Student-athletes from Catholic High School and New Iberia Senior High School were honored this week as they signed letters of intent to continue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level. 

Catholic High football players Luke Landry (Louisiana Christian University) and Gavin Roy (Community Christian College) were joined by baseball aces Lane Fenske (Louisiana State University-Eunice) and JohnDavid Hidalgo (Southwest Mississippi Community College).

Fenske, who drew attention from programs like Nebraska and Louisiana, will join a talented pitching staff at LSUE that went 56-8 last season and has remained perfect so far in 2025. 

“They’ve recruited me since the beginning,” Fenske said of the Bengals program. “We play summer ball over there and ever since talking with the coach I’ve known that was one of the top spots I wanted to be at.”

Fenske is one of Catholic High’s top pitchers and also plays several positions for the Panthers, including first base. With a 90+ mph fast ball and a tricky changeup, Fenske expects to see time on the mound at LSUE. 

Before he can focus on taking the field in purple and gold, Fenske still has  unfinished business left to handle at CHS.

“Of course, we want to win a state championship,’ he said. “As an individual, I want to continue to get better because this isn’t the end for me. The team is going to help me get better. I have bigger goals than just high school baseball.”

Fenske said he plans to major in engineering.

Also making the jump to the next level will be senior all-arounder JohnDavid Hidalgo, who signed with Southwest Mississippi Community College on Wednesday.

Hidalgo, a versatile player who can put in a shift anywhere in the infield, was also a standout linebacker for the Panthers in their state title run this fall. 

“It feels great. I’ve been waiting for this my whole life,” said Hidalgo.

While Hidalgo’s football talents earned him several accolades, his baseball abilities are even better. According to Hidalgo, the Panthers have a talented roster and a never-say-never attitude that can get them far this season.

“We’re very deep in pitchers and we have a lot of experienced hitters, so I think we can go very far,” he said. “We have what it takes to fight back and get a win, we showed that in the first game.”

Hidalgo expects to primarily play short stop at Southwest Mississippi, with rotations in the outfield as well. He plans to major in business with a focus on one day owning his own electrical company. 

Catholic’s Gavin Roy will be joined at Community Christian College by NISH guard Xavier Mogerman and safety Deantre Jackson, who both signed their letters of intent on Thursday. Roy, who played as the X receiver for the Panthers this season, is a deceptively fast player who thrives when matched up one-on-one against an opposing defense’s best player. Mogerman was one of several returning lineman for the Yellow Jackets this season. Standing at fix-foot-three and weighing just shy of 300 pounds, Mogerman excels in pass and run protection. On the other side of the ball, Deantre Jackson was one of NISH’s top defensive backs this season. Jackson reads the play well and can deliver a bone-crunching tackle or crucial interception should any QB be foolish enough to throw his direction. 

NISH runningback Shanga Charles, one of the state’s top performers in 2024, will also sign with Community Christian College on Thursday, February 20.