High School

Central-BR shocks Ruston: Live score, updates, Louisiana high school football state championships

No. 4-seeded Wildcats thump defending state champion Bearcats, 42-0

Mike Coppage

The Ruston Bearcats will meet the Central-BR Wildcats in the LHSAA Division I NonSelect state championship game.
The Ruston Bearcats will meet the Central-BR Wildcats in the LHSAA Division I NonSelect state championship game. / Michelle Tripp/The News-Star / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Louisiana Division I NonSelect state championship game features the Ruston Bearcats (11-2) vs. the Central-BR Wildcats (12-1) at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, on Saturday, Dec. 14.

Follow this post, refreshing frequently to receive the latest Live Update, with real-time reporting on scores and key plays.

LOUISIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Central time, and High School on SI will have live updates from the game right here.

LOUISIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DIVISION I NONSELECT BRACKET

You can also watch the game live on the NFHS Network.

Refresh this page for live updates after the game starts.

RUSTON VS. CENTRAL-BR – Live Updates

(Game updates will appear here. Refresh for the latest updates)

PREGAME

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT.

1ST QUARTER

-Central kicking off to Ruston. Touchback. Bearcats in all red. Wildcats in maroon pants, white jerseys and white helmets. QB Josh Brantley (Tulane signee) gains nine yards through the middle on first down. Dylone Brooks stopped for no gain on second down. Brantley stopped on third and one.

-Bearcats punt on 4th and 1. Central at its own 33. Offsides, Ruston. 1st and 5 at the 38. Manny Williams for a short gain. 2nd and 2. Jackson Firmin to Keithon Womack TOUCHDOWN WILDCATS! 59-yard pass over the top of the Ruston secondary. 7-0 8:56 1st

-SCOOP AND SCORE TOUCHDOWN, WILDCATS! Brantley drops the snap and DK Mays returns the fumble for a 13-0 Central lead. Officials review the play to make sure everything is in order. Central makes the PAT for a 14-0 lead with 8:08 left in the 1st

-Down 14-0, Ruston at its own 20. Jordan Hayes tackled at the line of scrimmage. 2nd and 10. Fullback dive gets two yards. 3rd and long.

-INTERCEPTION Brantley picked off on third down. Mason Moore intercepts for Central, which has it first and 10 at the Ruston 35. Firmin had a man open for a sure TD and the ball was dropped. 2nd and 10

-Screen pass complete for a Central first down on 4th and 7. Flag on the play. Officials convene and wave off the flag for offensive pass interference. Wildcats 1st and 10 at the Ruston 23. Joseph gets to the 19. 2nd and 6.

-Firmin splits out at receiver. Joseph takes a direct snap. Wildcats 3rd and 5 at the Ruston 17. Central tries to get fancy and split Firmin out again after he first lined up under center with three RBs in an old-fashioned straight T formation. Penalty, illegal procedure. 3rd and 10.

-Central misses a field goal. NO GOOD! Wildcats 14, Ruston 0

-Brantley scampers on a QB sweep for a first down. Ruston at its own 33. KD Mays stops Jordan Hayes for no gain. 2nd and 10. Brantley throws incomplete. 3rd down.

-Ruston 0 for 3 on third down after Brantley's pass is incomplete. Bearcats with 24 yards of offense. Central will begin its next possession at its own 31.

-Ruston star DB Aidan Anding on the sidelines. LSU signee is the leader of the Bearcats' defense along with LB Zheric Hill. Announcers speculating that he is injured.

-Central with a 3rd and 2 in Ruston territory. 26 seconds left in the quarter. Power-I formation. 4th and 1 for the Wildcats. End of the quarter. Central 14, Ruston 0

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2ND QUARTER

-FIRST DOWN, CENTRAL. Wildcats convert on 4th and 1. DaShad Sheridan, a defensive lineman, doubles as a fullback.

-Firmin pass falls incomplete on 3rd down but Ruston flagged for pass interference. 2nd and 1 at the Ruston 48. Firmin picks up seven yards on a QB power. Firmin is 2 of 6 passing for 68 yards and a TD.

-Ruston penalized again. Offsides. Central with a 3rd and 1 at the Ruston 32. Manny Williams tackled for a loss. 4th and 3 at the Ruston 34. Firmin completes a pass for a first down. Williams gets seven yards on a pass into the right flat.

-Central with 110 yards of offense. Ruston has 24. Wildcats, 3rd and 2 at the Ruston 21. Timeout. Central leads 14-0. 6:32 left in the half.

-Ruston penalized for pass interference in the end zone. Central with a first and 10 at the Bearcats' 11. Marvin Jospeh takes the snap out of the Wildcat and is tripped up near the line of scrimmage.

-Ruston with another penalty. Offsides. 3rd and 3 at the Ruston 5. TOUCHDOWN WILDCATS! Firmin rolls out to the left and finds Kylen Thomas for a 21-0 lead with 4:34 left in the half.

-Ruston has really hurt itself with penalties. Six flags against the Bearcats for 44 yards. Flag down on the kickoff. It's the seventh penalty for the Bearcats. Holding. Ruston 1st and 10 at its own 8.

-Bearcats go three and out. Brantley 1 for 6 passing for 3 yards. Central, with 3:33 left in the half, with a first down at the Ruston 40. TOUCHDOWN WILDCATS! Steven Ranel, the star cornerback, burned the Bearcats' secondary deep. 28-0, Wildcats. 3:26 left in the half.

-Ranel returns the punt into Ruston territory after the Bearcats fail to get a first down. Central with 1:38 to go in the half. First and 10 at the Bearcats' 38.

-Wildcats get a first down. 43 seconds left in the half. Now 2nd and 10 at the Ruston 19. Firmin keeps to the Ruston 14. 3rd and 2, clock running. TOUCHDOWN WILDCATS! Firmin pass to Tyrann Williams. Central leads, 35-0. 12 seconds on the clock.

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-SHOCKER IN THE SUPERDOME - Central had in the neighborhood of 150 yards last week at Neville. Wildcats have outgained Ruston, 195 yards to 31. Jackson Firmin 9 of 15 passing, 161 yards, four TDs. Ruston, 13 carries for 28 yards. Wildcats with a 35-0 halftime lead.

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3RD QUARTER

-Central fields an onside kick and will begin the third quarter with great field position and a 35-0 lead. 1st and 10 at the Ruston 49. 3rd and 11 for the Wildcats.

-Firmin continues to shine, running for a first down. The senior QB leads Central in rushing with 26 yards on five carries. Manny Williams carries for another first down. Flag down after the play.

-Penalties against the Bearcats, a recurring theme, have the Wildcats at the Ruston 7. 1st and 5. Timeout, Central. 9:55 left in the quarter.

-4th and 5 for Central. The Wildcats will kick a field goal. BLOCKED! score remains 35-0.

-Brantley keeps for a first down for Ruston. INTERCEPTION! Marvin Joseph, who returned Ranel's blocked field goal last week for the winning TD vs. Neville, intercepts Brantley.

-INTERCEPTION Ruston returns the favor, picking off Firmin. Zander Hayes with the pick. Brantley finds 6-foot-7 tight end Ahmad Hudson for a first down.

-4th and 7 for the Bearcats. Incomplete. Central keeps Ruston off the scoreboard.

-Central has outgained Ruston, 242 to 58 yards.

-We've reached the end of the third quarter. Central 35, Ruston 0.

4TH QUARTER

-Ruston is 1 for 7 on third down and has picked up three first downs. Central is 5 of 11 on third down and 3 for 3 on fourth down (15 first downs).

-Central in the red zone again. Firmin pass to Keithon Womack, who has four catches for 88 yards and a score. 208 yards passing, four TDs for Firmin.

-TOUCHDOWN, WILDCATS! Jackson Firmin throws his fifth TD pass. It goes to Womack. 42-0, Central. Womack 6 catches, 113 yards, two TDs. Firmin has tied the Division I record with five TD passes in a championship game.

-Central will win its second state title and first since 1966. Four turnovers for Ruston. Wildcats win, 42-0.

-Jackson Firmin tossed five TD passes (17 for 28, 233 yards, INT) Josh Brantley 3 of 14, 30 yards, two INT. (7 carries, 51 yards).

Published |Modified
Mike Coppage
MIKE COPPAGE

Mike Coppage is a Louisiana-based veteran reporter with decades of experience covering recruiting and high school sports for Scout, Rivals, The Acadiana Advocate and The Daily Iberian. He has been freelancing for High School On SI since 2024.