Two-time LHSAA champion transfer becomes spark for River Oaks football

Cameron Bagwell is relishing his time at River Oaks School. The senior, who has transferred from a two-time LHSAA championship program, has become a vital component in Sterlington's back-to-back Division III nonselect victories. River Oaks has established itself as one of the top programs in the MAIS over multiple seasons, clinching a national championship in 2024 and their fourth overall MAIS title last November.

River Oaks has now secured 14 consecutive wins following their season-opening triumph against Tallulah Academy, which they achieved on Friday, Aug. 14 at Woody Boyles Stadium. Coach Bo Barton celebrated his 200th career coaching win in the victory. "That's been great for the school. This atmosphere has changed," Barton remarked on the team's recent success. "We went from being everybody's homecoming to being a team that everybody respects and worries about when they get ready to play us."

Since last fall's championship, the program has seen a significant number of seniors graduate, leaving seven seniors currently on the roster. These seniors quickly made an impact against Tallulah. Byron Price and junior Andrew Robinson started the scoring in the first half, with Price breaking through the defense for a long touchdown and Robinson finding daylight to score his first of two touchdowns. Senior Conner Hayman added to the offense by connecting with Robinson in the third quarter.

Bagwell was instrumental in the Mustangs' performance, making an impact on both sides of the ball. He set the tone with a tackle on the first play of the Tallulah game and broke free for a long touchdown run in the third quarter. Many of Bagwell's former Sterlington teammates cheered him on from the stands and took a group photo postgame. "It means so much. These are my guys," Bagwell expressed on the support. "Everybody over here is my family. They took me in as a freshman at Sterlington, so I'll never forget about them."

As a former Sterlington player, Bagwell had to adjust to being a two-way player at River Oaks. He accumulated 77 tackles (10 TFLs) last fall for the Panthers. "It's really the stamina and having to get my endurance right," Bagwell admitted on the adjustments. "I've never really been running the ball down the field and then have to come back and play defense. (I've) been getting some extra running in at practice and working out and then hydrating. That's all that is. But I will do whatever I can to help my team win."

Hayman praised Bagwell, stating, "Bags, he's a really special guy. He's a killer on the field, especially on defense. I enjoy watching and playing with him... He's an athlete, so he's going to get after it. He just does what the coaches tell him, and they just put him in the best position possible."

Although the game against Tallulah wasn't flawless, the Mustangs remained positive. They dropped passes during the match and faced a challenging 28-0 deficit after the third quarter. River Oaks aims to enhance their blocking skills in the future. Hayman emphasized the team's focus on unity, stating, "We've got to keep putting in the work, keep going to practice, having each other's back, definitely picking each other up, and we're going to keep growing. It's going to be a great season."