COACH OF THE YEAR: ZEPHANIAH POWELL, AMITE HONORABLE MENTION: Nijul Canada, Mansfield; Devonta Lee, Amite; Jaray Jenkins, Jena; Cornell Holmes, Lusher; Jason Dumas, St. James; Parker Fink, Jena; Paul Rogers, Independence; DJ Hardwick, South Beauregard; Elijah Walker, Amite; Ethan Stansell, Loyola; Kamryn Mayers, Albany; Bruce Price, Peabody; Stephen Jackson, Independence; Jamar Washington, Peabody; Derek Turner, West Feliciana; Curtlan Johnson, St. James; Craig Walker, Jena; Jacovian Phillips, Jewel Sumner; ZeAndre Ballard, Marksville; Braylon Victor, Iowa; Marshall Laroque, South Beauregard; Gaige Willis, Northwest; Dontaze Costly, St. James; Kaleb Guillory, Iota; Matthew Rideau, Northwest; Hunter Smith, West Feliciana; Jaquan Lee, Jewel Sumner; Cheyenne Labruzza, Albany; K.D. Willis, Peabody; Juantravious Jones, Marksville; Myron Dokes, Amite; Eli Poche, Lusher; Danquan Edwards, De La Salle; Jeremiah James, De La Salle; Tylin Warden, South Beauregard; DB Joel Whaley, South Beauregard; August Pitre, Northwest; Mac Thibeaux, Kaplan; Josh Carver, Berwick; Mitchell Sanford, Berwick; D.J. Robicheaux, Berwick.

Class 2A By Lori Lyons Written for the LSWA Sterlington coach Jason Thompson said his team was heading to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome with nothing to lose in the Class 2A state final game against No. 2 seed Madison Prep. Then the fourth-seeded Panthers won it all. Sterlington, the No. 4 seed, claimed a 28-27 victory over Madison Prep in the Class 2A state final to give Thompson and his team the school’s first state title. The Panthers managed to knock off No. 1 seed Many and defending champion Kinder on the way to the title. The last time Sterlington had been to the Superdome was 2002, more than a decade before the school set sights on Thompson, who was voted the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 2A Coach of the Year. Madison Prep reached the finals undefeated thanks in part to the play of running back Tyrese Walker, the Class 2A Outstanding Offensive Player. Walker, a 5-foot-10, 195-pound junior, rushed for 226 yards and three touchdowns in the the title game. He finished the season with 2,462 yards and 40 touchdowns on 245 carries. That included more than 900 yards in five playoff games. Sean Badeaux of Menard was voted the Outstanding Defensive Player. The 6-0, 220-pound senior finished the season with 143 tackles, one fumble recovery and two caused fumbles.The standout player recorded 22 tackles against Avoyelles and 21 against Many. A big part of Sterlington’s success this season is owed to the play of quarterback Carson Clowers. The 5-10, 145-pound junior passed for 1,263 yards and 15 touchdowns with two interceptions. He also rushed for 491 yards and eight touchdowns. The All-State wide receivers are JeDan Jacob of Loreauville, Tank Davis of Calvary Baptist and Brian Savoie of Madison Prep. Taylor Johnson of Kinder and A.J. Carter of Many are the running backs. The offensive line consists of Kinder’s Colby Oliver, Springfield’s Maverick May, Madison Prep’s E’Darrius Anderson, Country Day’s Avery Jenkins and Glenn Bernard of Division III state champion Riverside Academy. Andrew Rodrigue of St. Charles Catholic is the place kicker. Garrick Gray of Welsh is the athlete. On the defensive line are Caleb Sampson of Northlake Christian, O’Cyrus Torrence of St. Helena, Troy James of Madison Prep and Bryan Jones of Madison Prep. The linebackers are Patrick Burleigh of Notre Dame, Kendrick Smith of South Plaquemines, Dawson Snell of Menard and Badeaux. The secondary consists of defensive backs Demetrius Brown of St. Helena, Samaj Colvin of Sterlington, Isaiah Smith of Many and West St. John’s Jamal Walters. Will Hetzinger of St. Thomas Aquinas is the punter and Lloyd Nash of St. Charles Catholic is the kick returner.