Redemption Complete: Cecilia Wins First State Title Since 1995

by: Vincent Cacioppo // GeauxPreps.com Managing Editor

NEW ORLEANS – In a state championship clash that lived up to the hype, the No. 18 Cecilia Bulldogs took down No. 1 Franklinton 35-32 to secure the Division II Non-Select State Championship. The win marked sweet redemption for Cecilia, avenging their heartbreaking loss in last year’s title game.

The game was a back-and-forth battle filled with momentum swings and heroic performances. Cecilia set the tone early with Diesel Solari’s 83-yard run down the sideline, capped by his six-yard touchdown plunge to put the Bulldogs up 7-0. Franklinton quickly answered with a determined drive, knotting the score at 7-7 midway through the first quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, Cecilia’s Braylon Calais took the ball 88 yards to the end zone, reclaiming the lead for the Bulldogs at 9:29 in the first quarter to make it 14-7.

Cecilia reclaimed the lead in the second quarter with Solari’s one-yard touchdown run and a successful two-point conversion, making it 15-7. Franklinton quarterback Jacob Crain kept the Demons in the game, engineering a drive that ended with a 13-yard scoring run by Sy Austin. Though the two-point conversion failed, the Demons narrowed Cecilia’s lead to 22-21.

The Bulldogs responded just before halftime, with Braylon Calais punching it in from one yard out to extend their lead to 29-21. However, Franklinton kicker Gabriel Ezell kept the Demons close, drilling a 36-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter to make it a 29-24 game heading into halftime.

The second half saw Franklinton fight back. Sy Austin struck again in the fourth quarter, scoring on a 14-yard run to put the Demons ahead 32-29 after a successful two-point conversion. But the Bulldogs’ defense and resilience would prove decisive.

With just under two minutes remaining, Cecilia’s Franky Frank forced a game-changing fumble, giving the Bulldogs one last shot. Solari delivered, finding Ellis Stewart for a dramatic, bobbling touchdown catch in the end zone to reclaim the lead at 35-32.

Jacob Crain led the Demons deep into Cecilia territory in the final minute, but the Bulldogs’ defense forced another fumble to seal the win.

Cecilia’s Diesel Solari delivered a heroic performance, racking up 217 total yards and three touchdowns. Solari was named Cecilia’s Most Outstanding Player and deservedly so.

The Bulldogs’ win not only brought a state title back to Cecilia for the first time since 1995 but also proved they’re one of the most determined and gritty teams in the state, overcoming over 500 miles of travel throughout the playoffs, including their journey to the Caesars Superdome.