Cecilia recovers late to defeat Franklinton: Live updates, result from LHSAA Prep Classic Division II Non-Select championship game in Louisiana

Cecilia was potentially seeded No. 18 before advancing to the Division II non-select playoff round.

However, the Bulldogs were undeterred by the ranking and marched through the postseason to ultimately become state champions.

Cecilia capped a remarkable run through the playoffs when the Bulldogs got a late touchdown pass from Diesel Solari to Ellis Stewart that gave them a wild 35-32 win over top-seeded Franklinton and the Division II Non-Select title at Caesars Superdome bestowed.

The Bulldogs – who lost to Opelousas in the championship game last season – captured their second title in program history, having achieved it in 1995.

Follow The Sporting News correspondent Buck Ringgold (@Bucks_Ballpark) for all live updates and scores from Caesars Superdome.

Scroll down for live scores and match updates from kick-off to extra time. Refresh this page to get the latest information.

CECILIA 35, FRANKLINTON 32 FINAL

Refresh for updates.

AFTERMATH

– Franklinton finished the game with 416 yards of total offense (192 rushing and 224 passing), but turned the ball over three times, two of them in the final minutes. Cecilia totaled 284 yards of offense (197 rushing, 87 passing) and only had one turnover.

– Cecilia quarterback Diesel Solari was named his team’s most outstanding player.

– Cecilia rebounds late to beat Franklinton, capping a remarkable playoff run as the Bulldogs, who entered the playoffs seeded 18th, won four postseason games on the road.

FOURTH QUARTER

– CECILIA FUMBLE RECOVERY. The Bulldog defense comes through great, forcing a fumble near their 30 and making it with 26 seconds left. It looks like Cecilia will win the state championship.

– Franklinton ends up on the 28 when Sy Austin catches a pass and gains a sizable lead.

– Franklinton completes a few passes and is now at the Cecilia 40 with 39 seconds left.

– TOUCHDOWN CECILIA. Holy mackerel, what a catch. Diesel Solari throws the ball near the end zone, and the ball is tipped by a Franklinton defender, but right into the hands of receiver Ellis Stewart, who goes into the end zone for a 39-yard touchdown with 1:17 left. But the PAT is missed, leaving the Bulldogs holding a three-point lead (Cäcilia, 35-32 | 1:17, 4.)

– Cecilia makes it for the first time at the Franklinton 40 with almost two minutes left.

– FUMBLE RECOVERY CECILIA. The Bulldogs get a big advantage with Franky Frank Jr.’s fumble recovery and they have the ball near midfield with 2:47 left.

– Cecilia faces a four-and-4 at the Franklinton 42. The Bulldogs try, but a pass goes incomplete with no receiver nearby. The Demons take over with 3:21 left and Cecilia still has two timeouts.

– Cecilia catches the punt at the Franklinton 48 fair and the Bulldogs take over from there with 4:41 left.

– Franklinton gets some breathing room and a first down. But the demons can’t achieve more and will hand it over to Cecilia with less than five minutes to go.

– Fourth-and-long and Cecilia decides to take a quick kick. The ball experiences a tremendous impact and rolls right past the 1-yard line. Franklinton takes over with 8:26 left.

– Cecilia has gotten to Franklinton 20 but is fumbling. Although the Bulldogs recovered, they lost several yards over the course of the game.

– TOUCHDOWN AND TWO-POINT CONVERSION FRANKLINTON. Sy Austin gave Franklinton the lead with a 14-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter. Then, on a two-point attempt, Jacob Crain throws the ball into the hands of Jaiden Garrett on a line between two defenders. Demons now up by three (Franklinton, 32-29 | 11:45, 4.)

– Franklinton finds itself at the Cecilia 20 as the action moves to the fourth and final quarter.

THIRD QUARTER

– Franklinton got its own advantage when Skyler Williams intercepted a deep pass and returned it past midfield with nearly three minutes left in the quarter.

– Cecilia’s defender Gavin Solomon had a great second half. On the Demons’ first drive, he caught a pass inside the Franklinton 10; then intercepted a fourth-down pass as Franklinton was driving again. Cecilia still had a lead of five, almost four minutes in the third round.

HALFTIME

– Halftime at Caesars Superdome, and we just had an extremely entertaining opening half. Cecilia has a five-point lead at halftime.

SECOND QUARTER

– FIELD GATE FRANKLINTON. Demons drive it across the field and get into range of the field goal. They get it on the last play of the first half when Gabriel Ezell gets the ball from 36 yards out (Cäcilia, 29-24 | :00, 2.)

– TOUCHDOWN CECILIA. The Bulldogs covered 64 yards in 12 plays and scored again just before halftime when Braylon Calais went in from a yard out. Cecilia then adds the PAT. (Cäcilia, 29-21 | :28, 2.)

– Cecilia is 3-for-3 on fourth-down conversions, and all three were scored by Braylon Calais, who took a pitch with under two minutes left and passed it inside the Franklinton 40.

– TOUCHDOWN FRANKLINTON. Demons get within one when Sy Austin goes around the left side and scores from 13 yards out. Franklinton fakes the PAT again and attempts a pass, but it is deflected, leaving Cecilia in front. (Cäcilia, 22-21 | 3:01, 2.)

– Franklinton is on the move again as the Demons convert on third down with a pass from QB Jacob Crain at the Cecilia 20.

– TOUCHDOWN AND TWO-POINT CONVERSION CECILIA. QB Diesel Solari ends the drive with a 1-yard keeper, and the Bulldogs also add two more points on a run by Braylon Calais, who caught the fake punt pass to keep the TD drive going. (Cecilia, 22-15 | 8:14, 2.)

– Cecilia faces another fourth down and gets the ball again as the Bulldogs now have a first-and-goal at the 9.

– Cecilia is forced to poke. But IT’S A FAKE. The Bulldogs give Franklinton the lead with a few tricks when the punter takes the snap and then throws a pass to an open receiver, Braylon Calais, who deflects it near the Franklinton 20.

– A very entertaining first quarter comes to an end with Cecilia now behind but the Bulldogs in possession of the ball.

FIRST QUARTER

– TOUCHDOWN AND TWO-POINT CONVERSION FRANKLINTON. On a third-and-short from the 5, Demon QB Jacob Crain sneaks in and plows his way past the goal line. Then demons line up to kick the PAT, but it’s a fake. Holder Conner Magee’s pass goes to a wide-open Sy Austin in the end zone, and Franklinton takes the lead back with a successful trick. (Franklinton, 15-14 | :40, 1.)

– Franklinton converts on a fourth down and the Demons are now in the red zone in the final minutes of the first quarter.

– Cecilia tries an onside kick and almost gets it, but Franklinton catches it at the last moment. Demons take over the midfield.

– TOUCHDOWN CECILIA. At least Diesel Solari gets a TD by letting the goalie run around the right side and inside from 6 meters away. The Bulldogs added the PAT as part of their first lead of the night. (Cecilia, 14-7 | 6:15, 1.)

– Cecilia almost scored a touchdown on her first play from scrimmage when QB Diesel Solari broke free on a draw and went 83 yards. But officers determined he was on the ground at 1 Franklinton. Then the Bulldogs were accused of a false start.

– TOUCHDOWN CECILIA. Wow, what a response from the Bulldogs on the ensuing kickoff as Braylon Calais takes the ball 88 yards to the house. PAT ensures order (7-7 | 9:29, 1.)

– TOUCHDOWN FRANKLINTON. A very great opening attack by the Demons, capped off by a 6-yard run from Sy Austin, who makes a pitch to the right side and catches it. PAT is good (Franklinton, 7-0 | 9:42, 1st)

– Franklinton already passed midfield and the Cecilia 30 in the opening play of the game.

– Cecilia will give the impetus to start the game.

FOREPLAY

– I’m coming from Caesars Superdome, where Cecilia is taking on Franklinton for the Division II Non-Select state championship.

ABOUT CECILIA (11-3)

The Bulldogs, who played for the Division II non-select title last season, opened the playoffs with a 50-29 win over No. 15 Pearl River in the regionals. Then in the quarterfinals, Cecilia defeated No. 2 Lutcher 49-41 before defeating No. 6 Plaquemine 55-35.

Cecilia — seeking its first title since 1995 — is led by one of the state’s best dual-threat quarterbacks: senior Diesel Solari, who led the Bulldogs to the Superdome last season.

ABOUT FRANKLINTON (12-1)

Franklinton, which has won a state championship (2010) and three state runner-up finishes, also has solid offensive numbers in the playoffs.

The Demons (12-1) defeated No. 16 West Feliciana (42-21), No. 8 Lakeshore (41-40) and No. 5 Iowa (35-29) to get to New Orleans and average of 38.3 points per game.