Top 25 Louisiana high school football rankings (9/27/2023)

Defending champion and undefeated Destrehan joins this week's Top 5

For the first time this season, no teams dropped out of the SBLive Louisiana Top 25. 

There was a good bit of movement with more than half the programs occupying a different spot than the previous week. 

Keep reading to find out who moved up and down, get details on last week's games and find out which teams are on the cusp of making a Top 25 appearance.

1. John Curtis Christian, 3-0 (previous rank: 1)

The Patriots began Catholic League play with a 41-21 win over Jesuit. Quarterback Dagan Bruno was 6-of-9 passing for 99 yards with a TD pass to LSU commit Michael Turner, according to Chris Dabe of nola.com.

Jason Gabriel ran for two scores as the Patriots rushed for 350 yards. Six players have rushed for at least 100 yards this year, led by Anthony Smith (12-191, two TDs). Five defenders have each intercepted a pass.

Next: Saturday at No. 15 Holy Cross (4-0)

2. Edna Karr, 4-0 (previous rank: 2)

Karr and St. Augustine have two of the state's best defensive fronts, so it wasn't a surprise that their game Saturday was a defensive struggle. The Cougars led 6-2 at the half, trailed the Purple Knights at one point after the break, and rallied for a 27-16 win in the Catholic League opener for each team.

Sophomore QB John Johnson, who passed for 171 yards, threw two fourth-quarter TD passes to Tyrone Wilson and TaRon Francis, according to Chris Dabe. Dezeman Favorite and Daejawn Smith each ran for a score.

Next: at Brother Martin (3-1)

3. St. Thomas More, 4-0 (previous rank: 3)

The Cougars avenged their only loss of the 2022 season by defeating then-No. 22 Catholic-Baton Rouge at home, 35-28. Navy commit Hutch Swilley ran for 118 yards on 13 carries with a TD and caught four passes for 79 yards and a score, according to Eric Narcisse of the Acadiana Advocate.

Defensive back Gavin Duplechin intercepted two passes, including a pick on the Bears' final drive. QB Sam Altmann threw three TD passes. Tailback Gabe Mocek ran for a score. Landon Strother and Parker Castille each had a receiving TD.

Next: at Denham Springs (3-1)

4. Carencro, 4-0 (previous rank: 5)

Sophomore quarterback Chantz Babineaux continued to rewrite the school's record book on Friday, passing for a new single-game mark of 394 yards and two TDs in a 57-14 rout of Sulphur. Babineaux rushed for 185 yards on seven carries with four TDs, according to Kevin Foote of the Acadiana Advocate.

Austin Dyson caught seven of Babineaux's 21 completions for 117 yards. Sulphur rushed for minus 21 yards. Babineaux has thrown for 1,202 yards with 13 TDs and one interception and has rushed for 378 yards on 38 carries with six scores.

Next: at New Iberia (0-4)

5. Destrehan, 4-0 (previous rank: 6)

Jackson Fields passed for five TDs as the Wildcats kicked off District 7-5A action with a 47-11 defeat of Hahnville. Johnnie Thiel IV caught five passes for 150 yards and three TDs, according to Clyde Verdin of nola.com.

Jabari Mack added 105 receiving yards for the defending Division I non-select champions. Tailback Shane Lee ran for a score and finished with 148 scrimmage yards.

Next: vs. H.L. Bourgeois (2-2)

6. Westgate, 4-0 (previous rank: 7)

Jaboree Antoine and Tavias Gordon each topped the 100-yard rushing mark in a 49-32 win over St. Martinville. Antoine, a junior QB, rushed for 120 yards on 13 carries with two TDs. He passed for 97 yards and a score to Gordon, who rushed for 168 yards on 16 attempts and three TDs. Gordon has rushed for 637 yards on 61 carries with 11 TDs this season.

Friday's game didn't end until after midnight due to a lengthy weather delay.

Next: at No. 12 Calvary Baptist (4-0)

7. Ruston, 4-0 (previous rank: 9)

The Bearcats defeated Lafayette Christian, which came into the game ranked fourth, for the second straight year. Ruston's defense intercepted Knights QB Ju'Juan Johnson five times with two pick-sixes. Linebacker Zheric Hill returned an interception for a TD vs. LCA for the second consecutive year. Ronald Findley had the other pick-six.

Jordan Hayes rushed for 121 yards and a TD on 24 carries, according to Matt Bellinson of the Ruston Leader. Dylone Brooks added 69 yards on 16 carries with a TD in the 29-26 win.

Ruston's only loss on the field, a Week 1 setback to Warren Easton, turned into a win when the Eagles were forced to forfeit victories over the Bearcats and Catholic-Baton Rouge.

Next: at Neville (4-0)

8. Lafayette Christian, 3-1 (previous rank: 4)

The Knights fought back from a double-digit deficit before falling at Ruston, 29-26. Quarterback Ju'Juan Johnson marched the offense into the red zone in the closing moments, but an offensive pass interference penalty halted the drive.

Johnson rushed for 186 yards on 25 carries with a TD. The LSU commit has carried 53 times for 662 yards and 11 scores this season.

Next: vs. Avoyelles Parish (0-4)

9. Zachary, 3-0 (previous rank: 10)

The Broncos accumulated 501 yards of offense in a 54-6 non-district thumping of McKinley, according to Reed Darcey of the Baton Rouge Advocate.

Nate James rushed for 154 yards on eight carries with two TDs. Jonas Hayes, Tyson George and LSU commit Trey'Dez Green each caught a TD pass.

Next: at West Monroe (4-0). Zachary beat the Rebels, 20-10, in the second round of the 2022 playoffs, the fourth time in six years that the Broncos eliminated West Monroe from the playoffs.

10. Warren Easton, 1-3 (previous rank: 8)

The Eagles beat winless Booker T. Washington-New Orleans, 28-6, in a lackluster performance. Fred Robertson ran for 198 yards and two scores. Easton led by only two points (8-6) in the third quarter. Greg Donaldson rushed for a TD, and Cairo Moore returned an interception for six points, according to nola.com's Josh Preston.

It was the first official win for Easton, which was forced to forfeit victories over Ruston and Catholic-Baton Rouge for using an ineligible player.

Next: at John Ehret (2-2) on Thursday

11. Neville, 4-0 (previous rank: 11)

The Tigers demolished North Caddo, 53-0. No other details were available.

Next: vs. No. 7 Ruston (4-0). The Bearcats defeated Neville, 27-21, in last year's matchup. Tailback Jaylon Nichols ran for 128 yards on 25 carries with two TDs in the loss. 

12. Calvary Baptist, 4-0 (previous rank: 12)

The Cavaliers handed Wossman its first loss, 21-6. QB Abram Wardell has completed 80-of-107 passes for 1,266 yards and 13 TDs with one interception.

Junior tailback James Simon rushed for 70 yards on 18 carries with a TD on Friday. Wardell was 20-of-33 for 222 yards and two scores. Aubrey Hermes (4-79) caught both of Wardell's scoring strikes.

Next: vs. No. 6 Westgate (4-0)

13. St. Charles Catholic, 4-0 (previous rank: 13)

The Class 2A Comets took down their fourth straight Class 4A opponent, De La Salle, by a 32-14 margin. Daniel Joseph caught five passes for 124 yards and a 71-yard TD, according to nola.com's Jack Culotta.

Tyler Milioto kicked a field goal for the fourth consecutive week. Milioto had field goals from 22 and 35 yards. Skyler Edwards ran for a 3-yard TD as well.

Next: vs. Vandebilt Catholic (2-2)

14. Airline, 4-0 (previous rank: 14)

The Vikings hammered Benton on Thursday, 60-35. QB Ben Taylor threw seven TD passes in the first half, according to Russell Hedges of the Bossier Press Tribune. Taylor, who was 18-of-24 for 471 yards and no interceptions, has 22 TDs on the year. Airline led, 49-21, at halftime.

Bryson Broom (6-157), Jarvis Davis (5-139) and Tre'Von Jackson (6-137) had big nights catching the football.

Next: at Natchitoches Central (2-2) on Thursday

15. Acadiana, 3-1 (previous rank: 16)

Quarterback Caden DiBetta accounted for four TDs in a 63-12 rout of Lafayette High. DiBetta passed for 118 yards on four completions with two TDs - a 65-yard strike to younger brother Collin DiBetta and a 16-yarder to Tourean Campbell.

Ezekiel Hypolite (6-83) rushed for three TDs. Junior receiver Russell Babineaux totaled 116 scrimmage yards on four touches. Hypolite has rushed for 300 yards on 24 carries with seven TDs this season.

Next: at Comeaux (0-4)

16. Holy Cross, 4-0 (previous rank: 17)

Cole Canatella completed 15-of-16 passes for 259 yards and two TDs as the Tigers defeated Archbishop Rummel, 49-28, in a Catholic League opener. Canatella rushed for 46 yards on eight attempts with two TDs, according to nola.com's Mike Strom.

Derrick Johnson (5-113, TD) led the receiving corps, followed by Kross Johnson (5-98, TD).

Next: vs. No. 1 John Curtis Christian (4-0) on Saturday

17. University Lab, 3-1 (previous rank: 18)

The Cubs opened District 6-3A competition by trouncing Mentorship Academy, 55-0. No other details were available.

Next: vs. Port Allen (2-1-1). The LHSAA ruled Port Allen vs. Brusly a tie in Week 1. A shooting resulted in the game's cancellation.

18. St. Augustine, 2-2 (previous rank: 15)

The Purple Knights surged from a 13-2 second-half deficit to take a 16-13 lead vs. Edna Karr before succumbing, 27-16.

Terrill Franklin and Dawson Simmons each ran for a score. Simmons passed for 169 yards. Tulane commit Joshua Jackson caught four passes for 90 yards, according to Chris Dabe.

Next: at Jesuit (1-3)

19. North DeSoto, 3-1 (previous rank: 19)

In the District 1-4A opener for each team, North DeSoto thrashed Minden, 51-0. Sophomore QB Luke Delafield has passed for 993 yards and 11 TDs. Cole Cory (25-433, two TDs) and Landry Wyatt (16-296, five TDs) lead the team in receiving.

Next: vs. Booker T. Washington-Shreveport (2-2)

20. East St. John, 4-0 (previous rank: 20)

Koyal Gray Jr. hauled in eight receptions for 204 yards and two TDs in a 48-14 win over Thibodaux. The Wildcats' defense collected eight sacks and forced two turnovers, according to Vashon Jones of Crescent City Sports.

Next: vs. Hahnville (1-3)

21. Southside, 3-1 (previous rank: 21)

The Sharks pulled away from New Iberia for a bounce-back victory after a loss to Carencro in Week 3. Vernel Joseph rushed for 125 yards on nine carries with a TD. Colin Fabacher added 7 carries for 120 yards and three TDs.

Fullback Ramon Singleton (17-66) also found the end zone twice in the 49-26 win.

Next: at Barbe (2-2)

22. Catholic-Baton Rouge, 2-2 (previous rank: 22)

The Bears went toe-to-toe on the road at St. Thomas More last week, matching the Cougars score for score before falling, 35-28. Daniel Beale passed for 240 yards and two TDs. Barry Remo rushed for 104 yards on 17 carries with a score and caught three passes for 39 yards and a TD.

Catholic's loss to Warren Easton turned into a win when the Eagles were forced to forfeit victories against Ruston and the Bears.

Next: vs. Northside (3-1)

23. Ouachita Christian, 4-0 (previous rank: 23)

Vanderbilt commit Tate Hamby caught a 72-yard TD pass, returned a punt 60 yards to paydirt and brought an interception to the house from 66 yards in a 59-0 trouncing of Tensas Parish.

The Eagles scored 42 points in the first quarter and held Tensas Parish to minus 82 yards of total offense.

Next: at Ouachita Parish (1-3) on Thursday. The Class 5A Lions were the only blemish on OCS' 2022 record.

24. St. Amant, 4-0 (previous rank: 25)

Kyron Craft, Myles Dennis and Tyree Williams each ran for a score, and Chase Kelley threw a TD pass to Luke Raffray, according to Kyle Riviere of the Baton Rouge Advocate, in a 28-22 win over Opelousas.

Next: vs. Jefferson RISE Charter (2-2)

25. Dutchtown, 3-0 (previous rank: 24)

The Griffins are in the unenviable position of having consecutive open dates. Previously scheduled for a bye in Week 3, Dutchtown was unable to find a replacement after Carver Collegiate Academy, its scheduled Week 4 opponent, forfeited the remainder of its games.

Next: at Walker (3-1) Oct. 6

Baker's Dozen to Watch

Teurlings Catholic, Sam Houston, E.D. White, Isidore Newman, Lutcher, Cecilia, Central-Baton Rouge, West Monroe, Denham Springs, Jena, Ponchatoula, Brother Martin, Walker 

Photo of Destrehan by St. Charles Parish Public Schools' Facebook page

-- Mike Coppage | @SBLiveLA