By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
Benton’s R.J. Moore is among nine 2021 senior prep football standouts honored tonight during the annual National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet at East Ridge Country Club in Shreveport.
The event has been staged since 1981, recognizing the cream of the crop among senior football student-athletes around north Louisiana.
Today’s featured S.M McNaughton Chapter North Louisiana NFF Scholar-Athletes are Moore and Cedar Creek’s Jed Worthey. Evan Howe of North DeSoto is the first recipient of the KTBS/Johnny’s Pizza Bob Griffin Scholarship, named in memory of the legendary local TV sportscaster who covered area high school football and other sports for over a half-century. Griffin was also on the local NFF chapter’s board of directors.
EVAN HOWE, North DeSoto High School
Not only is Howe a well-decorated football player, but he’s also been part of a championship fishing team at North DeSoto. A hard-hitting linebacker, he was a two-year first-team all-district choice and made the All-Area first team last fall, also earning All-State honorable mention.
Carrying a 3.8 grade point average, Howe was already taking high school classes in algebra and English as an eighth-grader. He has continued to challenge himself academically with Advanced Placement classes in high school.
Howe helped with hurricane relief efforts in south Louisiana last year. He plans to attend Northwestern State and will compete on the Demons’ fishing team.
R.J. MOORE, Benton High School
A wide receiver, kicker and punter for the Tigers, Moore won All-District 1-5A honors as a punter in each of the last two seasons after earning it as a punter in his sophomore year.
He earned a spot on the Academic All-State Composite Team with his 4.2 GPA (5.0 scale) that ranks 17th in his senior class of 331, and a 29 ACT score.
A National Honor Society and Beta Club member, Moore is a senior class senator on the Student Council at Benton. He played soccer for the Tigers and has been a youth soccer coach, a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a Gold Jacket and a member of the Ring Staff. He started and runs a lawn care business.
Moore will attend the University of Mississippi.
JED WORTHEY, Cedar Creek High School
A running back and safety for the Cougars, Worthey was a team captain last fall after winning a state powerlifting title last March. He will be defending that crown today in Monroe and will miss the NFF event.
He has a 4.38 GPA and recorded a score of 30 on his ACT. Worthey is president of Creek’s National Honor Society and is an advanced placement student who is a Cougar Academic All-Star.
Worthey is the Senior Class treasurer and has a wide array of volunteerism, including helping the Diabetic Care Clinic Dash to Success program, and the DART Angel Tree event. He is an elementary car line greeter at the school and a children’s day camp counselor.
On the football field, he was a first-team All-District choice and first-team Lincoln Parish Journal All-Parish. Worthey was a four-year Academic All-District selection.
Other NFF scholar-athletes are Caleb Aillet of Byrd, West Monroe’s Tag Banks, Tonzaiha Bland of Logansport, Graeme Fidelak from St. Mary’s in Natchitoches, Mangham’s Luke Gibson, and Connor Heard of Minden.
Each will receive a $500 scholarship award for their college of choice.
Head football coaches around north Louisiana nominated senior players who carry at least a 3.2 cumulative grade point average, have earned all-district honors and are involved in extracurricular activities.
The event hosted by the NFF’s S.M. McNaughton Chapter of North Louisiana begins with a social hour and silent auction at 6.