Under-the-radar Bearcats to watch

The biggest stars shine brightest in sports.

In an entertainment field built on highlights and explosive athletes, the top-line names will always dominate headlines and box scores.

But to be where Ruston is, making a schoolrecord third straight trip to the Superdome with eyes on back-toback titles, a program can’t have every player be a superstar every single night. It takes everyone, from multi-year starters to fresh faces, to come up big when it counts against some of the state’s best offenses and defenses this time of year.

Life is easier when you have stars leading the way, but the great teams seem to always have diamonds below the surface, players that are prepared when their number is called, even if the workload is smaller than others.

It’s no different for Ruston during this strong playoff run, culminating in Saturday’s title game. You know Josh Brantley, Jordan Hayes, Dylone Brooks, Ahmad Hudson, Zheric Hill, Payton Bell, and Aidan Anding. Their col lective stardom flashed at Hoss Garrett Stadium throughout this year.

But what about the unsung playmakers that have helped Ruston make another run to the Dome? Don’t be surprised if one or all these names have a big moment against Central on Saturday.

Darius James (WR)

Ruston’s offense has no shortage of talent to give the ball to on a given play, with All-State caliber athletes at quarterback, tailback, and wideout. But just because Darius James could be considered the fifth, or sometimes sixth, option on the offense’s pecking order, that hasn’t kept him from making an impact when the ball is thrown his way.

James, a senior, has 3 catches for 78 yards and 2 touchdowns in the playoffs, with all three of his grabs good enough for a first down as well. Against Zachary, his only catch of the night was a 12-yard TD from Brantley just before halftime. Against Southside, he caught a pair of passes for 66 yards and a score.

Over Ruston’s last 11 games, James has had 10 catches — seven going for first downs — for 160 yards, and 2 touchdowns.

Lander Smith (FB)

If Hayes and Brooks are thunder and lightning out of the backfield, you can consider junior fullback Lander Smith a battering ram.

Whenever Ruston wants to give their star tailbacks a break, or if the offense wants to set up play-action later in the game or bait linebackers on read-keeps, Smith’s name is called to plow forward for positive yardage.

In the playoffs, he has 11 carries for 46 yards (4.18 yards per carry) and a pair of catches for 20 yards and a score, catching a touchdown against Destrehan in the semifinals last week.

DBs step up

The Bearcats have bowed their neck on defense in the postseason, holding opponents to just 11.6 ppg in their three wins.

A big reason why opposing offenses have had trouble moving the ball is thanks to new starters taking charge in big moments in Ruston’s secondary, including safeties Trindon Moore and Jayden Anding and cornerback Fabian Stringfellow.

Moore, a junior, has 7 total tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and an interception this postseason, picking off Destrehan quarterback Jackson Fields last week on the Wildcats’ first drive of the game. In his first season as a starter, Moore has over 40 total tackles with 2 interceptions and 2 sacks.

Anding, a sophomore, has done his best to match his older brother’s playmaking ability this season, especially over the team’s playoff run.

Against Zachary, Anding had 3 pass breakups and a tackle, only to follow that up the next week with an interception and 2 tackles against Southside. He has 5 interceptions overall, tied with his brother for the team lead.

Stringfellow, a senior cornerback, has 9 tackles this postseason and came up with 2 TFL last week in the win over Destrehan. He enters Saturday’s state title game with over 35 tackles and 3 PBU overall.

Ruston will likely need one of these players to have some kind of impact to come back to Lincoln Parish as champions.

Ruston ( 11-2) faces Central ( 12-1) in the Division I nonselect state championship on Saturday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.