What We Learned From Louisiana High School Football's Jamboree Week: Ruston, Alexandria, Southside Make Statements

Jamboree weekend served as the final dress rehearsal for Louisiana high school football, with the 2026 regular season kicking off on Thursday, Sept. 3.

From Ruston's dominant showing against Evangel Christian to Alexandria's rout of Zachary, several teams gave us plenty to consider before the games start counting. Here's what we learned:

Ruston Looks Worthy of Its Preseason No. 1 Ranking

The Bearcats rolled past Evangel Christian 49-14 in 30 minutes of action. After the Eagles evened the score 7-7 on a brilliant keeper by LSU quarterback commit Peyton Houston, Ruston scored 42 unanswered points. Louisiana Tech quarterback commit Sam Hartwell threw TD passes to five-star TE Ahmad Hudson and Josiah Morgan, and 2028 running back Dalen Powell found the end zone, as well. The Bearcats open the season against former district rival Neville, which blanked West Monroe 27-0.

DALEN 🗣️ POWELL 🗣️

Three touchdowns for the Bearcats’ 2028 running back, and this is his best yet. Wow.

Ruston 49, Evangel Christian 7.
2H, 5:53. pic.twitter.com/jHigXe8j6Z
— Louisiana vs. All Y’all (@LAvsAllYall) August 30, 2026

Southside Just Might Be the Favorite in District 3-5A

The Sharks are penciled in as our favorite to win the Lafayette/Lake Charles district, with defending champion Acadiana and St. Thomas More also in the mix, along with darkhorse candidates Lafayette High and Barbe. Southside breezed past Carencro 28-6 with senior running back Justin Williams (Lamar offer) rushing for two touchdowns and elusive do-everything Kollen Francois scoring on a long return. The Sharks host Brother Martin, which held five-star receiver Easton Royal out of its jamboree. Southside showed off its passing game when Parker Dies hit Jayden Moncrieffe for a score, according to Eric Narcisse of The Acadiana Advocate.

Southside WR Jayden Moncrieffe | Mike Coppage

Edna Karr is Still Edna Karr

The Cougars dismissed the rumors that they might fall off a step after being blitzed by graduation. Karr's two quarterbacks - Forest Johnson and Marlon Jones - combined for four touchdowns in a 48-7 win over Slidell, according to Chris Dabe of The New Orleans Advocate. The Cougars host a Lafayette Renaissance team that scored all 28 points in the first half of a shutout win over Erath, which went undefeated in the 2025 regular season.

Could Alexandria Be the Best Team in Louisiana?

That question might be decided in District 2-5A when the Trojans face Ruston, a team it defeated in the 2025 regular season. Alexandria easily disposed of a highly respected Zachary squad in the jamboree 35-7. Noble Williams ran for a pair of scores, and quarterback Karsen Sellers connected with Alex Fontenot for a TD, according to Bret McCormick of Louisiana vs. All Y'all. In Week One, the Trojans will host a motivated Bryant (Arkansas) program that squandered a huge lead in a close loss to Benton High that snapped a long winning streak.

St. Thomas More Shows Off Its Defense and Running Game

Offensive coordinator Shane Savoie took advantage of great field position to pummel Breaux Bridge with several running backs scoring in a 41-0 win. The Cougars will be eyeing revenge against crosstown rival Teurlings Catholic, which won the district matchup last year before STM moved up to Class 5A. The Rebels played Acadiana tough in a jamboree loss.

Madison Prep Looks Ready for a Challenging Opening Stretch

The Chargers showed why they're one of the top-ranked Class 4A teams in the preseason top 25, taking a 33-0 lead in the first half of an easy win over the Panthers, according to Jackson Reyes of The Baton Rouge Advocate. Freshman quarterback Jacobe Shannon showed no butterflies, completing 3 of 5 passes for 49 yards in one half of action. Madison Prep takes on Jesuit, University Lab and Zachary in its first three games.

Jeanerette Lived Up to the Hype

The Tigers are being touted as a state championship caliber team in Division IV Nonselect, and their performance on Friday against Class 2A Loreauville bolstered that talk. Junior quarterback Aaron Tillman scored on a long run on the first play, and Nysir Jackson returned an interception for a touchdown in an 18-7 win. With top 100 national recruit Blair Lewis - a 320-pound sophomore offensive lineman - leading the way, Destin Smith also ran for a touchdown.

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