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.
Year | School | Record |
2010 | Acadiana | 10-5 |
1974 | Tara | 9-5-1 |
1972 | Hahnville | 8-4-2 |
1984 | Eunice | 10-4 |
2003 | Lutcher | 11-4 |
2010 | White Castle | 11-4 |
2014 | Acadiana | 11-4 |
2013 | Calvary Baptist | 9-4 |
1928 | Kentwood | 8-3-1 |
1964 | Assumption | 10-3-1 |
1965 | Landry | 11-3 |
2004 | Evangel | 11-3 |
2019 | Oak Grove | 11-3 |
1985 | Springhill | 12-3 |
1989 | Oak Grove | 12-3 |
1989 | Jonesboro-Hodge | 12-3 |
2005 | Evangel | 12-3 |
2000 | Ouachita Christian | 12-3 |
2001 | Farmerville | 12-3 |
1998 | West St. John | 12-3 |
2013 | Rummel | 10-3 |
2015 | Catholic-BR | 10-3 |
2017 | Catholic-BR | 11-3 |
2015 | Parkview Baptist | 10-3 |
2016 | St. Thomas More | 10-3 |
2014 | Ouachita Christian | 11-3 |
2021 | Homer | 11-3 |
1937 | Homer | 9-2-1 |
1957 | Istrouma | 9-2-1 |
1948 | Bossier | 9-2-1 |
1956 | Istrouma | 10-2-1 |
1967 | Airline | 10-2-1 |
1954 | Donaldsonville | 11-2-1 |
1947 | Ruston | 11-2-1 |
1966 | Central | 11-2-1 |
1974 | University Lab | 11-2-1 |
1941 | Catholic-Donaldsonville | 7-1-2 |
1966 | St. James | 10-1-3 |
1950 | Clinton | 11-1-2 |
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.
Year | School | Record |
1991 | Ascension Catholic | 8-6 |
1965 | Morgan City | 8-6 |
1985 | University Lab | 8-6 |
1973 | St. Louis | 9-6 |
1941 | Ouachita | 5-5 |
1927 | Bogalusa | 5-5-1 |
1958 | Neville | 7-5 |
1963 | Jesuit-NO | 7-5 |
1977 | Southern Lab | 9-5 |
1978 | St. Edmund | 9-5 |
1990 | Washington-Marion | 9-5 |
1993 | Riverside | 10-5 |
1958 | Holly Ridge | 10-5 |
1950 | Fair Park | 7-4-1 |
1947 | LaGrange | 7-4-2 |
1937 | Warren Easton | 6-3-2 |
1968 | Homer | 9-2-3 |
2007 | West St. John | 9-6 |
2015 | Mangham | 10-5 |
2019 | Jennings | 9-6 |
2008 | Shaw | 9-5 |
2015 | Edna Karr | 9-5 |
2016 | Parkview Baptist | 8-5 |
2019 | De La Salle | 8-5 |
2013 | St. Frederick | 9-5 |
2014 | Southern Lab | 8-6 |
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.)
Year | Score | No. Of First Downs |
1933 | Jesuit-NO 0, Byrd 0 | 2-0 |
1939 | Homer 13, DeQuincy 13 | unknown |
1965 | Arcadia 7, Central Catholic | 12-8 |
1971 | Haynesville 7, Homer 7 | 11-9 |
1972 | Hahnville 26, Denham Springs 26 | 16-13 |
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.)
Year | Regulation Score | Overtime Score | Final Score |
1979 | St. James 8, Wossman 8 | 6-0 | 14-8 |
1986 | Ruston 24, Slidell 24 | 7-0 | 31-24 |
1991 | Thibodaux 15, Neville 15 | 3-0 | 18-15 |
1992 | Carencro 21, Neville 21 | 7-6 | 28-27 |
1993 | Edna Karr 10, Cecilia 10 | 3-0 | 13-10 |
1996 | Southern Lab 26, Kentwood 26 | 10-7 | 36-33 |
2010 | Franklinton 28, Edna Karr 28 | 6-0 | 34-28 |
2013 | Union Parish 20 , Livonia 20 | 13-7 | 33-27 |
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):
Year | Score | Points |
1933 | Jesuit-NO 0, Byrd 0 (FD) | 0 pts |
1956 | Mangham 2, Donaldsonville 0 | 2 pts |
1938 | LaGrange 3, Plain Dealing 0 | 3 pts |
1928 | Kentwood 6, Rayville 0 | 6 pts |
1939 | Jennings 6, Fair Park 0 | 6 pts |
1941 | Catholic-D’Ville 6, Newellton 0 | 6 pts |
1942 | Warren Easton 6, Jennings 0 | 6 pts |
1944 | Baton Rouge 6, Lake Charles 0 | 6 pts |
1946 | Sulphur 6, Bossier 0 | 6 pts |
1964 | Baton Rouge 6, Sulphur 0 | 6 pts |
1965 | Larose-Cutoff 6, Morgan City 0 | 6 pts |
1966 | St. James 6, Kentwood 0 | 6 pts |
1972 | Neville 6, Airline 0 | 6 pts |
1921 | Warren Easton 7, Minden 0 | 7 pts |
1932 | Lake Charles 7, Haynesville 0 | 7 pts |
1936 | Haynesville 7, Warren Easton 0 | 7 pts |
1943 | Sulphur 7, Homer 0 | 7 pts |
1956 | Minden 7, Opelousas 0 | 7 pts |
1961 | Neville 7, Lee 0 | 7 pts |
1966 | Central 7, Jesuit-SH 0 | 7 pts |
1976 | Jesuit-SH 7, Winnfield 0 | 7 pts |
1982 | Ruston 8, Neville 0 | 8 pts |
1964 | Assumption 7, Central 2 | 9 pts |
1971 | South Lafourche 10, Winnfield 0 | 10 pts |
2017 | Lafayette Christian 10, Ascension Catholic 0 | 10 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:
Points | Year | Score |
0 | 1933 | Jesuit-NO 0, Byrd 0 (FD) |
2 | 1956 | Mangham 2, Donaldsonville 0 |
3 | 1938 | LaGrange 3, Plain Dealing 0 |
6 | 1928 | Kentwood 6, Rayville 0 |
1939 | Jennings 6, Fair Park 0 | |
1941 | Catholic-D’Ville 6, Newellton 0 | |
1942 | Warren Easton 6, Jennings 0 | |
1944 | Baton Rouge 6, Lake Charles 0 | |
1946 | Sulphur 6, Bossier 0 | |
1964 | Baton Rouge 6, Sulphur 0 | |
1965 | Larose-Cutoff 6, Morgan City 0 | |
1966 | St. James 6, Kentwood 0 | |
1972 | Neville 6, Airline 0 | |
7 | 1921 | Warren Easton 7, Minden 0 |
1932 | Lake Charles 7, Haynesville 0 | |
1936 | Haynesville 7, Warren Easton 0 | |
1939 | Kentwood 7, Clarks 6 | |
1943 | Sulphur 7, Homer 0 | |
1950 | Baker 7, Bossier 6 | |
1953 | Jesuit-NO 7, Byrd 6 | |
1956 | Minden 7, Opelousas 0 | |
1959 | St. Francis 7, Delhi 6 | |
1961 | Neville 7, Lee 0 | |
1964 | Assumption 7, Central 2 | |
1965 | Arcadia 7, Central Catholic 7 | |
1966 | Central 7, Jesuit-SH 0 | |
1971 | Haynesville 7, Homer 7 | |
1976 | Jesuit-SH 7, Winnfield 0 | |
8 | 1936 | Vinton 8, Waterproof 7 |
1975 | Gilbert 8, Second Ward 6 | |
1982 | Ruston 8, Neville 0 | |
2019 | Acadiana 8, Destrehan 3 | |
9 | 1986 | Wossman 9, John Curtis 7 |
2011 | St. Charles 9, Amite 8 | |
10 | 1932 | Tallulah 10, LaGrange 6 |
1971 | South LaFourche 10, Winnfield 0 | |
1974 | Tara 10, Fair Park 9 | |
1974 | Opelousas Catholic 10, South Cameron 6 | |
2003 | Vermilion Catholic 10, Kentwood 6 | |
2017 | Lafayette 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.
Margin | Total Number | Pct. of Total |
0 | 1 | .002% |
1-3 | 3 | .007% |
4-8 | 29 | 7% |
9-16 | 77 | 19% |
17-24 | 89 | 22% |
25-32 | 80 | 20% |
33 or more | 131 | 32% |
TOTAL | 410 |
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):
Year | Score | Points Scored |
2018 | Eunice 59, Sterlington 47 | 47 pts |
2018 | University Lab 55, St. Thomas More 46 | 46 pts |
2013 | Acadiana 77, Parkway 41 | 41 pts** |
2020 | Calvary Baptist 62, Ouachita Christian 41 | 41 pts |
2016 | Lutcher 40, Amite 36 | 36 pts |
1997 | Ouachita Christian 53, Oak Grove 35 | 35 pts |
2003 | Hahnville 41, Evangel 35 | 35 pts |
2001 | Oak Grove 35, Port Sulphur 34 | 34 pts |
2019 | Edna Karr 35, Warren Easton 34 | 34 pts |
2020 | Acadiana 35, Alexandria 34 | 34 pts |
The widest margins of victory in a championship game are as follows (top ten noted):
Year | Score | Margin |
1942 | Landry 58, Arcadia 0 | 58 pts |
2013 | Calvary Baptist 62, Hannan 7 | 55 pts |
2020 | Madison Prep 50, Union Parish 0 | 50 pts |
2018 | Lafayette Christian 56, Ascension Catholic 7 | 49 pts |
1994 | Haynesville 51, Loyola Prep 3 | 48 pts |
1998 | Kentwood 48, St. John 0 | 48 pts |
2019 | St. Thomas More 58, De La Salle 10 | 48 pts |
2008 | South Plaquemines 62, Christian Life 16 | 46 pts |
2014 | Ouachita Christian 52, Southern Lab 6 | 46 pts |
1977 | John Curtis 45, Jonesboro-Hodge 0 | 45 pts |
1986 | Southern Lab 45, Oak Grove 0 | 45 pts |
2013 | Vermilion Catholic 63, St. Frederick 18 | 45 pts |
2019 | Ouachita Christian 67, Catholic-PC 22 | 45 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 Up | Count | Pct. Of Total |
0 | 77 | 19% |
1-3 | 11 | 3% |
4-8 | 124 | 30% |
9-16 | 102 | 25% |
17-24 | 61 | 15% |
25-32 | 24 | 6% |
33 or more | 11 | 3% |
TOTAL | 410 |
The most points scored by one team in a championship game is (top ten games of points that were scored are noted):
Year | Score | Points Scored |
2013 | Acadiana 77, Parkway 41 | 77 |
2019 | Ouachita Christian 67, Catholic-PC 22 | 67 |
2013 | Vermilion Catholic 63, St. Frederick 18 | 63 |
2008 | South Plaquemines 62, Christian 16 | 62 |
2013 | Calvary Baptist 63, Hannan 7 | 62 |
2020 | Calvary Baptist 62, Ouachita Christian 42 | 62 |
2001 | Parkview Baptist 61, Belle Chasse 19 | 61 |
2018 | Eunice 59, Sterlington 47 | 59 |
1942 | Landry 58, Arcadia 90 | 58 |
2019 | St. Thomas More 58, De La Salle 10 | 58 |
The most points scored by both teams (top ten noted):
Year | Score | Points Scored |
2013 | Acadiana 77, Parkway 41 | 118 |
2018 | Eunice 59, Sterlington 47 | 106 |
2020 | Calvary Baptist 62, Ouachita Christian 41 | 103 |
2018 | University 55, St. Thomas More 46 | 101 |
2019 | Ouachita Christian 67, Catholic-PC 22 | 89 |
1997 | Ouachita Christian 53, Oak Grove 35 | 88 |
2016 | St. Thomas More 54, Parkview Baptist 29 | 83 |
2013 | Vermilion Catholic 63, St. Frederick 18 | 81 |
2001 | Parkview Baptist 61, Belle Chasse 19 | 80 |
2008 | South Plaquemines 62, Christian Life 16 | 78 |
2014 | University 46, Parkview Baptist 32 | 78 |
SCHOOLS
Schools that have appeared in consecutive championship games with a different coach.
School | Year | Coach | Classification |
Catholic-Baton Rouge | 2020 2021 | Gabe Fertitta David Simoneaux | Division I Champion (forfeited) Division I Champion |
C.E. Byrd | 1934 1935 | H.N. Knilans Lee Dobson | Class 1A Champion Class 1A Champion |
Edna Karr | 2012 2013 | Jabbar Juluke Nathaniel Jones | Class 4A Champion Class 4A Runner-Up |
Evangel | 2001 2002 | John Booty Dennis Dunn | Class 5A Champion Class 5A Champion |
Evangel | 2005 2006 | Dennis Dunn Ronnie Alexander | Class 1A Champion Class 1A Champion |
Evangel | 2009 2010 | John Bachman Phillip Deas | Class 2A Champion Class 2A Champion |
Hahnville | 1994 1995 | Darren Barbier Scott Hildebrand | Class 5A Champion Class 5A Runner-Up |
Jonesboro-Hodge | 1988 1989 | Walter Causey Joey Pender | Class 2A Champion Class 2A Champion |
Kentwood | 1939 1940 | Elmer Sanders Leon Spears | Class B Champion Class B Runner-Up |
Lafayette Christian | 2018 2019 | Barry Baldwin Jacarde Carter | Division IV Champion Division III Champion |
Lafayette Christian | 2020 2021 | Jacarde Carter Trev Faulk | Division III Champion Division III Runner-Up |
Livonia | 2013 2014 | David Brewerton Guy Mistretta | Class 3A Runner-Up Class 3A Champion |
Lutcher | 2015 2016 | Tim Detellier Dwain Jenkins | Class 3A Champion Class 3A Champion |
Sulphur | 1944 1945 | B.S. Walker Joe Mount | Class A Champion Class A Runner-Up |
St. Charles | 2020 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 Wins | School/Year |
82 years | Homer (1939 to 2021) |
79 years | Bastrop (1927 to 2006) *2005 title was forfeited |
63 years | Ferriday (1956 to 2019) |
55 years | Catholic-NI (1962 to 2017) |
54 years | Jesuit-NO (1960 to 2014) |
53 years | Jennings (1939 to 1992) |
42 years | Jonesboro-Hodge (1945 to 1987) |
40 years | St. James (1979 to 2019) |
36 years | Eunice (1982 to 2018) |
35 years | Kinder (1978 to 2013) |
34 years | Destrehan (1973 to 2007) Haynesville (1936 to 1970) Morgan City (1923 to 1957) |
33 years | Springhill (1952 to 1985) |
32 years | Ascension Catholic (1941 to 1973) |
31 years | Ruston (1951 to 1982) Amite (1963 to 1994) |
30 years | Kentwood (1939 to 1969) |
Years Between Appearances | School/Year |
78 years | Bastrop (1927 to 2005) *title was forfeited |
70 years | Ponchatoula (1951 to 2021) |
63 years | Ferriday (1956 to 2019) |
58 years | Zachary (1957 to 2015) |
56 years | De La Salle (1961 to 2017) Warren Easton (1956 to 2014) |
54 years | Westlake (1952 to 2007) |
52 years | Catholic-NI (1962 to 2014) |
51 years | Baker (1950 to 2001) C.E. Byrd (1962 to 2013) |
48 years | Bolton (1926 to 1974) Ouachita (1941 to 1989) |
46 years | DeQuincy (1949 to 1995) |
45 years | Redemptorist (1955 to 2000) |
43 years | Richwood (1974 to 2017) |
41 years | Catholic-PC (1978 to 2019) |
40 years | Slidell (1946 to 1986) E.D. White (1981 to 2021) |
39 years | Mangham (1956 to 1995) |
38 years | Sulphur (1969 to 2006) |
36 years | Jennings (1946 to 1982) Jesuit-NO (1978 to 2014) Homer (1985 to 2021) |
35 years | Kinder (1978 to 2013) St. Mary’s (1980 to 2015) |
34 years | Morgan City (1923 to 1957) |
33 years | Springhill (1952 to 1985) Brother Martin (1989 to 2022) |
32 years | Ascension 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 years | Opelousas Catholic (1974 to 2005) Ruston (1951 to 1982) |
30 years | John 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. | Name | Schools/Record Year(s) of Appearances |
3 | Lee Hedges* | Captain Shreve (1-0) 1973, C.E. Byrd (0-1) 1956, Woodlawn-SH (0-1) 1965 |
2 | Jimmy Austin | Homer (0-1) 1943, Lake Charles (2-0) 1954 & 1958 |
2 | John Bachman, Sr. | Evangel Christian (1-1) 2008 & 2009, Calvary Baptist (2-0) 2013 & 2014 |
2 | David Brewerton | Livonia (0-1) 2013, Zachary (3-0) 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021 |
2 | Lonnie Calahan | Jonesboro-Hodge (0-1) 1980, Wossman (0-2) 1989 & 1993 |
2 | Louis Carlisle | Assumption (1-0) 1964, Denham Springs (0-1) 1972 |
2 | Lewis Cook, Jr. | Crowley (1-2) 1989, 1991, 1996, Notre Dame (4-6) 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018 |
2 | Cyril Crutchfield | Port Sulphur (1-1) 2001, 2002 & South Plaquemines (2-1) 2007, 2008, 2009 |
2 | Donald Currier | Franklinton (0-1) 1981, Amite (3-0) 1994, 1999, 2004 |
2 | Lee Doty | St. Mary’s (0-1) 2015 & Sterlington (0-1) 2018, 2021 |
2 | Dennis Dunn | Evangel (10-1) 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005) & North DeSoto (0-0) 2022 |
2 | Alden Foster | St. Helena (0-1) 2004 & Amite (0-2) 2011, 2014 |
2 | Jim Hightower | Catholic-PC (1-0) 1978 & St. Thomas More (3-2) 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 |
2 | Dudley Hillman | Lockport (2-1) 1963, 1964, 1960, Central Lafourche (0-1) 1968 |
2 | Brent Indest | Carencro (0-1) 2011 & Catholic-NI (1-2) 2014, 2017, 2018 |
2 | Guy Mistretta | Redemptorist (1-0) 2005 & Livonia (1-0) 2014 |
2 | Dwain Jenkins | St. James (0-1) 2015 & Lutcher (1-0) 2016 |
2 | Frank Monica | Lutcher (1-0) 1978 & St. Charles (1-5) 2005, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2020 |
2 | Dominic Saltaformaggio | East Jefferson (1-0) 2013 & Hahnville (0-1) 2017 |
2 | Buck Seeber | Fortier (1-0) 1948, De La Salle (0-1) 1961 |
2 | Elton Shaw | Assumption (0-1) 1960, Kentwood (1-1) 1966 & 1969 |
2 | Don Shows | West Monroe (8-6) 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 & Jonesboro-Hodge (0-1) 1977 |
2 | Bill Stubbs | Salmen (3-0) 1994, 1995, 2000 & Riverside (1-1) 2015, 2016 |
2 | Hank Tierney | Archbishop Shaw (1-3) 1987, 1988, 1997, 2000 & Ponchatoula (0-0) 2021 |
2 | Eddie Toribio | St. Aloysius (0-1) 1952, Jesuit-NO (1-0) 1953 |
2 | James Waguespack | St. James (1-0) 1979, Cecilia (1-2) 1992, 1993, 1995 |
2 | B.S Walker | Vinton (2-0) 1935 & 1936, Sulphur (2-0) 1943 & 1944 |
2 | Dutton Wall | Port Sulphur (0-1) 1973, Welsh (0-2) 1989, 1992 |