The 2025 high school football season has come and gone, with the months of September, October and November disappearing as quickly as LSU’s College Football Playoff hopes.
This past season brought with it plenty of memorable games, incredible individual performances and landmark achievements in the local area, and what better way to wrap it all up than constructing a regional All-Star squad?
Thus, the Enterprise-Journal is presenting its first-ever All-Region Team, with 24 athletes from a dozen schools (plus some honorable mentions) making up the starting depth chart.
But before delving into the team itself, there are some housekeeping items to address.
First and foremost, this is obviously highly subjective. Any media-created All-Star team comes with its fair share of criticism and complaints, and I certainly expect this one to be no different.
All I ask is that readers bear in mind that, A. I only have a certain amount of spots to work with, and B. Not including an athlete is by no means a slight on his ability. At the end of the day, this is supposed to celebrate players in the local area, not be something that divides.
Secondly, I also want to remind people that I can only make selections based on the knowledge and statistics I have at my disposal. There are certainly athletes that I may have missed or had not heard about, and for that I apologize in advance.
And lastly, the Enterprise-Journal covers 12 programs, and thus only players from those schools are considered. For reference, those schools are McComb, Parklane, South Pike, North Pike, Bogue Chitto, Kentwood, Amite County, Amite School Center, Centreville, Tylertown, Franklin County and Salem.
Now that all of the prefacing is out of the way, let’s get into what you’re all here for:
The EJ’s 2025 All-Region Team
Quarterback
Keonnis Davis | Senior | Tylertown High School
A four-year starter who has been a leader of the Chiefs’ program throughout his time, Davis produced his best season to date in 2025. The dual-threat quarterback completed 64% of his passes while throwing for 2,547 yards, running for another 650 and tallying 34 total touchdowns, and he led all of the 3A classification in yardage during the regular season.
As a result, Osborne Holmes’ high-powered offense averaged 31 points per game on its way to a 6-5 overall record.
“The offense will probably be rebuilt, because it won’t be the same things we’ve seen over the past four years with Keonnis [Davis],” head coach Osborne Holmes said. “But every team is built differently, and so we just have to move forward and work with other kids’ talents.”
Honorable Mention: Zane Minton | Senior | Amite School Center
Keonnis Davis drops back to pass during a practice.
Running Back
Kevin Bailey | Junior | Amite County High School
As a whole, Amite County’s rushing attack was one of the best at the 3A level, as the Trojans produced nearly 3,000 yards on the ground this year.
Bailey played a major role in that, as he accounted for 1,094 rushing yards on 9.9 yards per carry to go along with 13 touchdowns. And on top of that, the electric tailback was also a factor on special teams, racking up 356 return yards this fall.
Honorable Mention: Tanner Kyzar | Senior | Parklane Academy
Kevin Bailey finishes running through a drill during a fall camp practice.
Running Back
Liam Schwartz | Senior | Centreville Academy
It was a coin flip to choose either Schwartz or his teammate Garrett Jeansonne, as the pair formed a punishing duo on the ground.
The bruising runners essentially alternated in producing standout performances this season, but their run in the playoffs was truly special. Schwartz racked up 261 yards and four touchdowns in the team’s semifinal win over St. Joseph, and Jeansonne tacked on 115 and a pair of scores.
And in the championship bout against Lee Academy, it was Schwartz and Jeansonne who eventually wore down the Colts as the team rallied to claim its 10th state title.
Honorable Mention: Douglas Wansley | Sophomore | South Pike
Wide Receiver
Davis Carruth | Junior | Parklane Academy
The selections for wide receivers were likely the most straightforward on this team.
Carruth followed up a sophomore campaign in which he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark by again being a focal point of the Pioneers’ offense. The shifty athlete acted as a receiver, running back, return man and even punter for Parklane’s state-title team, and it led to him breaking the 3,000-yard mark in his career.
Carruth figures to produce similar numbers in 2026 as he chases a three-peat.
Honorable Mention: Antwaun “Cornbread” Adams | Sophomore | South Pike High School
Wide Receiver
Sheldon Isaac | Junior | McComb High School
While McComb had a host of playmakers that could have cracked this list, it would be impossible to not choose Isaac for this spot.
The current 3-star prospect hauled in 56 passes for 1,158 yards and 14 touchdowns this year, which meant he averaged just over 20 yards per catch.
It was virtually impossible to cover Isaac one-on-one (some teams inexplicably tried and failed), and while his public offer list currently includes the likes of Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Texas A&M, the dynamic receiver figures to only gain more collegiate attention as the offseason progresses.
Honorable Mention: Will Walsh | Senior | Amite School Center
Tight End
Broderick “Bam” Peters | Senior | McComb High School
A transfer from Hammond, Peters immediately lived up to his nickname by being a two-way star for the Tigers.
While he excelled as a pass-rusher defensively (13 sacks recorded), Peters also reeled in 27 passes for 572 yards and 10 touchdowns, with the powerful 6-foot-4 target frequently bulldozing defenders with the ball in his hands.
Naturally, that also made him a short-yardage threat on the ground, which prompted him to rush for 104 yards and another five scores.
Honorable Mention: Kyle Rushing | Senior | Parklane Academy
All-Purpose
Jayden Poole | Junior | Bogue Chitto High School
Nobody fit the label of ‘all-purpose’ quite like Poole, who has quickly become a household name in the region due to his electric playmaking ability.
Following a breakout sophomore campaign, Poole one-upped himself with an even stronger 2025 season. The dynamic talent averaged nearly a first down per carry on his way to racking up 1,598 rushing yards and a whopping 29 touchdowns.
And on top of that, Poole caught 18 passes for 375 yards and three touchdowns, making the 6-foot-2 prospect a truly well-rounded athlete that can impact a game in a variety of ways.
Honorable Mention: John Austin Sterling | Senior | Centreville Academy
Offensive Line
Arrocus Baskin Jr. | Senior | Parklane Academy
Anthony “Tow Truck” Alexander | Senior | McComb High School
Ethan Hall | Senior | Centreville Academy
Lee’Andre Slack | Senior | Amite County High School
Alston Davidson | Senior | Parklane Academy
Opposing defensive lines would be hard-pressed to work their way past this group.
Baskin Jr. (a current Army commit) and Davidson were the cornerstones of a Parklane O-line that quickly turned into a strength, Slack & Co. allowed their offense to average 7.8 yards per carry, Hall was a true grinder from his center spot and McComb’s “Tow Truck” Alexander rounds out the unit as the representative from a Tiger line that grew immensely as the season progressed.
McComb's offensive line practices its footwork prior to a game.
Defensive Line
Micah Nickerson | Senior | South Pike High School
Telvin Jefferson | Senior | Parklane Academy
Jamahl Flowers | Senior | Franklin County High School
Darien Tolliver | Junior | Amite County High School
But for as great as that aforementioned O-line was, it may have some trouble containing these monsters up front, as all of them stand at 6-foot-2 or taller and are imposing forces.
Nickerson is the headliner, as the current Missouri commit led the Eagles with 10 sacks to go along with 19 tackles for loss and 59 total tackles.
Meanwhile, Jefferson spearheaded a Parklane D-line that lived in the opposition’s backfield every Friday night.
Similarly, Flowers was a dominant presence off the edge who tallied 23 tackles for loss and 10 sacks for a defensive-minded Franklin County team.
And Tolliver rounds out the group as the only junior included, and for good reason. With the Trojans’ defensive front owning the trenches throughout the season, Tolliver was able to record an absurd 31 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks.
Linebacker
Jakobe Barnes | Senior | North Pike High School
Few players at the 5A level–regardless of position–were as productive as Barnes.
The veteran linebacker tallied a whopping 123 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss and five sacks while also breaking up four passes, forcing a fumble and even blocking a punt. The Jaguars may have not had the season they envisioned, but Barnes left everything on the field every time he stepped onto it.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t also shout out Tyler Morgan and Tayshaun Ross, two guys who rounded out a stingy senior linebacking trio for North Pike.
Linebacker
Cordell Malone | Senior | South Pike High School
Nickerson stole many of the headlines within the Eagle defense, but Malone was just as reliable and even more productive.
As a vocal leader for the unit, the senior recorded 74 total tackles and a mind-boggling 18 tackles for loss while also recovering a fumble.
"Cordell Malone’s defensive calls were spot on," head coach Tyrone Varnado said of his linebacker.
Linebacker
Braylon Rancifer | Sophomore | Bogue Chitto High School
One of only two sophomores included on this team, Rancifer burst onto the scene with a breakout 2025 campaign.
Playing with tangible fire and passion, the instinctive linebacker racked up 173 total tackles (you read that right), 12 tackles for loss, a pair of sacks and also intercepted a pass.
Be on the lookout for Rancifer as he returns alongside Poole to lead the Bobcats into 2026.
“I hadn’t gotten a lot of playing time in the past, so this year I was just determined to get after it,” Rancifer said following his team’s district-title win over Salem in late October. “I was fighting for this all year.”
Defensive Back
Eli Chandler | Junior | Parklane Academy
The leader of a veteran secondary for the Pioneers, Chandler came up with plenty of crucial plays from his safety spot.
However, he’ll likely remember his interception from the state-title win over Heritage Academy the most, as that turnover at Parklane’s one-yard line truly swung the momentum of the game.
“It was an empty set, and all week we had said that if they showed us that, then we’d drop into our ‘blue’ or deep quarters coverage,” Chandler said of the INT. “So I saw what looked like four verticals coming right at me, and our D-line got good pressure, so he had to just throw it up to me.”
Eli Chandler intercepts a pass in the end zone.
Defensive Back
Delwin Perkins Jr. | Junior | McComb High School
An all-state defensive back in 2024, Perkins seems primed to receive those honors again.
The speedy cornerback intercepted four passes and returned them for 85 total yards, showcasing his abilities as a dynamic receiver on the other side of the ball.
Perkins also tallied 11 pass breakups, 26 total tackles and two tackles for loss.
Delwin Perkins signals to the sideline.
Defensive Back
Kenarius Thompson | Senior | Amite County High School
A true ball-hawk, Thompson intercepted four passes, broke up three more and finished with 36 total tackles as he became a reliable two-way star for head coach Sedric Cain.
Defensive Back
Preston Cupit | Senior | Franklin County High School
Cupit managed to nearly mirror Thompson’s production. The Bulldogs’ senior leader picked off four passes, broke up eight more and tallied 27 total tackles as part of a defense that played a major role in Franklin County’s late-season surge.
Kicker/Punter
Myles Carter | Junior | Parklane Academy
In just his second season of playing football, Carter became a weapon for the Pioneers.
While Carruth handled the punting duties (and largely excelled at it), Carter was a reliable kicker for his team. He progressively hit more touchbacks as the season went on, and the junior showcased his ability to knock in attempts from 40+ yards as well.
Carter figures to be among the best kickers in the MAIS as a senior.
Honorable Mention: Brennan Stinson | Junior | North Pike High School
Myles Carter attempts a kick.
