The 2024 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, excitement abounds throughout the state.  Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across Louisiana.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Sulphur, LA, home of the LHSAA State Championships, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality.  We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Louisiana.  We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, followed by our Power 25 Rankings release, and our popular Game of the Week segment. 

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the bayou state.  Each week, we will be releasing our players of the week, updating our Power 25 Rankings, and many more pieces of content.  

*Please note that all information is based on team preview questionnaires that were sent out and returned by the participating high school coaches.

 

High School Name: Opelousas Catholic

Head Coach: Justin Boyd

Classification: Class 1A (Select D-IV)

District: 6-1A

2023 Record: 24-10

2023 Playoff Finish: State Semifinalist

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 7

No. of Returning Pitchers: 3

Team Strengths: Offense & Experience

Top Returning Players: 2024 OF Mark Collins (Louisiana-Lafayette signee), 2024 MIF Jordan Luna (LSU-Eunice), 2024 MIF Beckett Boyd, 2024 LHP Taylor Hollier, 2024 RHP Dontre Henry (Miles College), 2024 RHP Ben Wagley, 2025 INF Rowen Bergeron

Top Newcomers: 2025 OF Braylin Harris, 2025 LHP Zachary Collins, 2026 OF/RHP Kross Gillen, 2026 LHP/OF Carter Stelly, 2026 UTIL John Parker Trahan, 2027 C Myles Collins

 

Team Outlook

Opelousas Catholic finished the 2023 season with a 24-10 overall record.  The Vikings entered the LHSAA Select D-IV playoffs as the #4 seed, which earned them a first-round bye.  In the second round, they defeated St. Frederick 10-0, and then beat a tough Catholic Pointe Coupee team in the quarterfinals by a score of 3-2, to advance to the LHSAA state tournament.  Their season would end in the semifinals, at the hands of top seed Ouachita Christian, who ended up winning the state title.  Head Coach Justin Boyd really likes this year's team, as he told us that this year's group is extremely hard-working, and they all have a winning mindset and believe in each other.  The Vikings also return a ton of experience from a season ago, as they have eight returning players who received 40 or more at-bats in 2023.  Starting at the top, the offense will be driven by two key seniors in Mark Collins and Jordan Luna.  Collins is a four-year starter who brings great leadership, along with great work ethic.  The UL-Lafayette recruit is an explosive athlete who hit .380 last season with 41 total hits that included a team-high 23 XBH's.  Luna is a five-year starter, who returns back at shortstop for another season.  The LSU-Eunice recruit led the team in walks last year with 23, and also had a .531 OBP, to go along with 38 R, 35 RBI, and 23 SB.  Fellow senior Beckett Boyd is a three-year starter at second base, who hit .321 last year with 30 RBI, and he also finished second on the team with 36 total hits.  Junior Rowen Bergeron was one of our favorites from our star-studded State Games event this past fall.  The junior infielder had 31 hits with 13 XBH's and 27 runs scored last year, as a sophomore.  Offensively, there will be plenty of new faces and younger guys who should make an impact for the Vikings as well.  Junior OF Braylin Harris should bring some balance to the lineup, as he'll likely be the lone left-handed hitter.  Sophomore Kross Gillen will provide middle of the order production, and will also be relied upon to log innings on the mound as well.  Sophomore John Parker Trahan is a patient hitter with power potential, and will play a variety of positions defensively this season.  Freshman Myles Collins is currently ranked #4 in our 2027 state rankings and will likely be the team's starting catcher this season, thanks to a big arm and solid receiving skills, in addition to his bat.  Opelousas Catholic also returns several key pieces on the mound this spring, and it all starts with senior Taylor Hollier.  The uncommitted southpaw went 8-2 with 1 save and a 1.39 ERA last season, and is a guy that Coach Boyd describes as having a "bulldog mentality" each time that he toes the rubber.  Senior Dontre Henry had his season cut short last year due to injury, but was still able to go 1-1 with a 3.01 ERA as a junior.  Senior Ben Wagle will be counted on for big innings this season, as both a starter and a reliever, after going 3-1 with a 2.75 ERA last year.  Junior Zachary Collins is a competitive strike-throwing southpaw who will be counted on in a variety of roles on the mound this season, as will sophomore Carter Stelly.  "Trust in the People and Respect the Work" is a motto that Opelousas Catholic lives by.  Coach Boyd expects this year's team to get better each day and to be peaking by playoff time.  The Vikings return a lot of experience in 2024, both offensively and on the mound, which bodes well for their chances this season.  Combine that with a crop of extremely talented underclassmen, and the Vikings just might have the right recipe for a state title run this year.  

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