What to watch for next football season
In this edition of the Three Point Stance, staff writers Rodrick Anderson and Warren Arceneaux discuss this year’s senior class of football players.
Which school will be hit hardest by graduation?
RA: Welsh has won more than 40 games with its outgoing senior class and will have a lot of holes to fill next year. On the offensive side, the Greyhounds will have to replace quarterback Austyn Benoit, who accounted for 34 touchdowns this season, wide receiver Da’Ren Zeno, who produced more than 2,000 yards and 30 TDs in his career, and 1,000-yard rusher Jerome Hebert plus key linemen in John Mayes and Ryan Mckenzie. On the defensive side, it is going to be hard to replace defensive end John Daigle, strong safety Alec Iguess and defensive back Jammerick Gray.
WA: Basile. The Bearcats lose a trio of to skill players in WR/DB Jaylen Thomas, RB/LB Andre Reed and QB Dawson Ashford, who started for the last three years. Top lineman Gage Johnson, another two-way starter, is also departing. The group helped the Bearcats get to the quarterfinal round three times in the past four years.
Which senior player will be hardest to replace?
RA: Sulphur’s Morgan Clark. Before Clark took over under center, Sulphur had one quarterback (Kale Breaux) throw for more than 2,000 yards in a season since the program began in 1930. Clark more than doubled that total with two 2,000-yard seasons and set school records in nearly every category.
WA: Washington-Marion’s Carrington McClinton, because he made a big impact on both sides of the ball, earning all-district honors as a running back and SS.
Which underclassman will be a breakout player next season?
RA: Basile’s Logan David. The Bearcats lose their top rusher in Andre Reed (1,255 yards, 16 TDs) and will need someone to step up if they want to make another deep playoff run. In his junior season, David played wingback and averaged more than 10 yards a carry and was second on the team in rushing yards with 747 and seven TDs.
WA: Leesville’s Caleb Gallashaw, a freshman who made an impact this season but could be a focal point of the Leesville offense next season due to the graduation of older brother D’ante, who was the team’s leading rusher this season. Caleb ran for 710 yards and 10 TDs on 114 carries, a number that could double next season. D’ante led the team with 176 carries for 1,320 yards.