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Catholic and St. Thomas More Meet in Mid-Season Clash of Title Contenders

By
Jeff Palermo
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Jack Bech, Photo Courtesy: St. Thomas More

Week Five of the YurView Louisiana Game of the Week takes us to Lafayette as St. Thomas More hosts Catholic High. These two schools played in a state championship game last year but came up on the short end, losing their respective games. This year, the Bears and Cougars are among the favorites to win their respective districts.

One of the best things about high school football is that teams are not afraid to challenge themselves before district play. There’s no way a college football team would attempt to play the type of grueling schedules Catholic and STM have already faced this year.

So far, the 4-0 Bears have defeated Arkansas power North Little Rock, two-time Division Two champion University High and last week Catholic crushed the Karr Cougars, who won Louisiana’s 4A title three years in a row.

STM has also defeated some heavyweights as the Cougars own victories over Holy Cross, Barbe and last week defeated the Neville Tigers 35-6. Neville has been one of the top programs in the Bayou State this decade.

Between STM and Catholic High, they’ve won three state championships since 2015. And the teams have met several times over the years, but it has been Catholic who has come out on top, as four of the Cougars last ten defeats have come against the Bears.

STM features one of the top quarterbacks in the state in Harvard commitment Caleb Holstein, who has thrown for 1,283 yards, 15 touchdowns while only being intercepted three times.

Caleb Holstein, Photo Courtesy: St. Thomas More

His favorite target is Jack Bech, who is a great fundamental receiver. The senior has caught 30 passes for 472 yards and seven touchdowns. Carter Arceneaux has hauled in three touchdown catches on the year.

On the defensive side of the football, free safety Josh Stevenson is a tackling machine. The All-State center fielder has 42 tackles in four games.

Last week, the STM defense allowed 146 total yards and just seven points to a very good Neville team.

But can they slow down Catholic High’s offense and the Bears loaded backfield?

Josh Parker is Catholic’s leading rusher. He had 164 yards rushing and two touchdowns last week against Karr. There’s also the speedy Braelon Morgan and the gritty Jake Outlaw.

First-year starting quarterback Jackson Thomas can also run the football. He’s doing a good job making the right plays through the air and he has a solid offensive line to help him out, led by two-way player Connor Finucane and center Brian Hibbard, who is a four-year starter and has committed to Rice, to play fullback for the Owls.

The Bears defense is allowing 15 points a game, despite playing a demanding schedule. They’ve been opportunistic on defense too, with Michael Cerniauskas returning two interceptions for touchdowns.

Both teams are in midseason form after thorough victories the week before and their week five match-up has the makings of a tight game that should go down to the wire.

Join us at 7 PM on Friday for all of the fireworks on YurView Louisiana!

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