of-51 passes for 321 yards and three TDs. Taylor has passed for 3,147 yards and 40 TDs with seven interceptions on the year.

Next: at Southwood (0-9)

22. St. Paul's, 8-1 (previous rank: 24) LHSAA Power Rating - Division I select No. 6

The Wolves moved to 6-0 in District 6-5A with a 20-19 win at Ponchatoula. St. Paul's has won its last four games by a total of eight points.

Drew Talley's 40-yard field goal, his second of the game, boosted the Wolves to the last-minute win over the Green Wave. QB Brennan Keim completed 11-of-21 passes for 113 yards with a touchdown, according to Ken Trahan of Crescent City Sports.

Next: vs. Fontainebleau (3-6)

23. St Amant, 8-1 (previous rank: NR) LHSAA Power Rating - Division I non-select No. 5

The Gators beat No. 18 Walker, 31-28, to regain their footing in the Top 25. St. Amant forced four turnovers.

Defender Kaiden Arbour snatched an errant ball in the air and returned it for the winning score, according to Charles Salzer of the Baton Rouge Advocate.

Next: at Live Oak (3-5)

24. John F Kennedy, 8-1 (previous rank: 25) LHSAA Power Rating - Division II select No. 4

The Cougars beat Patrick Taylor, 51-0, for their fourth straight shutout. The JFK defense held Patrick Taylor to minus-7 yards in the first half, according to Darrell Williams of nola.com.

Next: vs. Sophie B. Wright (5-4)

25. Archbishop Shaw, 7-2 (Previous rank: NR) LHSAA Power Rating - Division II select No. 6

The Eagles routed L.W. Higgins, 55-6, and have won seven straight games. Shaw has been dominant in that stretch. with its closest margins of victory coming against Archbishop Rummel (43-28 in Week 3) and Belle Chasse, which lost 41-15 to the Eagles in Week 6.

Next: vs. No. 13 Carencro (8-1)

On the Bubble

Southside, Teurlings Catholic, East St. John, Lutcher, Assumption, West Monroe, West Feliciana, Iowa, Isidore Newman, Ouachita Christian, Wossman, Walker

Dropped Out

Walker, Brother Martin

Photo of Lafayette Christian's Jalen Noel by Brad Bowie, The Acadiana Advocate

-- Mike Coppage | @SBLiveLA