Defense has last word: Interception from Taylor Goldsmith helps Catholic preserve win over Madison Prep

by William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor

BATON ROUGE – Madison Prep Academy had converted its biggest play of Friday’s scrimmage with Catholic High, reducing its deficit to eight points on a 49-yard pass play that set up a 2-yard touchdown run with seven minutes to play.

The Chargers got the ball back with an opportunity to tie the game in the final minute of play when the Bears’ defense called game.

Senior defensive back Taylor Goldsmith intercepted Dylan Reed’s attempt on first down with 46 seconds left, and Catholic took a knee to hold onto a 14-6 victory Friday over Madison Prep in Friday’s Red Stick Rumble Jamboree at Parkview Baptist. 

“I knew they would try and make a big play, trying to take a shot or something,” Goldsmith said. “It just happened to be right at me, and it came right to me. I had to be in the flat. I saw one guy down low. They didn’t throw it to him immediately, so I just backed off, hoping somebody was behind me, and he just threw it right to me. My eyes got really big, and I caught it.”

Catholic High was 12-1 and advanced to the semifinals of the Division I select bracket last season. The Bears open the 2025 season with back-to-back home games with Destrehan and St. Thomas More at Memorial Stadium, while the Chargers visit Dutchtown.

“We’re going to go after the most competitive schedule we can because we know that’s going to show us what we need to improve on,” Catholic coach Hudson Fuller said. “Just like we did tonight. You see good competition and the consequences of some things, and if they learn from it, it makes it better.”

Catholic High took a 14-0 lead in the first of the two 12-minute halves.

Senior quarterback Baylor Graves scored on a 5-yard run, and fellow senior quarterback Turner Goldsmith, the twin brother of Taylor, gave the Bears a two-touchdown advantage with a 31-yard scoring pass to Dyer Chambers.

“Good game, good measuring stick,” Madison Prep coach Landry Williams said. “It’s back to work for us. You’re playing a team of this caliber that’s around the state championship area, if not winning it. It’s a good test for us. I look forward to the challenge. I don’t see why they can’t go the distance this year as well.”

Madison Prep, which scrimmaged Division I non-select state champion Central last week, made it 14-6 with 7:03 showing.

Reed, who had completed one pass for five yards in the first half, bought some time with his scrambling ability against Catholic’s defense, spotted Landon Johnson downfield on a 49-yard completion to the Bears’ 2-yard line, and J’on Profit scored on first down.

Linebacker Liam Myers tracked down Profit from behind and halted the try for two points.

Madison Prep’s defense forced a three-and-out, including a four-yard loss on a third-and-nine pass play, and the Chargers took over at their own 39 with 5:50 to go.

Reed kept the drive alive on third-and-seven with a 21-yard completion to Landon Johnson to Catholic’s 37. The Bears allowed one yard on the next three plays, forcing a fourth-and-nine when it appeared Reed’s ingenuity would pay off again.

He managed to keep the play alive long enough where Johnson came back to make a catch on the underthrown pass at the 2-yard line to complete what would have been a 36-yard TD pass.

Reed completed 4 of 16 passes for 82 yards with two interceptions by Ohio State commitment Blaine Bradford and Taylor Goldsmith.

However, Madison Prep was whistled for an illegal man downfield, wiping out the touchdown and adding 25 yards in penalties when a personal foul was tacked on to the original call.

“I’ll have to look at the film to see if he was downfield,” said Williams, whose team lost to eventual state champion Archbishop Shaw in the Division II select semifinals in 2024. “It was a heck of a play that gave us a chance. The guy made an excellent catch. I thought it was close.”

Fuller said the length of the completion that set up Madison Prep’s touchdown, coupled with what could have been a tying score, will give his defense an area to work on in practice.

“If they eliminate big plays, they’re pretty special,” Fuller said. “I think as a defensive unit, once we look at the film, that will be the focus. How do we eliminate some of those big plays?”

A topic of concern on offense was the two fumbles Catholic lost, one on offense and the other on special teams, with the latter leading to the Chargers’ lone score.

“A lot of things that came up situationally are things we have to learn as a team,” Fuller said. “We can’t turn the ball over.”

Madison Prep’s defensive front created havoc against a banged-up Catholic offensive line, which didn’t have any of its original starters because of injury. Junior running back Jayden Miles was also out with an injury, opening the door for Justin Batiste to lead the Bears with 18 yards on six carries.

The Chargers allowed 26 yards on the ground on 11 attempts and 106 overall.

“Every one of the offensive linemen that started tonight, it was their first varsity snap,” Huller said. “They got to learn a lot.”

Senior Beau Thomas sparked Catholic’s first scoring drive with a 31-yard punt return that ultimately gave the Bears the ball at Madison Prep’s 12 following a personal foul penalty for a late hit out of bounds.

Batiste kept for 11 yards on first down, followed by Graves, who scooped up a low snap and went into the end zone on second down with 4:29 left before halftime.

The Bears were driving inside the Chargers’ 30 when defensive back Christopher Barber recovered a fumble after wide receiver Cale Alexander was hit hard and fumbled following a reception from Turner Goldsmith.

Catholic’s defense, which allowed 13 total yards in the first half and 18 yards rushing overall, forced a three-and-out with the offense taking over at their own 45 with 1:28 left before halftime.

Graves’ 13-yard keeper moved the ball beyond midfield when Catholic faced a fourth-and-eight at the 40 with 27 seconds left. Turner Goldsmith found Thomas for a first down with a 14-yard gain, and following a false start penalty and incompletion, Goldsmith (6 of 11, 70 yards) delivered a pass to junior Dyer Chambers, who took care of the rest.

Chambers broke a tackle outside of the 10-yard line, made a move toward the inside of the field to avoid another player en route to a 31-yard score with five seconds showing.

Placekicker Nicholas Booth kicked the first of his two extra points.

“We’ve still got a lot to work on,” Taylor Goldsmith said. “We’re going to get in this week and work on that and be get better week to week.”