YOUNGSVILLE — When Southside football got the nod to begin competition under the LHSAA, Landon Baptiste was just a freshman receiver and that was the expectation until his in his junior season.
"When we switched to this offense, we almost in a non-formal way had quarterback tryouts in the gym and we knew Landon had played quarterback in middle school and with what we were doing, we needed a guy who could run a little bit", says head coach Josh Fontenot.
"Respectfully, I didn't think I would make it as the final quarterback", says Baptiste. "I was just out there and receivers couldn't do much in the gym so they said we could try out at quarterback and I was giving my best shot and he said I could get the job."
But it wasn't until this season that he lit the Sharks' offense on fire where they averaged 37 points per game.
Southside won 11 straight games, went undefeated in District 3-5A and picked up their first ever playoff win.
"It's just my competitive nature and I don't care who does it, I just want it to get done. It's just whoever has the best opportunity to get the ball. Not about who it is, or if its me or him or the name behind it."
As well as the dual-threat QB uses his arm and legs, he uses his mind as a weapon too. He holds a 3.7 GPA, scored a 28 on the ACT and keeps busy year-round competing in basketball and track.
"It's just what I'm used to. Even when I was in middle school, I played every sport that I could. It's just how I've grown up and how it is."
Baptiste is a natural-born leader in the classroom and the locker room, but its his joy that makes it easy for others to gravitate.
"I've never been around a kid who enjoys playing more. And that's at practice and enjoys playing football. When he's not in a workout, he might be shooting in the gym just to keep himself fresh for basketball. As soon as basketball is over, he'll be ready for track. So, his personality is infectious just because he likes being around."
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