Vote: Who should be SBLive's Louisiana High School Athlete of the Week? (9/26/2023)

Read through the candidates and cast your vote

Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Louisiana High School Athlete of the Week for Sept. 18-24. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. Voting will conclude Sunday at 11:59 p.m. If you would like to nominate an athlete, please email athleteoftheweek@scorebooklive.com or tag us on Twitter. 

Jaiden Mitchell, Catholic-New Iberia football 

The Class 2A Panthers upended Class 4A Leesville, 31-14, and Mitchell had himself a day. The junior caught 12 passes for 182 yards and two TDs.

Chantz Babineaux, Carencro football

The sophomore QB set a new school record by passing for 394 yards in a 57-14 district win against Sulphur. He passed for two TDs and carried seven times for 185 yards and four TDs.

Jackson Fields, Destrehan football

Fields fired five touchdown passes while accumulating 352 yards through the air in the Wildcats' 47-11 shellacking of Hahnville. It was Destrehan's sixth straight win over its River Parish rival.

Cristian Matthews, Breaux Bridge football

The senior tailback went for 261 yards and four TDs on 33 carries in a 54-16 win at Ascension Episcopal.

Joseph Emilien, Rayne football

The senior ran for 211 yards and four TDs on 21 attempts in the Wolves' 25-22 win over Kaplan.

Hutch Swilley, St. Thomas More football

Swilley, a Navy commitment, amassed 197 scrimmage yards with two TDs in the Cougars' 35-28 win over Catholic-Baton Rouge. Swilley's TD reception on a screen pass proved to be the winning score.

Ziderius Brown, Pearl River football

The Rebels took a shootout win, 49-30, over Independence. Brown rushed for 225 yards on 26 carries with four scores.

Cole Canatella, Holy Cross football

The Tigers stayed unbeaten by pounding Archbishop Rummel, 49-28. Canatella completed 15-of-16 passes for 259 yards and two TDs and ran for two scores.

Javaughn Fairley, DeRidder football

The Dragons evened their record at 2-2 by shutting out Westlake, 27-0. Fairley rambled for 235 yards on 20 carries with two TDs.

Zheric Hill, Ruston football

The junior linebacker returned an interception for a TD for the second year in a row against Lafayette Christian. The Bearcats won both games against the Knights. Hill's interception on Friday was one of his team's five picks. He also notched 10 tackles.

Tate Hamby, Ouachita Christian football

The Vanderbilt commit caught a 72-yard TD pass, returned a punt 60 yards for a score and had a 66-yard pick-six in a 59-0 win over Tensas Parish.

Ben Taylor, Airline football

Taylor, a prior Athlete of the Week winner, could not be contained in a 60-35 district win against Benton. The junior threw seven TD passes - all in the first half - and finished 18-of-24 through the air for 471 yards and no interceptions.

Landon Daughdril, St. Louis Catholic football

The Saints opened district play with an impressive 45-20 win over previously undefeated Kinder. Daughdril kicked a 52-yard field goal, was 5-of-5 on PATs and averaged 46.8 yards on four punts with two downed inside the 20.

Ben Harrison, Northlake Christian football

The Wolverines stayed undefeated by downing Archbishop Hannan, 23-10. Harrison had a hand in 20 tackles and had a sack, a forced fumble and a pass break-up.

Rasheed Brown, Patrick Taylor football

The Tigers recorded their second straight shutout, a 28-0 win over Kenner Discovery. Brown, a defensive lineman, collected four tackles for loss, two sacks, a blocked punt, a blocked field goal and a pass break-up.

Jordan West, Brother Martin football

West, a senior tailback, rushed for 116 yards and two TDs as the Crusaders emerged victorious, 31-16, at Ouachita Parish.

Brice Cherry, Northshore football

Cherry scored three TDs while rushing for 176 yards on 23 attempts in a 23-16 win over Mandeville. It was the first win for Northshore and an important one, as it came in the district opener.

Koyal Gray Jr., East St. John football

East St. John handled Thibodaux, 49-14, in a District 7-5A opener. Gray had eight catches for 204 yards and two TDs.

Camryn Davis, Natchitoches Central football

Coach Jess Curtis' Chiefs began district play with a 41-12 defeat of Southwood. Davis caught eight balls for 144 yards and three TDs.

Peyton Levy, Walker boys cross country

The junior won the Wildcat Invitational with a season-best time of 16:26.

Benjamin Lewis, Fontainebleau boys cross country

Lewis won the STA-Southland Steel Invitational with a time of 15:49.

Ella Willoughby, St. Amant girls cross country

The sophomore won the Wildcat Invitational with a time of 19:23.

Natalie Venkataraman, Baton Rouge High girls cross country

The senior won the Cinclaire Run on the Levee in Brusly with a time of 19:38.

Laurel Cassidy, Parkview Baptist volleyball

In 21 sets, Cassidy recorded 109 digs, 13 assists, two kills and six aces for the 13-5 Lady Eagles.

Bella Bravata, St. Michael volleyball

Bravata had 42 kills, 23 aces and 34 digs in 19 sets for the Lady Warriors, who are 13-4 on the year.

Dezyrian Ellis, Franklin Parish football

The Patriots are 4-0 after a 42-7 defeat of Caldwell Parish. Ellis passed for four TDs and threw for another in the win.

Kendrell Perry, St. Thomas Aquinas football

The Falcons got their first win, a 29-28 thriller against Loranger. Perry carried 18 times for 142 yards and two TDs, including the game-winner.

Bryan Hardy, Basile football

The Bearcats beat Elton, 27-8, with Hardy rushing 19 times for 168 yards and three TDs.

Blaze Rodriguez, Pope John Paul II football

Rodriguez accounted for five TDs in his team's 62-20 romp against Ben Franklin. He was 5-of-6 passing for 99 yards and three TDs while rushing for a score and returning a punt for another.

Jude Wilder, Acadiana Christian School football

The New Iberia-based Lions defeated Northshore-Covington, 44-0. Wilder, who also played every down on offense, had five tackles with three tackles for loss.