St. Thomas More’s Holstein, Easton’s Sam headline Class 4A All-State football team

By Jim Derry
Special to the LSWA
One of the toughest offenses to stop during the 2018 high school football season was clearly St. Thomas More, while one of the toughest defenses to score against was Warren Easton.

No wonder the two top players in Class 4A come from those two schools.

Cougars junior quarterback Caleb Holstein was named the Outstanding Offensive Player, and Eagles senior defensive back Jahmal Sam was named Outstanding Defensive Player by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

Holstein passed for a whopping 3,847 yards and 47 touchdowns in leading St. Thomas More to the Division II state title game.

Sam did a little bit of everything in leading Warren Easton to the Class 4A state championship, but he was most dominant on defense with 55 tackles, three sacks, four tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, eight pass breakups. He also had six interceptions with three returned for touchdowns.

On offense, he gained 585 rushing yards on 52 carries with 10 touchdowns. He also had a receiving touchdown, another score on a kickoff return, and he was the Eagles kicker and punter.

Leesville coach Robbie Causey was named 4A Coach of the Year in leading the Wampus Cats to their first undefeated regular season in the 98-year history of the school their first appearance in the state semifinals. Leesville now has three consecutive district titles, as well.

Schools with multiple players on the team include Easton (Ashaad Clayton, Josh Williams and Sam), 4A state champion Karr (Kenny Bannister, Leonard Kelly and Devin Bush), St. Martinville (Michael Pete, Travien Benjamin and Markell Chambers), Lakeshore (Jacob Bernard and Christian Westcott), Neville (Logan Newell and La’Kamion Franklin), and ED White (Peyton Amedee and Brandon Legendre).

CLASS 4A
OFFENSE
Pos Player School Ht Wt Cl Stats
WR Kayshon Boutte Westgate 6-0 185 Jr.
WR Jacob Bernard Lakeshore 5-11 195 Sr.
WR Grant Arceneaux St. Thomas More 5-7 160 Sr.
OL Kenny Bannister Karr 6-4 240 So.
OL Thomas Perry Teurlings 6-6 325 Sr.
OL Logan Newell Neville 6-6 280 Sr.
OL Matthew Anderson Leesville 6-7 260 Sr.
OL Michael Pete St. Martinville 6-3 253 Jr.
QB Caleb Holstein St. Thomas More 6-4 212 Jr.
RB Travien Benjamin St. Martinville 5-11 185 Sr.
RB Corey Warren Pearl River 5-11 205 Jr.
RB Ashaad Clayton Warren Easton 6-0 185 Jr.
ATH Leonard Kelly Karr 5-11 185 Jr.
PK Jacob Barnes Woodlawn-BR 5-11 180 Sr.

DEFENSE
Pos Player School Ht Wt Cl Stats
DL Josh Ratcliff Assumption 6-0 260 Sr.
DL Christian Westcott Lakeshore 6-0 185 Jr.
DL Jacob Parker Warren Easton 5-10 190 Sr.
DL La’Kamion Franklin Neville 6-1 210 Sr.
LB Josh Williams Warren Easton 5-11 190 Sr.
LB Kelin Burrle Helen Cox 6-0 185 Jr.
LB Tyler Lummus Northwood 6-0 210 Sr.
LB Markel Chambers St. Martinville 5-8 200 Sr.
DB Peyton Amedee E.D. White 5-10 175 Jr.
DB Ty’Darian Quinney Tioga 5-11 165 Sr.
DB Jahmal Sam Warren Easton 5-11 180 Sr.
DB Devin Bush Karr 6-0 190 Sr.
KR Brandon Legendre E.D. White 5-9 185 Sr.
P Jacob Barnes Woodlawn-BR 5-11 180 Sr.

OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER: CALEB HOLSTEIN, ST. THOMAS MORE
OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER: JAHMAL SAM, WARREN EASTON
COACH OF THE YEAR: ROBBIE CAUSEY, LEESVILLE

Honorable mention
Shawn Hall Jr., Assumption; Gage Boudreaux, Ellender; Karson Adams, E.D. White Catholic; Brennan Patterson, Vandebilt Catholic; John Trapp, Vandebilt Catholic; Justin Belgard, Buckeye; Damon Derouen, St. Martinville; Justin Bourque, St. Martinville; Keith Lopez, Westgate; Quaterius Hawkins, Bastrop; Christian Smith, Bastrop; Robert McDaniel, Bastrop; Kirren Whitley, Franklin Parish; Aubrey Scott, North DeSoto; Bubba Osby, Benton; Detraveon Brown, Northwood; Kyren Brown, Northwood; Cole Horton, Benton; Jacoby Williams, Lutcher; Kolby Bourgeois, Lutcher; Trayon Jones, Northwood; Kenneth Ravare, Tioga; Greg Clark, Lakeshore; Sedrick Vanpran, Warren Easton; Walker Elkins, Northwood; Thomas Deloach, St. Thomas More; Montae Lynch, Leesville; Brett Pope, Leesville; D’Ante Gallashaw, Leesville; Luke Bogan, Northwood; Leonard Kelly, Karr; Blake McGehee, Tioga; Markavon Williams, St. Martinville; Thomas Brown, Woodlawn-Shreve; Donald Dardar, South Terrebonne; Talyn Adams, Leesville; DeSanto Rollins, Parkview Baptist; Marcus Cormier, St. Martinville; Chandler Rhodes, Vandebilt Catholic; Aaron Benfield, E.D. White; Javon Carter, Neville; Matt Pajinag, Leesville; Herman Christophe, Plaquemine; Jacoke Brock, Tioga; Gregory Mahtook, St. Thomas More; Tyrese Martin, Breaux Bridge; Javone Wiltz, St. Martinville; Carl Edmonds, Neville; Jaden Henderson, McDonogh 35; Ra’Shad Onezime, Carencro; Austin Kent, Karr; J’mel Cooley, Carver; Erin Ragas, Belle Chasse; Jaden Henderson, McDonogh 35; Donovan Johnson, Helen Cox; Chester Kimbrough, Warren Easton; Cody Taylor, Belle Chasse; Ralph Jones, Belle Chasse; Terrell “Smoke” Brown, Helen Cox; Antonio Joseph, Riverdale; Quincy Curry, Carver; Myron Junior, Kennedy; Lance Legendre, Warren Easton; Parker Orvin, Lakeshore.