Tom Dodge
Editor’s Note: This is first of the three story series looking back at the 2019-2020 high school sports seasons.
The 2019 football season saw five area team grab playoff spots and numerous players earned post season honors.
Lane Devillier and Jordan Ogelsby both earned Class-4A All-State honors.
Ogelsby was named to the first team, while Devillier was on the honorable mention list.
Caiden Burson (3.86 GPA) and Devillier (3.78 GPA) also earned LHSAA Academic All-State honors to close out their high school football careers.
In the Class 4-A playoffs, the No. 9 ranked Eunice Bobcats defeated the number 23 ranked Plaquemine with a 35-27 victory.
But a two-point conversion that proved to be the difference as No. 8 Bastrop edged the Bobcats 8-7 in the second round.
Eunice finished the season with a 9-2 overall record.
Sixteen Bobcats earned All-District honors including eight EHS players on the first teams.
Running backs Deon Ardoin and Jeoul Hill were named to the first team offense along with offensive lineman Devillier and quarterback Simeon Ardoin.
Defensive linemen Kevontdraay Savoy and Oglesby earned first team defensive honors.
Linebacker Jacoby Collins and defensive back Bryson Poullard also earned first defensive team honors.
The second team offense included offensive lineman Dylan Darbonne and wide receiver Trelyn Cooper along with kicker Braden Rider.
Second team defense included linebacker Dedrick Vigers and defensive back Jahiem Mitchell.
Honorable Mention All-District selections including Bobcats Samuel LeBleu, Devin Richardson and Dylan Guillory.
In the Division IV playoffs, Southern Lab ended the Blue Jays’ season as the Kittens rolled to a 53-7 win over No. 11 St. Edmund at A.W. Mumford Stadium.
Marcantel led the Blue Jays with 105 yards rushing on 20 carries, He also completed 3-of-8 passes for 52 yards.
Marcantel finished his senior season with 1,373 yards to move up to eighth place in the single season totals.
Fourteen Blue Jays were named to the 5-1A All-District list.
Peyton Marcantel was named to the first team as a running back and defensive back.
Marcantel earned LSWA Class 1-A state honors.
Hayden Smith earned first team all-district linebacker honors while Hunter Brown was named first team returner.
Blue Jays on the second team offense included running back Kieran Davis, lineman Connor Diaz and tight end Easton Coleman.
Second team defensive selections included lineman Bryce Vidrine and Davis as a flex player.
Gus Brown, Austin Stanford, Garrett Dubois, Josh Smith, Remi Guillory and Henry Brown were all named to the honorable mention list.
Church Point went 5-0 to capture the District 5-3A title and John Arceneaux was named the district coach of the year.
Eight players from that district earned honorable Class 3-A all-state honors including Church Point’s Jace Benoit, Rodney Dupuis, Tony Gibson and Dylan Stelly.
Iota’s Luke Doucet, Dylan Montgomery, Andrew Ashby and Landon Doucet also received all-state honorable mention.
In the Class 3-A playoffs, the No. 7 Bears exploded for 32 points in the third quarter as Church Point cruised to a 64-26 win over No. 26 Frederick Douglas in opening round of the Class 3-A playoffs.
A missed two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference as Church Point fell 14-13 to Jennings in the second round of the playoffs.
Dupuis gained 160 yards on 25 carries to finish the season with 1,594 yards.
Dupuis also ended his career with a school-record 5,971 yards.
He scored 61 touchdowns in his high school career.
In a come from behind 32-22 victory over Wossman in the first round of the LHSAA 3A playoffs, the Iota duo of quarterback Dawson Wallace and running back Luke Doucet rushed for over 300 yards.
Iota was stunned in the second round as No. 30 Baker grabbed an 18-13 win over the Bulldogs.
Iota finished the season with a 9-3 record.
Mamou finished 4-6 overall and did not make the playoffs.
Church Point and Iota dominated the 5-3A All-District selections.
Dylan Stelly from Church Point was the defensive MVP, while John Craig Arceneaux was the district coach of the year.
Church Point’s Dupuis and Gavin Richard joined Iota’s Luke Doucet earned first team all-district honors at running back.
The first team offensive line included Church Point’s Jace Benoit, Cayne Romero and Iota’s Connor Braquet.
Iota wide rceiver Tyrone Charlot and Church Point tight end Dax Moore close out the first team along with Iota kicker Luis Doreto.
All-District first team defense included Church Point linemen Gibson amd Javen Gibson along with Iota’s Montgomery and Tyree Tezeno from Mamou.
First team linebackers were Church Point’s Dylan Stelly, Landon Doucet from Iota and Mamou’s Parker Granger.
The first team defensive secondary included Church Point’s Cavon Chavis and Andrew Ashby from Iota.
Christopher Dailey was the defensive flex.
Mamou punter Devin Messer was also the all-district first team.
The second team all-district list included Church Point quarterback Brandt Boone and running back Kollin Guillory along with Iota runningback Landon Doucet.
The second team offensive line included Iota’s Wyatt Shuff along with Lane Richard and Spencer Gotreaux from Church Point.
Church Point wide receiver Macyn Richard and Payton Vidrine from Mamou also earned second team all-district honors.
Second team defensive honors included Iota lineman Chris Newman and Devon Boone from Mamou.
Second team linebackers were Mamou’s Ronel Thomas and Mitchell Collins along with Trevor Lopez from Iota.
The second team secondary included Church Point’s Ethan Castille, Church Point, Daylon Ardoin from Mamou and Iota’s Owen Daigle.
Mamou’s Kevon Lazare was named second team punter.
The Basile Bearcats advanced on to the second round of the LHSAA Class 1A playoffs with a 49-35 win over the Lincoln Prep Panthers.
Basile’s Isaiah Ceaser gained 183 yards on 17 carries and scored twice in the Bearcats’ win.
Calling on their relentless pursuit of playing a full four quarters, the No. 10 Bearcats scored with 45 seconds left in the game and then converted on a two-point run to stun the No. 7 Haynesville Golden Tornado 28-27 in the second round of the playoffs.
The Oberlin Tigers scored on seven of their first eight possessions and rushed for 557 yards on 43 carries as they blew past the Basile Bearcats 48-12 in the Class 1A quarterfinals.
With the loss, Basile finishes the season with an overall record of 8-5.
All-District 4-1A first team selections included offensive lineman Gabe Duplechin, running back Isaiah Ceasar and defensive lineman Logan David.
Basile’s second team mabers included defensive lineman Isaac Cortez, linebacker Bryson McCoy and punter Justin Smith.
In volleyball, St. Edmund finished the season with a 4-20 record with wins over Eunice High, J.S. Clark and Centerville.
Eunice High closed the season at 1-19 with a win over Lake Charles College Prep.
Jesslyn Reed, Shaynia Toussaint and Sarah Higginbotham were the three Lady Bobcat seniors.
Up Next: A look back at the 2019-20 basketball season.