Vote: Who should be SBLive's Louisiana High School Athlete of the Week? (11/20/2023)
Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Louisiana High School Athlete of the Week for Nov. 13-19. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. Voting will conclude Sunday at 11:59 p.m. If you would like to nominate an athlete, please email athleteoftheweek@scorebooklive.com or tag us on Twitter.
Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes who receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.
Chad Elzy Jr., Ascension Catholic football
The state's leading rusher had the best game of his career in the Division IV select regional playoffs, rushing for 461 yards on 27 carries with eight TDs in a 77-43 win at No. 8 Opelousas Catholic. He also caught a TD pass. The nine TDs tied a state playoff record set last year by Lafayette Christian quarterback Ju"Juan Johnson.
Elzy has rushed for 2,632 yards on 169 carries with 45 TDs. He has a total of 48 TDs and 10 two-point conversions. The ninth-seeded Bulldogs (10-2) take on No. 1 Vermilion Catholic (11-0) Friday in Abbeville.
Paxton Lafont, E.D. White football
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Nicholls State commit caught nine passes for 169 passes as the No. 2 Cardinals rallied from behind to beat No. 15 De La Salle, 31-27, in the regional round of the Division II select playoffs. E.D. White, which has reached at least the semifinals the last three years, will put its 11-0 record on the line Friday in Thibodaux vs. No. 7 Teurlings Catholic (8-3).
Ty Williams, Vermilion Catholic football
Williams, who has been a star in the secondary for the Division IV select top-seeded Eagles, has gotten it done on both sides of the ball in recent weeks after his twin brother (Tyjh) suffered a season-ending injury.
Ty rushed for 101 yards and a TD on only four carries in a 48-12 win over No. 17 Delhi Charter last week. Vermilion Catholic (11-0) is attempting to reach the championship game in consecutive years.
Corey Broussard, Cecilia football
The 5-foot-6, 171-pound senior rushed for 203 yards on 17 carries with six TDs in the second-seeded Bulldogs' 70-30 rout of No. 15 Iota in a Division II non-select playoff game. Broussard, who added a 12-yard reception, has rushed for 978 yards and 18 TDs on 125 carries for the 10-1 Bulldogs, who host No. 10 Jennings on Friday.
Diesel Solari, Cecilia football
The 5-foot-8, 175-pound junior rushed for 239 yards on 13 carries with two scores in a 70-30 win over No. 15 Iota in a second-round Division II non-select playoff game.
Solari also completed 7-of-9 passes for 100 yards with a TD. He has rushed for 1,310 yards on 127 carries with 25 TDs for the second-seeded Bulldogs (10-1). Solari has passed for 1,143 yards and 17 TDs and returned three kicks for TDs.
Santana Price, McDonogh 35 football
The senior quarterback led the 11th-seeded Roneagles to a 53-23 win at No. 6 St. Louis Catholic in a second-round Division II select playoff game. Price rushed for 162 yards on 11 carries with a TD and completed 11-of-17 passes for 168 yards and three TDs. McDonogh 35 (8-3) takes on No. 3 Lafayette Christian (9-2) in the quarterfinals.
Dagan Bruno, John Curtis Christian football
The senior quarterback spurred his team to a 49-42 playoff win over Catholic League rival St. Augustine, completing 12-of-14 passes for 187 yards and three TDs. He also rushed for 44 yards on 11 carries with a score for the No. 6 Patriots (8-2), who travel to No. 3 Catholic-Baton Rouge (9-2) on Friday in the Division I select quarterfinals.
Reece Turner, Assumption football
The Mustangs' quarterback accounted for five TDs, rushing for four and throwing for another in third-seeded Assumption's 43-21 win over No. 19 Breaux Bridge in a Division II non-select regional round playoff game. The Mustangs (9-2) host No. 22 Northwest (9-3) on Friday.
Javian Reese, Northwest football
The senior tailback sparked the 22nd-seeded Raiders to their second straight playoff upset, rushing for 112 yards on 23 carries with two TDs in a 24-14 win over Division II non-select No. 6 Wossman. Reese has rushed for 1,637 yards and 27 TDs for Northwest (9-3), which is making its fourth quarterfinal appearance under coach Chris Edwards.
ReJohn Zeno, Jennings football
The junior rushed for 245 yards on 30 carries with three scores in the 10th-seeded Bulldogs' come from behind, 25-23 win at No. 26 St. Martinville in the Division II non-select playoffs. His 56-yard run provided the winning points and pushed Jennings (9-3) into the quarterfinals at No. 2 Cecilia.
Hayden Van Ness, Welsh football
Division IV non-select No. 8 Welsh overpowered No. 9 White Castle, 54-18. Van Ness rushed for 193 yards and four TDs on 17 carries for the Greyhounds (9-3), who are at No. 1 Logansport (10-1) in the quarterfinals.
Aiden Monistere, Parkview Baptist boys cross country
The junior placed first at the Division III state meet with a time of 15 minutes, 25.16 seconds to pace the Eagles to their third straight state title.
Catalina Reichard, Mount Carmel girls cross country
The Cubs took second at the state meet in Division I. Reichard won the race, finishing in 17 minutes, 28.32 seconds.
Brady Mullen, Jesuit boys cross country
Mullen took first place with a time of 14 minutes, 50.55 seconds for the Blue Jays, who won the Division I state meet over second-place Brother Martin.
Jackson Jarrett, David Thibodaux boys cross country
Jarrett placed first at the Division II state meet with a time of 15:49.71, which helped the Bulldogs to a second-place finish behind Holy Cross.
Gage Baldassaro, Holy Cross boys cross country
The Tigers won the Division II state meet, and Baldassaro was the team's top runner, placing fourth with a time of 16:01.92. Holy Cross had three of the top seven performers.
Talan Sievers, Lafayette Christian boys cross country
Sievers placed first at the Division IV state meet with a time of 15:40.46, which helped the Knights secure seventh place.
Tyler Blissett, Highland Baptist boys cross country
Blissett finished first at the Division V state meet with a time of 15:27.20, which led the Bears to a fifth-place finish.
Harry Odem, Country Day boys cross country
The Cajuns won the Division IV state meet. Odem was his team's top runner, placing seventh with a time of 16:32.54.
Grace Rennhoff, St. Joseph's Academy girls cross country
The Redstickers won the Division I state meet. Rennhoff was her team's best runner with a third-place finish and a time of 17:59.05.
Owen Melancon, Westminster Christian-Opelousas boys cross country
The Crusaders won the Division V state meet. Melancon was his team's top performer, taking second place with a time of 16:26.76.
Camryn Haik, St. Thomas More girls cross country
The Lady Cougars won the Division II state meet, thanks in large part to Haik, who placed first with a time of 18:38.89.
Ava Hartman, Newman girls cross country
The Greenies took third place at the Division III state meet. Hartman was the overall top finisher with a time of 17:57.91.
Neva Lambert, Episcopal girls cross country
The Knights won the Division III state meet with the second, third and fourth-place runners. Lambert (18:27.48) finished second.
Sara Godley, Ascension Episcopal girls cross country
The Blue Gators secured fourth place at the Division IV state meet, which was won by Godley with a time of 18:34.90.
Lily Shute, Acadiana Renaissance Charter Academy girls cross country
The Lafayette school won its first state title in any sport by topping second-place Country Day at the Division IV state meet. Shute, who took seventh with a time of 19:57.61, was her team's top runner.
Noah Watson, Christ Episcopal girls cross country
Watson won the race at the Division V state meet with a time of 19:25.94, which helped stake her team to a second-place finish.
Madalynn Salsman, HIghland Baptist girls cross country
Led by Salsman, the Lady Bears won the Division V state meet. Salsman finished in fourth place with a time of 19:50.44.
