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Prep Baseball Louisiana: 2026 Game of the Week (Sulphur vs. Southside)

March 9, 2026
Alex Armand
Louisiana Scouting Director

The 2026 Louisiana high school baseball season officially gets rolling today, as teams across the state take the field with clean slates and championship aspirations. With every record sitting at 0–0, opening week always carries a sense of possibility—and here at Prep Baseball Louisiana, it’s easily one of our favorite times of the year. From now until the final out in May, our focus is simple: get to the ballpark, evaluate players in live-game settings, and deliver comprehensive, boots-on-the-ground coverage from around the state. With no events on the calendar during the season, it’s all about game action from start to finish.

That also means the return of our High School Game of the Week, a staple of our in-season coverage that has featured some of the Bayou State’s best matchups in recent years.

Last week's Game of the Week featured Alexandria Senior High and Acadiana with the Rams taking two of three from the Trojans.

This week, district play starts across some parts of the state, and we'll be headed to Lafayette, LA to see the Sulphur Tors take on the Southside Sharks in a District 3-5A battle. The Tors and Sharks have both exceeded expectations this spring and are now looking to get off on the right foot as district play begins. 

Sulphur vs. Southside

-Date(s) & Time(s): Tuesday March 10th @ 4 PM | Thursday March 12th @ 6 PM

-Location: Tuesday March 10th @ Southside | Thursday March 12th @ Sulphur

-Sulphur Record: 11-5

-Head Coach: Thomas Tillery

-Southside Record: 11-4-1

-Head Coach: Eli Lewellyn

Game of the Week Preview

The first month of the Louisiana high school baseball season is officially in the books, which means district play is beginning across the state. For Week 5, we head to the Lafayette area for a compelling District 3-5A matchup as the Sulphur Tors travel east to face the Southside Sharks on Tuesday March 10th at 4 PM.

Both clubs enter the series playing good baseball. Sulphur sits at 11-5 overall, while Southside owns an 11-4-1 record, setting the stage for an early district showdown between two teams looking to establish momentum in what is annually one of the toughest districts in Louisiana.

District 3-5A is loaded with contenders every season, and getting off to a strong start can go a long way toward positioning a team for a postseason run.

Sulphur High

Head Coach Thomas Tillery knew coming into the season that his group might need a little time to come together, especially with several underclassmen stepping into significant roles. However, the Tors appear to be ahead of schedule through the first month of the spring.

After opening the year with a 3-3 record, Sulphur has caught fire recently, winning six of their last seven games, including impressive victories over St. Thomas More, Grapevine (TX), and a two-game sweep of Calvary Baptist.

The Tors' pitching staff is anchored by senior Carter Wilson, a former Senior Future Gamer and McNeese State recruit who has been outstanding both on the mound and at the plate this season. Wilson currently owns a 3-2 record with a 1.27 ERA and 29 strikeouts across 27.2 innings pitched. He has been particularly dominant in his last two outings, tossing 14 innings while allowing just one earned run.

 

Sophomore Brock Trahan may not yet have a decision on the mound this spring, but he has quickly emerged as one of the most talented arms on the staff. The right-hander can run his fastball into the upper-80s and pairs it with a sharp mid-70s slider, helping him record 17 strikeouts in 14.1 innings.

 

Brock Trahan - (01/26/2026)

Junior Will Riley has also been extremely reliable for Sulphur, posting a 2-0 record with a 1.47 ERA, while freshman Weston Landry has shown plenty of promise early in his varsity career. The former Junior Future Gamer owns a 3.58 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 15.2 innings pitched.

Out of the bullpen, junior Brody Beddoe and sophomore Tucker Little have provided quality innings. Beddoe has logged 6.2 innings with a 3.15 ERA, while Little is 1-0 with a 2.63 ERA across 5.1 innings.

Offensively, Sulphur has shown the ability to put up runs in bunches, and once again, Wilson has been right in the middle of it. In addition to his success on the mound, he’s hitting .370 with a home run, eight doubles, 17 RBIs, and 19 runs scored.

Beddoe has also been productive offensively, batting .350 with five extra-base hits and 14 RBIs, while a pair of sophomores have played key roles in the Tors lineup.

Sophomore Noah Courtney is hitting .360 with five doubles and 10 runs scored, while sophomore Dalton Shirley is batting .353 with three extra-base hits, 10 RBIs, and 17 runs scored.

 

Another player trending upward is junior Cole Trahan, who has begun to heat up at the plate. Over his last three games, Trahan is 4-for-9 (.444) with four RBIs and three stolen bases.

There have been several games this season where Sulphur has had just one senior in the lineup, but the young core appears to be finding its rhythm at the right time. As district play begins, the continued development of those underclassmen will be critical for the Tors moving forward in the always challenging District 3-5A.

Southside

The Southside Sharks experienced a slightly slow start to the season, opening the year 1-2, but quickly found their stride by ripping off seven consecutive wins. After dropping a couple of games in the middle of the schedule, the Sharks responded by finishing last week strong with three straight victories.

Head Coach Eli Lewellyn's club has been fueled primarily by its pitching staff, which has been extremely consistent throughout the season. In 16 games, Southside has allowed more than five runs just twice, highlighting the overall stability of their staff.

Leading the way is senior Kannon Templet, a Coastal Alabama–North Community College recruit who has been dominant on the mound. Templet currently owns a 2-1 record with a 1.68 ERA and 31 strikeouts to only two walks across 25 innings pitched. The senior right-hander is known for his competitive nature and ability to attack the strike zone with a three-pitch mix.

Senior Carson Mathis, a Louisiana Christian recruit, has also been a key contributor, posting a 3-1 record with a 2.93 ERA.

Junior Parker Dies has been highly effective in limited action, allowing just one earned run in six innings while striking out 11, and freshman Drew Collins has impressed out of the bullpen with a 0.78 ERA and one save across nine innings pitched.

Offensively, the Sharks are a versatile group that can manufacture runs in a variety of ways. They are comfortable playing small ball, stealing bases, and applying pressure on opposing defenses.

Once again, Templet has been the catalyst for the offense as well. The senior is currently hitting .407 with two home runs, four doubles, one triple, 14 RBIs, 17 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases.

Dies has also been a major contributor at the plate, batting .360 with two home runs, five doubles, three triples, 10 RBIs, 13 runs scored, and seven stolen bases.

Senior Conner Freeman, a First-Team All-District selection last season, has continued to produce with a .311 average, along with one home run, three doubles, one triple, 14 RBIs, 15 runs scored, and seven stolen bases.

Behind the plate, senior Connor Poirrier has been a vocal leader and steady presence defensively while improving his offensive output. Poirrier is currently hitting .326 with 13 RBIs.

Senior Landen Gibson has also gotten off to a strong start, batting .342 with eight runs scored, while freshman Cohen Melancon is a young player worth watching moving forward. Although he's hitting .250, Melancon already delivered a clutch moment earlier this season with a pinch-hit RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game against Opelousas Catholic.

Overall, the Sharks feature a roster loaded with experienced upperclassmen, and that veteran presence could prove valuable throughout district play.

Summary

On paper, these two teams look remarkably similar entering the series.

Sulphur brings a young, talented roster that appears to be hitting its stride at the right time, while Southside counters with a veteran-heavy lineup that has already experienced the grind of District 3-5A competition.

And make no mistake — District 3-5A is a gauntlet.

Both teams will still have to navigate matchups against Barbe, Sam Houston, and Acadiana, making every district game incredibly important.

If either Sulphur or Southside can come away with a series sweep, they’ll gain valuable momentum and confidence heading deeper into what promises to be a dogfight of a district race.

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