North Louisiana has been kind to the Dallas Cowboys, especially over the past couple of decades. Fair Park’s Morris Claiborne was a first-round selection of Dallas in 2012, while West Monroe products like Xavier Woods (Louisiana Tech) and Bradie James (West Monroe) made significant impacts in the Metroplex.

Currently, former Neville superstar KaVontae Turpin is one of the NFL’s biggest threats in the return game.

But Sunday was a treat for Caddo and Bossier parishes as three local products were among Dallas’ 22 starters when it hosted the Chicago Bears at AT&T Stadium.

The offense was led by former Haughton star Dak Prescott. On defense, safeties Donovan Wilson (Woodlawn) and Israel Mukuamu (Parkway).

You could say it was a good day.

Prescott tossed two touchdowns and ran for another. Wilson battled cramps, but led the team with seven solo tackles while Mukuamu registered three stops during the Cowboys’ 49-29 whipping of Da Bears.

“We have a deep room. The whole defense,” Dallas safety Jevon Kearse said. “Every guy we throw on the field can play at a high level. The coaches believe in all these guys because they prove it during the week.”

Wilson leads the Cowboys in tackles this season with 51. He’s already recorded three sacks and an interception. Mukuamu enjoyed the third start of his career – all this season.

On offense Sunday, Prescott started to look like the player who led the No. 1 offense in the league last season. In his second start since missing five weeks with a broken bone in his throwing hand, No. 4 completed 21 of 27 passes for 250 yards.

“We had to understand the team we have, the defense we have and reward these guys — get them some touchdowns,” Prescott said.

Cowboys fans – and owner Jerry Jones – were probably most excited by Prescott’s 7-yard run to kick off the scoring in the first quarter.

When Prescott crossed the goal line, he spread his arms out wide.

“That was for Jerry,” Prescott said. “You asked for (me to run) and you got it.”

Much is made of Prescott’s ability to make plays with this right arm, but his legs have always been able to add a needed dimension.

“I can open this offense even more,” said Prescott, who totaled 34 yards on five carries.

The Cowboys improved to 6-2, but still trail undefeated Philadelphia (7-0) in the NFC East.

Not bad considering Prescott’s extended absence.

“I would have taken this in a minute, I would’ve walked to Chicago to get it,” Jones said.

If Dallas hopes to make noise in the playoffs for the first time in 25 years, it’s clear the Shreveport-Bossier City area will be a major player.

“(Sunday) was a huge step, especially going into the bye week,” Prescott said. “We can win any way we need to – with defense, by throwing the ball, running the ball or a complete win like today.” 

Contact Roy at roylangiii@yahoo.com

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JOURNAL SPORTS

NEW ORLEANS – A stifling New Orleans defense combined with a strong performance by Alvin Kamara led the Saints to a 24-0 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in the Caesars Superdome on Sunday.

The win, which improved New Orleans’ record to 3-5, marked the first time the Saints have had shutouts in back-to-back seasons since the 1991 and 1992 campaigns.

“I think anytime you get to get a shutout in a game, I think that is huge,” said New Orleans head coach Dennis Allen. “They are hard to come by in our league and you know the defense was challenged this week in terms of stepping up and playing the way we are capable of playing.

“I think they came out and played with energy, passion, and I thought they played with a swagger – which was good to see.”

The Saints’ defense — which held the Raiders to 12 first downs, 38 rushing yards, and 145 passing yards – did not allow the Las Vegas offense to cross midfield until 2:19 remaining in the fourth quarter.

With his half-sack of Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr on Sunday, Cameron Jordan now has sacks against 28 of the NFL’s teams. Carr was the 44^th player the Saints’ defensive end has sacked in his career.

Defensive ends David Onyemata and Payton Turner also recorded sacks. Onyemata tallied his first sack of the season while Turner added his first two sacks of the season.

Linebacker Pete Werner led the Saints with 11 tackles (seven solo) and tipped a pass that was intercepted by safety Tyrann Mathieu in the second quarter.

“I was just trying to get to the ball,” said Mathieu, who also had four total tackles. “I think tips and overthrows are a big part of the game. It’s cool to make a play for the team at any time.”

Making plays for the Saints on offense was Kamara, who became the first player in NFL history to record 10 games with at least one rushing and one receiving touchdown in his first six seasons.

Kamara led the team in both rushing (62 yards on 18 carries with 1TD) and receiving (nine receptions for 96 yards and 2TDs). His 3-yard scoring run in the first quarter was Kamara’s first touchdown of the season.

Kamara’s 16-yard touchdown pass from Andy Dalton with a 37-yard Will Lutz field goal in the second quarter gave the Saints a 17-0 lead at the half. His second touchdown reception (36 yards) came in the third quarter.

“Anytime I can get those touches in bunches and early and often, I can get going and really impact the game,” said Kamara. “I feel like I can do that every game. Luckily, I was able to get some plays dialed up that put the ball in my hands.”

Dalton completed 22-of-33 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns with a 117.2 passer rating.

“I think by far this is the most complete game that we’ve played up to this point and I think it shows what we can do when we play the right way,” said Dalton. “For us, we got to keep that going, keep that as the mindset and the mentality that this is how we expect to play.”

The Saints return to the field on Monday, Nov. 7, when they host the Baltimore Ravens (5-3) in the Caesars Superdome.

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By ROY LANG III, Journal Sports

The Airline Vikings wrapped up at least a share of the District 1-5A championship with a victory against Parkway on Thursday.

The Vikings have stars all over the field on offense, but Cameron Jefferson was the story at M.D. Ray Field.

The senior hauled in eight catches for 126 yards and added two rushing touchdowns — a 12-yard score to start the game and a 3-yard score to punctuate the evening.

“I’m blessed to be around this group – they are champions,” Jefferson said. “We’ve set the tone (for the classes behind us).” 

Simon brothers, Calvary

In their 63-0 victory over Lakeside Thursday night, the Cavaliers ran just seven plays in the first quarter with three of those TD runs (25 yards, 37 yards, 1 yard) by sophomore running back/cornerback James Simon. Calvary ran just five plays in the second quarter and two of those were TD catches (11 and 20 yards) by junior wide receiver Jay Simon. 

Garrett Burns, Evangel

In a game where Huntington held the Eagles’ powerful air attack to just 65 yards, Burns carried the load on the ground in the 21-14 victory Friday night. Before he left with an injury in the fourth quarter, the junior WR amassed 125 yards rushing. 

John Solomon, Huntington

The Raiders’ senior RB/CB rushed for 123 of his 131 yards in the first half and scored a TD and 2-point conversion to give Huntington the lead at the half. The Raiders eventually fell to Evangel 21-14 on Friday night. 

Loyola defenders

In the spirit of giving, we opt to reward more than one player again. Not only did the Flyers pull off a convincing upset (41-22) of North Caddo at Messmer Stadium, they stymied what had been one of the most productive offenses in the area.

The Flyers used a strength-in-numbers approach to quell Titans superstar wideout Omarion Miller. A group of Flying Snoopys that included Jon Ebarb, James Scott Wojtkiewicz, Casey Wall, and Colin Lirette helped limit Miller to 37 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown.

The previous receiving low of the season for Miller, a 6-foot-2, 196-pounder, was an 88-yard effort against West Ouachita. Miller has six 100-yard games, including a 243-yard destruction of Neville, this season.    

Contact Roy at roylangiii@yahoo.com

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JOURNAL SPORTS

The final week of the regular season will mark the last chance for some teams to win and make it into the playoffs, win and move up and secure a home playoff date or just keep its position in the bracket.

The week will start off with one District 1-4A game between Huntington and Bossier playing at Independence Stadium.

District championships don’t play into the playoff brackets; they just put a trophy in the trophy case.

Northwood will travel on Friday to Stonewall to face North DeSoto with a chance to finish in a tie for first in District 1-4A and a co-championship.

Calvary will travel across town to play Loyola for the District 1-2A title.

Week 10 Schedule

Thursday’s game 

District 1-4A 

Bossier (0-9, 0-6) vs. Huntington (5-4, 4-2), Independence Stadium 

Friday’s games 

District 1-5A 

Benton (6-3, 5-1) at Parkway (7-2, 4-2), Preston Crownover Stadium

Southwood (0-9, 0-6) at Airline (6-3, 6-0), M.D. Ray Field at Airline Stadium

Byrd (6-3, 3-3) at Natchitoches Central (3-6, 2-4), Turpin Stadium

Haughton (5-4, 3-3) vs. Captain Shreve (4-5, 1-5), Lee Hedges Stadium 

District 1-4A

Northwood (7-2, 5-1) at North DeSoto (9-0, 6-0)

Evangel (5-4, 4-2) at BTW (1-8, 1-5), Leonard C. Barnes Stadium

Minden (3-6, 2-4) vs. Woodlawn (3-6, 2-4), Independence Stadium 

District 1-2A

Green Oaks (2-7, 0-4) at Lakeside (4-5, 0-4)

Calvary (7-2, 4-0) at Loyola (5-3, 4-0), Messmer Stadium

North Caddo (6-3, 2-2) at D’Arbonne Woods (6-3, 2-2) 

District 1-1A

Arcadia (6-3, 2-3) at Plain Dealing (0-9, 0-5)

Magnolia (1-8, 1-4) at Ringgold (1-8, 1-4)

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By RYNE BERTHELOT, Journal Sports

It wasn’t supposed to be a banner year for LSU’s secondary.

There was no “next man up,” no underclassman that would suddenly take the defense to new heights. There were no surefire first-round picks that the Tigers have produced in past seasons.

Instead, new head coach Brian Kelly had to rely on a slew of transfers, almost all of whom have ties to Louisiana.

Colby Richardson (McNeese State), Joe Foucha (Arkansas) and Greg Brooks, Jr. (Arkansas), all hail from the New Orleans area. Mekhi Garner transferred to LSU after Billy Napier left Louisiana-Lafayette to take the head coaching job at Florida. Major Burns (Georgia), a transfer from last year’s class, is from Baton Rouge. Jarrick Bernard-Converse (Oklahoma St.), played at Evangel Christian Academy in Shreveport. Sevyn Banks (Ohio St.) is the lone transfer with no immediate ties to Louisiana.

With a mostly-bare cupboard and most of the starting spots in the secondary open for competition, tough questions and low expectations clouded a unit that was seen as the Tigers’ weak spot entering the season.

Now, eight games in, the Tigers’ mix-and-match secondary has developed to hold its own well enough to keep LSU competitive with almost any team in the nation. Two of those transfers were recently named among the top 50 impact transfers in college football this season by ESPN — Garner was ranked No. 16, while Brooks earned the No. 25 spot on the list.

Garner was a hot commodity coming out of ULL, and has cemented himself atop the depth chart at cornerback, with Bernard-Converse and Richardson rotating at the other spot. Garner’s reputation in pass coverage followed him to LSU, where he’s allowed a reception on just 48 percent of the attempts opposing quarterbacks have thrown his way, according to Pro Football Focus.

Brooks, a safety, was thrown into the fire early after Burns went down with an injury. Foucha missed the Tigers’ first four games with an academic stumble. He was a multi-year starter at Arkansas and helped the Tigers secure their win against Auburn with a key interception.

While LSU’s secondary has certainly exceeded expectations and kept the Tigers in their fair share of games, the unit still leaves something to be desired in some categories: They’ve allowed an opposing passer rating of 124.63, 45th-best in the nation, and have been complicit in allowing opposing offenses to convert on 38-percent of their third downs, 70th in the nation.

Possibilities for LSU’s best defender — aside from Garner — don’t even play in the secondary.

Shreveport-Evangel Christian product Micah Baskerville, a linebacker, is tied for third in the nation among linebackers with four pass breakups, and has allowed just 10 catches on 23 targets this season. He’s also been the Tigers’ busiest tackler, leading the team with 33.

Baskerville had to earn time in Kelly’s defense, but has made himself indispensable on passing downs for LSU: No other linebacker in the SEC comes close to Baskerville’s 48-percent completion percentage, with Mississippi State’s Nathaniel Watson second at 62 percent with 20 or more targets.

LSU has proudly billed itself as one of the best schools in the nation for defensive backs in past years, adopting the moniker “DBU.”

That title may not ring completely true this season, but LSU’s secondary can still contend with any in the SEC.

Rest assured, there’s still a “no-fly zone” in place in Baton Rouge.

Contact Ryne at rgberthelot@gmail.com

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By ROY LANG III, Journal Sports

Saturday, the Shreveport Mudbugs authored an impressive way to bounce back from a 3-0 loss to Oklahoma on Friday – for 52 minutes, anyhow.

The final 8 minutes? A nightmare worthy of a Halloween weekend.

Up three goals and on the power play, Shreveport surrendered a short-handed goal with 7:32 left and then two more goals in the next 4:51. In overtime, Oklahoma needed less than 4 minutes to cap the wild rally and punctuate an ominous start to Shreveport’s five-week road trip.

“We just didn’t finish the job,” Mudbugs head coach Jason Campbell told the Journal. “We had been giving them some good chances all weekend they didn’t capitalize on. Our power play just didn’t compete enough, and they buried one on us.”

There have been concerns about the Mudbugs’ power-play unit early this season. Sixteen games in, it’s officially a problem. The Mudbugs have scored nine goals, which is about average in the North American Hockey League. However, they have allowed a league-worst five short-handed goals.

Shreveport has allowed as many shorties as the other seven teams in the South Division combined.

The Mudbugs allowed just four short-handed goals in the 60-game 2016-17 season, and also the 60-game 2017-18 season.

“You have to be able to outwork your opponent, even when you’re up one player,” Campbell said. “We didn’t have the right mind-set. They were down three goals and killing a penalty. They needed to press for goals no matter what.” 

Last week’s 3 Stars

1. Niklas Miller, scored twice Saturday, including a power-play goal midway through the third period to give Shreveport a 3-0 lead. And then things went downhill.
2. Garrett Steele, scored early in the third period Saturday to give his team a 2-0 advantage.
3. Jaden Goldie, hit the scoresheet with another assist Saturday. 

NAHL South Division standings

Lone Star (13-1-1), 27 points

New Mexico (9-2-1), 19

Oklahoma (9-2-0), 18

Amarillo (7-4-1), 15

Shreveport (6-7-3), 15

Odessa (6-7-1), 13

El Paso (5-7-0), 10

Corpus Christi (2-11-1), 5

*top four make the playoffs 

Team leaders

Goals: Logan Gotinsky, Niklas Miller, Garrett Steele, 5

Assists: Jaden Goldie, Drake Morse, 7

Points: Gotinsky, Goldie, Morse, 9

Penalty Minutes: Maksim Sushchynski, 37

Game-winning goals: Miller, Gotinsky, Morse, Sutton Murray, Goldie 1

Goals-against average: Simon Bucheler, 2.22

Save percentage: Bucheler, .918

Up next

The Mudbugs head to Albuquerque for a series against New Mexico, Friday and Saturday (7:30 p.m., CDT).

Contact Roy at roylangiii@yahoo.com

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By Royal Alexander/Opinion

I sometimes believe that it would be difficult to be any more surprised about national developments, but I find I continue to be mistaken about that.

Early voting for the November midterm elections is well under way as Nov. 8th, Election Day, approaches. So, what has President Biden touted as his — and, derivatively, his Democrat Party’s — closing message to the American people before the election? What economic, domestic, or foreign policy achievement does he point to, to assist his party in their election efforts?

Abortion on demand for any reason up to and during the birth process, and without anesthetic to reduce the pain during the killing of innocent children; Transgenderism, including child genital mutilation without a parent’s consent.

These are the two issues he’s highlighted in the last two weeks.

Well, needless to say, they are not high on the list of voter priorities, but the President is desperate for any possible method of distracting voters from the reality they live every day.

He really doesn’t have anything else.

Our nation is mired in the highest inflation since the Jimmy Carter Administration. Americans feel its crushing impact when they go to the store for food, fill up their car with gas, try to keep up with their bills, review their depleted savings and the diminished value of their retirement pensions, as well as realizing their paycheck simply doesn’t go as far.

While millions of Americans struggle with these rising costs right in front of them such as for food, gas, and child-care, they are also smart enough to know that inflation is the hidden but very real “Biden tax” they pay for every single economic activity, directly hurting them and their families. It is estimated that right now inflation is costing the typical American family $276 more per month and roughly $3,300 per year, numbers that will likely only rise.

Americans also haven’t forgotten the Afghanistan Debacle and our government’s gifting of $87 billion in military hardware to the Taliban, the evil accomplices of al-Qaeda in the Sept. 11 attack on America.

Our nation also has not forgotten that while Pres. Biden properly called for the defense of the borders of Ukraine, his Administration has never made an effort to stop the flood of illegals into our country on our southern border and the drugs (fentanyl is killing hundreds of Americans daily), theft, crime, terrorists, and human trafficking that accompany them.

What about public health and public safety concerns? What about the China Virus fears we’ve been suffocated with for over 2 years that have greatly restricted the personal and economic liberty of millions of Americans? There are still places in the U.S. that American citizens cannot go without a vaccine card and a mask. Yet, we allow unmasked un-vaxed, unknown and unvetted individuals numbering millions to break into our country, violate our laws and become potentially super-spreaders in our communities.

Voters also, for example, reject the doomsday scenario and massive spending on Climate Change (referred to for generations as “weather”) and the foolhardy attempt to eliminate fossil fuels. They realize that such a policy does nothing but increase the cost of energy and the rate of inflation to produce and transport goods and services to consumers.

Can the Climate Change religionists not recognize that when you kill the U.S. oil and gas industry — and Pres. Trump had made America totally energy independent — you make America hostage to Russia and the Middle East for our energy needs? In so doing, you force Americans to pay more for foreign oil (because it’s drilled and transported from overseas) that’s less reliable (see the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the constant unrest in the Middle East)) when we could be producing it at home and building our own national economy and national security at the same time.

Also, has the Biden Administration ever really disavowed the stance of many of its supporters who demand the defunding of police? Is the President not aware that thought frightens millions of Americans in our crime-rampant cities?

So, no police and no gasoline. We’ll just rely on the kindness and good nature of the criminals not to harm us, as we depend on the wind, when it blows, and the sun, when it shines, to produce the power necessary to dependably run America’s enormous industrial society in 2022.

I believe a reckoning is coming in these mid-term elections.

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By SCOTT BOATRIGHT, Journal Sports

GRAMBLING — Grambling State University football coach Hue Jackson smiled more than once late Saturday afternoon.

When handed a stat sheet just before his postgame press conference began, Jackson laughed incredulously, saying “wow” out loud.

A few minutes earlier, just before receiving a midfield Gatorade shower, Jackson looked up to the scoreboard and grinned.

That’s because while it’s hard to believe looking at final game stats, Grambling State not only defeated, but dominated Alcorn State in a 35-6 win that gave the Tigers their first home and first Southwestern Athletic Conference win of the Jackson Era.

The win pushed the Tigers to 2-6 and 1-4 in the SWAC while Alcorn State fell to 3-5 and 2-3.

“I’m excited not only for our team, but for our fans,” Jackson said. “Our fans have hung in there with us. They showed up again. We can hear them. We can feel them. I just can’t thank them enough for being there.

“It’s great to win at home. I think our players deserve it. We’ve been close the last couple of games prior to today, and we were looking for the breakthrough. We knew it was coming, we just didn’t know when. But the guys stuck to it and the coaches did a great job of preparing them and today we got a victory.”

That they did, even though game statistics by no means made that obvious.

Alcorn State outgained GSU in total offense by more than 100 yards – 312-209.

The Braves had 21 first downs compared to 10 for the Tigers.

Alcorn dominated time of possession 37:12-22:48.

But two quick touchdowns in the opening 5:04 of the contest propelled the Tigers to a win in a game during which the Braves never threatened to make it close.

“Today we were able to capitalize on a couple of breaks we got early in the game, and we capitalized on that momentum,” Jackson said. “We were able to ride it all the way home.”

That momentum came on the game’s opening kickoff.

Alcorn State’s Manny Jones received the kick at his eight-yard line and returned it to the Braves’ 21 before GSU’s Kevin Thomas forced a fumble that was recovered by the Tigers’ Ken Pierre-Charles at the 22-yard line.

Four plays later, a four-yard scoring scamper by Grambling’s Maurice Washington put the Tigers up 7-0 only 3:07 into the contest.

Grambling’s special teams were back at it on the ensuing Alcorn possession. The Tigers held the Braves to no yards on a three-and-out before G-Man Kiani Noah blocked ASU’s attempted punt, with GSU’s Patrick Marshall pouncing on the ball at the Alcorn 16-yard line.

Three plays later Grambling’s Chance Williams plunged one yard to paydirt to put the Tigers on top 14-0 at the 9:54 mark of the opening stanza.

While Jackson appreciated the win, he knows his Tigers have a lot of things to fix, including the plethora of penalties that have plagued GSU all season long. Against Alcorn, Grambling was flagged nine times for 79 yards while Alcorn was penalized only twice for 19 yards.

“We got over the (win) hump, but I’m still ticked,” Jackson said. “That has been an Achilles heel for us. You can’t score touchdowns and have them called back. That’s something that’s a problem. 

“Until I can fix that, I don’t think I’ve done that part good enough, and we as a staff have not done that part good enough. We still have way too many penalties, and that will stop us from becoming the team we want to be, so it’s something we’re going to continue to harp on, something we’re going to continue to fix, but am I excited today — you’re exactly right I am. I just want one more point than the other team. I didn’t think it was going to be 29. Just one more point than the other team and we get the victory, and we were able to do that today.”

Grambling stretched its lead to 21-0 with 7:01 remaining in the second quarter as Myron Williams returned a 68-yard pick six to paydirt before the Tigers made it 28-0 at halftime after true freshman quarterback Julian Calvez scored on a two-yard run with 1:40 remaining in the first half.

Alcorn State’s lone score came with 19 seconds left in the third quarter on a four-yard pass from Tre Lawrence to Tavarious Griffin while Grambling’s Floyd Chalk closed out scoring with a 23-yard touchdown with 14:15 remaining in the contest.

Washington led Grambling’s ground attack with 67 yards on nine carries while Calvez connected on 7-of-14 passes for 58 yards while adding 10 rushing yards.

Grambling’s Lewis Matthews led the Tigers with 13 tackles while Joshua Reed added 12.

Lawrence Asiedu totaled 2.5 sacks as part of his six-tackle performance for the Tigers while Brian Powell added 1.5 quarterback takedowns.

“I’m excited about all those guys on defense,” Jackson said. “Brian Powell, Lewis Matthews, Joshua Reed … Rey Estes makes an interception. How he caught that ball I have no idea. I’m just happy for our guys because I know how much work they put in.”

Grambling returns to Robinson Memorial Stadium next weekend as the Tigers celebrate Homecoming 2022 with a game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff set for a 2 p.m. kickoff on Saturday. 

Contact Scott at tscottboatright@gmail.com

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By ROY LANG III, Journal Sports

The New Orleans Saints are 2-5; the Dallas Cowboys are 5-2. One team could own a share of its division lead Sunday; the other is stuck in third place, two games back in the loss column.

It’s probably not what you think.

The Saints have lost five of their past six games, but have an opportunity to stay in touch with the mess dubbed the NFC South when they host the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday (noon, CBS).

Tampa Bay fell to 3-5 with a loss to Baltimore on Thursday. The winner of Sunday’s Atlanta (3-4)-Carolina (2-5) matchup will be the division leader. If New Orleans and Carolina win Sunday, all four NFC South teams will be tied at 3-5.

Quarterback Jameis Winston is healthy enough to return to action for the Saints, but head coach Dennis Allen has chosen to stick with Andy Dalton, who has completed 83 of 131 passes this season for 946 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s thrown four interceptions. The Saints rank third in total offense in the NFL (398 yards per game).

“When you’re in this position, the biggest thing you can ask for is an opportunity,” Dalton said in preparation for the 2-4 Raiders. “Fortunately, I have one here. I’m not focused on what this could mean and what could go on, that’s all going to take care of itself whenever that time comes.”

Meanwhile, the Cowboys are still looking for their way offensively as the Chicago Bears (3-4) visit AT&T Stadium on Sunday. One week after the “Dak is back” headlines dominated due to the return of former Haughton star Dak Prescott, Dallas has another pressing issue.

One of the Cowboys’ formidable backfield duo, Ezekiel Elliott (knee), was listed as doubtful on the final injury report and is expected to miss the noon kickoff (Fox) with Chicago. Tony Pollard, normally the change-of-pace complement to Elliott, is expected to be in a featured role.

The Cowboys’ defense has carried the team to its impressive start. Dallas ranks 29th in the league in total offense (305 yards per game) and 22nd in scoring offense (19.1 points per game), but hopes to find its footing under Prescott.

“The passing game will get there,” Prescott said.

Raiders at Saints

Noon (CBS), Caesar’s Superdome 

Bears at Cowboys

Noon (Fox), AT&T Stadium

Contact Roy at roylangiii@yahoo.com

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By ROY LANG III, Journal Sports

Terrace Marshall Jr. is used to overcoming adversity in his career. Could he have another comeback of sorts in the works? The former Parkway and LSU star has often been non-existent in the Carolina offense, but Week 7 offered him an opportunity to get back in the mix. Let’s see if the wideout’s snap count continues to trend up.

LOCAL NFL STARS: 2022 Week 7 

Terrace Marshall Jr., Carolina (22, WR, Parkway)

Breakthrough week in terms of playing time. The LSU product was on the field for 86 percent of the Panthers’ offensive plays – his previous best this year was 45 percent in Week 6. TMJ hauled in two catches on three targets for 31 yards. 

Israel Mukuamu, Dallas (22, S, Parkway)

Saw limited action once again. Played seven snaps on defense against Detroit. 

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (29, QB, Haughton)

It wasn’t exactly a storybook return in terms of statistics, but he completed 19 of 25 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown in a victory against Detroit. 

Robert Rochell, Los Angeles Rams (24, DB, Fair Park)

Rams enjoyed their off week. Rochell has played more than three snaps on defense just once this season (Week 3 vs. Arizona).

L’Jarius Sneed, Kansas City (25, DB, Minden)

Collected six tackles, half a sack, a quarterback hit and a pass defended in a dominating victory at San Francisco. This season, quarterbacks are 39-of-52 passing for 390 yards and a touchdown when targeting a receiver covered by Sneed. 

Marquez Stevenson, Buffalo (23, WR, Northwood)

Still on injured reserve after foot surgery without a timetable to return.

Trent Taylor, Cincinnati (28, WR, Evangel)

His percentage of time with the offense (19) was a season high, but quarterback Joe Burrow still did not target the former Louisiana Tech star. Taylor returned three punts for 40 yards. He ranks sixth in the NFL with a 12.1-yard average punt return. 

Jerry Tillery, Los Angeles Chargers (25, DL, Evangel)

Played less than 50 percent of the snaps and recorded one tackle against Seattle. 

Ar’Darius Washington, Baltimore (22, S, Evangel)

After making his 2022 debut in Week 6, it was back to the practice squad in Week 7 and 8.

Devin White, Tampa Bay (24, LB, North Webster)

Posted 10 tackles against Baltimore on Thursday, after a five-tackle performance in Week 7 at Carolina.

Tre’Davious White, Buffalo (27, DB, Green Oaks)

It looks like White (knee) needs at least one more week.

Greedy Williams, Cleveland (24, DB, Calvary)

Only played 22 percent of the snaps, but did record three tackles against the Ravens.

Rodarius Williams, New York Giants (25, DB, Calvary)

Appears as if he is targeting a Week 10 game vs. Houston for a season debut following surgery for a bone spur in his knee. 

Brandon Wilson, Cincinnati (28, DB, Calvary Baptist)

On the PUP list.

Donovan Wilson, Dallas Cowboys (27, S, Woodlawn)

Solid play continued with seven tackles and a sack against Detroit. He’s been dazzling in coverage this season. He has allowed one touchdown, but quarterbacks are 14-of-24 passing for just 91 yards when targeting Wilson in coverage.

Contact Roy at roylangiii@yahoo.com

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By ROY LANG III, Journal Sports

Here are our weekly “to score a touchdown” bets for Sunday’s NFL action. After a week of reps with the San Francisco 49ers, it’s time for Christian McCaffrey to find the end zone against a stingy Los Angeles Rams defense.

Do not forget to look for the bonus plays (traditional against-the-spread picks) on my Facebook (Roy Lang III) at 11 am.

Good luck!

Notes

All bets are measured in units. For instance, if your normal bet on a game is $100, that is one unit. If the bet is listed as .2 units, it’s a $20 bet.

Best line (as of Saturday) is listed in parenthesis. Find the best price, one key to being a successful sports bettor! Shop around! Remember this is a VALUE-based system, so don’t settle for a price significantly less than the one listed. And jump on better prices! 

Sportsbook legend

CAE: Caesar’s

FD: Fan Duel

MGM: Bet MGM

DK: DraftKings

BS: Barstool

BR: BetRivers

LANG’S LOCKS

Season total: +81.2 units 

THIS WEEK’S SELECTIONS 

NFL 

To Score a Touchdown  

(.5-unit bets)

Christian McCaffrey, 49ers, +120 (DK)

Travis Etienne, Jaguars, +115 (FD)

Dameon Pierce, Texans, +110 (DK) 

(.3-unit bets)

Cowboys defense/special teams, +400 (DK)

Eagles defense/special teams, +475 (DK)

Patriots defense/special teams, +650 (DK) 

Contact Roy at roylangiii@yahoo.com

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JOURNAL SPORTS

DISTRICT   1-5A	Dist.	All
Airline	6-0	6-3
Benton	5-1	6-3
Parkway	4-2	7-2
Byrd	3-3	6-3
Haughton	3-3	5-4
Natchitoches Central	2-4	3-6
Captain Shreve	1-5	4-5
Southwood	0-6	0-9
DISTRICT 1-4A	Dist.	All
North DeSoto	6-0	9–0
Northwood	5-1	7-2
Evangel	4-2	5-4
Huntington	4-2	5-4
Minden	2-4	3-6
Woodlawn	2-4	3-6
BTW	1-5	1-8
Bossier	0-6	0-9
DISTRICT 1-2A	Dist.	All
Calvary	4-0	7-2
Loyola	4-0	5-3
D’Arbonne Woods	2-2	6-3
North Caddo	2-2	6-3
Lakeside	0-4	4-5
Green Oaks	0-4	2-7
DISTRICT 1-1A	Dist.	All
Glenbrook	6-0	9-0
Haynesville	4-1	8-1
Homer	4-1	6-3
Arcadia	2-3	6-3
Magnolia	1-4	1-8
Ringgold	1-4	1-8
Plain Dealing	0-6	0-9

Week 9 Scores

Thursday’s scores 

District 1-5A

Airline 41, Parkway 20
Benton 22, Captain Shreve 21 

District 2-5A

West Ouachita 41, Pineville 7 

District 1-4A

Minden 43, BTW 26
North DeSoto 56, Bossier 16
Northwood 48, Woodlawn 0 

District 1-3A

North Webster 41, Bastrop 22 

District 1-2A

Calvary 63, Lakeside 0 

District 3-2A

Many 42, Red River 0 

District 1-1A

Glenbrook 21, Homer 14
Haynesville 64, Ringgold 0 

District 2-1A

Cedar Creek 55, Lincoln Prep 0
St. Frederick 54, River Oaks 6 

District 3-1A

St. Mary’s 14, Logansport 8 

Non- District

Amite 26, Sterlington 20
Beekman Charter 46, Plain Dealing 12

Friday’s scores 

District 1-5A

Byrd 58, Southwood 0
Haughton 56, Natchitoches Central 20 

District 2-5A

Ruston 47, Ouachita 13
West Monroe 24, Alexandria 13 

District 1-4A

Evangel 21, Huntington 14 

District 1-3A

Carroll 19, Richwood 16
Union Parish 55, Wossman 12 

District 1-2A

Loyola 41, North Caddo 22
D’Arbonne Woods 28, Green Oaks 14 

District 3-2A

Winnfield 41, Mansfield 28
Jonesboro-Hodge 28, Lakeview 7 

District 1-1A

Arcadia 54, Magnolia 0 

District 3-1A

LaSalle 44, Northwood-Lena 20 

Non-District

Ouachita Christian 49, West Marion (Miss.) 18
Westminster Chr. Lafayette 37, Montgomery 8

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JOURNAL SPORTS

CLASS 5A

1. Destrehan (9-0) beat East St. John, 48-7

2. Karr (5-3) beat Rummel, 35-14

3. Catholic-BR (8-1) beat Scotlandville, 38-0 

4. Zachary (7-1) beat Liberty, 62-12

5. Ruston (8-1) beat Ouachita, 47-13

6. John Curtis (8-1) beat Brother Martin, 23-14

7. West Monroe (7-1) beat Alexandria, 24-13

8. St. Augustine (6-2) did not play

9. Parkway (7-2) lost to Airline, 41-20

10. Southside (8-1) beat Lafayette, 38-19

Others receiving votes: East St. John (8-1) lost to Destrehan, 48-7, Carencro (7-2) lost to Acadiana, 21-20, Acadiana (6-3) beat Carencro, 21-20, Airline (6-3) beat Parkway, 41-20, Scotlandville (5-3), Archbishop Rummel (5-4) lost to Karr, 35-14, Slidell (8-1) beat Fontainebleau, 35-0, Dutchtown (5-3) lost to Denham Springs, 21-17, Brother Martin (5-4) lost to John Curtis, 23-14.

CLASS 4A

1. St. Thomas More (8-1) beat Westgate, 42-34

2. Warren Easton (8-1) beat Abramson 55-0

3. Teurlings Catholic (8-1) beat Northside, 45-14

4. Lafayette Christian (7-2) beat North Vermilion, 34-0

5. Neville (7-2) beat Franklin Parish, 51-28

6. De La Salle (9-0) beat McMain 35-8

7. Lutcher (8-1) beat Morgan City, 72-0 

8. North DeSoto (9-0) beat Bossier, 56-16

9. Opelousas (8-1) beat Breaux Bridge, 45-0

10. Westgate (6-3) lost to St. Thomas More, 42-34  

Others receiving votes: West Feliciana (9-0) beat Broadmoor, 55-8, Plaquemine (9-0) beat Ferriday, 52-14, Northwood (7-2) beat Woodlawn-SH, 48-0, Archbishop Shaw (7-2) beat Higgins, 48-6, Leesville (7-2) lost to Eunice, 38-33. 

CLASS 3A

1. Union Parish (8-1) beat Wossman, 55-12

2. E.D. White (8-1) beat Sam Houston, 21-14

3. Church Point (9-0) beat Kaplan, 36-29

4. St. James (8-1) beat Berwick, 61-47

5. Iowa (8-1) beat St. Louis, 29-21 

6. University (6-3) beat Collegiate Baton Rouge, 48-0

7. Madison Prep (6-3) beat Glen Oaks, 48-12

8. Carroll (8-0) beat Richwood, 19-16

9. Bogalusa (7-1) beat Pine, 56-15

10. Parkview Baptist (8-1) beat Port Allen, 37-0 

Others receiving votes: John F. Kennedy (8-1) beat Patrick Taylor, 48-6, St. Louis (7-2) lost to Iowa, 29-21, Abbeville (5-4) lost to St. Martinville, 42-19, Amite (6-3) beat Sterlington, 26-20, Sterlington (4-5) lost to Amite, 26-20.

CLASS 2A

1. Many (8-0) beat Red River, 42-0

2. Newman (7-1) beat M.L. King Charter, 41-12

3. Dunham (8-1) beat Baker, 41-6

4. Mangham (8-1) beat Rayville, 62-8

5. Calvary Baptist (7-2) beat Lakeside, 63-0 

6. Notre Dame (7-2) beat Grand Lake, 45-7

7. St. Charles Catholic (6-3) beat Country Day, 35-14

8. North Caddo (6-3) lost to Loyola, 41-22

9. Welsh (8-0) won via forfeit

10. Oak Grove (6-3) beat General Trass, 51-8 

Others receiving votes: Rosepine (7-2) lost to Avoyelles, 68-45, Episcopal-BR (8-1) beat East Feliciana, 46-26, Avoyelles (6-3) beat Rosepine, 68-45, East Feliciana (5-4) lost to Episcopal-BR, 46-26, General Trass (6-3) lost to Oak Grove, 51-8.

CLASS 1A

1. Ouachita Christian (8-1) beat West Marion, Miss., 49-18

2. Vermilion Catholic (9-0) beat Central Catholic, 44-7 

3. Homer (6-3) lost to Glenbrook, 21-14 

4. Southern Lab (5-3) lost to Kentwood, 33-26 

5. Kentwood (8-1) beat Southern Lab, 33-26 

6. Logansport (6-3) lost to St. Mary’s, 24-8 

7. Riverside (8-1) beat Varnado, 56-0

8. Glenbrook (9-0) beat Homer, 21-14

9. Haynesville (8-1) beat Ringgold, 64-0 

10. Ascension Catholic (7-2) beat White Castle, 54-12

Others receiving votes: Catholic-PC (8-1) beat North Central, 44-0, Central Catholic (7-2) lost to Vermilion Catholic, 44-7, St. Frederick (6-2) beat River Oaks, 54-6, St. Martin’s (8-1) beat Cohen, 40-0, Opelousas Catholic (6-3) beat Sacred Heart, 40-6, Basile (8-1) beat Merryville, 41-12, St. Mary’s (7-1) beat Logansport, 24-8.

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By RAYMOND PARTSCH III, Journal Sports

SUNSET — Valerie Marze has always been a fighter.

As a girl growing up in rural Sabine Parish, she had to fight to play youth sports and ultimately did so against boys who she routinely beat.

As a woman, she raised three children, took care of her household while her husband worked offshore and did so while working 12-hour shifts.

As a nurse, she would take on the emotional toil that comes with providing the needed care for her patients — whether that was for minor or major procedures.

That instinct to fight took over yet again two-plus years ago when at the age of 52, Marez was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“Life is way too short,” Valerie said. “At that time, I just remember thinking that I had grand babies. That I had lots of life to live … That every day is precious. I know that sounds cliché, but that thought hits you right in the face when it happens to you.”

A SPORTS LOVING COUNTRY GIRL

Valerie Salter Marze grew up eight miles outside of Many, in the small community of Belmont. She adored sports and “played every sport they had to offer for girls” but when that wasn’t enough — she faced off against the boys.

In the early 1980s, there weren’t many fast pitch softball leagues north of Interstate 10. The only options for Valerie were to play in a church league and a slow-pitch travel ball team. Valerie, though, wanted more and decided to try out for baseball.  

“There was no organized athletics for girls,” Valerie recalled. “When I was 10 years old, I tried out for the Dixie Youth baseball team and made the team.”

Not only did she make the team, as did her future college teammate — Ginger Craig — Valerie would become the team’s starting first baseman and an all-star.

Valerie would go on to attend Many High School (Class of 1985), where she lettered in basketball, softball and ran track. She was good enough of an athlete that she earned a softball scholarship from nearby Northwestern State University.

Valerie would go on to be a three-year letterman for the softball team at NSU, but she admits that she wasn’t the best player on the team.

“I wasn’t that great of a player,” said Valerie, who played outfield for the Demons. “I could run real fast and I could throw. I couldn’t hit my body weight.”

Valerie also played during an era when female sports didn’t have the facilities or resources as they do across the state today.

“We played on the men’s baseball field at the Natchitoches City Park,” Valerie said. “It was 300-feet plus in the outfield. We could hit in-the-park home runs but we weren’t hitting home runs out of the park.

“It was fun to be a girl, act like a girl, dress like a girl but play like a boy,” Valerie stated.

MARRIAGE, THE MINORS & MOTHERHOOD

While attending NSU, Valerie would meet her husband, Dickey Marze, who, like her, was a sports star from a small town — in his case Anacoco.

The two met while playing intramural basketball and taking a scuba class together. It wasn’t long after that the two began dating.

“We started playing co-ed basketball,” Dickey said. “I just thought she was fun to be around. She enjoyed the outdoors and was competitive.”

How competitive?

“While we were in college dating, she kept trying to find something to beat me at,” Dickey said. “So she found someone to teach her how to play racquetball so she could beat me. She practiced for weeks and we were playing. She hit the ball and then it was my turn to hit it back and it bounced off the wall and hit her in the back of the head.”

Valerie’s fierce competitive fire wasn’t only lit for herself, but for her loved ones. After earning first-team All-Southland Conference honors as a senior, Dickey was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 17th round of the 1989 MLB Amateur Draft.

Yet, it was Valerie who pushed her husband for them to put their degree pursuits on hold, so he could pursue his dream of making it to the big leagues.

“I wouldn’t have gone if it wasn’t for her,” Dickey said. “I would have probably bagged groceries at the Piggly Wiggly. She made it possible for me to give it a shot.”

“Back then, one percent of every minor league player made it to the bigs,” Valerie said. “We had to take the chance.”

After playing rookie ball in the Gulf Coast League in Bradenton, Florida, the Marzes would relocate to Iowa to play for the Burlington Braves. The experience in the Midwest was a challenging one.

“I was homesick and it was so cold up there,” Valerie said. “We hunted Easter eggs in our apartment because it was so cold outside we couldn’t do it.”

After that season and with a newborn son, the Marzes decided that it was time to move back home.

The family settled in Shreveport and Dickey would return to NSU and earn his degree in education in 1991. He got a job offshore to support the family and also help pay for Valerie to get her nursing degree, which she did in 1993.

The Marzes family would build their dream home on 10 acres of property — the type where deer drank out of their pond — in Stonewall, while Dickey worked his way up in the offshore industry and Valerie served as a nurse at Willis-Knighton Hospital.

In 2000, the Marzes would move to Acadiana as Dickey received a promotion — one that would allow him to be home far more. Whether it was in Stonewall or in Lafayette, sports remained a vital part of the family’s lives, in particular their three children (Dayton, Hayden and MacKenzie).

The Marze children would grow up and all three would compete in collegiate athletics.

“Being a mom is the hardest job in the world,” Valerie said. “But it is the most honorable job you will ever have.”

‘A TON OF BRICKS’

Early in 2020, Valerie was still celebrating Hayden’s marriage and was preparing for a family ski trip in Colorado. She was working out more than normal to prepare for hitting the snow-covered slopes. That is when she felt something was wrong.

“My pecs were sore and my chest was sore from working out,” Valerie said. “Right underneath my collarbone I found this small knot and I thought to myself ‘what is that?’”

Valerie routinely had her yearly mammogram but had missed it the previous November. So she had a mammogram and an ultrasound. The doctors called her to say they found something “suspicious,” and she needed a biopsy.

Having worked as a nurse for three decades, Valerie still wasn’t alarmed. That soon changed.

“The radiologist told me, ‘If my findings don’t match my diagnosis then we will redo the biopsy,’” Valerie recalled. “I asked her, ‘What is your diagnosis?’ and she said, ‘I am 99 percent sure that it is breast cancer.’”

Valerie was stunned.

“You could have hit me with a ton of bricks,” Valerie said. “She (the radiologist) said it was very small and that we were catching it early but the only thing I could hear in my head was ‘99 percent sure it is breast cancer.’”

At the age of 52, Valerie was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Breast Cancer (Stage 1). She couldn’t believe it.

Valerie went to her husband’s office and broke down crying while telling him the news.

“It was almost like somebody passing away or death,” Dickey said. “It kicks you in the gut. You don’t know what to say but to say ‘we can get through it.’”

That is exactly what the Marzes did — but there were some unexpected road blocks. Valerie was diagnosed right as the COVID-19 pandemic swept through the country, which prompted many hospitals and centers to cancel surgeries. Valerie was forced to wait in limbo.

Luckily for Valerie, she was able to have a double mastectomy on March 20, 2020. For her, having both breasts removed gave her peace of mind.

“I didn’t want to worry for the rest of my life that it’s in the other breast,” said Valerie, who had reconstruction surgery as well. “That there is another lump. Worry about every time I get a mammogram. I did not want to worry.”

That doesn’t mean that dealing with breast cancer hasn’t been difficult. Like many women, Valerie deals with the guilt of being able to discover the disease early, not having to have chemotherapy or radiation treatments, and simply put — being alive.

“I didn’t have to have chemo or radiation,” Valerie said. “I didn’t lose my hair. I thought to myself why I was the lucky one? But then I felt guilty about saying that I had breast cancer.”

Valerie may have beaten her breast cancer but that hasn’t slowed her down, as she now has a successful second career as a mixed media painter. She has taken part in numerous art shows, selling her works in Baton Rouge, Shreveport and Acadiana, and now having her art work licensed to sell through 318 Art Co. in Shreveport.

Valerie is also still fighting back against cancer, as she is using her experience to educate others.

“It is all about early detection,” she said. “You have to have your yearly mammogram. I can’t tell you how many times that I tell my story, and women will tell me that they haven’t had a mammogram in eight years or 10 years. I tell them that my story is a reminder that you need to have your mammogram.”

“That is one of her strongest points as a person,” Dickey said. “Now she is more about fighting to educate others. She wants to bring awareness to it. She is going to fight anything that comes at her. I mean anything.” 

Contact Raymond at sportswithrp3@gmail.com

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When you take a look at the landscape of both high school and college fishing, it’s obvious that up and coming anglers of today are not being taught the ethics or etiquette of bass fishing — the unwritten rules of the water!

Young anglers fishing today are falling short in knowing how to handle certain situations in several areas. In this article, we’ll educate and go over a couple of these scenarios and who’s to blame for the younger generation not knowing. 

One thing about being young and ignorant: it’s someone’s responsibility to teach you the knowledge you’re lacking. Young bass anglers, on the rise and looking to compete at the highest level of professional fishing, need direction and guidance. This guidance is not just on how to find and catch bass, but how to handle themselves on the water — what anglers call “etiquette.”

Now understand, there is no rule book on fishing etiquette. There is no sign hanging at a boat ramp on how to handle situations on the water. Someone must teach these young anglers what the expectations are. A few of these are kind of common sense and others are unwritten rules that have been established over time by anglers who came before us.

First let’s look at the phrase “cutting someone off.” This has become the No. 1 problem on our overcrowded lakes and waterways today! This is when an angler runs past another angler who is fishing down a stretch of bank and cuts in front of him on the same stretch of bank and starts fishing — in some cases as close as a few feet to less than 100 yards.

Once again, there is no written rule preventing an angler from doing this. But in the bass fishing world, this is considered bad etiquette. If you want to see an angler get upset, cut in front of him on the stretch of bank or tree line he’s fishing. Always avoid cutting in front of another angler for the purpose of fishing.

Good rule of thumb: if you have to think about or try and justify if it’s wrong to cut someone off, then you probably already know you shouldn’t do it. A good example of this would be if someone is fishing down a row of boat docks, don’t go in front of him two or three docks to start fishing. Go 10 to 12 docks down and respect his space. 

Next, let’s address asking for permission to fish a certain area with another angler. This can be a little touchy, as it all depends on the angler you’re asking. If you pull up on an underwater hump or wind row (line of treetops) and you see another angler already fishing this spot, ask for permission to fish the area with him. He’ll either say, “Sure,” or he’ll say, “No, I’d rather you didn’t.” He’s really not obligated to say yes, especially since he was there first.

So always ask if it’s OK for you fish the area together. Most touring pros will automatically pass up a spot if someone is already on it. But sometimes depending on who the other angler is, especially if they are close friends, the other angler might say it’s OK. But in some instances, they have already talked about the spot that both might have found during practice, and they have made an agreement on fishing it at the same time. Again, always ask for permission to fish, don’t just hop on the front deck and start fishing. 

So other than reading this informative article, how does someone learn these unwritten rules of the water? It’s up to us as experienced anglers to teach the younger generation of high school and college anglers how to handle certain situations that they may encounter. It’s our job to share and teach these youngsters the right way of doing things so that in the future, we have less confrontations on the water.

Next Sunday, we’ll continue this discussion on the unwritten rules of bass fishing with a hard look at how to deal with dock owners, a hot topic nationwide. Until next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget your sunscreen!  

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports

On a night in which an 80 percent chance of precipitation was predicted, a rainbow appeared over Loyola’s Messmer Stadium about an hour before kickoff.

Some might have taken that as a curiosity. The Loyola community took it as a sign.

The same kind of sign as the Flyer players and cheerleaders coming dressed with pink accents to their uniforms.

The same kind of sign that more than 30 percent of the Class of 2022 came in from different colleges to attend this game that wasn’t even Homecoming.

Loyola’s 41-22 win over North Caddo Friday night meant a lot in the District 1-2A standings, but that’s nothing compared to what it meant to a school community that had been rocked during the week by the sudden death of Hannah Pham, who was a freshman at the University of Arkansas.

Five months ago, the wheelchair-bound student graduated with the Loyola Class of 2022. Next week, she will be buried.

There’s no doubt that the Flyers were happy to upset the No. 8-ranked Titans, but that joy was magnified because of how they had handled the passing of one of the most popular students the school has seen in quite a while.

“This is the best win ever,” said senior running back Trace Wall, who rushed for a career-high 156 yards, “because I know Hannah is happy.”

Pink was not only Pham’s favorite color, it was also the color of her sorority (Phi Mu). But it was the green of the end zone where the Flyers found their success.

It was a game in which Loyola (5-3, 4-0) kept getting better as the game went along and North Caddo (6-3, 2-2) went the other direction.

The Flyers took a couple of gut punches early – a 59-yard touchdown reception by Jquay Vinson and a 53-yard scoring run by KJ Black – but kept hanging in the game, trailing only 14-12 at half.

Once Loyola got the break it needed – a well-placed third-quarter kickoff that North Caddo almost seemed to ignore – the Flyers found the spark they were looking for.

“We are a team of momentum,” Wall said. “Once we get a stop and a touchdown, we just keep going. We inspire each other.”

Quarterback Cooper DeFatta was certainly a big part of that inspiration. The senior had a hand in five touchdowns – three rushing and two passing – and finished with 177 total yards.

DeFatta’s 6-yard run had cut the Titans’ lead to 22-20 before Evan Lirette’s high kickoff bounced around in Titan territory. Sophomore Patrick Gosslee fell on it at the North Caddo 17. Six plays later, DeFatta was in the end zone again (a 1-yard sneak) and the Flyers had a lead it would never lose.

The Titans had no answer after that with the next three possessions ending in interceptions (by Robert Pavlick, Colin Lirette and Reagan Coyle).

Meanwhile, the Flyers kept pounding away on the way to a 295-yard rushing performance. At one point in the second half, Loyola called 21 straight running plays.

Only one of them didn’t gain yardage.

“I knew we could move the ball on them, and Trace was fantastic,” Loyola coach Mike Greene said. “I just didn’t know if we could score enough or stop them enough. It took us a half to catch up with the speed of the game, but you could see how we just kept pounding it at them.”

The Flyers, winner of five straight, now sit atop the District 1-2A standings and will end the regular season with a home game against the other team with a 4-0 district record – Calvary.

“We are playing next week for a district championship,” Greene said. “That’s all we are looking for.”

That, and maybe another rainbow. 

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

Loyola 41, North Caddo 22 

Score by quarters

NC | 16 | 0 | 6 | 0 | – 22

LCP | 7 | 7 | 13 | 14 | – 41

Scoring summary

NC – Jquay Vinson 59 pass from Aiden Brock (KJ Black run)

L – Rowan Guthikonda 21 pass from Cooper DeFatta (Evan Lirette kick)

NC – Black 53 run (Black run)

L – Reagan Coyle 31 pass from DeFatta (Lirette kick)

NC – Omarion Miller 21 pass from Mason Jackson (run failed)

L – DeFatta 6 run (run failed)

L – DeFatta 1 run (Lirette kick)

L – Trace Wall 2 run (Lirette kick)

L – DeFatta 20 run (Lirette kick)

Individual statistics 

Rushing

North Caddo (20-149) – Black 11-109, Jackson 5-27, Miller 3-12, Aiden Brock 1-1. 

Loyola (54-295) – Wall 28-156, DeFatta 16-91, Patrick Gosslee 5-28, Jon Ebarb 2-10, Coyle 3-10.

Passing

North Caddo (14-26-3, 211 yards) – Brock 6-12-2, 124 yards; Jackson 8-12-1, 87 yards; Black 0-2-0. 

Loyola (6-11-0, 86 yards) – DeFatta 6-11-0, 86 yards.

Receiving 

North Caddo – Vinson 7-112, Jackson 1-41, Miller 5-37, Brock 1-21. 

Loyola – Robert Pavlick 3-18, Coyle 2-47, Rowan Guthikonda 1-21.

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By HARRIET PROTHRO PENROD, Journal Sports

It would take more than a light rainfall to dampen the spirits of Evangel fans at Rodney Duron Field Friday night.

After the Eagles had played on the road for seven straight weeks, they were taking on the Huntington Raiders in their Homecoming game on the beautiful new artificial turf field.

Spirits were dampened somewhat, however, as the teams gathered near midfield following Evangel’s 21-14 victory over Huntington in the District 1-4A matchup.

As the Eagles (5-4, 4-2) were celebrating the hard-fought victory over the Raiders (5-4, 4-2), Evangel junior Garrett Burns lay at midfield as medical personnel tended to the injured wide receiver and trainers waited for an ambulance to arrive.

“He’s unbelievable,” Evangel head coach Denny Duron said of Burns, who was on the ground for about five minutes at the beginning of the fourth quarter following a 19-yard run that put the Eagles at the Huntington 3-yard line. “He’s just amazing. He was himself tonight. That’s what he does.”

“He’s a tough kid,” Evangel quarterback Peyton Fulghum said of Burns, who gains more yards after contact than most players gain before.

Burns, who had 125 yards rushing on 16 carries before leaving with the injury, was sandwiched between Huntington defenders at the end of the 19-yard run. Two plays later, Peyton Fulghum found his brother Parker for a 5-yard touchdown pass that put the Eagles up 21-8 with 6:51 left in the game.

“We overcame a lot of stuff tonight,” said Duron, whose Eagles trailed 8-7 at the half.

Evangel got on the board first when Jamal Jordan intercepted a Jamarion Washington pass and ran it back 44 yards for a touchdown. With Kaegan Kent’s PAT, the Eagles took an early 7-0 lead.

Washington got the start at quarterback as Kam Evans’ shoulder injury kept the Huntington star, the state’s second-leading passer, on the sidelines. Evans is “day-to-day” and hopes to be back in the lineup for the Raiders’ final regular-season game against Bossier next Thursday.

Huntington took the lead midway through the second quarter as John Solomon followed a 64-yard run with a 1-yard TD and then ran in the 2-point conversion to put the Raiders up 8-7.

Solomon had 123 yards rushing in the first half and finished the game with 131 yards on 13 carries.

Evangel recaptured the lead (14-8) three minutes into the third quarter when Damari Drake scored on a 9-yard run and Kent converted the PAT. Kent was 3-for-3 on the night. The Eagles’ defense, which held Huntington to just 48 yards rushing in the second half, caused a fumble and recovered it deep in Raiders’ territory to set the offense up on the go-ahead drive.

After Evangel padded the spread to 21-8 on the Fulghum family hookup, Huntington got within 7 points (21-14) with 4:58 remaining in the game when Washington connected with Kenton Brossett for a 30-yard touchdown.

“Defense played their tails off tonight,” Huntington head coach Stephen Dennis told his team following the loss.

The Raiders’ defense held the powerful Evangel passing attack in check and held Peyton Fulghum to just 65 yards on 12-of-19 passing with 1 TD.

“The effort was there tonight,” said Dennis. “We just didn’t make enough plays. So what do we do now? We go home, watch the film, proceed to get better, and get ready for Senior Night (against Bossier).”

Evangel closes out the regular season next Friday at Booker T. Washington.

Contact Harriet at sbjharriet@gmail.com

Evangel 21, Huntington 14

Score by quarters

Huntington | 0 | 8 | 0 | 6 | – 14

Evangel | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | – 21

Scoring summary

E – Jamal Jordan 29 interception return (Kaegan Kent kick)

H – John Solomon 1 run (Solomon run)

E – Damari Drake 9 run (Kent kick)

E – Parker Fulghum 5 pass from Peyton Fulghum (Kent kick)

H – Kenton Brossett 30 pass from Jamarion Washington (run failed)

Individual leaders

Rushing 

Huntington (34-166), John Solomon 13-131 1TD, Jamarion Washington 12-37, Jamarion Mims 5-2, Kaleb Tucker 1-2, Tre Carter 3-(-6).

Evangel (33-195), Garrett Burns 16-125, Dashawn Johnson 9-36, Damari Drake 5-32 1TD, Peyton Fulghum 3-2.

Passing 

Huntington (6-8-1-73), Jamarion Washington 6-8-1-73 1TD.

Evangel (12-19-0-65), Peyton Fulghum 12-19-0-65 1TD.

Receiving 

Huntington, Kenton Brossett 2-39 1TD, Jarvis Davis 1-18, John Solomon 1-11, Jimmy Anderson 1-9, Carter 1-(-4).

Evangel, Judah Whorton 4-24, Parker Fulghum 3-17 1TD, Brayden Curry 3-13, Jackson Graham 1-11.

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JOURNAL SPORTS 

MIAMI – Shreveport’s Landry Lyddy got his first collegiate start Friday night for Louisiana Tech, and was impressive before the Bulldogs suffered the same fate they did a week earlier when he came off the bench in the final minute.

Tech lost in heartbreaking fashion for the second game in a row, falling 42-34 to FIU in double overtime on Friday night at Ricardo Silva Stadium.

Lyddy, Mr. Louisiana Football as a high school senior last season at Calvary Baptist, operated in the same style he did last week in a brief role when he threw two TD passes in the final minute and overtime of a 42-41 home loss to Rice.

Friday night, he completed his first 10 passes and went 28-of-40 for 256 passing yards, distributing the ball to nine different receivers. Lyddy guided Tech from behind to a 27-24 edge in the fourth period, but the Tech defense didn’t hold on, giving up a 69-yard drive in the final two minutes that produced a game-tying 28-yard field goal in the final seconds of regulation.

“Landry did a nice job. He competed and made some really good throws, got us into some really nice plays. He did a good job in the RPO game,” said first-year Bulldogs coach Sonny Cumbie. “He gave us an opportunity at the end of the game to win.”

Both teams scored touchdowns and kicked extra points in the first extra period. FIU notched a TD and converted its two-point try to move back on top, then stopped Tech just outside the 10 on downs to salvage the victory.

Tech (2-6, 1-3 C-USA) hit on all cylinders early, scoring on drives of 75, 61, and 75 on its first three offensive possessions – a 1-yard sneak by Lyddy, a 36-yard field goal by Jacob Barnes and a 29-yard rushing TD by Marquis Crosby.

The Bulldogs held a 17-7 advantage early in the second quarter, but the momentum shifted in favor of the Panthers. The home team took advantage of short field position, mainly by winning the special teams battle (blooped onside kick recovered, 17-yard punt by LA Tech, and blocked field goal).

FIU (4-4, 2-2 C-USA) converted the special teams plays into 17 consecutive points, taking a 24-17 advantage into the fourth quarter.

Tech ended up totaling 184 yards on the ground, nine of which came on a speedy rush to the outside by Charvis Thornton for a tie at 24-all with 13:01 remaining. Another short field goal by Barnes, this one from 32 yards, allowed the Bulldogs to retake the lead with just over five minutes to go. Tech had one more series, but fell just a couple yards shy of a clinching first down, leaving the door open for FIU to make the game-tying drive in the final 120 seconds.

“We have to find a way to win,” said Cumbie. “We had an opportunity to seize momentum early in the game, but our lack of execution on special teams cost us. It is our job as coaches to respond the right way. It is not about feeling sorry about ourselves. Our players are very dejected. Football provides a ton of lessons. We are going to find ways to win football games.” 

Tech returns to Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston next Saturday afternoon to face Middle Tennessee.

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JOURNAL SPORTS

Friday’s scores

District 1-5A

Byrd 58, Southwood 0
Haughton 56, Natchitoches Central 20 

District 2-5A

Ruston 47, Ouachita 13
West Monroe 24, Alexandria 13 

District 1-4A

Evangel 21, Huntington 14 

District 1-3A

Carroll 19, Richwood 16
Union Parish 55, Wossman 12 

District 1-2A

Loyola 41, North Caddo 22
D’Arbonne Woods 28, Green Oaks 14 

District 3-2A

Winnfield 41, Mansfield 28
Jonesboro-Hodge 28, Lakeview 7 

District 1-1A

Arcadia 54, Magnolia 0

District 3-1A

LaSalle 44, Northwood-Lena 20 

Non-District

Ouachita Christian 49, West Marion (Miss.) 18
Westminster Chr. Lafayette 37, Montgomery 8

Thursday’s scores 

District 1-5A

Airline 41, Parkway 20
Benton 22, Captain Shreve 21 

District 2-5A

West Ouachita 41, Pineville 7 

District 1-4A

Minden 43, BTW 26
North DeSoto 56, Bossier 16
Northwood 48, Woodlawn 0 

District 1-3A

North Webster 41, Bastrop 22 

District 1-2A

Calvary 63, Lakeside 0 

District 3-2A

Many 42, Red River 0 

District 1-1A

Glenbrook 21, Homer 14
Haynesville 64, Ringgold 0

District 2-1A

Cedar Creek 55, Lincoln Prep 0
St. Frederick 54, River Oaks 6

District 3-1A

St. Mary’s 14, Logansport 8

Non- District

Amite 26, Sterlington 20
Beekman Charter 46, Plain Dealing 12

How the SBJ Top 10 fared

1. Airline beat Parkway 41-20

2. Benton beat Captain Shreve 22-21

3. Parkway lost to Airline 41-20

4. Byrd beat Southwood 58-0

5. Calvary beat Lakeside 63-0

6. Haughton beat Natchitoches Central 56-20

7. Northwood beat Woodlawn 48-0

8. Huntington lost to Evangel 21-14

9. Evangel beat Huntington 21-14

10. North Caddo lost to Loyola 41-22

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By JERRY BYRD, Journal Sports

When C.E. Byrd head coach Stacy Ballew gathered his Yellow Jackets Friday night at Independence Stadium after a 58-0 thrashing of the Southwood Cowboys, he didn’t talk much about what had transpired over the previous two hours.

He did talk about where the Jackets are, and where they are headed.

“We’re right where we want to be,” Ballew said to his team. “We are 6-3 with a chance to be 7-3. We play Natchitoches Central next week, and I don’t need to remind you about what happened last year. We need a great week of practice this week.” 

Since taking over as Byrd’s starting quarterback Week 1 of his sophomore season, senior Lake Lambert has only lost three District 1-5A games. Two of those have come this season. The first was Byrd’s 23-10 homecoming loss to the Natchitoches Central Chiefs a year ago. 

“Yeah, motivation is not going to be a problem this week,” Lambert said, after rushing for 88 yards on six carries – all in the first half — against Southwood. 

Sixty of Lambert’s yards came on Byrd’s second possession of the night. For good measure, Lambert added a four-yard touchdown run with one minute left in the half to give the Yellow Jackets a 37-0 halftime advantage.

Sandwiched between Lambert’s touchdown runs, the Yellow Jackets found ways to score on offense, defense, and special teams. 

Dixon Poirier had an 8-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter. Fellow fullback Desmond Simmons added a 3-yard run midway through the second quarter. The Byrd defense recorded a safety by taking advantage of an errant Southwood snap. And senior defensive back Christian Jones returned the ensuing kickoff 61 yards for a score. 

Byrd’s junior kicker Abram Murray had a busy night, connecting on all eight point after attempts. 

In the second half, it was the Desmond Simmons Show for the Jackets as the sophomore added three more touchdown runs (1, 7 and 64 yards). Simmons ended the night with a game-high 106 yards on eight carries – half for TDs.

“It was really just the team coming together,” Simmons said. “We’ve been working hard at practice, really. I’m just thankful for my teammates, and I’m thankful for God, too.”

Of course, he couldn’t have done it without the offensive line opening holes for him.

“I love them,” Simmons said. “They are awesome. Every night!”

Byrd senior offensive guard Kyle Sprague was just one of the Jackets opening up holes for Lambert and Simmons. 

“It was a good game,” Sprague said. “We went out there and fought hard. We hit them in the mouth every single play and tried to get as many yards as we could, and in the end we came out on top.”

Simmons wasn’t the only non-starter to stand out for the Jackets Friday night. Senior Hunter Thrasher had two interceptions, including one late in the fourth quarter which preserved the shutout. He also caused a fumble recovered by teammate James Logan. 

Southwood, 0-9, will travel to Airline next Friday night with the Vikings trying to secure an outright district crown. The Jackets will head south on I-49, looking to avenge last year’s homecoming loss to the Chiefs.

Contact Jerry at sbjjerrybyrd@gmail.com

C.E. Byrd 58, Southwood 0 

Score by quarters

Byrd | 14 | 23 | 14 | 7 | – 58

Southwood | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – 0

Scoring summary

B – Lake Lambert 60 run (Abram Murray kick) 

B – Dixon Poirier 8 run (Murray kick) 

B – Desmond Simmons 3 run (Murray kick) 

B – Safety

B – Christian Jones 61 kickoff return (Murray kick)

B – Lambert 14 run (Murray kick)

B – Simmons 1 run (Murray kick)

B – Simmons 7 run (Murray kick)

B – Simmons 64 run (Murray kick)

Individual Leaders 

Rushing 

Byrd (39-378) – D. Simmons 8-106, Lambert 6-88, Poirier 5- 67, Devon Strickland 6-54. 

Southwood (21-6) – D. Williams 10- 34, C. Ross-Hall 1-4, C. Walters 4-(-5), C. Martin 4-(-8).

Passing 

Byrd – Lambert 1-1-0, 15 yards. 

Southwood – C. Martin 7-14-1, 65 yards, C. Walters 1-7-1, 10yards. 

Receiving

Byrd – Jackson Dufrene 1-15.

Southwood – Detonion Arkansas 3-18, D. Williams 2-30, J. Cawthorn 2-13, C. Ross-Hall 1-14.

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