Catholic-Baton Rouge downs Acadiana: Live updates, score of Louisiana high school football Division I select state championship

Bears take care of Wreckin' Rams in decisive 55-31 win

NEW ORLEANS - Two teams that have already won state titles this decade sought to add another championship to its trophy case.

In the end, though, it was Catholic-Baton Rouge which added to its collection. The Bears used an efficient offense, scoring touchdowns on eight of their first nine offensive possessions to defeat Acadiana, 55-31, Friday at the Caesars Superdome in the Division I select state championship game.

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Catholic-Baton Rouge (12-2) claimed its third title in program history and its first since 2021.

The Bears entered the postseason as the No. 3 seed. Along the way, they pulled off a dramatic 38-35 win in the quarterfinals against John Curtis Christian, the defending Division I select champions. Last week, Catholic-BR defeated Archbishop Rummel in the semifinals.

Catholic-BR quarterback Daniel Beale passed for 360 yards and four TDs and also added a rushing TD, while tailback Barry Remo rushed for 121 yards and three TDs.

The Wreckin' Rams (11-3) entered the bracket as the No. 8 seed, but pulled off a pair of upsets against two top five seeds to make it to Friday's title game. That included a quarterfinal win against top seed Holy Cross, as well as a semifinal week last week against No. 5 Edna Karr.

Acadiana was seeking to win its seventh state championship and its first since finishing off back-to-back titles in 2020.

Follow Louisiana editor Buck Ringgold (@Buck_SBLiveOkla) for updates from the ground at the Superdome, and refresh this post for the latest. The game is being streamed live and will be available for replay on the NFHS Network (subscription required).

Below is our Live Update Feed created as the contest progresses. Read from the bottom up to follow from the beginning and refresh often for the latest updates throughout the game.

FINAL: CATHOLIC-BATON ROUGE 55, ACADIANA 31

Refresh for latest.

POSTGAME

-- Catholic-BR quarterback Daniel Beale - a University of Louisiana commit - was named the Bears' Most Outstanding Player. Beale completed 19-of-26 passes for 360 yards and four TDs along with a rushing TD.

-- Acadiana tailback Jonah Gauthier was named the Most Outstanding Player for his team. He finished with 196 yards on 21 carries with a TD.

-- Catholic-BR tailback Barry Remo rushed for 121 yards on 18 carries with three TDs. Receiver Cohen LeBlanc caught seven passes for 121 yards and two TDs.

-- The Bears finished the game with 503 yards of total offense - 143 rushing and 360 more through the air. The Wreckin' Rams had 476 total yards, 419 of those on the ground.

-- Catholic-BR takes the Division I select championship with the win on Friday.

FOURTH QUARTER

-- Catholic-BR converts on a fourth-and-long and takes it down to the Acadiana 4 with less than a minute left. But the Bears will settle for 8 TDs in 10 possessions as they take a knee.

-- Acadiana scores again on Ezekiel Hypolite's 4-yard run with 3:20 left, his second TD on the night (Catholic-BR, 55-31 | 3:20 4th)

-- Bear QB Daniel Beale has now thrown for 311 yards and four TDs on 18-of-25 passing.

-- Catholic-BR makes it 8 TDs on 9 drives. Daniel Beale tosses a 3-yard TD pass to Brooks Wright (Catholic-BR, 55-24 | 6:13 4th)

-- Acadiana's Jonah Gauthier breaks off an 82-yard TD run. He now has 189 yards on 20 carries for the Wreckin' Rams (Catholic-BR, 48-24 | 9:07 4th)

-- The Bears get an interception by Cayden Jones. They proceed to make it 7 TDs on 8 drives; capped by a TD pass from Daniel Beale to Cohen LeBlanc covering 30 yards (Catholic-BR, 48-17 | 9:49 4th)

-- Catholic-BR makes it 6 TDs on 7 drives. Tailback Barry Remo goes in from 3 yards out for the hat trick, and now has 122 yards on 13 carries (Catholic-BR, 41-17 | 10:45 4th)

-- Acadiana goes for it on a fourth-and-short at its own 36, but Catholic-BR defender Blaine Bradford heads up a swarm of Bears who stop the ballcarrier short of the sticks. Bears take over with 11:13 left.

-- Catholic-BR has out-gained the Rams by only 30 yards through three quarters. Bears have 326 yards (145 rushing, 181 passing), while the Rams have 296 - all rushing.

-- The fourth quarter begins with Acadiana facing a second-and-long at its own 25-yard line.

THIRD QUARTER

-- Catholic-Baton Rouge has scored TDs on five of its first six possessions.

-- The Bears used a very quick drive to get the ball in the end zone once again, as tailback Barry Remo - on third-and-13 - sweeps around the right side for a 16-yard TD, his second on the night. A six-play, 49-yard drive completed in 2:09. Tanner Forbes adds the PAT (Catholic-BR, 34-17 | :24 3rd)

-- Catholic-BR quickly gets the ball down the field and the Bears have the ball inside the Acadiana 15 late in the third.

-- Acadiana attempts an onside kick, but it is recovered by Catholic-BR player Aiden Acosta. Bears get the ball for the first time this half near midfield.

-- Acadiana finishes off an 19-play, 78-yard drive with a 3-yard TD keeper on fourth-and-goal from QB Caden Dibetta. All 19 plays on that drive were on rushes. They also kept the ball for 9:22 (Catholic-BR, 27-17 | 2:33 3rd)

-- Rams have kept the ball for more than eight minutes and are inside the Bears' 5-yard line. 

-- Acadiana will receive the ball to start the second half.

HALFTIME

-- Acadiana tailback Jonah Gauthier rushed for 89 yards on 12 carries, and quarterback Caden Dibetta had 85 yards rushing on four carries.

-- Catholic-BR QB Daniel Beale was 10-of-16 passing for 169 yards and two TDs along with a rushing TD. Tailback Barry Remo had 86 yards on nine rushes and a TD.

-- Catholic-BR had 282 yards of total offense in the first half (169 passing, 113 rushing). Acadiana had 225 yards of offense, all rushing.

SECOND QUARTER

-- Acadiana gets the ball past midfield but time runs out in the first half.

-- Fourth down for the Bears, and a completed pass comes up a couple of yards short. First defensive stop on the night for Acadiana with 53 seconds left in the half.

-- Bears on the march again, getting near the Acadiana 40 with more than a minute left until the break.

-- Catholic-BR quickly gets the ball right back as Jaylon Wood picks off a pass in Bears' territory with more than three minutes left in the first half.

-- Bear QB Daniel Beale, a University of Louisiana commit, is now 7-for-11 passing for 123 yards and two TDs, and also has a rushing TD. Bears have also rushed for 113 yards thus far.

-- Catholic-BR is now 4-for-4 on scoring touchdowns on its offensive possessions. QB Daniel Beale threw a 37-yard strike to a streaking Brooks Wright and the Bears extend the lead on a four-play, 64-yard series (Catholic-BR, 27-10 | 5:29 2nd)

Catholic 27, Acadiana 10.
2Q, 5:29.

Daniel “Danny Dimes” Beale.
Brooks Wright.

Doing what they do. pic.twitter.com/SlYkP6Xv2D

— Louisiana vs. All Y’all (@LAvsAllYall) December 9, 2023

-- Bears quickly get the ball down in Acadiana territory once again, near the 40 with less than six minutes to go in the half.

-- Rams face another fourth-down situation, but this time decide to punt it back to Catholic-BR, which is seeking to score its fourth TD on its fourth offensive series.

-- Acadiana faces a fourth-and-2 from inside its own 15. The Rams decide to go for it - and they get it. Gutsy call pays off as the Rams keep possession.

-- Three possessions, three touchdowns for the Bears. The latest was a 12-yard strike to the end zone from Daniel Beale to receiver Cohen LeBlanc, capping a 7-play, 67-yard drive. Tanner Forbes adds the PAT (Catholic-BR, 20-10 | 10:47 2nd)

Catholic 20, Acadiana 10.
2Q, 10:47.

Daniel Beale with a third&long completion to Cohen LeBlanc for the score. pic.twitter.com/h9c3K8DLiq

— Louisiana vs. All Y’all (@LAvsAllYall) December 9, 2023

-- Catholic-BR converts on third down; then on the next play, Barry Remo breaks off a long run down to the Acadiana 11. Bears back in business again.

-- Acadiana out-gained the Bears in the first quarter, 136-105, with all the Wreckin' Rams' yards on the ground. Both teams also ran 13 plays apiece.

FIRST QUARTER

-- End of the first quarter. Catholic-BR faces a third-and-5 from its 38 when action resumes.

-- One play after the long keeper, tailback Ezekiel Hypolite takes it in from 5 yards out. Rams convert on the PAT kick (Catholic-BR, 13-10 | :28 1st)

-- Acadiana responding, as QB Caden Dibetta takes a keeper on third down for 69 yards down to the Catholic-BR 5-yard line.

-- On third-and-goal from the 5, Bears' QB Daniel Beale can't find an open receiver and decided to take it himself. He finds a gaping hole and is able to take it in for the TD, finishing off a nine-play, 71-yard drive. PAT is no good (Catholic-BR, 13-3 | 2:05 1st)

-- Catholic-BR now has a first-and-goal inside the Acadiana 10.

-- Catholic-BR quickly gets back inside Acadiana territory. Daniel Beale throws an 18-yard pass to Bradley Wright down to the Rams' 28.

-- Acadiana reaches inside the Catholic-BR 15 before the Bears' defense stiffens. Wreckin' Rams do get a field goal, as Eduar Hernandez Jr. comes on to drill one from 28 yards (Catholic-BR, 7-3 | 4:58 1st)

-- Acadiana converts on third down on its opening drive and has a first down near the Bears' 30.

-- It took just 23 seconds to have the opening score. Catholic-BR takes advantage of the long kickoff return, scoring in just two plays as tailback Barry Remo goes in from 16 yards out. PAT makes it 7-0, Bears (Catholic-BR, 7-0 | 11:37 1st)

-- Catholic-BR takes the opening kickoff, and Brooks Wright returns it 57 yards to the Acadiana 34.

PREGAME

-- Acadiana takes the field first prior to the game. Rams in gold helmets, white jerseys and gold pants. Catholic-BR then follows. Bears in all black with orange trim.

-- Both teams are out on the field warming up. Kickoff time is set for approximately 7:30 p.m.

Photo of Catholic-Baton Rouge quarterback Daniel Beale by Crescent City Sports