Leesville High School has one of the best running backs, all-stater Xavier Ford, in the state. But the Wampus Cats don’t plan to be a one-horse team. To do that, they will have to quickly acclimate 16 new starters after losing a large senior class.

“You know, everybody talks about Xavier, but there’s some good kids on that side of the ball,” Head Coach Robert Causey said. “It’s a team effort.

“We’ve talked to them about it takes more than one. It’s not 11 versus one every time we go out. It takes a collective effort from a group of kids who believe in one another and have the same mission for us to have success.

“We do have a guy who’s a really good high school running back, but we try to put other pieces out there in order to try to maximize the talented kids that we have.”

Leesville went 7-4 a year ago and was bounced from the first round of the playoffs by St. Martinville.

Ford has topped 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons and has run for more than 5,000 yards with 68 touchdowns in his last two seasons. He has added more lean muscle in hopes of leading the Wampus Cats deeper into the playoffs.

“He played his sophomore year at 175,” Causey said. “He played last year at 195 and this year he’s at 210.

“He keeps improving, you know, the kids got a great work ethic, a high-character kid. He just goes to work. He’s not a flashy guy. It’s about the team and his teammates and he pushes himself every day and you don’t hear much about him. He’s not the kind of kid that’s going to do things for ‘look at me.’ He does it because he genuinely cares about other people.”

Outside of Ford and senior linemen Andrew Lewis and Jaythan Hurd, the Wampus Cats are plugging in new players on the offense.

There is a battle at quarterback between sophomore Trel Broom and freshman Creek Smith. Causey said he will likely not name a starter until the week of the season opener at Sam Houston on Sept. 6.

“Both of them are really good athletes,” Causey said. “Both of them are young, but we got to see which one just keeps improving.

“Both of them could help us in other positions because they’re athletes. They excel in other sports. I think competition is healthy. So no matter which one ends up being the starting quarterback, the other one’s probably going to be on the field somewhere.”

Wide receiver, junior Michael Davis (9 rec., 152 yards) is the only one of the four that saw significant playing time last year. He will be joined by senior tight end Kenny Ingram, freshman Julius Brown and senior Davion Brtek.

Aiden Schaub and Rene Slover move into starting roles on the line, giving the Wampus Cats four seniors up front. Sophomore Jarron Eakes will start at left guard.

The only returners on the defensive side are second-team all-district players Deshune McNeely (25 tackles, 4 TFL) at linebacker and defensive back Taj Jackson (40 tackles, 3 pd), plus nose-guard DeAndre Herron (68 tackles, 2 TFL). But Causey feels the defense will improve this season despite so many new starters. Harmon was the only one that played all 11 games last year.

“Overall defensive speed will be improved, but they just need the reps, you know. A lot of them don’t have varsity action or very much varsity action. And so with our schedule, you’ve got to find ways to get those guys as many reps as they can, because there’s no gimme’s.”

While they lack a lot of returning starters, six of the eight new additions to the defense are seniors in cornerback Chris Leonard, strong safety Damir Davis, linebackers Jordan Patterson and Razavion Taylor and linemen Vernon Stewart and Ingram. Juniors Jaylen Tucker and Javion Dixon will start at free safety and linebacker respectively.

LEESVILLE

Mascot: Wampus Cats.

District: 3-4A.

Playoff division: Select Division II.

Head coach: Robert Causey.

Head coach career record: 67-27.

2023 record (Dist.): 7-4 (5-0).

Last time in playoffs (round): 2023 (bi-district)

Returning starters (offense/defense): 3/3

Key players lost: Isiah Farley (WR), Tim Wise (OL), Jeremiah Lee (LB), Evan Combs (DB), Corbett Robbins (QB), Mathew Hazel (DL), Rashad Johnson (LB).

Top returners: Xavier Ford (RB), DeAndre Herron (DL), Taj Jackson (DB).

Schedule

Sept. 6 at Sam Houston

Sept. 13 vs. Tioga

Sept. 20 at Many

Sept. 27 vs. Pineville

Oct. 4 at Benton

Oct. 11 at Iowa*

Oct. 18 vs. DeRidder*

Oct. 25 vs. Washington-Marion*

Nov. 1 vs. Eunice*

Nov. 8 at LaGrange*

*District 3-4A game