Each week, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s Tony Taglavore takes to lunch a local person – someone who is well-known, successful, and/or influential, and asks, “What’s Your Story?”

By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Services

Back around 2010, it seemed like every town – big and small – had a film festival.

Every town except Shreveport.

What was then the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau wanted in on the action. For guidance, the organization met with a man who grew up in Shreveport, moved away, and was now back. He was a filmmaker, getting national praise for his documentary on the Haynesville Shale.

“I literally said, ‘I think your idea about having a Shreveport international film festival is a terrible idea,’” he told the group, sticking a needle in their enthusiasm-filled balloon.

“I shouldn’t have said what I said, honestly,” he remembers. “But I did.”

In the room, you could have heard a pin drop.

“When I got total silence,  I was like, ‘Well, let me think about this and see what it could be.’”

But first, there was a moment of self-reflection.

“I was like, ‘Holy Shi*, what did I just do?’”

Weeks later, the man was again in front of the people he had disappointed.

“I went back and said, ‘I’ve got the idea – a short-film competition. We’re going to make it so that the only way you can qualify is that you have to make the film here in Shreveport or Bossier . . . . The cool thing is, we are going to do judging in a way it’s never been done before. We’re going to bring in film industry professionals and they will do half the judging. We are going to let the audience do the other half.’”

Then, he described the climactic scene.

“Only one winner is going to get $50,000 cash.”

Applause filled the room. The excitement was back. But there was one problem, which the man kept to himself.

“I swear, the first thought in my mind was, ‘Where am I going to get $50,000?’ I had no money, and I had not raised money for this. They were like, ‘Oh great!’ I was like, ‘Oh my God, what have I done?’”

Gregory Kallenberg, Executive Director and Founder of Prize Foundation, told me that story, and his story, during lunch at a place he chose, Ki Mexico. Gregory had a Poblano taco, rice and beans, and Hibiscus Tea. I enjoyed the House Salad with grilled chicken, and water with lemon to drink.

What Gregory, the 58-year-old who was born in New York City, has done is build the Prize Foundation into a nationally respected entertainment entity. The Foundation’s yearly event, Prize Fest, is October 16^th-19^th. Filmmakers will compete for that $50,000 cash prize. But Prize Fest is more than movies. It’s food, music, and comedy competitions.

“The organization that’s been built with the Prize Foundation, and the people who work there, come in every day believing they are contributing to shining a brighter spotlight on the community. That’s what it’s all about.”

For as long as Gregory can remember, he has had an affinity for the big screen.

“I wanted to be a filmmaker from when I was born. I just loved movies . . . . When I was a kid, I had a video recorder, and I would get my friends and make movies in the neighborhood. There was always a crisis that, when it ended, there was another crisis, so it was a never-ending sequel of action movies.”

Gregory’s family moved to Shreveport when he was three or four years old. After attending Southfield School from kindergarten through high school, Gregory, the oldest of three children, went to the University of Texas. He studied radio, television, and film.

“To say I studied at UT is a tiny bit of an understatement.”

Then it was on to the University of Southern California, to learn more about filmmaking. After graduation, Gregory stayed in Los Angeles for a couple of years.

“I always like to say I was there for two earthquakes and a riot.”

After working as a production assistant and producer’s assistant, Gregory, for personal reasons, moved to Dallas. That’s where he found a new love – writing. Gregory helped start a weekly Arts & Entertainment publication, and freelanced for the New York Times.

“I was a full-on journalist.”

That occupation led Gregory and his wife, Heidi, to Austin, where Gregory wrote about Tech and Culture for the Austin American-Statesman newspaper.

“She was a schoolteacher. I was a writer. We were dirt poor. Dirt poor . . . . It was hot as shi*. We moved down there in the summer. We literally moved into a house a guy was working on. So, the deal with the guy was that he could come in anytime. Now, we’re married, it’s the beginning of our marriage, and imagine this: a guy with a key could walk in any time he wants and start working on your shower. That’s the only way we could afford a house.”

Eventually, Gregory and Heidi’s bank account grew. During his 14 years in Texas’ capital, Gregory worked for a tech start-up, and in real estate development. But he still had a longing for filmmaking. In particular, Documentaries.

On a visit to Shreveport where his parents still lived, Gregory had a life-changing lunch.

“I was at Strawn’s and heard two farmers talking about crawling under a wire and checking a pressure gauge or something. My dad was in oil and gas and knew nothing about it. No one really knew what was going on.”

Except the people in DeSoto Parish, who “bought their land for $40 an acre, and all of the sudden were offered $500 an acre. That’s what you heard.”

Gregory grabbed some video equipment, drove to the newfound fertile area for natural gas, and asked people if what “you heard” was true. It was, and his award-winning documentary, Haynesville, was born.

“Honestly, it was me and a tripod. I barely knew how to use a camera. I definitely didn’t level my tripod like I should. Lighting was a challenge for me, but I did it.”

Gregory eventually had help from others. After 16 months of production, Gregory sold the documentary to NBC Universal Media. It aired on CNBC.

“We all made money. We all made money off our investments, which for a film unto itself is a minor miracle . . . .  Everyone got back a check, and I’m very proud of that.”

Gregory is also very proud of what the Prize Foundation has become.

“I wanted to find a reason for my cool friends to visit me in Shreveport, because they never came to Shreveport. The other reason was that I deeply desired to help build a city that enabled my kids to consider Shreveport as a place to move back. In the same way my kids and my friends’ kids all wanted to be in Austin – a lot of my friends there, their kids had moved back – I wanted to help build a city that would enable my children to want to do the same.”

As our conversation neared the end, there was still one loose end to tie up. Where did Gregory get that $50,000 to give the first Flim Prize winner?

“Embarrassingly, I took the prize money out of my kids’ college fund. Thank God they’re smart. They got scholarships.”

With all Gregory has going on – he still makes documentaries – I thought it was time to ask my final question. As always, what is it about his life story that might be helpful to you? Gregory offered two pieces of advice.

“Embrace and learn from failure. I’ve failed a lot. Like, all capital FAILED a lot . . . . Prize Fest is a series of attempts, failures, and successes. Those things grow and the failures go away.”

“Be nice to everybody. I say this from the perspective of somebody who wasn’t always the nice person. I was a smart ass. I was, by my own definition, hard to be around. I remember what that was like, compared to being nice and trying to help everyone as much as I can.”

Like successfully helping execute an idea he once thought was “terrible.”

Do you know someone with a story? Email SBJTonyT@gmail.com.

The Journal’s weekly “What’s Your Story?” series is sponsored by Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers.

 By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports                                 

There was no doubt.

Picking the Shreveport-Bossier Journal Team of the Week for Week 5 of the local high school football season was a no contest, after Parkway’s remarkable 46-35 victory over visiting Byrd last Thursday night.

Beating unbeaten Byrd? One of the two 4-0 teams at Preston Crownover Field was going to win.

Parkway did, against all odds. Not only with a quarterback who wasn’t on the team until game week, when due to an injury in the previous game at Natchitoches Central, the Panthers were desperate. But also without several starters, skill position players on offense and defense who remain suspended indefinitely related to an off-the-field incident.

The SBJ staff and most everybody else was impressed. Byrd had the more impressive resume coming in, with a couple of solid road wins over traditional south Louisiana powers, and a victory at Evangel.

But it was a piecemeal Parkway lineup that dominated up front early, quickly took a 14-0 lead and never gave it up. While playing with quite a few second-teamers, and a brand-new, unproven quarterback, the Panthers looked like there must have been some good position battles in preseason practice. 

“We’re deep enough, I guess,” said Parkway coach Coy Brotherton.

It had more to do with who was still in uniform – the big guys up front, especially on the offensive line – than who wasn’t.

“We knew the core of our team was still there, and we could kinda make it work. Any time you lose two quarterbacks – that was our third different quarterback to play this year – we still knew the kids could step up and do it,” said Brotherton. “You just hope they didn’t lose faith. Are they still going to believe in what we’re doing, or lose faith? Evidently they didn’t. We played a good game.”

The Monday morning addition of lacrosse standout and former freshman team quarterback Gavin Ferrington was a surprise that worked out as well as the Panthers could have hoped. What Brotherton and the team expected also panned out.

“Gavin completed two big fourth-down passes to Josh Coleman, had a third-and-long to Gary Burney, and we knew CJ Dudley and Camaro Mayo are the guys we lean on the most, and they made big play after big play,” the coach said.

Dudley was dominant, running 39 times for 210 yards and four touchdowns. Mayo had 169 total yards (91 on eight catches) and a pair of TDs. Ferrington missed only one of 13 passes, throwing for 140 yards and two scores.

Most of all, Parkway’s triumph was rooted in the team holding true to its identity, expressed in the mantra “Dirty Red.”

“Our kids have adopted the mentality of ‘be tough, be physical.’ We work hard,” said Brotherton. “A lot of that is where ‘Dirty Red’ comes from. We’ll do whatever we can do. We’re going to have to get our hands dirty and be a hard-working group to be able to succeed. Our kids have bought into that.

“Losing some skill guys, receivers, DBs, we knew the offensive line was still intact. Those guys we’ve leaned on. They’re tough, they’re big, they’re strong, they’re physical, and they set the tone all week. Hopefully we can keep playing with that edge.”

There’s no time to celebrate. In District 1-5A there’s tough competition nearly every week. This week, on Friday night, it’s a showdown between crosstown rivals, both unblemished through five games. Parkway heads north a few miles to visit Airline.

“Last week was a short week with a Thursday night game against Byrd, and the kids were able to ride the emotion, play hard, and play tough. It’s going to be like that again this week,” said Brotherton. “It’s a rivalry game, and I expect a lot of emotion on the line.”

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

By LORI LYONS, Journal Sports

When it comes to football, Loyola senior linebacker Carter Doyal is trying to savor every moment.  And as the Flyers reach the midway point of the regular season with a record of 3-2, Doyal is beginning to realize that his time on the playing field is fleeting.

“Every time I walk on the field I think that this is all going to be over soon,” he said. “Once thing my dad taught me was to take advantage because you never know what tomorrow will bring.”

Doyal is one of 21 Shreveport-Bossier seniors who have been named to the fourth annual National Football Foundation McNaughton Chapter Preseason Scholar-Athlete Watch List. Nominees must have at least a 3.2 grade point average, have won all-district honors and be involved in extracurricular activities.

In the spring, one Watch List standout will receive a $1,000 college scholarship award, from those 14 recognized with a Griffin’s Game Ball presented weekly by KTBS and Southern Classic Chicken in honor of the late Bob Griffin, the longtime sports journalist who was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.

Others will be among nominees for eight more $1,000 scholarships issued by the McNaughton Chapter.

For Doyal, who is used to receiving honors and accolades for his hard work on and off the field, the nomination by his coach, John Sella, was a nice surprise.

“I’m proud of myself,” the math enthusiast said. “I’ve seen my fellow teammates get this award in the past. I’ve worked really hard these past four years to keep my GPA and my grades up and do what I’ve always meant to do. So being recognized for it feels pretty good.”

On the football field, Doyal is making up for lost time.

Afraid their baby boy would get hurt on the field, Greg and Lisa Doyal wouldn’t let their oldest son play football until he was in the fifth grade, even though he really wanted to.

“I had to watch all my friends play,” Doyal said. “My mom was terrified I would get hurt. My dad finally convinced her when I was in fifth grade.”

Since then, he’s played a little bit of everything. He started at center. Then moved to running back, then middle linebacker, then to outside linebacker and finally, to his current position at inside linebacker, where he currently leads the Flyers in tackles with 48 thanks to a little extra cheese challenge with teammate Hayden Horton.

 “Whoever gets the most tackles, the other one buys them queso,” he explained.

But soon – well, hopefully not too soon – it all will be over. Doyal, who is an honor student at Loyola, does not plan to pursue a path to college football.

“I thought about it for a long time, but I think going the academic route is going to put me at a better point in my life,” Doyal said. “I think I’m going to hang it up after this year.”

But the future is very bright for the youngster who has a part-time job at a local car dealership and spends as much free time as he can working out. He is considering careers in mechanical engineering, physical therapy and orthopedic surgery – or maybe a combination of two or all three.

The latter may have gotten an edge last week when Doyal, as part of another academic program he qualified for, got an opportunity to observe an actual knee replacement surgery.

“I was actually in the room,” he said with much enthusiasm. “The only thing that ever really bothered me was the smells.”

But, for now, Doyal is savoring whatever time he and his fellow Flyers have on the football field.

“It’s been an amazing experience and it’s taught me so much, more than anyone will ever know and it’s just so important to me,” he said. “You’re surrounded by a team and you’re going to have to come together if you want to succeed.”

Contact Lori at sportslyons@gmail.com

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

Only a handful of people have won state coach of the year honors in two sports. But that was hardly the most remarkable quality of Will Marston, whose impact over 55 years at Haughton High School and in the coaching community was profound and indelible.

Marston, 78, was lovingly remembered Monday by coaching colleagues and many others after he passed away, ending a battle with lymphoma.

His loyalty to the community and school, and to his players and coaching and teaching colleagues, resonated as they shared memories and comforted his son Michael, a Buccaneers’ assistant coach. His willingness to mentor younger coaches, and his unflinching willingness to step in and help Haughton High in any way possible, were treasures shared by HHS coaching mainstays Jason Brotherton and Glenn Maynor.

“To know Will was to love him. He was a fun guy to be around,” said Maynor, the Buccaneers’ baseball coach for 31 years and also for many years, a football assistant. “He was as old school as old school could be, and I mean that in as good a way as possible. Great values — he taught us all.”

Brotherton’s father, Bob, was a coaching colleague of Marston’s. It went much deeper.

“Coach Marston was the head coach when I was playing. When I got hired here (as an assistant coach) in 1998, he was still the head coach. He was the first coach I worked under.

“When I got the (head coaching) job (in 2016, succeeding Rodney Guin), he was still very much around here. He was always an encourager to me, when things weren’t going good. He was always positive, telling me to stick with it,” said Brotherton, who moved into an assistant principal’s role last spring. “Of course, he could always tell me when I thought we were really good, we weren’t that good. He could point that stuff out, but he did it with a kind heart and in a loving way.”

A Coushatta native and proud Northwestern State graduate, Marston came to Haughton out of college in 1969 and never left. He was an assistant football coach for Bobby Ray McHalffey, defensive coordinator for the 1977 3A state champions, until being elevated to head coach for the 1984 season. By then, he had already started the Buccaneers’ baseball program in 1973 and earned Class 3A state coach of the year honors when he guided HHS to the 1981 state finals.

In 1990, Marston won state coaching honors in football after guiding the Bucs to the 1989 semifinals and the 1990 quarterfinals, high points of his 15-season run with 101 victories. He handed off to Guin, a longtime assistant who spent 16 seasons in charge of the Bucs and now is the championship-winning coach at Calvary Baptist. Guin cites Marston’s influence in his coaching career. He’s not alone.

“My first taste of dealing with Coach Marston, was when I was hired in 1994 after playing baseball at Northwestern, and I was told I’d coach football as well,” recalled Maynor. “I had no background at all in football.

“Coach Marston was the right man to take me under his wing. I got to where I just loved football,” he said. “He taught me a lot of about football, and about being a coach.

“It didn’t take me long to be Haughton-ized, to get into the fraternity. Haughton’s a special place because of people like coach Marston, people who get here and never leave. Neither of us was a Haughton guy; he was from Coushatta, I was from Airline. In the end we’ll be remembered as Buccaneers, and there’s not a truer Buccaneer than Will Marston.”

It wasn’t just what he did, noted Brotherton. It was what he said, and how he said it.

““He had so many Marston-isms, funny sayings he would come up with. It’s amazing how a man can say something that at the time seems insignificant and barely makes sense, but it sticks with you. And as time goes on, you see the wisdom.”

Added Maynor: “You remember stuff like him saying, if it was raining, ‘it’s Buccaneer weather.’ If it was too hot, or too cold, ‘it’s Buccaneer weather.’ Kids today are saying that and have no idea where it originated.

“He would tell a defensive lineman, over and over, ‘son, when your butt faces the sideline, you cease to become a football player.’ Or ‘not but two people touch your outside arm and leg – that’s your mama and your girlfriend.’ Those lines are funny, but if you think about them, it’s teaching football, so kids can understand.”

After Marston stepped down as head football coach, he didn’t step away. He stayed on as defensive coordinator for two years under Guin.

“It takes special relationships for that to happen,” said Maynor. “He helped Rodney get going, and those were a couple of our best teams when he was defensive coordinator.”

He helped Maynor coach freshman football in 2004. It wasn’t the first time Marston took a supporting role under a much younger coach. A year out of NSU, Maynor needed an assistant baseball coach, and guess who stepped up?

Last Friday Marston was in the waning stages of life, unable to make it to Haughton’s home game against Natchitoches Central. But Brotherton is convinced he influenced the Bucs’ dramatic victory.

“He was always here on Friday nights, but not this time. We knew it was going to be the last game of his life, and we won it on a goalline stand. I don’t know if we’ve done that in 10 years; first and goal at the 4 and we stopped them. It was incredible, unexpected. I have no doubt in my mind, the football gods let that happen for Coach Marston.

“He was a man who loved this school and this community. He loved the Bucs.”

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

JOURNAL STAFF

Airline’s undefeated first half of the 2024 high school football season has come with lots of dramatic finishes, and those have finally allowed the Vikings to join Calvary Baptist as local teams in the weekly state Top 10 rankings compiled by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

Airline got a late field goal to prevail in a season-opening 52-49 win over Barbe in Lake Charles. The Vikes prevailed 47-42 at home in Week 3 to kick off District 1-5A play. Last Friday topped them all – a 69-68 triumph at reigning district champ Captain Shreve, with the decisive plays a stop on the Gators’ bid for a two-point conversion with 1:05 to go, and Airline’s recovery of the ensuing onside kick.

Now they’ll meet the other 5-0 team in 1-5A, Parkway, Friday night at M.D. Ray Stadium. The Panthers picked up some voting support in the LSWA poll for the first time this week after toppling previously undefeated Byrd 46-35.

Calvary rolled to its second District 1-2A win but will face a couple of tests to remain No. 2 in Class 2A voting. An Oct. 18 visit to district newcomer Union Parish – a matchup of reigning state champs – is followed by a confrontation with Class 5A Huntington Oct. 25.

A panel of 12 LSWA members from around the state vote on the five top 10 polls each week through the end of the regular season.

This week’s LSWA polls:

Class 5A

School (1^st place votes), record, total voting points, previous ranking

1. Ruston (12)                         5-0, 144, 1

2. Karr                                     4-0, 132, 2

3. Acadiana                             4-1, 120, 3

4. Catholic-Baton Rouge        3-1, 97, 4

5. Neville                               5-0, 95, 5

6. Alexandria                         5-0, 78, 6

7. Zachary                              3-1, 75, 8

8. Archbishop Rummel          4-1, 41, 7

9. John Curtis                         2-2, 27, 10

10. Central                              5-0, 25, NR

(tie) Airline                             5-0, 25, NR

Others receiving votes: St. Augustine 15, Mandeville 14, Brother Martin 13, Terrebonne 9, West Monroe 5, Hahnville 5, Parkway 4, Dutchtown 3, Covington 2.

Class 4A

School (1^st place votes), record, total voting points, previous ranking

1. Teurlings Catholic (12)       5-0, 144, 1

2. North DeSoto                      3-2, 121, 2

3. E.D. White                          4-1, 118, 3

4. Lutcher                                4-0, 103, 5

5. St. Thomas More                2-3, 96, 6

6. Archbishop Shaw                3-2, 72, 9

7. Cecilia                                 3-2, 60, 7

8. Opelousas                            1-4, 56, 4

9. Franklin Parish                    4-1, 44, 7

10. Lakeshore                          5-0, 41, NR

Others receiving votes: Westgate 20, Leesville 19, West Ouachita 18, Plaquemine 7, Franklinton 3, Vandebilt Catholic 2, McDonogh (35) 1, Minden 1.

Class 3A

School (1^st place votes), record, total voting points, previous ranking

1. University (12)                    4-1, 144, 1

2. St. James                             3-1, 131, 2

3. Bunkie                                 5-0, 119, 4

4. Jennings                               4-1, 96, 7

5. Northwest                             3-2, 69, 9

6. John F. Kennedy                  1-4, 67, 3

7. Amite                                    3-2, 54, NR

8. Jewel Sumner                        4-1, 51, 8

9. Bastrop                                  4-1, 45, 5

10. Sterlington                           2-3, 38, 10

Others receiving votes: Madison Prep 33, Jena 29, Erath 15, De La Salle 13, Pine 5, Iota 4, Lake Charles College Prep 4, Kaplan 1, Westlake 1.

Class 2A

School (1^st place votes), record, total voting points, previous ranking

1. Newman (8)                        3-0, 134, 1

2. Calvary Baptist (1)             3-2, 128, 2

3. Oak Grove (1)                     4-1, 118, 3

4. Dunham (2)                         5-0, 117, 4

5. Ouachita Christian               5-0, 94, 5

6. Catholic-New Iberia            4-1, 84, 6

7. Mangham                             4-1, 52, 10

(tie) Lafayette Chrisitan           1-4, 52, 7

9. Episcopal-Baton Rouge        4-1, 50, 8

10. Ferriday                               5-0, 47, NR

Others receiving votes: Pope John Paul 24, Union Parish 12, Notre Dame 20, Kinder 2, DeQuincy 1.

Class 1A

School (1^st place votes), record, total voting points, previous ranking

1. Vermilion Catholic (11)      5-0, 143, 2

2. Haynesville                          5-0, 126, 3

3. Southern Lab (1)                  3-1, 124, 1

4. Ascension Catholic              2-1, 51, 8

5. Riverside                              2-2, 74, 4

6. St. Martin’s                           4-1, 62, 5

7. Catholic-Pointe Coupee        4-0, 60, 10

8. Covenant Christian                5-0, 54, NR

9. Kentwood                               3-2, 51, 6

10. Opelousas Catholic               4-1, 41, 7

Others receiving votes: Ascension Episcopal 33, St. Edmund 30, Jeanerette 19, Logansport 12, St. Frederick 10, Hamilton Christian 1, North Iberville 1.

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – If there was a game last season that represented LSU’s season-long defensive woes, it was neatly wrapped in 60 minutes of awful in a 55-49 loss at Ole Miss.

Despite eventual Heisman Trophy-winning QB Jayden Daniels accounting for 513 yards and five TDs, the Tigers blew a 49-40 lead as the Rebels scored twice in the final 5:06.

“When you’re playing an uptempo team like Ole Miss, you’ve got to get (your defense) lined up correctly, you’ve got to get your cleats in the ground and you’ve got to tackle,” LSU head coach Brian Kelly said Monday in previewing Saturday’s rivalry battle between the Tigers (4-1, 1-0 SEC) and the Rebels (5-1, 1-1 SEC). “Last year, we didn’t tackle well, we didn’t get lined up in a number of instances, and we didn’t play fundamentally sound football.”

The Tigers and the Rebels of 2023 mirrored each other. Both teams had high-scoring offenses to offset their porous defenses.

Kelly’s off-season solution for defensive improvement was firing his entire defensive staff, hiring a new one featuring coordinator Blake

Baker, and having the new staff coach up the returning players with just one transfer in the starting lineup.

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin decided his route for a better defense was to replace one assistant and buy seven new starters (an end, a tackle, two linebackers, a safety, two cornerbacks) including five from other SEC schools out of the transfer portal.

The result is a huge leap of improvement for the Rebels’ defense, which is ranked No. 3 nationally in scoring defense (7.5 points per game allowed) and 12th in total defense (267.5 yards allowed).

LSU is taking baby steps, learning a new defensive system and being hindered by season-ending injuries to starters Jacobian Guillory at tackle and Harold Perkins Jr. The Tigers are 48th in scoring defense (21.6 ppg) and 66th in total defense (353.6 ypg).

Kiffin also purchased five new transfer portal offensive starters, including three offensive linemen, to protect senior returning QB Jaxson Dart. He has the Rebels averaging 44 points (10th nationally) and 576.8 yards (2nd nationally).

“He’s fearless, a tough-minded kid not afraid to have his number called to run when they need a play,” Kelly said of Dart, who ranks third nationally and first in SEC in total offense (376 ypg). “He’s also not afraid of the bright lights. He doesn’t shrink when the moment is big.”

During LSU’s open date last week, Kelly and his staff did a deep dive into the team as it begins its seven SEC games in eight weeks to close the regular season.

“We did an exhaustive self-scout,” Kelly said. “Are there tendencies that you need to break? Who are the guys that have built that trust (with the LSU coaches) that you can put on the field going into these seven weeks of SEC opponents?”

KNOW YOUR ENEMY

No. 13 LSU (4-1, 1-0 SEC) vs. No. 9 Ole Miss (5-1, 1-1 SEC), Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge Saturday, 6:45 p.m. (ABC)

Last game for Ole Miss: Won Saturday at South Carolina 27-3. The Rebels’ defense had six sacks, 10 tackles for loss and forced two turnovers.

Series record and last meeting: LSU leads 65-43-4. Ole Miss won 55-49 in Oxford with teams combining for 1,343 total offense yards and 65 first downs. Tigers QB’ Jayden Daniels had 513 total offense yards and 5 TDs while Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart had 439 total offensive yards and 5 TDs.

Ole Miss head coach: Lane Kiffin (100-50 overall in 13 seasons, 39-16 in fifth year at Ole Miss).

THIS AND THAT

Early betting line: Ole Miss is a 2½-point favorite

Number of Louisiana natives on Ole Miss roster: 11

Number of Mississippi natives on LSU roster: 1

Number of transfers on Ole Miss roster from 4-year schools: 41 players from 35 schools including 26 players from 20 Power 4 Conference schools

OLE MISS PLAYERS TO WATCH

QB Jaxson Dart (127 of 173 for 2,100 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 158 rushing yards, 3 TDs on 44 carries), RB Henry Parrish Jr. (570 rushing yards, 9 TDs TDs on 91 carries, WR Tre Harris (52 catches for 885 yards, 5 TDs), OLB Chris Paul (41 tackles, 7 TFL 2½ sacks, 2 PBU, 7 QB hurries, DT Walter Nolen 24 tackles, 6 TFL, 2½ sacks, 1 PBU, 2 QB hurries, PK Caden Davis (9 for 11 FG, 33 of 34 PATs), P Fraser Masin (13 for 44.7 yards per punt, 7 fair catches, 6 inside the 20, 5 50-yards plus)

THREE AND OUT

1. Ole Miss has had 16 head football coaches since joining the SEC in 1932 as an original member. How many of those coaches had previous head coaching experience when hired by the school?
2. 10
3. 7
4. 5
5. 12

2. Ole Miss’ legend Johnny Vaught was the first SEC coach to. . .
3. Wear a suit on the sideline
4. Have a fedora contract
5. Win the SEC championship in his first year as head coach
6. Dislike LSU head coach Paul Dietzel

3. When was the last time Ole Miss played in the SEC championship game?
4. 2001
5. 2010
6. 1998
7. Never

October 21, 1932 — October 4, 2024

Donald Walter Corliss, age 91, of Shreveport, Louisiana passed away on October 4, 2024. He was born on October 21, 1932, in Sharpsburg, Iowa to Walter and Rosetta Corliss.

A visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Monday, October 7, 2024, located at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2500 Southside Drive in Shreveport. Funeral services honoring the life of Donald will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, located at Christ United Methodist Church, 1204 Crabapple Drive, in Shreveport. Burial will follow at Forest Park West Cemetery, 4000 Meriwether Road in Shreveport. Officiating the service will be Rev. Willis Dear.

Donald grew up on a farm in Iowa. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Illinois. He proudly served in the United States Air Force from 1952 until 1956 in the Korean War as a radio operator. Donald married his wife of 72 years, Kathryn Currie Corliss on April 5, 1953, and they had three children. He was employed with AT&T and Western Electric as a management executive. Donald was involved with many organizations including: Southern Swingers, Stephens Minister at Christ United Methodist Church, Paint Your Heart Out, Habitat for Humanity, and he participated in Heifer Project Mission Trips to Ecuador and Kenya. Donald loved trees and had a ranch in East Texas where he enjoyed spending time there.

Donald is survived by his loving wife, Kathryn Corliss; children, Ellen Bond and husband Bryan of Clarinda, Iowa, Ardyth Scott of Springfield, Virginia, and David Corliss and wife Barbara of Carrollton, Texas; grandchildren, Ross Corliss, Caryn Corliss, Kaitlyn Scott, and Arden Scott.

May 18, 1941 — October 4, 2024

David Lawrin Hanson, 83, of Shreveport, LA passed away on October 4, 2024. He was born on May 18, 1941, in Madison, WI, and graduated from Madison East High School in 1959. After high school, David proudly served his country in the United States Air Force from 1959-1963.

David met Scharon La Vell Brown, secretary to the Chief of Security, while working in the same office at Goodfellow Air Force Base and later married in 1963 after Dave was discharged. They have been happily married for 61 years. David graduated from the Wisconsin School of Electronics in 1965 and later earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas in Arlington in 1975 while working full-time and caring for his family.

After moving to Garland, TX, David worked for Collins Radio in Richardson, TX which then became Rockwell International from 1965-1987. After the Boeing Company obtained Rockwell International Dave was transferred to Shreveport, LA in 1987 where he retired in 2001 after 35 years of dedicated service.

David was an active member of his community, serving as Vice Chairman and then member of the Caddo Parish Communications District Number One Board of Commissioners from 1997 to 2004. He was elected and served as Alderman in Greenwood, LA from 2004 to 2008 and as mayor of Greenwood, LA from 2008 to 2012. David was also honored as Lion of the Year for the West Shreveport Lions Club in 2010-2011 and 2012-2013.

A man of faith, David loved the Lord and led his family by example in serving God and others. After making a profession of faith and being baptized at the First Baptist Church of Garland, Dave served faithfully in a multitude of ministries. David was also an active member and served at Calvary Baptist Church and Woodhaven Baptist Church in Garland before moving to Shreveport and joining Emmanuel Baptist Church. For over 15 years, he taught three-year old’s in Sunday School alongside his wife, Scharon.

David was a loving husband, father, Pops, and Great Pops. He cherished his family and would do anything for anyone, giving of his time and energy sacrificially. He never turned down an opportunity to play Candyland with Kim (always letting her win), cheer Kylan on while he watched him play wheelchair basketball for the Dallas Rockets, teach both his kids numerous life skills, take the grandkids for a round on the John Deere, or go for a ride to get an ice cream cone.

David was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Irene Hanson; his brothers, Craig, Terry, and Dick Hanson; and his sisters, Gloria Miller and Judy Seim.

David is survived by his loving wife, Scharon Hanson; daughter, Kimberly Parker; son-in-law, Eric Parker; and son, Kylan Hanson. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Grant Parker and wife Bridget, and Kassidy Parker; great grandson, Oliver Reed Parker, son of Grant and Bridget, who will deeply miss his presence and guidance.

A graveside service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, located at Northwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in Keithville, LA. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Emmanuel Baptist Church.

Frequently, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s always-hungry reporter has lunch at a local restaurant and tells you about the experience.

By ANON E. MUSS, Journal Services

We live in a complicated world.

Tried picking a paint color for the inside of your house lately?

Figured out how to navigate one of those Bossier City roundabouts?

Understand the whole Artificial Intelligence thing?

It’s enough to make your head hurt. So, I was relieved to see a restaurant which, according to its name, offered only two options – Chicken, or Fish.

It shouldn’t take long to order, right?

I had been to the Chick O’ Fish on Benton Road a few times, and always had fish. But on a recent Thursday, I invited a friend to join me, so I could try the chicken.

I learned a lesson before arriving at the Chick O’ Fish at 4020 Industrial Drive in Bossier.  With the person you’re meeting, always confirm the location to which you are going. I went where I’ve always gone – to the Benton Road restaurant. Oops! After my friend called asking why he didn’t see my car, I made the 10-minute drive to the Industrial Drive location, where he had been waiting. We eventually made our way inside at 12:30.

Now, let me make something clear from the start. Chick O’ Fish is nothing fancy. You walk to the counter, survey the menu on the wall, and place your order. This Chick O’ Fish is in what was a Burger King building, and it didn’t look like much, if any, remodeling had been done. While we were there, most of the other diners were dressed for blue collar work, looking for a quick, affordable meal. Hey, there’s nothing wrong with that!

When deciding which chicken option to have, I discovered Chick O’ Fish wasn’t as simplistic as advertised. The restaurant offered a third choice – shrimp.

Now I had to think. I wanted something other than fish, so should I go strictly with chicken, or try a mix of chicken and shrimp? I chose the #8, which promised three chicken fingers and three shrimp. The meal came with two sides – I chose fries and Cole slaw – a roll, and a drink.

I felt bad telling my friend he had to have fish. But hey, business is business. So, he went with the #4, a four-piece fish combo. For his sides, my friend chose red beans and rice, and fries.

The first surprise at Chick O’ Fish came while still at the counter. I put my credit card in the machine and was given several tip options. However, the lady behind the counter quickly touched the “No Tip” icon. Wow! What a nice change! Instead of like most every other place which asks you to tip, a restaurant which doesn’t want you to leave a tip!

The next surprise came when we were served. Actually, I wasn’t surprised, because this has always happened at the Benton Road location. My friend’s meal came with an extra piece of fish. So, when you order a four-piece fish combo, you get five pieces of fish. Guess what? My meal came with an extra chicken finger, and an extra shrimp! Are the “extra’s” built into the price? Maybe, but I don’t want to know. I enjoy too much the feeling of getting something free.

I was very happy with my chicken and shrimp. While the fingers were a bit smaller than at the chicken finger place we all know, the batter was good and tight to the meat. The shrimp were plump and battered to perfection. The fries were thick and tasty. The slaw was just the right texture. Not too thick, and not too runny.

My friend thoroughly enjoyed his fish. “They were big pieces,” he said. “They weren’t wimpy catfish strips. They had some substance, and didn’t taste fishy. He also endorsed the fries. “Every place should have fries that taste like that.”

Now, not everything was to our satisfaction. My friend didn’t care for his roll, which he said tasted “almost like the breading on a corn dog.” My friend said the red beans and rice tasted “average” and benefited from the hot sauce he added.

We both agreed the ketchup which came from the plastic squeeze bottle on the table was absolutely horrible. Its taste was so bad, I couldn’t stomach it. Instead, I dipped my fish and fries in the remoulade sauce which came with our food. I’ve never had an issue with ketchup at the Chick O’ Fish on Benton Road, but this ketchup was beyond bad.

One thing I usually don’t mention in these reviews is a restaurant’s restroom. However, after our meal, my friend paid a visit and walked out wearing a not-too-pleasant look.

“If you have to go,” he told me, “I have two suggestions. Either hold it or hold your nose.”

I chose to hold it, which is saying something for someone who frequently uses, as my father calls it, “the little boy’s room.”

The cost of our meal before tax (remember, no tip) was $22.98. My friend and I thought the value was very good, considering the quality and quantity of food (remember the extra pieces). Heck, my friend couldn’t eat all he ordered – he took the rest home and had a second meal.

So, despite the negatives, I give Chick O’ Fish Three Forks. I would return, especially when life gets too complicated.

Is there a restaurant you would like the Journal to visit for lunch?

Email SBJRestaurantReview@gmail.com.

1 Fork: Would rather eat a box of dirt
2 Forks: Will return, but only if someone else is buying
3 Forks: Will return and look forward to it
4 Forks: Will return and go out of my way to do so

Is there a restaurant you would like the Journal to visit? Email SBJRestaurantReview@gmail.com.

EAST BATON ROUGE – Louisiana 4-H’ers are ready — ready to learn by doing; ready to get their hands dirty; ready to show up for their communities.

For more than 100 years, 4-H has been preparing youth from across the state to be ready for service, STEM, leadership and life.

4-H, America’s largest youth development organization, is celebrating National 4-H Week Oct. 7-12. 4-H clubs across the nation have helped millions of youth pave a path forward through programs in areas of agriculture, science, health and civic engagement.

Todd Tarifa, LSU AgCenter department head for 4-H Youth Development, said youngsters gain confidence, independence, compassion and resilience while participating in 4-H.

“Through Louisiana 4-H programming efforts, we ensure that our members are not only ready for their future careers but also acquire the skills necessary for life’s challenges,” Tarifa said.

4-H has launched the 4-H Beyond Ready campaign to show how 4-H prepares young people for opportunities and challenges in life.

“The 4-H Beyond Ready initiative emphasizes the 4-H member’s personal growth, adaptability and confidence, setting them up to succeed in many aspects of life beyond their educational or career paths,” Tarifa said.

Zach Cryer, of Bossier Parish, is a freshman in the LSU College of Agriculture and was a 4-H member since the fourth grade. He served as the 2023-2024 state 4-H president and was named the Louisiana Student of the Year three times. – for elementary, middle and high school.

He said 4-H has prepared him to be Beyond Ready because it has equipped him with soft skills that he says he sees some of his peers struggle with, like public speaking, career readiness and the ability to adapt to new situations.

“I’ve been able to use these skills firsthand because college and the transition to college is such a massive leap from anything I’d ever been prepared for before, so I was able to rely on my preparedness from 4-H to be able to be comfortable in such a new setting,” Cryer said.

Cryer is studying nutrition at LSU and plans to attend medical school.

Shaohannah Martin is also a former 4-H’er. She is from Lafayette Parish and is a sophomore studying animal sciences in the College of Agriculture. She said 4-H has helped prepare her for her college courses.

“I was able to take all the knowledge I’ve learned from the premiere exhibitor contests and apply it to my exams, which has helped me prepare and become a better student,” Martin said.

Martin said 4-H helped her step out of comfort zone which led her to study abroad in the Czech Republic and conduct undergrad research on oysters. She also found a passion in advocating for agriculture. She currently serves as a Les Voyageur, or student ambassador, in the college and continues her advocacy through this role.

Research from National 4-H shows that 4-H’ers are four times more likely to give back to their communities, two times more likely to make healthful choices and two times more likely to participate in STEM activities.

4‑H reaches nearly six million young people through Cooperative Extension. Programs are delivered by more than 3,500 4‑H professionals and more than 500,000 volunteers.