By BRET H. MCCORMICK, Journal Sports

ALEXANDRIA — Evangel’s high-powered offense met its match Friday night.

Alexandria Senior High pressured the Eagles’ sensational sophomore Peyton “Pop” Houston all night, limiting him to a season-low 237 passing yards and intercepting him three times, double his season total entering the game, as the Trojans (11-0) ran away for a 49-6 victory in the second round of the Select Division I state playoffs. 

“They’re probably the best team in the state,” Evangel coach Denny Duron said. “They’re the best team I’ve seen in a long time. They had a great plan, they executed it, and they had mercy on us at the end. I appreciate Thomas Bachman. I think he’s a great football coach, and they did what they do … and we never cracked the code.”

The Trojans controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, limited the Eagles (6-6) to minus-7 rushing yards while compiling 363 yards on the ground. The majority of that damage came via the legs of the senior duo of LSU commitment JT Lindsey and Vaughn Darbon, who combined for 321 yards and six touchdowns in the first half. 

ASH came out determined to make the Eagles stop the run, taking the opening drive 80 yards on 12 plays, all on the ground, grabbing a 7-0 lead. The Trojans ran the ball 24 straight times to start the game and attempted only five passes all night. 

Houston and the Eagles had a couple of electric plays in their arsenal. He connected with Nate Green for a 69-yard completion on 3rd-and-10 on their first possession, a drive that advanced all the way to the ASH 1-yard line. However, the Trojans’ defense stiffened and pushed Evangel backward, forcing a missed field goal. 

“They hit a huge play on us, looks like it’s a potential touchdown,” ASH’s Bachman said. “Jaden Lewis runs it down, gets the ball on the ground. We talk about it all the time, man, you don’t get points for big plays. Get the ball on the ground. If it’s on the 1-yard line, we’re gonna battle our tail off and we’re gonna find a way. He’s done that repeatedly this year. … That was a huge, huge play early in the game.”

Lindsey made it 14-0 a few plays later, showing off his signature ability to cut and accelerate as he raced 69 yards into the end zone, breaking three Evangel tackles along the way. 

But Houston and the Eagles responded as he connected with Josh Isaac for a 74-yard TD to cut the Trojans’ lead to 14-6. 

From that point on, though, it was all Trojans, mixing a lethal combination of a powerful run game and tenacious defense, as they scored five unanswered touchdowns in the second quarter to invoke the mercy-rule running clock. 

The Trojans harassed Houston into his worst outing of the season as he completed just 10 of 28 passes, completing less than 50 percent of his throws for the first time all season. 

“He’s a phenomenal player,” Bachman said. “He had our attention. We worked really hard this week. If you could have come out to practice and seen us running around and trying to simulate all the scramble drill, keep it alive, even after you’ve got him, it was wild. … I thought the defensive front, and really all three levels, seemed to have played well.” 

Darbon, who rushed for a season-high 101 yards on 15 carries, scored a 24-yard touchdown on the Trojans’ next drive to give them a 21-6 lead. 

The first of Houston’s three interceptions set up ASH’s fourth score, as Lindsey broke a tackle in the backfield and burst his way for a 65-yard touchdown run and a 28-6 lead. 

Lewis picked off a Houston pass near midfield on the Eagles’ next possession and returned it to the 1-yard line, setting up Lindsey’s fourth touchdown of the game. Lindsey finished with 220 yards on 17 carries. 

After the Eagles’ first defensive stop of the game, ASH’s Kartez Simon stepped in front of a Houston pass and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown, and Darbon added a 2-yard touchdown for the game’s final margin. 

Although the game got away from the Eagles, Duron said the future remains bright on Broadacres Road. 

“I’m so proud of my guys,” Duron said. “This happens on every level. It happens in the NFL. It happens in college football. And you know what, we’re resilient. We’re gonna overcome. We have almost everybody coming back, so we’re going to work.”

The Trojans earned another home game next Friday night against another Shreveport opponent, C.E. Byrd.

Contact Bret at onetphoto@gmail.com

ASH TROJANS 49, EVANGEL EAGLES 6

Eagles           6          0          0          0          –           6

Trojans         14       35       0          0          –           49

A – JT Lindsey 4 run (Channing Meche kick)

A – Lindsey 69 run (Meche kick)

E – Josh Isaac 74 pass from Peyton Houston (run failed)

A – Vaughn Darbon 24 run (Meche kick)

A – Lindsey 65 run (Meche kick)

A – Lindsey 1 run (Meche kick)

A – Kartez Simon 15 interception return (Meche kick)

A – Darbon 2 run (Meche kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – Evangel (16-minus 7), Houston 8-(minus 30), DeMarkus Evans 2-4, Damari Drake 5-19, Isaac 1-0; ASH (43-363), Lindsey 17-220, Darbon 15-101, Max Gassiott 1-6, Karsen Sellers 1-(minus 9), Lavon Mayes 1-1, Noble Williams 8-48, James Lawhorn 1-(minus 4).

PASSING – Evangel, Houston 10-28-3, 237; ASH, Sellers 2-3-0, 18; Gassiott 1-2-0, 9.

RECEIVING – Evangel,  Nate Green 4-112, Johnny Casey Jr. 1-10, Isaac 1-74, Evans 2-16, Charley Abraham 1-10, Jayden Hicks 1-15; ASH, Kelton Ray 1-10, Jimmie Duncan 1-8, Lindsey 1-9.

By LORI LYONS, Journal Sports

Down one score, Northwood seemed to be hanging in against a storied Destrehan program before a surge heading into halftime broke it open and the No. 7 Falcons fell 63-21 in Friday night’s Non-Select Division I second-round playoff game at Jerry Burton Stadium in Blanchard.

“Better team won,” Northwood coach Austin Brown said. “We just couldn’t get off the field against a big 5A school. They were able to outlast us, run the ball and get a lead that was hard to come back from.”

The Falcons, who scored a school playoff record 54 points last week, finished the year 10-2.

“A 10-win season is impressive, and it’s a tribute to our seniors. We appreciate them,” said Brown. “This team has earned everything it got. The normal guys played their tails off – Jayden White, John Sneed, Justin Thomas, and naturally  Jaxon Bentzler was very good for us again – really the whole team. Our effort was tremendous. We were just a little short-handed there.”

Northwood hung in for much of the first half. After Destrehan opened a 13-0 advantage, the Falcons drove and scored on a fourth-down 20-yard throw from Benzler to Duntavious Young, leaping between Wildcats and making a well-defended catch. The visitors answered, but so did the home team, on a 2-yard Christian Blackmon plunge to draw within 20-14.

The Wildcats converted a third-and-long to sustain an ensuing series which produced another score and then stretched the lead to 35-14 at halftime. It never got closer.

The Falcons, a Class 4A team, went into Friday’s contest having given up only 18 points per game and had allowed only four passing touchdowns in the regular season.

But the Northwood defense got its toughest test against the speedy Class 5A Wildcats, who scored less than 30 points only three times this season – in each of their three losses.

“That’s a program that is in the mix for the state championship year in and year out. They are well coached, have a lot of talent, are big and tough up front on both sides, and we knew it was going to be a big challenge,” said Brown.

Destrehan running back Malachi Dabney scored five touchdowns. Greg Wilford and Jabari Mack each had touchdown receptions and Phillip Wright ran for another as the Wildcats took command.

“We’ll take it any way we can get it,” Destrehan coach Marcus Scott said. “You just never know. Some games you think are going to be easy are tough and some you just run away with. We had good balance. We were able to run it effectively and take opportunities in the passing game.”

Destrehan (9-3) will return to the neighborhood next Friday in the quarterfinals to face the undefeated No. 2 seed Airline, a 42-16 winner over No. 18 Westgate.

Edna Karr 56, Huntington 6 — The No. 1 seeded Edna Karr Cougars remained undefeated and largely unchallenged following a decisive victory over No. 17 Huntington Friday night in the regional round of the Select Division I playoffs at Morris Jeff Stadium in Algiers.

Karr quarterback John Johnson threw for 324 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two more. LSU commit TaRon Francis had six catches for 175 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Cougars also had a fumble return for a touchdown and an interception return for another. 

Huntington’s lone score came on the last play of the third quarter when Jamarion Washington broke free to go the distance for a 85-yard touchdown on a pass from quarterback Landon Gibbs. Washington finished with four catches for 121 yards. Nyles Hullaby rushed for 44 yards on 11 carries.

The Cougars, now 8-0 against Shreveport-area teams in the playoffs, will host No. 8 St. Thomas More, a 28-27 winner over No. 9 St. Augustine, next week. Huntington finished 6-6.

“I’m thankful that we got to play football tonight,” said Huntington coach Stephen Dennis. “A lot of football teams didn’t. We had some moments where we did some really good things against a really good football team and then there were some moments where the really good football team did some things.

“I’m really proud of these seniors. We have a motto — we always want to leave things better than we found them. We got our first playoff win in Division I Select against a really good 5A team last week.

“And tonight we lined up with one of the better teams in the state and played really hard for four quarters. That’s a testament to the leadership of our seniors. They left things better than they found them.”

Contact Lori at sportslyons@gmail.com

Shreveport Police are asking for the public’s help in locating Desharda Williams, who is wanted for bank fraud in connection to fraudulent activity at two local credit union branches. 

On August 7, Williams allegedly negotiated two checks, one for $825 and the other for $780, at different Barksdale Federal Credit Union locations within hours of each other. The checks, written in other individuals’ names but made payable to Williams, were later determined to be fraudulent.

White Collar Crimes detectives obtained critical evidence, including relevant documents and video surveillance footage, which identified Williams as the individual responsible for negotiating the fraudulent checks.

An arrest warrant for one count of Bank Fraud was issued for Williams on Nov. 20. 

Anyone with information on Desharda Williams’ whereabouts is urged to contact SPD at 318-673-7300 or reach out to Caddo Crime Stoppers at 318-673-7373. Crime Stoppers offers rewards for information leading to arrests, and all tips remain anonymous. 

Detectives with the SPD’s Domestic Violence Unit initiated an investigation in Alvin Simmons on Oct. 28.

The victim stated that Simmons struck her multiple times and placed both hands around her neck, impeding her airway and making it difficult for her to breathe. Following the report, detectives conducted a comprehensive interview with the victim, who provided a detailed account of the incident, as well as information about other recent incidents of physical abuse. As a result of this investigation, a warrant has been issued for the arrest of Simmons for Domestic Abuse Battery.

SPD is urging anyone with information regarding Simmons’ whereabouts to contact the department of 318-673-7300 or anonymously through Caddo Crime Stoppers at 318-673-7373. Any assistance that can be provided is vital in helping in SPD locating Simmons and ensuring the victim’s safety.

When I played high school football – settle down, this isn’t one of those stories – our team scored 210 points in the regular season over the span of 10 weeks.

In the span of 27 hours last week, I witnessed 213 points scored. (106 in one game and 107 the next night.)

I’m sorry, but that’s just crazy.

What’s even crazier is that no one was surprised in the least.

Granted, the Jesuit Flyers of 1976 may not have been an offensive juggernaut but it wasn’t as if we stunk. After all, we were 10-0 and on the way to a state championship.

But go back and check some other scores from 40 or 50 years ago. The 1983 Captain Shreve team that reached the state semifinals scored 176 points in the regular season. In just three weeks during this season (games 4-6), the current Gators scored 198 points.

Airline won a state championship in 1967 and scored a total of 36 points in the playoffs that year. When the Vikings open their playoff run tonight against Westgate, absolutely no one will be surprised if they have that many by halftime.

By halftime.

Airline has scored at least 35 points in the first two quarters five times already this season. It took the ’67 Vikings team 12 quarters to do that.

Think things are a little different these days?

Everyone loves to give reasons as to why these offensive numbers have exploded. Better athletes on offense, football has become more of a finesse game, it’s more attractive for kids who want to come out for football, more plays being run, easily to diagnose defenses at the line of scrimmage, so forth, so on.

Yep, all sounds good and reasonable.

But then I got wondering if I have all of this wrong. Maybe this is how it’s supposed to be. Maybe we didn’t appreciate the defense that was being played back then instead of glorifying the offenses of today.

Let’s look back at the examples above.

That ’67 Airline team gave up two touchdowns during the entire playoffs … and one of those was a 98-yard fumble return that was lateraled along the way.

The 1983 Shreve team gave up 99 points during the regular season, but check this out: That was at the end of an 11-year run in which the most the Gators allowed in a regular season was 108 points. (Shreve’s state championship team in 1973 gave up a total of 15 points in the regular season.)

And the ’76 team I played on? We went from Sept. 24 to Nov. 26 (62 days) without allowing a touchdown and had nine shutouts during the season.

So were offenses that bad back then? Or were defenses that good?

This may come across as a convoluted answer, but having been around through both, I’ll offer this opinion — there were more good offenses during that time than there are good defenses now.

Because of the potent offenses of this era, it has led to less competitive games on a weekly basis. You’d think it would be the other way around because seemingly anyone can score almost at will, but that also means games can get away from you very quickly.

In a more defensive-minded era, when one team typically scored in the 20s and the other scored in the teens, you were always with reach. Games weren’t over at halftime. Nobody had ever heard of a running clock. A missed tackle or a fumbled punt and you could turn around a game in a hurry.

The way high school football is played these days isn’t necessarily better. Nor is it worse.

It’s just different.

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports

It is 333 miles from Destrehan High School to Northwood High School. It is 319 miles from De La Salle High in New Orleans to Calvary Baptist.

You can say that home field doesn’t matter much when the ball gets kicked off, but let’s just say that it’s a road trip you’d rather not make.

As the No. 7 seed in their bracket, the Northwood Falcons will be able to walk to Jerry Burton Stadium while the Destrehan Wildcats will have to make the long trip north.

Northwood coach Austin Brown has been around long enough to remember when his team has had to make those long trips to another part of the state.

No thank you.

“That’s been the message all week — they’ve got to come play up here,” he said. “This is probably the most confident we have been going into a tough playoff matchup that we’ve had and we’ve played Brother Martin, Warren Easton, Rummel and Carencro. We don’t minimize the challenge. This is every bit as tough as those teams we’ve played in the past, but the confidence that we’ve practiced with is a little bit different than in the past.”

The Falcons played in Class 4A during the regular season but step up to Division I for the playoffs, based on enrollment numbers. However, unlike in years past, they are now in the Non-Select bracket.

But it’s no bargain facing No. 10-seed Destrehan, who won the state championship in 2022, were finalists in 2014 and 2019 and won back-back titles in 2007-08.

The Wildcats and Falcons don’t have a common opponent, but Destrehan did play a local team that Northwood is a familiar with: Captain Shreve. The Wildcats won that game 46-42.

Destrehan, which won 30-12 over Ouachita in the opening round, features players who are on national recruiting lists. Safety Jhase Thomas is committed to LSU and wide receiver Phillip Wright is committed to Michigan. Junior wide receiver Jabari Mack is on the 2026 recruiting lists.

They are not unknown quantities to the Falcons.

“In this day and age, our kids know everything about who’s good and who’s getting recruited and all that,” Brown said.

It’s not unusual for Calvary (8-2), a No. 3 seed, to be at home in the second round, but doesn’t make it any easier facing De La Salle (6-5), another playoff-proven program that beat Fisher 48-0 in the opening round.

Calvary has not lost its first playoff game since 2005 – the first year the Cavaliers qualified for the post season.

Calvary’s games are broadcast on Promise 90.7 FM.

Unlike Northwood and Calvary, Loyola did play last week (a 63-44 win over Sophie B. Wright) and will hit the road in the second round to face Leesville. The Wampus Cats, the No. 7 seed, showcase the leading rusher in the state in Xavier Ford, who has run for 2,727 yards and scored 42 touchdowns.

Seventh-seeded Loyola, under first-year coach John Sella, is 7-4 overall and features a 1,000-yard rusher in junior Mason Drake and a 2,000-yard passer in sophomore Bryce Restovich. Leesville is 8-2 and also had a bye last week.

The Flyers have not won two playoff games since 2008.

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

They’ve had a week off, which has its pros and cons, although Airline coach Justin Scogin only sees the positives.

They’ve been questioned all season long, and last season, and the season before that, because they give up lots of points. But the Vikings almost always score more, every time out this fall.

There are more than the normal amount of doubters when 10-0 Airline, the No. 2 seed in the Non-Select Division I playoff bracket, hosts No. 18 Westgate (8-2) tonight.

It’s one of four second-round games involving District 1-5A teams and the champions are the only ones with a homefield advantage.

In Select Division I contests, Byrd, seeded 10^th, goes to Covington and meets No. 7 St. Paul’s (8-2) while No. 17 Huntington (6-5) tries to shock everybody as it visits New Orleans to battle unbeaten, top-seeded Edna Karr. Evangel (6-5), seeded 18^th, heads two hours down I-49 to face undefeated No. 2 seed Alexandria Senior High.

The Vikings have as explosive an offense as there is in the state. They average 55 points and 529.5 yards per game, 369 in the air. Ben Taylor has completed 74 percent of his passes for 42 touchdowns, aimed mostly at Kenny Darby (148.9 receiving yards per game, 22 TDs) and Jarvis Davis (111.3, 14 scores, nine receiving).

Top defenders include three seniors, safety Eli Dollar, tackle Dylan Patterson and linebacker Jaydan Gladney, along with junior linebacker Braylyn Jackson and junior safety Jeremiah Epps. The Airline defense, despite yielding 37.7 points per game (a rate that drops to 31 per game discarding the 69-68 victory over Captain Shreve), is allowing a not-too-shabby average of 276.5 yards.

But what really makes Airline fly high?

“They all enjoy each other. They get along, they have fun, and genuinely like each other,” said Scogin. “They all pull for each other, and when you get a group like that, it’s special, especially in today’s culture.”

The No. 2 seeding is no extra burden, he said.

“It’s a huge compliment. We’ve been picked all year and quietly doubted. We know where we stand, and we know a lot of people pick us to get beat by Westgate. We know what we’re facing. This is the opportunity to earn more respect and most importantly, keep it going.”

The visiting Tigers have won their last six. The New Iberia school’s only losses are to Class 4A stalwarts St. Thomas More and Teurlings Catholic.

“They run the ball well, and defensively they’re really good. They’re long, and athletic, and fast – did I mention athletic? They’re big up front. So they’re going to pose some problems.”

As for Airline, Scogin offered a succinct scouting report.

“We throw the ball pretty well, and we run it pretty well. And we’ve been pretty good against the run at times, and hopefully (tonight) will be one of those times.”

The Vikings are 22-2 the last two years, 29-6 in Scogin’s three seasons, with undefeated district runs in 2022 and this year. But they are 1-2 in the playoffs. The 2022 season ended early with a first-round 36-26 home loss to district rival Haughton. Last November, Airline edged Southside 36-35 in the second round, then was upset 56-50 by Mandeville in the quarterfinals.

Lessons were learned from those experiences, said Scogin, but there’s not any lingering doubt in the Vikings’ locker room.

“There’s no mental block. Like I told the kids, ‘don’t take any plays off because you’ll regret it one day. Go play every play like it’s your last one, and win, lose or draw you can live with the outcome.’

“It’s the same for us coaches. You don’t want to have a bad game calling plays in the second round or the quarterfinals. You try to be as sharp as you can.”

These are the games teams hope to play from the time offseason workouts begin. Scogin and his team are embracing the opportunity.

“I enjoy getting put to the test. Games like this one are fun. There’s a lot of anxiety, but once we get in game, all that will go away and you go back to having fun.”

Pressure is something Airline has handled. Four of its wins are by a combined 14 points, all not resolved until the final minute, including their last outing two weeks ago, a 59-54 road win over Huntington. Three of the four have been away games. Otherwise, their average victory margin is four touchdowns.

“This group has been status quo for 12 weeks. It’s been a solid week of practice,” he said. “We’ve faced plenty of adversity. We’ve been in close games and we know how to win those. I don’t worry too much.”

Byrd’s powerful triple option attack is churning out over 300 yards per game. In last week’s 20-0 win over Woodlawn (Baton Rouge), fullback Desmond Simmons ran for 197 yards in his first game in five weeks. The Wolves won their district with a 30-28 victory Nov. 1 at Mandeville (10-1) and have lost only to Brother Martin (31-28) and University High (29-12).

The Yellow Jackets’ game will be broadcast locally on 1130 AM The Tiger and 103.3 FM.

Huntington makes its second long trip south after dominating Hammond 34-6 in the first round last Friday. Karr is outscoring opponents 41-14 and ripped Rummel 69-28 two weeks ago. Only two other foes have broken 20 against the state’s unanimous No. 1 Class 5A team.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

By BRET H. MCCORMICK, Journal Sports

ALEXANDRIA — Thomas Bachman doesn’t want the focus to be on him tonight – or any Friday night, for that matter.

But he knew the spotlight might come.

After Bachman guided Alexandria Senior High to a 42-16 win over previously perfect Neville, wrapping up the first unbeaten regular season in ASH history and locking up the No. 2 seed for the Trojans in the Division I Select playoffs, he started looking at power rankings and possible homefield matchups for his team after its first-round bye.

Looming as a possibility was Evangel Christian Academy, the school where Bachman won three state championships, rewrote the receiving record book and became the Class 5A Offensive Player of the Year in 2001. 

The Eagles were a national powerhouse during Bachman’s playing days, when they won state titles in 1998, 1999 and 2001. 

One of the all-time greatest receivers at a school known for throwing the ball all over the field, Bachman caught 96 passes for 1,453 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior and finished his career with 221 receptions for 3,489 yards and 49 TDs before signing with Texas Tech. 

Bachman said he’s not sure how he will feel tonight when he looks across the field and sees Evangel’s signature “e” logo on helmets, but he said he and the ASH coaching staff have approached this week the same as any other game. 

“Ultimately, you’ve just got to coach,” Bachman said. “That’s what you’ve always done. You prepare. Obviously, I’m very familiar with the uniform and the name, and it’s played a tremendous role in my life and shaped who I am and the foundation it laid for me.

“I’ve got nothing but good feelings (for Evangel). I’m very appreciative. The older I get, the more I appreciate all I was exposed to by the men and the experience of Evangel, and that will always be true.”

Denny Duron, Evangel’s head coach, said he’s not worried about coaching against someone like Bachman, whom he’s known for more than half of Bachman’s life. The challenge is Bachman’s coaching acumen and the Trojans’ talent. 

“It’s only difficult because he is a great football coach,” said Duron, who was Evangel’s offensive coordinator during Bachman’s playing days. “That’s the difficult part. Thomas has done an amazing job at ASH, and he’s done an amazing job everywhere he’s been.”

Evangel won 11 state championships in the 14-year span between 1993 and 2006, but the Eagles have just one state title since 2010 and haven’t won a title in the past eight years. 

However, they are back in the spotlight this year behind one of the top Class of 2027 quarterback prospects in the nation, sophomore Peyton “Pop” Houston, a dangerous threat with both his right arm and his legs. 

Houston leads the state in passing this year, throwing for 4,234 yards and 37 touchdowns while completing more than 70 percent of his passes and throwing only three interceptions in 414 attempts. He threw for a national-record 814 yards and eight TDs in a 77-76 single overtime loss to Captain Shreve Oct. 10.

“We have had a lot of great quarterbacks through the years and they’ve all been different, and Pop is different as well,” Duron said. “He is uber-talented, No. 1. He can run, and he can throw. But he also is undoubtedly the hardest-working young athlete I’ve ever been around in my life – and that would be any sport in any era. This guy just never stops.” 

The Eagles (6-5), who are seeded 18th, avenged their Captain Shreve loss last week with a 58-48 first-round upset that was led by Houston’s 389 passing yards and four touchdowns. 

Houston spreads the ball around as the Eagles have four receivers with 500 or more receiving yards, including junior Johnny Casey, one of the state’s leaders with 57 receptions for 1,158 yards and 15 touchdowns. 

Houston is also the Eagles’ leading rusher on the season with 717 yards and seven touchdowns. Senior Josh Isaac Jr. has rushed for 614 yards and six touchdowns, while junior Damari “Dae Dae” Drake, who plays both ways and capped the Captain Shreve victory with a pick-six, has a team-high 11 rushing TDs.

“He’s just so resilient,” Duron said of Houston. “He feels no pressure. He loves playing this game, and for him it’s always just walking out there on that field and knowing that he’s well-prepared. That’s who Pop is.”

“Not only can he scramble, he’s extremely accurate on the move,” Bachman said. “The athleticism, the speed, but he also delivers the ball on the move when the scramble drill’s happening, when his guys are moving with him. He can deliver the ball to all areas of the field on the move. That’s a lot of space to have to be accountable for defensively.” 

Evangel’s high-powered offense has scored 50 or more points in five games this season and is averaging 44 points per game, but the Eagles travel to face a 10-0 Trojan squad that has scored 40 or more points in every game this season and has one of the most balanced offenses in the state. 

While Bachman cut his teeth as a player and assistant in explosive passing offenses, his Trojan offenses have used the spread to set up the run. This year’s ASH team is no different, led by senior LSU commitment JT Lindsey, who has rushed for 1,726 yards and 23 touchdowns. 

The Trojans’ two sophomore quarterbacks, Karsen Sellers and Max Gassiott, have combined to complete 70% of their passes for 2,114 yards with 32 TDs and only two interceptions. Senior Darius Washington is the team’s leading receiver with 50 receptions for 769 yards and 14 touchdowns. 

Defensively, ASH’s success begins in the middle with junior linebacker Xzavier White, who leads the team with 136 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss, but the Trojans have young playmakers at every level of the defense and are playing their best ball heading into the playoffs. 

“They’re big and fast and strong and well-coached,” Duron said of the Trojans. “We have a challenge on every hand on Friday night. We’re looking forward to playing. Our kids are just so resilient. They’re excited about the experience.”

Bachman said the Trojans’ roster is full of players who are hungry to accomplish things never done before in program history. They finished the regular season unbeaten. They won the District 2-5A championship. Now they are four wins away from the first state football title in school history. 

Bachman said the Trojans can’t get ahead of themselves, and they must tackle the challenge that is before them immediately. Friday night, that is Evangel Christian Academy. 

“You have to control what you can control,” Bachman said. “That’s what you need to happen. … You’ve got to find a way to capitalize on the breaks you do get and find a way to overcome the things that go against you.”

Contact Bret at onetphoto@gmail.com

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – LSU’s 2024 football season was never anticipated to be a pleasure cruise.

There were enough documented questions in the preseason, such as an offense tweaked to fit new starting QB Garrett Nussmeier’s skill set and an all-new defensive coaching staff seeking steady improvement, to know life preservers would be needed almost weekly to reach the promised land of the College Football Playoffs.

Nobody, not even third-year LSU head coach Brian Kelly, couldn’t anticipate his team crashing into rocks with three consecutive SEC losses to Texas A&M, Alabama and Florida. It has left the Tigers (6-4 overall, 3-3 SEC) in the SEC frantically and futilely bailing water from its sinking season as they prepare to play Vanderbilt (6-4, 3-3) here Saturday night in open a two-game homestand to close the regular season.

More than a month ago, LSU was an SEC co-leader at 3-0, averaging 33 points per game in league play (1st in the SEC) and was second in turnover margin with a plus 4 (lost 4 turnovers, gained 8).

After second-half nosedives in road losses at Texas A&M and Florida sandwiching a thorough 42-13 home beatdown by Alabama, the Tigers are eighth in scoring (in conference games) averaging 25.17 and dropped to 11th in turnover margin with a minus 2 (11 lost, 9 gained).

That’s not a typo. In the trio of defeats, LSU has committed seven turnovers (five Garrett Nussmeier interceptions, two lost Nussmeier fumbles) and gained one.

LSU’s offense has dissipated into a puddle of ineffectiveness, scoring three TDs in its last 27 possessions. The Tigers have struggled to find a consistent, productive rushing attack all year but then the passing game hit the skids at Florida when the Gators sacked Nussmeier 7 times for losses of 56 yards.

“It’s not a coaching problem, it’s not a scheme,” LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell said on Tuesday in his first media interview since the first week of the season. “We have to do little things right. When you don’t, you don’t deserve to win.

“We’re doubling down on consistent application of our process because it works. It worked last year and the year before. It’s worked for over 30 years on Coach Kelly’s journey. Every other coach under him does parts of it, too.

“It’s up to us to make it happen. Nobody’s on that field with us.”

While Nussmeier’s passing effectiveness is on a downward slope – he’s thrown for 21 TDs but also has had 11 passes intercepted and is completing just 62.3 percent of his throws – New Mexico State transfer Diego Pavia has been one of the SEC’s best stories this season as Vanderbilt’s starting QB.

Pavia, just 6-0 and 207 pounds, was the Conference USA’s Player of the Year last season when he guided New Mexico State to its second 10-win season in history. After NMS head coach Jerry Kill resigned a week after a bowl loss to end last season, Pavia ended up transferring to Vandy when Commodores’ head coach Clark Lea swayed Kill to become Lea’s chief consultant and a senior offensive advisor.

In Vanderbilt’s season-opening 34-27 win over Virginia Tech, Pavia opened eyes when he accounted for three touchdowns and 294 total offense yards. Then, in the Commodores’ first-ever win over a No. 1 ranked team, a 40-35 win over Alabama, he completed 16-for-20 with 252 passing yards and two touchdowns and ran for 56 yards on 20 carries.

Lea became Vanderbilt’s coach in December 2020 after serving three seasons as Kelly’s defensive coordinator at Notre Dame. After winning just 2 of 24 SEC games in his first three seasons, the Commodores broke through this season.

“Clark is extremely locked into what his process is and how he’s developed his process,” Kelly said. “They haven’t gone for the flavor of the week. He stayed steadfast with that even through some of the rougher years.

“This has been a consistent approach as a head coach, saying `This is our system, this is our process, this is how we do things, and we’re sticking with it. You can start to see how that’s paying off for him today, and that’s why they’re on the other side of this.”

GO FIGURE

7: True LSU freshmen have started at least one game this season.

7-3: LSU’s record under Brian Kelly immediately following a loss.

563: Receiving yards for Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers, first among SEC tight ends.

628: Rushing yards this season for Vandy’s Diego Pavia, first among SEC quarterbacks.

1951: The year the last time LSU lost to Vanderbilt in Baton Rouge.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By JASON PUGH, Northwestern State Sports Information Director

HOUSTON  – As one of eight seniors on the Northwestern State football roster, Scotty Roblow was honored alongside his classmates a week ago ahead of the home finale against McNeese.

As the most senior Demon – one who has been part of the program since the 2019 season – Roblow’s career has been a near-perfect illustration of what most student-athletes’ careers are.

“It hasn’t been the smoothest of journeys for me,” said Roblow, who will play his final career game at Houston Christian at 2 p.m. Saturday in a game carried on ESPN+.

Roblow, a product of C.E. Byrd High School in Shreveport, came to Northwestern after handling punting, place kicking and kickoff duties for the Yellow Jackets.

He has handled all three at some point in his Demon career, but like a well-placed punt, getting from point A to point B has not always been linear for Roblow.

Those twists and turns have not always been because of what Roblow has or has not done.

As a true freshman in 2019, Roblow opened the season as the Demons’ kicker before an injury cut his season short. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Roblow stood out in a six-game spring season, earning Freshman All-American honors from Hero Sports as a punter.

“Being a Freshman All-American gave me a boost to further pursue trying to get better at the position and try to improve how I hit the ball or how far I can get the ball down the field, my hangtime,” Roblow said. “It made me want to work harder.”

Roblow’s 2022 season saw him post similar numbers, including a career-long, 71-yard punt. He also dropped a career-high 11 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line that season and appeared ready to again take a step forward in 2023.

That step never occurred because of an injured hip that led to surgery and affected Roblow’s standing with both coaching staffs he has had during his Northwestern career.

“He didn’t really come on for us until later this year because he was overcoming that injury,” first-year head coach Blaine McCorkle said. “In the spring and summer, we didn’t get to see what he was. I know he was frustrated.

“Those things are hard, especially for a kicker where what you do is so specialized. Once he felt comfortable and was healthy enough, he’s been great for our program and has really helped us a lot. Hopefully, he’ll have a big finish for us this week. I’m really, really proud of Scotty’s toughness and perseverance and what he’s done.”

Roblow made his season debut against Weber State on Sept. 21, marking the first time he had seen game action since Nov. 19, 2022, against UIW.

In Northwestern’s two games following its Nov. 2 bye week, Roblow has flashed his freshman All-American form.

Three of his five punts at Southeastern on Nov. 9 were 50 or more yards, averaging 48.2 yards per punt – the second-highest single-game mark of his career, trailing the 50.5 average he posted against Sam Houston in April 2021. He added another 50-plus yarder against McNeese, giving him four such kicks in his last nine.

Also included in those nine kicks have been three fair catches, limiting the opposition’s chances to improve field position. In five tries against Weber State and Southeast Missouri State, Roblow’s longest punt was 39 yards and he forced only one fair catch.

That late surge has put Roblow in position to finish his career as the school’s all-time leader in punting average. Entering Saturday’s game, Roblow has averaged 40.4 yards on his 174 career punts, which would place him ahead of Leo Clement’s mark of 40.3 yards per punt from 1980-82.

As Roblow prepares for his final game, he finds himself in position to cap his college career on a high note.

“Coach McCorkle and coach J-Will (special teams coordinator Justin Williamson) allowed me to come back to my position (earlier this season) and gave me a little test run to see how I’d do,” Roblow said. “I didn’t make the most of it. They gave me the opportunity to keep playing and do kickoffs, and I’ve been alright at that. They gave me another shot to punt again, and I can’t thank them enough for giving me that opportunity in my senior season.”

Contact Jason at pughj@nsula.edu

JOURNAL SPORTS

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Louisiana Tech posted a surprising road win last Saturday at Conference USA frontrunner Western Kentucky, and that raised the stakes considerably for Saturday’s non-conference visit to Arkansas.

Both the Bulldogs (4-6) and the Razorbacks (5-5) are still bowl eligible, needing to get six wins. Tech wraps up with CUSA bottom dweller Kennessaw State next weekend in Ruston, making the visit to Reynolds Razorback Stadium the swing game in its suddenly viable postseason hopes. Arkansas wraps up with its border war against Missouri, at best a tossup game for coach Sam Pittman’s up-and-down Hogs.

The Razorbacks played third-ranked Texas tough last week in a 20-10 loss, their third in four games since stunning then No. 4 Tennessee in Fayetteville 19-14 Oct. 5. All of their losses have come to teams ranked in the Top 25 at game time, although Oklahoma State has now dipped to 3-7.

The 3 p.m. matchup will be carried on SEC Network+ and broadcast locally on The Light 92.1 FM with Malcolm Butler, Teddy Allen and Jerry Byrd calling the action.

Tech is a 23-point underdog bidding to secure consecutive road wins for the first time since the 2019 season. But the Bulldogs were nobody’s pick last week, when they parlayed four Buck Buchanan field goals and a stiff defense to a 12-7 upset.

The defense climbed back into the top 15 nationally in total defense, 12th in the FBS allowing just 302.3 yards per game. The Bulldogs rank in the top 30 in rush defense (29th, 115.0 ypg) and pass defense (26th, 187.73 ypg).

Tech held its fourth opponent of the season under 100 rushing yards, limiting the Hilltoppers to just 63 yards on the ground.

Buchanan earned his second CUSA Special Teams Player of the Week award after connecting on 4-of-5 field goals.

The Bulldogs surpassed 100 yards on the ground for just the second time this season, with their first 100+ yard rusher of the season in Amani Givens (103 yards on 17 carries, 6.1 per run).

Dunta Demon Ford
Service: Saturday, November 23, 2024, 10am at Bossier Missionary Baptist Church, Bossier City.

Garfield Dooley, Jr.
October 8, 1949 – November 18, 2024
Service: Saturday, November 23, 2024, 1pm at Union Mission # 1 Baptist Church, Shreveport.

Norma Sue Grantham
September 9, 1950 – November 17, 2024
Service: Friday, November 22, 2024, 11am at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Bossier City.

Leonard Anthony Kacenjar
February 25, 1942 – November 17, 2024
Service: Friday, November 22, 2024, 10am at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport.

Ada Mae Marshall Williams
June 8, 1935 – November 17, 2024
Service: Friday, November 22, 2024, 11am at Ebenezer Baptist Church Cemetery, Taylortown.

Bernard James Mathias
August 25, 1945 — November 17, 2024
Service: Sunday, November 24, 2024, 3:30pm at The Elks Lodge #122, Shreveport.

V. Ellen “Madear” Bristo
November 22, 1929 – November 16, 2024
Service: Saturday, November 23, 2024, 2pm at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, Shreveport.

Mary Bell Whitaker Smith
May 8, 1934 – November 14, 2024
Service: Saturday, November 23, 2024, 10am in the chapel of Zion Baptist – John H. Wilson Center, Shreveport.

Levert Howard
June 6, 1948 – November 13, 2024
Service: Saturday, November 23, 2024, 10am St. Peter Baptist Church, Shreveport.

Verdean Williams Bryant
July 11, 1949 – November 12, 2024
Service: Friday, November 22, 2024, 10am at Walnut Hill St. Mary Baptist Church, Shreveport.

Daisy Marie Tillman
July 27, 1967 – November 11, 2024
Service: Saturday, November 23, 2024, 11am at New Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Shreveport.

Adam Terrell “Snook” Joyner
January 17, 1988 – November 10, 2024
Service: Saturday, November 23, 2024, 11am at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, Shreveport.

Pecola Taylor Gibbs
December 8, 1951 – November 9, 2024
Service: Saturday, November 23, 2024, 11am at Round Grove Cemetery, Shreveport.

William Goode, Jr.
March 26, 1949 – November 8, 2024
Service: Saturday, November 23, 2024, 11am at Praise Temple Full Gospel Baptist Cathedral, Shreveport.

Daniel Ray Morgan
December 3, 1949 – November 8, 2024
Service: Friday, November 22, 2024, 10am at Greenwood Cemetery, Shreveport.

Tamara Grantham Orr
January 16, 1965 – October 15, 2024
Service: Saturday, November 23, 2024, 10am at the Pentecostals of Haughton.

Thomas Fortson Murphy
October 11, 1935 – August 12, 2024
Service: Saturday, November 30, 2024, 11am at Osborn Funeral Home, Shreveport.

The Shreveport-Bossier Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $95. Contact your funeral provider or SBJNewsLa@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Notice of Death shown above are FREE of charge. You may email them to SBJNewsLa@gmail.com)

Shreveport, LA – November 20, 2024 – Energy infrastructure leader, Prolec GE, a joint venture between Xignux, a Mexico-based private company and GE Vernova, ceremoniously announced the completion of a $34 million capacity expansion project at its Caddo Parish facility today. Improvements to the company’s 500,000 square foot manufacturing plant began in early 2023 and recently culminated with the installation and start-up of a third production line. This new line broadens the facility’s capability portfolio to include three-phase pad-mount electrical transformers that improve efficiency, reliability and flexibility of the electrical grids used in wind farms, solar parks and other industrial and renewable energy applications. Facility layout improvements also resulted in the optimization of existing lines for manufacturing network transformers and voltage regulators, resulting in a 15% capacity increase for each of those product lines.

The event concluded with guided tours of the facility featuring a variety of new equipment, state-of-the-art test labs, a new training area and evidence of improved process flow. Production employees provided firsthand knowledge at select workstations to complement the narrative.     

About Prolec GE​

Prolec GE is a joint venture between Xignux and GE Vernova, internationally recognized for quality manufacturing and reliable performance for over 25 years. The company is an electric industry leader
in the Americas with eight manufacturing facilities strategically located in Mexico, the United States, and Brazil and an installed product base in over 35 countries. Its broad power transformer services offering
in the U.S., as well as its wide variety of high voltage transformer components, complement Prolec GE’s full line of transformer solutions for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electrical energy for utilities, co-ops, municipalities, renewable project developers, data centers and original equipment manufacturers. ​

​About Xignux  

Xignux is a leader in the energy and food industries. Based in Monterrey, Mexico, we manage a variety of companies that energize life and society to contribute to a better world, thanks to the hard work and talent of more than 31,000 employees in Mexico, the United States, and Brazil.​

​About GE Vernova

GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE: GEV) is a purpose-built global energy company that includes Power, Wind, and Electrification segments and is supported by its accelerator businesses. Building on over 130 years of experience tackling the world’s challenges, GE Vernova is uniquely positioned to help lead the energy transition by continuing to electrify the world while simultaneously working to decarbonize it.

Detectives with the SPD’s Sex Crimes Unit have obtained an arrest warrant for Louis James Bates (DOB: 2/29/2004) in connection with a February 2024 incident involving the rape of a 68-year-old female. Bates faces one count of First-Degree Rape.

On Sept. 3, 2024, investigators identified Bates as a suspect through a match linked to evidence collected during the victim’s Physical Evidence Recovery Kit. Bates has a prior sexual criminal history, which further substantiated the issuance of the arrest warrant.

If convicted of First-Degree Rape, Bates could face a sentence of life imprisonment.

SPD is urging anyone with information regarding Bates’ whereabouts to contact the department of 318-673-7300 or anonymously through Caddo Crime Stoppers at 318-673-7373.

Shreveport Police officers were dispatched on Nov. 19 at around 7:02pm to the Kroger located at 9155 Mansfield Road regarding reports of a prowler and suspicious activity.

According to reports, a Black male was observed walking through the parking lot, pulling on car door handles, and taking items from the bed of a white Chevrolet pick-up truck.

The suspect, later identified as Tellas Hill (DOB: 12/13/1973), was captured on store security cameras committing the theft. When a Kroger security guard confronted Hill, a struggle ensued. During the altercation, Hill pulled a black handgun from the front of his pants and raised it. The security guard, acting quickly, managed to grab Hill’s wrist to prevent harm. Hill then fled the scene on foot.

SPD officers conducted a thorough search of the area and successfully apprehended Hill after a brief foot pursuit. He was taken into custody without further incident.

Hill now faces multiple charges including Theft, Aggravated Assault with a Firearm, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. 

Fortunately, no injuries were reported during this dangerous encounter. 

SPD commends the quick actions of the responding officers and security personnel in ensuring the safety of the community. This incident serves as a reminder of the critical role vigilance and swift action play in keeping Shreveport safe. 

Students are taking advantage of the numerous expanded opportunities Bossier Schools offers and it shows on the district’s 2023-24 state report card released today by the Louisiana Department of Education. Bossier Schools earned an A letter grade in the Interests and Opportunities index, an A in K8-high school progress and A’s in the cohort graduation rate and strength of diploma, among a multitude of other highlights.

“These are significant increases that are very difficult to attain and we are elated to see this level of progress,” said Bossier Schools Superintendent Jason Rowland. “One of our main objectives is to provide a fantastic educational opportunity for our students and staff. This goes hand in hand with the incredible recognition that we have received for our interests and opportunities. The outcomes are a result of our educators being intentional about what are our goals and objectives for Bossier Schools.”

Bossier Schools is particularly proud of the increased number of students attaining advanced credentials and college credits before graduating from high school. The percentage has grown steadily from 13.9 percent in 2019 to 26.9 percent in 2023, a component factored into the strength of diploma and an indicator of college and career readiness. The district also performed exceptionally well in the military subgroup, earning an A overall.

The Interests and Opportunities Index serves as a benchmark to measure whether schools are providing
students with access to a well-rounded education that exposes them to diverse areas of learning in which they can develop their skills and talents. Examples include music and the arts, language, STEM (science,
technology, engineering and mathematics) and numerous other electives.

The district report card, which is a comprehensive snapshot based on student achievement data, highlighted numerous other bright spots as well. Eight schools earned an ‘A’ letter grade. They include Airline High, Benton Elementary, Benton High, Benton Middle, Haughton High, Kingston Elementary, Legacy Elementary and Stockwell Place Elementary. Overall, Bossier Schools maintained its District Performance Score of a ‘B’ and no school received a failing grade.

Five schools increased a letter grade. They are Apollo Elementary; Central Park Elementary; Elm Grove
Elementary; Greenacres Middle; and Sun City Elementary.

Fifteen schools were named Top Gains Honorees for demonstrating exceptional student progress, earning an ‘A’ in student progress and ensuring that students meet or exceed their learning goals each year. They are: Airline High, Apollo Elementary, Benton Elementary, Benton High, Benton Middle, Bossier Elementary,
Haughton Elementary, Haughton High, Kingston Elementary, Legacy Elementary, Meadowview Elementary, Parkway High, Plain Dealing High, Stockwell Place Elementary and W.T. Lewis Elementary.

Six schools were cited as Opportunity Honorees, which are those that demonstrate excellence and are in the top 10-percent for performance among students with disabilities, English learners or economically
disadvantaged students. Among the Opportunity Honorees are: Airline High, Benton High, Platt Elementary, Stockwell Place Elementary, Legacy Elementary and Kingston Elementary.

Other notable gains were made by 17 schools that showed the most growth in their School Performance Score (SPS). Those that grew at least four points or more include Apollo Elementary, Central Park Elementary, Elm Grove Elementary, Greenacres Middle School and Rusheon Middle School. Rounding out those cited for the most growth are Airline High, Benton Elementary, Benton High, Benton Intermediate, Benton Middle, Elm Grove Middle, Haughton Middle, Platt Elementary, R.V. Kerr Elementary, Sun City Elementary, T.L. Rodes Elementary and Waller Elementary.

Since 1999, the state has issued school performance scores for public schools, which are based on
student achievement data. To clearly communicate the quality of school performance to families and the
public, Louisiana adopted letter grades (A-F). All schools with sufficient data receive school performance
scores.

Caddo Parish Public Schools is officially a ‘B’-rated school district, reaching its highest ranking ever in Louisiana’s accountability system. With a 2.1-point increase in the overall district performance score, Caddo leads as the top-performing large urban school system in the state. This monumental growth includes: 36 schools increasing scores, 9 schools improving by a letter grade, 15 Top Gains schools recognized for exceptional progress, and 9 recognized as Opportunity Honorees, excelling with special education, English learners, and high-poverty students. CPPS expressed congratulations to their students, teachers, support staff, and leaders who made today’s results possible.