Eye-catchers from Acadiana vs. St. Thomas More

<p>Acadiana and St. Thomas More met in Week 3 for the first time since the 2010 Class 5A semifinals.</p>   <p>And the perennial powers' highly anticipated battle lived up to its billing with its levels of intensity and physicality. </p>   <p>But the Wreckin' Rams' powerful rushing attack and shutout defense managed to win enough critical possessions and plays to control much of the night en route to a 20-7 victory. </p>   <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=29d1Z6vRpRQ </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='710087' first='Jonah' last='Gauthier'] — 5-8, 185 RB — Acadiana (2025)</strong></p>   <p>The senior running back racked up more than 200 yards for the second straight week, helping lead the team down the field right out of the gate with big chunks on the ground en route to the opening field goal, converting multiple third and fourth downs during the night, scoring a touchdown in the second quarter and then setting up another in the fourth.</p>   <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=gd2xNMnnAbs </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913931' first='Caden' last='DiBetta'] — 6-0, 195 QB — Acadiana (2025)</strong></p>   <p>The athletic, veteran quarterback was Gauthier's primary complement in accounting for the bulk of the Wreckin' Rams' offense as he provided several third- and fourth-down runs of his own, the second-quarter run to set up Gauthier's touchdown and then getting into the end zone himself in the fourth quarter to help put the game away.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/LAvsAllYall/status/1837295780018692337 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>Eduar Hernandez — 6-0, 140 K/P — Acadiana (2025)</strong></p>   <p>Another senior led the Wreckin' Rams with his reliable leg on special teams. Hernandez kicked a pair of field goals and a pair of extra points for eight points on the night and send one kickoff after another well into the end zone. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/LAvsAllYall/status/1837304371257676206 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913926' first='Dalyn' last='Lewis'] — 5-10, 155 DB — Acadiana (2025)</strong></p>   <p>The Wreckin' Rams' secondary was lock-down throughout the night with Lewis, fellow senior [player_tooltip player_id='913924' first='Braylon' last='Noel'] and junior [player_tooltip player_id='1684265' first='Taveian' last='Landry'] all making multiple big plays in coverage from pass break-ups to impressive tackling in space to immediately minimize quick screens and outs St. Thomas More did manage to complete. And Lewis highlighted the performance with a fourth-down interception and big return well into Cougars territory.</p>   <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=OgdXgrZ3iVM </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='920606' first='Darryus' last='McKinley'] — 6-3, 280 DL — Acadiana (2026)</strong></p>   <p>The Wreckin' Rams' promising defensive line prospect has bulked up notably from sophomore year and made several big plays at or behind the line in both pass-rush and run-defense scenarios, culminating with a well-read and -tackled fourth-down screen late. McKinley and senior edge rusher [player_tooltip player_id='913939' first='Amarion' last='Cooper'], with multiple tackles for loss, helped highlight the performance by the stout defensive front.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/LAvsAllYall/status/1837315950854483990 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913922' first='Keeman' last='Thibodeaux'] — 5-10, 185 DB — Acadiana (2025)</strong></p>   <p>The senior safety made another three of the team's most-impactful defensive plays from a third-down deflection dropping back in coverage to showing his instincts, closing speed and physicality crashing down, navigating and shedding blockers to corral a tackle for loss on a screen and force and recover a fumble on a run play.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/LAvsAllYall/status/1837285537473855555 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='426961' first='Russell' last='Babineaux'] — 5-9, 160 WR/ATH — Acadiana (2025)</strong></p>   <p>While the Rams didn't throw the ball much, the Louisiana (Lafayette) commit was once again impactful with his versatility for his team as he took an early punt up the sideline for a big special-teams highlight and great starting field position and joined Lewis, Noel, Landry, Thibodeaux and company in the secondary.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/LAvsAllYall/status/1837286398249873644 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='914120' first='Brian' last='Broussard'] Jr. — 5-10, 170 DB — St. Thomas More (2025)</strong></p>   <p>The Cougars' quick, instinctive cornerback has been racking up interceptions early this season. And even on a night with minimal throws by the opponent, he managed to make two of his team's biggest plays of the night with a scoop-and-score fumble return for a touchdown and a blocked field goal.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/LAvsAllYall/status/1837290701882589569 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='914107' first='Nico' last='Blanchard'] — 6-0, 200 LB — St. Thomas More (2025)</strong></p>   <p>The senior linebacker continued his prolific early-season performance, averaging more than 15 tackles per contest, as he flew around the field making plays from sideline to sideline, including a tackle for loss on an early fourth down. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/LAvsAllYall/status/1837287129652576726 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>Cade Wilkerson — 5-11, 170 WR — St. Thomas More (2025)</strong></p>   <p>The Cougars' had trouble finding consistency on offense, but the senior managed to make a few catches as a go-to weapon for new starting quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='401749' first='Cole' last='Bergeron']. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/LAvsAllYall/status/1837305489111040364 </div></figure>

Acadiana and St. Thomas More met in Week 3 for the first time since the 2010 Class 5A semifinals.