By Kyle Roberts
(7th Grade photos courtesy of Tonya McCulloch)
(8th Grade photos courtesy of Big Zigg Photography)
RUSTON, La. — Ruston Junior High head coach Hilton Hay just wrapped up his fourth season at the helm of the Bearkit football program.
And what a fourth season it was, given the winning record for the seventh graders and the eighth graders running the table to a perfect record.
“Our seventh graders really impressed us all season long,” Hay said in an interview the Lincoln Parish Journal earlier this month. “How much they grew was amazing to the coaches. Just to see that growth from week one to week eight was a pretty big deal. On the eighth grade side, we knew we had really good groups the last few years, but this group as they become freshmen and sophomores in high school, they’re going to be very successful.”
The eighth grade’s undefeated full season is the first since 2009 (Note: The 2020 eight grade team went 4-0 in a shortened season due to COVID-19).
Hay said the seventh grade team was impressive given they had only been together for one season of football and that multiple players had to work in different positions. He praised a great deal of his roster.
“Cooper Stoehr had a great year for us at quarterback,” Hay said. “Caymen Cauley had some big runs for us at tailback, and Jameson Sutton had a good year at receiver and as a return guy for us. Both of our defensive and offensive lines played well, and Rand Garvin and Brett Brown did a great job at the linebacker position. Kayden Guy had a good year at free safety with a couple of interceptions.
“When (the season came) to an end, we really wanted to play a couple more with them just because they all got to a point that they really know what’s going on. It clicked for them.”
On the eighth grade side, Hay predicts the group will give great dividends to Ruston High football when they move on.
“We’ve had really good groups these last few years, and I’m not trying to take anything away from anybody, but when this eighth grade group gets together with (Ruston High’s) freshmen and sophomore groups, they’re going to be incredibly successful,” Hay said. “There’s pieces in one that might not be in the other, and when they all come together, they’re going to be a great football team.
“Aulds Garvin had a great year at quarter, and WJ. Campbell ended up being a force at fullback. Willie Williams had a great year, and I felt like he came in and took the next step of not just being a finesse back and being able to outrun everybody, but he was willing to run between the tackles and lower his should and become a physical back. Kayden Smart did a great job kicking, and he also plays defensive tackle. And Silas Warren did a great job, defensively.”
Other players Hay wanted to give credit to:
- Caver Alsup- DE
- Owen Hebert- FS
- Knox Beck- LB
- Campbell Anderson- LB
- Branson Hudson- WR
- Branson Green- WR
- Joseph Davison- WR
7th Grade (5-3)
- Aug. 25 I.A. Lewis, W 28-8
- Sept. 11 Good Hope, L 30-14
- Sept. 18 @ Neville, W 30-14
- Sept. 23 Ouachita, L 6-0
- Sept. 30 @ Evangel, W 24-22
- Oct. 2 West Ridge, L 16-6
- Oct. 7 East Ouachita, W 28-0
- Oct. 9 @ Barton, W 36-8
8th Grade (8-0)
- Aug. 21 Union, W 28-6
- Sept. 11 Good Hope, W 36-6
- Sept. 18 @ Neville, W 36-28
- Sept. 23 Ouachita, W 24-16
- Sept. 30 @ Evangel, W 38-36
- Oct. 2 West Ridge, W 22-20
- Oct. 7 East Ouachita, W 46-6
- Oct. 9 @ Barton, W 44-19
7th Grade Roster:
| 1 | ROE SMITH | 37 | ANDREW WEAVER |
| 2 | LANE CHANNELL | 38 | JACE HATTER |
| 3 | LEVI MCCOLLOUCH | 39 | JACOB LEWIS |
| 4 | TERRELL DAVIS | 40 | BEN FULLER |
| 5 | JAMESON SUTTON | 41 | CORY MIXON |
| 6 | COOPER STOEHR | 43 | DREW WADE |
| 7 | JULLIAN OWENS | 50 | DEVANTE COOPER |
| 8 | RAND GARVIN | 51 | ABRAM HEBERT |
| 9 | CAYMEN CAULEY | 52 | A.J. NATIONS |
| 10 | BRAYDEN MITCHELL | 53 | GIPSON GOODWIN |
| 11 | TRIPP MCBRIDE | 54 | DIXON ALLEN |
| 12 | COASTA CAULEY | 55 | JADARIAN MITCHELL |
| 13 | KAYDEN GUY | 56 | TYSON TAULLI |
| 14 | BRYCEN DIMMER | 57 | JAKE TAULLI |
| 16 | ASHER FOSTER | 58 | CALE PATTON |
| 17 | JACE JOHNSON | 61 | RYDER HILTON |
| 18 | JACK KETCHUM | 62 | MITCHELL MAXWELL |
| 19 | MASON BROWN | 65 | LANDRY GIBBONS |
| 20 | BRENCE CARR | 66 | PEYTON TAYLOR |
| 22 | JUSTIN FRANCOIS | 67 | VINCENT TORBOR |
| 23 | KOBIE FREEMAN | 68 | LAN KYZAR |
| 24 | LUKE ALLEN | 69 | KINGSTON HIBBERT |
| 25 | ELI GOLDEN | 74 | DANIEL BLACK |
| 26 | KOHLSTON CROWE | 75 | CAYSON RUSHING |
| 27 | CHANCE BUTLER | 78 | FRED BROWN |
| 28 | ANDREW STINSON | 80 | BAYAN HONAKER |
| 29 | KELLER MCCORMICK | 81 | ASHTON ELLIS |
| 30 | CAMDEN WHITE | 85 | CALEB SLATE |
| 31 | BRYSON RUSSELL | 86 | MICAIAH MANNING |
| 33 | CHANNING RUSHING | 99 | TYSTON DAVIS |
| 34 | LEVI NEWSOME | ||
| 35 | BRETT BROWN | ||
| 36 | JESSIE FORD |
8th Grade Roster:
| 1 | TRISTEN SMITH | 39 | CHRISTIAN WHITE |
| 2 | CARMELO JENKINS | 40 | MIKEL KEY |
| 3 | WILLIE WILLIAMS | 41 | ANTHONY WEAVER |
| 4 | TRIPP VERNON | 42 | BLAYDEN DANIEL |
| 5 | OWEN HEBERT | 43 | BRANT YOUNGBLOOD |
| 6 | BRANSON HUDSON | 44 | WJ CAMPBELL |
| 7 | KNOX BECK | 45 | CONNER JACKSON |
| 8 | CAMPBELL ANDERSON | 46 | CARL NEWTON |
| 9 | MARCUS YANEZ | 49 | ISRAEL BRIONES |
| 10 | AULDS GARVIN | 50 | JAKORY JACKSON |
| 11 | CAVER ALSUP | 51 | MASON BENNETT |
| 12 | KEDARRION THOMPSON | 52 | KAYDEN GREEN |
| 13 | MYJAY STRINGFELLOW | 53 | DAILEN BECKWITH |
| 14 | GRAYSON DAVIS | 54 | ELIJAH BAILEY |
| 15 | JOSEPH DAVISON | 55 | HUNTER REEDER |
| 16 | RHODES KILPATRICK | 56 | JAYLON MAYFIELD |
| 17 | BRANSON GREEN | 57 | REMY STEPHENS |
| 18 | ZYAN NEWTON | 58 | MASON MANNING |
| 19 | S.J. WILSON | 59 | RYDER WALPOLE |
| 20 | BRYSON HOWARD | 60 | LANDRY HOGAN |
| 21 | MYCHAEL WHITE | 61 | LUX SMITH |
| 22 | NATHAN BURKS | 62 | SILAS WARREN |
| 23 | C.J. ROANE | 64 | KARSEN ROBINSON |
| 24 | AYDEN MILLAGE | 65 | CALEB MOORE |
| 25 | BRYSON BUGGS | 66 | MICHAEL BOYD |
| 26 | AIDEN WILLIAMS | 67 | AYDEN TOLBERT |
| 27 | J. C. PARKER | 69 | NOLAN EHRHARD |
| 28 | SCOTT CHANDLER | 70 | TRENTON SHORTER |
| 29 | LEVI HANCOCK | 71 | JACORIE ROBERSON |
| 30 | HUXTON MORRIS | 72 | JACOB BOYDSTUN |
| 31 | LEVI HYATT | 73 | ANDREW WILLOUGHBY |
| 32 | HAYDEN HORVATH | 74 | LEVI YATES |
| 35 | HARRY RIVERA | 77 | OLATUNJI WILLIAMS |
| 36 | ELI WILSON | 88 | BRITTON SANDIDGE |
| 37 | RICHARD MAY | 99 | KAYDEN SMART |
| 38 | IAN DUNBAR |
