A memorable, eight-game slate of high school state championships took center stage in Caesars Superdome on a light weekend of college action.
Programs from all over the state enjoyed standout performances from familiar faces and names to help win titles in matchups that checked boxes along a wide range of historic significance, thrilling finishes and dominant showings.
Congratulations to our final high school players of the week for this season and the latest NFL winners.
And stay tuned throughout the winter for all-state teams and more overall season awards for Louisiana’s prep stars, as well as another few weeks of college and professional players of the week.
HIGH SCHOOL
Offense — Elijah Haven (2027), Dunham: A stout Calvary Baptist defense managed to slow down Haven and his Tigers’ offense as well as anyone had in nearly three months. Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, that still meant Haven settling in for a 400-yard, five-touchdown evening en route to the Division-III Select state championship. Haven rushed 27 times for 136 yards and two scores and finished an efficient 21-for-29 (72.4%) through the air to eventually rack up 271 yards and three scores with his arm as well.
Defense — Isaiah Washington (2026), Haynesville: The Golden Tornado accounted for two of the six defensive touchdowns scored in the eight-game Prep Classic slate, including a big swing of a pick-six by its two-way, LSU-signed senior star. Washington jumped a pass to the sideline to abruptly end a Mangham drive knocking on the red-zone door and housed it all the way to the opposite end zone to preserve and more than double the lead. He also finished with one of the highest tackle totals of the weekend (14) and rushed seven times for 87 yards and two scores on offense.
Special Teams — Tyler Milioto (2026), St. Charles Catholic: In a span of just half a minute of game time, the Comets’ senior specialist went — as the LHSAA Network broadcast described — “from heartbreak to hero.” Milioto regrouped from a rare missed extra-point in the final minute to drill a season-long 44-yard game-winner, the longest and most critical of just five total made by any team all weekend.
PROFESSIONAL
Offense — Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints QB: The rookie quarterback put together the most efficient passing performance of his young career Sunday and a pair of late scoring drives to help lift the Saints to a 20-17 defeat of the Panthers. Shough finished 24-for-32 (75.0%) for 272 yards — his highest completion percentage of the season and second-highest yards-per-completion — and a game-tying touchdown in the final minutes. He led seven-play, 78-yard and eight-play, 62-yard marches on the final two offensive possessions for New Orleans to turn a late 17-10 deficit into the 20-17 victory.
Defense — Tre’Davious White, Buffalo Bills DB: The veteran cornerback out of Green Oaks and LSU had his best game of the season, the ninth of his career, in the Bills’ 35-31 win at New England. White allowed just one 18-yard catch on four targets his way, intercepted one pass — his first pick of the season — and broke up another and recorded a pair of tackles, including one for loss.
Special Teams — KaVontae Turpin, Dallas Cowboys WR: The former Neville star continued his great season overall returning kickoffs with his best average yet at 31.0 yards per opportunity — 124 yards total on four returns — in a 34-26 loss to Minnesota. The performance marked Turpin’s third straight week racking up more than 110 kick-return yards and fifth time in the Cowboys’ past six games.
