LAFAYETTE, LA- John Paul the Great Academy (JPG) in Lafayette enters the 2025 football season with a legacy of dominance in the Association of Christian Educators of Louisiana’s (ACEL) eight-man football league. With state titles in 2015, 2016, 2022, 2023, and 2024, and runner-up finishes in five other seasons, JPG has cemented its place as a powerhouse at this level of Louisiana high school football.
Despite last year’s perfect 9-0 campaign that ended with a narrow 22-20 win over rival Acadiana Christian School in the league championship, head coach Barrett Richard is keeping things in perspective. “This team hasn’t won a single game,” Richard reminds his players. “Our past success doesn’t guarantee anything. We have to earn it again.”
Entering his 16th season, Coach Richard faces a new challenge: youth. JPG’s 2025 roster includes only one senior. Still, he’s confident. Key players returning include quarterback Daniel Charpentier, junior running back Jonah Petitt, and Riley Lormand, who missed 2024 due to an ACL tear but is back and healthy. The interior offensive line—both guards and center—is another strength. “Those guys are solid,” says Richard. “They give us a real foundation up front.”
This is good news since the Guardians’ veer option offense is premised on methodical blocks and reads. JPG annually churns out yardage with dives and end runs that have produced championships. Richard is content with staying ahead of the chains with three to four yard runs which result in bigger gains when the defense is blocked or blows an assignment.
Helping develop JPG’s line is new assistant coach Jay Smith, a former Zachary High standout and center at UL Lafayette. “Jay’s been a great addition,” Richard says. “He knows the game inside and out and is helping our line on both sides of the ball.”
The younger players are a work in progress. “They’re good kids, they just lack starting experience,” says Richard. “They’re progressing well, but they’ll need extra attention and reps.”
As for Richard’s overall philosophy, his is rooted in virtue and consistency—on and off the field. “It’s about daily effort, being present in what you’re doing—whether it’s football or schoolwork,” he says. “We’re forming young men of virtue. That’s our job.”
To keep success from going to players’ heads, Richard says humility is key. “If a kid gets puffed up, I’ll put him up against our best guys in practice. Getting beat a few times usually brings them back to earth.” He also leans on strong team captains to keep the culture in check.
Though football is deeply loved in Louisiana, Richard and the JPG administration are careful not to let it dominate the school. “We want our players to be well-rounded,” he says. “And at JPG, the student body is small and tight-knit. Our football guys are part of the larger community, not separate from it. But, at the same time, when some young men play a sport as physical as football together, and they’re on the field together, and they have these very intense, real shared experiences, it’s going to create a bond between them, and that’s a good thing that should not be trampled.”
So what will success look like in 2025? “If we reach our potential, I think it results in a championship,” says Richard. “But even if we don’t win it all, if our guys give their best and play to their abilities, I’ll consider it a successful season.”
The 2025 ACEL football season promises to be competitive, with returning challengers like Acadiana Christian School and First Baptist, and new programs entering the fray. “We’re excited. And we hope fans will come out and support these boys,” says Richard. “Every voice in the crowd matters. It’s a big deal to our kids.”
John Paul the Great Academy opens the season on August 7, 2025, at Clark Field at 7:00 p.m. against Acadiana Christian School. The Guardian’s season includes four additional home games with five away games. This year’s schedule avoids the long trip to Athens, Louisiana, with the Guardians instead hosting Mount Olive Christian of Athens at home. For more information, contact Athletic Director Jacob Lejeune jlejeune@jpgacademy.org
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John Paul the Great Academy – 2025 Varsity Football Schedule
- Thursday, August 7 – vs. Acadiana Christian – 7:00 pm
- Thursday, August 14 – @ [Opponent TBD, Varsity] – 7:00 pm
- Thursday, August 21 – @ Northshore Vultures – time TBA
- Thursday, August 29 – vs. Mount Olive Christian – 7:00 pm
- Friday, September 5 – vs. SLHS (Southwest Louisiana HomeSchool) – 7:00 pm
- Thursday, September 11 – @ [Varsity Opponent TBD] – 7:00 pm
- Friday, September 19 – vs. Northshore Vultures – 7:00 pm
- Thursday, September 25 – @ First Baptist Christian – 6:00 pm
- Thursday, October 2 – @ Acadiana Christian – 7:00 pm
Interview by J. Christian Lewis, article AI assisted