Friday nights in Louisiana aren't just about football. They are about survival. If you’ve ever stood on a humid sideline in Monroe or felt the concrete vibrate under your feet at a packed stadium in New Orleans, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The 2025 season just wrapped up, and honestly, it was one of the weirdest, most chaotic years for louisiana hs football rankings that we've seen in a decade.
Usually, you can bet your mortgage on the same three or four teams sitting at the top. But this year? The hierarchy basically got tossed into a gumbo pot and stirred until nobody recognized the ingredients. We saw powerhouse programs fall to teams that weren't even on the radar in August. It was beautiful. It was heartbreaking. It was exactly why we love this sport.
The King Stays King: Edna Karr’s Undefeated Run
Let's get the obvious out of the way first. Edna Karr is still the gold standard. Coach Brice Brown has built something in Algiers that feels less like a high school team and more like a professional developmental program. They finished 14-0, capping it off with a 49-14 demolition of St. Augustine in the Division I Select final.
Tre Garrison was a monster in that game. He carried the rock 41 times for 183 yards. Think about that for a second. Forty-one carries. Most kids would be in the training room for a month after that kind of workload, but Garrison just kept moving the chains. With guys like five-star Richard Anderson (an LSU commit) anchoring the line, Karr was essentially a brick wall that also happened to have a Ferrari's engine.
They sat at the top of every louisiana hs football rankings list from Week 1 until the trophies were handed out. It wasn't even close.
The Shock of the Season: Ouachita Parish’s Cinderella Run
If Edna Karr was the predictable ending, Ouachita Parish was the twist nobody saw coming. Seriously. Most people had them pegged as a middle-of-the-pack team in District 2-5A. They entered the Non-Select Division I playoffs as a 14-seed.
Then, they went on a rampage.
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They knocked off the No. 3 seed. Then the No. 2. Then, in the championship, they faced their massive district rival, Ruston. Ruston had been the heavy favorite for most of the year, usually sitting at No. 2 or No. 3 in the statewide polls. But Benjy Lewis coached the game of his life. Ouachita walked away with a 21-20 victory. It was a "where were you" moment for North Louisiana football.
Macario Dade took home the Outstanding Player honors with 147 yards and two scores. It just goes to show that the numbers on a ranking sheet don't mean a thing once the opening kickoff happens in the Superdome.
How the Polls Actually Work (And Why They’re Always Wrong)
You've probably seen the LSWA (Louisiana Sportsline Writers Association) polls and the MaxPreps computer rankings. They rarely agree.
The LSWA poll is based on the "eye test." It’s a group of sportswriters from across the state—guys who are at the games, smelling the popcorn and seeing the hits—voting on who they think is best. It’s subjective. It’s biased. And it’s a lot of fun to argue about at the barbershop.
MaxPreps and the LHSAA Power Ratings are different. They use algorithms. They look at:
- Your win-loss record (obviously).
- Strength of schedule (who did you actually play?).
- Opponents' win-loss records.
The problem? Computers don't know when a star quarterback has the flu or when a team is playing with a chip on their shoulder because they got snubbed the week before. That’s why you’ll often see a team like Archbishop Rummel or Catholic-Baton Rouge ranked lower than you’d expect—their schedules are so brutal that even a couple of losses don't accurately reflect how dangerous they are in the playoffs.
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Small School Power: Iowa and St. Charles Catholic
We can’t talk about louisiana hs football rankings without mentioning the "smaller" schools that play "big" football.
Iowa High School finally did it. They finished 14-0 and took home the Division II Non-Select title. It was the first state championship in the school's history. Kaston Lewis was the hero there, playing both ways and eventually winning the GeauxPreps Defensive MVP. He had six interceptions on the year and over 100 tackles. When you have a kid like that who can dominate both sides of the ball, you’re going to win a lot of games.
Then there’s St. Charles Catholic. They are the ultimate "never say die" team. In the Division II Select final against Archbishop Shaw, they were down 21-20 with less than a minute left. Most teams would have packed it in. Instead, they caught a break with a penalty, got a short punt, and Tyler Milioto nailed a 44-yard field goal to win it.
That’s Louisiana football in a nutshell. It’s not over until the bus is idling in the parking lot.
The Players Who Owned the 2025 Season
Rankings are built on the backs of elite talent. This year’s crop of recruits was particularly deep.
| Player | School | Notable Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Elijah Haven | Dunham | 62 Passing TDs (State Record) |
| Peyton "Pop" Houston | Evangel Christian | 4,778 Total Yards |
| Richard Anderson | Edna Karr | 5-Star DL (LSU Commit) |
| Lamar Brown | University Lab | Top-ranked 2026 Prospect |
Elijah Haven at Dunham is someone you need to keep an eye on. Setting a state record with 62 touchdown passes is insane. He’s a dual-threat guy who looks like he’s playing a video game most Friday nights. When the 2026 recruiting rankings come out, expect his name to be at the very top of the national list, not just the state one.
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Looking Ahead: The 2026 Outlook
The cycle never really stops. As soon as the Prep Classic ends, coaches are already looking at their sophomore and junior classes.
What should you look for in next year's louisiana hs football rankings?
- The Rise of Airline: They had a prolific offense this year led by WR Kenny Darby. If they can find some defensive consistency, they could be a top-5 mainstay.
- Neville’s Revenge: The Tigers are always in the hunt, and after a deep playoff run in 2025, they have a lot of returning starters.
- The Catholic League Battle: Between Karr, St. Aug, Jesuit, and Brother Martin, the District 9-5A (the "Catholic League") will once again be a bloodbath.
Honestly, the best way to track these rankings isn't just by looking at the Top 10. You have to look at the "Others Receiving Votes" section. That’s where the sleepers live. Teams like Central-Baton Rouge or Zachary often start outside the top 5 and end up playing for a title in December.
If you want to stay on top of the movements, keep a close eye on GeauxPreps. Their power ratings refresh hourly during the season, which is much better than waiting for a weekly newspaper poll. Also, pay attention to the District 2-5A standings in North Louisiana—that district is consistently the toughest in the state, and whoever comes out of it is usually battle-tested enough to win it all.
Don't just look at the wins. Look at how they're winning. A team that wins by 3 points against a powerhouse is often better than a team that wins by 50 against a winless opponent. That’s the nuance that people miss when they just glance at the standings.
Check the schedules for Week 1 of 2026. Usually, the top teams schedule "kickoff classics" against other ranked opponents. Those early September games will tell you everything you need to know about who actually deserves their spot in the rankings.