Vote: Who should be Louisiana high school Athlete of the Week? (5/5/2025)

Here are the candidates for High School On SI's Louisiana Athlete of the Week; read through the nominations and make your pick!

AOTW

Who was the top athlete in all of Louisiana high school sports last week?

Each week, High School On SI scours The Pelican State and corrals the top performers across all high school sports from the past week.

Congratulations to last week's winner: Liv Nevels of Archbishop Chapelle softball!

Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. PT Sunday, May 11. The winner will be announced in the following week's poll.

Below are this week's nominees.

Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes who receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.

THIS WEEK'S CANDIDATES

Abby Aguillard, soph, Vandebilt Catholic softball

The top-seeded Terriers got sparkling performances from several players at the state tournament. In the semifinals against No. 4 Buckeye, Aguillard hit a two-run triple as Vandebilt Catholic broke a 1-1 tie and won, 4-1. "There is nobody else I would've wanted at the plate at that moment," coach James Spearman said of Aguillard and Hays Rutledge, who hit an RBI single. The Terriers won the state championship on Sunday.

Kallie England, jr, Sam Houston softball

England hit a walk-off two-run homer in extra innings to give the top-seeded Broncos a 5-3 win over defending champion St. Amant in the Division I nonselect semifinals. She had two hits and added another hit in a 3-2 win over Dutchtown in the championship game.

Jenna Blanchard, jr, Dutchtown softball

The outfielder accounted for three of her team's eight hits, including a double, and scored two runs in the third-seeded Griffins' 3-2 win over No. 7 Walker in the Division I nonselect semifinals.

Maddy Stringer, sr, North DeSoto softball

The Louisiana Tech signee could not be stopped at the Division II nonselect state tournament, homering twice and scoring three runs in the top-seeded Griffins' 9-2 win over defending champion Lutcher in the semifinals. She had three hits and two RBIs with a double and triple in a 6-5 win over Assumption in the championship game.

Lilia Alleman, soph, Assumption softball

The third-seeded Mustangs' ace pitcher fired a one-hitter in a 4-0 win over No. 2 Brusly in the Division II nonselect semifinals. She struck out eight and walked one. Alleman hit a double in a one-run loss to North DeSoto in the title game. She didn't allow a run in the first three playoff games.

Shelby Taylor, sr, Doyle softball

Taylor set the tone in the fifth-seeded Tigers' 13-3 win over No. 1 Kaplan in the Division III nonselect semifinals, laying down a bunt single, stealing second base and scoring the first run to begin the first inning. She had three hits with two triples and scored three runs and added two hits with a triple and two runs in a 4-3 win over No. 3 Jena in the final.

Kiette Cooper, jr, Jena softball

Cooper struck out eight and pitched a four-hitter while allowing one earned run in a 3-2 win over Pine Prairie in the Division III nonselect semifinals. She had a hit and gave up only one earned run in a 4-3 loss to Doyle in the title game with five strikeouts and no walks.

Landry Long, fr, LaSalle softball

Long went the distance in a nine-inning win over Oak Grove in the Division IV nonselect semifinals, pitching a one-hitter with 17 strikeouts. She had three hits, highlighted by an inside-the-park home run, and threw three scoreless innings in relief in an 11-2 win over Logansport in the championship.

Ainsley Morvan, fr, Logansport softball

Third-seeded Logansport cruised past No. 7 Mangham in the Division IV nonselect semifinals, 13-1. Morvan threw a one-hitter with four strikeouts in five innings and collected three hits and six RBIs with a triple and a home run. She hit a home run in the loss to top-seeded LaSalle in the finals.

Makayla Escude, soph, John Curtis softball

Escude pitched the No. 4-seeded Patriots to wins over Archbishop Chapelle and St. Thomas More. Escude shutout No. 2 STM in the Division I select championship game, throwing a five-hitter with five strikeouts. She scattered eight hits with four strikeouts in the 4-2 win over No. 9 Chapelle, the Patriots' District 9-5A rival.

Margaret Oge, jr, St. Thomas More softball

The junior left-hander threw a complete game eight-hitter in a 6-1 win over sixth-seeded Mount Carmel in the Division I select semifinals. Oge showed a knack for pitching under pressure, holding the Cubs scoreless in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings despite runners in scoring position. Mount Carmel got two runners on base with no outs in the fifth and sixth. She allowed one earned run in a 2-0 loss to John Curtis in the title game.

Riley Perilloux, jr, St. Charles softball

Perilloux pitched a gem in a 3-2 win over second-seeded E.D. White in the Division II select semifinals, shutting out the Cardinals over the final five innings of the come-from-behind win. Perilloux provided a three-run single at the plate for the sixth-seeded Comets, who lost by two runs to No. 1 Vandebilt Catholic in the championship. She also had a hit in the final.

Kynzee Anderson, jr, Calvary Baptist softball

The top-seeded Cavaliers won their fifth straight championship with shutout wins over Parkview Baptist and D'Arbonne Woods Charter. Anderson threw a four-hitter with 13 strikeouts in the 1-0 semifinal win over Parkview Baptist and pitched a no-hitter against the Timberwolves in the Division III select final.

Joley Bennett, fr, D'Arbonne Woods Charter softball

The Timberwolves rallied from multiple deficits to beat Notre Dame in the Division III select semifinals for the second time in three years. Bennett scored four runs in the 13-11 win, walking four times with a hit and run driven in. She was walked intentionally with the bases-loaded.

Jalayah Slaughter, eighth grade, Parkview Baptist softball

Slaughter was the talk of the state tournament despite the Eagles losing a nailbiter in the Division III select semifinals on Friday, throwing a two-hitter in a 1-0 loss to nationally ranked Calvary Baptist. Slaughter didn't surrender a hit after the first inning.

Kaylee Methvin, jr, Holy Savior Menard softball

The fifth-seeded Eagles took down No. 1 Catholic P.C. and No. 2 Opelousas Catholic to win the Division IV select title. Methvin threw a three-hitter in the 4-1 win over defending champion Opelousas Catholic in the title game. She pitched all 11 innings in the 4-3 semifinal win over Catholic PC, facing 44 batters and throwing over 100 pitches for strikes.

Ashley Little, sr, Opelousas Catholic softball

Little, one of only two seniors on the roster, pitched the Vikings to a 1-0 win over St. John in the Division IV select semifinals. She stuck out 17 and no-hit the Eagles, who were coming into the game with offensive momentum. She struck out 14 in the championship loss to Menard and had a hit in each game.

Haley Martin, sr, Calvin softball

Martin struck out 15 for the ninth-seeded Cougars in a 2-1 win over Claiborne Christian for the Class C title. She allowed three hits and walked two. Martin also threw a complete game in the 6-5 win over Summerfield in the semifinals. Calvin beat the No. 1, No. 3 and No 4 seeds.

Allie Wainwright, sr, Claiborne Christian softball

Wainwright struck out 30 batters in two games at the Class C state tournament. She fanned 15 and hit a three-run homer in a 7-3 semifinal win over Northside Christian and struck out 15 in a 2-1 loss to Calvin. Wainwright collected four walks at the plate.

Cali Deal, sr, Quitman softball

Deal led the Wolverines to another state title, pitching a four-hitter with 12 strikeouts in a 4-0 win over Grace Christian in the Class B semfinals. The future LSU Tiger struck out 10 while tossing a two-hitter in the final vs. Stanley. Deal had a home run, three RBIs and scored twice in the 10-0 win in six innings.

Paige Campbell, fr, Stanley softball

Campbell's two-run single put Stanley ahead in a 3-2 win over Zwolle in the Class B semifinals. She pitched a five-hitter with seven strikeouts.

J.D. Hidalgo, sr, Catholic New Iberia baseball

The Southwest Miss. CC signee pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless relief to get the win in extra innings in relief of Lane Fenske in Game 2 of the fourth-seeded Panthers' Division III select quarterfinal series with No. 5 St. Louis. He scored a run in that game, hit a solo homer in the Game 1 loss, and threw a complete game three-hitter with eight strikeouts and one walk in a 3-2 win in Game 3.

Noah Gauthier, jr, St. Thomas More baseball

Coach Justin Robichaux has talked about the depth of his pitching staff, which showed in a 5-0 win over No. 5 Jesuit in the Division I select quarterfinals. Gauthier threw a three-hitter, walking one and striking out two for the fourth-seeded Cougars, who advance to face defending champ No. 1 Catholic-Baton Rouge in the semifinals.

Evan Vincent, jr, Teurlings Catholic baseball

The top-seeded Rebels looked the part in a Division II select quartrerfinal series vs. No. 8 Archbishop Shaw. Vincent struck out six and allowed three hits over 5.1 innings in a 7-1 win in Game 1. He drove in two runs in a 15-2 win in Game 2.

Landen Derouen, soph, Erath baseball

The second-seeded Bobcats breezed past Jena in a Division III nonselect quarterfinal series. Derouen, a shortstop, went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and a double and triple in a 9-0 win in Game 2. He had two hits with a double and three RBIs in a 10-0 win over Game 1. Erath hosts No. 3 South Beauregard next.

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