10 observations from Week 1 of Louisiana high school football

Many teams around the state honor late New Orleans TV sports legend

Decal in the memory of former New Orleans TV sports director Ed Daniels / Delgado Athletics X page

This inaugural 2024 edition of Louisiana Lookback is dedicated to the memory of WGNO-TV (New Orleans) sports director Ed Daniels.

Many schools around the state placed decals on their helmets in honor of Daniels, a champion for prep sports who died in August.

1. Sweet Haven

Elijah Haven was ranked as the nation's No. 1 player in the Class of 2027 by 247Sports before the season, and the Dunham quarterback displayed his talents in a 46-0 win over Parkview Baptist, which beat the Tigers twice last year.

The 6-foot-5 sophomore passed for 350 yards and four TDs and ran for over 100 yards and two more scores, according to Patrick Wright of The Baton Rouge Advocate. He already holds the school career records for passing touchdowns and total touchdowns, according to John Eads of WAFB-TV. 

2. A Better Start

LaGrange and Washington-Marion, which combined to win two games in 2023, have already equaled that total; the Gators winning 25-22 at Peabody Magnet, and the Indians taking a 20-7 victory at Abbeville. 

In comparison, Abbeville and Peabody combined for 16 wins last year. 

They'll try to keep it going this week with LaGrange hosting Westlake and Washington-Marion hosting South Beauregard.

3. St. Aug Soldiers On

St. Augustine wasn't distracted in the least by the news surrounding defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart. 

Earlier in the week, news reports circulated that Stewart, the nation's No. 1 player in the Class of 2026, had withdrawn from school at St. Aug and would be transferring elsewhere. 

The Purple Knights didn't miss the five-star in head coach Robert Valdez's debut, overwhelming McDonogh 35, 49-7. 

Vashaun Coulon (9-of-16, 236 yards) threw three TD passes and Liondell Caston (9 carries, 84 yards) ran for two scores, according to Chris Dabe of The New Orleans Advocate. 

4. Jeanerette Jumps In

Jeanerette, which reached the Division IV non-select quarterfinals in 2023, is a prime contender in District 7-1A, along with perennial stalwarts Vermilion Catholic and Central Catholic. The Tigers kicked off the season with a 40-0 romp over Class 3A Patterson in a game played at New Iberia Senior High on Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers, who joined the district after moving from Class 2A a few years ago, graduated tight end Traville Frederick, who signed with Houston. 

There will be many more college signees in the coming years with players such as LSWA first-team all-state OLB/edge Javonte Williams, Prep Redzone preseason all-state DB Dominick Lewis and sophomore Morris Walters, who is ranked near the top of the state in his class.

5. Winning Debuts

If it seems like new football programs are sprouting up left and right in the Lafayette area, they are. 

Lafayette Renaissance Charter Academy and Westminster Christian-Lafayette (not to be confused with WC-Opelousas) both won their debuts as varsity programs. 

The Tigers, who have an all-star staff that includes Director of Operations Trev Faulk and head coach Hunter Landry (formerly of nearby Lafayette Christian), mauled J.S. Clark, 54-8.

It can get tricky: The game wasn't an official LHSAA contest because Opelousas-based J.S. Clark - another area program - isn't competing on the varsity level yet. Lafayette Renaissance will host Ville Platte, which lost to Northside, in its official debut this week.

Westminster Christian, which is coached by former Acadiana High offensive coordinator Kent Gable, won 19-12 at Class 3A Albany. The Chargers will play WCA-Opelousas, whose mascot is the Crusaders, later this season.

There is also Acadiana Renaissance Charter Academy, which happens to be coached by former WCA-Opelousas head man Travis Blaize. The Eagles, whose campus is located in bustling Youngsville between Ascension Episcopal and Southside High, will begin competing for district honors and the playoffs soon. 

6. Bastrop’s Back

The rumor that Bastrop is back is true. 

The Rams were a popular offseason topic, having added transfers from Sterlington High's Downs brothers and Antron Mason, who coincidentally came over from Bastrop's opening week opponent in Wossman. 

Bastrop, which won only two games in 2023 and lost 31-0 to Wossman, downed the Wildcats, 14-8. Dylan Downs, a senior quarterback, accounted for both touchdowns, according to Jake Martin of The Ouachita Citizen. His younger brother, sophomore Devyn Downs, is committed to LSU for baseball. 

Wossman was ranked No. 10 in Class 4A by the LSWA. Bastrop was the No. 12 vote-getter in Class 3A. 

7. Harlem's Shuffle

When you're at the top, there will always be critics. For St. Martin's tailback Harlem Berry, the nation's No. 1 running back, the question has been the level of competition the five-star faces on the Class 1A level. In particular, if that would adequately prepare the LSU commit for the rigors of SEC football.

On Friday, Berry tried his hand against a large school program, Class 4A Pearl River, that won six games in 2023. Not only did Berry rush for 173 yards on 22 carries with two TDs, he caught three passes for 110 yards and a TD, according to Chris Dabe of The New Orleans Advocate.

He even shined on defense, forcing two fumbles at outside linebacker while going head-to-head with Pearl River's 6-foot-2, 210-pound tailback, Tashod Badon.

Behind a gutsy effort from Berry that should make LSU fans beam, St. Martin's rallied from a 28-17 deficit after three quarters to win, 38-34.

8. Matchup Of Champions

The Louisiana Sportsline Game of the Week lived up to its billing. 

Oak Grove traveled from northeast Louisiana to Shreveport to face Calvary Baptist in a matchup of defending state champions, and the Tigers gave the favored Cavaliers a tussle. 

Calvary Baptist led 7-0 after one quarter, and then the floodgates opened as each team scored 27 points in the second quarter. In the second half, the Cavaliers "won" each quarter, 14-7, to outlast the Tigers, 62-41.

Senior quarterback Abram Wardell passed for 417 yards and seven TDs with no interceptions. He only threw two picks last year vs. 45 TDs.

For Oak Grove, quarterback Jackson Bradley passed for 283 yards and three TDs, and rushed for 118 yards and two TDs.

9. Coming Together

Central-Baton Rouge won a hard-fought, emotional road game without quarterback Jackson Firmin, tailback Emmanuel Williams and receiver Kylen Thomas, who were injured in an auto accident.

Senior Blaysen Stokan, who wore Firmin's jersey number, had a crucial interception in the 14-3 win over De La Salle at Tad Gormley Stadium, according to Chris Dabe of The New Orleans Advocate.

Firmin and Thomas watched the game from the sideline. Williams was hospitalized in stable condition. KD Mays, usually a defensive star, ran for a touchdown on a direct snap and wore Williams' jersey number. 

10. Weather Woes

The weather played musical chairs with games moved all the way to Sunday in two instances, both in Baton Rouge, where Belaire beat Glen Oaks, 27-6, and McKinley outmuscled Capitol, 44-6.

Opelousas, which was set to host Teurlings Catholic for the first time in five years, lost to the Rebels, 21-14.

The two teams reached a preliminary agreement to move the game to Teurlings Catholic late in the week. A couple of hours later, the plans fell through, but the next day, it was moved for good to the Rebels' artificial turf due to muddy conditions at Donald Gardner Stadium.

This week's games are likely to be affected by weather as well, with a storm headed to the Louisiana coastline for an expected mid-week landfall.

- Mike Coppage | @SBLiveLA