Union Parish defeats St. James: Live score, Louisiana high school football state championship recap
The Louisiana high school football state championships continue on Friday with St. James taking on Union Parish in the LHSAA Division III non-select championship. SBLive has the latest from Caesar's Superdome in New Orleans.
St. James is seeking its first state crown since 2019 and sixth total. It's led by Brayden Williams, a senior QB who has thrown for nearly 2,500 yards and 30 touchdowns on the season, with nearly 700 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground.
Union Parish is has been runners-up three consecutive seasons and hasn't won a state title since 2013, when it was Farmville.
The game is being streamed live on the NFHS Network (subscription required). Follow Louisiana editor Buck Ringgold (@Buck_SBLiveOkla) for updates from the ground at the SuperDome and refresh this post for the latest updates and developments in the live game thread below.
Kickoff was at 3:30 p.m. Central time.
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FINAL: UNION PARISH 36, ST. JAMES 35
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FOURTH QUARTER
-- Stay with SBLive Louisiana for the latest from the postgame New Orleans.
-- St. James' Hail Mary attempt is intercepted by junior corner Tomorrio Bilberry and mayhem ensues. Union Parish holds on to win the LHSAA state title.
-- Nothing going on the kickoff return. Kobe Brown is taken down inside his own 40 with six seconds left.
-- Two point conversion good! Jy'Marion Island takes a handoff through little resistance to give Union Parish the lead with 11 seconds remaining. Farmer faithful goes berserk in the stands. (36-34, Union Parish | 0:06)
-- Union Parish scores, then takes a timeout to draw up a two-point conversion for the lead with 11 seconds left. (35-34, St. James | 0:11)
-- Here we go. Union Parish punts, giving St. James the ball back with less than three minutes to go.
-- St. James back on top. Defensive back Gary White snags an interception, setting up Kani King Young's 18-yard TD run. (35-28, St. James | 9:08)
-- Tie ballgame. Just like that. Brayden Williams hits Trenton Ester for a 35-yard TD on 4th and 15 and converts the two-pointer to knot it up 15 seconds into the fourth. (28-28 | 11:46)
THIRD QUARTER
-- Touchdown, Union Parish. Jorden Hill dives in for six on a QB keeper on the left side and the Farmers established some more cushion. (28-20, Union Parish | 3:09)
SECOND QUARTER
-- Momentum flip? Jorden Hill reels in the interception to set up a Jy'marion Island 30-plus-yard touchdown run. (21-20, Union Parish | 0:16)
-- There goes that man. Brayden Williams puts St. James up a TD with a 30-yard run in the early second quarter — his third of three Wildcats TDs. Two-point conversion is good. (20-14, St. James |10:56)
FIRST QUARTER
-- Kobe Brown takes a quick screen pass 73 yards for touchdown to claim the lead late in the first. (14-12, Union Parish | 2:18)
-- Touchdown Union Parish. And goodbye, Jordan Hill. The quarterback takes a QB keeper up the middle for a long touchdown run, and all of a sudden the Farmers are in control with an eight-point lead. (14-6, Union Parish | 2:35)
-- Touchdown, St. James. Brayden Williams takes a one-yard TD punch in himself. Extra point misses. (7-6, Union Parish | 2:35)
-- Union Parish strikes first! Jordan Hill scores a 56-yard QB keeper and the Farmers take an early lead. (7-0, Union Parish | 8:55)
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MORE LOUISIANA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP COVERAGE:
-- Andy Buhler | andy@scorebooklive.com | @sblivetx
