Meet the Shreveport Times All-Area high school football team for the 2023 season
The 2023 Shreveport Times All-Area football team encompasses the 20 schools in Bienville, Claiborne, DeSoto, Jackson, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine and Webster parishes. The Times All-City team is just for Caddo and Bossier Parish schools.
Located in north central Louisiana less than 30 miles apart, Ruston coach Jerrod Baugh and Union Parish coach Joe Spatafora brought home state titles to their respective schools to earn dual Coach of the Year honors.
2023 Shreveport Times All-Area Football Team
Offensive Player of the Year
Luke Delafield
North DeSoto, So.
Position: Quarterback
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 175
Why selected: The super soph passed for 3,229 yards and 38 TDs in leading the Griffins to the LHSAA Division III semifinals. Delafield completed 66% of his passes and is 23-4 as a two-year starter. He already holds several collegiate offers.
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Defensive Player of the Year
Jadon Mayfield
Ruston, Sr.
Position: Linebacker
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 228
Why selected: The Louisiana Tech signee logged 116 tackles, 16 tackles for a loss and six sacks while earning the All-District 2-5A Defensive MVP honors for a second straight season.
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Co-Coaches of the Year
Jerrod Baugh
Ruston
Why selected: The veteran coach directed the Bearcats to a rare perfect season at 14-0 and the school’s ninth state title, but its first since 1990. The Cats did it after finishing as state runners-up last season in the LHSAA’s Non-Select Division I. The No. 1-seeded Bearcats defeated Zachary 31-17 for the title.
Joe Spatafora
Union Parish
Why selected: Spatafora may have done the best coaching job of his career this season taking a bunch of relative unknowns to the LHSAA Non-Select Division III state title. After finishing as runners-up for three straight years, the Farmers broke through by defeating St. James 36-35 for the title. After going 6-4 in the regular season, Union finished 10-4 with its first title since 2013 when the school was known as Farmerville.
First team offense
Offensive linemen
Gage Caskey
North DeSoto, Sr.
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 225
Why selected: The only returning starter from the 2022 state runner-up squad, Caskey paved the way for two 1,000-yard rushers without allowing a sack.
Sam Nations
Ruston, Jr.
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 275
Why selected: Nations’ blocking allowed the Bearcats to average five yards per carry in the majority of their games. Ruston rushed for 3,342 yards.
Josh Moy
Union Parish, Jr.
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 305
Why selected: Moy was one of the biggest reasons why the Farmers unexpectedly captured the LHSAA state championship. No one in D-III did it better.
Joe Cryer
Natchitoches Central, Sr.
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 295
Why selected: The LSU signee played on two state championship teams at Many before transferring to NCHS for his final season. Cryer was the “Big Hoss” in the O-line for coach Jess Curtis.
Dakota Davis
Haynesville, So.
Ht: 5-10 Wt: 235
Why selected: Davis was the top lineman for a Golden Tors’ offense that gained over 4,700 yards and advanced to the LHSAA Division IV championship game.
Wide Receivers
Landry Wyatt
North DeSoto, Sr.
Ht: 5-10 Wt: 175
Why selected: The speedster caught 44 passes for 1,040 yards and 17 TDs while averaging 23.6 yards per catch.
Cole Cory
North DeSoto, Jr.
Ht: 5-9 Wt: 175
Why selected: The Trent Taylor-type receiver caught 79 passes for 1,431 yards and 15 TDs to earn first-team LSWA All-State honors.
Camryn Davis
Natchitoches Central, Sr.
Ht: 5-10 Wt: 155
Why selected: Davis hauled in 67 receptions for 1,004 yards and 14 TDs before injuries cost him the final two games of the season.
Tight End
Zhy Scott
Ruston, Sr.
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 203
Why selected: Scott Led Ruston with 353 receiving yards and four TD catches this season. He is a two-time first-team All-District 2-5A selection
Running backs
Jordan Hayes
Ruston, Jr.
Ht: 5-9 Wt: 160 pounds
Why selected: The District 2-5A Offensive MVP had 227 carries for 1,752 yards and 20 scores for the LHSAA Non-Select Division I champions. He averaged 7.7 yards per carry.
Jeremiah James
Many, Sr.
Ht: 5-11 Wt: 196
Why selected: The District 3-2A MVP had 2,187 rushing yards, 170 receiving yards and 25 TDs. James scored a school-record seven TDs in a playoff game.
Chase Sentell
Glenbrook, Sr.
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 180
Why selected: The multi-talented athlete recorded 1,332 rushing yards with 23 TDs, while adding a kickoff return TD and four interceptions.
Kicker
Eli Bray
Haynesville, So.
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 165
Why selected: Bray was 61-for-68 on PATs and 6-for-11 on field goals with a long of 42 yards. On 88 kickoffs, he had nine touchbacks and put 61 inside 20.
Offensive athletes
Katrevrick Banks
Homer, Sr.
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 180
Why selected: The Ole Miss commit recorded 435 receiving yards and 10 TDs while compiling 70 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Mixon Bankston
St. Mary’s, Sr.
Ht: 5-10 Wt: 150
Why selected: Bankston had 1,294 passing yards, 504 rushing yards, 20 TDs, 53 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
First team defense
Defensive linemen
Ahmad Breaux
Ruston, Sr.
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 255
Why selected: The LSU signee was an unstoppable force in the Bearcat defensive line with 44 tackles, including five for a loss.
Geordan Guidry
Ruston, Sr.
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 260
Why selected: The leader of the pack and Tulane signee recorded 10.5 sacks, 61 tackles, 4 TFLs and a forced fumble for one of the best defenses in the state.
Swazy Carhill
Many, Sr.
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 235
Why selected: The best linemen for the two-time state champs, Carhill compiled 69 tackles, 4 sacks, a fumble recovery and eight hurries. He has offers from Miami, Tulane and La. Tech among others.
Drake Griffin
St. Mary’s, Sr.
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 218
Why selected: Holding a Northwestern State offer, Griffin had 134 tackles, six sacks, three fumble recoveries and a blocked punt.
Linebackers
Brian Tyler McMillian
North DeSoto, Sr.
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 210
Why selected: The Harding College commitment picked up 101 tackles with two interceptions, a sack and a defensive TD.
Hunter Martin
Logansport, So.
Ht: 5-9 Wt: 155
Why selected: The district defensive MVP compiled 138 tackles, 19 TFLs and five fumble recoveries.
Tyquerius Wilson
Union Parish, Jr.
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 180
Why selected: The Farmers’ top defensive player recorded 212 tackles, including 20 for a loss, nine sacks, 20 hurries, six forced fumbles and an interception.
Lawson Lillo
Cedar Creek, Sr.
Ht: 5-9 Wt: 175
Why selected: Lillo compiled 120 tackles, 26 TFLs, three sacks, with a fumble recovery and an interception. He had 26 tackles against Glenbrook.
Defensive backs
Tylen Singleton
Many, Sr.
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 210
Why selected: The LSU signee piled up 149 tackles with 2 interceptions to earn All-District 3-2A Defensive MVP honors. He also had 511 rushing yards and 232 receiving yards with 14 TDs.
Xavier “Tutt” McGlothan
North Webster, Sr.
Ht: 5-7 Wt: 150
Why selected: The Purple Knight recorded 59 tackles with eight picks, returning two for a TD, along with two forced fumbles. He also had 816 yards and 16 TDs.
Lake Bates
North DeSoto, Sr.
Ht: 5-10 Wt: 180
Why selected: The All-District 1-4A Defensive MVP recorded 127 tackles, five interceptions, 10 pass breakups, a kickoff return for a TD and a pick-6.
Aidan Anding
Ruston, Jr.
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 165
Why selected: Anding anchored the secondary for the LHSAA Division I state champs with 34 tackles, four interceptions, nine pass breakups, two sacks and a blocked field goal.
Defensive athlete
Alonzo Jackson
Haynesville, Sr.
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 205
Why selected: Jackson compiled 130 tackles, including 30 for a loss, with four interceptions, a sack, a forced fumble and a defensive TD. He also had 976 rushing yards, 364 receiving yards and 20 TDs.
Punter
Payne Williams
St. Mary’s, Sr.
Ht: 5-10 Wt: 150
Why selected: Williams averaged 35.8 yards on 28 punts. He also hit 27 of 29 point-afters and had a long field goal of 42 yards.
Second team offense
QB: Josh Brantley, Ruston, Jr.
OL: Cody Beshea, North Webster, Jr.
OL: Shawn Basey, D’Arbonne Woods, Sr.
OL: Gage Shepherd, Homer, Sr.
OL: Cratelyn Henderson, Logansport; Sr.
OL: Chamarion Williams, Ruston, Sr.
OL: Javon Phathong, Many, Sr.
RB: Braedon Robertson, North Webster, Jr.
RB: Trysten Hopper, North DeSoto, Sr.
RB: Jadynn Carter, Logansport, Jr.
WR: D'Avery Robinson, Logansport, Sr.
WR: Logan Malone, Ruston, Sr.
WR: J’Kobe Lawson, North Webster, Jr.
TE: Ben Bienvenu, St. Mary’s, Sr.
K: Dakota Denney, North DeSoto, Fr.
Second team defense
DL: Germetrius Speech, Haynesville, Sr.
DL: Avante Curry, North Webster, Sr.
DL: Demetrius Robinson, Minden, Jr.
DL: Coronado Davis, North DeSoto, Sr.
LB: Ja’ Myrian Jackson, North Webster, So.
LB: Ke’Maurion Jefferson, North Webster, So.
LB: Zheric Hill, Ruston, Jr.
LB: Jamey Fisher, D’Arbonne Woods, Jr.
DB: Semaj Jones, Ruston, Sr.
DB: Tomorrio Bilberry, Union, Jr.
DB: Corbyn Cross, North DeSoto, Sr.
DB: Isaiah Washington, Haynesville, So.
Jimmy Watson covers Louisiana sports for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.
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This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Meet the 2023 Shreveport Times All-Area high school football team
