John Curtis, STM, U-High, St. Charles, OCS top CCS preseason state football rankings

With the uncertainty surrounding the postseason including how many brackets with there be and what teams will be slotted within them, Crescent City Sports has chosen to continue with statewide rankings in the five traditional LHSAA classifications.

There is always enormous respect give to top performing teams from the previous season, along with those contending teams which return the most players.

Our preseason No.1 teams are defending Division I state champion John Curtis Christian, defending Division II state champion St. Thomas More, University Lab, defending Division III state champion St. Charles Catholic and defending Division IV state champion Ouachita Christian.

In Class 5A, John Curtis gets a slight nod over defending Non-Select Division I state champion Destrehan. Catholic of Baton Rouge is third with Karr fourth and Ruston fifth. Zachary is sixth with Acadiana seventh. Area teams Brother Martin and St. Augustine are eighth and ninth, respectively, and Carencro is No. 10.

In 4A, St. Thomas More gets a slight nod over Lafayette Christian, whom the Cougars edged in a stirring comeback victory for the title last season. Warren Easton, ineligible for the playoffs, but whose games count, is third with Neville fourth and Westgate fifth. Defending Non-Select Division II state champion Lutcher is sixth with North DeSoto seventh. Archbishop Shaw is eighth with Teurlings Catholic ninth and De La Salle 10th.

In 3A, University Lab gets a slight nod over Madison Prep with St. James third. Union Parish is fourth with E.D. White Catholic fifth. Sterlington is sixth with Amite seventh. Lake Charles College Prep, Bogalusa and St. Martinville round out the top 10.

In 2A, St. Charles Catholic gets a slight nod over defending Non-Select Division III state champion Many. Calvary Baptist is third with defending Non-Select Division IV winner Oak Grove fourth and Notre Dame fifth. Newman is sixth with Dunham seventh. Loreauville is eighth, Mangham is ninth and Episcopal checks in at No. 10.

In 1A, Ouachita Christian gets a slight nod over Southern Lab. Homer is third with Vermilion Catholic fourth and Kentwood fifth. Riverside Academy is No. 6 with Logansport seventh and Haynesville eighth. St. Martin’s Episcopal is ninth with Ascension Catholic rounding out the top 10.

Crescent City Sports Top 10 Rankings – 2023 Preseason

Class 5A
1) John Curtis Christian
2) Destrehan
3) Catholic (BR)
4) Karr
5) Ruston
6) Zachary
7) Acadiana
8) Brother Martin
9) St. Augustine
10) Carencro

Others: Archbishop Rummel, West Monroe, Slidell, Dutchtown, St. Paul’s, Southside, Captain Shreve, Northshore, Covington, John Ehret, Ouachita Parish, Mandeville

Class 4A
1) St. Thomas More
2) Lafayette Christian
3) Warren Easton
4) Neville
5) Westgate
6) Lutcher
7) North DeSoto
8) Archbishop Shaw
9) Teurlings Catholic
10) De La Salle

Others: Evangel Christian, Lakeshore, Salmen, Northwood, West Feliciana, Vandebilt Catholic, Leesville, Belle Chasse, Opelousas, Carver, Tioga, Archbishop Hannan

Class 3A
1) University Lab
2) Madison Prep
3) St. James
4) Union Parish
5) E.D. White Catholic
6) Sterlington
7) Amite
8) Lake Charles College Prep
9) Bogalusa
10) St. Martinville

Others: Iowa, Parkview Baptist, John F. Kennedy, Church Point, Jena, Westlake, Iota, St. Louis Catholic, Abbeville, Iota, Caldwell Parish, Erath

Class 2A
1) St. Charles Catholic
2) Many
3) Calvary Baptist
4) Oak Grove
5) Notre Dame
6) Newman
7) Dunham
8) Loreauville
9) Mangham
10) Episcopal

Others: Avoyelles, General Trass, Rosepine, North Caddo, Welsh, Oakdale, East Feliciana, South Plaquemines, Loyola Prep, M.L. King Charter, St. Thomas Aquinas, Northlake Christian

Class 1A
1) Ouachita Christian
2) Southern Lab
3) Homer
4) Vermilion Catholic
5) Kentwood
6) Riverside Academy
7) Logansport
8) Haynesville
9) St. Martin’s Episcopal
10) Ascension Catholic

Others: Opelousas Catholic, St. Frederick, Glenbrook, Central Catholic, Basile, Catholic-Pointe Coupee, St. Mary’s, Lasalle, Oberlin, Arcadia, Hanson Memorial, East Beauregard