Berwick runs away with football opener
Staff report
Berwick, hoping to rebuild with 19 freshmen and sophomores after a 1-9 2025, hit the ground running Friday.
The Panthers piled up 375 rushing yards, including 171 and four touchdowns by freshman Reid Beadle, to beat visiting Morgan City 42-7.
Also on the opening Friday night of 2026, Central Catholic dropped a heart-breaker 22-21 to West St. Mary; Patterson fell 26-6 at Jeanerette; Haynes Academy overcame Centerville 29-6; Franklin dropped St. Martinville 36-13; and Delcambre blanked Hanson Memorial 34-0.
On Sept. 11, Morgan City goes to Eunice to play St. Edmund; Central Catholic will be at home against Loreauville; Berwick will play at Hanson Memorial; Centerville hosts Houma Christian; Jeanerette comes to West St. Mary; and Franklin will be at Lafayette High.
Berwick 42,
Morgan City 7
Beadle’s touchdown runs came on runs of 12, 6, 1 and 53 yards. His 17 carries included six runs of at least 10 yards.
Beadle wasn’t the only member of the Class of 2030 to make an impact. Freshman Aaron Rogers ran 10 times for 68 yards and a 4-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. And another ninth-grader, Bohan DeHart, intercepted two passes from Morgan City’s Johnny Lopez.
Beadle had a sack of Lopez in the game’s opening drive, which will not live fondly in Tiger memories. In 14 plays, Morgan City managed to move from its own 35 to Berwick’s 37 despite five penalties and a fumble before punting at its own 49.
But there was some gold among the dross.
Lopez hit four of six passes for 64 yards on the drive, including two for 55 yards to Gerren Hayes.
Later in the first quarter, Lopez connected with Hayes for a 29-yard score.
By then, Berwick had turned its first drive over to Beadle, who carried on eight of nine plays for 71 yards and scored on a 12-yard run.
Early in the second quarter, Beadle scored on a 6-yard run that, with the Collin LaCoste kick, gave Berwick the 14-7 lead it would never relinquish.
Jaryn Bias also scored on a 72-yard TD for Berwick.
Berwick’s defense chased Lopez all over the field, holding the Tigers to negative rushing yards. Lopez finished 16 of 24 passing for 207 yards. Kade Allen caught six passes for 26 yards, and Rashun Watkins had three for 73 yards.