No Looking Back: ASH and John Curtis Eye State Championship Dreams

by: Mike Strom // GeauxPreps.com Contributor

This is no time for reflection.

At least, those are the sentiments of the Alexandria Senior High School and John Curtis Christian football teams as they prepare to meet in the semifinals of the Division I Select playoffs.

All eyes are pointed forward and locked on the prize as Friday’s 7 p.m. kickoff approaches at J.L. “Butch’’ Stoker Stadium in Alexandria.

In undefeated ASH’s case, the stakes are enormous with Coach Thomas Bachman’s second-seeded Trojans standing two victories shy of winning the first state football championship in the 56-year history of the Rapides Parish school established in 1969.

For John Curtis, despite an unfamiliarly low No. 19 seeding, the Patriots have won three consecutive playoff contests to earn legitimate consideration of joining the ranks of the 28 previous state champions coached by J.T. Curtis whose 28th state title came just two seasons ago in 2022.

“I don’t really know how to answer that,’’ ASH’s Bachman said when asked to assess his team’s achievements in relation to expectations. “ I haven’t done a whole lot of reflecting. The thing I enjoy about the season a whole bunch is you’ve got another one coming. So most of your time is occupied, or when it’s not occupied, you’re preoccupied with knowing that you’ve got to get ready for another one coming.

“So I know that (ASH has) a great staff to be a part of. I’m very thankful for just the camaraderie of the staff. It’s been a group (of players) that’s been great to coach. They’ve been about the work. Regardless of what all that comes with that, it’s about the work and this group has been about the day-in and day-out work and preparing for a given Friday night.’’

ASH (12-0) already has put together a season chocked full of marquee moments in advancing to the state semifinals for a second time in three seasons.

Competing in a league that advanced five of its six teams to the Select and Non-Select playoffs, the Trojans dispatched Neville (42-16), Ruston (40-36), West Monroe (45-35), and Ouachita Parish (55-12) in addition to Pineville (56-21) to capture an undefeated District 2-5A championship. Neville and reigning state champion Ruston, it’s worth noting, are the No. 1 and 3 seeds respectively in the Division I Non-Select state semifinals which also includes No. 10 Destrehan, whom the Trojans defeated, 45-27, in Week 3 in non-district play.

ASH then downed No. 18 Evangel (49-6) and No. 10 Byrd (43-32) in the regional and quarterfinals round following a first-round bye. 

“‘Played together’ is the way I would describe it,’’ Bachman said when asked how his team has performed in reaching this point. “We’ve played good complimentary football. It’s been a lot of different ways where different phases or different sides of the ball have had to make some plays in some crucial moments and that’s been spread out over the entire group. They’ve played together would be the way I would say it. That’s kind of the way I would describe it. Nobody cares how it happened. We’re all after the same thing.’’

This brings us back to standing just two wins away from achieving Louisiana high school football immortality.

Worth noting is that the Trojans already have made a monumental breakthrough in ending the stranglehold Monroe and Ruston have maintained on the District 2-5A championship that now resides in Cen-La (central Louisiana).

ASH nearly cashed a state championship ticket in 2020 only to fall short in a 35-34 loss to Acadiana in the Class 5A state finals in the Trojans’ first and only finals appearance.

“You embrace it,’’ Bachman, 42, in his 10th season as ASH coach and athletic director, said of the opportunity. “(Winning a state championship) certainly is something that you want to accomplish and the way you accomplish that is to stay focused on the task at hand. I know that’s so boring and I’m not trying to bore you. I’m not trying to give you a lot of coach speak. A lot of things that are coach speak hold a lot of truth. That’s why there’s coach speak.

“So the way to accomplish your goal is to handle the here and now. Certainly (winning a state title) would be awesome. That would be incredible. But focusing on the here and now gets you that.’’

Conversely, John Curtis (7-5) has not played nor looked like a No. 19 seed since completing a 4-5 regular season with three consecutive losses to Jesuit, Karr, and St. Augustine. The Patriots have become road warriors since shaking the turnover bug that infected their split-back veer offense while continuing to ride a resolute defense that has paved the way to playoff victories against No. 14 Brother Martin (21-13) in bi-district, No. 3 Acadiana (28-27) in the regional round and No. 6 Teurlings Catholic (31-10) in last week’s quarterfinals.

“I think a couple of things are really important,’’ J.T. Curtis said in explaining his team’s metamorphosis. “First of all, we play in a tough, physical district. The margin of error in that district is very, very small. We felt like that the games that we did lose we were in and had an opportunity to win or could have won had we executed or done some things that we were capable of doing. Now part of that is because the opponent is very capable and they created some of that (difficulty).

“I think playing that kind of competition certainly was helpful to get your team ready to play against whatever the opponents (in the playoffs) are going to present. The other thing is, I think, the kids never doubted and never quit. They stayed the course. And the coaches did a great job of continuing to work diligently and with consistency every day. That was kind of the mantra that we went with, that, ‘Hey, just keep on keeping on, and let’s see what happens.’

“Of course, once we got into the playoffs, as you know, records don’t count anymore. Everybody is at zero. So that was kind of the mindset that we had taken. And I think you’re looking at a group of kids that continued to trust and continued to believe in the process and coaches that never faltered or waivered in what their commitment was. It allowed us to have success.’’

Particularly key for John Curtis has been the emergence of senior Reggie Johnson as a playmaker at quarterback. Tasked with replacing a three-year starter in Dagan Bruno, who now plays at Tulane, Johnson ran and passed for touchdowns while accounting for 105 yards with his running and passing last week against Teurlings.

“I think the consistency of the offense has been a difference,’’ J.T. Curtis said. “We have not turned the ball over. During the season for whatever reason, we had an abnormal amount of turnovers. And that created negative field position for us and didn’t allow us really to have the opportunity to continue drives and things of that nature.

“In the playoffs, we’ve been able to eliminate that. Certainly, you’re always going to have something that goes wrong, but a lot of the games that we had difficulty in was because we had three or four turnovers, three or four fumbles. That makes it very difficult when you’re playing in a district the caliber of ours.

“So I really think that’s the first thing. We have eliminated a lot of those kinds of turnovers that created poor field position and our defense has continued to play very consistent against some good teams. Anytime your defense gives you an opportunity to win and gets you the ball, then that’s certainly an advantage.

A 5-foot-9, 160-pound scooter, Johnson has totaled 1,462 yards and 15 touchdowns with his running and passing. Johnson has completed 50 of 114 passes good for 724 yards and 7 touchdowns while being intercepted just twice in addition to rushing 118 times for team-leading totals of 738 yards and 8 touchdowns.

“Being a first-year starter, No. 1, is never easy,’’ J.T. Curtis said. “Having played behind Dagan (Bruno), I think he felt a lot of pressure in that. He’s just continued to work and he’s been consistently better with his performance in both running and throwing. It certainly has helped our offense. He’s a guy that has skill and can make plays with his feet and can throw the ball down the field and that’s been helpful to us.’’

ASH has no shortage of playmakers on either side of the ball, but the Trojans’ bell cow for the past two seasons has been LSU-signed running back JT Lindsey. A 5-foot-11, 185-pound senior, Lindsey has rushed for 2,117 yards and 31 touchdowns on 261 carries while scoring 34 TDs overall as a senior.

“J.T. is a special player and a special kid,’’ Bachman said. “He’s dynamic. He’s certainly someone that people have to account for and have a lot of eyes on. As a result of that, it opens up opportunities for the other playmakers that are on the team.’’

Lindsey and fellow senior Vaughn Darbon (98 carries, 594 yards, 7 TDs) have supplied the Trojans with a double-edged sword in rushing for 256.6 yards a game and 44 touchdowns.
The Trojans employ two sophomore quarterbacks, Karsen Sellers and Max Gassiott having combined for 2,278 passing yards and another 36 touchdowns while being intercepted only twice collectively in 212 attempts.

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Sellers has started all 12 games, completed 101 of 152 attempts (66.4 percent) good for 1,644 yards and 26 touchdowns, and been intercepted only once. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Gassiott has completed 45 of 60 passes (75.0 percent) good for 634 yards and 9 touchdowns while being intercepted once.

Seniors Darius Washington and Jimmie Duncan and sophomore Alex Fontenot all have had their moments at wide receiver, with Washington recording team-leading totals of 54 receptions good for 803 yards and 14 touchdowns. Duncan has 32 catches good for 557 yards and 9 touchdowns and Fontenot has 27 receptions good for 472 yards and 5 TDs.

Additionally, Lindsey has caught 17 passes good for 242 yards and 3 TDs, and tight end Tanner Townsend has 10 receptions good for 143 yards and 4 TDs.

ASH’s considerable collection of skill players operate behind a huge and active offensive line that boasts three returning starters in center Caleb Purl (5-10, 215, Sr.), guards Connor Reed (6-3, 285, Sr.) and Jakobi Morris (6-3, 310, Sr.) along with tackles Peter Lofton (6-3, 275, So.) and Ayden Price (5-11, 260, Jr.).

“We feel good about the entire offensive group, to be honest with you,’’ Bachman, an All-State wide receiver at Evangel while playing for his father John in the early 2000s, said. “We’ve played well at quarterback. We play two quarterbacks. Karsen (Sellers) has probably gotten more snaps than Max (Gassiott), but both of them have played well when they’ve been in the ballgame. So really it’s collective.

“(Lindsey) certainly spearheads it. So I’m not going to act like he doesn’t. He certainly spearheads the offensive production. But I feel good about the wide receiver group. I feel good about the tight-end group. And I feel good about the ones up front. So it’s been a collective effort.’’

Defensively, the Trojans look to inside linebackers Xzavier White and Jackson Townsend who maneuver behind a front that features linemen Jordan Mason and end Elijah Nelson. Safeties Ja’Kyrin Griffin and Jaden Lewis lead the secondary. White is ASH’s leading tackler.

In addition to Johnson, the Trojans must slow down a Curtis rushing attack that features a running back by committee approach that has featured Jakobi Boudreaux, A.J. Smith, Nate Alario, Jack Corcoran, and Kolston Martinez.

Boudreaux leads the backs with 675 yards and 4 touchdowns on 93 carries while Alario has run for 456 yards and 3 touchdowns via 48 carries and Smith has rushed 86 times for 445 yards and 3 TDs.
Senior wide receiver Xavier Brown is Curtis’ primary pass-catching threat with 22 receptions good for 306 yards and 3 touchdowns.

The offensive line has been led by tight end JoJo Fagin, tackles Willie Boldwn and Gabe Lagarde, center Colin Gonsoulin, and guards Johnny Signorelli and Sean Goodrum, with Cody Woodruff serving as a utility reserve.

“I think the consistency of the offense has been a difference’’ in the playoffs, J.T. Curtis said. “We have not turned the ball over. During the season for whatever reason, we had an abnormal amount of turnovers. And that created negative field position for us and didn’t allow us really to have the opportunity to continue drives and do things of that nature.

“In the playoffs, we’ve been able to eliminate that. Certainly, you’re always going to have something that goes wrong, but a lot of the games that we had difficulty in was because we had three or four turnovers, three or four fumbles. That makes it very difficult when you’re playing in a district the caliber of ours.

“So I really think that’s the first thing. We have eliminated a lot of those kinds of turnovers that created poor field position and our defense has continued to play very consistent against some good teams. Anytime your defense gives you an opportunity to win and gets you the ball, then that’s certainly an advantage.’’

The Patriot’s defense is front-seven driven with outside linebackers Ben Barron and Lane Lecron supplying pressure from the wings and tackles Logan Barnes and Tyre Gordon doing likewise inside. Behind them are two sure tacklers in inside linebackers Jeffrey Curtis and Hayden Delatte and flex ’backers A.J. Smith and Jayden Keelen.

“We have to play hard and physical,’’ J.T. Curtis said of his defense. “Certainly, to this point, we’ve been able to do that.’’

But, Curtis interjects, “We just can’t let No. 6 (Lindsey) and No. 20 (Darbon) run away with the game. They’re capable of doing that. The four films we have, that’s what they’ve been able to do. They’ve been able to take the game and just not allow you to get on the field and run away with the ballgame.
“So we’ve got to play good defense, there’s no doubt about that. We’ve got to play good defense and if we can get some stops and move the ball, then I think we’ll be in it. If we can’t get stops, it’s going to be difficult.’’

“We have to take care of the football and take care of the opportunities that come our way,’’ Bachman said. “You can’t predict all of that stuff out (that happens in a game). You’ve got to take advantage of the breaks that you get and you’ve got to find a way to overcome the (breaks) that go against you. That’s really what it is.’’

If the normal incentives were not enough, Friday also marks J.T. Curtis’ 78th birthday. But the nation and Louisiana’s winningest football coach, with an on-field record of 630-85-6 in 56 seasons, discount its relevance on what has been one of his more satisfying seasons that bittersweetly began after the passing of his beloved wife, Lydia, in March.

“Here’s what (the season has) been and I’m trying to think of the word,’’ J.T. Curtis said. “I was going to say rewarding. But I don’t know if that’s the right word.

“It would have been so easy for this team to head South and they didn’t,’’ J.T. Curtis continued. “That speaks to the character of the player and the quality of the coaching because staying together when you go through adversity is not easy, especially in today’s world.

“I think that the guys have done a great job and they’ve been a great group to coach. They haven’t faltered. When I say that, they’re kids. They’re not perfect. Don’t misunderstand that. “But, for the most part, they’ve done the things that we’ve asked them to do and they’ve done them as well as they could do them. I think that that brings the opportunity to improve and to continue to improve and that’s what they’ve done.’’

The Trojans have noticed and are aware.

“We have nothing but respect for them, the team that you see on film, the level of competition that they’ve played, and the way they execute,’’ Bachman said. “They’re comfortable in their schemes. They’re hard to take advantage of.

“You’ve got to play sound football and you’ve got to execute yourself in all three phases. That’s the thing that’s always been the mark of a John Curtis football team. They play complementary football and they play it real well in every phase.’’

So there will be no stones left unturned and absolutely no mention of the term “underdog’’ in reference to the upstart Patriots.

Not with what’s at stake, with the winner advancing to face the winner between No. 1 Karr and No. 4 Catholic of Baton Rouge in the Division I Select finals scheduled for noon Saturday, Dec. 14, in the penultimate game of the Allstate Sugar Bowl LHSAA Prep Classic at the Caesars Superdome.

“It won’t be discussed with our players,’’ Bachman said of media references to John Curtis advancing to the playoffs as an underdog. “(John Curtis is) undefeated in the time that matters. That’s what I would focus on. We have nothing but respect for what we see on film and obviously the tradition of the program.

“We’re going to try to be as thorough as we could possibly be in the preparation for the game Friday night. This is not the time of year, and really there is no time of year, where you underestimate. That’s just not something that’s going to take place.’’