Ouachita Christian School’s junior quarterback Tristan Raymond scored six touchdowns as the Eagles overwhelmed St. Frederick 51-7 in their District 2-1A opener on Thursday, October 22. Raymond threw four touchdown passes and added two rushing scores in a display that confirmed his status as one of north Louisiana’s top high school talents.
The game started slowly for Ouachita Christian, but the Eagles quickly found their rhythm at Chip Luffey Field in Monroe. Raymond finished with 17 total touchdowns over his last three games, including a five-touchdown passing performance against Bunkie on October 9 and four total touchdowns against Lincoln Prep the previous week. “It’s just what Tristan does,” said junior wide receiver D’Siah Bradshaw. “All the hard work he puts into the summer, all the work he puts into the weight room on the field, those extra hours at practice, that’s just hard work. It’s not really surprising to me. I know what he’s capable of as a player and as a human being. He’s earned it, for sure.”
Senior wide receiver Jude Turner added praise for Raymond’s athleticism. “Tristan, that dude is an athlete. He’s blessed by God, and he’s got all kinds of talent. He makes us really, really good,” Turner said.
The Eagles, ranked No. 1 in Class 1A, allowed a rare big play in the third quarter when St. Fred’s senior JP Guerriero returned a kickoff for significant yardage, setting up the Warriors’ only touchdown. One of Raymond’s passes was nearly intercepted but was caught by senior Hunter Oglesbee. The proximity of the two schools, located just five miles apart on Highway 165, contributed to a charged atmosphere.
Coach Steven Fitzhugh acknowledged the challenge: “It’s just a battle every year, and we knew it would be a night. (The Warriors have) come a long way since Bayou Jamb, and they execute their scheme well running the option. St. Fred’s coach Tony Osborne’s done a good job with them, and senior quarterback Michael Malloy does a great job leading that entire offense.”
Despite some defensive pressure, the Eagles’ defence held firm. Fitzhugh said, “Our defense, they bent, but they didn’t break. Proud of the way our offense and defense executed and made plays and glad that our kids battled.”
Bradshaw and Turner both caught touchdown passes against St. Fred’s, while Raymond found senior Luke Edwards in the end zone twice. Beyond his receiving touchdown, Bradshaw made an impact on defence with two sacks in one drive during the fourth quarter, helping stop the Warriors on a crucial fourth down. “I didn’t think I was going to be able to get one because they ran the ball a lot this game,” Bradshaw said. “St. Fred’s has a great offense, a very scheme-heavy offense. I was just waiting for my time, and when it showed up, I took the opportunity, and I made it happen.”
Raymond credited his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Drew Vidrine, for the success of the team’s offensive schemes. “We’ve got great weapons around me, a great offensive line, so it’s just the perfect recipe for success,” Raymond said. “It’s a huge blessing leading one of north Louisiana’s top offenses.”
With the victory, Ouachita Christian improved to 8-0 and will continue district play against General Trass at home before closing the regular season at Delhi. Raymond said the team is focused on maintaining momentum. “Winning is winning. You want to be thankful, but you don’t want to take it for granted. We’re happy that we got here, but we don’t want to stop. We’ve got to keep going.”
The Eagles’ travelling fan base was visible throughout the game, filling the visitor stands at Chip Luffey Field. Turner said the support means a lot to the team. “That’s one thing we’ve always been good at is bringing a crew and having support no matter where we go. It means a lot to the team to have a crowd hollering for you whenever you do something good.”
According to Yahoo Sports.
