Playoff tested Union Parish coming to Erath in second round game

ERATH — When people talk about powerhouse football programs, names like West Monroe, John Curtis, Catholic High of Baton Rouge, St. Thomas More and Karr usually come up. Union Parish’s Fighting Farmers deserve to be mentioned right alongside them.
Union Parish won state titles in 2001, 2013, and 2023. They also made it to the finals in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Last year, the Farmers lost in the Non-Select Division III semifinals.
From 2020 to 2023, they played in the state finals. Last year was the first time since 2019 that they didn’t make it that far.
Now, in 2025, the Fighting Farmers are aiming to return to the finals, but first they need to get past the Erath Bobcats (11-0).
The Farmers (5-6) and the Bobcats will face off in the second round of the playoffs on Friday. The game starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $12.
The furthest Erath went in football is the semifinals in 1962.
No. 12 Union Parish just beat No. 21 Rayville, 41-18, while No. 5 Erath rolled past No. 28 Bogalusa, 56-0. Scoring 56 is a new playoff school record at EHS.
Erath head coach Eric LeBlanc knows all about the winning tradition the Farmers have in north Louisiana.
Coach LeBlanc made sure his players understood that tradition.
“I told the kids this week in practice about them,” said LeBlanc. “They have been to the state finals and semifinals the last few years. I know they are not the same team as in years past, but they are still good.”
Union Parish has a balanced offense. Like Erath, they like to both run and throw the football.
Braxton Patterson has completed 50 of 95 passes for 800 yards.
Javeon Henderson leads Union Parish in rushing with 1,075 yards and nine touchdowns. Terrance Wallace has added 267 yards on 52 carries.
The team’s top receivers are Javion Island, with 11 catches for 99 yards, and Ryan Reader, with 7 catches for 133 yards.
Their offensive and defensive lines are both big and strong.
Ari Slocum stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 315 pounds, playing on both offense and defense. Jontae Lee is 6-foot-2, 245 pounds, and also plays on both sides of the line.
The Farmers have had five winning seasons in the last seven years. In those wins, they averaged 35 points per game and gave up just 13.
“Union Parish wants to run the ball,” said LeBlanc. “They like to be physical and aggressive. Their running back is good, their offensive line is big, and their defensive line has good size.”
LeBlanc said the key to beating Union Parish is for the Bobcats to stay disciplined.
The Bobcats have several offensive weapons, including two rushers with over 800 yards, a quarterback with more than 1,000 passing yards, and a receiver who can outrun most defenders.
Aiden Bourque, with 125 carries for 826 yards and 16 touchdowns, and Jahlil Charles, with 99 carries for 888 yards and 9 touchdowns, are
Erath’s one-two punch.
Quarterback Jack Landry has completed 97 of 150 passes for 1,379 yards, with 19 touchdowns and just three interceptions.
Erath wide receiver Talen Landry has 30 catches for 377 yards and six touchdown receptions.
If the Bobcats win, they’ll face the winner of No. 4 Kinder and No. 20 Kaplan.