Division-I Non-Select Preview Notes | LHSAA State Championships
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The LHSAA’s annual Prep Classic football state championship event concludes Saturday with Division-II Select, Division-III Select and Division-I Non-Select matchups. Prep Redzone Louisiana will break down the overall storylines, paths teams took to reach the Superdome, programs’ histories and players…
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Continue ReadingThe LHSAA’s annual Prep Classic football state championship event concludes Saturday with Division-II Select, Division-III Select and Division-I Non-Select matchups.
Prep Redzone Louisiana will break down the overall storylines, paths teams took to reach the Superdome, programs’ histories and players to watch.
The Division-I Non-Select game will conclude the season.
No. 1 Ruston vs. No. 6 Zachary
The final state championship game of 2023 will pit the top-seeded team trying to complete a multi-year mission and end a multi-decade drought against a program that ascended during the past decade into one of the state’s elite perennial powers. The Bearcats and Broncos are two of Louisiana’s most physical teams and boast some recent playoff history against one another that only adds further spice to the already great matchup.
The Paths
Ruston
— First-round bye
— Beat Westgate, 20-18
— Beat Walker, 56-17
— Beat Mandeville, 28-7
Zachary
— Beat Barbe, 51-14
— Beat Salmen, 49-28
— Beat Destrehan, 35-14
— Beat Dutchtown, 31-28
Recent Meetings
The Bearcats got the best of a semifinal matchup last season, 37-22, to reach the Superdome for the first time since 1998. The teams had previously met in the 2019 quarterfinals, a game the Broncos won on the road, 35-27.
Players to Watch
Ruston
2025 DB Aidan Anding Aidan Anding 5'11" | 165 lbs | DB Ruston | 2025 State LA , 2025 QB Joshua Brantley Joshua Brantley 6'4" | 200 lbs | ATH Ruston | 2025 State LA , 2024 DL Ahmad Breaux Ahmad Breaux 6'3" | 260 lbs | DL Ruston | 2024 State LA , 2025 RB Dylone Brooks Dylone Brooks 5'10" | 205 lbs | RB Ruston | 2025 LA , 2024 DL Geordan Guidry Geordan Guidry 6'3" | 240 lbs | DL Ruston | 2024 State LA , 2025 RB Jordan Hayes Jordan Hayes 5'9" | 190 lbs | RB Ruston | 2025 State LA , 2025 LB Zheric Hill Zheric Hill 6'0" | 210 lbs | LB Ruston | 2025 State LA , 2027 WR Ahmad J Hudson Ahmad J Hudson 6'7" | 225 lbs | ATH Ruston | 2027 State LA , 2024 DB Nate Johnson Nate Johnson 5'11" | 180 lbs | DB Ruston | 2024 State LA , 2024 DB Semaj Jones Semaj Jones 5'9" | 160 lbs | DB Ruston | 2024 State LA , 2024 LB Jadon Mayfield Jadon Mayfield 6'1" | 220 lbs | LB Ruston | 2024 State LA , 2025 OL Sam Nations Sam Nations 6'2" | 260 lbs | OL Ruston | 2025 State LA , 2024 TE/WR Zhy Scott
Zachary
2025 DB Stetson Bell Stetson Bell 5'9" | 160 lbs | DB Zachary | 2025 LA , 2024 OL Kavion Broussard Kavion Broussard 6'6" | 270 lbs | OL Zachary | 2024 State LA , 2025 DB Dillan Durand Dillan Durand 6'2" | 175 lbs | DB Zachary | 2024 State LA , 2024 WR/ATH Tyson George Tyson George 5'9" | 165 lbs | ATH Zachary | 2024 State LA , 2025 QB Caleb Gonzales Caleb Gonzales 5'10" | 170 lbs | QB Zachary | 2025 State LA , 2024 WR/TE Trey’Dez Green Trey’Dez Green 6'7" | 225 lbs | ATH Zachary | 2024 State LA , 2025 DL Sean Hamilton Sean Hamilton 6'3" | 240 lbs | DL Zachary | 2025 State LA , 2024 QB Hudson Spangler, 2024 RB Kameron Thomas Kameron Thomas 5'10" | 180 lbs | RB Zachary | 2024 State LA , 2024 DB/WR Luke Wisham Luke Wisham 6'2" | 170 lbs | ATH Zachary | 2024 State LA
State Championship History
Ruston: 8-4
— Wins in 1925, 1941, 1947, 1951, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1990
— Losses in 1944, 1984, 1998, 2022
Zachary: 4-1
— Wins in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021
— Losses in 1957