Louisiana’s top quarterfinal performances: large schools
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Louisiana’s number of high school football teams still playing is quickly narrowing down, but the state is still enjoying plenty of impressive performances along the way. The field halved this past week from 64 teams down to 32. And as…
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Continue ReadingLouisiana’s number of high school football teams still playing is quickly narrowing down, but the state is still enjoying plenty of impressive performances along the way.
The field halved this past week from 64 teams down to 32. And as always, Prep Redzone Louisiana has gathered many of the top stat lines from around the state.
Reminder for the postseason: Because of the shift from five classifications (Class 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A and 5A) in the regular season to eight divisions (Division IV, III, II and I on both the “Select” and “Non-Select” sides) in the postseason, we’ve adjusted our “small schools” list to include both Division III’s and IV’s and our “large schools” list to include both Division I’s and II’s.
Daniel Beale Daniel Beale 6'2" | 190 lbs | QB Catholic (Baton Rouge) | 2024 State LA – 6-2, 190 QB — Catholic (Baton Rouge) (2024)
The Louisiana (Lafayette) commit completed 21 of his 27 passes for 223 yards and three touchdowns — including the game-winner with two seconds remaining — and ran for another two scores in the 38-35 comeback against defending champion John Curtis in the Divison-I Select quarterfinals.
Bradford Cain Bradford Cain 5'10" | 155 lbs | WR Teurlings Catholic | 2024 State LA — 5-10, 155 WR — Teurlings Catholic (2024)
The first of a couple Rebels on this list, the senior receiver was the go-to target in a 42-28 upset of No. 2 E.D. White with his five receptions for 100 yards and two scores in the Division-II Select quarterfinal.
D’Shaun Ford D’Shaun Ford 5'11" | 210 lbs | RB Opelousas | 2025 State LA — 5-11, 210 RB — Opelousas (2025)
The Tigers are on to their first semifinals since the mid-90s behind another big performance by their junior running back, who carried 29 times for 168 yards and two touchdowns in a 26-10 upset of No. 4 Lutcher, the defending Division-II Non-Select champion.
Jonah Gauthier Jonah Gauthier 5'7" | 170 lbs | RB Acadiana | 2025 LA — 5-7, 170 RB — Acadiana (2025)
The junior led the Wreckin’ Rams rushing attack with 223 yards and three of the team’s four touchdowns in a 28-14 upset of No. 1 Holy Cross in Division-I Select action.
Brent Gordon Jr. Brent Gordon Jr. 5'11" | 175 lbs | DB Cecilia | 2025 State LA — 5-11, 175 DB/ATH — Cecilia (2025)
The Bulldogs place two standouts on this list for a second straight week. Gordon had 100 yards on six touches on offense, including a 35-yard touchdown run, and racked up 15 tackles in the 38-14 defeat of No. 10 Jennings in the Division-II Non-Select bracket.
Carter Hanberry Carter Hanberry 6'0" | 205 lbs | LB Dutchtown | 2024 State LA — 6-0, 200 LB/RB — Dutchtown (2024)
The Southeastern Louisiana commit had another big two-way performance to help pace his Griffins past Central (Baton Rouge), 21-20, in the Divison-I Non-Select quarterfinals with his 82 yards and three touchdowns on offense and six tackles, including one for a loss, and a pass breakup.
John Johnson John Johnson 6'0" | 170 lbs | QB Edna Karr | 2026 State LA — 6-0, 170 QB — Edna Karr (2026)
The Cougars’ sophomore quarterback finished 17-for-27 for 287 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-34 survival of Alexandria in the Division-I Select bracket.
Ju’Juan Johnson Ju’Juan Johnson 6'0" | 195 lbs | ATH Lafayette Christian | 2024 State LA — 5-11, 180 QB/ATH — Lafayette Christian (2025)
The LSU commit became Louisiana’s all-time leader in total career yardage with his 165 passing yards and 149 rushing yards and combined six touchdowns — three in each fashion — in a 57-21 rout of McDonogh 35 in the Division-II Select quarters.
Jaidyn Martin — 5-10, 170 RB — Archbishop Rummel (2024)
The Raiders mounted a third straight upset to advance on to the Division-I Select semifinals as a No. 18 seed with a 35-21 victory at St. Paul’s, highlighted by their senior running back’s 118 yards and three touchdowns.
Dominick McKinley Dominick McKinley 6'5" | 275 lbs | DL Acadiana | 2024 State LA — 6-7, 270 DL — Acadiana (2024)
The big Texas A&M-committed lineman, including a few tackles at or behind the line, helped spearhead a disruptive defensive performance overall by the Wreckin’ Rams in the 28-14 upset of top-seeded Holy Cross in which Acadiana held the Tigers scoreless for more than 43 minutes between a long touchdown early and another score late with the game already well in hand.
Ronnie Miller — DL — Archbishop Shaw (2027)
The Eagles survived and upset No. 4 John F. Kennedy, 20-13, in Division-II Select play as the freshman defensive lineman snatched an interception he returned for the winning fourth-quarter touchdown.
Ja’Vain Reese — 5-7, 205 RB — Northwest (2024)
The senior was once again among the Raiders’ standouts at the forefront of the biggest Cinderella story of this year’s postseason with his 176 yards and five touchdown on 26 carries in the Division-II Non-Select No. 22 seed’s third straight upset victory to reach the program’s first-ever semifinal.
Nate Sheppard Nate Sheppard 5'11" | 185 lbs | RB Mandeville | 2025 State LA — 5-10, 180 RB/ATH — Mandeville (2025)
The Skippers’ junior star continued his impressive postseason with another 258 yards and four touchdowns rushing and 35 yards and two scores receiving in a 56-50 upset of No. 4 Airline to push the No. 21 seed Mandeville onto its first semifinals in eight years in the Division-I Non-Select bracket.
Diesel Solari Diesel Solari 5'7" | 175 lbs | ATH Cecilia | 2025 State LA — 5-8, 175 QB/ATH — Cecilia (2025)
Another big performance by the Bulldogs’ versatile junior star with his 155 yards and four touchdowns on the ground and 71 passing in a 38-14 against Jennings in Division-II Non-Select play.
Preston Welch Preston Welch 6'2" | 210 lbs | QB Teurlings Catholic | 2024 State LA — 6-2, 185 QB — Teurlings Catholic (2024)
The Rebels’ standout passer completed 13 of his 21 passes for 239 yards and four touchdowns on the road to help lead his team’s upset of No. 2 E.D. White in the Division-II Select quarterfinals.
Brooks Wright Brooks Wright 6'3" | 175 lbs | ATH Catholic (Baton Rouge) | 2024 State LA — 6-3, 175 WR/DB — Catholic (Baton Rouge) (2024)
The Louisiana (Lafayette) baseball signee scored the first and last touchdowns of his Bears’ 38-35 defeat of John Curtis, capping a 74-yard night with the acrobatic, leaping grab of a back-shoulder throw for the 15-yard go-ahead score with two seconds remaining.