10 Acadiana vs. Holy Cross eye-catchers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Acadiana is heading back to its fourth semifinal in five years after another vintage performance from the perennial power.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The No. 8 Wreckin' Rams grinded out long, physical drives on their way to four rushing touchdowns and swarming and stifled No. 1 Holy Cross the vast majority of a 28-14 victory in the teams' Division-I Select quarterfinal at Southeastern Louisiana's Strawberry Stadium. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMxZ_7Uzhsg","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <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=wMxZ_7Uzhsg </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='426961' first='Russell' last='Babineaux'] — 5-9, 160 WR/ATH — Acadiana (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Rams' junior receiver looks better every week in his increased playing time at corner, including a beautifully time and snatched interception in stride with a Holy Cross wide receiver late in the first half this week to highlight an Acadiana defensive effort that held an explosive Tigers offense to a season-low. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='901579' first='Cole' last='Canatella'] — 5-11, 180 QB — Holy Cross (2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Even despite the stout and disruptive defensive performance by Acadiana, the Tigers' senior quarterback managed to complete 11 of his 18 passes for 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913939' first='Amarion' last='Cooper'] — 6-1, 190 LB — Acadiana (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Back-to-back weeks of the junior outside linebacker making this list, Cooper was making plays right from the opening kickoff as he ran down the Holy Cross returner for a big tackle near the goal line that forced the Tigers to start the game notably backed up. He was involved on multiple other tackles or hurries on defense throughout the contest.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Billy Eaton — 6-1, 190 DL/LB — Holy Cross (2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The senior edge rusher had a couple of the Tigers' standout defensive plays with the pressure he was able to bring, including tripping up a sack. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1221079' first='Dajon' last='Francis'] — 5-8, 175 LB — Acadiana (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another junior linebacker who (as he has much of the season) flew around the box and disrupted the Holy Cross offense, the big highlight for "Pop" came late as he and junior defensive lineman Vallen "Ryland" Charles helped the Rams tighten their stranglehold on the game with back-to-back sacks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='710087' first='Jonah' last='Gauthier'] — 5-7, 175 RB — Acadiana (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The junior took the lead of the Rams' rushing attack with 221 yards, one of the top 30 performances in program history, and three of the team's four touchdowns — from 29, 5 and 49 yards out, respectively, in the first, second and fourth quarters — behind an upperclassman line of seniors [player_tooltip player_id='901113' first='Jackson' last='Hammond'] and Mike Willis, juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1598100' first='Braxton' last='Scriber'] and Kaveni Wilson and sophomore Logan Narcisse.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVHBG7LNc-c","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <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=OVHBG7LNc-c </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='901033' first='Amir' last='Hill'] — 6-1, 185 DB – Acadiana (2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Rams' versatile, playmaking "star" hybrid safety/linebacker has looked like one of the state's most underrated seniors all year long from summer 7-on-7 through high-profile preseason scrimmages, regular season and playoff matchups. Hill has good size and length and lives in opposing backfields chasing down passers and ball-carriers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WP0_7a3iB4","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <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=5WP0_7a3iB4 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1204738' first='Ezekiel' last='Hypolite'] — 5-9, 175 RB — Acadiana (2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The senior was the biggest complement to Gauthier in the Rams' rushing attack with about 100 yards of his own, including punching in their third score to stretch the lead to 21-7 before halftime.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='421521' first='Krosse' last='Johnson'] — 5-9, 170 WR — Holy Cross (2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Tigers' senior receiver, who has added another handful of offers during the past month, flashed his track speed early with a catch and long run for a 78-yard touchdown to put the game's first point on the board. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='421603' first='Dominick' last='McKinley'] — 6-7, 270 DL — Acadiana (2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Texas A&amp;M commit had another impactful performance helping lead the Rams' consistent pursuit of Canatella, including a few big tackles at and behind the line to force Tigers drives off-schedule or to a halt. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->