Elijah Mitchell set so many Erath High School football records in his final season with the Bobcats that it’s hard to keep track of them all.

Mitchell, who plans to sign with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette early next month, is the first Erath player to lead the state in rushing — all classifications — after rushing for 2,780 yards on 279 carries. He also had 133 receiving yards and 11 passing yards, 42 rushing touchdowns, two receiving TDs and four 2-point conversions, scoring 272 points for the season.

His standout season helped Mitchell earn Offensive Most Valuable Player Honors on The Daily Iberian’s Best of the Teche Football team, heading a deep squad of talented players selected from the Teche Area’s football-playing high schools. Mitchell was the District 8-3A Offensive MVP and a first-team All-State selection in Class 3A.

“I’ve had some good running backs before, one being Travis Zacharie at Catholic High, but Elijah’s the best running back I’ve ever seen or coached,” Erath coach David Comeaux said. “He’s incredibly strong. On top of that he runs a 4.5 flat (second 40-yard dash), so he can move it.”

In addition to running with power, Comeaux said, Mitchell also has great vision and finds the holes the offensive line opens. His coach said Mitchell can run over defenders or outrun them.

Mitchell topped 300 yards twice in 2016, the first runner to do so in school history, with a team-record 334 yards and six TDs, also a record, against Berwick. He crossed 100 yards in nine of 10 regular-season games, including six straight games of 200 or more yards, and holds the school’s career records for rushing yards, attempts and touchdowns.

“But the thing about Elijah is he’s a great kid,” Comeaux said. “He’s humble. He’s not a vocal leader, but he doesn’t have to be. He’s simply been a great pleasure to coach.”

Catholic High quarterback Diallo Landry and St. Martinville receiver Deantre James were also considered for MVP honors.

Landry, a junior, completed 64 of 123 pass attempts for 1,211 yards and nine touchdowns with just three interceptions, and rushed for 1,140 yards and 18 touchdowns on 159 yards to finish the season with 2,351 total yards and 27 touchdowns. The numbers only tell part of the story, CHS coach Brent Indest said.

“He matured so much over his sophomore year. You expect that, but I think what sent him so far over the top was he became so much more accurate. He threw so well early in the year it opened the run up for him and JaDan (Stokes),” Indest said.

The low number of turnovers from someone who touched the ball on every snap meant Indest also could trust him in any situation, adjusting to his QB’s skills and even-keeled temperament.

“We centered our offense around him,” Indest said. “Diallo’s just so strong. If you don’t get your pads on him, he’s going to break the tackle. He’s 200 pounds and he’s going to get bigger. Just about on every snap we’re leaving guys unblocked and reading it. He really thrived in that and thrived quickly.”

James was voted the District 5-4A Offensive MVP this season.

Joining that group is first-team All-State receiver Je’Dan Jacob of Loreauville. Jacob had 42 receptions for 867 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The tight end is Eron Phillips of Westgate (30-600, 6 TD), a first-team All-District choice and a member of the I-10 All-Stars team.

Offensive linemen include seniors Claude Tremblay of Highland Baptist, Stephen Russell of Catholic High, Isiah Romero of New Iberia, Steven Vallot of Erath, Treveon Alexander of St. Martinville, Chase Clifton of Loreauville and Jessie Badeaux of Westgate. All were first-team All-District picks.

Joining Mitchell in the backfield are Brontre Griffin of Highland Baptist, Tyreese Jackson of Westgate and JaDan Stokes of CHS, each a 1,000-yard rusher.

Griffin followed up a sparkling sophomore season in which he led the state with more than 3,000 yards on the ground by rushing for 1,670 yards and 24 TDs on 183 carries in his junior season. Jackson, a sophomore, had 1,078 yards and 10 TDs. Stokes rushed for 1,248 yards and 19 TDs on 133 carries. Each was a first-team All-District choice.

Catholic High’s Thomas Gardner is the placekicker. Gardner converted 61 of 62 point-after touchdown attempts and three of six field goal tries.

West St. Mary senior Wayne Armelin was the return specialist. He had 281 return yards and earned first-team All-District honors, and also rushed for 403 yards and had 271 receiving yards with 12 total touchdowns.

Also earning spots on the first team as “Athletes” were Assembly Christian junior quarterback Jonah Wolfe (60-107, 1,072 yards, 11 TDs, first-team Christian School All-State), ACS senior running back Reegun Boutte (64-1,151, 17 TDs rushing, 1,794 total yards, 17 total TDs, first-team All-State),  Hanson quarterback Mason Mendoza, Loreauville senior Bryson Broussard (34-330, 6 TDs rushing, 68-694, 7 TDs receiving, first-team All-District), Delcambre senior tylar Lewis (928 yards and 8.7 yard average with 13 TDs rushing, 188 yards and 1 TD on six catches), Loreauville running back Shae Lee (71-923, 10 TDs, first-team All-District) and Westgate senior lineman Nolan Winston (87 percent grade, two sacks allowed, I-10 All-Stars).