Hamilton Christian quarterback Javon Vital’s growing maturity turned into an explosive season, while DeQuincy defensive lineman D.J. Clark helped lead the Tigers to a renaissance season.

Their efforts have earned them the 2024 American Press All-Southwest Small Schools MVPs awards.

Kinder’s Justin Reed is the Small Schools Coach of the Year after leading the Yellow Jackets to the Nonselect Division III quarterfinals. Kinder went from 5-5 in Reed’s first season in 2023 to 9-3 season, a No. 4 playoff seed and the school’s first quarterfinal appearance since 2020. Kinder won the District 5-2A championship with a perfect run, including a 30-26 come-from-behind win in Week 10 over Avoyelles to lock up the district championship.

Offensive MVP

Javon Vital

Vital started as a freshman in 2023, but came into his own during his sophomore campaign. After a season-opening loss to DeQuincy, Vital led the Warriors to nine consecutive wins.

“From last year to this year, I think what has really happened with him is maturity,” Hamilton head coach Dexter Washington said. “I saw him grow up and mature right before my eyes and it happened after game one.

“He was a little frustrated after game one. I told him we are not worried about it. He is a kid that has been playing up all his life, and he has a tough time accepting losing. He has always been a competitor and feels he can play against anybody. After game one, I saw the maturity in him.”

Washington challenged Vital to take on a bigger role in his second season at quarterback despite wide receiver being his preferred position. He finished as one of two quarterbacks in Southwest Louisiana with 1,000 rushing and passing yards. He ran for 1,503 yards on 171 carries and completed 81 of 136 passes for 1,239 yards and 18 touchdowns with five interceptions. Vital ended up with 47 total touchdowns (25 rushing, 18 passing, 2 punt returns, 2 kickoff returns).

“He always struggled with being a quarterback because he feels like wide receiver is his position,” Washington said. “Anything is his position, he just doesn’t know it.

“This is the psychology that I put on him, you can do one of two things: you can hope you get the ball when we get the ball or you can get the ball on every play and you can make plays for your team and become the leader of what we are trying to do. He told me ‘Yes, sir.’ and when he said that, he came back to practice and worked and got better as a quarterback.”

On defense, Vital was the Warriors’ lockdown cornerback with two interceptions, including one that sealed their win in Week 4 over St. John 46-40, and seven pass breakups.

Defensive MVP

M.J. Clark

M.J. Clark became a force upfront for the Tigers and played a pivotal role in the huge turnaround the program pulled off this season, going from 2-8 in 2023 to 9-2 and a regional round playoff appearance.

“He was right there in the middle of everything,” DeQuincy head coach Tate Woodard said. “His motor is unmatched.

“He was a tone setter for us this year defensively.”

Clark recorded 104 tackles, 13 sacks and 29 tackles for a loss and constantly harassed quarterbacks with 18 hurries and had a keen sense of finding the ball. He forced five fumbles, recovered three and broke up two passes. DeQuincy’s defense allowed 11.6 points a game.

“He had a knack for just finding it (football),” Woodard said. “He could get off blocks pretty good. “What he gave up in size, he made up in length. And that really benefited him throughout the year playing against bigger guys.

“Teams early in the year saw an undersized guy and they tried to run right at him and it just didn’t work. Later in the year, people would run away from him and he would use his speed to take the ball down from the back side. His quickness and his relentless pursuit of the football is what made him a really good defensive lineman.”

On offense, Clark had caught 12 passes for 181 yards and four touchdowns but played a bigger role in the ground game as a blocker.

“What he did with our run game, the staple of our offense, with his blocking can’t go unnoticed,” Woodard said. “Not only are we losing a really good defensive lineman, but we are losing a really good blocker on the other side of the football.”

Offense

Pos. Player, School Cl. Ht. Wt. Statistics

WR Chris Rideau, Hamilton So. 6-0 167 27 rec., 524 yards, 10 TD

WR Jayden Bokemeyer, Oberlin So. 5-9 130 28 rec., 608 yards, 7 TD

WR Brandon Perkins, Kinder Jr. 5-9 160 51 rec., 763 yards, 2 TD

OL Derwin Rankins, Hamilton Sr. 6-0 268 Blocked for 1,000 rusher/passer

OL Gabe Riggins, Vinton Sr. 6-0 220 Lions ran for 2,808 yards

OL Eli Jolie, Welsh Sr. 5-11 255 Greyhounds gained over 3,000 yds

OL Guy Hayes, Kinder Sr. 6-2 295 Kinder averaged 210 passing yards

OL Maverick Manuel, Elton Sr. 6-4 275 Indian ran for nearly 4,000 yards

QB Javon Vital, Hamilton So. 5-10 170 1,503 rush, 1,239 pass, 46 total TD

RB Tristan Leblanc, Elton Sr. 5-8 184 257 car., 2,030 yards, 23 TD

RB Jaiden Briggs, Vinton Jr. 5-9 155 248 car., 1,734 yards, 21 TD

RB Charles McFarland, Grand Lake Sr. 5-5 150 177 car., 1,480 yards, 17 TD

ATH Logan Lebeouf, Kinder Sr. 6-0 190 212 car., 1,445 yards, 14 TD

K Kohen Cormier, DeQuincy Sr. 6-2 200 41-48 PAT, 4 FG

Defense

Pos. Player, School Cl. Ht. Wt. Statistics

DL Eli Self, Kinder Sr. 6-0 196 91 tackles, 25 TFL, 7 hurries

DL M.J. Clark, DeQuincy Sr. 6-4 200 104 tackles, 29 TFL, 18 hurries

DL Alijah Hardy, Basile Sr. 6-2 240 67 tackles, 2 sacks

DL Javen Broussard, Welsh Sr. 5-7 200 32 tackles, 5 sacks

LB Wyatt LaVergne, DeQuincy Sr. 5-9 170 107 tackles, 2 FF, 2 PBU

LB Wyatt Wilkerson, Grand Lake Sr. 5-7 182 92 tackles

LB Ayden Miller, Welsh Sr. 5-11 186 137 tackles, 6 sacks

LB Jacob Sumbler, Oakdale Jr. 5-10 180 110 tackles, 13 TFL

DB Bryce Guillory, Grand Lake Sr. 6-3 180 85 tackles, 3 INT, 5 PBU

DB Makelin Lemoine, Elton So. 5-10 185 54 tackles, 6 TFL, 2 pick-6

DB Lindsey Joyce, DeQuincy Sr. 5-11 140 43 tackles, 7 PD, 3 FR

DB Noah Romero, Kinder Sr. 6-0 175 86 tackles, 6 TFL, 2 INT, 5 PBU

P Cameron Bonin, Lake Arthur Jr. 5-9 160 38.7 avg., 63 long

KR Cameron Bouley, Welsh Sr. 5-10 150 282 return yards, 2 KO TDs

ATH Tre Rider, Oberlin Jr. 5-9 150 98 tackles

OFFENSIVE MVP — Javon Vital, Hamilton Christian.

DEFENSIVE MVP — M.J. Clark, DeQuincy.

COACH OF THE YEAR — Justin Reed, Kinder.