By The Numbers: LHSAA Football State Championships

by Hunter Bower // GeauxPreps.com Owner

A special thank you to Eddie Jenkins for his help with historical research.

THE WON/LOSS RECORDS

State championship teams don’t always go through the season without a blemish (a tie or defeat) on their record, though 88 teams have accomplished this feat. You don’t have to be perfect to be a champion. The highest number of losses by a team winning a championship is five. These are the champions that have losses or ties in three or more games.

YearSchoolRecord
2010Acadiana10-5
1974Tara9-5-1
1972Hahnville8-4-2
1984Eunice10-4
2003Lutcher11-4
2010White Castle11-4
2014Acadiana11-4
2013Calvary Baptist9-4
1928Kentwood8-3-1
1964Assumption10-3-1
1965Landry11-3
2004Evangel11-3
2019Oak Grove11-3
1985Springhill12-3
1989Oak Grove12-3
1989Jonesboro-Hodge12-3
2005Evangel12-3
2000Ouachita Christian 12-3
2001Farmerville12-3
1998West St. John12-3
2013Rummel10-3
2015Catholic-BR10-3
2017Catholic-BR11-3
2015Parkview Baptist10-3
2016St. Thomas More10-3
2014Ouachita Christian11-3
2021Homer11-3
1937Homer9-2-1
1957Istrouma9-2-1
1948Bossier9-2-1
1956Istrouma10-2-1
1967Airline10-2-1
1954Donaldsonville11-2-1
1947Ruston11-2-1
1966Central11-2-1
1974University Lab11-2-1
1941Catholic-Donaldsonville7-1-2
1966St. James10-1-3
1950Clinton11-1-2

Sometimes schools may experience setbacks during the season and then get on a hot streak during the playoffs. These are the schools that were runner-up and that had five or more losses or ties.

YearSchoolRecord
1991Ascension Catholic8-6
1965Morgan City8-6
1985University Lab8-6
1973St. Louis9-6
1941Ouachita5-5
1927Bogalusa5-5-1
1958Neville7-5
1963Jesuit-NO7-5
1977Southern Lab9-5
1978St. Edmund9-5
1990Washington-Marion9-5
1993Riverside10-5
1958Holly Ridge10-5
1950Fair Park7-4-1
1947LaGrange7-4-2
1937Warren Easton6-3-2
1968Homer9-2-3
2007West St. John9-6
2015Mangham10-5
2019Jennings9-6
2008Shaw9-5
2015Edna Karr9-5
2016Parkview Baptist8-5
2019De La Salle8-5
2013St. Frederick9-5
2014Southern Lab8-6

Some championship games end in a tie. Prior to the mid ’70s the system used to break ties was to declare the team that had totalled the most number of first downs the winner. There were five games decided by this method. (Note: Eventual winner is the first team noted.)

YearScoreNo. Of First Downs
1933Jesuit-NO 0, Byrd 02-0
1939Homer 13, DeQuincy 13unknown
1965Arcadia 7, Central Catholic12-8
1971Haynesville 7, Homer 711-9
1972Hahnville 26, Denham Springs 2616-13

Since the mid-’70s, the LHSAA has used the “overtime” method to determine winners of tied games. Using this approach, each team is given the ball at the 10-yard line and has four downs to score. The winner is determined when one team has scored more points after each team has had the ball an equal number of possessions. There have been six games decided by this method. The 1996 and 2013 games required two overtime periods to decide the winner. (Note: Eventual winner is first team noted.)

YearRegulation ScoreOvertime ScoreFinal Score
1979St. James 8, Wossman 86-014-8
1986Ruston 24, Slidell 247-031-24
1991Thibodaux 15, Neville 153-018-15
1992Carencro 21, Neville 217-628-27
1993Edna Karr 10, Cecilia 103-013-10
1996Southern Lab 26, Kentwood 2610-736-33
2010Franklinton 28, Edna Karr 286-034-28
2013Union Parish 20 , Livonia 20 13-733-27

There have been some defensive struggles. In 24 games the combined points of both teams totalled 10 points or less. The games with the fewest points scored by both teams are as follows (all games in which the combined total was ten points are less are noted):

YearScorePoints
1933Jesuit-NO 0, Byrd 0 (FD)0 pts
1956Mangham 2, Donaldsonville 02 pts
1938LaGrange 3, Plain Dealing 03 pts
1928Kentwood 6, Rayville 06 pts
1939Jennings 6, Fair Park 06 pts
1941Catholic-D’Ville 6, Newellton 06 pts
1942Warren Easton 6, Jennings 06 pts
1944Baton Rouge 6, Lake Charles 06 pts
1946Sulphur 6, Bossier 06 pts
1964Baton Rouge 6, Sulphur 06 pts
1965Larose-Cutoff 6, Morgan City 06 pts
1966St. James 6, Kentwood 06 pts
1972Neville 6, Airline 06 pts
1921Warren Easton 7, Minden 07 pts
1932Lake Charles 7, Haynesville 07 pts
1936Haynesville 7, Warren Easton 07 pts
1943Sulphur 7, Homer 07 pts
1956 Minden 7, Opelousas 07 pts
1961Neville 7, Lee 07 pts
1966Central 7, Jesuit-SH 07 pts
1976Jesuit-SH 7, Winnfield 07 pts
1982Ruston 8, Neville 08 pts
1964Assumption 7, Central 29 pts
1971South Lafourche 10, Winnfield 010 pts
2017Lafayette Christian 10, Ascension Catholic 010 pts

It is rare that the winner is held to ten points or less. Only 36 of 249 winning teams (14%) have scored 10 points or less. These are the champions that scored ten points or less:

PointsYearScore
01933Jesuit-NO 0, Byrd 0 (FD)
21956Mangham 2, Donaldsonville 0
31938LaGrange 3, Plain Dealing 0
61928Kentwood 6, Rayville 0
1939Jennings 6, Fair Park 0
1941Catholic-D’Ville 6, Newellton 0
1942Warren Easton 6, Jennings 0
1944Baton Rouge 6, Lake Charles 0
1946Sulphur 6, Bossier 0
1964Baton Rouge 6, Sulphur 0
1965Larose-Cutoff 6, Morgan City 0
1966St. James 6, Kentwood 0
1972Neville 6, Airline 0
71921Warren Easton 7, Minden 0
1932Lake Charles 7, Haynesville 0
1936Haynesville 7, Warren Easton 0
1939Kentwood 7, Clarks 6
1943Sulphur 7, Homer 0
1950Baker 7, Bossier 6
1953Jesuit-NO 7, Byrd 6
1956Minden 7, Opelousas 0
1959St. Francis 7, Delhi 6
1961Neville 7, Lee 0
1964Assumption 7, Central 2
1965Arcadia 7, Central Catholic 7
1966Central 7, Jesuit-SH 0
1971Haynesville 7, Homer 7
1976Jesuit-SH 7, Winnfield 0
81936Vinton 8, Waterproof 7
1975Gilbert 8, Second Ward 6
1982Ruston 8, Neville 0
2019Acadiana 8, Destrehan 3
91986Wossman 9, John Curtis 7
2011St. Charles 9, Amite 8
101932Tallulah 10, LaGrange 6
1971South LaFourche 10, Winnfield 0
1974Tara 10, Fair Park 9
1974Opelousas Catholic 10, South Cameron 6
2003Vermilion Catholic 10, Kentwood 6
2017Lafayette Christian 10, Ascension Catholic 0

The old adage “defense wins championships” may be true. However, the winning team usually lights up the scoreboard as well. In over half (51%) of all championship games, the winning team has scored 25 or more points.

MarginTotal NumberPct. of Total
01.002%
1-33.007%
4-8297%
9-167719%
17-248922%
25-328020%
33 or more13132%
TOTAL410

However, scoring doesn’t always result in winning. The most points scored by a runner-up in a championship game is as follows (top ten noted):

YearScorePoints Scored
2018Eunice 59, Sterlington 4747 pts
2018University Lab 55, St. Thomas More 4646 pts
2013Acadiana 77, Parkway 4141 pts**
2020Calvary Baptist 62, Ouachita Christian 4141 pts
2016Lutcher 40, Amite 3636 pts
1997Ouachita Christian 53, Oak Grove 3535 pts
2003Hahnville 41, Evangel 3535 pts
2001Oak Grove 35, Port Sulphur 3434 pts
2019Edna Karr 35, Warren Easton 3434 pts
2020Acadiana 35, Alexandria 3434 pts
** – Denotes only loss of the season.

The widest margins of victory in a championship game are as follows (top ten noted):

YearScoreMargin
1942Landry 58, Arcadia 058 pts
2013Calvary Baptist 62, Hannan 755 pts
2020Madison Prep 50, Union Parish 050 pts
2018Lafayette Christian 56, Ascension Catholic 749 pts
1994Haynesville 51, Loyola Prep 348 pts
1998Kentwood 48, St. John 048 pts
2019St. Thomas More 58, De La Salle 1048 pts
2008South Plaquemines 62, Christian Life 1646 pts
2014Ouachita Christian 52, Southern Lab 646 pts
1977John Curtis 45, Jonesboro-Hodge 0 45 pts
1986Southern Lab 45, Oak Grove 045 pts
2013Vermilion Catholic 63, St. Frederick 1845 pts
2019Ouachita Christian 67, Catholic-PC 2245 pts

Teams that are runner-up usually don’t score very many points. In over half of the games (54%), the losing team scored less than 10 points. The runner-up was shut out in 19% of the games. Only 96 of 410 (23%) runner-up teams have scored 17 or more points. Here is a breakdown of points scored by the runner-up in all of the championship games.

Pts Scored By Runner UpCountPct. Of Total
07719%
1-3113%
4-812430%
9-1610225%
17-246115%
25-32246%
33 or more113%
TOTAL410

The most points scored by one team in a championship game is (top ten games of points that were scored are noted):

YearScorePoints Scored
2013Acadiana 77, Parkway 4177
2019Ouachita Christian 67, Catholic-PC 2267
2013Vermilion Catholic 63, St. Frederick 1863
2008South Plaquemines 62, Christian 1662
2013Calvary Baptist 63, Hannan 762
2020Calvary Baptist 62, Ouachita Christian 4262
2001Parkview Baptist 61, Belle Chasse 1961
2018Eunice 59, Sterlington 4759
1942Landry 58, Arcadia 9058
2019St. Thomas More 58, De La Salle 1058

The most points scored by both teams (top ten noted):

YearScorePoints Scored
2013Acadiana 77, Parkway 41118
2018Eunice 59, Sterlington 47106
2020Calvary Baptist 62, Ouachita Christian 41103
2018University 55, St. Thomas More 46101
2019Ouachita Christian 67, Catholic-PC 2289
1997Ouachita Christian 53, Oak Grove 3588
2016St. Thomas More 54, Parkview Baptist 2983
2013Vermilion Catholic 63, St. Frederick 1881
2001Parkview Baptist 61, Belle Chasse 1980
2008South Plaquemines 62, Christian Life 1678
2014University 46, Parkview Baptist 3278

SCHOOLS

Schools that have appeared in consecutive championship games with a different coach.

SchoolYearCoachClassification
Catholic-Baton Rouge2020
2021
Gabe Fertitta
David Simoneaux
Division I Champion (forfeited)
Division I Champion
C.E. Byrd1934
1935
H.N. Knilans
Lee Dobson
Class 1A Champion
Class 1A Champion
Edna Karr2012
2013
Jabbar Juluke
Nathaniel Jones
Class 4A Champion
Class 4A Runner-Up
Evangel2001
2002
John Booty
Dennis Dunn
Class 5A Champion
Class 5A Champion
Evangel2005
2006
Dennis Dunn
Ronnie Alexander
Class 1A Champion
Class 1A Champion
Evangel2009
2010
John Bachman
Phillip Deas
Class 2A Champion
Class 2A Champion
Hahnville1994
1995
Darren Barbier
Scott Hildebrand
Class 5A Champion
Class 5A Runner-Up
Jonesboro-Hodge1988
1989
Walter Causey
Joey Pender
Class 2A Champion
Class 2A Champion
Kentwood1939
1940
Elmer Sanders
Leon Spears
Class B Champion
Class B Runner-Up
Lafayette Christian2018
2019
Barry Baldwin
Jacarde Carter
Division IV Champion
Division III Champion
Lafayette Christian2020
2021
Jacarde Carter
Trev Faulk
Division III Champion
Division III Runner-Up
Livonia2013
2014
David Brewerton
Guy Mistretta
Class 3A Runner-Up
Class 3A Champion
Lutcher2015
2016
Tim Detellier
Dwain Jenkins
Class 3A Champion
Class 3A Champion
Sulphur1944
1945
B.S. Walker
Joe Mount
Class A Champion
Class A Runner-Up
St. Charles2020
2021
Frank Monica
Wayne Stein
Division III Runner-Up
Division III State Champion

Some schools will compete in a championship game and never make a return trip. Other schools will make a return trip, but only after a long period of time. These are the schools that have gone thirty years or longer between wins and appearances.

Years Between WinsSchool/Year
82 yearsHomer (1939 to 2021)
79 yearsBastrop (1927 to 2006) *2005 title was forfeited
63 yearsFerriday (1956 to 2019)
55 yearsCatholic-NI (1962 to 2017)
54 yearsJesuit-NO (1960 to 2014)
53 yearsJennings (1939 to 1992)
42 yearsJonesboro-Hodge (1945 to 1987)
40 yearsSt. James (1979 to 2019)
36 yearsEunice (1982 to 2018)
35 yearsKinder (1978 to 2013)
34 yearsDestrehan (1973 to 2007)
Haynesville (1936 to 1970)
Morgan City (1923 to 1957)
33 yearsSpringhill (1952 to 1985)
32 yearsAscension Catholic (1941 to 1973)
31 yearsRuston (1951 to 1982)
Amite (1963 to 1994)
30 yearsKentwood (1939 to 1969)

Years Between AppearancesSchool/Year
78 yearsBastrop (1927 to 2005) *title was forfeited
70 yearsPonchatoula (1951 to 2021)
63 yearsFerriday (1956 to 2019)
58 yearsZachary (1957 to 2015)
56 yearsDe La Salle (1961 to 2017)
Warren Easton (1956 to 2014)
54 yearsWestlake (1952 to 2007)
52 yearsCatholic-NI (1962 to 2014)
51 yearsBaker (1950 to 2001)
C.E. Byrd (1962 to 2013)
48 yearsBolton (1926 to 1974)
Ouachita (1941 to 1989)
46 yearsDeQuincy (1949 to 1995)
45 yearsRedemptorist (1955 to 2000)
43 yearsRichwood (1974 to 2017)
41 yearsCatholic-PC (1978 to 2019)
40 yearsSlidell (1946 to 1986)
E.D. White (1981 to 2021)
39 yearsMangham (1956 to 1995)
38 yearsSulphur (1969 to 2006)
36 yearsJennings (1946 to 1982)
Jesuit-NO (1978 to 2014)
Homer (1985 to 2021)
35 yearsKinder (1978 to 2013)
St. Mary’s (1980 to 2015)
34 yearsMorgan City (1923 to 1957)
33 yearsSpringhill (1952 to 1985)
Brother Martin (1989 to 2022)
32 yearsAscension Catholic (1941 to 1973)
Barbe (1980 to 2012)
Central Catholic (1965 to 1997)
Haynesville (1938 to 1970)
Jonesboro-Hodge (1945 to 1977)
Thibodaux (1959 to 1991)
31 yearsOpelousas Catholic (1974 to 2005)
Ruston (1951 to 1982)
30 yearsJohn Ehret (1985 to 2015)

COACHES

Some coaches have taken more than one school to the state championship game. Those coaches are listed here by name, school and record in championship games.

No.NameSchools/Record Year(s) of Appearances
3Lee Hedges*Captain Shreve (1-0) 1973, C.E. Byrd (0-1) 1956, Woodlawn-SH (0-1) 1965
2Jimmy AustinHomer (0-1) 1943, Lake Charles (2-0) 1954 & 1958
2John Bachman, Sr.Evangel Christian (1-1) 2008 & 2009, Calvary Baptist (2-0) 2013 & 2014
2David BrewertonLivonia (0-1) 2013, Zachary (3-0) 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021
2Lonnie CalahanJonesboro-Hodge (0-1) 1980, Wossman (0-2) 1989 & 1993
2Louis CarlisleAssumption (1-0) 1964, Denham Springs (0-1) 1972
2Lewis Cook, Jr.Crowley (1-2) 1989, 1991, 1996, Notre Dame (4-6) 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018
2Cyril CrutchfieldPort Sulphur (1-1) 2001, 2002 & South Plaquemines (2-1) 2007, 2008, 2009
2Donald CurrierFranklinton (0-1) 1981, Amite (3-0) 1994, 1999, 2004
2Lee DotySt. Mary’s (0-1) 2015 & Sterlington (0-1) 2018, 2021
2Dennis DunnEvangel (10-1) 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005) & North DeSoto (0-0) 2022
2Alden FosterSt. Helena (0-1) 2004 & Amite (0-2) 2011, 2014
2Jim HightowerCatholic-PC (1-0) 1978 & St. Thomas More (3-2) 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020
2Dudley HillmanLockport (2-1) 1963, 1964, 1960, Central Lafourche (0-1) 1968
2Brent IndestCarencro (0-1) 2011 & Catholic-NI (1-2) 2014, 2017, 2018
2Guy MistrettaRedemptorist (1-0) 2005 & Livonia (1-0) 2014
2Dwain JenkinsSt. James (0-1) 2015 & Lutcher (1-0) 2016
2Frank MonicaLutcher (1-0) 1978 & St. Charles (1-5) 2005, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2020
2Dominic SaltaformaggioEast Jefferson (1-0) 2013 & Hahnville (0-1) 2017
2Buck SeeberFortier (1-0) 1948, De La Salle (0-1) 1961
2Elton ShawAssumption (0-1) 1960, Kentwood (1-1) 1966 & 1969
2Don ShowsWest Monroe (8-6) 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 & Jonesboro-Hodge (0-1) 1977
2Bill StubbsSalmen (3-0) 1994, 1995, 2000 & Riverside (1-1) 2015, 2016
2Hank TierneyArchbishop Shaw (1-3) 1987, 1988, 1997, 2000 & Ponchatoula (0-0) 2021
2Eddie ToribioSt. Aloysius (0-1) 1952, Jesuit-NO (1-0) 1953
2James WaguespackSt. James (1-0) 1979, Cecilia (1-2) 1992, 1993, 1995
2B.S WalkerVinton (2-0) 1935 & 1936, Sulphur (2-0) 1943 & 1944
2Dutton WallPort Sulphur (0-1) 1973, Welsh (0-2) 1989, 1992