OFFENSE

DARNELL RACHAL

Quarterback – Riverside – So.

A dual threat, Rachal passed for 691 yards and eight touchdowns against five interceptions, and added 426 yards and four touchdowns on the ground this season. He truly broke out when Riverside shifted to a spread offense in its final three regular season games – he accounted for eight touchdowns over that span.

ALEX SINGLETON – Co-MVP

Running back – East St. John – Sr.

Singleton reprised his role as “Godzilla” (credit to Lou Valdin) this season in the ESJ backfield. All eyes were on him after a breakout junior campaign, but it didn’t stop him from dominating again – he rushed for 906 yards and 10 touchdowns in nine games and averaged five yards a carry against perhaps the toughest schedule in the state.

COURTLAND TAYLOR – Co. MVP

Running Back – St. Charles – Sr.

Taylor hwas asked to replace all-purpose Comets star rusher Jonathan Cancienne, while also accepting full time duty two years after ACL surgery. He thrived, rushing for 901 yards and 14 touchdowns with a 5.1 YPC average. He also added 117 yards and a score on 10 catches for the District 9-3A champs.

TERRANCE NATHAN

Wide Reciever – West St. John – Sr.

The Rams top big play weapon seemed unstoppable at times during district play, once West St. John became comfortable in Coach Robert Valdez’s new offense. He hauled in 17 catches for 301 yards and five scores. He added a 61-yard touchdown run in the Rams’ playoff win over Basile – it was one of Nathan’s three scores in the game.

ZACH GOODWIN

Wide Reciever – St. Charles — Jr.

Goodwin hauled in 21 catches for 289 yards and four touchdowns this season. His most memorable coming in the Comets win over Lutcher, when his 48-yard touchdown catch on a Marc Picciola deep bomb shifted momentum back to St. Charles. He added a one-handed two-point conversion catch later that showed why he’s one of the team’s top red zone options.

BRANDON BECKER

Tight End – St. Charles – Jr.

Becker made a seamless conversion from the offensive line to tight end this season. He remained one of the team’s most valuable blockers on the edge, while also giving the team another offensive weapon – he caught seven passes for 134 yards and a score, and even added a touchdown on a kickoff return.

PATRICK LEWIS

Offensive Line – East St. John – Sr.

“He’s the best offensive lineman I’ve coached in 40 years,” says Larry Dauterive of his overpowering and versatile senior. Lewis just finished one of the most decorated careers in East St. John history. This year marks his third selection to the LSWA All-State Team, a school record.

JOSH CLEVELAND

Offensive Line – St. Charles – Sr.

Cleveland was the leader of the District 9-3A champions’ offensive line in his final season. It was a unit that took the pressure off two first year quarterbacks and helped propel Courtland Taylor to Parish MVP honors in his first season as starter. Each of the Comets’ top three rushers averaged over 5.1 YPC.

AARON DEROUEN

Offensive Line – Riverside – Sr.

Coach Taffi wants his lineman to be big, strong and aggressive, and that’s exactly what Derouen is. Despite matching up with teams like St. James and Curtis in district play and boasting a stable of inexperienced runners, the Rebels’ top four rushers combined to average 4.9 yards per carry behind Derouen and the Rebel linemen.

LABERON THOMAS

Offensive Line – West St. John – Sr.

West St. John’s two-time All-State selection was again among the best in 2008, leading a Rams line that paved the way for leading rusher Kenneth Dabney to average 8.5 yards a carry. After missing some games early in the season, Thomas was a force in district play, a major reason why the Rams won their last five regular season games.

ALEX BONNETTE

Offensive Line – Riverside – Sr.

When Riverside moved away from the Wing-T and into more spread formations, it meant the Rebel offensive line would have to adjust right along with it. No problem. Riverside Coach Tim Taffi knew he could count on an experienced offensive line to anchor an otherwise inexperienced offense. Bonnette was a big reason why.

KENNETH DABNEY

Athlete — West St. John — Jr.

Dabney averaged a robust 8.5 yards per carry for the Ram s in 2008. He rushed for 651 yards and nine touchdowns this season. Dabney peaked late, when the Rams downhill running game took off in district 9-1A play.

DEFENSE

BLAKE CARTER – Defensive MVP

Defensive Line – West St. John – Jr.

Carter wreaked havoc in opposing backfields in 2008. Playing both end and tackle, and despite only playing in nine games, he made 41 tackles, recorded 3.5 sacks, forced six fumbles and recovered three. Partially due to his disruption, West St. John allowed more than one offensive touchdown only twice in its seven regular season games.

ALVIN SCIONEAUX

Defensive Line – East St. John – Sr.

Scioneaux recorded 33 tackles and four sacks for an aggressive Wildcats defense that basically faced the best of the best week in and week out. Coach Larry Dauterive has said that he likes his team’s defense to play in the other team’s backfield, and Scioneaux got a consistent push all season long to make that possible.

NICK REINE

Defensive Line – St. Charles – Sr.

Reine led the Comets in tackles with 59.5 and was among three other Comets to recover three fumbles. He added 2.5 sacks. Topping the list of reasons why St. Charles won District 9-3A was that the defense just had a nose for the football, and Reine was always around it.

RONNIE FEIST

Defensive Line – West St. John – Fr.

While Blake Carter brought a veteran presence to the defensive line, his younger teammate made an instant impact on the prep scene. He recorded 45 tackles and three sacks, while forcing and also recovering two fumbles. Coach Robert Valdez sees big things in the talented Feist’s future.

MARK LAGRANDE

Linebacker – East St. John – Sr.

Lagrande led the Wildcats in sacks this season (6) while piling up 36 tackles this year. A tight end on offense, Lagrande’s athletisism allowed him to rush the passer with fury – in addition to the Wildcats, no one in St. John Parish had more sacks, either.

TIM BOESEN

Linebacker – St. Charles – Sr.

Boesen was injured a season ago, but left those troubles in the past with a fine senior campaign. Boesen contributed in just about every category from his middle linebacker spot – he recorded 50.5 tackles, 6.5 for loss, nailed down 1.5 sacks, intercepted a pass and forced a fumble.

BRYSON JAMES

Linebacker – East St. John – Sr.

James led East St. John in tackles, recorded five sacks, and recovered a fumble. The Wildcats defense went toe to toe with many of the top offenses in the state and held their own, largely due to a pass rush that saw James and Mark Lagrande offer lots of help to the defensive line.

TYLER LEWIS

Linebacker – West St. John – Sr.

One of the fastest linebackers around, Lewis made a big impact on defense in 2008. He made 51 tackles, sacked the quarterback five times, forced two fumbles and intercepted a pass. He was the most productive linebacker in coordinator Elmo Boudreaux’s scheme.

JUSTIN VICKNAIR

Cornerback – St. Charles – Sr.

Vicknair was personally responsible for eight drive stopping plays – seven interceptions, and one blocked kick. He also broke up four passes and made 33 tackles. He was the leader of a ball-hawking Comets secondary this season.

TORRI ZENO

Cornerback – East St. John — Senior

Those who tested Zeno were often in for a rude awakening – he led the parish with 14 pass breakups, and cracked a tough egg with his selection to the All-District 5-5A team this season. Often matched up with the opposition’s best receiver, he held his own with the state’s elite.

REMI POIRRIER

Safety – Riverside – Senior

The Rebels seem to always have a playmaker at safety in Tim Taffi’s scheme, and this year Poirrier was just that. He recorded 42 tackles and intercepted five passes. He forced a fumble and recovered one too while helping lead Riverside to the playoffs.

COREY WARMINGTON

Safety – West St. John – Junior

“The quarterback of the defense” as Coach Robert Valdez calls him, he made the calls on the field for West St. John. Warmington recorded 39 tackles, intercepted two passes, and recovered three fumbles for the Rams this season.

GRANT AUTHEMENT

Utility — St. Charles — Jr.

Authement, the defensive MVP of District 9-3A, recorded 42.5 tackles, intercepted two passes recovered a fumble and forced another. But no plays were more important than his three blocked kicks this season.

SPECIALISTS

JAMES KRAWCZYK

Placekicker – St. Charles – So.

Krawczyk made all three of his field goals this season and made all but two of his 37 extra points. He’ll likely best remember this season – and be remembered – for his fourth quarter field goal against Lutcher, which proved to be the game winner.

DEVIN SNYDER

Punter – St. Charles – Sr.

Snyder averaged 38 yards per punt on 37 attempts this season. None were blocked. The Comets place a high premium on field position, making Snyder one of their most valuable players.

REYNALDO YOUNG

Return Specialist – East St. John – Sr.

Young did a bit of everything this season, contributing at both wide receiver and defensive back. But in the return game, Young was a gamebreaker – his 97-yard kickoff return touchdown almost vaulted ESJ over Acadiana in the season opener, and he’d later add a 46-yard punt return for a score.