St. Thomas More Named GeauxPreps Football Team of the Week
by Marshall Loeffler // GeauxPreps.com
There was no easing into the 2026 season for St. Thomas More. The Cougars are back in Class 5A after 15 years and took their home field for the annual Holy War rivalry with Teurlings Catholic to kick off Jim Hightower’s 40th season as head coach. St. Thomas More dominated the game, opening the season at home with a 35-0 victory. The complete performance on both sides of the ball makes STM the Week 1 GeauxPreps Football Team of the Week.
A great article from the game was written by Shannon Belt of the Lafayette Advertiser, and watching some of the replay on VSN, I saw the Cougars look impressive immediately, using the run game to get out in front from the opening possession. Senior running backs Owen Bailey and Landyn Craft, along with sophomore quarterback Grayson Hemard, helped lead that effort before Hemard threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jacques Christie.
STM continued to dictate the game from there and did not look back. Hemard turned in an impressive performance in his first game of the season, throwing for around 120 yards and three touchdowns. He connected with William Foreman and Harper Morel for his other two touchdown passes.
“It was important to get off to a good start,” Coach Hightower told Shannon Belt after the game. “Our kids have been preparing hard and working hard. I think they were focused in on this game and were able to kind of get off to that fast start.”
Senior Landyn Craft also played a major role in the Cougars’ offensive success. Craft led STM’s rushing attack with about 90 yards and a touchdown, while Bailey and Hemard helped the Cougars establish the run early.
The most impressive part of the offensive performance on this night, though, may have been the number of different players who contributed. STM found ways to move the ball and finish drives using different skill players each drive. After the starters checked out, Preston Pellerin and Abram Soignier stepped up and got themselves in the box score as well.
Seemingly, that same team effort carried over to the defensive side. St. Thomas More pitched a shutout, with three different Cougars recording interceptions — Landen Ortte, junior Taylor Eskridge and Owen Giglio — while the entire unit was solid working together. It was the definition of a complete team performance, and exactly the kind of combined effort that makes St. Thomas More the GeauxPreps Football Team of the Week.