Eddie scores touchdown for Erath

ERATH — Eddie Armond is having a great senior year at Erath High School.
Armond, who was born with Down Syndrome, is always on the sidelines for home football games. He wears a football jersey and walks the sideline, with his mother Dawn right by his side.
A couple of weeks ago, the senior male students who made the powder puff court agreed to name Eddie Armond the powder puff king. So when Elijah Mitchell was named king, he handed the crown over to Eddie.
This past Friday, another first happened for Eddie.
A few days before Erath’s final home game, Dawn received a phone call from EHS head coach David Comeaux. The head coach explained to Dawn the team’s idea about letting Eddie play for one play in the Patterson game.
Nervously, Dawn gave Comeaux permission to put Eddie in the game.
“I was nervous, but excited at the same time,” said Dawn.
The day before the game, Eddie was fitted with a helmet and then practiced with the team. They worked on the play.
Before the Friday game, Coach Comeaux informed the referees and the Patterson head coach about Eddie. They all agreed to the plan.
With Erath marching down field, at the start of the second quarter, it was time for Eddie to go into the game.
The Bobcats were 20 yards from the end zone and Eddie walked onto the football field and was met by teammate Elijah Mitchell.
Mitchell showed him where to stand and Mitchell got down in a three point stand in front of Eddie. Erath quarterback Mason Granger handed Eddie the ball and he took off running up the middle.
Eddie scored and everyone, including Patterson players, congratulated him for the touchdown.
“He thought he was the hero. He said they won the game because of his touchdown,” said Dawn. “I did not have the heart to tell him Erath lost.”
Eddie was awarded the Gulf Coast Bank/Abbeville Meridional Co-Offensive Player of the Week for scoring the touchdown. He took a picture on Monday with Murphy Guilbeaux of Gulf Coast Bank.
Dawn said, thus far, Eddie’s senior year has been great.
“It has been extremely exciting. I did not expect this,” she said. “Erath students have done their best to make Eddie fit in.”