Dalen Powell didn’t see much significant playing time as a freshman in 2024. But in Friday’s season opener, all Ruston’s young running back appeared to see was open turf and pay dirt.
By the Bearcats’ second possession at Acadiana, the budding sophomore standout began gashing his way to four first-half scores to provide the a scoring spark to go with his team’s nasty, swarming defense throughout the night en route to an emphatic 49-7 victory.
“I came out here with a lot of confidence,” Powell said. “I knew we had to put something on the table because a lot of people were doubting us this year, so I just kept that on my mind and had to put on a show.”
Powell busted scoring runs of 72, 12 and 70 yards to help build a 21-0 lead.
And when the Wreckin’ Rams finally managed a much-needed answer with a 92-yard scamper by senior running back Troy Kennerson Jr., Powell returned the ensuing kickoff 89 yards to immediately snatch back momentum.
“You don’t expect it against a football team like Acadiana, but I know he’s got some big-play capabilities and for sure made — I mean, the kickoff return was something pretty special right along with the long runs that he had,” Ruston coach Jerrod Baugh said. “But he’s only gonna get better, and it was good to see that really early.”
The Bearcats’ defense wouldn’t allow much Friday outside of Kennerson’s long run — not only standing tall and stuffing running lanes, but often firing into the backfield and disrupting plays before they could get started.
Just of a few of the long list of highlights in the box: Senior defensive tackle Ra’Keem Potts repeatedly blew up plays inside, sophomore defensive end Braylon Osborne shot into the backfield for a big fourth-down tackle for loss and junior linebacker Keilan Davis and sophomore linebacker Aidan Adams flew around the box all night.
“I think our coaches did a really good job putting a plan together that utilizes what our guys are good at,” Baugh said. “You know, we’re undersized up front, and so we moved ’em around a little bit, and they had a tough time handling that. But I thought our guys executed the game plan really well.”
The defensive backs were just as physical with seniors Miles Brown, Trindon Moore and Kam Dean and junior Jayden Anding helping lead a sure-tackling and hard-hitting performance by the secondary.
And Anding, the younger brother of LSU freshman cornerback Aidan Anding, snatched a third-quarter interception for good measure.
“It felt great, it felt great,” Jayden Anding smiled. “My mama (Candace), she told me if I get an interception, she’s gonna pay me, so yeah!”
The Bearcats meanwhile kept taking advantage of prime opportunities on the other side of the ball.
Junior quarterback Sam Hartwell connected with big tight end Ahmad Hudson, who made an acrobatic leaping and twisting catch over a defender near the sideline and then accelerated another 40-plus yards to stretch the lead out to 35-7.
Moore and Davis were the first two of a crew of Bearcats to sniff out and snuff out a fake punt on Acadiana’s next possession.
And Hartwell and Hudson linked up again for a 42-7 stranglehold on the contest with four seconds before half.
“Our quarterback room has not dropped off at all,” Hudson smiled. “Sam has been studying (2025 Tulane signee) Josh (Brantley) and watching what Josh has done — Josh won a state championship, Sam wants to win a state championship. That’s the mentality that I need him to have and the rest of the team.”
Acadiana failed to field the opening kickoff off of the third quarter, which the Ruston cover team pounced on to set up Hartwell favorably once again, this time finding senior tight end Cullen Clark for the final points of the contest in the opening moments of the third.
“I think it just kinda snowballed on ’em” Baugh said. “And we got some breaks, some big plays, and that’s hard to recover from. I thought our kids were ready to play. Not that they weren’t. I just think big plays and then it gets out of hand. You know, I’ve been there before. I know all about that. They’re gonna be a good football team. Coach (Doug Dotson) will get ’em rallied back, and I expect for them to make a run in the playoffs.”
