Grid Stars: Church Point's Veronie earns top honors
CROWLEY – It was a banner week for Acadia Parish football teams in Week 4 with Crowley High, Notre Dame, Church Point and Rayne all picking up victories.
And in each of those games there were individual performances that stood out, none more so than the effort tuned in by Church Point’s Christian Veronie.
The senior running back racked up 170 yards and two touchdowns and had one reception for a 31-yard touchdown in the Bears’ 49-33 come-from-behind victory over Loreauville.
His performance was more than enough to earn him top billing on this week’s edition of Grid Stars.
Veronie broke loose for a 24-yard run midway through the third quarter that put the Bears up 29-26 and he then posted another touchdown just before the end of the quarter on a 58-yard run. He had a 31-yard reception for a score in the second quarter.
“We call him the Hammer around here,” said Church Point coach J.C. Arceneaux of Veronie. “He’s one of those kids who’s a tough runner and he’s hard to tackle. He is going to get you the first down on third and short or fourth and short. He can pound it up in there and through a series of body blows the other night, he just wore them down and was able to break a couple and have some long runs.”
Veronie, however, wasn’t the only standout for the Bears on the night.
Frederick Williams picked up 124 yards and two touchdowns on five carries while Deion Monroe had 52 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.
Quarterback Troy Matte also had a big night, completing six passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns, one to Veronie and the other to Monroe on a 30-yard pass.
Other notable performances were turned in by Crowley High’s Pate Broussard, John Marceaux, Jacq’Co Price and Terrell Thomas, Rayne High’s John Michael Besse and Deontrey Wilridge, Notre Dame’s Lance Bertrand, Brad Stoma and Boedy Borill and Iota’s Adam Ardoin and Kaleb Guillory.
Broussard helped lead the Gents to a 38-6 victory over Beau Chene by completing 18 of his 26 pass attempts for 262 yards and two touchdowns. He hit Marceaux four times for 91 yards, Price six times for 84 yards and a touchdown and Thomas six times for 70 yards and a touchdown.
Besse posted 155 all-purpose yards in the Wolves’ 28-21 road victory over Washington Marion.
The senior had six rushes for 35 yards and two touchdowns and hauled in two passes for 49 yards. He also had two kickoff returns that went for another 71 yards.
Deontrey Wilridge led the Wolves’ ground attack with 15 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown.
Bertrand paced the Pios with 89 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries in a 34-3 victory over St. Louis.
Stoma aided in the onslaught by completing nine of 14 pass attempts for 148 yards and a touchdown, that a 63-yard scoring strike to Borill, who finished with three catches for 75 yards.
Ardoin and Guillory were the few bright spots for Iota in a 34-0 loss to Welsh.
Ardoin picked up 33 yards on five carries before leaving the game in the first half with an injury. Guillory took over at running back and rushed 12 times for 43 yards.