Division-I Non-Select Preview Notes | LHSAA State Championships

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Louisiana's high school football season wraps with a bang Saturday with two intriguing Division-I matchups.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The LHSAA's annual Prep Classic football state championship event concludes a three-day, eight-game event in the Caesars Superdome.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Redzone Louisiana continues to break down the overall storylines, paths teams took to reach the big stage, programs' histories and players to watch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Division-I Non-Select game will punctuate Saturday's two-game schedule and the season as a whole. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 3 Ruston (11-2) vs. No. 4 Central (Baton Rouge) (12-1)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bearcats, the reigning champions, have shaken off a pair of losses in a gauntlet of a District 2-5A and overall schedule and have been on an absolute tear through the postseason, looking the part of many coaches', fans' and media's expected favorite to repeat. The Wildcats meanwhile overcame early-season, off-field adversity with a car accident on the eve of the opener injuring three senior standouts and have continued disproving doubters with big wins against perennial powers such as Week 9 against Zachary and in the quarterfinals and semifinals against Ruston's district rivals West Monroe and Neville. Central enters another contest considered the clear underdog, but has already repeatedly thrived in that role. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Paths</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ruston</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— First-round bye</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Zachary, 42-21</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Southside, 49-7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Destrehan, 44-7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Central</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— First-round bye</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat West Ouachita, 45-20</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat West Monroe, 21-7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Neville, 17-13</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recent Meetings</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ruston won a 2019 second-round game, 28-19.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ruston</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 DB [player_tooltip player_id='914207' first='Aidan' last='Anding'], 2027 DB [player_tooltip player_id='1356159' first='Jayden' last='Anding'], 2025 DL [player_tooltip player_id='1214127' first='Payton' last='Bell'], 2025 QB/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='710076' first='Joshua' last='Brantley'], 2025 RB [player_tooltip player_id='618676' first='Dylone' last='Brooks'], 2025 RB [player_tooltip player_id='710271' first='Jordan' last='Hayes'], 2025 LB [player_tooltip player_id='710083' first='Zheric' last='Hill'], 2027 TE/WR [player_tooltip player_id='1257121' first='Ahmad' last='Hudson'], 2025 DL Ka'varion Key, 2025 OL [player_tooltip player_id='1221032' first='Sam' last='Nations'], 2025 WR Joran Parker, 2025 DL [player_tooltip player_id='915063' first='Kaleb' last='Williams']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Central-BR</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 Central QB [player_tooltip player_id='426968' first='Jackson' last='Firmin'], 2027 Central DB/RB [player_tooltip player_id='1356113' first='Marvin' last='Joseph'] Jr., 2025 Central (BR) DL DK Mays, Central (BR) LB/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1214139' first='KD' last='Mays'], 2025 Central DB [player_tooltip player_id='710078' first='Steven' last='Ranel'], 2025 Central DL/TE/FB [player_tooltip player_id='1644707' first='Deshad' last='Sheridan'], 2026 DL [player_tooltip player_id='1602018' first='Scott' last='Smith Jr.'], 2025 Central OL [player_tooltip player_id='915067' first='Jeydon' last='Sparrow'], 2025 WR Kylen Thomas, 2025 Central RB [player_tooltip player_id='1336756' first='Emmanuel' last='Williams'], 2026 Central WR [player_tooltip player_id='710977' first='Keithon' last='Womack'], 2025 Central K/P [player_tooltip player_id='1644710' first='Nathan' last='Zimmer']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Matchup to watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both teams have athletes on each side of the ball to make plays in space, but this contest as much as maybe any other on the weekend's slate feels destined to be determined most specifically by the trenches. How often can DK Mays, [player_tooltip player_id='1644707' first='Deshad' last='Sheridan'], Scott Smith and company on Central's defensive line get by [player_tooltip player_id='1221032' first='Sam' last='Nations'] and disrupt the Bearcats' offense into unfavorable downs and distances? And how consistently can the Wildcats' offensive line group win against another good Ruston defensive line group with seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1214127' first='Payton' last='Bell'], Ke'varion Key and [player_tooltip player_id='915063' first='Kaleb' last='Williams'] to create running room for Emmanuel "Manny" Williams and company and protect [player_tooltip player_id='426968' first='Jackson' last='Firmin']? Both teams can throw the ball, but would love to establish enough success on the ground to be able to be more selective in picking their spots through the air. But each also possesses a defensive line and particularly disruptive linebacker or two capable of aggressive throwing off that game plan.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>State Championship History</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ruston: 9-4</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Wins in 1925, 1941, 1947, 1951, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1990, 2023</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Losses in 1944, 1984, 1998, 2022</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Central: 1-0</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Win in 1966</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->