Top Performers: East Ascension vs. Denham Springs spring game

Denham Springs’ final heave toward the end zone was ruled out of bounds on a controversial call to end Saturday morning’s lengthy scrimmage with East Ascension. But, regardless of the exhibition’s outcome, both District 4-5A and District 5-5A opponents from Baton Rouge-neighboring parishes left feeling optimistic with their respective foundations for the fall. Here’s a look at the performance of each team’s top-ranked prospect in each of the next two classes, as well as an additional athlete who stood out and could be making his case for inclusion in the next update. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HusDHhTJflw" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>East Ascension</strong> <strong>Highest Ranked 2022 Prospect</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136616" first="Rionte" last="Jones"] — 5-11, 260 LB</strong> The big, bowling ball of a linebacker patrolled the center of the Spartans’ defense, plugging gaps in the running game, wrapping up a tackle for loss and dropping back in zone coverage. <strong>Highest Ranked 2023 Prospect</strong> <strong>Walter Samuel — 5-11, 190 RB — </strong> and <strong>Jacorey Johnson — 5-9, 180 RB</strong> East Ascension didn’t place any prospects in last week’s 2023 rankings, but the physical running back duo of Samuel and Johnson will clearly be one of the team’s strengths this fall. The Spartans’ offensive line was at its best when plowing ahead in the ground attack, and the junior ball-carriers hit their lanes decisively and aggressively, powering through and over would-be tacklers and typically keeping their legs moving until a crowd of Yellow Jackets could finally come together to drag them down. Samuel and Johnson scored the two touchdowns during the two quarters of regular game action. <strong>Making His Case</strong> <strong>Jayven Richardson — 6-6, 270 OL</strong> The Spartans brought a lot of size on their lines that fit the metaphorical "first guy off the bus" description, and the left tackle may have been the best-looking of the bunch. The East Ascension offensive line had some ups and downs during the lengthy matchup — particularly in pass protection — but Richardson was probably the most reliable and mobile of the bunch, with many of Samuel and Johnson’s biggest runs springing off that left side. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f_bpOh4zfM0" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> &nbsp; <strong>Denham Springs</strong> <strong>Highest Ranked 2022 Prospect</strong> <strong>Jabarry Fortenberry — 6-1, 180 LB</strong> The 2023-heavy Denham Springs roster didn’t place any rising seniors into the latest rankings, but the quick outside linebacker was active in the box, including helping on a couple tackles on an early goal-line stand, and leaped to deflect a pass a teammate nearly intercepted. Six-foot-2, 220-pound tight end Clayton Williamson also hauled in a few receptions. And defensive back Jordan Reams missed the scrimmage because of a newly broken finger, but should be another key senior to watch this fall. <strong>Highest Ranked 2023 Prospect</strong> <strong>No. 20 [player_tooltip player_id="138487" first="Reese" last="Mooney"] — 6-2, 185 QB</strong> The Yellow Jackets left Saturday feeling just a few missed connections — a few slightly overthrown balls and a handful or half dozen drops — away from being the high-powered offense they envision this fall. Mooney showed the arm talent and athleticism that have made him one of the state’s most heavily recruited quarterbacks, but his coaches love the strides they’ve seen from their young passer in terms of his grasp of the playbook and his leadership to be able to hold teammates accountable and become a coach on the field to help them correct their miscues. <strong>Making His Case</strong> <strong>CamRon Eirick — 6-3, 165 WR —</strong> and <strong>Micah Harrison — 5-9, 160 WR</strong> Another 2023 prospect, running back [player_tooltip player_id="138470" first="Raydarian" last="McKneely"], is the highest-ranked of the Yellow Jackets’ skill guys, but Mooney has a stable of options at his disposal for the next two seasons. Both Eirick and Harrison made grabs down the sideline, including Harrison’s in the end zone on the controversial final play. And the shorter, quicker Harrison was frequently involved on screens and quick slants out of the slot.