By Jerit Roser

The high levels of talent and competition from every corner of Louisiana reflected themselves in this year’s LSWA’s Class 5A All-State teams.

Seventeen schools earned first- or second-team representation, including nine different schools with players on the boys’ or girls’ first teams alone.

And the four superlative awards recognized two of the state’s most accomplished and highly recruited players at any level and two young coaches who prepared their team to peak in time for memorable postseason runs.

Zachary senior Jalen Bolden headlined the boys’ list as Outstanding Player for his starring role in the Broncos’ second straight Class 5A title run.

The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists per game in his second consecutive all-state campaign, including District 4-5A, Class 5A championship and LHSAA tournament MVP honors.

Bolden has signed to play collegiately at ULM.

Parkway junior Mikaylah Williams earned top billing on the girls’ side as Outstanding Player.

The 6-foot-1 guard led her Panthers to a 33-3 record and the program’s first state championship game with her averages of 22.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals.

Williams added the latest award to an already remarkable résumé that included an MVP and gold medal performance for the United States in the FIBA 3×3 Under-18 World Cup last summer in Hungary and this year’s Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year Award.

She is also a finalist of the Naismith Award as the nation’s top high school player and is ranked the No. 1 prospect of the 2023 recruiting class by HoopGurlz and ProspectsNation.com

Josh Carlin was selected as boys Coach of the Year after leading Northshore to its first state championship game in his first season at the school.

The son of longtime Salmen coach Jay Carlin helped the Panthers improve from a 20-13 record and quarterfinal appearance last year to 28-7 and a Class 5A runner-up run that included three consecutive upsets of higher-seeded opponents: twice on the road and then in the neutral-site state semifinals.

Ruston coach Ryan Bond and John Curtis coach Bill Lewit also received votes for the award.

Krystal Flowers earned Girls’ Coach of the Year honors in her second season back at the helm of McKinley’s program following a two-year absence.

She led her Panthers to a 19-10 record and first Division I title game since she did so in 2017 and 2018.

John Curtis coach Temeka Johnson and Ponchatoula coach Patricia Landaiche also received votes.