Four from Vermilion Parish ink on National Signing Day

Three Vermilion Parish football players and one softball player signed with the colleges of their choice on Wednesday.
Vermilion Catholic’s Travin “Tiki” Moore signed as a preferred walk-on with the University of Louisiana football team, while North Vermilion’s Kiaron Rudd signed a letter of intent with Louisiana Christian and Erath’s Dylan Duhon signed a letter of intent with the University of Arkansas-Monticello. Erath softball player Bailey Smith signed with Baton Rouge Community College.

Travin Moore

Moore plans to major in biology and hopes to contribute in any way he can for the Ragin’ Cajuns. He was a standout on offense, defense and special teams for the Eagles, who advanced to the Division IV select school championship game this past season.
Moore said that assistant coach Mike Giuliani said he felt Moore would be a good fit for the Cajuns athletically and academically. He plans to major in biology.
“It’s real close to home,” Moore added. “It’s been a school I’ve looked toward since I was a kid.”
Moore’s father, Travin, was a defensive back at UL Monroe in the early 2000s.
“Even though he played at ULM, he’s going to support me at UL, until we play ULM,” the younger Moore said with a chuckle.
The elder Moore said he’s proud his son has the opportunity to play in Lafayette. He said he enjoyed his time in Monroe and the coaches cared for and took care of him during his career there, so that’s why he’s stayed true to the school.
“Basically what I’m looking for out of my son’s career is just him having fun, and finding himself and making his own pathway,” he said. “Not really following in my footsteps, but creating his own footsteps.”
VC head football coach Broc Prejean said that the Cajuns will evaluate Moore once he steps foot on campus to see where he’d make the best contribution to the team.
“I think they’re going to get him in camp and evaluate his skill set from there,” Prejean said. “I don’t think they’ve pinned him for (a particular position) yet. They just know they want him on campus.
“I think he can wear a lot of hats for those guys. Coach Giuliani did a good job of recruiting him throughout the year, so I feel it’s a really good spot for him because I can tell they really want him on campus.”
“The one thing I took out of the whole process is, the recruiter, Mike Giuliani, really showed that he cared for him, and I felt like he was in good hands with Giuliani, because he was so passionate about getting Tiki there,” the elder Moore said. “There’s no doubt, the only reason he chose them was because of Giuliani’s passion and commitment.”
His son said he’s looking forward to getting on campus. Moore rushed for 804 yards and 17 touchdowns and caught 13 passes for 151 yards and three TDs, scoring 138 total points after also contributing TDs on defense and special teams.
“I just want to go work, have fun and see the field, no matter where I’m at,” Moore said of what position he’ll play.
Prejean said the school does a good job of getting players in and giving them opportunities to play.
“I think they do a good job of starting early,” he said. “They run four teams, they give everybody a chance to put some plays on film and then they’re honest about their evaluation. I don’t think they necessarily care who it is, they just want to put their best players out (on the field).”
Besides being a good athlete, Moore shows strong leadership, the coach said.
“I think that’s one of the biggest things he has going for him — who he is in the classroom, who he is in the hallways, who he is in the weight room,” Prejean said. “He’s just a tremendous young man, and I think he makes any program better just by being a part of it.”

Kiaron Rudd

Rudd also stood out on offense, defense and special teams for the Patriots. He led North Vermilion with 840 yards and 11 TDs on the ground, and had six catches for 109 yards and a TD, scoring 72 total points.
But he expects to play cornerback at LCU, formerly known as Louisiana College. He plans to major in business management.
“I was pushing toward the defensive side in college, but as the season progressed I realized I could basically play anywhere,” Rudd said.
Rudd said coaches for the Wildcats had come to some workouts before last season at NV, and had been watching him even before he started playing on both offense and defense.
“I had a really good season, and they offered me (a spot on the team),” he said, adding that he’d looked at several other schools. “Besides having the best offer, they also made it clear to me that if I go over there and handle my business, I have high odds of playing as a freshman.”
Playing early was one thing he wanted to have the chance to do, he said.
Rudd said he was proud to have been part of North Vermilion’s success this past season.
“No one really thought we had a chance of making it to the playoffs, so making it to the playoffs was a big step for us,” he said. “And then when we made it to the third round, we were the first team ever in our school’s history (to get that far in the football playoffs), so it felt good to be on that history-making team.”
“I’m very proud of the hard work that he has put in to get himself to this point,” NVHS head coach Brett Blakey said. “Now he has a wonderful opportunity in front of him and I’m very excited to see what he will do with it.”

Dylan Duhon

Duhon also was very excited about his opportunity at Arkansas-Monticello. A punter and placekicker who earned all-district honors at both spots, he’ll try out at both positions for the Boll Weevils.
“I’m ecstatic about it,” he said. “I honestly can’t wait. It’s a whole new atmosphere, a bunch of new experiences. I’m pumped for it. I’m working my butt off right now trying to prepare for all that.”
Duhon said the school sent him in a message out of the blue in October, and he visited the school for a game in November and had an official visit in January, with the school offering him a scholarship. He enjoyed the campus and the small-town atmosphere.
“It’s a really beautiful campus,” he said. “It’s one of the best colleges for nursing degrees in the whole state of Arkansas, which is going to be my major, so it worked out really good for me.
“I had a great time talking to coach (Hud) Jackson. He’s a fantastic person. When I got over there, he made me feel like someone wanted me. That’s the main thing that pushed me over there.”
Erath head coach Eric LeBlanc said Duhon has been a leader of the team on and off the field.
“As a coach, it’s satisfying to watch a kid set goals, put in the effort to achieve them and receive the desired outcome at the end,” LeBlanc said. “I’m proud of him and his commitment to excellence over the years, and I know that his greatest accomplishments are still ahead of him. I can’t wait to watch him represent Big Blue Nation and his family at the next level.”
Duhon said he was grateful for the supportive coaching staff at Erath that’s backed him up his entire career.
“It’s freaking awesome,” he said. “I had the whole town of Erath basically cheering me on.”
Before he gets to his college career, though Duhon will finish up the soccer season. He’s the goalkeeper for the boys’ team that will open the playoffs today at Cecilia.
“My class is the first class in Erath soccer history to win a district championship,” Duhon said. “I feel we can do something great the rest of this year for sure in soccer.”

Bailey Smith

Smith, a pitcher and utility player, signed Wednesday with Baton Rouge Community College, which is coached by Mark Suire.
Suire is an Abbeville native who coached softball at Abbeville High, Delcambre and Catholic of New Iberia and who also coached at St. Edmund.