Sugar Bowl

The Allstate Sugar Bowl has recognized the top male and female athletes (non-professional) from the Greater New Orleans area since 1978 – candidates must either play for a non-professional team that is based in the Greater New Orleans area or must be a native of the New Orleans area competing elsewhere. The honor is selected by the New Orleans Sports Awards Committee, which has been existence since 1957. All of the Sugar Bowl annual awards were presented on a calendar-year basis until 2009 when the Committee changed to an academic calendar (July-June). The annual awards banquet is typically held in late July or early August.
 
Easton Royal, a star football player and sprinter for Brother Martin High School, was selected as the Allstate Sugar Bowl’s Outstanding Male Athlete from the New Orleans area for 2025-26.

Royal, considered the No. 1 wide receiver in the nation in the Class of 2027, had a sensational junior season for the Crusader football team. He earned first-team all-state and all-metro honors after recording 59 catches for 1,219 receiving yards to go with 219 rushing yards. His 20 total touchdowns included 15 on receptions, three on rushes, one on a punt return and one on a TD pass on a trick play.

He opened the 2026 season by leading the Crusaders to four straight wins as he was named the Sugar Bowl Athlete of the Month for September. His biggest game came on Sept. 12 when he had nine receptions for 254 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-27 win over St. Paul's – his TD catches went for 11 yards, 73 yards, and 81 yards and he also threw for a six-yard touchdown. Brother Martin fell in the second round of the playoffs to close the 2025 season with a 7-5 record.

He capped off his 2025-26 year by winning the state championship in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.17 seconds to break the composite state record that had stood since 1980. The 5-11, 205-pounder also won the 200-meter dash and anchored the winning 4x100 relay team. Earlier in the month of May, Royal posted a 10.2 in the 100 meters and helped the Crusaders set a school record at 41.34 seconds in the 4x100 relay.