The two Class A high school football teams in Natchitoches Parish are starting the 2026 season as soon as possible.
St. Mary’s plays at home tonight in Turpin Stadium, while Lakeview travels east to Olla to face a LaSalle team that St. Mary’s plastered in last week’s Battle on the Bricks Jamboree.
The Tigers make their official debut under new coach Jacob Carruth, whose team has dominated Block 36-6 in a scrimmage and last week handled LaSalle, 34-12. Carruth, a Shreveport native, has impressed in two brief head coaching stints in south Louisiana at Class A private schools.
The Class 2A Vikings were 2-8 last season.
“We have a great group of kids. It’s been a great pleasure getting to know them, and with a big senior class, it’s been a little easier with the (coaching) transition. Most of our 12 seniors will be starting,” said Carruth, who took over a team that went 6-6, 4-1 in district and won a first-round road playoff game.
“We’ve been able to cultivate some depth where we can keep kids from having to play every snap,” he said.
John Paul Thibodaux returns as the focal point of the Tigers’ offense at tailback.
“I’m really physical, a downhill runner. I like to hit people, and I’m fast,” said Thibodaux. “I think a great year would be reaching the quarterfinals and winning the district championship.”
Preston Tilley, the Tigers’ senior quarterback, threw three touchdown passes in the jamboree.
“My role is to make sure everybody is doing it the way we’re being coached, especially with a new offense. We want to run the playbook and do as we’re told. I need to keep everybody focused,” said Tilley.
Lakeview begins its third season with Lawrence Seawood Jr. in his 15th year overall at the school. The Gators carry the state’s third longest losing skid (18) into this season, but looked capable of halting it last week in a Battle on the Bricks 7-6 loss to Pickering.
“I was proud of our guys’ effort today. I’ve been telling them for weeks that our goal is to get off the (losing streak) list and to get to the point where we learn how to finish. We took a giant step in the right direction (last Friday),” he said.
“My biggest aspiration is to give these kids some stability as the head coach, a good experience,” said Seawood, who has a roster of 34 players, including some eighth graders, up from 18-20 who took part in summer workouts. “I’m trying to build the best program for the guys, give them the best opportunities and experiences.”
Freshman quarterback Jamarcus Rushing will be throwing the ball more than the Gators have been doing, perhaps ever, said Seawood.
“I’m excited to show people our heart this year,” said Morgan.
Linebacker and running back Daylon Ayres describes himself as “a running back who likes to run through somebody, tip toe around nobody. I just want to show them I can do it.”
Lakeview and LaSalle meet for the fifth straight season. The Gators won the first two, each by two points, before the Tigers squared the series with lopsided victories in the most recent games.