Top 10 Acadiana prep football teams for 2017

Taking a look at the best on the gridiron from the Lafayette area, here’s a rundown of the top 10 teams set to take the field this fall.

ACADIANA HIGH

Ted Davidson enters his 14th Season as the Wrecking Rams Head Coach. He has won 4 state titles during that stretch and continues to run one of the premier programs in the state.

After making a third round exit from the playoffs last year, they will return 7 starters on offense and 5 on defense. Second year starter Jalen Borel will be under center for the Rams.

The offensive line should be solid in 2017, last year’s center Damien Handy has moved to a guard spot.

tight end is still up for grabs, and is very crucial to AHS’s veer offense.

Ziggy Francis will be back for his senior season at running back. He rushed for nearly a 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns despite losing time due to injury. Sophomore Dylan Monette is a rising star and should receive some carries as well in the backfield.

On the defensive line the Rams will be thin, but Elijah Sion, and Bishop Breaux will be counted on to bring leadership. The Rams have a couple heavy hitters in the secondary at safety, Kanyon St. Julien and Latrell Charles.

On special teams Ted Davidson will be depending on kicker Noah Anderson, to give the Rams an edge in field position.

CARENCRO

Tony Courville is back at Carencro High, this time as the head coach, after spending a number of years at Teurlings Catholic as an assistant coach. He spent 16 years at Carencro as an assistant coach in the 80’s and into the early 90’s. He was on the staff when the Bears won their first and only state title in 1992. That year a sophomore quarterback by the name of Kevin Faulk was running the show.

Faulk will be Courville’s Offensive Coordinator in 2017. The Bears will return 4 on offense and 7 on Defense from last year’s squad that advanced to the third Round of the playoffs.

Austin Breaux will start the season at quarterback. Treylon Barnaba and Trejun Jones will receive the majority of carries at running back, along with fullback Kevin Leblanc in the backfield.

Senior 6’4″ 230 pounder Skyron Littleton will be the featured tight end while 6’2″ wide receiver Dion Senegal will be the Bears deep threat. The Bears will be somewhat thin on the offensive line.

Courville will be asking a lot from Vaughn Jonnie up front.

At Defensive End Keon Jean’ Batiste is a man. The 6’4″ 225 pound is a great edge rusher, and should thrive in the Bears 3-4 Defense. Jalen Angelle will be asked to lead the Linebackers, and Treyon Barnaba will be a key player at cornerback. On special teams sophomore Jaron Royer will handle kicking duties.

NOTRE DAME

Lewis Cook enters his twenty first year as the Pioneers Head Coach. With a total of 44 years of head coaching experience, he brings a wealth of knowledge to the field. Cook has won three state titles at Notre Dame and one at Crowley.

The Pios will return a total of 6 starters 3 on each side of the ball from last year’s team that lost in the Semifinals last season. Pocket passer Garrett Bergeron will start at quarterback. Colin Kursh will be one of his top Receivers in 2017 along with Zac Miller and Gentry Borill. Cook will be depending on some new starters on the Offensive line.

At Linebacker Garrott Cormier and Cameron Nelson will be running the show. John William Lamb has a strong leg, and will be kicking for the Pios.

ASCENSION EPISCOPAL

Matt Desormeaux will be in his second year as the Blue Gators Head Coach. Last season, the program reached the state finals for the first time in school history.

Jacob Bascoco will be a second year starter at quarterback. Running back Leo Franques returns after rushing for over 1,200 yards last season. Seth Kerstetter will be Bascoco main target at wide receiver.

Defensively, the Blue Gators will basically return all of their secondary. Ascension Episcopal is moving up in classification this year from 1A to 2A.

Despite the classification jump, Desormeaux is confident his team will be very competitive in 2017.

CATHOLIC NEW IBERIA

Brent Indest enters his fifth year as the Panthers Head Coach. The Panthers will return 10 starters – 6 on the offensive side and 4 on defense – from last year’s team that lost in the state semifinals

Diallo Landry will be back at quarterback. The 6’3 200 pound dual threat will be in his third season as the starter. Landry will be looking for 6’2 Peter Leblanc in the passing game this season. Leblanc is moving from cornerback to wide receiver in 2017.

James Stokes will be back at running back and rushed for over 1,300 yards last season. The Panthers should be strong up front on their offensive line.

On Defense, Indest lost a number of starters. He lost all of his key linebacker’s, and will be looking for guys to step up on the defensive line as well.

Sam Robichaux has a big leg to headline the special teams for C-NI in 2017.

LAFAYETTE CHRISTIAN

LCA lost in the first round of the state playoffs last season.

Second Year Head Coach Trev Faulk will have dual threat junior quarterback Zachary Clement running the show on offense. Wide receiver Errol Rogers along with Saige Ryan and Trey Breaux will be key targets for Clement.

On defense 8 players are returning. Martin Lee will be a stud linebacker for the Knights.

Nicholas Picard is hard hitting safety, and Jalen Dauphin returns as the leading tackler at linebacker. Tanner Quinn should man the defensive line.

Colin Lahaye will be kicking for LCA, as well as playing some at safety.

TEURLINGS CATHOLIC

Dane Charpentier is in year one as the Rebels Head Coach. He replaces his father Sonny, who was the Head Coach for the past 27 Years. Wesley Blazek will start at quarterback.

The 6’2 205 pound senior made a few starts last season. Cole Champaign, Seth Laviolette, Connor Talbot, and Brett Trahan will give the Rebs a lot of depth at wide receiver. Hunter Landry will be a big target at tight end for Blazek. Jakyre Journet and Alexander Garber will be getting the bulk of carry’s at running back.

The offensive line will be stout, led by 6’6″ 320 pound left tackle Thomas Perry, an LSU commit. Fellow tackle Justin Matthews stands at 6’2″ 295 pounds.

Ian Judice, with a very strong leg, will kick and punt for the Rebels.

ST. THOMAS MORE

The Cougars won their first state Title in school history last season. Nate Cox, the eye-catching 6’10″ quarterback, has graduated and moved on to Tyler Junior College.

Jim Hightower who enters his 34th Year as Head Coach at STM says he has 4 different players battling it out for the starting quarterback position. Hightower has a total of about 7 starters returning on both sides of the ball combined.

Wide receiver Mason Pesson will be a key player to watch. Thomas Molton will be the main tight end on most offensive plays. Chris Primeaux, Sydney Lincoln, and William Pryor will all be seeing action at running back.

Defensively Paul Laborde will be returning as the leading tackler at linebacker. Sam Greenwood will be leading the defensive line along with Brandon Gannon.

Trevor Robertson will be kicking on special teams.

BREAUX BRIDGE

Terry Martin will be entering year two as the Tigers Head Coach, after spending 11 years at the helm for Cecilia.

Cole Mouton will be at quarterback and Julien Lee will be moving to tight end after playing quarterback last season. Dartradien Girod is a talented sophomore receiver who will have his name called a lot in 2017.

The Tigers are very young, but athletic on defense. Special teams will also be a question mark this season.

CECILIA

Dennis Skains is in year two as the Bulldogs Head Coach. Last year, Cecilia lost in the first round of the playoffs. Skains will return at least 7 starters on offense and 5 on defense.

Quarterback Landon Lalonde will be the signal caller, and Caleb Carter and Devin Briscoe will be main targets for Lalonde. Ryan Malbreaux along with Kerrick Alexander have great speed and skill on the outside.

Bulldogs secondary is loaded with experience. On the defensive line, Randall Borrell will be asked to carry the load. Junior Tanner Olivier is back as an All-State kicker.