by Malcolm Butler
“It doesn’t make me any damn difference who we play.”
That was Ruston High coach Jerrod Baugh’s response when Kyle Roberts and Nick Brown told him that the Bearcats would be facing Central (Baton Rouge) next Saturday in the Nonselect School Division I state title game.
Straight and to the point. One of the many endearing qualities about Baugh.
Baugh simply meant by his answer that he was thrilled his Ruston team was heading back south for a third straight year and would have an opportunity to defend their title.
And you can’t blame him for feeling that way after he watched the 3rd seeded Bearcats undress the 10th seeded Destrehan WiIdcats by a score of 44-7 Friday night at Hoss Garrett Stadium.
Ruston brought its A-game in all three phases from the opening kickoff.
And a Destrehan team that had won eight straight games, including outscoring its three playoff opponents by a combined total of 162-74, had no answer for it.
Coming off its 2023 state title game win over Zachary, Ruston had high hopes of possibly making it back to the Caesar’s Superdome this year. And the Bearcats came out of the gate strong, handling a tough non-district schedule on its way to a 5-0 start.
But that’s when these Bearcats showed a chink in their proverbial armor, barely escaping with a one-point win over Ouachita and then losing one score games to talented Neville and Alexandria teams. And not to take anything away from the Lions, Tigers or Trojans, but Ruston was far from stellar in any of those three contests — for whatever reason.
The A-game was nowhere to be found during that stretch.
I wrote after the 63-17 win over Stephensville (Texas) that I thought this Ruston team was poised for another state title. Three weeks later, I was starting to wonder if they would even earn a top four seed. I had thought — and hoped for their sake — that it was just a matter of a mid-season “slump” and that the real Bearcats would wake back up.
They did. And the A-game has returned.
Ruston has won five straight since a loss at ASH on October 25, outscoring its foes by an eye-popping total of 220-35 along the way. Their defense made me a believer in a 36-0 shutout at West Monroe in the regular season finale. And they have only gotten stronger in the postseason.
Bottom line is when Ruston brings its A-game, I believe these Bearcats are unbeatable.
But that doesn’t mean anyone can crown them state champions yet as Ruston will face another Wildcats squad in a week. Baugh admitted he didn’t know much about Central, but he and his coaching staff began the process of finding out more pretty soon after the final horn sounded Friday night. That I am sure.
Central is a member of District 4-5A. It’s lone loss this year came against Catholic (Baton Rouge). They have already defeated three teams from Ouachita Parish on their way to the state title game, besting West Ouachita (45-20, West Monroe (21-7) and Neville (17-13).
Baugh and the Bearcats won’t take them lightly, not with a second straight state championship ring on the line.
If Ruston packs its A-game and carries it down to New Orleans next Saturday, I believe they will be toting another trophy back to the northern part of the state.
The Ruston offense is clicking on all cylinders. The defense has hit its stride late in the year. And the Bearcat special teams are solid.
In fact, I would argue this year’s version of the Bearcats may just be a little better than last years … something I never thought I would say after what Ruston lost to graduation.
However, none of that will matter to the Ruston players and coaches and fans if they fall short of their goal of repeating as state champions.
They will have that chance next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in the Caesar’s Superdome.
My advice? Don’t forget that A-game, Ruston.
