Meet The News-Star's All-Area high school football team for 2023

Here’s a look at the News-Star’s annual all-area high school football team for the 2023 season.

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.

Offensive Player of the Year

Jackson Bradley

Oak Grove, Jr.

Ht: 6-3 Wt: 200

Why selected: The Louisiana Tech commit completed 85 of 161 throws for 1,641 yards and 20 TDs against 4 picks. He also had 1,401 rushing yards with another 20 scores.

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First team

Quarterback

Hayden Federico

West Monroe, Sr.

Ht: 5-10 Wt: 180

Why selected: The Ole Miss baseball commit completed 100 of 154 passes for 1,511 yards and 15 TDs with two interceptions, while rushing for 584 yards and eight more scores.

Offensive linemen

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 as the Division I state champs 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.

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Mitch Hodnett

Sterlington, Sr.

Ht: 6-6 Wt: 295

Why selected: The big man graded out at 88% for the year before signing in December with TCU.

Ryder Bentley

Ouachita Christian, Sr.

Ht: 6-6 Wt: 280

Why selected: The Louisiana signee did not allow a sack in the past two seasons and was the leader of an offensive line that averaged 40 points per game.

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Truitt Tietz

Oak Grove, Sr.

Ht: 6-2 Wt: 240

Why selected: Tietz wasn’t the biggest lineman in the area, but he anchored an line that won a state title and helped an offense put up 6,000 total yards.

Nate Green

West Monroe, Sr.

Ht: 6-4 Wt: 265

Why selected: One of the most consistent lineman in the Northeast over the past two years, Green earned a scholarship to UL Monroe.

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 champs. He averaged 7.7 yards per carry.

Jay Freeman

Oak Grove, Sr.

Ht: 5-6 Wt: 160

Why selected: You can’t catch him in a phone booth, and that’s why Freeman accumulated 1,603 rushing yards with 24 TDs and 501 receiving yards with eight more scores.

Zerrick Jones

Jena, Sr.

Ht: 5-8 Wt: 180

Why selected: Jones rushed 273 times for 2,248 yards and 36 TDs to earn All-District 2-3A Offensive MVP honors.

Wide receivers

Tate Hamby

Ouachita Christian, Sr.

Ht: 6-3 Wt: 185

Why selected: The Vanderbilt signee caught 40 passes for 945 yards and 14 TDs while averaging 26.9 yards per punt return. He set the school career punt return record with nine TDs.

Desmen Jefferson

Ferriday, So.

Ht: 5-10 Wt: 173

Why selected: The sure-handed Jefferson hauled in 52 passes for 933 yards and 7 TDs.

Bradley Hanlon

Neville, Sr.

Ht: 6-4 Wt: 200

Why selected: Hanlon was a big reason the Tigers’ offense was scary no matter which opponent they lined up against.

Tyrin Singleton

Delta Charter, Jr.

Ht: 5-10 Wt: 185

Why selected: Singleton caught 70 passes for 828 yards and eight TDs in 2023.

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.

Kicker

Jackson Cordill

Franklin Parish, Sr.

Ht: 5-10 Wt: 165

Why selected: Cordill nailed nine of 13 field goals with a long of 43 yards, while connecting on 52 of 56 extra point attempts.

Returner

Tamarques Pritchard

Oak Grove, Jr.

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 180

Why selected: The speedster returned three kicks for TDs including one in the Caesar’s Superdome in the state championship game.

Offensive athletes

Latavious Murphy

Rayville, Jr.

Ht: 6-3 Wt: 187

Why selected: Murphy passed for 1,109 yards and 12 TDs while rushing for 826 yards and 18 TDs and nailing down 300 receiving yards and four additional scores. He compiled 2,325 all-purpose yards and 36 scores.

Juvari Singleton

Delta Charter, Sr.

Ht: 5-8 Ht: 200

Why selected: Singleton scored 34 total touchdowns with 1,226 passing yards and 953 rushing yards to earn District 4-1A Offensive MVP honors.

Zach White

Ouachita Christian, Sr.

Ht: 6-0 Wt: 195

Why selected: The UL Monroe baseball commit rushed for 920 yards and 18 TDs despite not playing in the second half of four of his 10 games. He also had three interceptions and five pass breakups.

DEFENSE

Defensive linemen

Jayden Williams

Wossman, Sr.

Ht: 6-3 Wt: 290

Why selected: The Wildcat big man recorded 76 tackles, four sacks, 27 TFLs with three forced fumbles.

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.

Brody Whatley

Neville, Jr.

Ht: 6-5 Wt: 255

Why selected: Whatley, who holds offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Louisiana Tech and Missouri, compiled 49 tackles and eight tackles for a loss with seven sacks.

Ben Devall

Ouachita Christian, Sr.

Ht: 6-2 Wt: 255

Why selected: The team’s second leading tackler, Devall had 74 tackles, including 13 for a loss, with nine sacks, an interception and two blocked kicks.

Linebackers

James Harris

Oak Grove, Sr.

Ht: 6-2 Wt: 228

Why selected: The Southeastern Louisiana commit piled up 107 tackles, two interceptions, a blocked punt, six sacks and 12 tackles for a loss.

Noah Lovelady

Ouachita Christian, Sr.

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 215

Why selected: Lovelady led OCS recording 144 tackles with 28 for a loss while adding nine sacks and nine quarterback hurries. He finished with a school record 500 career tackles.

Kristian Doyle

Ouachita, Sr.

Ht: 5-9 Wt: 195

Why selected: Doyle had 90 tackles, caused two fumbles and picked off a pass with a sack.

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.

Defensive backs

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.

Robert Graves

Neville, Sr.

Ht: 5-7 Wt: 140

Why selected: Graves led the Tigers’ staunch defense compiling 46 tackles, seven tackles for loss, five fumble recoveries, with an interception and three TDs.

Tomorrio Bilberry

Union Parish, Jr.

Ht: 5-8 Wt: 175

Why selected: Bilberry helped the Farmers to the Division III state title with 73 tackles, three interceptions, while returning 15 kicks for 405 yards and three scores.

Landon Ferrell

Oak Grove, Sr.

Ht: 6-2 Wt: 195

Why selected: Ferrell piled up 96 tackles with 17 for a loss, five sacks and two blocked punts.

Punter

Aidan Parker

Sterlington, Sr.

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 165

Why selected: The No. 3 punter in Kohls kicking, Parker averaged 37 yards per punt and connected on 10 of 15 field goals and 35 of 37 PATs.

State Championship 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, 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.

Ryan Gregory

Oak Grove

Why selected: Gregory directed his Tigers to a 13-2 record and the school’s fourth state title in the last five seasons. The Tigers did it by dominating eight of their last nine opponents, including winning the LHSAA Division IV state title 62-36 over Haynesville in the Caesar’s Superdome. With a strong junior class returning, the Tigers could be back in the Dome in 2024.

Second team offense

Quarterback: Josh Brantley, Ruston, Jr.

Offensive linemen: Taylor Quinn, Neville, Sr.; Aiden Palmer, Jena, Sr.; Kenneth Boston, Rayville, Jr.; Vasser Day, St. Frederick, Sr.; Will Wactor, Sterlington, Sr.; Shawn Basey, D’Arbonne Woods, Sr.

Running backs: Kuameron Williams, General Trass, Sr.; MJ Dade, St. Frederick, So.; Trammell Colvin, Sterlington, Sr.

Wide receivers: David Moore, West Monroe, Sr.; Javion White, Franklin Parish, Sr.; Antron Mason II, Wossman; Kenyon Grant, Franklin Parish, Sr.; Kaleb Vaughn, Neville, Jr.; Peja Roberts, Carroll, Sr.

Tight ends: Thomas Campbell, Neville, Jr.; Cayden Tolbird, West Ouachita, Sr.

Kicker: Aidan Parker, Sterlington, Jr.

Returner: Kaleb Vaughn, Neville, Jr.

Athletes: Grant Edmondson, West Monroe, Sr.; Tyler Roark, West Monroe, Jr.

Second team defense

Defensive linemen: Jalen Mcgraw Boley, Mangham, Sr.; Isaiah Joles, Oak Grove, Jr.; Jayden Webb, Neville, Sr.; Sanplice Simeon, St. Frederick, Jr.

Linebackers: Collin Watkins, West Monroe, Sr.; Lawson Lillo, Cedar Creek, Sr.; Jackson King, Sterlington, Sr.; Robert Natt, Mangham, Sr.; Luke Jones, West Ouachita, Jr.

Defensive backs: Semaj Jones, Ruston, Sr.; Demariyon “De” Hammock, Jena, Sr.; Richard Wilson Jr., Wossman, Jr.; Cam Riley, Neville, Jr.; Michael Wright, Richwood, Sr.

Punters: Jackson Cordill, Franklin Parish, Sr.; Decatur McMurray, Ouachita

Jimmy Watson covers Louisiana sports for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Monroe News-Star's All-Area high school football team for 2023