Riverside closed out the state championship on its own terms, taking over with 1:15 left and calmly kneeling out the clock to finish a complete performance in the Superdome.
The second-seeded Rebels had built a commanding three-score cushion, only to see Ascension Catholic claw back within a touchdown in the fourth quarter. But sophomore kicker William Rauch delivered the moment Riverside needed, drilling a 40-yard field goal in the final minutes to restore a two-possession lead and secure a 31–21 win in the LHSAA Division IV Select final.
Senior quarterback Brock Bourgeois led the way with two touchdown passes, one of them to championship outstanding player Christopher Becnel. Becnel added a touchdown pass of his own to senior Jayden Obiekwe, who also punched in a short rushing score.
Ascension Catholic mounted two long, methodical drives—14 plays and 11 plays, each covering more than 80 yards—to trim the deficit to 28–21. But after Rauch’s field goal pushed the lead back to ten, Riverside’s defense delivered the final stop. Junior defensive tackle Ahmad Cage pressured the quarterback on fourth down, forcing an incomplete pass that allowed the Rebels (13–1) to celebrate their second state title and their first since 2016.
Ascension Catholic’s star running back Trevin Simon carried 30 times for 150 yards, a strong outing but well under the explosive numbers that carried him to state records in rushing yards (3,915) and touchdowns (58) this season. He opened the scoring with a 41-yard burst, but Riverside bottled him up from that point on.
“We wanted to turn his pads sideways and keep him from getting downhill,” Riverside coach Lee Roussel said. “If he hits the A-gap clean, he’s gone.”
Obiekwe helped power Riverside early, finishing with 16 carries for 69 yards and two first-half touchdowns. His first score came on a 46-yard catch-and-run off a throw from Becnel, who handled a shotgun snap and found him streaking open. His second came on a 2-yard plunge for a 14–7 edge.
Riverside opened the third quarter with another strike—Bourgeois hitting Becnel on a crossing route for a 37-yard touchdown and a 21–7 lead. Bourgeois added another scoring throw to sophomore Kenric Johnson, whose sharp cut along the sideline sprung him free to make it 28–7.
Ascension Catholic (11–3) responded with its two long drives, capped by a Joshua Barber touchdown and a 3-yard keeper from quarterback Gregory Fernandez. But a short kickoff gave Riverside favorable field position, and the Rebels moved into range for Rauch’s crucial kick, even after a false start pushed them back.
Roussel trusted his sophomore, knowing the moment mattered. Rauch rewarded that trust with his longest make of the season.
Two years after Riverside suffered a late heartbreak in the 2023 final, this time the Rebels finished the job.
“Walking off that field, I was really sad,” Bourgeois said. “We were hungry to get back. I’m proud of every one of these guys.”
