LAFAYETTE — As high school football state championship games wrap up across Louisiana, most teams are closing the book on their seasons. For a select group of seniors in the Acadiana area, however, one final opportunity awaits.
The inaugural Acadiana Senior Bowl will be played Dec. 20 at noon at Lafayette Christian Academy, giving more than 90 graduating players a last chance to showcase their skills while uniting the local football community.
“We have elite talent in Acadiana, and we want to put them on the stage and say guys we see you and appreciate you,” said LCA defensive coordinator Mitch Craft. “We want to unite the community.”
The event came together in a matter of days, beginning with a flurry of phone calls and text messages that quickly turned into widespread buy-in. Nearly 90 players signed up, while multiple local high school coaches volunteered to work the sidelines.
LCA head coach Matt Standiford said the game is designed with the players at the forefront.
“It’s truly exciting for these kids to get another opportunity,” Standiford said. “At the end of the day, that’s why we’re doing this. It’s not for our recognition. It’s for the 90-plus kids that are going to get an opportunity to play for the last time.”
Players from schools across Acadiana — including Carencro’s Chantz Babineaux and Notre Dame’s Drew LeJeune — will take part in the friendly competition, which also adds an element of bragging rights.
“You’ve seen it online where people say who’s the best in Acadiana, who’s the top 10, top 20 players,” Craft said. “Well, let’s get it on the field and find out. I think that’ll be fun for a lot of people.”
Beyond the showcase, the Senior Bowl also provides an avenue for recruiting. College programs such as Louisiana Christian, Nicholls State and Southeastern are expected to be in attendance, offering players additional exposure as they pursue opportunities at the next level.
“A lot of college coaches have been awesome and come in to recruit our guys,” Standiford said. “We’re looking at it as another opportunity to build that and hopefully improve their program while also benefiting these young men.”
Admission to the game will be $10 and free for children 12 and under, with organizers asking younger fans to bring a toy that will be donated to local hospitals for the Christmas holidays.
“We just want something that these kids can look back on and see that it was a great opportunity,” Craft said.
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