Another chapter was added Saturday to one of Louisiana’s most storied high school football rivalries, and this one carried championship weight.

St. Augustine and Edna Karr, two programs steeped in tradition, met on the sport’s biggest stage in the LHSAA Division I Select State Championship at Caesars Superdome. When it was over, it was Karr standing tall, rolling to a 49–14 victory to secure its second straight state title and extend its winning streak to 27 games.

For Cougars head coach Brice Brown, the moment was as emotional as it was triumphant.

“I can’t even put into words how proud I am of these young men,” Brown said. “I’ve had some of them for four or five years, coming up from Alice Hart, and this is bittersweet because some of them won’t be back next semester. But the way they’ve grown and handled adversity says everything about who they are.”

Before a crowd of 34,500 fans, the championship matchup lived up to the hype early, with defenses controlling the tempo. Both teams moved the ball in the opening quarter, but timely stops kept the scoreboard empty through the first 12 minutes.

Karr broke the deadlock early in the second quarter after setting up shop at the St. Augustine 18-yard line. Quarterback John Johnson capped a short, five-play drive with a 1-yard sneak, and Brayan Castellon’s extra point put the Cougars ahead 7–0.

The Purple Knights looked to respond, but a high snap on a punt attempt turned into a scramble that ended short of the sticks. Karr took over at the St. Aug 34, and three plays later, running back Tre Garrison punched it in from a yard out to double the lead.

Johnson continued to spread the offense, and after a Cougar fumble recovery, he led another scoring march. This time, he connected with Gregory Wilfred on a 13-yard touchdown strike, pushing the advantage to 21–0.

After the game, Johnson praised Garrison’s growing role in an increasingly balanced Karr offense.

“They had a spy on me all night, so that opened things up for Tre,” Johnson said. “You can’t stop everything. We’ve got great receivers, a strong O-line, and Tre showed what he can do. We’re really balanced.”

St. Augustine finally broke through early in the third quarter in dramatic fashion. Defensive back Chad Jones stepped in front of a pass and raced 90 yards for a pick-six, cutting the deficit to 21–7 and injecting life into the Purple Knights.

Any momentum, however, was short-lived. Johnson answered with his second rushing touchdown of the night, a 3-yard keeper that restored a three-score cushion at 28–7.

St. Aug delivered another spark moments later when Derrick Bennett returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown, trimming the margin to 28–14. But that would be as close as it got.

Karr methodically reasserted control with a punishing 16-play, 88-yard drive that consumed more than eight minutes of game clock. Johnson finished it off by breaking the plane from a yard out, extending the lead to 35–14.

From there, the Cougar defense took over. Torrence Sanders scooped up a fumble and raced 73 yards for a touchdown, and Ian Gray later intercepted a pass and returned it 26 yards to set up yet another short Johnson touchdown run, sealing the 49–14 final.

Johnson delivered an efficient performance, completing 15 of 18 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown while adding four rushing scores. Garrison carried the load on the ground, finishing with 189 yards and a touchdown on 41 carries, earning Most Outstanding Player honors.

For St. Augustine, quarterback Vashon Coulon threw for 171 yards, while Jones led the defense with 16 tackles to go along with his interception return for a score.

Despite the loss, Purple Knights head coach Robert Valdez focused on the journey rather than the outcome.

“I’m proud of these guys and the work they put in to get here,” Valdez said. “When you play the top team in the state, mistakes get magnified. Six turnovers is too many. But this group fought, and we’ll regroup and get back to work in January.”

The postgame celebration carried deeper meaning for Karr. LSU signee Richard Anderson presented the championship trophy to the mother of former teammate Corey Adams, an Ole Miss football player who was killed this summer. Brown also noted the season was dedicated to longtime Karr coach Albert Ott, who passed away as well.

“Coach Ott stood for toughness, grit, and never quitting,” Brown said. “Honoring him and Corey put everything into perspective. It shows how close this program really is.”

Brown closed with a broader message that extended beyond the scoreboard.

• “This isn’t just a win for Karr — it’s a win for St. Aug, too,” he said. “It shows what young Black men can do when given the right structure and expectations. What you saw on that field is the standard. We’re trying to build men who lead, who own businesses, who sit behind desks — not behind bars. Life is tough, so we’re tough on them, because we believe in what they can become.”