{"id":255098,"date":"2025-08-02T05:06:15","date_gmt":"2025-08-02T05:06:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/255098\/"},"modified":"2025-08-02T05:06:15","modified_gmt":"2025-08-02T05:06:15","slug":"port-barre-preps-for-fresh-start-with-strong-senior-class-crescent-city-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/255098\/","title":{"rendered":"Port Barre preps for fresh start with strong senior class \u2013 Crescent City Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n \"Print
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

\"Prep<\/p>\n

Just 20 years ago, the Port Barre Red Devils neared a dynasty.<\/p>\n

Today, they float aimlessly, without a winning season since 2013.<\/p>\n

In 2023, coach Brett Angelle took the wheel. The longtime assistant oversaw a 5-6 campaign and Division III Non-Select playoff berth in 3A, their first since 2019. But last season, injuries derailed a transition into 2A en route to 1-10.<\/p>\n

With rested bodies and returning stars, Port Barre aims to put the basement in its rear view mirror, once and for all.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe injuries just started piling on,\u201d Angelle said. \u201cIt was injuries to key guys \u2026. We\u2019re anxious to get back to the winning ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

It starts on the ground. Angelle has installed a run-heavy approach for this fall, mainly to put the ball in the hands of its dynamic duo of seniors: Tylus Metrejean and Bailey Rideaux.<\/p>\n

Both Swiss Army Knives unfolded just five times apiece in 2024. Now, they\u2019re back healthy as the double-barreled shotgun of Port Barre\u2019s attack.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith both of those guys, we want to have the identity of you never know where they\u2019re going to line up,\u201d Angelle said. \u201cWe want to keep defenses guessing on where they\u2019re going to be, because it won\u2019t take long to figure out wherever they line up, they\u2019re getting the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n

Metrejean (6-1, 160) primarily plays quarterback. Seth Smith (5-11, 145, Jr.) will occasionally take command to allow him time at wide receiver, where his raw athleticism hasn\u2019t gone unnoticed. <\/p>\n

\u201cEvery 7-on-7 we\u2019ve played this summer, the cornerbacks that were lined up against him, after the game were like, \u2018Man, you\u2019re fast,\u2019\u201d Angelle said. <\/p>\n

He\u2019ll also start at cornerback, punter and kick returner.<\/p>\n

Rideaux\u2019s (6-2, 220) role shifts toward running back after two seasons starting at tight end. He\u2019ll also get after opposing quarterbacks at defensive end.<\/p>\n

In the weapons department, running back Chase Dedon (5-9, 175, Sr.) returns, while wide receiver Kegan Ledoux (6-1, 150, Soph.) and tight end Bennett Fontenot (6-0, 192, Sr.) get their first chances to start.<\/p>\n

Port Barre\u2019s protectors and their experience will be key for a bounce back. Four of five offensive linemen are back, a rarity in recent Devils history.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year is probably the first since I\u2019ve been here where there\u2019s very little questions on the offensive line,\u201d Angelle said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got some bruisers up front that can control the line of scrimmage and make some good things happen for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

First-team all-district selection Brett Menard (5-9, 180, Sr.) starts at left guard, flanked by rock-solid upperclassmen in left tackle Karson Dupre (6-3, 260, Sr.) and center Luke Stagg (5-9, 250, Jr.). Right tackle Luke Grimmett (6-2, 251, Jr.) also returns, leaving right guard Cy Leger (5-11, 210, Soph.) as the only new starter.<\/p>\n

Defensively, linebacker Juwan Horns stands tall. The 6-foot, 190-pound senior earned first-team all-district honors as not only a tackling machine, but also a role model.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s definitely the glue that keeps it all together,\u201d Angelle said. \u201cWe\u2019ve had several media days where our kids were asked who\u2019s your leader in the locker room. It\u2019s 100% consensus, everyone says it\u2019s Juwan. And he does it by example.\u201d<\/p>\n

But for Horns to fully congeal a new-look unit that struggled mightily in 2024, sacrifices are mandatory in the trenches.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the biggest focuses this year, especially up front, is being able to eat up those double teams, being able to keep those guards off our linebackers,\u201d Angelle said. \u201cNot playing selfish football, you might not have to make the tackle, but keep those guys off of Juwan, so Juwan can make the tackle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Port Barre has just two starters returning to its defense other than Horns, a linebacking partner in Malcolm Mallett (5-9, 160, Sr.) and Fontenot at defensive end. <\/p>\n

Rideaux, Drake Thomas (5-11, 297, Soph.) and Devin Mallett (5-10, 289, Sr.) provide the dirty work at defensive line. Karson Darbonne (5-6, 181, Jr.) joins a fit linebacker corps that\u2019s hungry for productivity.<\/p>\n

At defensive back, the Devils are hot off the press. Metrejean will start at corner alongside Brenden Perdue (5-7, 140, Sr.) while Ledoux and Karter Richard (5-6, 135, Jr.) galvanize the skies at free and strong safety, respectively.<\/p>\n

On special teams, Angelle has the privilege of coaching his son, Benton (5-6, 125, Soph.) to be placdkicker. While Metrejean does the rest, Ledoux will return punts.<\/p>\n

After a preseason scrimmage against Oberlin and a jamboree versus North Central, Port Barre kicks off its season with Crowley on Sept. 4. Beau Chene, Opelousas Catholic, Marksville and South Beauregard follow before district play starts against Avoyelles.<\/p>\n

The Devils play just three district games this fall, taking on Oakdale and Holy Savior Menard after a non-district tilt against Westminster Christian-Opelousas.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur goal is to make the playoffs,\u201d Angelle said. \u201cWhether we go 0-3 in district or 3-0 in district, that still leaves us seven other games.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amid last season\u2019s slew of injuries, the Red Devils\u2019 stymied upperclassmen still forged mentorship roles. <\/p>\n

Now seniors, they\u2019ll continue to believe in what\u2019s earned them such high status, as well as what can guide Port Barre back to postseason form in 2025.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think our young guys have built up that drive of \u2018I don\u2019t want to let these older guys down,\u2019 so I think that\u2019s helped with our chemistry,\u201d Angelle said. \u201cThey developed friendships that way, through the injuries, through the adversity. They\u2019ve really come together.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more Louisiana high school football team previews, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Just 20 years ago, the Port Barre Red Devils neared a dynasty. Today, they float aimlessly, without a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":255099,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2076],"tags":[7,31877,31878,896,55,2572,2571,6,397],"class_list":{"0":"post-255098","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-orleans-saints","8":"tag-football","9":"tag-louisiana-high-school-football","10":"tag-louisiana-high-school-football-team-preview","11":"tag-new-orleans","12":"tag-new-orleans-saints","13":"tag-neworleans","14":"tag-neworleanssaints","15":"tag-nfl","16":"tag-saints"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/114957437279989575","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255098","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=255098"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255098\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/255099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=255098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=255098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=255098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}