BOBBY ARDOIN Editor/Consulting Writer
The 2023-24 high school athletic year concluded like no other in Opelousas city history.
Schools affiliated with the Opelousas-area won an unprecedented five state championships during the recently completed Louisiana High School Athletic Association season.
Opelousas High (football), Westminster Christian Academy (boys cross country), J.S. Clark Leadership Academy (girls basketball) and Opelousas Catholic (baseball and softball) each captured state title trophies beginning in December.
While those programs recorded championships, Westminster (volleyball) and J.S. Clark (boys’ basketball) competed for state titles, but each program lost in the final rounds.
So overall the Opelousas schools played for seven state championships and won five of those games during 2023-24.
Northwest High, whose student population draws from sections of Opelousas, completed the most successful football season in school history after reaching the Division II semifinal round.
Here’s a short recap of the championship seasons
2023 Football
Opelousas High won a first school football championship in December despite playing all but two regular season games on the road and three of four playoff games away from Donald Gardner Stadium.
The Tigers however used defense throughout the postseason and during the state championship victory over Cecilia High (26-13). Teams averaged just 10 points in the five playoff games against Opelousas.
LHSAA officials however voted in February to vacate the Tigers’ championship due to an apparent eligibility question and the school lost a subsequent LHSAA appeal shortly afterward. Opelousas High head football coach Jimmy Zachery, Jr. later sued the LHSAA and several weeks ago he and the LHSAA entered into an agreement that allows Opelousas to retain the 2023 title. Zachery will serve a probationary year in 2024.
2023 Cross Country
Westminster has been traditionally known for cross country excellence and the school maintained that tradition in November by winning the boys Division V title.
The Crusaders easily won the championship by 42 points over second-place Chris Episcopal.
WCA featured four boys among the top 10 Division V finishers. Junior Owen Melancon placed second overall, completing the course in Natchitoches in 16:28.8
2023 Volleyball
Westminster proved again that the school currently has the best volleyball program in St. Landry Parish, reaching the girls’ Division V-select championship round under head coach Keith Leon for the second straight season.
The Crusaders were seeded No. 2 in the postseason, but after failing to lose a set against Hamilton Christian, Riverside Academy and Central Private in three playoff games, Westminster lost to top-seeded Metairie Park Country Day (3-0) in the final round.
2023-24 Boys Basketball
J.S. Clark was seeded No. 2 in the boys’ Division V-select and the Bulldogs, after receiving a bye during the initial round, reached the championship game in Lake Charles against Avoyelles Public Charter School.
The Bulldogs lost in the title game (40-38) in a close contest where neither team led by more than seven points.
During the playoffs Clark’s boys beat No. 7 Family Christian and third-seeded Episcopal-Acadiana.
2023-24 Girls Basketball
The J.S. Clark girls, also coached by Ross Rix, defeated No.1 Oak Hill (67-45) to capture the Division V-select championship.
In the 2023 championship game in the same classification, Oak Hill had defeated Clark 74-54.
2024 Girls Softball
Opelousas Catholic was seeded No. 1 in the Division 1V-select playoffs and regular season. During the playoffs Opelousas Catholic recorded shutouts in three of the four playoff games, including the 11-inning 1-0 championship contest victory over Catholic High-Pointe Coupee.
The Vikings’ title came during the first season under head coach Cullen Matherne.
2024 Baseball
The OCS state championship in baseball was similar to the Vikings’ softball season.
Opelousas Catholic was seeded first in the Division IV-select playoffs and the Vikings were the top-ranked team throughout most of the regular season.
Like the softball team, the Vikings’ baseball playoffs under head coach Justin Boyd, featured two shutout victories that came in the state tournament against semifinalist Central Catholic (3-0) and Glenbrook (10-0) in the championship game.
2024 Outdoor Track
J.S. Clark finished a distant second to Class B champion ESA (72-60), but the Bulldogs featured an impressive array of first-place finishers.
Sprinter Lawrence Pickney became a two-time state champion with a victory in the 100 meters (11.02). Pickney was also second in the 200 meters (23.21).
Clark’s Nevaeh Redditt won the girls’ Class B shot put with a throw of 10.23 meters.
Clark also produced state championships in the boys’ 110 meters hurdles (Kevin Brown, 16.10), 4×200 meters relay (Jeremy Sonnier, Caden Arvie, Austin Simon and Pickney) 1:32.65 and the boys’ 4×100 meters relay (Justin Chavis, Aiden Tanner, Caden Arvie and Pickney) 45.12.
Rheagan Butler of Opelousas Catholic finished first in the girls’ Class 1A long jump (5.3 meters) and second in the girls’ 100 meters.
