Bayou Jamb Notebook: Who Stood Out Ahead of Week 1?
by Marshall Loeffler // GeauxPreps.com
The campus of ULM once again was host to some of North Louisiana’s best football teams at the 20th edition of the Bayou Jamb, and 16 teams faced off inside Malone Stadium to tune up for Week 1 while giving fans, media, and everyone else in attendance a look at several Superdome contenders and a few of the state’s best players.
Here’s a look at all 8 games over the 2-day event and some of the storylines to follow for these teams during the 2026 season.
OUACHITA CHRISTIAN LOOKS THE PART AS USUAL
The OCS Eagles move from Class 2A to Class 1A and look to be a serious contender in Division IV Select again with a strong returning roster and a 28-7 preseason win over St. Frederick.
Running back Jude Turner picked up where he left off last year with 3 touchdowns and over 100 yards rushing, and should be a player to watch this year as the Ouachita Christian looks to win a new district and get back to New Orleans. The Eagles will open up their season against the defending champion Haynesville Golden Tornado in a highly anticipated September game.
MANGHAM DRAGONS OFFENSE STILL BREATHING FIRE
During a 38-0 win over Delhi Charter, Mangham went right back to work with Colby Casey spreading the ball around and ran away with a victory.
The Dragons return one of the bigger rosters in Division IV Non-Select, and in addition to Casey, return several contributors from last year’s runner-up team, like K.J. Bell, Ty Wilcher, Cadyn Harrison, Murphy Green, and others who either scored or made big plays in that championship game. Scott Wilcher returns for his 8th season at the helm for an experienced team that could make another trip to the title game.
NEVILLE MAKES A STATEMENT AGAINST WEST MONROE
In what was the first big “surprise” of the Bayou Jamb, the Neville Tigers were able to keep the West Monroe Rebels off the scoreboard while getting two rushing touchdowns and another solid outing for Parker Robinson, who made his first varsity start as a Tiger in the rain at this event two years ago.
Neville committed to the ground game early and often against West Monroe, with Kadyn Gray adding another score on the ground and Robinson finding Emaude Sledge, a top returning target, throughout both quarters. The defense jumped on miscues, and the special teams even got a 48-yard field goal. With Neville back in Class 4A and Division II Non-Select, it should be another electric fall season on Forsythe Avenue in Monroe.
BEEKMAN CHARTER AND JONESBORO HODGE BATTLE IN THE TRENCHES
While Greg Hill enters his first full season leading the Beekman Charter Tigers, his offensive approach wasn’t much different from Terrance Blankenship, who is in Year 14 leading the Tigers of Jonesboro-Hodge. Both teams were committed to establishing their run game early, and both offenses took their early scripted series and used some big offensive lineman and shifty runners to move the chains.
Beekman used Trenton West and Elaythan Armstrong in tandem, and J-Hodge gave Levi Martin plenty of chances to show his ability. Michael Malone paved the way for a nice group of skill players for Jonesboro Hodge, while Beekman Charter used an array of plays that resemble the design of Tommy Tharp, who is on the staff as the Defensive Coordinator. The game was a 14-14 tie with each team having solid drives and defensive stands.
RAYVILLE AND RICHWOOD GAME ENDS ON A BUZZER-BEATING….SAFETY!
The Richwood Rams needed to force a fumble and register a safety in the closing moments of their high-noon preseason matchup, notching a 2-0 win over the Rayville Hornets and giving a little momentum to new Head Coach Stanley Smith.
Coach Smith has championship experience from his stint at Ferriday and was sought by multiple schools in the offseason before arriving at the school in southern Ouachita Parish and immediately making his mark throughout the summer.
JENA AND OAK GROVE TRADE BLOWS IN A BATTLE OF HIGH POWER PROGRAMS
This matchup featured two rosters containing Prep Classic participants and tenured coaching staffs, so it was no surprise that Jena and Oak Grove displayed impressive previews of what they can each achieve this season. Jena outpaced Oak Grove after getting the ball first and running from there, but Oak Grove’s Bryson Reeves did a nice job of running multiple formations and spreading the ball around to backs, receivers, and tight ends. The Tigers were able to run and pass on each drive, but Jena was able to move up and down the field in a manner that looked a lot like last year’s runner-up team.
All-State senior Daniel Hatcher set the tone and found the end zone, but Kaeden Kittlin drew more comments on the day, serving as Hatcher’s new backfield partner and running very well throughout the contest. Jonas Jenkins showed his IQ as the new Giants quarterback, and Oak Grove was just building momentum of their own as time wound down. Both schools have plans for December football, and each looked capable of winning playoff games again.
OUACHITA LIONS PUT AWAY THE RINGS AND GET RIGHT BACK TO WORK
The defending Division I Non-Select champions have new faces all over their starting lineup, and a familiar face as their new head coach. Leonard Caesar moved from offensive coordinator with the task of leading a title defense with well over a dozen starting spots open. The Lions used Lester Watts, Seneca Battle, Tim Henderson, and a few others to dominate West Ouachita in their final tune-up.
Kaiden Clegg and Charles Davis were active on defense, and the Chiefs dealt with penalties and a Ouachita squad that looked seasoned and fully aware of the new heights of their program since last fall’s unbelievable run from a 14 seed to a state champion.
RUSTON RUNS OVER EVANGEL IN A SHOWDOWN OF 5A BLUE CHIPPERS
Two of the best high school football players (and currently committed college teammates) were on the field together to wrap up the Bayou Jamb, albeit in different color jerseys for now. Peyton Houston and Ahmad Hudson both scored touchdowns in a preview of what they may do in Death Valley, but this night belonged to the Bearcats. Ruston’s offensive line was able to keep multiple running backs clean, with Dalen Powell and Kohl Gray picking up where they left off in 2025.
Hudson’s fellow pass target Josiah Morgan also had highlights from quarterback Sam Hartwell, who was extremely efficient using his many options on offense. Houston had a long TD run and did a great job hitting multiple receivers, but Jayden Anding, Shamar Evans and the Division I Non-Select runners-up were aggressive on defense, giving Ruston a 49-14 win and setting up a regular season schedule that may be one of the toughest that the LHSAA has seen in years.
TWENTY YEARS AT THE BAYOU JAMB
The annual jamboree game was once little more than a scrimmage for many programs, and a chance for everything on and off the field to prepare for the first game. Events like the Bayou Jamb and other exhibition football festivals around the state have grown over the years, and not only provide weekend events to get schools and fans ready for football, but also present high-profile opportunities for teams to see good football in big environments.
Jamboree events like this around the LHSAA often set the stage for months to come, with teams that play in these prime-time matchups seemingly always being discussed in other prime-time games that take place down the road each football season. While the scores from these contests go up in smoke, both teams and fans usually have plenty to take home from preseason appetizers like the Bayou Jamb.