2024 Louisiana Year In Review (#1): Jake McCann's Go-Ahead State Title Game Double
December 31, 2024
Alex Armand
Louisiana Scouting Director
It's always good to reflect at the end of each calendar year, and with 2024 nearing a close, our staff has had time to reflect upon what a great year it has been. In keeping with the theme of "Reflection", we've decided to bring to you the Top-5 moments from the past year. There were plenty of standout performances at our own showcase events, as well as exciting moments during the spring high school baseball season. Be sure to follow us, across all of our social media platforms, as we release the top moments of 2024 over the coming days, and get ready for an even better 2025!
LOUISIANA TOP 5 MOMENTS OF 2024
#1: Jake McCann's Go-Ahead State Title Game Double
University Lab had one of the more memorable runs during the 2024 high school baseball season. The Cubs faced off against their bitter rival Parkview Baptist in the semifinals, in what turned out to be one of the better games of the 2024 LHSAA State Tournament. University Lab outlasted the Eagles by a score of 2-1 in 9 innings to advance to the State Title Game against two-time defending State Champion St. Charles Catholic. The Comets led the Cubs for the entirety of the State Title game, which at one point looked like an insurmountable lead, as the Comets led by 8-1 after five innings. University Lab cut into that deficit, as St. Charles Catholic took an 8-5 lead into the top of the 7th inning, needing just three outs to claim their third consecutive State Championship, but the Cubs would have other plans. University Lab cut the Comets deficit to 8-7 with the bases loaded and two outs. That's when junior Jake McCann would come through with the biggest at-bat of the year for the Cubs. After working a full count, McCann would deliver a bases-clearing double to put University Lab ahead by a score of 10-8. The Cubs would go on to close the game out in the bottom of the 7th inning to seal their first State Title in school history.
#2: Catholic High's Historic Season Ends With A State Title
The 2023 season left Catholic with a sour taste in their mouth. The Bears were the undeniable favorite to win the State Title that year, and their season was ended in the semifinal round at the LHSAA State Tournament at the hands of Archbishop Rummel. Needless to say, Catholic didn't need any extra motivation heading into 2024. Expectations were as high as they've ever been for Head Coach Brad Bass and company, and they exceeded even the highest of those expectations. On opening weekend, Catholic made a statement to everyone in the state by sweeping West Monroe (2024 Non-Select Division I State Champion) in a three-game series, and they never really slowed down. Led by a strong junior and senior class and a slew of talented underclassmen, the Bears finished the regular season with a 32-2 record and entered the playoffs as the #1 seed. Catholic then proceeded to steam roll the competition in the playoffs, as they outscored their opponents 51-3 over their six post-season games, on route to winning the State Championship. It was a dominating run for the 2024 Catholic High Bears and they don't look to be slowing down any time soon.
#3: John Pearson's State Title Game Home Run Propels West Monroe To State Title
West Monroe and Barbe are located on two opposite ends of the state with the Rebels hailing from up north in Monroe, LA and the Bucs down south in Lake Charles, LA. Even though the two teams are nearly four hours apart, they've built quite the rivalry, as the two teams have matched up in big game after big game, over the course of the last few years. In 2023, the two teams met for the LHSAA Non-Select D-I State Title Game and West Monroe took a commanding 5-1 lead into the 7th inning, needing to get just three outs to secure back-to-back State Titles. Unfortunately for the Rebels, Barbe came storming back in that 7th inning by scoring nine runs to defeat West Monroe for the State Title. Fast-forward to 2024 and the Bucs and Rebels met once again in the State Title game, and with the Rebels up 2-0 in the 3rd inning, senior John Pearson stepped up to the plate and unloaded on a pitch up in the zone for a no-doubt solo homerun that really shifted the momentum of the game the Rebels way, as they'd go on to defeat Barbe for their second State Title in the last three seasons.
#4: Teurlings Catholic Wins State Title In 11 Inning Thriller
Teurlings Catholic finished the 2024 regular season with a 17-11-1 record and entered the Select Division II playoffs as the #2 seed. The Rebels defeated #15 seed David Thibodaux in the second round and then beat one of their rivals, #7 seed Lafayette Christian, in the quarterfinals to advance to the State Tournament. In the semifinals, they faced off against #3 seed Vandebilt Catholic and in the bottom of the 7th, 2025 Ryan Berard connected for a walk-off RBI single to seal the Rebels 3-2 win over the Terriers. That semifinal win set up the finale, as the Rebels faced #1 seed St. Louis Catholic for the State Title. Teurlings Catholic took an early 2-0 lead in the Top of the 1st, before St. Louis Catholic came back in to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the 6th. The game then turned into a pitcher's duel from the 7th inning on, and 2026 LHP Evan Vincent was brilliant in relief for the Rebels. The Louisiana-Lafayette recruit tossed six shutout innings and gave up only one unearned run with four strikeouts, as two of those strikeouts came in the bottom of the 11th inning when the Rebels sealed the 3-2 win over the Saints to win the Select Division II State Title.
#5: Louisiana Finishes The Future Games Undefeated
The 2024 Future Games will go down as a memorable one for Louisiana. In front of 400+ college coaches, representing every conference in the country, this year's group from the Bayou State went a perfect 3-0 for the first time ever. Looking back at past Louisiana Future Games rosters, this year's team may not have been the most talented, but this group had a bunch of players who were more concerned about winning a baseball game than any individual performance. The 2024 Louisiana Future Games pitching staff will go down as one of the best in the state's history, as they only allowed a combined six runs over twenty four innings of play and struck out a combined thirty three hitters. The offense was equally impressive and each guy was focused on doing their job to help the team win. 2026 Myles Ledoux (Barbe HS) led the way for Louisiana, as he finished with six total hits, which was good for tops at the entire event. The Boot Boys showed the entire country what Louisiana baseball is all about at the 2024 Future Games...toughness, grit, and a refuse to lose attitude.
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