ASH Trojans Complete Undefeated Season, Capture Long-Awaited 2-5A Crown
by: John Marcase // GeauxPreps.com Contributor
ALEXANDRIA — Alexandria Senior High football coach Thomas Bachman gathered his team for a postgame photo in front of the scoreboard at Butch Stoker Stadium.
As he told his team, “I’m not old enough to remember the last time the District 2-5A championship didn’t reside up there.”
The Northeast Louisiana stranglehold on arguably the toughest football district in Louisiana has been broken.
In the biggest regular-season game in Rapides Parish in three decades, undefeated and fifth-ranked ASH led wire-to-wire in defeating previously unbeaten and fourth-ranked Neville, 42-16, to claim the 2-5A championship for Central Louisiana.
“I don’t know if I have the words, and I’m not short on words,” said Bachman. “It’s a big accomplishment because we have really good football programs, really good communities, and great coaches in this district. I think that is what makes me really proud because we have a lot of respect for the people we compete against.
“To come out and win the district championship is something I’m incredibly proud of – our staff, our kids, our community, our program. It makes me hold my head high.”
The undefeated regular season is a first for the Trojans’ 56-year-old program, and the district title is the first since 2012.
Whenever the LHSAA football pairings are released, ASH (10-0) figures to be the second seed in Division I Select behind Edna Karr, which is not only the last school to defeat the Trojans (2023 state quarterfinals), but also the last team to hold them under 40 points.
LSU commitment JT Lindsey led the Trojans’ offense with 208 yards rushing on 32 carries. He scored the first of two rushing touchdowns less than 8 minutes into the game to stake ASH to a 14-0 lead.
His second touchdown was one that will have people talking for years. Lindsey was stopped at the line of scrimmage as nearly the entire Neville defense converged on him. Then, he was free in the secondary en route to a 67-yard score and a 42-9 lead.
“He’s pretty special,” said Bachman. “I don’t know how he did that. JT’s special. I know how hard he has worked to develop himself. It is so much more than talent, and he is talented. Phenomenal kid, phenomenal player, and phenomenal competitor. I’m just glad he is on our team.”
The Trojans compiled 453 yards of offense against a Neville defense which had allowed 14 points or fewer in five of its past six games. Sophomore quarterbacks Karsen Sellers and Max Gassiott combined for 11-of-16 passing for 169 yards with each throwing a touchdown.
The Trojans actually had 471 yards of offense before kneeling on the game’s final three plays.
“They did a great job and were well prepared,” said Neville coach Mike Collins, whose team fell to 9-1. “I didn’t do a good enough job getting us ready.
“I’m blaming myself. I’m not gonna blame the kids. We didn’t get them prepared good enough obviously, offensively or defensively.”
Overshadowed all season, the ASH defense set the tone on Neville’s first two possessions, forcing two three-and-outs.
Even when Neville broke through for its first score to cut ASH’s lead to 14-7, Bachman wasn’t too upset. Jaylon Nichols’ 1-yard scoring run was set up by a 47-yard Parker Robinson pass to Trendan Dumas on third-and-13.
“(Dumas) makes an incredible catch on a post on third-and-13 that leads to their first score,” said Bachman. “You tip your hat. Keep making them make those types of plays to move the football to get into scoring position.”
The Trojans’ defense did just that. Neville’s only other touchdown was aided by two ASH penalties and featured Neville tight end Thomas Campbell catching a pass from Brock Jordan intended for Dumas that bounced off Dumas as he was hit by a defender. Nichols scored from the 2 on the next play. Otherwise, Neville only had one other trip to the red zone as the Trojans held them to 143 yards of offense and forced two turnovers.
“They were phenomenal,” said Bachman. “I think there was a chip on their shoulder. I know it was with the defensive staff, listening to the offense this and the offense that. There was a chip on their shoulder and they wanted to come out and prove they are every bit as good.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the work they put in and the buy-in that the players gave them.”
ASH and Neville (Non-Select) both should receive a first-round bye once the state playoffs begin as District 2-5A looks to claim two state championships in December to go with the Non-Select Division I title won by Ruston last season.
“This is the best” district in the state, said Collins. “I’ve told everybody in the world it is the best. There is nothing that compares to it. It has been for a long, long time and still is.
“(ASH) did a great job coming through district undefeated. Hats off to Thomas and his staff.”
SUMMARY
Alexandria Senior High 42, Neville 16
Neville 0 9 0 7-16
ASH 14 14 14 0-42
Scoring Summary
A-Jimmie Duncan 26 pass from Karsen Sellers (Channing Meche kick)
A-JT Lindsey 2 run (Meche kick)
N-Jaylon Nichols 1 run (Brooks Yerger kick)
A-Darius Washington 38 pass from Max Gassiott (Meche kick)
N-Safety, ball snapped out of the end zone
A-Washington 5 pass from Sellers (Meche kick)
A-Vaughn Darbon 13 run (Meche kick)
A-Lindsey 67 run (Meche kick)
N-Nichols 2 run (Yerger kick)
Neville ASH
First downs 18 24
Rushes-Yards 33-10 53-284
Passing Yards 141 169
C-A-I 12-22-1 11-16-1
Punts-Avg. 4-32.5 1-35
Fumbles/Lost 2/1 0/0
Penalties 2-10 8-75
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
Neville: Nichols 20-90; Tardashi Lemons 6-34; Parker Robinson 3-minus-30; Brock Jordan 2-8; Trey Caston 2-0.
ASH: Lindsey 32-208; Darbon 17-88; Sellers 3-minus-12.
PASSING
Neville: Robinson 11-17-1, 113; Jordan 1-5-0, 28.
ASH: Sellers 8-12-1, 98; Gassiott 3-4-0, 71.
RECEIVING
Neville: Kaleb Vaughn 4-26; Trendan Dumas 4-77; Thomas Campbell 2-28; Nichols 1-0; Lemons 1-0.
ASH: Duncan 4-88; Alex Fontenot 3-30; Washington 2-43; Tanner Townsend 1-19; Lindsey 1-minus-11.