Column: Young Bearcats have a standard to uphold

NEW ORLEANS - Ruston High football has been spoiled with historic success over the past three years with all-time playoff performances and All-State athletes laying it all on the line for their school.

But another dream season, finishing in the Superdome for a school-record third straight year, crashed back to reality Saturday in the Bearcats' 42-0 loss to Central in the Division I nonselect championship, a result I, and I suspect just about everyone wearing Ruston red and white, didn't see coming. I walked off the field unsure if what I watched Saturday was real. But sadly, for the Bearcats, the result was true.

As I sat front row for the postgame press conference in the Superdome, I was focused on senior linebacker Zheric Hill. I knew he was going through it. How could he not be? Not even 10 minutes before he sat in front of reporters and fought back tears, he was hugging Kyle Williams in an emotional goodbye. But I bet there was a thank you in there too.

And that's what I think Ruston fans and returning players should take away from Saturday's loss. Yeah, the result was shocking and not what most expected. But if it wasn't for players like Zheric Hill, or a Josh Brantley, or an Aidan Anding, the Bearcats don't make this trip again. The 2025 senior class accomplished more than most in their entire career at RHS ever did. They're legends. They should be thanked.

But as I watched Hill rocking back and forth in his seat, even cracking a brief smile as he talked about what it meant to be a Bearcat, I thought to myself that fans and players need to thank Hill and his senior teammates for what they showed was possible at Ruston. They made this run possible. They showed everyone Ruston is back as a 5A power in a big way, regardless of Saturday's loss.

“I really can't give nobody but God the glory and the honor. I don't like this feeling I'm feeling right now. I really hope my younger brothers realize the foundation we left for them and can grow off of it," Hill said postgame. "I'm just proud to be a Bearcat, to be honest. Proud to be a Bearcat. Proud that God put me in this position to play for this organization and play for this brotherhood.”

He's right. Ruston has a plan of attack moving forward. Seniors showed the path is there, if players are willing to take it, to sacrifice part of themselves. Hill, Brantley, Anding, and so many others proved that staying the course is worth it. For younger Bearcats coming back, they have a standard to uphold now.

They owe it to the seniors before them to keep the playoff runs Ruston has gone on in recent years the norm. Making three straight appearances to the Dome is hard. I'm not saying that's the bar - or else. No sir. But the standard to not waver, to make a push when it counts most, that's what has to continue if the Bearcats want a chance to play for a title next year or the year after that. 

The standard at Ruston High is high. But it's earned. And there's no point in lowering it just because a great crop of seniors is leaving.

Jayden Anding, a sophomore safety, led Ruston with 11 tackles and 2.5 TFL on Saturday, finishing his season with 5 INT, 6 pass breakups, and 39 tackles. He's coming back and he'll need to turn himself into a leader on that defense. Same with junior safety Trindon Moore, who finished his season with 42 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 PBU, and 2 INT. He'll need to be part of the senior leadership core that carries this on.

Ahmad Hudson, somehow only a sophomore, finished this season leading the Bearcats in catches (39) receiving yards (754) yards, and receiving TD (6). He has to take his game to the next level and lead an offense that is frankly going to need someone to turn to next year. He's got to carry on the standard.

Jerrod Baugh left the media with true words on what Ruston accomplished this year and what the program can learn from Saturday's shocker.

Above all, it's about honoring what an amazing senior class showed was possible.

“I’m very proud of these guys and I’m very proud of our football team and our coaching staff for the season that they had," Baugh said. "This one ball game doesn’t discount what we’ve accomplished during this year. It didn’t end like we wanted it to. Hopefully, that’s motivation for the younger guys. Hopefully these older guys know how much we appreciate the standard that they have set for Ruston High School football. They have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of being a part of three state championship appearances during their high school career.”