St. Thomas More Cougars | Summer 3-2-1 Spotlight

A senior-heavy St. Thomas More replacing its graduated star quarterback battled its way to a state championship this past fall.   This year, a few key returning seniors — particularly in the offensive backfield — will do their best to help lead a roster working and growing through even more turnover toward the same high goals.   St. Thomas More garnered a stop on Prep Redzone Louisiana's offseason tours and a series of "3-2-1" spotlights looking at three key returning standouts, two notable breakout candidates and one underclassman to know sooner than later.     3 WELL-KNOWN RETURNERS   [player_tooltip player_id='285278' first='Sam' last='Altmann'] — 6-2, 195 QB — St. Thomas More (2024)   The rising senior is one of the top handful of quarterbacks in Louisiana's 2024 class to watch entering this season. Altmann weathered a quarterback battle and learning process this past fall to ultimately lead the Cougars to a state championship against crosstown rival Lafayette Christian. And, in the title game itself, he showed notable resolve and poise to work through some nervousness and missed throws early on the big Caesars Superdome stage to fire some absolute highlight-reel darts down the stretch in a furious comeback. Altmann has filled out his frame about 10-15 pounds pushing up closer to 200 and appears increasingly comfortable and confident in his leadership role and spotlight.   [player_tooltip player_id='421649' first='Hutch' last='Swilley'] — 5-11, 200 RB — St. Thomas More (2024)   One of the Cougars' two most heavily recruited prospects thus far along with offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='139479' first='Ashton' last='Helaire'], the new Navy commitment led the team with nearly 1,000 yards rushing this past fall. Swilley, a high-character leader on- and off-the-field, has good size, can break away when he finds a seam and has worked more throughout spring and summer 7-on-7 seasons on his receiving both out of the backfield and the slot. And he will have help in fellow rising senior John Luke St. Pierre and rising junior [player_tooltip player_id='1644772' first='Gabe' last='Mocek'] in a backfield that should prove productive once again in complementing Altmann and the passing game.   [player_tooltip player_id='902061' first='Hayden' last='Hernandez'] — 6-1, 205 LB — St. Thomas More (2024)   The all-district selection and multisport standout is one of the returning senior leaders — along with safety/linebacker Peyton David and fellow linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1203232' first='Brody' last='Latiolais'] — on a defense that will rely on a lot of newer faces growing up quickly. Hernandez is a disciplined, productive backer who racked up big tackle numbers as a junior. Hernandez has good size and keeps his feet moving, stays balanced and disciplined and makes quick decisions to cover a lot of ground in a hurry.     2 BREAKOUT CANDIDATES   [player_tooltip player_id='145326' first='Landon' last='Strother'] — 6-0, 160 WR — St. Thomas More (2024)   and [player_tooltip player_id='902066' first='Sanders' last='Foreman'] — 5-9, 180 WR — St. Thomas More (2024)   and [player_tooltip player_id='914114' first='Jacob' last='Froelich'] — 6-2, 195 WR — St. Thomas More (2025)   and [player_tooltip player_id='914116' first='Aiden' last='Falgout'] — 6-2, 195 TE — St. Thomas More (2025)   The Cougars have to replace the bulk of their receiving production from this past season — their top four receivers and 86.9% of their total yardage — but remain confident (as always) in the group they have taking over under coordinator Shane Savoie and receiver coach Lance Strother, whose son Landon projects as the top weapon. The younger Strother has been a promising young athlete to watch coming through the program and the 7-on-7 and camp circuits. And he, Foreman, Froelich and tight end Falgout were all quick mentions from several of the coaches when asked about players having strong spring or of whom more people should take definite notice this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='914123' first='Ethan' last='Baer'] — 5-11, 202 DL — St. Thomas More (2025)   and [player_tooltip player_id='914107' first='Nico' last='Blanchard'] — 6-0, 190 LB — St. Thomas More (2025)   and [player_tooltip player_id='914120' first='Brian' last='Broussard Jr.'] — 5-9, 160 DB — St. Thomas More (2025)   and Gavin Duplechain — 5-11, 150 DB — St. Thomas More (2025)   The 2025 class will be critical to the success of the Cougars' defense with several rising juniors who earned varying degrees of playing time this past fall stepping into the big shoes left by the graduated 2023 class. The versatile Baer is someone the coaches this can be a disruptive playmaker in the box as he returns from injury. Blanchard, a special teams hero in the title game with a late onside kick recovery, takes on a bigger defensive responsibility at outside linebacker alongside Hernandez and Latiolais. And Broussard and Duplechain should be playmaking leaders in the secondary with some experience as sophomores and strong offseasons thus far.     1 UNDERCLASSMAN TO KNOW   Connor McAtee — 5-10, 250 LB — St. Thomas More (2026)   The rising sophomore is already one of the biggest listed players on the Cougars' roster, particularly on defense, and plays fast with confidence and intensity. He'll be one of the team's top underclassmen to watch work for playing time this fall alongside Hernandez, Latiolais and company and continue to develop his overall game during the next few years.

A senior-heavy St. Thomas More replacing its graduated star quarterback battled its way to a state championship this past fall.