Louisiana High School Football Midseason Report: Westgate QB Noah Antoine named POTY; Beau Chene sending shockwaves

We're just past the midway mark of the 2026 Louisiana high school football regular season after Thursday's batch of Week 6 games, so let's take a look at the best and brightest, the surprises so far and what we got right and wrong in the preseason.

Two Whiffs in District 3-5A

Might as well start with a couple of big misses. Barbe, which wasn't ranked in the preseason, is 5-0 and No. 1 in the Division I Non-Select power ratings. Though the Buccaneers made the 2025 quarterfinals as a No. 26 seed (losing to Neville), we were skeptical about their defense, which allowed 35-or-more points in seven games.

Barbe answered the call on defense, holding four opponents to 19-or-fewer points. Two weeks ago, the Buccaneers trailed unbeaten Lafayette High 35-27 before storming back to win 52-35.

After handing Sulphur its first loss, Barbe takes on Acadiana and its well-oiled veer machine tonight. The Wreckin' Rams (4-1) have had three running backs each eclipse the 200-yard rushing mark in a game and have been impressive considering a string of injuries. Senior Collin DiBetta hasn't played a game yet.

Barbe also has big league games ahead against St. Thomas More (4-1) and Southside (2-3), which was touted as the No. 8 team in the preseason.

The Sharks returned all the horsepower from their flexbone offense that reached last year's quarterfinals, but the Sharks have struggled. Their secondary was shredded by Easton Royal (Brother Martin) and Cayden Lancelin (Westgate) in back to back losses to begin the year.

If the playoffs began today, Southside would be on the outside looking in. The season hit a low last week in a 28-14 loss to Sam Houston, which had allowed 55, 45 and 34 points in losses the previous three weeks.

Noah Antoine Named POTY

The junior quarterback has paced Westgate to a 5-0 record and No. 2 power rating in Division II Non-Select by passing for nearly 1,200 yards and 16 touchdowns and no interceptions.

At the three week-mark, Antoine had nearly as many touchdowns as incompletions. He'll get a brief break for Westgate's open date this week. On Oct. 30, the Tigers host Lafayette Renaissance (3-2) in a game that could be for the district title. Teurlings Catholic, which won its first game on Thursday, hopes to make noise in the district with an improving ground game and quarterback DJ Kelly, recently ruled eligible after missing the first few weeks.

Lafayette Renaissance, Westminster Christian-Lafayette Looking Strong

Lafayette Renaissance, a fast-growing school that made the leap from Class 2A to 4A this year, was projected in the preseason as one of five programs ready to surprise (along with WCA-Lafayette).

The Tigers lost to Class 5A powers Edna Karr and John Curtis but turned around and walloped Lake Charles College Prep 56-34 last week. LCCP came into the game undefeated and holding the No. 1 spot in the Division II Select power ratings. The Tigers also trounced Class 2A No. 8 Catholic New Iberia 46-0 on the road.

Both LRCA (No. 7) and LCCP (No. 4) should be in the mix for the Division II Select crown. No. 1 Archbishop Shaw (4-1) and No. 3 Madison Prep (3-2) are frontrunners.

WCA-Lafayette is 6-0 after a one-point district win last night over Ascension Episcopal, which reached the 2025 semifinals. The Chargers, who have upcoming games against Jeanerette and Division IV Select No. 1 Ascension Catholic, have the Lafayette area's leading rusher in sophomore Pierce Gable, son of head coach Kent Gable, and a junior quarterback (Zade Prejean) who was averaging 19.5 yards per carry with nine TDs before Thursday's game.

Westminster Christian 2028 QB Zade Prejean (No. 1) rushed for 630 yards with an average of 19.5 ypc through the first five weeks. | Mike Coppage

Notre Dame is ... Notre Dame

How does legendary coach Lewis Cook do it? His Pioneers are 5-0 and No. 1 in the Division III Select power ratings with a defense whose largest player is a 185-pound lineman.

Notre Dame beat another Division III Select power, Catholic New Iberia, without starting quarterback Parker Menard, who has since returned, and top defender Jack Vondenstein (out for the remainder of the season).

With Menard out, sophomore Clint Meche cooly surveyed the field and threw a 61-yard TD pass to Braxton Meche for a 22-21 win over Catholic NI with less than two minutes remaining.

Parker Menard Notre Dame — Notre Dame quarterback Parker Menard | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Surprise Program: Beau Chene

The Gators, who went 1-8 last year, are 6-0 following Thursday's 41-0 rout of Livonia in the league opener. They won that game by blowout without starting quarterback Braydon Marks, who was injured the previous week.

Senior Christian Wheeler, a running back who was averaging 150 yards per game, nearly reached that threshold with 132 yards and two TDs. Wheeler played QB and threw a TD pass.

On defense, the Gators intercepted four passes in the first half. Special teams also delivered with a blocked punt that was returned for a TD.

Next week, the Gators face Cecilia (3-2), another team that has battled the injury bug at QB. Four-star receiver Braylon Calais (LSU commit) played quarterback in a 24-21 loss to Notre Dame in Week 5.

The season took on new meaning for Beau Chene when two-way starter Santiago Solis died in late September. The team captains carry Solis's jersey with them to midfield for the preseason coin toss.

Coach Buck Harris played on the last Beau Chene team to win its first five games. The program had never started 6-0. Harris's head coach on that team was his current defensive coordinator, Andrew Hargroder.

Beau Chene football — Beau Chene coach Buck Harris and 2027 Christian Wheeler after Thursday's historic win over Livonia | Mike Coppage

Add us as a preferred source on Google