12 eye-catchers from St. Augustine vs. Cecilia

<p>Coach Robert Valdez was eager to get his St. Augustine team back on the field following Hurricane Francine and see how the players handled a road trip to a talented, experienced Cecilia hoping to build off a 2023 state title-game run.</p>   <p>The young Purple Knights made the most of the opportunity, pouncing on the Bulldogs early and rolling to a 58-34 victory despite a third-quarter comeback push by the home team.</p>   <p>Here's a look at 12 of the eye-catchers from the night.</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=BdieefwgkKU </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1348424' first='Vashaun' last='Coulon'] — 5-11, 160 QB/ATH — St. Augustine (2026)</strong></p>   <p>The junior quarterback was the Player of the Game with his orchestration of the Purple Knights' unstoppable offensive, which scored touchdowns on its first eight possessions — including Coulon's six on four passes to four different receivers and two runs. He showed accuracy to every level of the field and good pocket presence with his poise and ability to buy more time for plays to develop. </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=9WR7sOmxY6c </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='740984' first='Keith' last='Hill'] Jr. — 5-9, 155 RB/ATH — St. Augustine (2026)</strong></p>   <p>The lead running back and versatile all-around athlete helped spark the Purple Knights early with the game's first two touchdowns to cap drives on which he was heavily featured. Hill slipped through even slim running lanes, keeping his balance and momentum through contact to the second level and then showing some burst and wiggle to quickly rack up additional yardage. </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/1835104555706552759 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1323402' first='Miguel' last='Whitley'] — 6-0, 170 WR — St. Augustine (2027)</strong></p>   <p>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1356127' first='Ray'Quan' last='Williams'] — 6-0, 165 WR — St. Augustine (2027)</strong></p>   <p>The dynamic sophomore duo highlighted St. Augustine's downfield passing attack with the two most explosive touchdown plays — a 79-yard bomb over Whitley's shoulder late in the first quarter and a quicker strike to Williams in stride and off 65 yards to the races early in the third quarter. Williams also housed an 88-yard kickoff return later in the third. </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/1835123410822656191 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='426963' first='Warren' last='Roberts'] Jr. — 6-3, 220 DL/LB — St. Augustine (2025)</strong></p>   <p>The Tulane-committed edge rusher quickly pounced on a fumble, the first of the Purple Knights' takeaways on back-to-back defensive possessions to help take full control of the game early, and was disruptive throughout the contest. In addition to his pass-rush, Roberts read and reacted on a couple option and screen plays so fast that he beat offensive players to the spot for tackles for loss. </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=zHHRCrWp618 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1335970' first='Frederick' last='Lewis'] — 6-0, 150 DB — St. Augustine (2025)</strong></p>   <p>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='401948' first='Clinton' last='Hill Jr.'] — 5-10, 170 DB— St. Augustine (2026)</strong></p>   <p>The Purple Knights' secondary also did a nice job of containing Cecilia's own attempts at explosive plays downfield, highlighted by interceptions by Lewis in the first quarter and Hill in the fourth and an end-zone breakup by junior safety <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1601952' first='Syre' last='Gilmore']</strong>.</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/1835121076860277042 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='145333' first='Diesel' last='Solari'] — 5-7, 175 ATH — Cecilia (2025)</strong></p>   <p>The Bulldogs' senior quarterback and versatile athlete was again a leading playmaker with his elusiveness from a tough St. Augustine defense to make plays with his legs and his passing on a second-quarter touchdown drive in particular, plus one of Cecilia's big special-teams highlights that helped mount a third-quarter surge as he returned a kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown. </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/1835127204469965224 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='934555' first='Braylon' last='Calais'] — 6-3, 185 ATH — Cecilia (2027)</strong></p>   <p>Calais was the other most consistent presence in the Cecilia offense, spending much of the contest alongside Solari at running back where his combination of size and speed was effective — including a pair of goal-line touchdowns. The promising prospect also provided two of the Bulldogs' biggest receiving plays with a fourth-down catch down the sideline and his catch-and-run to finish a hook-and-lateral play before halftime.</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/1835126029754524111 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913904' first='Brent' last='Gordon Jr.'] — 5-11, 175 DB/ATH — Cecilia (2025)</strong></p>   <p>The Louisiana (Lafayette) commitment lived around the ball on defense as usual with his instincts, quickness and sure-tackling, including multiple big plays at or behind the line of scrimmage and was a primary target on offense, including the well-executed hook-and-lateral and a touchdown catch. </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/1835126306029072690 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913920' first='Ellis' last='Stewart'] — 6-0, 170 WR/DB — Cecilia (2025)</strong></p>   <p>Another of the Bulldogs' versatile senior leaders, Stewart's two biggest highlights both set up touchdowns: the fourth-down throw to Calais out of a potential punt formation that set up the team's first score and then the goal-line recovery of an unreturned kickoff that was pivotal in the third-quarter comeback surge.</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/1835131340460626165 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='406748' first='Franky' last='Frank Jr.'] — 5-11, 165 DB — Cecilia (2027)</strong></p>   <p>The young cornerback and his teammates had their hands full containing the Class 5A Purple Knights' explosive passing attack, but Frank was also an active tackler and showed some of the physicality that has been a focal point this year in his continued development. </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=-evpTcpSqDQ </div></figure>

Coach Robert Valdez was eager to get his St. Augustine team back on the field following Hurricane Francine and see how the players handled a road trip to a talented, experienced Cecilia hoping to build off a 2023 state title-game run.