By MALCOLM BUTLER, Lincoln Parish Journal 

CHARLOTTE — When Louisiana Tech faces Charlotte today at 2:30 p.m. at Jerry Richardson Stadium in this North Carolina city, something has to give. 

The Bulldogs have lost 13 straight road games dating back to a win at North Texas in 2020. 

The 49ers have lost six straight home games. 

One of those streaks will come to an end. 

The contest can be heard on the LA Tech Sports Network locally on 92.1 FM and on the LA Tech Athletics app with Malcolm Butler and Teddy Allen providing a call of the action. 

Tech (3-7, 2-4) is coming off a 51-7 loss at league leader UTSA last weekend in a game that saw the Bulldogs struggle in all three phases of the game. However, true freshman quarterback Landry Lyddy, last year’s Mr. Louisiana Football at Calvary Baptist Academy, will make his third start of the season today, something that Tech coach Sonny Cumbie is excited to see. 

“It’s Landry’s game really,” said Cumbie when asked about the game plan for his QBs. “Let’s see how well he does. We have a game plan we feel good about and opportunities for him to spread the ball to the guys who can make plays. I’m excited to watch him play again.” 

Lyddy completed 14-of-26 passes for 138 yards and one TD while throwing two interceptions against the Roadrunners, but Cumbie said he felt the young signal caller made some strides. 

“I think that Landry did a fine job,” said Cumbie. “He made some good throws on third down to keep some drives alive. He hit Tre Harris on a great throw on a third down. He made a nice to throw to Smoke (Harris) for the touchdown in terms of an anticipation throw over the middle of the field. There are some things read-wise that I have to stay on him about in terms of our RPO game and other things. He was playing against a really good defense.” 

Charlotte (2-9, 1-6) counters with one of the most experienced signal callers in the country. Chris Reynolds has thrown for 2,272 yards and 22 touchdowns this season and is the key for the 49ers according to Cumbie. 

“Forty-one career starts,” he said. “That’s what he is making today in his last career start at home for Charlotte. He can make plays with his feet. We have watched a lot of crossover film of Charlotte’s when we were preparing for other opponents, and I have a ton of respect for him as a competitor. He is really fun to watch. He won’t be fun to watch (today). 

“But watching him in those other games, seeing him compete. He gets knocked around some and he gets back up. He is making throws. He has some talented receivers. They like to throw the ball down in the field in terms of their passing game.” 

Elijah Spencer (52-886-9 TDs) and Grant DuBose (62-757-9 TDs) are his main weapons and will be a challenge for a Bulldog defense that has been decimated by injuries this season. 

The 49ers are allowing over 41 points and almost 500 yards of offense a game this year, but according to Cumbie, have some playmakers in Amir Siddiq and Markees Watts. 

“From a defensive standpoint, they have two of the best defensive ends in our league,” he said. “They are two of the best pass rushers that we will play in Conference USA. We will have our hands full in terms of pass protection.”

By TEDDY ALLEN, Journal Sports 

Most football folk will tell you it’s a simple game, really: block and tackle.

Brooks Brossette, a senior linebacker who’ll finish his career in the Top 4 on the all-time career tackles list at C.E. Byrd, talks as if he believes that.

The secret to tackling people?

“Hit ’em hard as you can,” he said. “Wrap up.”

And there you go. Not rocket science. Just basic football science.

Brossette and his buddies will have plenty of chances to practice tackling tonight at 7 at Lee Hedges Stadium when the No. 6-seed Yellow Jackets, 7-3, face No.22-seed Alexandria Senior High, 5-6, in the regional round of LHSAA’s Select Division I Playoffs.

“They’ll try to run off-tackle against us, gut plays, try to establish that early,” Brossette said. “If we can shut that down and get our offense on the field, we’ll be good.”

Brossette knows something about good, as his 204 career tackles illustrate. This season, he leads Byrd with 16 tackles for loss, six more than he got last year when the Yellow Jackets went 9-2 and he became not only a starter, but an All City and All District selection.

“Salt-of-the-earth kid,” Jerry Byrd, former Byrd and Louisiana Tech lineman and current Byrd High assistant principal, said. “A leader. All his teammates love him. And not just in football, but baseball too.”

Byrd’s football linebacker is also Byrd’s baseball centerfielder.

“He makes plays that coming off the bat you think, ‘That’s in the gap and will be extra bases,’” said “Voice of the Yellow Jackets” Charlie Cavell. “Then the next thing you know, there’s Brooks, running it down and making some spectacular diving catch and you just shake your head, smile and say, ‘I’m sure glad he’s on our team.’”

And that’s the secret, besides hitting hard and wrapping up: speed. Brossette has it.

“Speed, his instincts and the intense competitive edge he plays with,” Cavell said. “That’s what separates him from being a good high school player to being a great one. He has that intangible drive that all great linebackers have.”

While on the subject of intangibles, don’t let the 5-6 ASH record deceive: three of ASH’s six losses came to two No. 1 seeds (Ruston and St. Thomas More) and a No. 8 seed (Carencro). ASH’s playoff win against No. 11-seed McKinley was a taking-candy-from-a-baby 42-0.

Tonight’s challenge for Byrd includes being successful running against a stout Trojan defensive front and containing an ASH team that has a formidable passing game led by quarterback Joe Bordelon. Byrd faltered against high-powered passing attacks in the regular season. See losses to Benton (68-28) and Airline (48-28).

And keep in mind that ASH’s head coach is Thomas Bachman, who coached pass-happy Evangel to a state championship. Brossette and his teammates would do well to keep Bordelon uncomfortable if Byrd head coach and Yellow Jacket lifer Stacy Ballew, in his second year as head coach and his 26^th at the school, is to get his first playoff win as head man.

If things get really dicey, Ballew could always put his All-City linebacker in at the only other position Brossette would like to play.

“Running back, scoring touchdowns,” Brossette said. “I should have asked (Ballew) a couple of games ago. But he wouldn’t let me now. I think he likes me at linebacker too much.” 

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

22-Alexandria (5-6) at 6-Byrd (7-3) 

Where: Lee Hedges Stadium

Series: First meeting 

Last week: Alexandria beat McKinley 42-0; Byrd had a bye 

Rankings: none 

All-time playoff record: Alexandria 13-30; Byrd 33-31-2 

Radio: Byrd (The Tiger 1130 AM, 103.3 FM) 

Notables: This is the first-ever meeting between C.E. Byrd and ASH … Both Byrd and ASH played in the 2020 LHSAA State Championships in Natchitoches. Byrd lost to Catholic before the Jackets ended up with the trophy when the Bears were forced to forfeit several games including their 35-12 win against the Jackets. Acadiana beat ASH 35-34 in an overtime thriller … After losing 45-14 in their second-round playoff game to Brother Martin in 2021, Byrd head coach Stacy Ballew is looking for his first playoff win since taking over the program. 

JOURNAL STAFF

Round 2 of the LHSAA football playoffs tonight includes home action for three of the most explosive teams in the Shreveport-Bossier Journal coverage area, while Loyola heads to Baton Rouge after a smashing victory last week. 

12-St. Paul’s (7-4) at 5-Northwood (8-2)

Where: Jerry Burton Stadium 

Series: First meeting

Last week: St. Paul’s beat Holy Cross 24-21; Northwood had a bye

Rankings: Northwood received votes in the LSWA’s 4A poll 

All-time playoff record: St. Paul’s 13-25; Northwood 11-25 

Radio: Northwood (Miracle 89.1 FM, http://69.64.65.171:8192/kflo)

Notables: Head coach Austin Brown is counting on his team’s postseason experience to be a factor. Northwood has played in 12 playoff games in the last five years. “And when you look at who we’ve lost to, it’s some of the best teams in the state,” he said. Carencro, Warren Easton and Edna Karr are three of the teams to knock out the Falcons . . . Former Northwood head coach Jim Gatlin will serve as honorary captain for the Falcons this week . . . Brown has reminded his team — often — on what to expect from St. Paul’s. “The message this week is that this is a disciplined, (Class) 5A team. Everybody they put on that field is going to do what they are supposed to do. You don’t always see that in the regular season. They won’t make one single mistake all game long. We just have to be better than them in matchups that favor us” . . . Northwood running back Quintavion Brown has rushed for 1,054 yards and 19 touchdowns . . . Quarterback Mason Welch has thrown for 1,647 and is the school’s No. 2 career passing leader . . . Northwood has won its opening playoff game six times in its last eight playoff appearances. 

12-Northlake Christian (8-3) at 5-Calvary (8-2) 

Where: Jerry Barker Stadium 

Series: First meeting 

Last week: Northlake Christian beat Houma Christian 40-7; Calvary had a bye

Rankings: Calvary is 5^th in the LSWA’s Class 2A poll 

All-time playoff record:  Northlake Christian 4-12; Calvary 33-14 

Radio: Calvary (The Promise 90.7 FM,  http://69.64.65.171:8192/kflofm2) 

Notables: The Cavaliers carry a seven-game win streak into Friday’s matchup. Calvary allowed a total of seven points in its past three games … the Cavaliers are 33-14 all-time in the postseason and have won at least one playoff game for 16 consecutive seasons. The only time they didn’t win at least one postseason game was their first attempt (lost to Crescent City in first round of 2005 Class A playoffs). 

11-Loyola (6-4) at 6-Episcopal (9-1) 

Where: Memorial Field at Episcopal Stadium, Baton Rouge 

Series: First meeting 

Last week: Loyola beat St. Thomas Aquinas 61-14; Episcopal had a bye 

Rankings: Episcopal is No. 9 in LSWA’s 2A poll 

All-time playoff record:  Loyola 33-37-2; Episcopal 15-25 

Radio: none 

Notables: The Flyers have not won a playoff game in South Louisiana since shocking Riverside (Reserve) in the 1994 semifinals … Loyola hasn’t beaten a higher-seeded team since 2008, when the Flyers did it twice … Quarterback Cooper DeFatta has gone for 1,000 yards passing and has either thrown or run for 23 of Loyola’s 40 touchdowns this year … Linebacker Gray Deason’s 118 tackles are the most by a Flyer since 2018 and is 41 more than the next leading tackler … Running back Trace Wall is now in the Flyers’ Top 15 in career rushing with 1,690 yards … Last week’s 170 yards allowed on total defense was the fewest all season and the 432 yards in total offense was five away from the most all season.

10-Parkview Baptist (9-2) at 7-North Caddo (7-3) 

Where: Sanders-Prudhomme Stadium, Vivian 

Series: First meeting

Last week: Parkview beat Menard 31-0; North Caddo had a bye

Rankings: Parkview received votes in LSWA’s 3A poll; North Caddo received votes in LSWA’s 2A poll 

All-time playoff record:  Parkview 57-23; North Caddo 4-17 

Radio: North Caddo (KNCB 1320 AM, K104 FM) 

Notables: Coach Johnny Kavanaugh had a new experience last week managing the bye week and waiting to find out who his Titans would play in the second round. “I wasn’t sure about it at first,” Kavanaugh said. “It felt odd. It was a new experience, but it helped us heal up. We had fun with it, too. We had a Titan Bowl on Thursday where our younger players, who don’t get much playing time got in full gear and played a game. Our seniors served as assistant coaches. It was a lot of fun” … When Kavanaugh and his staff watch film of Parkview Baptist there are several takeaways. “Their linebackers are the strength of their team,” Kavanaugh said. “Their inside the box defense is talented. They are very good on special teams. They have a kicker who can kick it out of the back of the end zone and kick long field goals. That is something we don’t see much. Overall, their size is a factor. They are much bigger than we are” … The best environment the Titans have seen at Sanders Prudhomme Stadium this season was their game with Calvary. It was their homecoming game and 2,700 people were in attendance. It was the largest crowd coach Kavanaugh has seen in his five years in Vivian. He is hoping Friday’s second-round playoff game — only the second home second-round playoff game in school history — exceeds the Calvary game in terms of attendance. “I’m a little worried about the cold weather,” Kavanaugh said. “When the weather gets cold during hunting season it has a tendency to keep people away. We will have plenty of coffee and hot chocolate. I think it will great environment for high school football.”

By LEE BRECHEEN, Louisiana Football Magazine

Today wraps up the Round 2 previews of Shreveport-Bossier teams hoping to advance to the quarterfinals of the LHSAA football playoffs as they kick off tonight.

We start in Division II Select with Evangel Christian facing E.D White on the road in Thibodaux.

Evangel is coming off an impressive 60-0 win over Istrouma, and E.D. White comes off a bye.

I might be the only one in the statewide media who thinks Evangel has a chance, but my reasoning is that Evangel keeps getting better with talented players, both at the skill positions and in the trenches. The Eagles boast players like WR/DB Kody Jackson (6-2, 185), WR Parker Fulghum (6-1, 190), QB Peyton Fulghum, and “athlete” Tyreek Robinson, who has 4.4 speed.

I saw E.D. White play in 2021 and they will not on paper be a bigger team or faster team. Actually, Evangel will be the faster team overall, and has the advantage skill-wise. What E.D. White does do well is control the ball, mount long drives and eat clock with their big offensive line lead by Luke Gauthreaux (6-4, 310), Jacob Ginn (6-0, 280), and Matthew Broussard (6-4, 280).

Evangel can counter with a great linebacker core led by Drake Damari (6-0, 210), and DE/RB/OLB Gabriel Reliford (6-3, 230), who is as talented as anyone locally on the DL. E.D. White’s best athlete might be Matthew Melancon (6-0, 185), who runs a legit 4.5 40 and was All-State in 2021 as a DB.

If Evangel doesn’t turn the ball over, the Eagles have a chance to shock the Louisiana High School Football world — but not me — on Friday night.

Division I Select Captain Shreve goes south to New Orleans to meet powerhouse Warren Easton. Captain Shreve is coming off a 36-27 win against Tioga in the first round; Warren Easton had a bye.

This will be a game of “can you keep up” for Captain Shreve; Warren Easton does give up points but for the Gators to win this one, scoring at least 31 to 35 points might be needed. Warren Easton is again one of the fastest teams in Louisiana, led by a host of players with God-given talent, including QB Keddrick Connely (6-1, 205, 4.5 speed), CB Wallace Foster (5-11, 175, 4.4), DB/QB Mathis Lee (5-11, 175, 4.5), and All-State RB Fred Robertson (5-9, 180, 4.4).

Captain Shreve will need huge games from QB Kenyon Terrell (5-11, 175), WR Marquez Stevenson (6-2, 180, easy 4.5 speed), center Chris Allen (6-3, 275), Jayden Edwards (5-10, 185, 4.5 speed), and OT Devin Harper (6-5, 285).

The Gators will have to contend with two of the best players in Louisiana. Warren Easton’s defense is led by LB All State Jirrea Johnson (6-0, 215, 4.5 speed) with over 300 tackles in his career, and DT Jameian Buxton (6-1, 290. with 4.9 speed as a DE/DT), a transfer from Thibodaux in 2021.

Northwood takes on St. Paul’s from Covington. This is a good matchup for Northwood. St. Paul’s is balanced but doesn’t have a strong run game or passing game; the Wolves just do both pretty well.

St. Paul’s has depth and rotates a lot of personnel. When I saw the Wolves play this year, their strength was their offensive line, led by Gage Guzan (6-0, 265), Andrew Viener (6-3, 270)  Dylan Buckel (6-1, 250), Cayden Arnold (6-4, 270), Dominic Livaccari (6-0, 250) and three tight ends, each at least 6-2, 215.

This could be another huge game for Northwood’s interception king, CB MarJayvious Moss, who has two five-interception games in his career. But I think the Northwood trenches will be where this game is won; the leaders on the line are DE Ta’Derius Collins (6-4, 250), DT Jamarion Kennedy (6-4, 295) and DT Ted Jamison (6-0, 255). I also like Northwood’s run game to have a chance to control the clock.

St. Paul’s is coming off a win over Holy Cross, 24-21.

Alexandria Senior High taking on Byrd at Lee Hedges Stadium tonight at 7 will be one of the best games in North Louisiana. Everyone who’s “in the know” realizes Alexandria is not a true No.-22 seed, talent-wise. Byrd will try to win another game with QB Lake Lambert (6-3, 194), a senior who is approaching 30 career wins as a starter.

The key to this game is whether or not Byrd can run the ball on ASH, which has a great defensive unit led by DT/DE Jeremiah Wright (6-1, 260), DB Josh Marie (6-1, 190, 4.45 speed), CB Chris Clark (4.4 speed) and DT Wyatt Dauzart (5-11, 295). Defensively, Byrd is led by four-year starter LB Brooks Brossette (6-0, 205), who’s managed more than 200 tackles since the 2021 season.

ASH is coming off a huge win over McKinley, 42-0, and Byrd had a bye. But no one gets the night off tonight, especially in the trenches, where this one will be won. Or lost.

Contact Lee at lbrecheen@aol.com

He was born as the third of three brothers and unless you are the third of three brothers, you have no idea how miserable that can sometimes be.

But not for KMac.

Oh, there were certainly some moments of being reminded that he was chronologically challenged in his own family. He was faced with walking in the shadow of two very athletic brothers – one of whom was only 16 months older – but KMac handled that by doing what he always did best.

He just smiled.

I knew him from the day he was born and let me assure you that he was probably the happiest person I have ever met. That’s because he may have been the happiest person anybody ever met.

KMac loved everything life had to offer him. He loved his high school, he loved his college, he loved baseball, he loved golf, he loved his friends, he loved being a husband, he loved being a father.

There was nothing he did that he didn’t love. And there was nothing that prevented him from having the smile that was his signature.

KMac died earlier this week and the news just seemed to stop the world for a lot of us. One minute he was alive and talking on the phone – smiling, you can be sure – and the next minute he was gone. The definition of sudden.

He’d gotten a medical bad break years ago and knew it was always going to be with him. But hardly anybody even knew about it because KMac was too busy living his best life.

When he was in high school at Loyola and his brother was the star player, the baseball coach kept KMac on a very limited roster even though he would rarely play. The coach knew he would be a great teammate and could keep stats. And smile.

The next year, when he did get a chance to play, KMac belted one to deep left field in a game at Southwood. He had so wanted to be able to hit a home run like his now-graduated brother, and as soon as he made contact, he turned toward the first base dugout to let his teammates know what he had done. The problem? He hadn’t calculated that it was about 700 feet to deep left-center at Southwood.

KMac was held to a single. As expected, his teammates were all over him from the dugout. Some guys would have been seething. KMac just smiled right back at them.

A couple of years later, he and his brother were on separate summer baseball teams and playing against each other. KMac was playing on his school team and his brother was on what resembled a select team, so that only added fuel to the sibling fire.

There was a play at third base and KMac, with a bit of trickery, was able to apply the tag on his brother for an embarrassing third out.

But there had to be something more.

As he headed to the dugout, he casually-but-purposefully flipped the ball up in the air right in front of his brother, who was dusting himself off at third base.

KMac knew exactly what he was doing.

His brother then picked up the ball and fired it as hard as he could right back at KMac. It was every bit as intentional, but he intentionally didn’t hit his younger brother. Everyone who saw it understood completely what was going on, because that scene had been done hundreds of times in wiffle ball games and driveway basketball games throughout their childhoods.

When he was in Little League, I coached KMac and his teammates to a Little League state championship in, of all places, Bogalusa. As we prepared for the long trip home with trophy in hand, little 9-year-old KMac rolled down the window and I reminded him he was already one-up on his brother in state championships.

I will never, ever forget his smile when he realized that.

KMac was determined to go to the University of New Orleans, but Hurricane Katrina changed those plans. Instead, he went to Louisiana Tech and instantly became the Bulldogs’ most loyal fan. He’d plan his weeks around a basketball or baseball game. After he graduated, he parked in the same spot for football games and let everyone just gravitate his way.

That was KMac . . . loyal as the day is long.

He was loyal to his high school, where he couldn’t wait for the next Old Timers Baseball Game – yes, he was often asked to re-enact that famous third-base scene with his brother – or Alumni Golf Tournament. If you were up for it, he was up for it.

For those of you who never knew KMac, be assured you would have loved him and he would have loved you. And if you check the obituaries, he won’t be hard to find.

Just look for the picture with the big smile. 

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

JOURNAL STAFF

SULPHUR – Loyola’s Gus Nicolosi won two events and was named meet MVP in Division III at the LHSAA State Swim Meet held Thursday at the SPAR Aquatic Center.

Nicolosi, a junior, won the 50-meter free with a time of 21.64 and the 100 free in 47.04. With his wins he becomes the first Flyer to capture state MVP honors in the sport.

The Calvary Baptist boys finished second in Division IV with 274 points behind first-place Pope John Paul II’s 375. The Cavaliers were led by senior Sam Ponder, junior Zachary Ponder, senior Joshua Roper and sophomore Eli Haase.

Zachary Ponder had a pair of first-place finishes. He swam a 1:57.13 in the 200 IM and 53.29 to win the 100 backstroke. Roper also had a couple of individual firsts with a 22.02 in the 50 free and 48.58 in the 100 free. Sam Ponder was second in the 100 back with a 56.16. Both Ponders, Roper and Haase teamed up to win the 200 free relay with a 1:33.66 and finished second in the 200 medley relay in 1:44.07.

Calvary’s Claire Roper won a pair of races in the girls Division IV meet. Roper took the 100 back in 58.84 and swam a 2:17.11 in the 200 IM.

JOURNAL STAFF

Colleges

MEN

LSU 91, New Orleans 62
Northwestern State 70, Illinois State 67
TCU 95, ULM 60
ULL 94, Louisiana Tech 88

WOMEN

Southern U. 56, Northwestern State 52
Wiley 84, Centenary 75

High Schools

GIRLS

Airline 53, Northwood-Lena 40
Benton 60, Woodlawn 10
BTW 50, Red River 25
Byrd 31, Calvary 9
Captain Shreve 57, Homer 56, OT
Haughton 57, Saline 34

BOYS

Calvary 68, Byrd 39
Haughton 66, Saline 48
Huntington 56, Green Oaks 51
Loyola 61, Benton 57
Ruston 65, Airline 50

By ROY LANG III, Journal Sports 

Following Saturday’s game at Lone Star, most of the Shreveport Mudbugs scurried home to take advantage of a rare pre-holiday break in their North American Hockey League schedule. 

Mudbugs head coach Jason Campbell believes the break has come at a “good” time. 

Shreveport is exactly one-third of its way through the regular season. The Mudbugs have won just seven of their 20 games and currently reside in fifth place in the South Division. However, that is a bit misleading as they have played at least four more games than each of the teams closest in the South Division. 

“They’ve been going hard since August,” Campbell said of his team. “The challenge is for them to stay on top of their conditioning and come back refreshed and healthy and ready to go. We have to find a way, and it’s going to start in practice, to be able to compete like we did Friday (3-2 victory against the Brahmas) for 120-plus minutes every weekend.” 

Last Friday night’s overtime win at Lone Star is Shreveport’s only victory in the first six games of the eight-game road trip. The extended time away from George’s Pond at Hirsch Coliseum ends with a post-turkey doubleheader at El Paso on Nov. 25-26. 

The Mudbugs return to the George to face New Mexico on Dec. 2-3. 

Shreveport must find a way to score goals. The Mudbugs (1.95) are one of just two teams in the 29-team league to post fewer than two goals per game. 

One of the reasons for the punchless offense is a power play that’s been more of a burden than a force. Shreveport ranks 28^th in the NAHL on the power play (11.8 percent). The Mudbugs have scored nine power-play goals in 76 attempts, but have also allowed six short-handed goals (worst in the league). 

“You have to outwork your opponent and we haven’t done that all the time,” Campbell said. “We’ve done that sometimes. Maybe there is a mental block there on the power play, ‘Hey, we’re up a man, let’s take our time and maybe we don’t have to outwork our opponent.’” 

A stellar penalty-kill unit has helped mask the offensive woes. Shreveport kills penalties at an 87 percent clip – second best in the league. 

“All you can do is keep working through it,” Campbell said. “Our guys are going to work, us coaches are going to work to get our power play better. We have to because it’s going to be huge over the next 40 games.” 

Contact Roy at roylangiii@yahoo.com

By Josh Beavers

Teaching can be an odd thing.

You spend more time with a child, or young adult than you do with your own family. Whether it be in class, sponsoring a club, coaching, going to sporting events, etc., sometimes those boys and girls, men and women, are with you more your own blood, your own kin, those you call family.

You form connections and can make an impact, both fair and foul, on their lives. And they too on yours.

And then they move on, and we all forget.

Oh sure, there are those students you remember, maybe a handful over the course of a career. And oh sure, there are some teachers we remember even as marriages and births and life’s ups and downs come our way. But by and large, we forget, the teacher and the student alike.

I remember a few teachers. Mrs. Sumrall from second grade. Mrs. Waits from seventh. Mr. Waits from math class. Mrs. Kirk from English class. Dr. Horton from college. Mr. Whitehead from college.

But others are hazy. A few faces are remembered. Maybe a few comments. But actual classes are gone. I took 12 hours of Spanish in college and remember almost nothing. Deadlines and commitments took up that space in my brain.

But there is one I remember. One lesson. One teacher.

I took an elective class my senior year of college taught by a guy named Jerry Pierce. It was literally me and one other student. Her name was Mary. I don’t remember her last name and have no idea where life took her after graduation. She came into my life for that class and left to go to her own world. Just one of those people who we meet and never see again.

But Mr. Pierce, I remember, and the reason why is because he taught me how to write. I mean really write. How to connect with a reader and how to evoke an emotional response.

He taught me the two main rules of writing. 1 – Communicate effectively and efficiently and 2 – make the reader care. We read and we wrote, and I got better. I learned the purpose of writing. The art of it. I learned how you can change things with a few well-crafted phrases and shine a light on the good and bad around us without ever saying a word.

Jerry Pierce set me down a path that I never would have gone down without him. He taught me so much, and I still use those two rules of writing today. I base everything I write around those two rules. I teach my students those rules and base all my writing instruction upon that foundation. Commas and structure are secondary. They come later. They come after the two main rules. 1 – say what you need to say and don’t beat around the bush and 2 – grab that reader and make them say “this is worth reading.”

He changed my life.

I haven’t thought of him for a long time. Not until I learned last week of his passing.

His obituary began, “Incomparable impact over 57 years at his beloved alma mater, Northwestern State University, and in his adopted hometown of Natchitoches, along with significant statewide influence in higher education and sports were hallmarks of Jerry Pierce, who died Tuesday in Natchitoches after a brief illness.” He was 83.

Mr. Pierce taught thousands of students over the years, and I highly doubt he remembered me. I was one of those students that he likely forgot with the passage of time. That doesn’t bother me at all.

He may have forgotten me like I have forgotten students like they have forgotten me. It’s part of life. We forget. We forget friends. We forget co-workers. We forget old loves.

But on occasion, there are people who make an impact on us.

Jerry Pierce was one of those people for me.

He was a good one. And he changed my life.

And I will remember him.

Josh Beavers is a teacher and a writer.

After going 1-9 last season, Airline went 7-4 this fall and made a clean 7-0 sweep of District 1-5A, a success by any measuring stick, but especially by measuring one win against seven — an improvement of 700 percent.

Or maybe 600 percent. You do the math. (Seriously, you do it because I don’t know how and am not going to. I know 7 > 1, though, and in Airline’s case, a whole lot greater.)

After last season’s disaster and a 3-4 record during the football-forgettable COVID Autumn of 2020, the Vikings were basically grounded, spear-less and sword-less and plunder poor.

“Football’s always been fun,” said Viking senior linebacker Tyler Bullard, who started playing organized football around kindergarten on a team called the Dragons when, he said, his pads were bigger than he was. “Since I can remember, it’s been fun. Well, maybe it wasn’t last year. Or the year before, everything going on those two years.  Plus, I was out with an MCL all last year. On my freshman team our offense wasn’t very good so … it was fun, but let’s just say we weren’t the best.”

This year, in the regular season, the Vikings were. Started 0-3, then ran the demanding 1-5A table.

“100 percent fun and we all knew, even at the first, it was a big improvement over last year,” said Bullard, who might well be the “H” and the “S” in High School football. Good grades, good high school player, leader on the field. Not going to be a college player, but was going to be every bit of a high school player.

“We were in all the games,” he said. “Even in the first game (a 46-21 loss to North DeSoto), we scored 21 points with eight turnovers. We knew we could win; we just had to finish. Then after the Byrd game (a 48-28 win that pushed Airline’s district record to 5-0), things got real. ‘Wow,’ we thought, ‘we can do something here.”’

They did. Airline averaged nearly 50 points a game in district, never scored less than 41 and scored 75 against Benton. The Vikings were back in the plundering business.

Then another kind of pirate, the Haughton Bucs, ended it all with a 36-26 win at Airline in the first round of the playoffs last week; Airline won the regular season game, 55-42, the closest 1-5A game Airline played. But then there was the rain last Friday and the wind, and there was also the hurricane called Haughton, a tough team that plays in Round 2 this Friday.

“I told the team it was my fault that it ended,” said Airline first-year head coach Justin Scogin, who orchestrated the turnaround since his arrival in April. “All year long, some problem would happen and we’d fix it. I didn’t get that (factoring in the weather) fixed in time. But the team, they didn’t do anything wrong. What a good group. These seniors laid the foundation for what we’re trying to do, and what they accomplished is important and impressive.”

“That playoff loss put a bad taste in the mouths of the kids we have coming back,” said defensive coordinator Zack Pourciau who, like Scogin, came to the school in the spring. “They want to be better next year, to take the next step.  We’re pleased with where we went, but these seniors, after coming off a 1-9 season to winning district, to being district champs, they’ve told the team that now we know that next year, they can take it to the next level. Again, that’s the seniors talking; that’s the vibe of the locker room.

“Even though they’ve turned it around, the kids coming back have something to prove,” he said. “They’re itching and ready to go. We’ve hit the ground running with off-season.”

Bullard is one of those seniors who’ll be watching next year. And remembering. He’s played his last game, except in his memory, except in how he’ll “play” through what his teammates do next season.

“Being in the off-season competing every day and working out,” he said of what he’ll likely most remember. “Calling a guy slow when you beat him outside in a rep. Max Day and seeing who could out-squat or out-power clean the other guy. Just the competition and the fun …

“Playing with the boys, having fun with them, having a great senior year with them, seeing some of the crazy things we did on offense, things I’ve always wanted to see … Just having fun. Just watching all these guys succeed, and being a part of it.” 

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

JOURNAL STAFF

The Turkey Fry Guys, a new nonprofit organization which raises money for abused children in the Shreveport-Bossier area, is holding its first Annual Turkey Fry. You can order a fried turkey — today is the deadline — and pick it up between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19 at House of Carpets and Lighting at 4344 Youree Drive.

The organization is raising money by selling fried turkeys during the month of November, raffle tickets and taking simple donations through their website. To order a turkey, buy raffle tickets or make donations, go to turkeyfryguys.com. You can also get information about The Gobble Wobble Event and Auction that will be held Friday, Nov. 18.

All profits are donated to the Gingerbread House, a nonprofit organization that specializes in helping these children in need.

Your donations and support help in these vital areas: preventing child sex trafficking in our area; aiding in prevention education and outreach; providing trauma-informed counseling services, and bringing help to child abuse victims in Shreveport-Bossier.

By donating to the Turkey Fry Guys, you would be helping to raise awareness for these local abuse victims and children in our community and you would be supporting the Gingerbread House.

By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports

Benton coach Reynolds Moore is hoping that a lesson learned five years ago will pay off this week as his team prepares for its Non-Select Division I second-round playoff game at home Friday night against Denham Springs.

In 2017, the Tigers were 10-0 in the regular season and basically scored at will against everyone they played. Benton was the No. 3 seed entering the playoffs and then put up a 56-spot in a four-touchdown win in the first round against Breaux Bridge.

“I had people telling me in church that they already had their rooms reserved for the Superdome (Classic),” Moore said.

Hope those weren’t non-refundable rooms.

Cecilia, the No. 14 seed, came in and put the brakes on the Benton offense, which had averaged 48.2 points per game. Final: Cecilia 23, Benton 21.

“I still believe we might have been the second-best team in the state that year,” Moore said, “but we got caught looking ahead.”

This year, Benton is a No. 8 seed and coming off a 41-7 win over Ponchatoula last week. But there is such a thing as good playoff momentum as well as bad playoff momentum.

“What I have to be mindful of is parents and fans looking ahead and asking ‘What about the quarterfinals?’” Moore said. “It’s like (Ole Miss coach) Lane Kiffin says – that’s rat poison.”

The winner of the Denham Springs-Benton game will get a chance to (1) be playing after Thanksgiving (a preseason goal for many teams) and (2) have a potential matchup with top-seeded Ruston.

“I just don’t want anybody looking ahead,” Moore said. “That’s the message this week because all I want is to be focused on Denham Springs. They are a very good team with a lot of talent. We’ve got our work cut out for us. If we get to the quarterfinals, we will worry about that Saturday morning.”

There’s plenty to worry about in the meantime. Denham Springs (9-2) is also riding in off a big win in the opening round (39-6 over Covington). Quarterback Reese Mooney is expected to sign with Liberty, a Top 25 team a week ago. The Yellow Jackets also have an offensive line that averages about 280 pounds and a pair of strong running backs in Cam-Ron Kelly and Ray McKneely.

But Benton (8-3) doesn’t take a back seat to anybody when it comes to offense. Quarterback Gray Walters has thrown for 2,600 yards and 31 touchdowns, wide receiver Pearce Russell has 85 catches for 1,448 yards and running back Greg Manning has 1,341 yards and 25 rushing touchdowns. All rank among state leaders.

“We feel good about it,” Moore said. “We feel like we can score with anybody and we are going to need to get a few stops (on defense). We just want to make sure we are locked in and focused on Friday night and not anything beyond that. I genuinely believe we can beat anybody if we are healthy and play our brand of football.”

That also brings Moore back to another history lesson for Benton football. “We played Warren Easton (in the 2014 quarterfinals) and I knew it was going to take a miracle to beat them,” Moore said.

He was right. Warren Easton won that game 55-7. In the only other quarterfinal appearance (2016), Benton lost 59-13 to Edna Karr.

“I don’t feel that way this year,” Moore said. “We will have to play well to beat the teams that are left. But the trick is to play the team that you are on the field with and not worry about what’s down the road.”

As excited as the Tigers might be, they’ll have a hard time matching their coach. “I never went to the playoffs when I was playing high school in Mississippi,” Moore said. “So I never experienced that as a player. There’s just nothing like it.”

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com 

9-Denham Springs (9-2) at 8-Benton (8-3) 

Where: Mason-Newman Field at Tiger Stadium 

Series: First meeting 

Last week: Denham Springs beat Covington 39-6; Benton beat Ponchatoula 41-7 

Rankings: Benton received votes in LSWA 5A poll 

All-time playoff record:  Denham Springs 15-23; Benton 35-34-1 

Radio: Benton (The Light 92.1 FM;  http://69.64.65.171:8192/ksyr) 

Notables: Benton rides a seven-game win streak into Friday … A victory would give the Tigers (8-3) their first berth into the quarterfinals since they jumped to Class 5A in 2019. Benton last reached the third round in the 2016 Class 4A playoffs, where it lost to Edna Karr. The Tigers lost to Ruston in the second round last season … The Yellow Jackets are fresh off an easy victory against Covington, but they also failed to get out of the second round last season (lost to Ouachita Parish).

JOURNAL STAFF

Practicing on Thanksgiving week is the privilege of postseason success, and nine local schools can earn that distinction if they prevail Friday evening in LHSAA second-round football playoff games.

Haughton gets homefield advantage based on one play (read below) and one big win, its shocker over Airline last Friday night.

Captain Shreve faces one of the state’s perennial postseason contenders, Warren Easton, in New Orleans. Evangel travels to Thibodaux and the Eagles will clash with the Cardinals of E.D. White.   Both Warren Easton and E.D. White ended the regular season ranked second in their classes statewide.

Non-Select

Division I

11-East St. John (9-2) at 27-Haughton (6-5) 

Where: Harold E. Harlan Stadium 

Series: First meeting 

Last week: East St. John beat Walker 29-28; Haughton beat Airline 36-26 

Rankings: East St. John received votes in LSWA 5A poll 

All-time playoff record:  East St. John 21-26; Haughton 37-39 

Radio: none 

Notables: Following the 42-7 loss to Captain Shreve in the final regular-season game – putting a doubt on Haughton’s chances of getting into the playoffs for the 26^th straight year – Bucs coach Jason Brotherton was asked by the program’s coaches of the freshman team if they should put the practice equipment up for the season. “I didn’t let them put it up,” Brotherton said. “I knew there was a chance (of getting into the playoffs).” And here the Bucs are in Round 2 … Also, forgive Brotherton if he does a little rain dance Friday morning before the East St. John game on the grass at Harold E. Harlan Stadium. Haughton beat Airline in Round 1 on a rainy, windy night on turf at Airline’s M.D. Ray Field. East St. John seldom plays on a grass field, much less a wet and muddy field. Friday’s chance of rain: 6%. So, maybe “accidentally” hose down the field before the game? “It has crossed my mind,” Brotherton said. (He was joking!) … Had the East St. John Wildcats’ Round 1 opponent, Walker, made a field goal on the last play of the game, Haughton would be on the road this week instead of at home — where Brotherton said the Bucs “usually play well” … Wildcats’ QB Yashua Mitchell (5-10, 185), has a big arm and 4.5 speed … A couple of his targets include Koyal Gray (4.4 speed) and Dkhai Joseph (5-9, 150, 4.4) … A Buc or two will have to mind ESJ O-lineman Gaylon Fobb, easy to spot at 6-3, 370 … Behind 4-year starter and premier lineman Peyton Polk, fellow Haughton seniors Colin Rains (QB) and Tyler Rhodes (RB) rushed for 387 of the team’s 390 yards in last week’s 36-26 win over Airline.

SELECT

Division I

17-Captain Shreve (6-5) at 1-Warren Easton (9-1) 

Where: Pan American Stadium, City Park, New Orleans 

Series: First meeting 

Last week: Captain Shreve beat Tioga 36-27; Warren Easton had a bye 

Rankings: Warren Easton is No. 2 in LSWA 4A poll 

All-time playoff record: Captain Shreve 19-28-2; Warren Easton 35-25-2 

Radio:  CS (KLKL 95.7 FM; www.klkl.fm) 

Notables: Things got a little chippy in Shreve’s first-round playoff win at Tioga, with one Indian being ejected. “Usually, things get chippy when a team is getting beat and doesn’t have the discipline to overcome it,” said Gators head coach Adam Kirby. “I was proud of our kids for going into a hostile environment and not doing anything to hurt ourselves. We’ve been preaching all year about how to overcome moments in the game and how to play with class. A good example of that was Jordan Wiggins getting punched twice and not retaliating. On the play he was punched, we scored and because he kept his cool, we were awarded a TD and a penalty on the kickoff instead of offsetting penalties”. . . This week’s opponent, Warren Easton, has been to the state semifinals eight straight years. “They are really good,” Kirby said, “so you talk to (your team) about everything but explain that it’s really about HOW we play instead of WHO we play. We’ve been playing with confidence the last couple of weeks, and I know our kids will play hard Friday night, too”. . . How does Shreve knock off the #1 seed? “We continue to play up to our standard – fast, physical and fearless,” Kirby said. “We preach to our kids every day that when you play Captain Shreve, those are the three characteristics for which we want to be known. This year’s group has overcome a lot of adversity and put in a lot of work to get to this point. We have a chance to be in the quarterfinals for the first time as a 5A program. Our kids know that as long as we’re playing by our standard and not getting too up or too down with the different flows of the game, I’ll be proud!”

Division II

13-Evangel (7-4) at 4-E.D. White (9-1) 

Where: E.D. White in Thibodaux 

Series: Evangel 1-0

Last played: 2019 playoffs, Evangel 84-20 

Last week: Evangel beat Istrouma 60-0; E.D. White had a bye 

Rankings: E.D. White is No. 2 in LSWA 3A poll  

All-time playoff record: Evangel 101-17; E.D. White 47-46 

Radio: none 

Notables: The Eagles (7-4) ride a four-game win streak, including back-to-back shutouts (49-0 vs. BTW in regular-season finale, 60-0 vs. Istrouma in first round) … Evangel lost in the first round of the Division II playoffs last season. The Eagles were last in the quarterfinals in 2018 (Division I) … E.D. White is the reigning Division II runner-up (lost to No. 2 University Lab as the No. 1 seed) … Evangel’s last road playoff victory came in Thibodaux against E.D. White (84-20 in first round in 2019).

By LEE BRECHEEN, Louisiana Football Magazine

Today, we will preview the three local teams all in Division III-Select in the LHSAA playoffs on what’s going to be a perfect night for football – cold enough for blankets, coffee and hot chocolate, but unlike last week, dry.

Let’s start with Calvary Baptist, which deservedly had a bye in last week’s Round 1.

The Cavaliers will play host to Northlake Christian, who is coming off a big 40-7 win over Houma Christian last week.

This will be an interesting game. I just saw Northlake Christian play two weeks ago. What I can tell the Shreveport-Bossier Journal readers is this: Northlake Christian is a determined, very gritty and well-coached team. The Covington-based Wolverines are not big in size but they are strong, and will give you a battle if you don’t bring your game to match their toughness.

Northlake is led by senior QB Jaden McCall (5-11, 160), who runs a 4.65 40-yard dash and has a ton of experience. The Wolverines have a freshman RB who has big-time power for such a young man in Kameron Casnave, a legit 5-11 and 225 pounds.

The offensive line is a scrappy bunch led by tough, quick senior Dylan Angelo (6-1, 265). The NC defense has a very good LB corps featuring tough kids Larkins Jenkins (6-0, 193) and Gavin Krone (5-10 200).

The key for Calvary is to wear this team down, be mistake-free and win the game in the trenches. I think the Cavs’ offensive line, paced by Landon Rothemel (6-0, 280), Jimmy Wright (6-3, 270) and Jordan Byrd (5-9, 230) needs to take over.

Defense is a big strength of this Calvary Baptist team. LB Cade Bedgood (5-11, 200), DB Hutch Grace (6-1 190), DB John Simon and others will need to do what they’ve done all season — make plays.

I like Calvary in this one, but it could turn into a tough game if the Cavs suffer some turnovers, which they’ve done well avoiding as Rodney Guin’s teams seem to always do.

Loyola Prep travels to Baton Rouge to square off against Episcopal. This game will be a classic – featuring two evenly-matched teams.

Episcopal lost 90 percent of its starters from last season and Loyola also lost a lot, but here we are, two great programs fighting to advance forward from Round 2. Episcopal had a bye last week while Loyola made it look easy against St. Thomas Aquinas in a 61-14 rout.

The key will be Loyola Prep getting some sustained drives to chew up the clock. The Flyers need the run game, led by QB Cooper DeFatta and RB Trace Wall, to deliver. 

Episcopal will try and do the same thing, control the clock and the ball. QB Lewis Ward (5-9, 165) has a cannon arm. The Knights’ best player is RB/OLB Braeden George (6-1, 198, 4.5 speed), and other standouts include WR David Olinde, and two tough defensive players in LB Chase Cresson and DE John Brady Sessums, who are both 6-0, 220 or heavier.

Episcopal might be getting back star WR Cooper Breaud, who is originally from Shreveport. Breaud has been sidelined most of this fall. He brings a home run threat with 4.59 speed and lots of talent.

Parkview Baptist coming up from Baton Rouge to North Caddo could be a great game. Parkview is the hottest team in Baton Rouge coming off a Round 1 win over a solid Menard squad, 31-0, while North Caddo earned a bye.

The Titans, I believe, are the best-kept secret in the state. I have seen both teams play more than once. Parkview has not seen an offense as talented as North Caddo. What makes the Eagles so good is they are well-coached and play with a chip on their shoulders.

PBHS’ starting 11 is as good as any in Division III, but they don’t have any depth and will wear down fast if North Caddo has a great offensive night.

North Caddo will ride with QB/RB KJ Black, RB Aiden Brock, RB Tray Thomas, and the Titans’ stud — I think he will be a prep All American — WR/DB Omarion Miller.

Parkview will counter with a great QB in Abram Johnston (6-1, 185), who doesn’t throw bad passes and has a strong arm. The best two-way player in all of Louisiana, outside of Omarion Miller, is Parkview’s WR/LB Micah Johnson (6-2, 230, 4.55 speed). He has taken over games by himself this year.

This will be an offensive scorefest. Whoever makes the least number of mistakes, and the most big plays, wins. I like North Caddo but Parkview will make this a great game for 48 minutes, maybe more.

Friday, we’ll wrap up the Round 2 previews with games involving Byrd, Captain Shreve, Evangel and Northwood.

Contact Lee at lbrecheen@aol.com

By DAVID ERSOFF, Journal Sports

Season openers this week for most local boys high school soccer teams have put spectators to the test with cold temperatures. Today we’ll forecast the top seven boys teams for 2022-23, based mostly on last season’s playoff success.

DIII 4^th-ranked Bossier fell to top-seeded Vandebilt Catholic 2-0 in the LHSAA semifinals. DII 6^th-ranked Benton was topped 3-1 in the quarterfinals by No. 3 West Jefferson. In DII, No. 5 Caddo Magnet was bested 5-0 by No. 4 Neville in the quarterfinals.

The other local schools we’ll cover in this preview lost in Round 2. DI Byrd, ranked 11^th, was edged by No. 6 Sulphur 3-2.  In DI, it was No. 13 Shreve losing to 4^th-ranked Alexandria 5-1.  Parkway, eighth in DII, fell to No. 9 Ouachita Parish 3-1. In DIII, 14^th-ranked Loyola was ousted by No. 3 Lusher Charter (now the Willow School) 6-1.

Bossier lost three seniors who played a large part in the Bearkats’ success last year. They are fortunate to have enough depth on the bench to fill in those departures. Bossier also lost returning starter Christobal Cruz to a season-ending knee injury. Speaking of his freshman class, ’Kats coach Orlando Medelin said, “If they are disciplined and dedicate themselves, they can play as freshmen.”

In addition to Bossier’s own tournament, they will travel to south Louisiana to face powerhouses DII Ben Franklin and DIII The Willow School before Thanksgiving.

Benton graduated three impact starters and will lean on upperclassman Reed Petro, Turner Hubbard, Chase Clutter and Ethan Bihler. Coach Bryan George said, “We have a few experienced veterans mixed in with some up-and-coming talent who are looking to make an impact in our new district.” The Tigers are moving to DI.

Coach George has created a strong DI schedule to get the team used to the higher level of overall competition statewide that DI brings.

Magnet lost an All-State player in Jonathan Woldie and also graduated its all-district keeper Mark De Leon. The 2022-23 club will lean heavily on Alex Baltov, Diego Martinez, and Jakyran Pierson. Coach Nick Flowers said, “Our freshmen have not yet stood out as impact players, but there are some with potential to get quality minutes as the season moves along.”

Magnet has signed up for the West Ouachita and EIL College Showcase in Lafayette tournaments. Magnet’s strongest competition for the district title will be Parkway and newcomer North DeSoto.

Byrd graduated four high-impact seniors from last season. Coach Gary McCormick said upperclassmen Matt Booras, Brennen Nguyen, Nolan Bruce and Carson French will be expected to carry the load. Byrd also has a large underclass that it hopes will develop throughout the season.

Byrd has plans to attend the Airline tournament and the EIL College Showcase, while also playing Neville and West Monroe, to prepare for the state playoffs.

Captain Shreve graduated 10 seniors from last year’s team. Andrew Bradford and Kyle Reeves will be leaned on for leadership going forward. Coach Greg Palmer said, “Bradford and Reeves are both back healthy and raring to go for the season.”

The Gators’ top goal-scorer from last year, Colin Elston, is back and looking to add to his career totals. Shreve does have a large sophomore class that will fill in the open starting spots.

Shreve is attending the Airline, Bossier, Rebel Cup and EIL tournaments and will travel twice to Lafayette to play four top teams in the Acadiana area.

Parkway lost a record-setting goal-scorer in Maximus Holt. New coach Raymond Lee will depend on returning stars Aeron Burrell, Daniel Lee, Nolan Dean and Brasen Teutsch to help overcome that loss. Freshman Jax Thomson has the potential to play quality minutes, if he progresses the way he has thus far this fall.

Parkway so far has only signed up for the Airline tournament but has quality opponents in the Monroe and Alexandria areas, and has all the local powerhouse teams scheduled.

Parkway scrimmaged Bossier last week, and it was obvious from the Panthers’ effort that Coach Lee has gotten this young team to buy into his vision of soccer. Experience will only help this team develop.

Loyola will be dropping to DIV from DIII, which could be a blessing, having lost six high impact starters. Coach Wes Kyle will lean on senior Jackson Drouillard to lead the very young team. Sophomore keeper Hudson Moore had to step up last season and will benefit greatly from that experience, going into his second year. Freshman Zeke Savant will also be called on early in his high school career to step into the fire.

Loyola has signed up for the Copa Acadiana Showcase tournament in Lafayette and the Vicanza Classico at St. Frederick’s in Monroe.

Contact David at dersoff@bellsouth.net

JOURNAL SPORTS

College Basketball 

MEN

Louisiana Christian University 63, Centenary 51

High School Basketball 

BOYS

Evangel 71, Peabody 70
Lakeside 55, Magnolia Charter 35

GIRLS 

Battle on the Hardwood 

At Parkway

Airline 71, Delhi 39
Wossman 48, Natchitoches Central 32
Mansfield 39, Haynesville 33
Airline 64, Homer 37

He’s a 22-year-old stud muffin, invincible, with testosterone raging and a nothing-bad-can-happen-to-me attitude. He has the world by the tail with only good stuff lying ahead.

One year later, he’s a 23-year-old paraplegic, destined to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. 

What happened to cause such a life-altering change? He made a critical error in judgment while climbing into his deer stand. He hadn’t bothered to check the condition of the wooden steps he’d nailed to the tree a couple of years ago. He’d scooted up these steps to reach his deer stand dozens of times without mishap. Did he use a safety harness? Nah … he didn’t need that.       

This time, though, was different. He reached for a step not taking the time to see that it had rotted during the off-season. It pulled free and he hit the ground a dozen feet below with a thud, his lower back landing on a root that protruded from the ground. A vertebrae was shattered and long story short, he’d never walk again.

Dr. Bobby Dale, a lifelong hunter, is also an emergency room physician who practices medicine in his hometown of Tupelo, Miss. Visiting with Dr. Dale at a writer’s conference, we had occasion to talk about what is more likely to injure hunters while hunting. Dale noted that contrary to what many believe, it’s not the older and more fragile hunter who is more apt to be injured; it’s the strong, virile, younger guy.

“From what I’ve observed from patients I have seen in the ER where I practice, it’s the younger one more prone to suffer serious injuries while hunting. This is particularly true concerning falls from elevated deer stands. In fact,” Dale said, “I recently read a report that revealed the majority of bow hunters who fall from tree stands are in their 20s and 30s. Also, about 10 percent of these injuries are alcohol-related.

“While it is true that guys in their 50s and 60s and older have bones that are more easily broken, I don’t see nearly as many injuries from falling from a stand from this older group. It’s just a fact that the older guy is more cautious,” he added.

Dr. Dale noted that a fall, even one from just a few feet, can result in serious injury. Obviously, the further you fall, the more serious injuries become, he said.

“I’ve seen victims who fell from stands come to the ER with everything from closed head injuries, bleeding on the brain, spinal fractures with paralysis, broken arms, legs and ribs, collapsed lungs, ruptured spleens in addition to profuse external bleeding,” Dale said. 

While mishaps using homemade deer stands are more likely to result in serious injuries, manufactured stands can also cause falls if not used properly.

“Manufactured stands have to meet a safety code and the vast majority of these stands are safe when properly used. However, they still have to be secured to the tree in the proper manner to be completely safe. Climbing stands are quite safe but when care is not taken in using them, they can result in twisting or slipping when not correctly secured to the tree. The result can be disastrous,” he added.

I’ve deer hunted from elevated stands for years fortunately without incident and I want to keep it that way. Therefore, I have developed a personal rule-of-thumb in my deer hunting.

The older I git, the closer to the ground I sit.

Contact Glynn at glynnharris37@gmail.com

By Robert St. John

BARBERINO-TAVARNELLE, TUSCANY— Yesterday I was having a conversation with one of my travel guests who was talking about being homesick when she was sent to camp as an eight-year-old. I tried to remember a time, over the past 61 years, when I might have been homesick. I have a vague memory of visiting some cousins in the Washington D.C. area, when I was six or seven, and not wanting to spend the night there. It had nothing to do with them. They are wonderful people, it’s just that I was missing my mom and brother who were staying across town with my aunt and uncle.

I went to summer camp several years and don’t remember ever being homesick. I always looked at it as a new adventure. I’m sure my mother saw it as the chance to get a few weeks of peace and silence at home.

In 2011, when I was on a six-month trek across Europe with my wife and two kids, I was never homesick because the things that mattered to me most were with me.

These days I get businesssick, more accurately— restaurantsick. When I am gone from my homebase for any length of time I miss our restaurants. A few years ago, I started spending three months a year hosting tours through Europe. I love doing it— and judging by the amount of people who join me to travel repeatedly (I currently have a lady who is with me for her sixth trip)— my guests love it, too. I have no plans to stop doing it any time soon, but after six or seven weeks over here, I grow restaurantsick.

It’s not that I’m sick of restaurants, to the contrary. I am in restaurants three times a day while traveling. I love restaurants, whether they belong to me, or someone else. It’s that I begin to miss mine, deeply.

I have a lot of job titles, surely “dad” is the most important. But when we peel back all the layers, I am a restaurateur. I have no hobbies, at least in the typical sense. I don’t hunt, I don’t fish, I don’t play golf. I love movies, music, and football. But I’m not sure those are actual hobbies. I love to travel, but that gets handled by hosting tours a quarter of the year. My hobbies are restaurants, restaurants, and restaurants.

When I’m home I am either in one of my restaurants, in my restaurant office, at home working on restaurant stuff, researching things for the restaurants, or on my laptop developing new concepts for restaurants. My mom often asks, “When are you going to retire?”

The answer is always the same, “Never.” When she presses, I tell her, “Why would I retire? I love what I do. The restaurant business is my ‘fun.’ I am blessed that my hobby is also my career.” I hope to draw my last breath— in my sleep sleep— somewhere in my late nineties after a busy opening shift at a restaurant we’ve just opened. That would be a perfect world.

I left the United States back in early October. It was only two weeks after we opened our new Italian restaurant in Ridgeland, MS. The typical honeymoon period for a new restaurant is anywhere from two to three months. The way the scheduling worked out I was only able to spend 16 days in the newly opened restaurant before heading overseas for work. I hated to leave, but there were hard scheduling dates in Italy— and commitments— I needed to fulfill. It was my 24th restaurant opening and the first time I’ve not spent almost every shift in a restaurant for the first three months of its operation.

I have been handling business over here turning people on to the people, places, and restaurants I’ve discovered over the years. But the restaurants back home are always on my mind. I am down to the remaining five days and am lucky that this final week is with a Tuscany group I have traveled with before, we’re just doing all new things.

I look forward to adding new, authentic Italian items I’ve learned over here to the menus of our Italian restaurants. But there are other things I’ve been dreaming about lately.

I want to eat a stack of pancakes— as big as my face— at the Midtowner. I eat there every morning when I’m back in town. At Crescent City Grill it will be hard to decide between a roast beef po-boy or a fried shrimp po-boy and will probably order both. I miss the Tex-Mex Nachos and the Beef Chimichanga at El Rayo. I won’t be in town too long before I eat a cheeseburger, tots, and a chocolate malt at Ed’s Burger Joint.

Taste testing for the new bakery is just around the corner and during that process I am likely to put on the five pounds that I’ve lost over here.

My first stop on American soil is usually the Popeye’s Fried Chicken in the Atlanta airport— and I will surely do that— but I will eat a country fried steak with mashed potatoes, black-eyed peas, fried corn, green bean casserole, and fried okra at the Midtowner on one of my early lunches back home.

I’ll sit at my desk in my office and work on the next two concepts we have on the drawing board and catch up on where Extra Table is as we reach year’s end. Budgets for the restaurants will be due in a matter of weeks, but I’ll have to catch up on these food cravings before I can focus on any financial matters.

The past six weeks have been a deep dive into Italian history, architecture, and culture, and a very deep dive into the Italian cuisine of Rome, Amalfi, Naples, and Tuscany. That’s over 120 authentic Italian meals since early October. I’m ready to hit the ground running creating new Italian dishes for the restaurants. But I’m also ready for that stack of pancakes as big as my face.

Onward.

Pasta Roberto

I developed this for a friend’s birthday hosted at my home. It works well with large groups of all ages.

I brought it in as a potential menu item during the initial recipe-testing phase of Tabella. It didn’t have a name, but – as a joke— I listed the temporary, tongue-in-cheek title as “Pasta Roberto,” assuming that we would find a better name before we opened.

As we were getting the restaurant ready to open in the weeks before the launch, I cooked it often for the manager and staff lunches. They called it Pasta Roberto, too. We never came up with an official name and it still on the menu as Pasta Roberto.

1 lb. Dry fusilli pasta
1 gallon Water
¼ cup Kosher salt
2 TB Extra virgin olive oil
½ lb. Italian sausage links, roasted or grilled, quartered, and sliced
¼ cup Shallot, minced
½ lb.  Porcini mushrooms, sliced (other mushrooms can be substituted)
½ cup Red bell peppers, cut into matchsticks
2 TB Dry white wine
¾ cup Parmigianino Reggiano, grated
¾ cup Marinara sauce
¾ cup Alfredo sauce

Cook fusilli according to the directions on the package.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the sausage, mushrooms and red bell peppers and cook, stirring frequently, about 6-8 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and allow the wine to cook out completely, about 2-3 minutes.

Fold in the marinara and Alfredo and stir until hot. Add the hot fusilli pasta and the cheese and combine thoroughly.

Divide among six serving bowls.

Robert St. John is a chef, restaurateur and cookbook author.