Class 2A Football Dark Horse: Rosepine Eagles
by Hunter Bower // GeauxPreps.com Owner
The Rosepine Eagles have the ability to cause a lot of noise in Class 2A during the 2020 high school football season.
According to FizzRankings, Rosepine’s positive trajectory over the last few seasons has flown under the radar but nevertheless has the attention of football teams across the state.
The Eagles’ steady performance over the last few years is enough to earn them the title of dark horse for Class 2A for the upcoming season.
A “dark horse” is a previously less known team that emerges amongst its peers when on paper should be unlikely to succeed but yet still might.
FizzRankings determines the dark horse for each class using a formula based on positive trajectories in both the program and head coaches recent seasons as well as the performance of the district that the team is in. No team nominated as a dark horse was listed inside the “Top 100” team rankings within the last five-year window.
Rosepine has posted 27 victories over the last three seasons which is more than the Eagles recorded over the first eight years of the 2010’s. Head coach Bradley Ducote certainly has his team on the right track despite playing in one of the toughest districts in the state.
The Eagles return six starters on offense led by junior quarterback Ethan Frey and senior running back Braden Nolen. On defense, Rosepine returns eight of its 11 starters from last season
It will be tough to top Kinder in District 5-2A but Rosepine is determined to overcome an average season in 2019 and compete for the coveted district championship. The Eagles spent the better part of last season transitioning into a new offense and training some newcomer talent.
In 2020, Rosepine will certainly be one team to watch. They may give other members of District 5-2A a run for their money.
LET THE DEBATE BEGIN!
Others to watch: The North Caddo Rebels impressed North Louisiana fans last season as they took home its first district title since 2004 under new coach J.J. Kavanaugh. Despite a first round exit in last year’s playoffs, the Rebels posted its best season since 2016 and has continued to improve in the win column. If North Caddo can mentor some young talent early, the Rebels could cause more disruption in 2020.
The General Trass Panthers will be looking to get back to the playoffs after a 6-5 campaign and going 3-3 in district play in 2020. The Panthers have nine returning starters on defense including linebacker Warren Walker. On offense, a lot of experience is back including two-year starting quarterback Wydett Williams and senior wide receivers Jamarion Steward and Jar’Vae Campbell. Junior wideouts like Jalarrion Newsome and J’Wun Turner are expected to give the offense plenty of big play ability in 2020. After going winless in 2016 and 2017, head coach Toriano Wells has his Panther squad back in the picture and primed for a strong district run.