By MATT VINES, Journal Sports

Asher Murray blasted a 56-yard field goal to send Byrd into halftime with momentum and a three-point edge, and the Yellow Jackets’ running game took over in a 37-21 District 1-5A contest at Benton Friday night.

Murray’s kick tied the school and Shreveport-Bossier record set in 2008 by future Northwestern State kicker John Shaughnessy. It put Byrd ahead to stay, 17-14, going into halftime.

The Yellow Jackets – who meet district leader Airline next Friday night – ran for 368 yards and pulled away in the fourth quarter, which was marred by a scary collision that resulted in Benton’s talented sophomore quarterback Malachi Zeigler being taken to a local hospital.

Benton coach Reynolds Moore said late Friday night all indications are good and Zeigler was in good spirits while being evaluated.

With 2:37 left in the game, Zeigler was injured and left Tiger Stadium in an ambulance after laying on the field for an extended period of time.

Zeigler was sandwiched between two Byrd tacklers as he released a pass, hitting the natural grass surface without a way to brace himself, according to description from Byrd radio broadcaster Charlie Cavell.

Zeigler, Benton’s leading rusher with 104 yards, received a standing ovation as he left the field after being stabilized.

“Just left visiting with him,” texted Moore late Friday. “He’s laughing and joking with me. Hoping scans are clear and they think they will be. Hopefully will be home soon. Thanks for the thoughts and prayers.”

Saturday morning, Zeigler’s father Willie said in a social media post that his son was home “resting and doing fine at this time.”

Zeigler led a hurry-up offense in the first half that scored on two of three possessions as Benton tied Byrd 14-14 late in the first half.

But for the third straight week, Byrd engineered a last-second drive that ended in a Murray field goal, the longest in local history.

The Yellow Jackets (7-1, 5-1 District 1-5A) pulled away in the fourth quarter as Peter Santiago scored his second touchdown of the night on a 33-yard run to lift Byrd ahead 30-21 on Benton (1-7, 1-5).

Byrd added a Quinton Hilliard 1-yard touchdown run to build a 37-21 advantage. Hilliard started the scoring with a 41-yard touchdown from Harrison Ayres in the first quarter.

Fullback Collin Deere rushed for 206 yards on 36 carries as Byrd totaled 368 rushing yards without its two leading rushers Christian Mazie and Desmond Simmons.

“Our defense got more comfortable in the second half and settled down,” said Byrd coach Stacy Ballew. “Benton came out in a hurry-up offense, and we weren’t able to get lined up or get the play in.

“But hats off to our offensive line and our fullback – played great games tonight.”

AIRLINE 76, NATCHITOCHES CENTRAL 52: Airline head coach Justin Scogin couldn’t recall exactly how many touchdowns quarterback Ben Taylor threw (6, along with running for a pair) or how many scores Kenny Darby caught.

That’s what happens when your team scores a Scogin-tenure record of 76 points. His previous best at Airline came in a 75-59 win against Benton in 2022.

Airline (8-0, 6-0 District 1-5A) remained the lone unbeaten locally overall, and in the district. NCHS (1-7, 0-6) dropped its seventh straight contest.

Taylor had a hand in Airline’s first three touchdowns via a 2-yard run and touchdown passes to Darby of 22 and 53 yards as the Vikings opened a 21-7 lead.

“When you have guys like that, at the end of the day, those guys make plays,” Scogin said. “Natchitoches Central did a good job of changing coveragesand switching pressures, but our guys made plays.

“As the game went along, we were able to get Natchitoches Central into bad situations and take advantage.”

That number climbed to 28-7 early in the second quarter, but Natchitoches Central and playmaking quarterback Owen Smith basically matched the high-powered Vikings from that point on.

Airline – ranked 10^th in the LSWA’s Class 5A Top 10 poll — scored a whopping 49 points to lead 49-21 at the half.

Scogin tipped his cap to Smith and the Chiefs offense as well.

“Owen is really good -– reminds me of Evangel’s Pop Houston in the way they run around and extend plays,” Scogin said. “I think we lost our focus a little bit in the second half, and that’ll be something we need to clean up.”

HOMER 50, MAGNOLIA SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE 18: Homer raced to an early lead and didn’t look back Friday in a District 1-2A win. The Pelicans (3-3, 2-2) took a 28-0 halftime lead and coasted in the second half.

For Magnolia (0-7, 0-5), scoring 18 points was a season-high and did match its combined season total of 18 points coming into the game.

Contact Matt at sports@journalservicesllc.com

By LORI LYONS, Journal Sports

Last week Evangel trailed by two scores to Benton before the Eagles took possession. The tables turned Friday night in ECA’s 55-27 District 1-5A triumph over visiting Haughton.

The Eagles’ national passing leader, sophomore quarterback Peyton “Pop” Houston, had another big night in a District 1-5A game at Rodney Duron Field.

The Eagles led 14-0 less than four minutes into the game and scored on their first four possessions. But Haughton scrapped back and was within a touchdown coming down the stretch in the second quarter.

Houston threw his third touchdown pass to put the Eagles ahead 34-20 with less than three minutes remaining in the first half. He added a running TD while ECA running back Josh Isaac scored a pair of rushing touchdowns as Evangel got control in the second half.

Houston threw for 276 yards and four touchdowns, going 14 of 22, and had 50 yards rushing on four tries with another TD. Isaac ran for 146 yards on 12 carries.

Dae Dae Drake scored twice. Johnny Casey had 73 receiving yards on four catches including a TD while Demarkus Evans and Jayden Hicks also caught scoring passes.

Evangel improved to 3-5 overall with its second straight win and moved to 2-4 in 1-5A. Haughton dropped to 2-6, 1-6.

NORTHWOOD 42, SOUTHWOOD 0: With a couple of offensive players out with injuries, Northwood coach Austin Brown had to rely on his defense Friday night in a District 1-4A game and a couple of them came through on offense.

“They showed up tonight,” Brown said.

Jeremiah Johnson, a two-year starter at safety, scored three touchdowns for the Falcons (7-1, 4-1) in his first game playing on the offensive side. Justin Johnson, another defensive back, had a 60-yard touchdown catch – one of four touchdown passes thrown by quarterback Jaxson Bentzler.

Kaden Stone and Tomarcus Keith also had touchdowns.

“(The outcome) was expected,” Brown said. “But I’m happy with my team. Regardless of the opponent, we did what we needed to do.”

Southwood fell to 0-7, 0-5 and stretched the state’s losing streak to 44 straight games.

NORTH CADDO 34, GREEN OAKS 24: Chancellor Washington had two early touchdowns to pace the Titans to a quick 20-0 lead. Tray Morris was a force on both offense and defense with a couple of quarterback sacks, and a fumble recovery. Antonio Moore and Mason Jackson also had notable outings according to NC coach Chase Thompson.

“We really controlled the line of scrimmage at the beginning of the game and our defense was pretty stifling for a while there,” Thompson said. “We got a lot of pressure on their quarterback. In the second half we played smart football and controlled the clock. They were able to get a couple of touchdowns there at the end. I’m excited about the way we played. It was a great day to be a Titan.”

Montavious Kelly caught one touchdown pass for the Giants and Tovaras Lee ran for a 2-point conversion. Ethan Robinson ran for a touchdown and Keshawn Williams caught the 2-point conversion. Late in the game Cortaveus Dorsey had a kick return for a touchdown, followed by a 2-point conversion run by Lee.

NORTH DESOTO 55, WOODLAWN 6: The Knights fell to 3-5, 2-3 in District 1-4A with their second loss in a row, falling to the state’s second-ranked Class 4A team.

MINDEN 41, BOSSIER 2: Minden head coach Spencer Heard picked up his 70th win and increased his personal streak to 7-0 over Bossier on homecoming night at Memorial Stadium. The Bearkats lost their third straight game to fall to 3-5, 1-4 in District 1-4A.

Contact Lori at sportslyons@gmail.com

Early Voting for the November 5, 2024 Election as of the Close-Of-Business on Wednesday, October 24, 2024

Total Bossier Parish Voters:

• All data provided by the State of Louisiana as of October 24, 2024 at 3:10 am
  Note: The total Male and total Female do not equal the Total Vote as provided by the State.

Early Voting for the November 5, 2024 Election as of the Close-Of-Business on Wednesday, October 24, 2024

Total Caddo Parish Voters:

• All data provided by the State of Louisiana as of October 24, 2024 at 3:10 am
  Note: The total Male and total Female do not equal the Total Vote as provided by the State.

C.E. Byrd High School graduate Tom Jarriel, who spent 38 years in prominent roles as he won six Emmy awards on the ABC News team, has died at age 89, the network announced Thursday.

Jarriel was born in Georgia but grew up in Shreveport. He launched his career in broadcast journalism in 1958 at KPRC TV in Houston, and was hired by ABC seven years later.

He quickly gained attention for his coverage of the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968. A year later, Jarriel was elevated to Chief White House Correspondent, covering presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, and the Watergate scandal along with the end of the Vietnam War.

In 1979, he was named anchor of ABC’s Weekend Report 30-minute nightly newscast, and also joined the network’s fledgling primetime news magazine 20/20 – which has become a staple of network news.

Jarriel collected his Emmy awards for six stories in a 10-year span from 1981-91. He considered his series of reports on the plight of children suffering in Romanian orphanages as the “great, defining story” of his career.

Jarriel spent more than two decades on 20/20 before his retirement in 2002.

The network said he is survived by his wife of 57 years, Joan, and their three sons.

By Jeanni Ritchie

Mine Rescue Day celebrates those members of the community who stay ready for an emergency through participation in training that keeps them in top shape for making sure everyone is located, rescued and recovered safely.

It is not something you hear about in Louisiana often.

I’d heard of mine disasters, including the 69-day rescue of 33 workers in a copper mine in Chile in 2010, but didn’t understand the full impact until the first season of Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart in 2014. It became more than just a fictionalized series. For the first time, I realized the lives of miners and their families.

History of Mine Rescue Day

In 2013, Mine Rescue Day was established by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). The purpose of the day is to recognize and show appreciation for the sacrifice and dedication that is regularly made by the volunteers who put their own lives at risk in order to save the lives of others who work in the mines.

The date of October 30 was chosen in honor of the first mine rescue demonstration that took place in 1911 in Pittsburgh under the direction of the first director of the US Bureau of Mines.

According to the CDC and other official .gov websites, there were 12,714 active mines in the country in 2020. The three states with the highest mining production and value are Nevada, Alaska, and Colorado.

While technological advances, safety regulations, and health research has made mining safer than it used to be, it is still a hazardous industry.

Various types of dangerous situations can occur when people are working in the mines, whether coal, metal, or nonmetal mines. Mine workers can be trapped inside the mines in a number of ways, including fire, harmful gasses, flooding, roof falling, and explosions.

When such disasters happen, trained local community members are called upon to perform rescue services. Today, over 250 mine rescue teams in the US are equipped and certified to perform mine rescues. And Mine Rescue Day is a great time to celebrate them!

Jeanni Ritchie is a contributing journalist from Central Louisiana. She can be reached at jeanniritchie54@gmail.com.

By Jeanni Ritchie

On my honor, I will try.
There’s a duty to be done and I say aye.
There’s a reason here or reason above.
My honor is to try and my duty is to love.

The song, sung with three fingers solemnly held up, was the Girl Scout promise to millions of young girls like me growing up.

While many people think only of cookies when they think of Girl Scouts, it is these core values of Girl Scouts that I remember the most.

The three fingers represented the three parts of the Girl Scout Promise:
• To serve God and my country
• To help people at all times
• To live by the Girl Scout Law

We formed friendships, went to camp, earned badges, and learned what being a valuable member of society was all about.

Girl Scout Founder’s Day is celebrated on October 31st to honor the birthday of Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts of the USA. Born in 1860, Low organized the first Girl Scout troop on March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia. Girl Scouts of the USA was chartered by the US Congress on March 16, 1950.

The Girl Scouts offer six levels, including Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador. I worked my way through Cadette in the 70’s and 80’s before a stint as Scout Leader in the 90’s with my girls just as my own mother had done with my sister and me.

My Girl Scout support today largely comes from tally marks in Tagalong columns! Cookie season kicks off in January 2025 with the theme “Embrace Possibility.” New flavors include Caramel Chocolate Chip and Lemonades.

You’ll notice some of the cookie names change over the years. That is because many longstanding Girl Scout bakers own the trademarks to cookie names. When new contracts are issued, old names are lost. The Girl Scout organization itself only owns the trademarks for Thin Mints, Trefoils, and Adventurefuls.

You can sign up to receive the latest news about Girl Scout cookies at girlscoutcookies.org.

But today is about Juliette Low and the legacy she left for generations of young girls as they grew up and took their place in society. The Girl Scout pledge, untouched and still relevant, is a guiding force:

On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country, to help people at all times, and to live by the Girl Scout Law.

It is a pledge I follow to this very day.

Share your Girl Scout memories on social media using #GirlScoutFoundersDay!

Jeanni Ritchie is a contributing journalist from Central Louisiana. She can be reached at jeanniritchie54@gmail.com.

High school coaches, administrators and parents will complain about almost anything. In a strange way, that’s what makes the whole thing special. Just when you think you’ve heard everything there is to whine about, something else comes along to remind you of why it’s so fun to be a part of it in the first place.

But there is one thing you rarely hear complaints about and it’s more than a little bit surprising.

As we near the end of the regular season in high school football, many teams will be looking forward to the playoffs. And that means playoff brackets.

In Louisiana, football brackets are done by the power point system that really isn’t all that difficult to figure out. Which is quite the contrast to figuring out which teams get in which brackets. (If you still don’t get the Select/Non-Select thing, don’t ask; it will hurt your brain.)

Power points have been around since 2000 and there have been a few minor tweaks to the system. But by all accounts, it works quite well. Before 2000, the bracket was pre-determined by region and based on how a team finished its district race. You could have a state-championship caliber matchup in the second round, which was nobody’s idea of fair.

Sure, there are a few schools who will try to work the system with their scheduling but it really comes down to this simple premise: you are rewarded for winning games and/or playing a good schedule.

There are the factors involved: (1) If you win, you get 10 power points (2) You get a power point for each win your opponents have (3) You get two power points for each classification you play above yours (no penalty for playing down in classification). You take all of that and divide it by the number of games you play.

There are some minor variables – mainly figuring into the equation when a team doesn’t play a full 10-game schedule – but it’s not something on the rocket-scientist level.

Yes, there are teams that are 7-0 and have played Sid & Sally Technical School and others who are 3-4 and have played a Murderer’s Row of opponents. There are – and will always be – outliers when the calculations are done.

Some teams will have a seeding too low and others will be too high. But guess what? That’s no different than sports at any level that have a “panel of experts” in charge of determining bracket placement. Since there is no provision for margin of victory, losing by a point in double overtime is the same as losing by 50.

There are wild fluctuations in the first half of the season, but now that we have entered the final stages, the math works against any team making a dramatic jump in either direction. Which is why coaches are really starting to pay attention.

This way is much better because there’s no one to yell out if you think you’ve the short end of it.

The numbers are the numbers.

With three games to go in the regular season, coaches will now start to pay particular attention to how it all shakes down. They’ll start narrowing their focus on who their first-round playoff opponent might be and start working in that direction.

For that matter, they started working in that direction before the season even started. There are just as many weeks this season in Caddo/Bossier without as a Thursday game as there are with. Do you know how there are in Week 10? Six!

Not counting Fall Break, that’s as many Thursday games as there have been in the rest of the season combined. And why are they doing that, you ask?

Answer – to get a head start on the playoff preparation.

The website GeauxPreps.com, which is tied into the LHSAA’s schedule portal, figures it up for you and updates it every four hours.

But if you want to get an even bigger jump on it, go get a decent math student with a calculator full of battery life and during Week 10, you can make an educated guess on who to start scouting. No need to wait for the “official” playoff pairings to come out on Sunday.

In the end, it all ends up looking about right. Sure, a team might have a lower power ranking than a team it beat during the season, but this is about the entirety of the season. Not just one game.

And the fact that you don’t hear people complaining about it oughta tell you that it’s working.

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports

District 1-5A may not be the toughest in the state, but it never lacks for competitiveness.

Other districts may have better teams – that will be determined come playoff time – but every time you turn around, there’s another game that looks intriguing. Or two. Or three.

“In 1-5A,” Byrd coach Stacy Ballew said, “everybody is competitive.”

This week, the headliner figures to be Parkway taking on Captain Shreve at Lee Hedges Stadium. The Panthers are 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the district while the Gators come in at 4-3 overall and 3-2 in the district.

Both will feature outstanding running games led by feature backs Jamarcea Plater of Shreve and C.J. Dudley of Parkway. Both have highly recruited linemen (L.J. Prudhomme of Shreve and D.D. Oliver of Parkway). If you need a little extra juice, it’s worth noting that Panther head coach Coy Brotherton is a former Shreve assistant.

But who knows? Maybe Haughton (2-5, 1-5) will surprise Evangel (2-5, 2-4) this week. After all, Benton almost pulled off that trick last week. Speaking of Benton, they’ll be taking on Byrd (6-1, 4-1) and the Yellow Jackets figure to be a rather large favorite.

But this is District 1-5A and even after seven weeks, nobody knows anything for sure.

“Especially with all of this onside kicking,” Ballew said.

You can bet that added a little extra practice time to the Jackets preparation. Benton pulled that trick twice last week against Evangel and Ballew says that’s just par for the course in this district.

“I just spent 30 minutes with one of our coaches figuring up what we need to do,” he said. “We’ve got our hands full this week. I know everybody looks at the records, but everybody’s got weapons.

Benton may be 1-6 overall, but the Tigers’ last two games have been decided by a total of two points.

In the other league game, Natchitoches Central (1-6, 0-5) will travel up I-49 to take on district leader Airline (7-0, 5-0).

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

JOURNAL SPORTS

Huntington has played a physical style of football and has had some productive nights offensively in its first season in District 1-5A.

Class 2A powerhouse Calvary has won its last two contests against 1-5A teams, last year against Byrd and Captain Shreve.

The Cavs will counter the Raiders’ rugged approach tonight at Independence Stadium with a versatile and explosive offense featuring the senior pass-catch combination of Abram Wardell and Kolby Thomas. Standout senior running back James Simon sat out last week’s 24-15 win at Union Parish with an injury, but senior defensive back and backup Julius Moss stepped up with 113 rushing yards including three scoring runs.

The top contest in District 1-4A is at Loyola, which celebrates homecoming with a visit from a dangerous Booker T. Washington club.

Tonight’s local high school games:

DISTRICT 1-5A

Natchitoches Central (1-6, 0-5) at Airline (7-0, 5-0), M.D. Ray Field – NCHS stream at BDCRadio.com – https://www.kzblradio.com/listen.htm

Byrd (6-1, 4-1) at Benton (1-6, 1-4), Tiger Stadium – Byrd broadcast at 1130 AM The Tiger; Benton stream at The Benton Tiger Sports Network, https://network1sports.com/station/benton

Parkway (6-1, 4-1) vs. Captain Shreve (4-3, 3-2), Lee Hedges Stadium – Shreve broadcast at The River 95.7 FM

Haughton (2-5, 1-5) at Evangel (2-5, 2-4), Rodney Duron Field

NON-DISTRICT

Calvary (5-2) vs. Huntington (4-3), Independence Stadium – Calvary broadcast at Promise 90.7 FM

DISTRICT 1-4A

BTW (3-4, 2-2) at Loyola (5-2, 3-1), Messmer Stadium

Minden (6-1, 3-1) at Bossier (3-4, 1-3), Memorial Stadium – Minden broadcast at Real Country 104.5 FM; http://www.kbef.com

Southwood (0-6, 0-4) at Northwood (6-1, 3-1), Jerry Burton Stadium

Woodlawn (2-5, 1-3) at North DeSoto (5-2, 4-0)

DISTRICT 1-2A

Green Oaks (1-5, 0-4) at North Caddo (2-5, 1-3), Sanders-Prudhomme Stadium

Magnolia Charter (0-6, 0-4) at Homer (2-5, 1-2)

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

COLLEGE STATION—Over the decades, plotlines for LSU vs. Texas A&M have always been intertwined, whether coaching hirings or stealing recruits from each other on signing day.

Saturday’s 6:30 p.m. showdown between the 7th-ranked Tigers and the 14th-ranked Aggies here in Kyle Field has its share of fresh intrigue like A&M first-year coach Mike Elko serving as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator in 2017 on then-Fighting Irish and now LSU head coach Brian Kelly’s staff.

Or the star running backs from each school playing against their native state teams (LSU’s Caden Durham of Duncanville, Texas, Texas A&M’s Le’Veon Moss of Walker, La.).

Or in this 63rd meeting of the Tigers (6-1, 3-0 SEC) and the Aggies (6-1, 4-0 SEC) in the battle of the league’s last two unbeaten squads in conference play, there’s the added frosting of the game’s winner getting an inside track to a possible College Football Playoff berth.

“It’s easy to get caught up in extracurriculars of what this game means, all the different things that play into it,” said LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who has completed 183-of-283 passes for 2,222 yards, an SEC-leading 18 TDs and 6 interceptions. “We can think about those all week, then lose the football game, and then it won’t matter.

“The environment doesn’t matter. Who we play doesn’t matter. We’re focused on executing to the best of our ability and attacking our opponent.”

The Tigers and Aggies have had similar seasons. Both teams lost their openers (LSU fell to USC 27-20 in Las Vegas, Texas A&M lost at home 23-13 to Notre Dame) and haven’t lost since.

“Both (A&M and LSU) had a big stage in the opener, both played a really close game all the way down to the fourth quarter and didn’t make the plays at the end that it needed to be successful,” said Elko, who has the Aggies off to their best start since 2016. “Probably both got written off and then just went to work to improve every week, continuing true to their process and believing in who they were.

“Then all of a sudden, you pick your head up, and here you are.”

While LSU has experienced growing pains on defense under new coordinator Blake Baker and Texas A&M has gotten uneven QB play from returning starter Connor Weigman who has tried to battle through a shoulder injury, both coaches have deftly navigated through problems.

“They (the Tigers) understand that this is a week-to-week thing,” said Kelly, who has a 7-3 SEC road record in his 34-game LSU coaching career. “You win a game, and everybody thinks you’re great. You lose the game, and everybody thinks you’re a bum. So, our guys understand how important it is to stay grounded and focused on what they can control. Controlling the controllable for us is about our preparation. If we do a really good job with our preparation, then good things usually happen.”

Statistically in SEC games only, Texas A&M is second in the conference in total offense (412.5 yards per game), second in total defense (325.25 ypg allowed) and fourth in scoring defense (17.75 ppg allowed).

Spurred by Moss, who’s averaging 107.50 of A&M’s SEC-leading 204 yards per game rushing in league play, the Aggies have been able to produce enough offensively despite Weigman trying to get back confidence and rhythm after hurting his shoulder in the opening loss to Notre Dame.

Weigman played the first five drives of A&M’s win over McNeese and was pulled from the game to give backup true freshman backup Marcel Reed reps. A late-week practice setback resulted in Weigman missing the Florida game.

In last week’s 34-24 win at Mississippi State, Weigman was 15 for 25 for 217 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.

LSU’s defense solidified in the wake of star linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. suffering a season-ending knee injury vs. UCLA on Sept. 21. With dynamic sophomore Whit Weeks moving into the starting lineup in the last three games, the Tigers have had in that stretch 20½ tackles for loss (including 11½ sacks), 15 quarterback hurries, 20 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles and 3 recovered fumbles.

“We went to Arkansas and dominated them,” LSU safety Sage Ryan said. “I feel like we could be consistent and do it again. We showed that we can do it. So that’s just the mindset that we have.”

GO FIGURE

3: Straight losses for LSU (2018, 2020, 2022) in College Station

6: Game-winning streaks for LSU and Texas A&M after season-opening losses

6.4: Yards per carry this season for Texas A&M running back Le’Veon Moss

24: Sacks by LSU’s defense, 11 more than it had last season after 7 games

285: Rushing yards (then a school record) and four TDs by LSU running back Derrius Guice in the Tigers’ last win at Texas A&M in 2016

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By PATRICK MEEHAN, Centenary Sports Information Director

After a nailbiting come-from-behind road win, the Centenary football team will aim for a sweep of the Austin College ‘Roos in a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference contest on Saturday as the Gents celebrate Homecoming with kickoff set for 6 p.m. at Atkins Field.

The Gents (3-4, 3-2 SCAC) recorded a thrilling 28-21 victory over the Lyon College Scots last Saturday in Batesville, Ark.

Centenary scored the winning touchdown, a 26-yard pass from Tre Smith to Kobe Chambers, with 15 seconds remaining in the game.

Austin College (1-6, 1-4 SCAC) fell 55-17 at home to Texas Lutheran last Saturday. This marks the second meeting between the two teams this season after the Gents posted a 36-17 win over the ‘Roos in Sherman, Texas on Sept. 21.

“It feels great to be back home this week to face a talented and well-coached Austin College team,” said Centenary head coach Byron Dawson.

“We need to be prepared to perform at a high level on Saturday. Each week, our aim is to improve on the little things, master the fundamentals, and execute as a team.”

Facing a seven-point deficit with only 3:35 remaining in the game, the Gents quickly moved 64 yards in only six plays in 1:41 and junior Bobby Shanklin Jr. capped the drive with a 3-yard TD run and sophomore Vance Feuerbacher added the tying PAT to knot the game at 21-21 with just 1:54 left.

Centenary’s opportunistic defense then came up with a game-defining play on Lyon’s next possession as freshman defensive back Jacob Wilson, an Evangel product, intercepted at the Gents’ 11 and returned it 24 yards.

Centenary took possession in the tied game with only 53 seconds and moved 34 yards in five plays before Smith and Chambers connected for the game-winner.

Freshman defensive Jacob Black sealed the comeback win with an interception on the first play.

The Gents ran 72 plays for 390 yards and had 24 first downs as Smith passed for a season-high 310 yards. Centenary’s 390 total yards are the second most in a game this season, behind only the 443 racked up in the first meeting against Lyon (a 35-14 home win on Oct. 5).

Chambers was the Gents’ top receiving target as he hauled in nine catches for 134 yards and one TD. Junior Josh Ware of Southwood led the way on the ground with nine carries for 41 yards and one TD, and Smith finished 29-41 with his season-best 310 years and a TD with no interceptions. Vance Feuerbacher led the way on defense with eight solo tackles (10 total tackles with 1 sack and 2 TFL).

The Gents are averaging 303.3 yards per game on offense – 206.3 passing and 97.0 rushing and 20.7 PPG. Chambers is the most dynamic offensive weapon with 35 catches for 441 yards and three scores. Chambers is second in the SCAC in receiving yards/game at 63.0.

Wilson is tied for third in interceptions with three and his teammate, sophomore Bryan Washington, is fourth with two.

Sophomore defensive D’Qavion Lemons of Southwood ranks fourth in the league in tackles for loss (6.0) and is tied for fifth in sacks (3.0).

Fans away from Atkins Field can track the action online.

LIVE STATS: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/fball/2024-25/boxscores/20241026_9ld9.xml

STREAMING VIDEO: https://www.ktalnews.com/gocentenary/watch-live-centenary-college-sports-2024-2025/

Contact Patrick at pmeehan@centenary.edu

By JASON PUGH, Northwestern State Sports Information Director

NATCHITOCHES – One week ago, first-year Northwestern State head football coach Blaine McCorkle talked about using his team’s opponent, Nicholls, as a blueprint for his program.

When the Demons return home for Saturday’s 2 p.m. Homecoming game against Lamar on ESPN+, there will be another bit of mirror-imagery ahead for Northwestern.

“The recipe for winning is pretty simple sometimes,” McCorkle said. “Get good players, make them play hard and physical and be sound. We talked a lot before about how there are a lot of gurus out there. Sometimes you just have to be a football coach, and that’s what Tim Rebowe is at Nicholls. That’s exactly what coach (Pete) Rossomando at Lamar. He’s an old-school offensive line coach who comes from a part of the country that takes a lot of pride in that position and working hard and playing tough football. That’s evident in how his team plays and how he’s trying to build it.

“Two weeks in a row, we’ve seen people prove that we’re on the right track with the model we’re trying to do. Now, we just have to execute that model and keep putting those pieces together. They’ve done a great job in their first two years (at Lamar), bringing in some good players, knowing what they wanted to do and building an identity. I really like how they play, and it’s something for us to pay attention to.”

The Demons (0-8, 0-3) continue to pay attention to the importance of playing complementary football.

In its most recent outing, Northwestern’s defense stood tall against Nicholls while the Demon special teams units held up their end as well. However, the Colonels kept the Demon offense out of rhythm while handing the visitors a 20-0 defeat.

“You do have to put the whole thing together,” McCorkle said. “If you’re lacking in one area, it affects everybody. It is a team game, and complementary football is a real thing. It’s something we’re still searching for. Defensively, we played well enough to win. Special teams did a great job – specifically our punt team – keeping us in the game and allowing us to play with good field position. Offensively, we struggled to find a rhythm or have any answers for some of the things they did to us.

“Those are things we have to go to work on, adjust and have a plan for in the future. In the meantime, you have to play a little harder, play a little smarter and do what you’re coached to do offensively and put the whole thing together.”

For the first eight games, Northwestern has folded in numerous true and redshirt freshmen and more seem to be on the way in the final four games of the season.

McCorkle said a large portion of his first freshman class as Northwestern’s head coach has yet to play a snap. With the NCAA’s four-game redshirt rule in place, that could change for a significant number of first-year Demons down the stretch.

“They are our future,” McCorkle said. “That doesn’t mean we’re taking away from anybody. That doesn’t mean we’re sacrificing the ability to win the game, but we want to see what those young guys can do, how they operate under the lights. They need to feel that as they grow. Quite a few will get significant reps these last four games. What we’re looking for them to do is to go in there, play hard and build that identity of who we are and who we’re going to build this program with.”

The identity McCorkle hopes for could be right across from his team in a Cardinals’ team that ranks fourth in the Southland Conference in rushing yards per game at 170.6 per game and third in rush defense, allowing 155.1 yards per contest.

Playing physically, however, is something that is taking root in the Demon locker room.

“There are a lot of similarities (between Nicholls and Lamar),” freshman defensive back Kaden Mackey said. “They’re big, they’re physical and they’re fast. To me, that’s all of college football. I love playing that physical football, coming down and hitting. Once you get that first tackle, it’s a confidence builder for everyone on the defensive side.”

Contact Jason at pughj@nsula.edu

By T. SCOTT BOATRIGHT, Lincoln Parish Journal

HOUSTON — Grambling State and Texas Southern will square off in a crucial Southwestern Athletic Conference showdown this weekend with much on the line for both.

Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Saturday at Shell Energy Stadium.

Grambling stands at 4-3 overall and 1-2 in the SWAC West while TSU is 2-4 and 1-2.

But both trail SWAC West Division leader Southern (3-0) and second-place team Alcorn State, making each and every game all important for both.

Grambling coach Mickey Joseph says his G-Men are taking things one game at a time, and that he knows this next one at Texas Southern will be a challenge.

“They’re well-coached, they play hard, they run to the football and have some really good players,” Joseph said. “They’re really a dangerous football team when they’re in Houston. They get off blocks well on the defensive line and have a really athletic quarterback.

“What we see is a well-coached football team and a scrappy football team that’s going to get after it.”

One thing the G-Men are focused on is cutting down the number of penalties they’ve been hit with so far this season. Grambling ranks 10th in the SWAC, giving up 87.6 yards per game.

“We’re working on it,” Joseph said. “We continue to stress what we can do and what we can’t do and that we’ve got to recognize how the game’s being officiated. And if it looks like we’re doing some extra stuff we need to stop it. I’ve spoken with the team and it starts with me and my aggressive style.

“I’m aggressive across the board, so we’re a little too aggressive for some of the officials and I understand that, so I have to get back to the drawing board with them and work on stopping the bone-head penalties, the personal fouls and facemasks and things of that nature — non-moving penalties — that’s what hurts us right now. So I’ve got to do a better job as a head coach to get them to throw their hands up and not retaliate when they get slapped. I’ve got to get them to do what most men can’t do — just walk away when somebody slaps you in the helmet. And I’ll do that. We’ve talked about it this week and have made a pact that we’re going to walk away.”

Joseph played back-up quarterback Ashton Frye some during last week’s 31-21 Homecoming win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff trying to ramp up his team’s offensive performance.

Starter Myles Crawley, the Preseason SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, connected on 15-of-25 passes for 170 yards with one touchdown while Frye completed three-of-five passes for five yards.

Joseph admits he’s still looking for more output at quarterback and during this week’s SWAC online press conference declined to name a starter for the game against TSU.

“I’m still disappointed that they’re not making the reads that they need to read, so we’ll go back and give them equal reps and see who plays on Saturday,” Joseph said. “Who’s going to be more consistent? Who’s going to read it out? Who’s going to put us in the right play? Who’s going to be our quarterback?

“And that’s the problem I’m having right now with both of them right now.”

Crawley has connected on 125-of-213 pass attempts (58.69%) for 1,367 yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Frye and Deljay Bailey have seen limited time behind center so far this season with Frye hitting on three-of-six passes while Bailey has completed three-of-six attempts

in backup duty against Tuskegee and Texas A&M-Commerce.

Texas Southern ranks sixth in both SWAC offense and defense while GSU ranks eighth offensively and fourth defensively.

Andrew Jones leads Grambling and the SWAC with 11.3 tackles per game.

Contact Scott at tscottboatright@gmail.com