Power Back Runs Past WCA
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
The main obstacle blocking a Westminster Christian Academy path to a first-ever state championship was a 225-pound power runner whose dominance and speed have been well-documented all season.
And in the cold and wet at Crusaders Stadium Friday night, Ascension Catholic running back Trevin Simon again showed why he is currently among the preeminent high school ground gainers in Louisiana.
Simon bashed the WCA defense for 364 yards and five touchdowns, an effort which helped eliminate the Crusaders 45-14 in a Division IV-select semifinal playoff game.
His performance at Westminster enabled Simon to reach over 3,700 yards and 56 touchdowns at this point in 2025.
Top-seeded and district champion Westminster (12-1) had already established a program milestone with the first-ever appearance in a state semifinal contest in the third season under head coach Byron Porter.
Ascension Catholic (11-2), which established a 33-0 halftime lead over WCA, moves into the Thursday championship contest against No. 2 Riverside, which beat Ascension Episcopal 42-14 in the other Division IV-select contest.
It’s the first time since 2018 that Ascension Catholic has played for a state title.
Evaluating The Game
Porter said the Crusaders’ halftime deficit was crucial.
“(ACS) is a good team and we got into pretty much a hole.Give them credit; they came in and they executed, but when you get this far into the playoffs, all the teams are going to be good,” Porter said.
Defending Simon was something the Crusaders didn’t overlook, said Porter.
“We knew exactly what they wanted to do. We wanted to at least try and limit him, but they’re offensive line is good and they do a good job of what they do and coaching their kids up,” Porter added.
How The Game Unfolded
Simon put things in perspective early, after he took a handoff and rambled 71-yards with 10:16 remaining in the first quarter.
Nearly five minutes later, Simon scored on a 33-yard run to give the Bulldogs a 14-0 advantage.
Quarterback Greg Fernandez faked a handoff to Simon in the second quarter and after pulling the ball out, Fernandez turned the corner and ran 40 yards to provide ACS with a 20-0 lead.
Simon followed that effort with second quarter touchdown runs of 45 and 11 yards,
Westminster scored a first touchdown with 7:37 left in the third period when senior quarterback Stephen George completed a nine-yard pass to wide receiver Evan Lemon.
George provided the final Westminster touchdown in the fourth quarter when he completed a throw to wide receiver Damien Thomas.
It was the final game for George, who has started at quarterback for the Crusaders for four seasons.
Against ACS, George passed for 200 yards and rushed for another 22.
Thomas caught three passes for 60 yards, while senior wide receiver Gavin Frith had four receptions for 62.
WCA junior running back Kyle Horde ran for 48 yards on 10 carries.
Putting The Season In Perspective
“We didn’t accomplish our goal. We fell short, but I have to be proud of this team. There were a lot of guys who really stepped up and I am proud of them,” Porter said.
Porter also noted the contribution of the nine seniors who helped anchor his three seasons at the school.
“Those seniors have been our pillars and they are responsible for a lot of the success that we had. They have laid the foundation for what we want to accomplish here. We’re going to miss their presence and being around our locker room, because they have been our difference makers,” Porter added.
