Shaw senior Austin Amadeo doesn’t get many chances to handle the football. His main impact comes with how well the team captain can block opposing linebackers and defensive backs.

“Friday night, I had probably the most fun I’ve had during a game,” Amadeo said, adding that his joy came “mainly because of how well I blocked.”

A third-year varsity player used primarily as a long snapper before this season, Amadeo has an unsung role on a reigning state champion team from Shaw (8-4) that is set to face Vandebilt Catholic (11-1) in an LHSAA Division II select semifinal Friday in Houma.

His downfield blocking helped spring senior running back DeAndree Franklin on many of his 16 touchdowns this season, including the two he scored as he ran 19 times for 134 yards in a quarterfinal win against Lo

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