Chalmette ready to continue consistency with another solid season

You can virtually always pencil in Chalmette for a top two finish in District 8-5A. The Owls have battled John Ehret for the top spot in league play over the past several seasons and this year should be no exception to that statistic.

Overall, the Owls have enjoyed eight straight winning football seasons and have not had a losing record since 2013.

Chalmette would prefer not to see West Monroe in the Division I Non-Select playoffs this year. The Rebels have eliminated the Owls the last three seasons in the postseason, the first after the Owls edged Haughton in the opening round of the 2021 playoffs.

Jason Tucker is the steady, guiding force of the program.

Entering his 17th year at his alma mater, Tucker’s steady hand will continue in 2023 as will the winning ways, most likely.

Chalmette is a vastly experienced team, set to field 28 seniors, including a host of starters who return from a year ago.

Offensively, senior quarterback Ethan Couvillion (6-2, 215) returns to run the offense. Couvillion completed 48 of 110 passes for 959 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions last season. Couvillion added 123 yards and nine touchdowns rushing.

The running backs are senior Deanthony Route (5-11, 172) and junior Axton Lopez (5-10, 178) while the fullback is senior Troy Sino (5-10, 250). Route rushed for 137 yards and two touchdowns while Lopez rushed for 162 yards and a score.

The wide receivers are seniors Jaden Lapeyrouse (5-10, 173), Ja’hari Banks (6-1, 170) and Rayone Russell (6-1, 162), along with junior Jaden Williams (5-9, 161). Lapeyrouse had seven catches for 158 yards and a touchdown while Russell led the Owls in receiving with 20 catches for 578 yards and eight touchdowns while earning All-District honors last season.

The tight end is senior Robert Collins (6-1, 222).

The offensive line is very experienced with four starters returning and all five starters now seniors.

The center is Jeff Regan (5-10, 245), the guards are Josh Brockhaus (5-11, 215) and Xander Davies (5-10, 228) and the tackles are Keyon Wilson (6-3, 293) and Brendon Herbert (6-3, 315).

The defense has 11 players who started games last year returning.

Up front, Derrick Bennett (6-1, 210), Zander Wolf (6-1, 222) and Clarence Major (6-0, 240) will start along with the only junior in Eric Anderson (6-3, 227). Bennett had 41 stops, including three sacks in 2022 as he earned All-District honors.

The senior linebackers are Stone Rivere (5-10, 190), Ashton Clark (6-0, 211), Kevin Jefferson (6-0, 180) and Elijah Dubose (5-10, 172), who is the leading returning tackler after posting 45 stops, including a team best eight tackles for loss in 2022.

The secondary includes all seniors in cornerbacks Banks, who had 41 tackles, two fumble recoveries and led the team with four interceptions last season, and Skyler Stephens (5-10, 162), along with safeties Ricky Smith (6-0, 174) and Tyler Watson (5-10, 160). Smith was in on 42 tackles last season.

Jaden Alphonso will handle kicking and punting duties.

The schedule opens favorably, with four consecutive home games against Archbishop Hannan, Lakeshore, Holy Cross and Patterson. The first road game is at Bogalusa.

District 8-5A play begins at East Jefferson before a non-district home game with M.L. King Charter. Road games with John Ehret and Bonnabel are next and the final home game is against West Jefferson.

With a very seasoned, veteran team, look for the consistency to continue at Chalmette with another winning season and playoff appearance.

Click here for more CCS Prep Football team previews (including archives of past season previews).