Former AHS star returns to Louisiana as member of South Alabama

Abbeville Wildcat fans of past and present can go and see a hometown product Saturday at Cajun Field.
Former Abbeville High defensive end Akeem Lewis, now a member of University of South Alabama Jaguars, will be in action when his team plays the Ragin’ Cajuns for their homecoming at 4 p.m.
Lewis lettered in football, basketball and track during his time as a Wildcat. He helped lead AHS to a berth in the state 3A playoffs as a senior.
He was also part of a Wildcat basketball team that advanced to the championship game of the state tournament in his senior year.
Lewis, now a junior, has made an impact this season for the Jaguars. He has double-digit tackles with a sack on the season.
Lewis said he is focused on the game, but is happy to come back to his home state to compete.
“It’s exciting,” he said. “It’s great because my friends haven’t seen me play in so long. It’s a big game, so I’m not really focused on it too much though.”
This is a big game indeed for both teams in the heat of the Sun Belt Conference Championship.
South Alabama (5-2, 4-1) is currently third in the conference behind UL and Georgia Southern. With a win Saturday, the Jaguars could move into second place in the conference, and Lewis said he understands how important the game is.
“This game is make it or break it for us,” he said. “We will be one of the top dogs in the conference if we win this game,”
With the pressure of a big conference game already on his shoulders, Lewis was asked about any added pressure to perform in front of friends and family.
“It’s a little pressure because you don’t want your boys to clown you and stuff,” he said. “You want to put on a show, but I’m going to just do what I have to do to help my team come out with the victory.”
The 6-foot-2-inch 250-pound defensive end extended friendly hate to all of the Ragin’ Cajun fans.
“I hate UL,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ll hate them on Saturday, but after that I’m cool. I just hate them right now.”