Two-Sport Leader: Catholic High’s back for chance to ‘three-peat’ with Harrison Kidder leading way
by William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor
Brad Bass has been the head coach at Catholic High for 14 seasons and hadn’t quite seen anything like it before.
With his Bears hosting Episcopal on April 10 for their Senior Day – the team’s final regular season home game – right fielder Harrison Kidder turned in a play so extraordinary, Bass wanted to share it with the nation.
In the top of the first inning with a runner on at first, Episcopal’s John Ryan Esnard sent the first pitch in his at bat sinking toward the right-center field gap. At worst, the Knights would have a 1-0 lead and a runner at second base.
Kidder had other ideas.
As soon he picked up the trajectory of the ball, which appeared headed for extra bases, Kidder made a dead sprint toward the gap, left his feet, and fully extended his 6-foot-2 frame parallel to the ground on a diving catch for the first out of the inning. He quickly jumped back to his feet and fired a one-hop throw back into the infield, where baseman Hayes Segar stepped on first base to complete a double play.
“I sent that in to ESPN (SportsCenter) Top 10 (highlights) and was surprised it didn’t get more attention,” Bass said of the play in his team’s 6-1 victory. “That’s as good a high school play as you’re ever going to see made. The awareness to know exactly where to go with the baseball. It’s something that you don’t teach. I can’t take a whole lot of credit for that from a coaching standpoint. That’s who he is.”
Kidder has had eight assists and two double plays and has never made an error in 130 career chances.
Defense has been in his DNA, having starred on Catholic’s last two Division I select state semifinalist teams at outside linebacker, and signing a scholarship in December to continue his career at UL.
“I think it’s really fun in the outfield when there’s a guy on third and less than two outs,” Kidder said. “I’m thinking in my head to hit it to me because I want to throw him out at home. I play free in the outfield and do what I know I can do. Just run after a ball.”
Kidder has also risen through Catholic’s baseball program from a little-used sophomore, who watched the Bears win their first national championship and begin a run of two consecutive Division I state titles, to a trusted leader and all-around player that’s been a focal point of the offense.
That Catholic finds itself in a position to win a third straight state title is because of another influential senior class where Kidder’s been at the forefront of another District 4-5A championship and deep postseason run.
The second-seeded Bears (34-5) meet top-seeded Brother Martin (34-5) in a best-of-three series for the Division I select state title beginning at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at McMurray Park in Sulphur.
Game 2 is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Friday, followed by Gm. 3 on Saturday at a time to be determined.
Catholic, which is making its 11th straight trip to the state tournament, is in search of its eighth overall state crown that would equal Oak Grove and St. Francis of Houma for seventh overall. The Bears could also join five other teams to win three consecutive state titles with Central (1992-95) and Parkview Baptist (2002-05) the only programs to win four straight state championships.
“I’m excited for the opportunity,” said Kidder, who carries a 3.8 GPA. “I’ve had a heck of an experience here, and I want to leave a legacy these last couple of games. For our class, it’s a great opportunity for us. Just go out there and play the best we can and bring it home for the school.”
Kidder arrived at Catholic in the eighth grade with two-sport intentions. He played both football and baseball, waiting for his opportunity in both sports, with football presenting his first chance at playing time on special teams as a sophomore.
“It gave me a taste of varsity,” he said.
Catholic’s national baseball championship team wasn’t only loaded with talent, but terrific leaders such as Brooks Wright, Jack Ruckert, Trip Dobson, Noah Lewis, and Davis Emonet.
The Bears were laden with experience in the outfield with Wright, Lewis, and Emonet, enabling Kidder the chance to sit and watch before taking over the past two seasons.
“Lots of the older guys were great examples that led by example,” Kidder said. “I was able to watch and learn from the guys at practice. They helped me indirectly because I was able to watch and understand what it took to be a great leader and team player.”
Kidder credited his teammates with his ability to flourish in 2025 and ’26, both in football and baseball, where he developed a niche in both sports.
“There’s no such thing as waiting your turn here,” said Bass, who has directed Catholic to four state titles. “You earn your turn here, and he did that.”
A year after Catholic (12-2) won the Division I select state football title in 2023, the Bears (12-1) pushed Karr to the limit before falling 21-19 in the semifinals. Kidder was back for a second year, starting on last season’s 10-3 team that once again provided the eventual champion Cougars with their toughest test in a 17-10 semifinal setback.
“Just leaning on my teammates, being able to plug into a spot last year and the lineup was amazing again this year,” Kidder said. “I feel like I’m not playing with all of the pressure. I know my guys will have my back if I mess up, and if I do good, I’m helping my team win. I’m just playing for them.
“Last year was probably the most fun I’ve ever had playing football,” Kidder said. “I believe our team was closer than we’ve had. It was a great season, especially on the defensive side. Those are my guys. I was playing with my best friends, trying to hit people are hard as I could. It was a great experience to have the bonds, the amount of fun that we had. It was great, and I was grateful for it.”
Bass said he saw Kidder take his game to a new level during Catholic’s 44-6 quarterfinal victory in football over Alexandria, and managed to exceed that a week later against Karr.
The Bears exploded for 41 unanswered points in the second half, relying on a defense that forced five turnovers that led to 27 points.
Kidder was among those involved in creating turnovers with an interception that looked somewhat like the outstretched grab he made five months later against Episcopal in baseball.
A week later, with Catholic involved in another highly competitive game with Karr, which went on to capture its second straight state title, Kidder registered a season-high 12 tackles with three of those for 10 yards of losses.
“I thought you saw something click in the third round of the state football playoffs,” Bass said. “We’re (baseball coach staff) sitting on the sideline and looked at each other, ‘This kid’s going to be a different player for us. His life’s going to be changed from here on out because of whatever went off for him’. He’s figured it out.
“He’s always been a good player,” Bass said. “In the playoffs this year in football, you saw a switch go off. It clicked, and in a couple of playoff games, he was the most recognizable person on the field. We went to Karr, and they’ve got all of these big-time Division I commitments, there’s one guy that stood out on every play, and it was Harrison Kidder. He was always good, and as soon as he looked within himself, and found that conviction key, the dog got loose, and I don’t know if you can put him back in a cage now.”
Kidder was named to both the District 4-5A and All-Metro first teams, the Louisiana Football Coaches Association’s second team, and the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 5A All-State honorable mention list. He finished with 70 tackles that included 14 for 41 yards worth of losses. He also picked off three passes, recovered a fumble, and blocked a kick.
“It was our season being on the line, I had nothing else left to give,” Kidder said of his play in his team’s final two games. “Those games were my last in high school, and in the back of my mind, I knew it was my last, and I wanted to do whatever I could to help my team win. As a result, I was able to play at my best because of the pressure on those games.
“I was able to bring a lot of versatility,” Kidder said. “I was a nickel that moved inside sometimes. I blitzed off the edge, dropped into coverage, and slid into the box on run fits. They just put me in a position that best helped the defense. I was also a stand-up defensive end. It was a fun position, and I loved moving around.”
Summers bled into a competitive balance for Kidder, bridging the end of a long high school baseball season with the start of a highly anticipated travel ball season with Knights Knation.
The work for the football season, which typically starts with a foundation in the spring, picks up in intensity once June rolls around.
Catholic practiced and worked out Monday through Thursday, leaving weekends for Kidder to travel and play baseball.
A 43-game baseball season that went into May with a second straight state championship didn’t allow for a lengthy recovery time before Kidder began turning his attention to football workouts and the grind associated with building chemistry.
That’s nearly a two-month routine Kidder endured until deciding last summer his future deserved greater clarity.
Once he completed a baseball showcase event and the calendar flipped to July, Kidder was ready to focus on one sport in the future, and it was football at UL. The Ragin’ Cajuns had offered a scholarship in August and already had two of Kidder’s former football teammates on their roster in quarterback Daniel Beale and wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr.
“I wanted to play football,” said Kidder, who also received scholarship offers from Air Force, Arkansas State, Navy, Nicholls State, and Texas-San Antonio. “I was really burned out from baseball. At that point, I was really stressed out. I had to take a couple of days and figured it out, and I chose football. It was a tough decision to choose between the sports I love.
“It was definitely a hard decision, I had to take a good amount of time to think and reflect on it,” Kidder said. “I felt like I could go to a baseball game as a fan. I don’t think I could go to a football game as a student in the student section and be OK with that. I had a great opportunity at UL. I love the people there and thought it was time to commit.”
Kidder was part of UL’s 21-member signing class in December, where his versatility was a big reason for the Cajuns’ interest. He was among Catholic’s signees that also included Blaine Bradford (Ohio State) and Blaise Thomassie (Stanford).
“I grew up with most of those guys. It was really cool,” he said. “We did what we’ve been wanting to do for a long time. It was a great ceremony. It was a relief being able to know where I’m going and not have that lingering over me. It was a great feeling to have it set in stone so I could come out and play free.”
Because of his defined future in college to play football for UL, college baseball teams were apt to engage in conversations with Kidder, but never offered him scholarships.
“Most of them assumed I was playing football,” he said.
Bass knows what college baseball players look like and believes wholeheartedly Kidder fits the bill.
“He’s been as sure-handed as they come, with the ability to change an inning with his arm,” he said. “He’s just been an absolute force, and if you ask me, he’s a Division I player who’s choosing to play football. If he wanted to play baseball at the next level, this kid’s as close to five tools as they come. He can hit, he can hit with power, he can hit for average, and he’s got a cannon.”
Bass said it was never brought up to Kidder about the prospects of this year’s team and the role he would have to fill.
The Bears graduated the bulk of their senior leadership and production in the lineup with the loss of Clapinski, Louisiana’s Gatorade Player of the Year, Ruckert, Lewis, and Emonet, who accounted for 16 homers and 125 RBIs in 2025.
“There was one everyday hitter from the lineup last year that returned, and we asked him to go pick up those guys’ slack; that’s some pretty big shoes to fill,” he said of Kidder. “We’ve never had that verbal conversation, but he knew. He went to work.”
Again, Kidder didn’t feel like there was any additional burden placed on his shoulders because of the senior class he was a part of, along with a group of talented newcomers.
“I have a lot of great senior guys that will help bring everybody up,” he said. “I just try to do the best that I can. That helps people with being able to see what I do to model after me. My teammates will be more vocal than me and I appreciate that from them. We can keep everyone up as a unit and keep it going. I’m happy with the way that I played this year.”
Kidder, who batted .324 with six doubles, two homers, and 32 RBIs in ’25, is Catholic’s leader in the majority of his offensive categories.
His .419 average tops the Bears, along with his five homers and his 10 doubles, which are tied with Jude Schneider. He leads the team with three triples and 36 RBIs and is one of eight players with double-figure stolen bases with 14.
“I go one pitch at a time,” Kidder said. “I try to have the best AB that I can possibly have and let it happen. For me, it’s playing free. That’s how I play my best. Like my hair’s on fire. Letting go of everything and leaving the results up to God.”
Kidder’s had 12 multi-hit games and 12 multi-RBI games with only 11 strikeouts in 112 at bats.
“He’s had an incredible year,” Bass said. “He’s a plus-defender in the outfield and can really run as well. To get his opportunity and lead like he has and to come do it again this year has been really special.”
Kidder, who had the state’s hardest record throw from the outfield recorded at 94 miles per hour in ’25, stepped into a starting position in right field a year ago and didn’t commit an error in 55 total chances and was part of a double play.
He’s experienced an increase in the number of opportunities this season, with 20 additional chances on defense.
“Football helps,” said Kidder, who is batting .571 with five doubles and six RBIs in the playoffs. “You read a block, see the running back, and make a play. It helps that it’s simplified. I have one job, and that’s to run after the ball and throw it as hard as I can. It’s a lot simpler than making a read in football.”
Before his highlight-reel catch against Episcopal, Kidder enjoyed another such moment on April 1 against University High in a game played at LSU’s Alex Box Stadium. He took away a potential hit on a sinking liner for the final out of the inning and followed that a week later with an assist from foul territory to third base for a double play in a district game against Zachary.
“I’m a huge fan of being a multi-sport athlete because there’s no teaching tool in the world that can be compared to being third-and-one somewhere, or being at a free throw line,” Bass said. “He got to third-and-one with a really good high school football team with players all around him. He’s just continued to sharpen his iron and get more and more comfortable in the fire and really learned how to lead by example.
“He’s not a loud guy, but has great presence,” Bass said. “He’s a worker. He’s the last one to leave, picks up balls, and does all of the stuff, all the grunt work that some people try and pass on. That’s his personality. He’s an A-plus human being and what a student-athlete at Catholic High should look like.”