U-High running back Corbin Odell, center, bounces off Woodlawn linebacker Jamarion Bass, right, during a run in the red zone in the second quarter on Thursday.
The first Friday of the Baton Rouge area high school football season is in the books. Here's what stood out from Week 1.
Running backs steal the show
Week 1 proved to be a big week for running backs around the area. On Thursday, the University High duo of senior Sage Ingram and junior Corbin Odell torched Woodlawn on the ground. Ingram led the way with 121 yards on 14 carries and one touchdown. Odell added two more scores and ran for 87 yards on 12 carries in a 49-8 win against the Panthers.
In Catholic's 32-23 win against Destrehan, junior running back Justin Batiste capped off a four-touchdown day.
Two Baton Rouge area running backs ran for more than 200 yards in Week 1. On Thursday, Ascension Catholic senior Trevin Simon ran for 275 yards on 18 carries, including a rush of 80 yards. He added four touchdowns to lift his side past H.L. Bourgeois, 45-40.
Zachary junior running back Jeremy Patton went for 217 yards on 17 carries with two touchdowns in a 52-28 win against Plaquemine on Friday night.
Dunham QB Elijah Haven picks up right where he left off
The Tigers quarterback is the No. 1 signal caller in the Class of 2027, and he showed why in Week 1 against Parkview Baptist.
Haven picked the Eagles defense apart with five touchdowns in the first half alone to help lead Dunham to a 49-14 victory. The junior QB looks to lead his side back to the state title game, where it fell to Catholic-NI last season.
District 4-5A proves to be an interesting district race to follow
Several top teams in the district started the season 1-0 on Friday.
Central, the defending state champion, opened the season with a 20-13 win over De La Salle. The Cavaliers were ranked No. 3 in NOLA.com's top 10 rankings for 3A and below.
The Wildcats offense features a new quarterback, but the defense returns several key players. Senior safety Marvin Joseph and linebacker Scott Smith worked to keep De La Salle quiet for most of the evening.
Catholic's win over Destrehan proved to be a big one, with Destrehan ranked No. 2 in the District 4A-5A rankings. The Bears defense, led by senior safety Blaine Bradford, forced two fumbles and allowed just 16 points to the Wildcats offense. Destrehan's first touchdown came from a pick-six.
The Bears were district champs last season and could be set up for a title defense with their Week 1 result.
Zachary finished 7-4 last season but looks to get right back in the mix of the district race this season. The Broncos defeated Plaquemine 52-28 to start 1-0. The Green Devils were ranked No. 7 in the LWSA preseason poll for District 4A and fourth in The Advocate's Class 4A-5A area rankings.
First-year starting quarterback Michael Kirby threw three touchdowns. After leading just 28-20 in the third, Zachary outscored Plaquemine 24-8 the rest of the way.