North Louisiana Manufacturing Month, hosted by the North Louisiana Economic Partnership (NLEP) and the Manufacturer’s Managers Council of Northwest Louisiana (MMC), kicked off Oct. 3, 2022, and will wrap up in mid-November. This year’s event counted approximately 1,100 high school student tour participants from eight school districts in North Louisiana. Tour sites included 27 manufacturing plants and eight manufacturing-related training programs across the region.

NLEP began hosting this event in partnership with the MMC in 2014, and the reasons for doing it have only gotten more urgent. The manufacturing skills gap in the U.S. could result in 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030, according to a 2021 study by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers. The cost of those missing jobs could potentially total $1 trillion in 2030 alone.

“We regularly meet with our regional manufacturers, and without exception, they are greatly concerned about the inability to find skilled workers,” said NLEP COO and Workforce Program Manager Angie White. “This was true before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the global health crisis caused many of their older and highly skilled employees to retire, ultimately leaving companies with significant skills deficits. If we are to continue being able to support this critical industry in North Louisiana, we must proactively help them find and train their future workforce. North Louisiana Manufacturing Month is one way we are doing that.”

In addition to learning about specific manufacturers and training programs during the tours, all participating students and teachers receive a copy of the Manufacturing Month Magazine produced by NLEP. The magazine features employee profiles of young adults from participating companies who are currently thriving in positions crucial to the industry. A list of standard manufacturing job titles and a directory of training programs from across the region are also included. These training programs can prepare someone interested in the field to qualify for the well-paying jobs with benefits offered by the manufacturing industry. For educators, these tours provide excellent opportunities for teachers to understand how to tie classroom lessons in math and science to the knowledge needed in a manufacturing workplace.

“Participating in Manufacturing Month over the last few years has allowed our students to see what careers are available to them,” said Klint Robinson, Jump Start teacher at Saline High School. “The tours open their eyes to various levels of employment from entry to leadership roles and what level of education each one requires. The hosting companies answer our students’ questions, from salaries to health care to working schedules. Several of our former students have found careers through Manufacturing Month at some of the companies we have toured, and we look forward to participating in it each year.”

Career and technical education options for high school students in North Louisiana continue to grow, and NLEP hopes this program will inspire students to pursue manufacturing as a career. If they are interested in going straight to work from high school or continuing their technical education, the jobs will be waiting for them locally when they graduate.

“Alliance Compressors is always happy to open its doors to the students that join us for Manufacturing Month,” said Craig Caskey of Alliance Compressors in Natchitoches. “We love that we get to show them that good-paying careers in manufacturing are possible and available right here in north Louisiana.”

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By RYNE BERTHELOT, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – LSU running back Noah Cain had three seasons at Penn State under his belt before arriving in Baton Rouge. He knows a thing or two about playing in cold and wet conditions.

So it was no shock – Cain was able. He handled Saturday night’s miserable weather like a duck landing on University Lake.

With a largely quiet Tiger Stadium staring them down, the sixth-ranked Tigers relied on their own toughness to steadily grind out a 41-10 win over Alabama-Birmingham. Cane pounded in three short touchdown runs as LSU (9-2) wrapped up its home slate with only a few thousand hardy souls in the stands as the game wound down, solidly in the Tigers’ grasp.

“I was telling a lot of the guys on the team that this is a warm day up north,” Cain said with a grin. “Really, it was about the mental toughness speech Coach [Brian] Kelly kept saying over and over again until it was really drilled into our head, and we showed that tonight.”

The former Nittany Lion, a junior, made the most of his opportunities, scoring three times and piling up 76 yards on 13 touches. He was the primary beneficiary of two scratches on the running back depth chart, as both Josh Williams (knee) and Armoni Goodwin (knee) were inactive. Kelly said that Williams is expected back next week against Texas A&M, while Goodwin is done for the season.

Cain’s UAB counterpart, DeWayne McBride, didn’t fare so well, despite a sparkling worksheet this season.

The junior running back, who had the second-most rushing yards (156 per game) across the FBS entering  Saturday’s game, was limited to just 35 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. McBride’s bad night was a testament to the rushing attacks that LSU faced before him, Kelly said.

“We’ve been challenged with the great backs, last week against Arkansas, or this week,” Kelly said. “Earlier in the year, obviously, we’ve had many challenges, whether it’s Alabama or Ole Miss’ running game. This group has responded to those challenges. It’s a collection of a number of guys just buying in and doing their jobs and it goes back to … accountability.”

After a pedestrian performance against Arkansas, LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels turned in his third 100-yard rushing performance of the season, racking up 112 and a touchdown on the ground to go along with 297 yards and a touchdown through the air on 22-of-29 passing.

All told, Daniels was responsible for 409 of the Tigers’ 565 yards of offense against UAB (5-6), who had curtailed an explosive North Texas offense a week earlier.

“We wanted to bounce back from what we felt was offensively less than our best game. I think Arkansas had something to do with it, (and) we had something to do with it,” Kelly said about the aggressive playcalling on offense. “Jayden prepared really well, and you can make the case that this was his best game of the year. He pushed the ball down the field vertically, he saw things, he was assertive.”

LSU broke open the scoring on the night’s first drive on a two-yard run by John Emery, Jr., but Jermaine Brown, Jr. took the ensuing kickoff 66 yards to set up the Blazers on a short field. DeWayne McBride punched in UAB’s only touchdown from five yards out for an early 7-7 tie.

The Tigers responded with touchdowns on four of their next five drives, including Cain’s three rushing touchdowns, the last creating a commanding 28-10 lead with 40 seconds left before halftime. A touchdown rush by Daniels in the third and a touchdown catch by Brian Thomas, Jr. in the fourth garnished the outcome, which was secured by the increasingly stingy LSU defense.

The mental toughness that Kelly harped on his players over the week paid dividends on Saturday. It’s a talking point Kelly wanted to make for a long time prior. It’s a sign of the team’s maturation, that they can handle anything the elements and a half-empty Tiger Stadium can throw at them.

“I’m so proud of our mental toughness and their ability to do it the right way late in November against a team they’re supposed to beat,” Kelly said. “The wins have been nice. The individual achievements have been really neat — the SEC West Championship. But I’m most proud of the mental toughness this group has shown.”

Contact Ryne at rgberthelot@gmail.com

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JOURNAL STAFF 

LSU 41, UAB 10

Score by quarters

LSU | 14 | 14 | 6 | 7 | – 41

UAB | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – 10

Scoring summary

LSU – John Emery Jr. 2 run (Damian Ramos kick), 9 plays, 79 yards, 4:11

UAB – DeWayne McBride 5 run (Matt Quinn kick), 3 plays, 30 yards, 1:12

LSU – Noah Cain 5 run (Ramos kick), 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:20

UAB – Quinn 29 FG, 11 plays, 63 yards, 6:02

LSU – Cain 1 run (Ramos kick), 12 plays, 79 yards, 5:16

LSU – Cain 1 run (Ramos kick), 4 plays, 55 yards, 0:34

LSU – Jayden Daniels 2 run (Ramos kick failed), 6 plays, 57 yards, 2:46

LSU – Brian Thomas 5 pass from Daniels (Trey Finison kick), 9 plays, 86 yards, 3:34

	UAB	LSU
FIRST DOWNS	12	31
Rush	3	15
Pass	8	13
Penalty	1	3
TOTAL YARDS	259	565
Total plays	57	72
Avg. per play	4.5	7.8
RUSHING YARDS	48	266
Total rushes	22	41
Avg. per rush	2.2	6.5
PASSING YARDS	211	299
Comp-Att.	17-35	23-31
Comp. Pct.	49%	74%
Interceptions	0	0
Punts-Avg.	6-45.8	1-44.0
Inside 20	2	1
Fumbles – lost	0-0	2-2
Red Zone attempts	2-3	6-7
Red Zone pts.	10	41
3rd down conv.	4-14	11-13
4th down conv.	0-3	0-1
Possession Time	26:51	33:09

Individual statistics

Rushing

UAB – DeWayne McBride 13-34, Jermaine Brown Jr. 6-24, Lee Witherspoon 1-minus-4, Dylan Hopkins 2-minus-6.

LSU – Jayden Daniels 12-111, Noah Cain 13-76, John Emery Jr. 9-46, Derrick Davis Jr. 5-28, Nick Demas 2-5.

Passing

UAB – Dylan Hopkins 14-29-0-158; Jacob Zeno 3-6-0-53.

LSU – Jayden Daniels 22-29-0-297; Garrett Nussmeier 1-2-0-2.

Receiving

UAB – Trea Shropshire 4-54, Bryce Damous 3-56, Samario Rudolph 2-27, Dallas Payne 2-17, Fred Farrier 2-12, T Jones 1-27, Dexter Boykin 1-7, Dewayne McBride 1-6, Terrell McDonald 1-5.

LSU – Malik Nabers 7-129, Brian Thomas 4-21, Jack Bech 3-61, Mason Taylor 3-39, Jaray Jenkins 2-29, Kyron Lacy 2-12, Noah Cain 1-6, Mashburn 1-2.

Tackles

UAB – Jaylen Key 9-3—12; Keondre Swoopes 3-3—6; Noah Wilder 2-4—6; Grayson Cash 3-2—5; Devondric Bynum 4-1—5; Nikia Eason Jr. 3-2—5; Damien Miller 2-3—5; Tyrique Howard 2-2—4; Tyler Taylor 0-3—3; Michael Fairbanks 1-2—3; Drew Tuzama 0-3—3; Reynard Ellis 2-1—3; Kevin Penn 0-3—3; Starling Thomas 1-1—2; Will Boler 0-2—2; CD Daniels 2-0—2; Alvino Carbajal III 1-1—2; Isaiah Forte 0-1—1; Fish McWilliams 0-1—1; Terrell McDonald 1-0—1; Reise Collier 1-0—1; Colby Dempsy 1-0—1; Tamarious Brown 1-0—1.

LSU – Gregg Penn III 5-3—8; Harold Perkins Jr. 3-2—5; Joe Foucha 1-3—4; BJ Ojulari 2-2—4; Jay Ward 3-0—3; Micah Baskerville 1-2—3; Mekhi Garner 1-2—3; Ali Gaye 1-1—2; Jarrick Bernard-Converse 0-2—2; Jaquelin Roy 2-0—2; Greg Brooks Jr. 1-1—2; Jaray Jenkins 2-0—2; Major Burns 2-0—2; West Weeks 0-2—2; Sage Ryan 1-0—1; DeMario Tolan 0-1—1; Sai’vion Jones 1-0—1; Slade Roy 1-0—1; Tygee Hill 1-0–1.

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“We have one more week to improve our football team,” said Cumbie. 

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By JASON PUGH, Special to the Journal

NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State football team got the fast start it wanted Saturday afternoon against No. 5/7 UIW.

The Demons, however, were unable to sustain that momentum, and once the visiting Cardinals grabbed hold, they never let go.

UIW answered NSU’s opening drive touchdown with an onslaught of big plays and an avalanche of offense in a 66-7 victory that gave the Cardinals a share of the Southland Conference championship.

“Go back and look at the first half – the end of the first quarter, beginning of the second quarter – we had some opportunities,” said fifth-year head coach Brad Laird, whose team finished the season 4-7 overall and 4-2 in Southland play. “We got the fast start we wanted, up 7-0. It’s 14-7 (UIW) and we have a drive where we have a couple of drops and a drop on a fake punt that came in a situation to get the momentum back.

“In games like this, that’s what you have to do. We weren’t able to get the momentum back at that point. That wasn’t the point that changed the game, but it was a big letdown early in the second quarter.”

From there, the Cardinals (10-1, 5-1) piled on the points.

UIW needed just six plays to cover the 45 yards after the failed fake punt to build a 21-7 lead on Lindsey Scott’s 18-yard touchdown run.

Scott engineered a balanced UIW attacked that gobbled up 786 yards total offense —  413 in the air and 373 on the ground. A seventh-year senior, Scott threw for 382 yards and five touchdowns, tying the Turpin Stadium record held by NSU’s Zach Adkins and Sam Houston’s Jeremiah Briscoe.

Running back Marcus Cooper added 254 rushing yards – the third-best performance in stadium history – and a pair of touchdowns.

The Demons’ lone score came on the opening drive of the game when Zachary Clement found senior tight end LC Greenwood for a 1-yard score.

It was Greenwood’s second touchdown catch of the season – both coming at home in the same end zone.

“They came out and scored 66, so with an offense like that out there, you’ve got to respond and we didn’t respond,” said Clement, whose 239-yard passing performance gave him 2,498 for the season – fifth-most in NSU single-season history.

“(Greenwood and I) just hugged before this interview. For him to be able to go out that way means a lot to him, and I know he’s meant a lot to us as a team.”

The Cardinals used a big-play attack to surpass the 51.6 points per game average they brought into Turpin Stadium, scoring five second-half touchdowns – all of which covered at least 39 yards.

Scott and Cooper accounted for two each with the quarterback connecting with Darion Chafin on touchdown passes of 51 and 48 yards in the third quarter and Cooper adding touchdown runs of 67 and 78 yards within the first 15:14 of the second half.

Greenwood wasn’t the only Demon senior to enjoy a special moment on Senior Day.

Defensive lineman Isaiah Longino had the Demons’ lone sack, giving him 19.5 career sacks and putting him alone in fourth place on NSU’s career list.

“I’m glad I can say my name is going to be here for a very long time,” said Longino, who along with quarterback Kaleb Fletcher and cornerback Trey Williams spent six seasons in the Demon program. “Coach (Weston Glaser) gave me the one-on-one with the tackle. I got in a wide nine, made a few moves and our DBs did a great job of covering backside. He pumped the ball, the first read wasn’t there and when he hesitated, I was there.”

Despite the loss, Northwestern produced its first winning record in Southland Conference play since 2008 and its best conference winning percentage since the 2004 Southland Conference championship season.

“I’m proud of what this team has done,” Laird said. “A lot of people talk about Week 3, but I go back to Week 4 (the conference opener). We’re staring at a situation, about to go down 17-0, to Lamar. What our football team has done from that point moving forward, I couldn’t be more proud. To right the ship, to be able to overcome adversity and play for a championship, it starts with the seniors who played their last game here.”

Contact Jason at pughj@nsula.edu

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JOURNAL STAFF

Thanksgiving week is the time of year many schools aspire to be practicing for its next game. Three of the Shreveport-Bossier Journal teams advanced to the quarterfinals of the LHSAA football playoffs.

All three schools will be making the trip to south Louisiana. In Select Division I No. 5 Northwood (9-2) will be in New Orleans to play Brother Martin (7-5). Sixth ranked Byrd (8-3) will also be in New Orleans to battle John Curtis (9-2), the No. 3 seed.

In Select Division III No. 5 Calvary (9-2) will be in Baton Rouge to play No. 4 Dunham (10-1).

Select 

Division I

8-Carencro (8-2) at 1-Warren Easton (10-1)

5-Northwood (9-2) at 13-Brother Martin (7-5)

6-Byrd (8-3) at 3-John Curtis (9-2)

7-Karr (7-3) at 2-Catholic-BR (10-1)

Division II

8-Madison Prep (8-3) at 1-St. Thomas More (10-1)

5-John F. Kennedy (10-1) at 4-E.D. White (10-1)

6-Lafayette Christian (8-3) at 3-De La Salle (11-0)

7-Shaw (9-2) at 2-Tuerlings (10-1)

Division III

8-University (8-3) at 1-Newman (8-2)

5-Calvary (9-2) at 4-Dunham (10-1)

6-Episcopal (10-1) at 3-Notre Dame (9-2)

2-St. Charles (8-3) at 10-Parkview Baptist (10-2) 

Division IV

1-Vermilion Catholic (11-0) at 9-Southern Lab (8-3)

5-St. Mary’s (9-1) at 4-St. Martin’s Episcopal (10-1)

6-Glenbrook (11-0) at 3-Ouachita Christian (10-1)

15-Opelousas Catholic (9-3) at 10-Ascension Catholic (10-2)

Non-Select 

Division I

1-Ruston (10-1) at 9-Denham Springs (10-2)

5-Zachary (8-2) at 4-Southside (10-1)

3-Destrehan (11-0) at 11-East St. John (10-2)

2-Neville (8-2) at 10-Westgate (9-3)

Division II

1-Iowa (10-1) at 9-Leesville (10-2)

4-North DeSoto (10-1) at 28-Breaux Bridge (6-6)

6-Lutcher (11-1) at 14-Lakeshore (10-2)

2-West Feliciana (11-0) at 23-North Vermilion (6-6)

Division III

1-Many (10-0) at 9-Rosepine (10-2)

4-St. James (9-2) at 5-Avoyelles (9-3)

3-Union Parish (10-1) at 11-Patterson (8-4)

7-Amite (9-3) at 18-Berwick (8-4)

Division IV

8-Oak Grove (9-3) at 1-Kentwood (10-1)

5-Haynesville (10-2) at 4-Basile (10-1)

3-Mangham (9-1) at 11-Arcadia (9-3)

7-Logansport (9-3) at 2-Homer (8-3)

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By ROY LANG III, Journal Sports

The two most popular NFL teams in the area have some work to do. The New Orleans Saints are on the brink of losing all hope and the Dallas Cowboys are still licking their wounds from a disastrous finish on the not-so-frozen tundra.

The 3-7 Saints host defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles on Sunday at the Caesar’s Superdome (noon, Fox) having lost two straight and four of their past five. Head coach Dennis Allen will move forward with Andy Dalton at quarterback, but injuries remain a bigger issue.

Defensive end Cameron Jordan will miss Sunday and is joined by a group that includes at least Marcus Davenport, J.T. Gray, James Hurst, Mark Ingram, Pete Werner and Marshon Lattimore.

“For the most part in this league, you have to have guys that are backups that are able to come in and play,” Saints defensive lineman Kentavius Street told the media. “It’s just kind of part of the game. Everybody deals with it at some point.”

The good news: The Rams haven’t fared well in their defense of the Vince Lombardi Trophy. They are 3-6 and carry a three-game slide into the Big Easy.

“They can be an explosive offense, they’ve got a Super Bowl-winning quarterback, they’ve got some wideouts that can still catch the ball and some of their offensive linemen that started last year are playing in our game,” Saints co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen said. “(But) it’s not about them, it’s about what we do. And so the focus has just been on our fundamentals, our focus and the execution of the game plan.”

Meanwhile, the Cowboys are 6-3, but are mired in third place in the NFC East. Last week, they blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter for the first time in franchise history (195-0 previously). Dallas must put the loss to the Packers in the rear-view mirror as it faces the hottest team in the NFL on Sunday.

“We’re in a good spot,” cornerback Anthony Brown told the media. “Even if you look back to last year, we were 7-2 at the time, we’re 6-3. We could easily be 7-2 or more, even 8-1. Just a few plays here and there that didn’t go our way.

“We let that game in Green Bay last week get away, 14 in the fourth quarter. We’ve just got to keep our minds strong and stay confident.”

Minnesota (8-1) will host the Cowboys at U.S. Bank Stadium (3:25 p.m., Fox) riding seven straight victories.

Cowboys’ running back Ezekiel Elliott has missed the past two games with a knee injury, but could find himself back in the rotation with Tony Pollard again Sunday.

“When I think of Zeke, I think of the identity of our football team, kind of wrapped into a player,” Dallas offensive lineman Zack Martin said. “Just, his willingness to do anything asked of him, his physical style of play … he brings all of that to our football team. It rubs off on guys.” 

Today’s games

Saints vs. Rams

Noon (Fox), Caesar’s Superdome

Cowboys at Vikings

3:25 p.m. (Fox), U.S. Bank Stadium

Contact Roy at roylangiii@yahoo.com

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By ROY LANG III, Journal Sports

The local roster of NFL players is getting back to full song. Players like Marquez Stevenson, Rodarius Williams, Tre’Davious White and Brandon Wilson haven’t played a snap this season due to major injuries. However, the return of every player seems imminent.

LOCAL NFL STARS: 2022 Week 10 

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

Corralled one pass – a 43-yarder – on two targets in a primetime win against Atlanta.  

Israel Mukuamu, Dallas (22, S, Parkway)

Played two snaps on defense at Green Bay.

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

Completed 27 or 46 passes against the Packers for 265 yards and three touchdowns. However, two interceptions proved costly. Definitely has not found his groove in 2022. 

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

Played his first snap on defense since Week 5, but it was just a single snap. 

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

Piled up six tackles against Jacksonville. For the season, opposing quarterbacks are 46-of-63 passing for 459 yards and three touchdowns with Sneed in coverage. 

Marquez Stevenson, Buffalo (23, WR, Northwood)

Finally designated to return from injured reserve. He’s returned to practice and a 21-day window which allows him to practice, however, has opened. The team could activate him prior to facing Cleveland, but that’s likely to happen more toward the end of the window. 

Trent Taylor, Cincinnati (28, WR, Evangel)

Taylor will look to continue the momentum from his Week 9 performance as the Bengals come off their off week. 

Jerry Tillery, Kansas City (25, DL, Evangel)

Released by the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 10, the Golden Domer was claimed off waiver by the Chiefs. 

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

Played in one game this season. Currently on the Ravens’ practice squad. 

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

Big week consisted of nine tackles, one for a loss, and three quarterback hits. 

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

Is still sidelined. Is expected to be out Sunday, putting further doubt into when the former LSU star will return to the field. 

Greedy Williams, Cleveland (24, DB, Calvary)

Played just three snaps on defense at Miami in Week 10. 

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

Activated from injured reserve. Could see action soon. 

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

Activated off the PUP list and returned to practice ahead of a matchup at Pittsburgh. 

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

Played 81 percent of the defensive snaps against Green Bay. He made seven tackles. With Wilson in coverage, opposing quarterbacks are 16 of 26 for 103 yards with one touchdown and one interception this season.

Contact Roy at roylangiii@yahoo.com

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By ROY LANG III, Journal Sports

D’Andre Swift leads our anytime touchdown scorers this week at +235. We’re eyeing two more players and three defenses/special teams in the effort to post another winning week.

For the NFL spread picks, check out my Facebook (Roy Lang III) page on Sunday. 

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 Tuesday) 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: +89.3 units

Season ROI: +30 percent

SUNDAY’s SELECTIONS 

NFL 

Anytime Touchdown Scorers 

(.5-unit plays)

D’Andre Swift, Lions, +235 (CAE)

Josh Jacobs, Raiders, +110 (DK)

A.J. Brown, Eagles, +128 (CAE) 

(.3-unit plays)

Patriots defense/special teams, +650 (DK)

Jets defense/special teams, +800 (DK)

Saints defense/special teams, +650 (DK)

Contact Roy at roylangiii@yahoo.com

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Today I’m writing this article based on my personal experience as a tournament angler. Over the years, I’ve come across a lot of anglers who have always talked about how they should be fishing tournaments because they “ALWAYS” catch fish every time they go fishing.

All I have to say to these anglers? ”You’re a liar!”

These same people will try and tell me how good they are as a bass fisherman and that if they fished tournaments, they would probably be standing in the winner’s circle at the end of the day. To these same anglers I say, “Put your money where your mouth is!” 

I came across one such angler one day on Toledo Bend, a guy who in his mind was the best angler on the lake or maybe even the greatest angler of all time! During one of my practice sessions on the Bend, this guy came up to me at the boat ramp while I was loading my boat.

He eased over and proceeded to talk about how many fish he caught that day and that he quit counting at 100. I’m not sure why, but for some reason some anglers feel the need to exaggerate how they caught 100 fish in a day. In reality, they probably really caught about 30 to 35 – but not 100.

If you think about how many casts you make in a day, to catch 100 bass in a day is about one bass every four casts. That would be an awesome day by anyone’s standards and a day all anglers dream about.

He asked me if I was getting ready for a tournament. My answer was yes, and he said that he would probably win it if he decided to fish it. My response to him, with a sense of sarcasm of course, was that if he was on that many fish, he’d be crazy not to fish the tournament. And I added that I might as well just give him my entry fee. This is what we call baiting someone!

Well, lo and behold he showed up Saturday morning and put up his money (donated). I was a little surprised he showed because most of these “great” anglers never show up. He actually pulled up beside my boat before takeoff that morning and began to tell me how many fish he had caught the last two days and put in the freezer.

It was at this point, I knew he was in trouble. After a tough day of fishing, as the fish did not bite very well at all, I pulled up beside him at the dock and asked how he did? Let me go ahead and state the obvious: he was not a happy camper (angler), apparent by the expression on his face.

I was the last guy he wanted to talk to since he had talked so much trash on how he “always” catches fish every time he goes fishing. He finally answered me by saying how he just couldn’t understand what had just happened. He’d never gone fishing in his life and not caught fish! He was very confused and had that bewildered look (so many anglers have had before) as to what just happened.

It was at this time with a smirk on my face and a wink, I said, “Welcome to tournament fishing!”

This episode just proves that no matter how good an angler you are or think you are, there will be days that you just don’t figure them out. Oh, and with a slight chuckle, I reminded him that the fish he caught the last two days and put in the freezer won’t bite on tournament day after they’re frozen. That’s why tournament anglers practice catch and release.

I never saw this guy at a tournament ever again! Guess you could say he got humbled; tournament fishing will do that to an angler.

‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget your sunscreen. Take it from me, Melanoma does not discriminate!

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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By ROY LANG III, Journal Sports 

In the final minute of Benton’s Division I Non-Select second-round playoff game against Denham Springs, fireworks lit up Tiger Stadium to celebrate a victory by the home team and a spot in the quarterfinals.

One problem.

Benton didn’t win.

Denham did, 29-28, thanks to an ending that will be bitterly remembered by the Tigers and treasured by the Yellow Jackets.

With a two-point edge and the ball at Denham Springs’ 49, the Tigers looked to be in good position. However, Benton got a little too cute and then, in its mind, gypped by the referees.

On fourth down with a running clock, Benton knelt on its 13-yard line and thought it punched a ticket to the quarters. However, after the play, the scoreboard still displayed 0.6 seconds. Denham Springs’ Caleb LeBlanc, who struggled all season, subsequently kicked a 30-yard field goal to put a cap on one of the most stunning finishes you’ll see at a sporting event.

“We just got cheated out of a football game,” said Benton coach Reynolds Moore, who bolted toward the officiating crew and unleashed a tirade after the ball went through the uprights. “They told me to snap it at 1 (second left), we snapped it at 1. I didn’t call time out because both officials said, ‘Coach you’re good, snap it at 1,’ and so we did and then (the LHSAA clock operator) up in the freaking press box stops it and cheats my guys out of a game.”

A field goal should have never been in play. On third down, Benton’s Pearce Russell attempted to run around and waste time before taking a knee. However, a handful of penalty flags were thrown for multiple holding violations.

Suddenly, the Tigers were backed up and still had to kneel twice in the final 42 seconds. They did, but didn’t completely erase the clock.

“That was a wild sequence of events,” Yellow Jackets head coach Brett Beard said. “I knew there was going to be a shot with some time and we did a good job to try to make it happen. The game is never over until the clock strikes zero – that’s something you teach these kids and these coaches. Everyone has to know this game must be played for 48 minutes.”

Getting the opportunity to kick was a miracle. Making it may have been, too.

“(Our kicking game) — it’s been bad,” Beard said. “(Caleb) has made some good kicks, but he hasn’t had a chance to make any big kicks. At that point, that’s all you have. You say, ‘Kid, everything can be deleted from the year when you make this kick,’ and he came through.”

LeBlanc is a Louisiana Christian University commit who put his struggles behind him and couldn’t have picked a better time to nail his longest field goal of the season.

“When I heard Coach scream for the field goal unit I kind of just froze in the moment and realized I’ve been waiting on this moment my entire high school career,” LeBlanc said. “I walked out confident and remembered everything I’ve been taught.

“All you have to do is believe in yourself. I won’t forget this night any time soon. This is the best night ever.”

Denham Springs (10-2) moves on to play host to Ruston in the quarterfinals.

“(If the refs don’t tell me we’re good), we call timeout and we get things settled,” Moore said. “We do what we did (on the first third down) and have Pearce run around for a minute and fall down. They told me, ‘Coach, don’t worry about it,’ and then pulled that crap.

“It’s the worst officiating I’ve seen. They cheated my guys out of a game. They can do whatever they want. My guys just got hosed and that’s bull crap.”

The loss spoiled what had been a stellar effort from Benton’s defense, at least for the first 41 minutes.

“The defense played phenomenal all night,” Moore said. “This is the best ever we’ve seen from them and the offense just didn’t get it done. We just couldn’t get a first down, couldn’t do anything.”

A 1-yard touchdown run by Greg Manning gave Benton (8-4) a 28-14 lead with 5:16 left in the game. Denham Springs needed just two plays to answer as Camron Eirick hauled in a 49-yard touchdown pass — his second of three on the night — from Reese Mooney, but the Yellow Jackets missed the extra point.

Denham Springs recovered an onside kick and scored again four plays later – a 46-yard connection between Mooney and Eirick. The 2-point conversion failed with 3:59 left.

After forcing Benton into a three-and-out, Denham Springs’ hopes appeared to be extinguished when it failed on fourth down near midfield. However, the Tigers failed to close the door. Instead they let the Yellow Jackets get into field goal position and were foiled by a final-minute calamity and a trigger finger.

“It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever been a part of,” Beard said.

Eirick had six catches for 158 yards, while Mooney completed 16 of 34 passes for 326 yards and four touchdowns.

Manning finished with 103 yards on 34 carries. His team didn’t trail until the final gun and led for more than 40 minutes.

Friday’s controversy signaled a not-so-fitting end for Tigers seniors, like quarterback Gray Walters (9-of-21 passing for 184 yards and a touchdown) and Russell (five catches for 154 yards).

“I’m trying to tell the officials, ‘You’re taking this away from (the seniors) and they don’t get another shot.’ This is a playoff football game, this is not Week 8 or Week 9,” Moore said. “You can’t blow this, and they blew it.”

 Contact Roy at roylangiii@yahoo.com

Denham Springs 29, Benton 28

D. Springs | 0 | 7 | 7 | 15 | – 29

Benton | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | – 28

Scoring summary

B-Gray Walters 14 run (Peyton May kick)

B-Pearce Russell 38 pass from Walters (May kick)

D-Camron Eirick 15 pass from Reese Mooney (Caleb LeBlanc kick)

B-Andy Lim 5 pass from Walters (May kick)

D-Eirick 33 pass from Mooney (LeBlanc kick)

B-Greg Manning 1 run (May kick)

D-Micah Harrison 49 pass from Mooney (kick blocked)

D-Eirick 46 pass from Mooney (pass failed)

D-LeBlanc 30 field goal

Individual statistics 

Rushing 

Denham Springs – Ray McKneely 13-34, Cam Kelly 9-34, Micah Harrison 3-27, Jerry Horne 1-1, , Mooney 2-1. 

Benton – Greg Manning 33-104, Gray Walters 6-36, Landon Duggan 1-0, Team 1-(-31). 

Passing 

Denham Springs – Reese Mooney 16-34-0-326; Horne 4-7-0-(minus-4). 

Benton – Walters 9-21-0-184.  

Receiving 

Denham Springs – Camron Eirick 6-158, Harrison 6-77, McNeely 3-36, Andrew Goodwin 1-1, Rylan Hyatt 1-15, Seth Bishop 1-8, Maison Vorise 1-8. 

Benton – Pearce Russell 5-154, Manning 3-19, Andy Lim 2-11.

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By HARRIET PROTHRO PENROD, Journal Sports

It looked like the Haughton Buccaneers would take the lead into halftime against East St. John in the second round of the Non-Select Division I playoffs at Harold E. Harlan Stadium.

After falling behind 14-0 after the first quarter and fighting back to tie it at 14-14 in the second quarter, Haughton quarterback Colin Rains’ 35-yard Hail Mary with no time left on the clock was signaled a touchdown. That would give the Bucs the lead going into the locker room.

That’s what it looked like when one referee signaled “touchdown.” After a discussion between the officials, however, the pass was ruled incomplete.

The Bucs put up a fight in the second half, but came up short and ended their season with a 35-21 loss to the Wildcats.

“I thought we were up at the half,” said Haughton head coach Jason Brotherton. “It was kind of deflating. But our guys fought to the very end.”

The beginning was a little deflating, too. On the first play from scrimmage, Haughton senior running back Tyler Rhodes went up the middle for a 25-yard gain but fumbled and the Wildcats recovered on their own 35. On ESJ’s first play, Yashua Mitchell found Cortez Fisher for a 62-yard completion to the Haughton 3-yard line and the senior quarterback ran it in on the next play.

Mitchell’s 15-yard touchdown run – and Joe Henderson’s second PAT — with two minutes left in the first quarter gave the Wildcats the 14-0 lead.

The Bucs got on the board on their first play of the second quarter with an 11-yard touchdown run from Rhodes and PAT by Carter Ebarb and tied it at 14-14 with a 35-yard touchdown pass from Rains to Rashard Douglas and Ebarb PAT.

It looked like the Wildcats would take the lead at the half when they drove to the Bucs’ 13-yard line with 58 seconds to go in the second quarter but Haughton senior Jakob Handy came up with an interception to stall the drive. The Bucs got to the Wildcats’ 35 and, with a free play after the clock sounded due to a defensive penalty, the Hail Mary That Wasn’t occurred.

Two touchdown passes from Mitchell (33 yards to Koyal Gray Jr. and 6 yards to Dkhai Joseph) gave ESJ a 27-14 lead at the end of the third quarter. Rhodes’ 1-yard run and Ebarb PAT got the Bucs within six points (27-21) with just under nine minutes to go in the game.

After recovering an ESJ fumble with 5:38 to go, Haughton went three-and-out on their next possession and the Wildcats sealed the victory on their next possession with a 41-yard scoring run by George Martin III.

“They played hard and they played well,” Brotherton said of the Wildcats. “Their guys were big up front. I’m proud of the way our kids played. They (the Wildcats) made some big catches. There were times I thought we had good coverage and they still caught them.”

Mitchell completed 13-of-24 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns to go with his two rushing TDs.

“He’s good,” Brotherton said of Mitchell. “He’s a four-year starter and he’s really talented.”

Rhodes and Rains accounted for all of Haughton’s rushing yards. Rhodes finished with 115 yards on 17 carries and Rains added 69 yards on 21 carries. Rains was 12-of-28 passing for 160 yards.

Jalen Lewis had four catches for 63 yards for Haughton, followed by Jamarion Montgomery with two receptions for 51 yards.

“To be playing a second-round playoff game at home is a big deal for us,” Brotherton said of the 27^th-seeded Bucs, who finished the season 6-6. 

Contact Harriet at sbjharriet@gmail.com

East St. John 35, Haughton 21 

Score by quarters

ESJ | 14 | 0 | 13 | 8 | – 35

Haughton | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | – 21

Scoring summary

ESJ – Yashua Mitchell 3 run (Joe Henderson kick)

ESJ – Mitchell 15 run (Henderson kick)

H – Tyler Rhodes 11 run (Carter Ebarb kick)

H – Rashard Douglas 35 pass from Colin Rains (Ebarb kick)

ESJ – Koyal Gray Jr. 33 pass from Mitchell (kick failed)

ESJ – Dkhai Joseph 6 pass from Mitchell (Henderson kick)

H – Rhodes 1 run (Ebarb kick)

ESJ – George Martin III 41 run (Joseph pass from Mitchell) 

Individual leaders 

Rushing  

ESJ (34-215) – Martin 20-142 1 TD, Mitchell 9-48 2 TDs, Cortez Fisher 5-25. 

Haughton (39-184) – Rhodes 17-115 2 TDs, Rains 21-69, Douglas 1-0. 

Passing 

ESJ (13-24-2-247) – Mitchell 13-24-2-247 2 TDs. 

Haughton (12-28-0-160) – Rains 12-26-0-160 1TD, Jalen Lewis 0-2-0. 

Receiving 

ESJ – Fisher 5-106, Gray Jr. 4-71 1 TD, Joseph 4-68 1 TD, Ashton Williams 1-2. 

Haughton – Lewis 4-63, Jamarion Montgomery 2-51, John Ecot 2-8, Douglas 1-35 1 TD, Trent McGowen 1-3.

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By JERRY BYRD, Journal Sports

The Big Question heading into C.E. Byrd’s regional playoff game against visiting Alexandria Senior High was whether or not the Yellow Jackets would be able to move the football against the Trojans’ big defensive front. 

Byrd quarterback Lake Lambert answered the question in the game’s first three minutes when he raced 97 yards for the second-longest touchdown run in school history, on Byrd’s first possession of the game.      

It was only the beginning for Lambert, who finished with one of the most prolific nights in school history. He finished with 267 yards on eight carries and scored five touchdowns to lead the Yellow Jackets, 8-3 and seeded sixth in Select Division I, to a 49-10 win over No. 22-seeded ASH, which finished its season 5-7.    

“It was our great offensive line,” Lambert said of his performance running the football. “Great blocking by our wingbacks and receivers. That’s on them. I didn’t get touched on a couple of those because we had great blocking down the field. Great blocking at the second level. I think that was a difference maker in this game.”        

The Lake Show at Lee Hedges Stadium ranks No. 6 all-time in single-game rushing in Byrd football history, the best-ever by a quarterback.       

Lambert wouldn’t entertain any questions about his name in the school record books.

“We can talk about records when the season is over,” Lambert said. “The job is not finished. I’d like a ring on my finger whenever we are talking about records.”       

Byrd head coach Stacy Ballew thinks his quarterback caught the Trojans off guard.     

“I don’t think they knew what he could do, obviously,” Ballew said. “He was running up and down the field. I’m trying to talk to linebackers, then all of the sudden, it’s time for kickoff again. I don’t know what all he did, I didn’t see it all, but he was running up and down the field.”      

As a whole, Byrd’s offense finished with 475 yards rushing. It’s the fourth-highest rushing total in school history.       

The game was not as close as the score indicated.       

Byrd led 35-0 at halftime.    

After his first touchdown run of the night, Lambert added three touchdowns in the second quarter on runs of 56, 19, and 34 yards.       

Byrd’s other score in the first half came in the second quarter on Tyler Nichols’ 10-yard touchdown run.      

Alexandria’s first points, a 25-yard field goal by Bodie Van Dyke, came early in the third quarter after Byrd’s only miscue of the night, a fumble on a pitch play from Lambert to Malachi Johnson on the first offensive play of the second half.      

Lambert answered ASH’s field goal with his fifth and final touchdown run of the night, a 50-yarder. 

Byrd fullback Devon Strickland got in the act with a 68-yard run — Byrd’s final score of the night — with 3:37 left in the third quarter. 

Byrd kicker Abram Murray was a perfect 7-for-7 on all of his point-after attempts.      

ASH’s J.T. Lindsey scored the Trojans’ only touchdown on a 42-yard run with 2:49 left in the game.       

“The kids came out and I think they missed not playing last week,” Ballew said. “They want to play. They’re competitors. They were ready to go, and we did everything right tonight. We didn’t get a bunch of penalties. We had one turnover. We got fourth-down stops. Two interceptions. Our kids played their butts off, and our coaches did a good job getting them in position. I’m proud of our kids, they deserve it.”      

Defensively, Byrd was led by All-City linebacker Brooks Brossette, who had eight tackles. Three Purple Swarm defenders – Isaiha Ford, Christian Jones, and Ben Martinson – had seven tackles each. Jones had an interception, as did cornerback LaMichael Taylor.

Taylor returned his interception for a touchdown, but it was called back on an illegal block, which had no influence on the play.   

“Good teams are going to go out there and punch the other team in the mouth and the other team is not going to respond,” Brossette said. “I think that’s what happened tonight. We got them from the get-go and they never wanted to get back in. Every game we play in, we expect to win by a reasonable amount. This game, we just came together. That’s what we can do.”         

What the Jackets will do next is prepare to go on the road for the quarterfinals and play John Curtis in River Ridge on Black Friday. The Patriots defeated Jesuit Friday, 35-7.   

“I’ve said from day one, we want to be practicing during Thanksgiving,” Ballew said. “When you get to practice during Thanksgiving, that’s something special. You’re always going to remember that as a player. As coaches, we love having that week where we do more football than we usually do. It’s always a special week.”     

Contact Jerry at sbjjerrybyrd@gmail.com  

Byrd 49, ASH 10 

Score by quarters

Byrd | 14 | 21 | 14 | 0 | – 49

ASH | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | – 10

Scoring summary

B – Lake Lambert 97 run (Abram Murray kick)

B – Tyler Nichols 10 run (Murray kick)

B – Lambert 56 run (Murray kick)

B – Lambert 19 run (Murray kick)

B – Lambert 34 run (Murray kick)

A – Brodie Van Dyke 25 FG

B – Lambert 50 run (Murray kick)

B – Devon Strickland 68 run (Murray kick)

A – J.T. Lindsey 42 run (Channing Meche kick)

Individual leaders 

Rushing 

ASH (32-216) – Cunningham 24-149, Lindsey 4-60, Mingo 1-6, Bordelon 1-4. 

Byrd (41-475)– Lambert 8-267, Strickland 4-87, Simmons 5-61, Nichols 4-44.

Passing 

ASH – Bordelon 12-21-2-131.

Byrd – Lambert 0-2-0.

Receiving 

ASH – Mingo 7-46, Johnson 3-60, Cunningham 2-25.

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By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – What it came down to was Episcopal driving almost the length of the field in a tie game to win it with a 25-yard field goal with 1:01 to play.

That was the difference in a 10-7 win over Loyola in a Select-Division III second round playoff game at Memorial Stadium.

But to the Flyers, the difference might have come in other forms – mainly ball spotting by the officials.

On the game-winning drive, the Knights went for it on fourth-and-one at midfield with four minutes left to play. Though the mark indicated that any yardage gained on the quarterback sneak was minimal – at best – the officials moved the chains without a measurement.

Seven plays later, Aiden Romero’s field goal barely snuck in the left upright.

Earlier in the game, the Flyers had appeared to score a touchdown on the fifth play of the second quarter. Reagan Coyle was clearly in the end zone after a “Bush Push” play. But he was ruled down at the half-yard line.

Two plays later, the Flyers went for it on fourth down and didn’t make it – even though Episcopal had a 12^th man running off the field as the ball was snapped.

“We played hard and we had our chances,” Loyola coach Mike Greene said. “In the second round of the playoffs, you have to take advantage of those chances.”

The Flyer offense was limited in the second half, never getting past the Episcopal 41. Loyola had only one first down in the entire second half, which Greene said was a direct result of the Knights going on two long scoring drives.

“It wasn’t like we were driving up and down the field,” Greene said. “We needed to pick up some first downs so we could get some guys on defense a rest. But we couldn’t do that.”

Loyola scored just before half after sophomore Patrick Gosslee picked up a fumble and his 15-yard return put the Flyers at the Episcopal 43 with 3:37 to go. A 14-yard pass from Cooper DeFatta to Robert Pavlick on third down set up the Flyers for a 1-yard sneak by DeFatta to put the Flyers on the board with 50 seconds left before halftime.

The Flyers looked to get another break on the first play of the second half with another fumble, but forward progress was ruled on running back Braeden George and the Knights kept the ball.

Episcopal tied it on a 13-play drive – converting two fourth downs – and scored on a 7-yard run by Reid Chauvin with 10:48 left in the game.

The next Loyola possession resulted in a punt to the Knights 14 to set the stage for the winning field-goal drive.

“We knew coming in they would be a disciplined, well-coached ball club,” said Episcopal coach Travis Bourgeois. “Coach Greene’s an outstanding coach. Credit to him and his staff. Those guys came out ready to play. They gave us everything and more than we wanted. We had to fight for everything we got tonight.”

The Flyers finish at 6-5 while sixth-seeded Episcopal (10-1) will move on to play No. 3-seed Notre Dame.

“If you had told me after the third week of the season that we’d be here right now I would have told you you’re crazy,” Greene said. “With the injuries we had and the things these guys went through, I was proud to be here. It’s just that when you get to this point, you get greedy and you want more.”

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

Episcopal 10, Loyola 7 

Score by quarters

Episcopal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | – 10

Loyola  | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | – 7 

Scoring summary

L – Cooper DeFatta 1 run (Evan Lirette kick)

U – Reid Chauvin 7 run (Aldon Romano kick)

U – Romano 25 FG

Individual leaders 

Rushing 

Loyola (30-60) – Reagan Coyle 7-32, Trace Wall 9 -21, DeFatta 10-13, Grayson Hutchins 1-3, Jon Ebarb 2-minus-4, Team 1-minus-6. 

Episcopal (46-202) – Braeden George 22-154, Chauvin 13-52, Lewis Ward 10-minus-3.

Passing 

Loyola – DeFatta 8-20-0, 103 yards 

Episcopal – Ward 7-12-0, 62 yards, Cooper Braud 0-1-0.

Receiving 

Loyola – John Carmody 3-18, Robert Pavlick 1-14, Coyle 1-33, Ebarb 2-27, Hutchins 1-14. 

Episcopal – C.J. Washington 3-14, David Olinde 2-29, David Cresson 1-17, Walker Dauzat 1-3.

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JOURNAL STAFF 

Calvary Baptist’s defense held the door shut on Northlake Christian while the Cavs’ offense sputtered early, but the Cavaliers hit on all cylinders in the last three quarters of a 52-0 second-round win  in the Division III Select playoff bracket Friday night.

Running back James Simon scored four times, including two touchdown catches from quarterback Abram Wardell, who tossed four touchdowns himself. 

The No. 5 seed Cavs (9-2) won their seventh straight game and will take their winning streak to Baton Rouge to face No. 4-seed Dunham, who surged past No. 13 M.L. King Charter 56-21. 

After a scoreless first quarter, Simon jumpstarted Calvary with the first two touchdowns of the second quarter —  a 15-yard touchdown pass from Wardell and a 3-yard run. 

“Jay ran great routes and caught every ball,” said Calvary coach Rodney Guin. “It was a great night by a greater young man. (In the first quarter), we fumbled twice and dropped a touchdown pass, but then we started making plays.” 

Wardell added a 5-yard touchdown pass to Aubrey Hermes to build a 22-0 lead into halftime. 

Simon busted a 46-yard touchdown run then completed his scoring night with a 20-yard scoring catch as Calvary led 45-0 late in the third quarter. 

Julius Moss tacked on a 2-yard touchdown run for the final score. 

The defense never stopped making plays as the Cavs pitched their third straight shutout dating back to Week 9. 

That unit also outscored Northlake Christian, registering a third-quarter safety. 

“Our defense has been great all year, and to go deep in the playoffs, defense is the key.” 

No. 10 Parkview Baptist 28, No. 7 North Caddo 24: In a game in which Parkview Baptist and North Caddo traded blows, the Eagles landed the final punch in Vivian in the Division III Select playoffs. 

Parkview Baptist prevented the Titans from making their second straight quarterfinals appearance by getting the road win. 

The Eagles led 21-16 at halftime and fended off the Titans late. 

Parkview advances to host No. 2 seed St. Charles in the quarterfinals. 

With its seven wins this season, North Caddo has won at least seven games for the past three seasons (not including the shortened 2020 campaign). 

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JOURNAL STAFF 

THIBODAUX — Evangel running back Dashawn Johnson skirted inside the pylon with about a minute remaining, and the Eagles appeared to have pulled off the road upset in the Division II Select playoffs. 

But how things turned, for the worse. Evangel’s season ended with a last-play 32-29 loss to No. 4-seed E.D. White Friday night.

A holding penalty wiped out Johnson’s score, which would have snapped a 29-all tie, and then two more holding penalties pushed 13^th-seeded Evangel out of field goal range. 

E.D. White return man Matt Melancon then made Evangel pay, taking a punt into Evangel territory on a long return that set up the winning field goal as time expired. The kick barely made it over the crossbar.

“It was the greatest feeling to watch Dashawn get into the end zone because we thought we had won the game, but then the holding penalty wiped it out and we got two more holding penalties,” said Evangel’s coach, Pastor Denny Duron. “And then we punted it to the best returner in the state, probably ill-advised there. But it was a really athletic return down the left side. 

“Hat’s off to (Melancon) and the kicker, who had ice water in his veins. Even though the ending wasn’t what we wanted, this was a very important night for us because our kids understood that we could have won this game – it was as much ours as it was theirs.” 

The ending wasn’t what Evangel was seeking, and neither was the beginning. 

Evangel fell into a 21-6 hole in the first quarter before rallying to take a 29-21 lead early in the fourth quarter. 

“We made some mistakes early offensively, but our quarterback (Peyton Fulgham) overcame that, and he kept throwing,” Duron said. “We played well defensively, but E.D. White hit some long passes early, which is uncharacteristic of a team who has a formidable option attack. 

“But I’m so proud of these kids. Our team isn’t about wins and losses, we’re about each other. We’ve established a culture where we love God, love each other and love playing this game. They are already telling stories on the bus, and they are full of joy.” 

Evangel (7-5) had its four-game winning streak snapped as E.D. White (10-1) avenged a 2019 playoff loss (84-20). 

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BY SCOTT ANDERSON, Journal Sports  

BLANCHARD — Northwood dominated all aspects of the game Friday and rolled to a 35-9 victory against St. Paul’s of Covington in the second round of the LHSAA Division I Select playoffs at Jerry Burton Memorial Stadium.  

“I was very impressed by the defense and their tackling,” Northwood head coach Austin Brown said. “I can’t say enough about the defense. Offensively, we played smart. We had a couple of turnovers, but we were able to make enough plays to win the game.”  

Senior quarterback Mason Welch made the first of those plays right out of the chute, charging past the No. 12 seed Wolves’ defense en route to a 70-yard touchdown run on the No. 5 seed Falcons’ first play from scrimmage.  

“That felt good,” Welch said. “Coming out of the gate, I knew part of the game plan was I was going to have to run the ball. I took my preparation this week to get mentally right to run the ball. From the get-go, I had a crease, the receivers blocked well down the field, and you just have to make something happen.”  

Senior Taderius Collins led the Falcon (9-2) defense that stuffed the Wolves’ (7-5) running game in the backfield much of the night.  

“Something that doesn’t stand out on the stat sheet is that he was physically dominant,” Brown said of Collins. “Being double-teamed and triple-teamed all night, he was still in the backfield. Any time they tried to chip on him with a running back or a fullback, they wound up on their butt. It’s those types of things that don’t show up in the stat sheet, but when you’ve got to add an extra player to try to contain him, it takes away from your total offense.”  

Collins also added a spark on special teams. When the Wolves faced fourth-and-4 on the Falcons’ 48-yard line, Collins blocked the punt, then scooped up the loose ball and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown.   

Northwood led 21-6 with 8:53 left in the third quarter.  

“It was awesome,” Collins said. “I haven’t been in the end zone since freshman year. It was great to get that and capitalize for my team. I was determined to make that play and just went in from there.”  

Brown praised seniors after the game for their leadership.  

“(Collins) is the literal definition of a game-changer,” he said. “He’s going to change what an offense does. This is like (Welch’s) sixth or seventh playoff game. That isn’t anything new for him. He’s a consummate professional, a consummate leader. He set the tone and had a tough 124 yards rushing tonight.”  

It’s a trend he has seen in his players as the season has progressed. 

 “All offseason people patted us on the back and told us how great we were,” Brown said. “In Week 1, we got humbled. Then nobody told us we were great. We had to keep believing. The heart and character of the team has shown out these last few weeks.” 

Northwood advances to play Brother Martin next Friday in the quarterfinal round.  

Contact Scott at scooter.anderson@gmail.com.  

Northwood 35, St. Paul’s 9 

Score by quarters

Northwood  | 7 | 7 | 7 | 14 | — 35 

St. Paul’s  | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — 9 

Scoring summary 

N — Mason Welch 70 run (PAT good) 

SP — Drew Talley 38 FG 

N — Mar’Javious Moss 14 run (PAT good) 

SP — Talley 21 FG 

N — Taderious Collins 20 blocked punt return (PAT good) 

SP — Talley 23 FG 

N — Marc Dennison 6 pass from Welch (PAT good) 

N — Welch 4 run (PAT good) 

Individual leaders 

Rushing 

St. Paul’s — Jacob Davies 2-96. 

Northwood — Mason Welch 10-124, Mar’Javious Moss 8-69. 

Passing 

St. Paul’s — Brennan Keim 9-24-0, 116 yards. 

Northwood — Mason Welch 9-14-0, 121 yards, TD. 

Receiving 

St. Paul’s – Roman Cumberland 4-50. 

Northwood – Marc Dennison 4-30, TD.

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JOURNAL STAFF

NEW ORLEANS – Perennial power Warren Easton took advantage of first-half Captain Shreve miscues and eliminated the Gators with a convincing 48-7 win Friday night in the regionals of the Select Division I football playoffs at Pan American Stadium.

The Eagles took advantage of a Gators mistake with an interception that resulted in points and got a blocked field goal for a score with a little over a minute left in the first half, taking a 28-0 lead at the break.

“Offensively we had a lot of opportunities to make plays and we didn’t make them,” said Shreve’s first-year coach Adam Kirby.

“Defensively we knew we had to stop number 7 (Fred Robertson) and I feel like for the most part we did and bottled him up,” said Kirby. “He broke a couple long runs but we just put the defense in some bad spots and it obviously hurt us.”

Robertson finished the night with a game-high 180 yards and scored the game’s first points on a 3-yard run.

Quarterback Keddrick Connelly made it a 14-0 ballgame in the first quarter with a 15-yard run. Connelly added another score on a 4-yard scamper early in the second quarter to up the lead to 21-0.

Captain Shreve seemed to get a bit of a spark after Marquez Stevenson blocked a field goal attempt. The Gators put together a drive that ended with a field goal attempt of their own. The Eagles’ Greg Donaldson got the block and returned it 55 yards for a score to give his team a 28-0 halftime lead.

The Gators kept the ball moving most of the game thanks in large part by some key pass receptions.

“They made some plays that gave us some opportunities to get into the red zone but when you have a blocked punt, a blocked field goal, an interception and fumble it’s just tough to win a football game, especially against really good teams,” said Kirby. 

Shreve’s only points came on a 30-yard pass reception from Kenyon Terrell to Jordan Wiggins. Terrell finished with 227 passing yards on 13-of-21 accuracy. Keaton Flowers led the receivers with six catches for 104 yards. Wiggins had two catches for 39 yards and Cam Wilson snagged two for 43 yards.

Senior running back Jayden Edwards added 92 yards on the ground on 14 carries.

Warren Easton 48, Captain Shreve 7 

Score by quarters

Warren Easton | 14 | 14 | 7 | 6 | – 48

Shreve | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | – 7

Scoring summary

WE – Robertson 3 run (Iker Gutierrez kick), 9:06

WE – Keddrick Connelly 15 run (Gutierrez kick), 7:20

WE – Connelly 4 run (Gutierrez kick), 10:19

WE – Greg Donaldson 55 blocked FG return (Gutierrez kick), 1:13

WE – #14 25 pass from Connelly (Gutierrez kick), 5:19

CS – Jordan Wiggins 30 pass from Kenyon Terrell (John Chance kick) 2:22

WE – Robertson 61 run (Gutierrez kick), 1:59

WE – Terrell Surtain 8 run (kick failed)

Individual leaders 

Rushing 

Captain Shreve (39-139) – Jayden Edwards 14-92, Terrell 11-20, Jamarlon Otis 9-10, Javen Thomas 5-17. 

Warren Easton (35-271) – Robertson 10-180, Connelly 10-80, Surtain 5-36. 

Passing 

Captain Shreve – Terrell 13-21-1-227. 

Warren Easton – Connelly 6-11-0-119.

Receiving 

Captain Shreve – Keaton Flowers 6-104, Cam Wilson 2-43, Wiggins 2-39, Marquez Stevenson 3-6. 

Warren Easton – Torin Duronslet 2-50, Jashawn Johnson 1-31.

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JOURNAL STAFF

Select 

Division I

Warren Easton 48, Captain Shreve 7
Carencro 27, Acadiana 17
Northwood 35, St. Paul’s 9
Brother Martin 27, St. Augustine 24
John Curtis 35, Jesuit 7
Byrd 49, Alexandria 10
Karr 34, Scotlandville 26
Catholic-BR 24, Rummel 0

Division II

St. Thomas More 55, Helen Cox 0
Madison Prep 6, St. Louis Catholic 0
Hannan – John F. Kennedy, no score reported Friday night
E.D. White 32, Evangel 29
De La Salle 53, Vandebilt Catholic 7
Lafayette Christian 46, McDonogh #35 8
Shaw 42, Livingston Collegiate 6
Tuerlings 51, Carver 27

Division III

Newman 57, Sophie Wright 19
University 43, Country Day 0
Calvary 52, Northlake Christian 0
Dunham 56, M.L. King Charter 21
Notre Dame 41, Lake Charles Prep 40, OT
Episcopal 10, Loyola 7
Parkview 28, North Caddo 24
St. Charles 49, Ascension Episcopal 17

Division IV

Vermilion Catholic 31, Cedar Creek 7
Southern Lab 12, St. Frederick 6
St. Mary’s 45, Hanson 0
St. Martin’s Episcopal 48, Delhi Charter 12
Ouachita Christian 49, Sacred Heart 0
Glenbrook 42, Catholic-PC 14
Ascension Catholic 38, Riverside 31
Opelousas Catholic 52, Central Catholic 12

Non-Select

Division I

Ruston 37, Ouachita 16
Denham Springs 29, Benton 28
Zachary 20, West Monroe 10
Southside 35, Northshore 14
East St. John 35, Haughton 21
Westgate 28, Slidell 7
Neville 31, East Ascension 9

Division II

Iowa 17, Abbeville 14
Leesville 21, Jennings 7
Breaux Bridge 33, Iota 18
North DeSoto 33, Cecilia 14
Lakeshore 35, Opelousas 34
Lutcher 49, St. Martinville 33
North Vermilion 41, Church Point 30
West Feliciana 55, Erath 21

Division III

Many 21, Richwood 0
Rosepine 20, Westlake 13
Avoyelles 52, St. Helena 8
St. James 41, Loreauville 14
Union Parish 34, Sterlington 14
Patterson 36, Winnfield 12
Amite 46, Jena 12
Berwick 33, Bogalusa 30

Division IV

Kentwood 53, General Trass 8
Oak Grove 35, Welsh 14
Haynesville 36, Oakdale 16
Basile 19, Oberlin 8
Mangham 60, Grand Lake 12
Arcadia 18, White Castle 12
Logansport 46, East Feliciana 16
Homer 52, Delhi 6

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By RYNE BERTHELOT, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – Not only does tonight’s 8:05 kickoff in Tiger Stadium mark the end of LSU’s nonconference schedule, it’ll also settle a score.

The Blazers have spent the last nine years sporting a .500 record against LSU all-time after LSU beat UAB 56-17 in 2013. UAB won the first matchup between the two teams in 2000, 13-10.

The final homefield appearance for LSU is, of course, Senior Night, with 17 honored in a pregame ceremony.

“We’re excited about sending our seniors off with a victory and that’s been really our focus this entire week, playing to our standards,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said. “Obviously it’s been a great year, but we still have a lot of work to do.”

The sixth-ranked Tigers have exceeded all expectations by securing the Southeastern Conference West Division title and a berth in next month’s SEC Championship Game against No. 1 Georgia, the defending national champions. A win there, and LSU is in the College Football Playoff as one of four teams alive for a national championship.

But first things first. Tonight it’s UAB, a championship contender in Conference USA year after year. Next week it’s a visit to Texas A&M, but Kelly is keeping his Tigers focused on the Blazers, who should not be taken for granted.

UAB features one of the most potent rushing attacks in the Group of Five, as running back DeWayne McBride has averaged almost 7-yards-per-carry on 204 attempts to go along with 17 touchdowns. The junior has also tallied 1,407 yards on the ground, good for second in the FBS. Their offense ranks fifth nationally in rushing yards-per-game.

McBride’s not the only running back head coach Bryan Vincent utilizes, either: Senior Jermaine Brown, Jr. sees plenty of work as a change-of-pace back for the Blazers and has eclipsed the six yards-per-carry mark on 114 attempts.

McBride and Brown head an offense that’s established and pedigreed in the eyes of Kelly.

“They’re very accomplished on offense. In an overview I would say they’re a very mature team,” Kelly said. “They’re made up of a lot of fifth-year seniors, (and) there’s a number of sixth-year players on this team. This is a mature, veteran football team that has a very good offensive structure.”

Vincent didn’t share in his counterpart’s focus on upperclassmen, however. Instead, true freshman Harold Perkins caught his attention, especially after Perkins recorded four sacks and two forced fumbles against Arkansas to lift LSU to a 13-10 victory last Saturday on the road.

“After 12 or 14 hours of film yesterday and last night, he’s a guy that really stood out. You sit there, you watch him, and you watch all the things that he does,” Vincent said Monday. “Whether he’s rushing the passer, whether he’s spying the quarterback, whether he’s playing coverage? This is without a doubt the best true freshman I’ve seen in my career. Without a doubt.”

Still, UAB’s 5-5 record, coupled with LSU’s meteoric rise up the rankings, have left the Tigers as heavy favorites. It’s a game that’s easy for the Tigers to overlook, just like Arkansas was the week before.

There won’t be any of that, Kelly said. He’s echoed the same mantra all season: Preparation is key.

“That’s kind of a piece of who we are, right? We focus on a process more so than an outcome,” Kelly said. “It’s been a consistent way of how we do things on a day-to-day basis. We focus much more on the little things, our habits, how we think, what we do on a day-to-day basis, much more than outcomes and championships, things of that nature.”

Contact Ryne at rgberthelot@gmail.com

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JOURNAL SPORTS

NATCHITOCHES — There will be no playoffs for the Northwestern State football team.

But in the Demons’ final game of 2022 today at 1 o’clock in Turpin Stadium, there’s a chance – a slim one, but a chance – to share the Southland Conference championship.

With a massive upset of No. 5/7 Incarnate Word, NSU can claim a share of its first Southland title since 2004. It’s the first time since then the Demons have taken the field on the final playing date within a win of a conference title.

The game will serve as both Senior Day — with the Demons honoring 16 seniors in a pregame ceremony – and Military Appreciation Day.

The game will air on ESPN+ with free streaming audio available through www.NSUDemons.com.

“We have an opportunity to play for a co-conference championship,” fifth-year head coach Brad Laird said. “That is a credit to these players and coaches. We sat there after Week 3, trying to determine what is this team going to be about? Those players and coaches really flipped the switch and made a difference in what this team is going to be known for and what opportunities still lay ahead for this team.”

NSU’s fourth nationally-ranked opponent of the season is standing in the way of the Demons (4-6, 4-1) sharing the league title with Southeastern, which clinched a share of the title with a Thursday night victory at Nicholls.

SLU will get the Southland’s automatic playoff berth because it’s the only team to defeat UIW, and NSU. Whoever wins today’s matchup will be conference co-champions. UIW will surely receive an at-large playoff berth based on its dominant showing this fall.

The Cardinals (9-1, 4-1) bring the FCS’ top scoring team (51.6 ppg) and the top scoring margin in Division I (31.3 points) into Natchitoches.

“They’re a talented team, a disciplined team,” said sixth-year senior defensive end Isaiah Longino, who will play his final game as a Demon. “We have our work cut out for us, but everyone knows what’s on the line, what we’re playing for. We have to put it together. There’s no other choice. We’re down for the challenge. We accept it.”

The Demons have upset the Cardinals in two of their last three meetings, both times in San Antonio in high-scoring contests.

While the Cardinals score and score fast, the Demons’ Purple Swarm defense has shown the ability to fix itself in the course of a game throughout the season.

NSU enters the matchup having pitched back-to-back, second-half shutouts at Texas A&M-Commerce and Southeastern. The Demons also blanked Grambling and Eastern Illinois in the second half of matchups earlier in the year.

“It hasn’t always been about adjustments,” Laird said. “We’ve done our job better compared to just adjusting at halftime. This week will be important, as well, to start fast and get things going early. Adversity is going to hit. Sometimes it hits early. Sometimes it hits late. We have to take that adversity and switch it to momentum.”

The possibility of collecting the Demons’ fifth overall SLC football championship is a driving force for a team that has spent the previous 10 weeks learning how to play as one.

“Sticking together, not going down each other’s throats,” wide receiver Zach Patterson said of what has been behind the Demons’ turnaround after an 0-3 start. “At the beginning of the season, we wanted to point fingers. We had to come together as a team, not single one person out for not doing this or that. We had to come together.”

Because of that developing chemistry, the Demons have a chance to send 16 seniors out with a championship ring.

“I feel like I’ve been able to see the whole changing of the culture,” said Longino, a sixth-year senior who has been part of the program since the summer of 2017. “The last few years have not been the way we wanted. When I first came in, we had just come off a 1-10 season. My class had a lot of true freshmen who played. We were the ones trying to change things, shift things, bring discipline, bring intensity to practice.

“It’s only going to get better. To say I’ve seen the culture change completely as far as where we started – teammates not caring about each other to now being one full team and putting it all together for this – I’m happy to say I was part of the process.”

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