The Opelousas Tigers came into the Festgiving showcase game with a point to prove versus the St. Aug Purple Knights. (Nicholls St commit) Jon’Quarius McGhee started off the game with a steal & breakaway dunk that got the Tigers rolling early. The Tigers led 11-9 after the first quarter. 

The Purple Knights got a good second quarter from their senior point guard Nasir DeGruy who had 6 points. The Tigers led 28-21 at the half, but in the third quarter they extended their lead to 44-31 going into the fourth. McGhee had 8 points in the quarter.

In the fourth quarter the Purple Knights out scored the Tigers 22-11 led by DeGruy’s 9 points in the quarter. Down 55-53 with 12 seconds left in the ball game, DeGruy went for the win by attempting a three pointer that came up short as time expired.

Tigers senior guard Jon’Quarius McGhee made it clear that he was the best player on the floor finishing with 21 points, 12 rebounds, 6 steals, & 5 assists. Senior Kylan Williams finished with 11 points, & Jay Lazard chipped in 10 points. ​

Nasir DeGruy led the Purple Knights with 21 points & Ashton Trufant added 10 points.

Written by Kyle Valdez

The Catholic High Bears capped off their regular season with a victory over Woodlawn 34-27 at Memorial Stadium. Despite Catholic owning a 34-13 lead in the fourth quarter, Woodlawn fought their way back, but couldn’t complete the comeback.

After multiple schedule changes in the past three weeks, the two squads played in the final District 5-5A matchup of the season. Woodlawn entered the contest as the No. 2 team in Class 5A and Catholic was the No. 3 seed in Division 1.

Catholic’s freshman quarterback Daniel Beale made his first career start due to starter Landon O’Connor suffering an ankle injury the week before. Beale looked impressive as he threw for 223 yards and kept his poise all night. Bears running back George Hart totaled 100 yards on the ground and three touchdowns on just 14 carries. Corey Singleton rushed for 90 yards.

Woodlawn got off to a slow start, but they proved their offense can score in spurts. Sophomore quarterback Rickie Collins threw for 453 yards and four touchdowns on 31-47 passing. Receiver Kyle Jones caught 10 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Clayton Adams reeled in seven balls for 118 yards, and Amani Givens added 147 rushing yards. Dynamic playmaker Lanard Harris caught a 42-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

From start to finish, Catholic controlled the game. The two key points that separated the teams were defensive stops for the Bears. With under one minute left in the half and Woodlawn down 21-7, Rickie Collins took three deep shots in the end zone, but couldn't convert.
"Our timing was off early in the game," Woodlawn head coach Marcus Randall said. "We had a chance to score right before the half and it could have been a different game if we go in down 21-14."

The second key moment for Catholic was a red zone stop with roughly four minutes remaining. Down 34-20, Woodlawn was stopped on fourth down in a crucial drive. With a 4th-and-long from the Catholic 16-yard line, Jermaine Vessel applied the pressure, forcing Collins to throw an incomplete pass. Woodlawn would go on to stop Catholic and score again, but the deciding factor was that one drive.

Woodlawn will look to rebound next week in Round 1 of the Class 5A playoffs. They finished at No. 15 and will face No. 18 East St. John on Friday. Catholic finishes as the No. 4 team in Division 1 and will prepare for the defending state champions Archbishop Rummel. The two squads last met at Yulman Stadium a year ago for the state championship with Rummel edging Catholic 14-10. This year, the Division 1 state championship rematch will take place on Dec. 4 at Memorial Stadium.

St. James came into the game 5-2 overall & 3-1 in district. E.D White came in 6-1 & 4-0 in district. The Wildcats took a 3-0 lead after a 21-yard field goal by Alec Mahler field goal early in the first quarter.

Kaden Williams scored on a 1 yard run in the second quarter to push the Wildcats’ lead to 10-0. St. James made it 17-0 at halftime after defensive lineman Sai’Vion Jones *LSU commit* had a scoop & score after he blocked a punt.

The Wildcats scored on the first drive of the third quarter after a 9 yard touchdown run on a speed sweep by Kaden Williams to put St. James up 24-0. St. James finished the night off with an 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Marquell Bergeron to receiver Shazz Preston to extend their lead to 31-0. 

The Wildcats will host Abbeville Friday night in the first round of the playoffs. And E.D White will host St. Michael this Friday as well. 
Click the link below for full highlights from the game!!

Written by Jonrell Jones

Elijah Davis came up big for the Riverside Rebels Friday night. Trailing 14-7 late in the game, Davis scored a 21-yard touchdown run with 2:17 minutes left to allow the Rebels to attempt to tie the game. Riverside elected to go for a two-point conversion. It was again Davis who answered the call for the Rebels. On a speed option, Davis reversed the whole length of the football field to get the two-point conversion. “I just wasn’t going to be denied. The defense knew the speed option was coming. At that moment, I said nothing will stop me from getting into that endzone”, said Davis.

The Rebels and the Rams played amazing defense. The Rams defense was led by Junior 
Kailep Edwards. “We came to play tonight. We kept a team that Averaged 40 points a game to 7 at halftime and they only left with 15 on the board,” said Edwards. Points were hard to come by for both teams in the first half. Riverside scored the only points of the half with a 3-yard touchdown run by Gage Larvadain. 

West St. John's offense began to find its rhythm after a quarterback change from freshman Jaden Butler to Ferdinard Young. West St. John got on the board with a 2-yard touchdown run by R’Khoby Robeson. A failed two-point conversion made the score 7-6. West. John forced another Rebels turnover on the next drive. Facing 3rd and long, Young connected with Jaydon Hamilton on a 45-yard touchdown reception. A two-point conversion allowed the Rams to take a 14-7 lead that set up the dramatic finish.

Riverside improves to 5-1 overall & 3-0 in district. The Rebels will close out the season this week against Country Day with the district title on the line. West St. John falls to 2-6 overall & 1-2 in district. The Rams will end their season versus St. Martin's.

Written by Kyle Valdez

Written by Jonrell Jones

E.D White Cardinals were hitting on all cylinders Friday night. They had some big plays come from 
offense, defense, and special teams. The game started as a defensive slugfest, both teams’ offense came alive in the second half. The first half consisted of long, time-consuming drives that usually ended with no points. The Cardinals scored the only points of the first half when Cardinal quarterback, Cailun Griggs, found receiver Christian Hildenbrand with a 13-yard pass with 1:20 left in the half to lead 7-0. 

Lutcher was attempting to tie the game up before half, only to be intercepted in the RedZone by the cardinal defensive back Ethan Lee. The second half consisted of big plays from both offenses. Lutcher and E.D. White both scored on every possession in the second half. Lutcher opened up the second half with a 40-yard QB keeper touchdown run by D’Wayne Winfield to make the score 7-7. “Our offense started sluggishly in the first half. I know in the second half I have to elevate my play and put the team on my back,” said Winfield”.

E.D. White then traded scores with Lutcher the next drive with a 2-yard run by Hunter 
Becnel to make the score 14-7. Becnel run was set up by a 58-yard run on an option keeper by Griggs. 
Lutcher answered with another touchdown drive of their own. Winfield dropped the snap. He picked the ball up and found a wide-open Sam Scott downfield. Scott raced down Lutcher sideline for a 78-
touchdown reception to make the score 14-14. “Big-time players make big-time plays. We needed 
someone to step up and make plays, so I answered the challenges,” said Scott. E.D. White on the 
ensuing drive, answered with a big play of their own when Griggs found Hildenbrand for a 62-yard catch and run to go up 21-14 with 9:49 left in the game. 

Lutcher made quick work of the Cardinals defense on the next drive. Winfield had his second touchdown run of the night from 20 yards to tie the game up 21-21 with 8:29. E.D. White managed to hold the ball for the rest of the game. The Cardinals went on a 17-play drive that took more than 8 minutes off the clock. Cardinals kicker, Landon Brignac, kicked the game-winning kick that left Lutcher with 26 seconds left. The Cardinals would hold on & win 24-21.

“It was my dream moment. I told myself I had to do this for my team,” said Brignac. Lutcher's attempt to win or tie the game ended with another interception from Ethan Lee. E.D. White looks to build on this big district win when they take on the Panthers of Berwick. Lutcher will have a bye week after Donaldsonville canceled due to Covid-19.

Assumption started fast versus the Patriots with 18-0 lead in the first half because of their stout defense & the play of their quarterback Sage Rivere who threw two touchdown passes. 
The Patriots would respond back with a 10 yard touchdown pass from Ryan Williams to Royal Williams to cut the lead to 18-6 going into the half. With the momentum carrying over from the first half, the Patriots defense would hold the Mustangs offense to 0 points the entire third quarter. Ryan Williams would hookup with the talented junior receiver O’Ryan James for a 8 yard touchdown pass with 29 seconds left in the third. The Patriots went into the fourth quarter down 18-13.

Assumption quarterback Sage Rivere would throw his third touchdown pass of the night to Jaden Tyler for 27 yards. The Mustangs extended their lead to 24-13 with 10:23 left in the fourth. 
But once again quarterback Ryan Williams connected with O’Ryan James for a 11 yard touchdown pass along with a two point conversion. The Patriots trailed 24-21 with 7:23 left in the fourth. 
The ensuing drive the Patriots would force a fumble & go down to score yet again as Ryan Williams hit O’Ryan James for a 33 yard touchdown pass, but it was called back because of a holding call. 

Ryan Williams took things into his own hands & score on a 1 yard quarterback sneak to give the Patriots their first lead of the night 28-24 with 6:13 left in the fourth. Sophomore Marcus Mollere took the ensuing kickoff 67 yards for the score to put the Mustangs back up 32-28. 

The Patriots would drive the ball all the way down the field to the four yard line with 4 seconds remaining in the game. With no timeouts left, the Patriots would run Ty’Shaun Hester up the middle but the Mustangs defense got too much penetration & hold on to win the game as time expired. The Mustangs improved to 4-2 overall, 3-0 in district & the Patriots fall to 3-3 overall, 1-2 in district. 
To checkout the highlights & interviews from the game click the link below!!

Written by Kyle Valdez