Ponchatoula Green Wave | Spring 3-2-1 Spotlight

On the heels of graduating a historically notable 2022 class, Ponchatoula struggled through ups and downs this past fall.   But a strong spring in the weight room and a promising defensive front seven appear to have the Green Wave positioned for a nice bounce back in 2023 — although one of the state's most competitive and evenly matched Class 5A districts should once again prove tough.   Ponchatoula garnered an early stop on Prep Redzone Louisiana's spring practice tours and a series of "Spring 3-2-1" spotlights looking at three key returning standouts, two notable breakout candidates and one underclassman to know sooner than later.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/embed/9lgmj41pxwc </div></figure>     3 WELL-KNOWN RETURNERS   [player_tooltip player_id='285656' first='Bishop' last='Davis'] — 5-10, 160 RB/ATH — Ponchatoula (2024)   Davis has developed from the speedy young backup running back on Ponchatoula's 2021 state runner-up to being the lead playmaker and all-district performer as a versatile running back and slot receiver — his natural positions at the next level where Tulane, Louisiana (Lafayette) and Memphis are among the programs showing interest entering the summer — as well as playing a lot of quarterback for his Green Wave and working with big rising junior receivers Cory Jackson and CJ Braziel and potentially versatile senior Brandon Mathews, the younger brother for former star Jacoby Mathews.   [player_tooltip player_id='421604' first='Albert' last='Smith III'] — 6-2, 205 LB/DL — Ponchatoula (2024)   The recent Arizona State commitment, also notably recruited by Baylor and Tulane, is the headline prospect on the Ponchatoula roster entering this offseason and a disruptive force to help highlight the team's stout defensive group. Smith's explosiveness and quickness to missile past, under and around opposing blockers into opposing backfields are among the best in the state. And he is far from alone in a stout defensive front seven overall.   Jamaal Sapp — 6-3, 205 LB/DL — Ponchatoula (2024)   Smith's "twin" on the other side of the defense helps further compound the headaches for opposing offenses trying to keep the Green Wave out of their backfields. Sapp, who actually is slightly bigger than Smith, is an underrated prospect in Louisiana's 2024 class who has started to gain some recruiting traction with a Louisiana Christian offer and Tulane, Southern Miss and Nicholls State interest. That duo and rising junior middle linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1224580' first='Jacob' last='Robinson'] should all hear their names called frequently on Friday nights.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/embed/WoiSZ2--4iQ </div></figure>     2 BREAKOUT CANDIDATES   TroyKee Butler — 6-3, 240 DL — Ponchatoula (2024)   and [player_tooltip player_id='913898' first='Jacoby' last='Berry'] — 6-3, 270 DL — Ponchatoula (2025)   A defensive line rotation full of big, talented athletes sets the table up front, eating blocks and clogging gaps to help free Smith, Sapp, Robinson and company to fill up the highlight reels. And Butler and Berry — a rising senior and rising junior, respectively, are two of the more versatile and disruptive members of the group expected to be notable breakout candidates this fall around Chrisad LaFrance (2024), [player_tooltip player_id='913937' first='Kerry' last='Garner Jr.'] (2025) and others in the trenches. That group and the offensive line help lead a strong team overall that coach Trey Willie said had 18 or 19 different players benching 300 pounds or more entering the spring.   Wyatt Bennett — 6-0, 170 DB — Ponchatoula (2024)   and Jacob Pea — 6-1, 185 DB — Ponchatoula (2024)   For all the big standouts in the box, the talented playmakers on the Green Wave defense extends past that front seven. Bennett and Pea are a pair of senior leaders in the secondary, who both snatched takeaways on well-read and -timed players during Prep Redzone Louisiana's practice visit, and neither is afraid to crash down and make physical plays in run support.     1 UNDERCLASSMAN TO KNOW   [player_tooltip player_id='920641' first='Jace' last='Jackson'] — 5-11, 205 RB — Ponchatoula (2026)   Most of the "younger" Green Wave players on the Prep Redzone Louisiana radar thus far are actually now rising juniors, but keep an eye on Jackson, a 2026 prospect with good size, to potentially be an impactful sophomore in the backfield this fall.

On the heels of graduating a historically notable 2022 class, Ponchatoula struggled through ups and downs this past fall.