Top Performers: Edna Karr vs. John Curtis

New Orleans powerhouses Edna Karr and John Curtis traded lead three times in the final Saturday to live up to the anticipation of one of Louisiana’s top early-season matchups. And, in the end, sophomore quarterback A.J. Samuel and star receivers Aaron Anderson and [player_tooltip player_id="63553" first="Destyn" last="Hill"]’s highlight-reel connections lifted the Cougars, winners of the past Class 4A state championships, over the Patriots. <strong>2021 Recruiting Class</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="63553" first="Destyn" last="Hill"] — 6-1, 179 WR — Edna Karr</strong> The highly sought-after senior once again led the Cougars’ talented receiving corps with eight catches for 90 yards, two touchdowns and a two-point conversion, including the game-winning touchdown in the final minute. On a team with its share of weapons, Hill remains the clear leader of the pack. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">DESTYN HILL THIS TIME.</p> AJ Samuel (<a href="https://twitter.com/AJSamuel15?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AJSamuel15</a>) with another shot to the end zone... This time the senior <a href="https://twitter.com/yvngfat13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@yvngfat13</a> is there. Wow. <a href="https://t.co/L5pIgZThG8">pic.twitter.com/L5pIgZThG8</a> — Jerit Roser (@JeritRoser) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeritRoser/status/1317654733784518656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="63633" first="Karl" last="Odrick Jr."] — 6-4, 225 LB — Edna Karr</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="63669" first="Cahn" last="Meads"] — 6-3, 235 LB — Edna Karr</strong> The sophomore linebacker, Johnathon Bax, excelled as much as maybe anyone in Karr’s defensive front seven the previous week against Catholic. This time around, a handful of upperclassmen topped that list as the Cougars continue to develop into an increasingly scary unit and team. The seniors, a Ball State commitment and Texas Southern commitment, respectively, played major roles on the edges against the Patriots’ veer-option attack, including teaming up on a game-sealing sack on which Meads successfully held contain on the perimeter and Odrick wrapped up the tackle to close out the victory. Odrick also forced an earlier fumble among his highlights. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Fourth down for Curtis... Edna Karr sack wraps it up.</p> 48 with pressure. 45 with the sack. <a href="https://t.co/G087aIXfIz">pic.twitter.com/G087aIXfIz</a> — Jerit Roser (@JeritRoser) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeritRoser/status/1317656948532273152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="63590" first="Caleb" last="Spann"] — 5-10, 180 ATH — John Curtis</strong> The Central Michigan commit played all over the secondary, as well as multiple linebacker spots, running back, wide receiver and special teams and made his impact in every one of his roles. A few of his biggest plays included a 37-yard catch down the sideline, an immediate and sure tackle to keep Hill inbounds in the final seconds of the first half and a 30-yard kickoff return in the game’s final minutes that was one last trip-up away from hitting the open field for a potential score. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Buddy Taylor (<a href="https://twitter.com/lah_buddy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lah_buddy</a>) flashing the arm now.</p> The Central Michigan commit [player_tooltip player_id="63590" first="Caleb" last="Spann"] (<a href="https://twitter.com/c_s_1_1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@c_s_1_1</a>) with the catch. <a href="https://t.co/PRaT2jE8og">pic.twitter.com/PRaT2jE8og</a> — Jerit Roser (@JeritRoser) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeritRoser/status/1317628463646494724?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <strong>Qahir Harris — 5-10,<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>DE — John Curtis<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong> and<strong> Cole Landry — 5-11, 180 DE — John Curtis</strong> and <strong>Kylin White — 5-11, 218 LB — John Curtis</strong> This trio around the more heavily recruited defensive tackle [player_tooltip player_id="63629" first="Elinus" last="Noel III"] at the center of the defense were all over the box and into the backfield. White, who holds offers from Louisiana College, Carthage (Wisconsin) and Concordia (Minnesota), showed Saturday why he is among the state’s leading tackles this season. And when Curtis was able to get behind the line of scrimmage, Harris and Landry were typically the culprits. &nbsp; <strong>2022 Recruiting Class</strong> <strong>Aaron Anderson — 5-10, 180 WR — Edna Karr</strong> The electric junior has been well-known around the New Orleans high school football scene since at least his sophomore season, if not his freshman year. And, once again, he impressed with his quickness in space with the ball in his hands as both a receiver and a returner. But, this time out, Anderson left people talking most — and calling for NFL Hall-of-Famer Randy Moss — about his leaping go-ahead touchdown in the back corner of the end zone late in the fourth quarter. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">AARON ANDERSON IN THE CORNER OF THE END ZONE.</p> AJ Samuel puts it there, and the junior goes and gets it. Edna Karr leads, 27-26. Conversion attempt coming. 3:32 left. <a href="https://t.co/ZIvTid1KDH">pic.twitter.com/ZIvTid1KDH</a> — Jerit Roser (@JeritRoser) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeritRoser/status/1317650481586503680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <strong>Tory Morgan — 5-11, 194 LB — Edna Karr</strong> and <strong>Skylon Jean-Louis — 5-11, 191 LB — Edna Karr</strong> Like the senior duo of Odrick and Meads, the Cougars’ junior linebackers made one play after another all evening. Morgan and Jean-Louis haven’t garnered the college attention of their taller teammates, but have a knack for always being around the ball and involved in the stop. And Jean-Louis was quick to hop on the loose ball on Odrick’s forced fumble. <strong>Tygee Hill — 6-3, 265 DL — Edna Karr</strong> The headline prospect in the center of Karr’s defense spent most of his night plugging the gaps to slow the Patrias’ traditional rushing attack, but also showed his quickness getting out to the perimeter to sniff out screens. <strong>Buddy Taylor — 5-11, 153 QB — John Curtis</strong> Following long-time starter Collin Guggenheim’s graduation was going to be a tall task for whoever next took the reins of the Curtis offense. Buddy Taylor has excelled in his first few weeks, though, and garnered some praise as being among Louisiana’s top 2022 prospects at the position. On Saturday, he rushed 22 times for 157 yards and three touchdowns of 63, 49 and 1 yards and completed 10 of his 13 passes for 125 yards against arguably Louisiana’s best defense. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">2022 QB Buddy Taylor (<a href="https://twitter.com/lah_buddy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lah_buddy</a>).</p> Again. GONE. Curtis ties the game, 14-14, with 1:25 left in the first. <a href="https://t.co/mdmj21qUPa">pic.twitter.com/mdmj21qUPa</a> — Jerit Roser (@JeritRoser) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeritRoser/status/1317623939397505024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <strong>Connor Orgeron — 6-1, 215 ATH — John Curtis</strong> Another of the Patriots’ top juniors played made tackles all over the field from his linebacker position on defense, chasing Karr quarterback A.J. Samuel out of the backfield, supplying a couple of the night’s biggest hits and moving well dropping back in coverage. He also caught two of Taylor’s passes as a tight end on the other side of the ball. <strong>2023 Recruiting Class</strong> <strong>A.J. Samuel — 5-11, 160 QB — Edna Karr</strong> The sophomore quarterback continued doing his part against Louisiana’s top competition Saturday. Samuel remained poised against the Curtis defense and completed 14 of 21 passes to his veteran weapons for 185 yards and three touchdowns, including a pair of go-ahead dimes in the final minutes to Anderson and Hill, and rushed 15 times for another 115 yards and a soaring, stretching fourth-quarter score on which he evaded a fourth-down blitz and found another lane and the end zone.