Louisiana LookBack: Top takeaways from Week 8 of high school football

Carencro outlasts Sam Houston in wild 49-47 game to stay perfect on the season

SBLive Louisiana is continuing its new weekly statewide recap called Louisiana Lookback. 

Now, with the end of the regular season fast approaching, here is a quick look at some of the interesting developments that took place over the weekend.

1. Bears Survive Score-fest 

Carencro stayed undefeated by winning a marathon game at Sam Houston. There were 11 lead changes in the Bears' 49-47 victory. Sam Houston went ahead for the last time, 41-35, at the 9:39 mark of the fourth quarter.

Cashmire Batiste scored his fourth and fifth touchdowns to put the Bears ahead for good. Batiste, who ran for 227 yards on 30 carries, topped the 1,000-yard mark for the season (132-1,019, 14 TDs).

The Bears are 8-0 with the District 3-5A championship on the line Thursday at Acadiana (6-2, 6-0). Acadiana nipped Carencro, 21-20, on the road in the 2022 regular season. The teams met again in the playoffs - again at Carencro - with the Bears advancing, 27-21.

2. Benton Back to the 60s

60-35, 61-35, 62-41. Those are not the scores from preseason basketball games. They are scores from three of Benton's District 1-5A football games. 

The Tigers won their third straight game, 62-41, over Haughton on Friday to improve to 4-4, 3-2 in 1-5A. Last year's matchup was just as crazy with Benton winning, 78-71.

At the moment, the Tigers hold the No. 27 power rating in Division I non-select. The top 28 seeds make the playoffs.

3. Solari Power 

Opelousas beat Cecilia last year, 21-16, for the District 5-4A title. The Bulldogs were without an injured Diesel Solari in that game.

On Friday at Cecilia, Solari helped the Bulldogs stay perfect in 5-4A with a come from behind 25-22 win. The junior completed 12-of-14 passes for 105 yards with a TD, while rushing for 44 yards on 16 carries with a TD. Solari even caught a 30-yard pass. 

Ellis Stewart, who caught Solari's scoring strike, took over at quarterback at the beginning of a second-half scoring drive after Solari was shaken up, Stewart showed his versatility, finishing the game with four receptions for 62 yards and four carries for 20 yards. He completed 3-of-4 passes for 69 yards. 

Solari returned on the same scoring drive as the Bulldogs scored 18 unanswered points over the last 13 minutes of the contest. Corey Broussard rushed for 68 yards and a TD on 13 carries and caught a 38-yard screen pass. 

Tight end Jonathan Boudreaux caught seven passes for 46 yards, rushed for 5 yards on an end-around and made the game-winning 25-yard field goal with less than two minutes remaining. Solari intercepted a pass on the Tigers' final drive.

Cecilia (7-1, 3-0) all but wrapped up the district title with only one league game remaining vs. Livonia (2-6, 1-1). The Bulldogs are No. 5 in the Division II non-select power ratings.

4. Nearing the Record

John Curtis Christian downed St. Augustine, 38-28, on Saturday to bring coach J.T. Curtis, Jr. within one win of tying John McKissick as the nation's all-time winningest coach. 

Curtis can equal the mark of 620 wins with a victory against Brother Martin at the Shrine in Metairie this week. Brother Martin (6-2, 3-1) has won three straight close games by a total of 20 points and is No. 2 in the Division I select power ratings behind Carencro. The Patriots (5-2, 2-2) are No. 11.

5. Ascending Assumption 

Assumption is in first place in District 7-4A after a 14-7 win at Lutcher.

The Mustangs (6-2, 4-0), who lost their final two non-district games to E.D. White and St. James, moved up to No. 4 in the Division II non-select power ratings. The defending Division II non-select champion Bulldogs (5-2, 3-1) are No. 3.

6. Dutchtown Delivers 

Dutchtown knocked St. Amant from the unbeaten ranks. The Griffins (6-1, 2-1 District 5-5A) emerged from a 7-7 halftime deadlock to defeat St. Amant, 31-7. 

Lakedrin Harvey (11-100, TD) paced a rushing attack that produced 318 yards, according to Kyle Rivere of the Baton Rouge Advocate. The Griffins have the No. 6 power rating in Division I non-select.

St Amant (7-1, 2-1) dropped to No. 9. No. 5 Walker (7-1, 3-0) travels to St. Amant this week.

7. Tigers Deny Undefeated Matchup

The table was set for East. St. John and Destrehan to meet in Week 9 with perfect records and the District 7-5A title up for grabs. The Terrebonne Tigers didn't get the memo, however. 

Terrebonne spoiled East St. John's bid for an undefeated season with a 21-18 road victory. Terrebonne (6-2, 3-1) limited East St. John to 12-of-23 passing for 149 yards and an interception. 

At No. 15 in the Division I non-select power ratings, the Tigers have a first-round home playoff game in sight. The top four seeds will receive a bye, with seeds 5-16 hosting in the opening round. East St. John (7-1, 3-1) is No. 13 in Division I non-select. 

8. Trojans Becoming a Tough Out

Alexandria's 5-3 record doesn't jump out at you on paper until an examination of its schedule. The Trojans' losses were to undefeated teams Carencro, St. Thomas More and Ruston.

Alexandria took Ruston to the wire, 35-28, in Week 6. West Monroe (7-1, 3-0 District 2-5A), which is No. 7 in the Division I non-select power ratings, visits Alexandria this week. The Trojans (2-1 in 2-5A) are No. 12 in Division I select.

9. Giants Stand Tall

In a matchup of undefeated District 2-3A programs, Jena defeated Bunkie, 38-22. Zerrick Jones rushed for 245 yards on 22 carries with two TDs for the Giants (8-0, 3-0). 

Dillon Compton and Tanner Lemoine each rushed for over 100 yards for Bunkie (7-1, 3-1). Jones has gained 1,423 yards this season on 166 carries with 24 TDs.

Jena is No. 1 in the Division II non-select power ratings ahead of No. 2 Sterlington (7-1) and No. 3 St. James (7-1). Bunkie is No. 8 in Division III select.

10. Rams Repel Sharks 

Acadiana exacted revenge for its only district loss last year. The Rams ran past Southside, 45-12, on Friday with a spirited defensive effort.

Acadiana held the Sharks, who were averaging 357 yards per game on the ground, to 147 yards rushing. Jonah Gauthier (6-79, two TDs), Russell Babineaux (5-62, TD), Ezekial Hypolite (13-62, TD) and Caden DiBetta (7-50) powered the Rams' veer offense.

Photo of Carencro RB Cashmire Batiste (2) by Robin May, The Acadiana Advocate 

-- Mike Coppage | @SBLiveLA