10 Carencro vs. Southside eye-catchers

A highly anticipated battle of a District 3-5A opener between a pair of Louisiana's top Class 5A teams lived up to its billing.   Southside clung to a one-point lead in the final minutes after holding strong at the goal line on a go-ahead two-point attempt by Carencro earlier in the fourth quarter.   But the Bears came away with an opportunistic fumble recovery and made the most of the final chance with an impressive drive all the way to a game-winning [player_tooltip player_id='1203220' first='Cashmire' last='Batiste'] touchdown run in the 19-14 thriller.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aGMPBibnTw </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='426969' first='Brian' last='Amune'] Jr. | 5-10, 175 LB/RB | Carencro (2025)   The junior linebacker continued his strong start to the season, flying around and making stops in traffic and ranging out to the sideline to help slow the Sharks' efficient rushing attack. And when the Bears needed a play late with time running out, Amune was quick to pounce on a loose ball for the fumble recovery that provided second life and set up the game-winning drive.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGpo6cvtzqs </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='710967' first='Chantz' last='Babineaux'] | 6-0, 185 ATH | Carencro (2026)   The sophomore athlete continues to impress in his early weeks as a varsity quarterback. The statistics didn't match his record-breaking performance from six days prior, but Babineaux took care of the ball, provided big plays with both his arm and his legs and remained poised and confident to lead his Bears down the field twice in the fourth quarter against a strong Southside defense with the game on the line.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2A6l7Doap0 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='1203220' first='Cashmire' last='Batiste'] | 5-8, 165 RB | Carencro (2024)   The senior running back scored the game's first points and its last points — up the middle on the goal line on the third play from scrimmage, and then beating a defender to the pylon and goal line for the go-ahead score late — and added some other nice runs in between.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq0j_asVDBE </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='1238190' first='Kendrick' last='Bernard'] | 5-10, 185 WR | Carencro (2026)   Babineaux's fellow sophomore came up big right away with a 77-yard reception on the game's second play from scrimmage to set up Batiste's first score. Bernard hadn't previously been on our radar. But his emergence as a reliable playmaker in high-profile contests is a notable development for a team continuing to throw the football more than in years past and eying potential state-title contention.   [player_tooltip player_id='1220979' first='Derrick' last='Collins'] | 5-9, 160 DB | Southside (2025)   The Sharks' versatile defensive back is one of the returning starters and leaders on a stout defense that contained Babineaux as well as maybe any opponent will all year. Collins did a great job keeping contain on the outside and tackling securely in space and covered good ground on pivotal passing plays to help shut down windows and force big third- and fourth-down stops.   Austin Dyson | 6-3, 165 WR | Carencro (2024)   The long, lean senior provided a big target for Babineaux on multiple pivotal plays during the course of the contest. On one play early in the fourth, Dyson kept moving on a scramble situation, found an open space, caught a pass up over his head and quickly turned upfield for additional yards. And later in the quarter, he caught a pass on third-and-7 and shook off arm tackles all the way down inside the 10-yard line to help set up the eventual game-winner.   Joey Edmonds | 6-3, 270 OL | Southside (2024)   The Sharks didn't move the ball as well as consistently as they would've liked, falling more than three touchdowns shy of their scoring average coming into the week. Credit to the Carencro defense. But the senior left tackle, the team's biggest lineman, seemed to be among the blockers winning matchups to help spring Southside's bigger successes, its longer runs and two touchdowns.   Darion Gabriel | 5-8, 235 OL | Carencro (2024)   The trenches were a battle between the two strong Class 5A programs. But, similarly to Edmonds on the other side, Gabriel — the Bears' center — seemed to come up big on some of his team's biggest plays, including helping pave the way for its first two scores.   [player_tooltip player_id='1598112' first='Ramon' last='Singleton Jr.'] | 6-1, 220 RB | Southside (2025)   Senior Vernel Joseph led a balanced rushing attack the week before and had his moments again in Week 3, but his big, physical runner headlined the group this week with both the end-zone trips: a 29-yarder on which he got outside and opened up some speed up the sideline, and a 5-yarder powering through contact.

A highly anticipated battle of a District 3-5A opener between a pair of Louisiana's top Class 5A teams lived up to its billing.