JOURNAL SPORTS

The emerging Providence Classical School in Bossier City has hired 25-year veteran high school coach Steve Rachal as girls basketball coach, as well as head of basketball operations for the school.

PCA athletics director Adam Hester announced the hiring Wednesday. Rachal will be a fulltime member of the PCA faculty and will lead revamping the school’s youth athletics setup. Rebuilding the basketball feeder system within the school is a top priority, said Hester. Rachal will also lead youth camps throughout the year on the Bossier City campus.

Rachal arrives from Family Christian Academy in Baton Rouge, where he coached multiple sports over 14 years (2003-2008, 2016-2025). His other coaching stops include Lake Country Christian School in Ft. Worth, Texas (2009-2016) and Acadiana Prep (2000-2003, 2008-2009). While basketball is his focus sport, Rachal has a successful resume coaching softball and track and field.

In 25 years as a head coach, some in charge of both the boys and girls teams, has achieved a high level of success. He has been selected by one organization as state coach of the year on three different occasions, and top district coach 20 times. He’s led his teams to 20 district championships, 13 Final Four appearances, and 36 total playoff appearances. His 2016 girls team at Lake Country Christian won the TAPPS 4A state championship. All totaled, he has over 700 victories on the court.

Rachal has excelled in program building and maintaining success, but also in discipleship, said Hester, making him an appealing candidate for his new post.

“My objective is to help student athletes prepare for the future physically, mentally, and most of all spiritually,” said Rachal. “I believe that student-athletes are helped throughout the life-lessons taught by athletics. My desire is to help student-athletes achieve success in the realm of athletics, grow spiritually, and help them prepare for life away from the court.”

PCA is hosting a “Meet the Coaches” interest meeting Friday at 6 in the school gym. This meeting is specifically for those interested in middle school, junior varsity, and varsity basketball, for both girls and boys teams, said Hester.

May 29 marks National Alligator Day, a time to recognize and appreciate one of Louisiana’s most iconic inhabitants. These ancient reptiles are not only integral to the state’s ecosystem but also to its culture and economy.

Alligators have roamed the Earth for millions of years, and in Louisiana, they thrive in the swamps and bayous. The state’s wetlands provide the perfect habitat, supporting a robust population that plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance.

Beyond their environmental importance, alligators are woven into the fabric of Louisiana’s identity. From folklore and festivals to cuisine and commerce, they symbolize the wild and untamed spirit of the region.

Thanks to dedicated conservation programs, Louisiana’s alligator population has rebounded from the brink of extinction in the mid-20th century. Sustainable practices ensure that these creatures continue to thrive, benefiting both nature and the state’s economy.

Zoos and wildlife centers across Louisiana use National Alligator Day to educate the public about these remarkable animals. Interactive exhibits and guided tours offer insights into their behavior, biology, and the efforts to protect them.

National Alligator Day serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between humans and nature. It’s a day to honor the resilience of these reptiles and the ongoing commitment to preserving Louisiana’s rich biodiversity.

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

By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Services

He was living a “comfortable” childhood in Mansfield, Louisiana, until that fateful day when he was in fifth grade.

“I distinctly remember my dad laying on a couch on a Sunday afternoon taking a nap. He woke up and said his back hurt really bad. He had it checked out by the doctor. Come to find out, he had bone cancer. He passed away within weeks.”

Suddenly, the young boy was without a father.

Suddenly, the young boy’s mother was strapped with her now deceased husband’s business.

“I remember seeing how scared my mom was . . . . She had no preparation whatsoever to take over the lumber company when my dad died, nor did my (two) brothers. I just remember thinking how hard it was on my mom . . . . Dad should have set things up differently. He should have had a buy-sell agreement. He should have had somebody take over the company if he passed away, and buy mom out. That’s the right way to do that. There was none of that stuff in place.”

The boy watched. The boy learned.

“My dad’s finances weren’t in as good a shape as they should have been. That’s one of the things that prompted me to get into the financial advisory business. If mom had some better financial advice, she would have been a lot better off.”

Mark McCrocklin, in his 39^th year as a Private Wealth Advisor, told me that story, and his story, during lunch at a place he chose, Sushi Bistro in Shreveport. Mark had two California rolls, a salad, and an unsweet tea. I enjoyed Tempura Shrimp, Miso soup, and water with lemon.

“I think that qualifies as the hardest thing I’ve ever been through,”, Mark said of his father’s death.

Mark and his mother soon moved to Fort Worth, Texas, to be closer to family friends. But after only a couple of months – Mark’s mom had some “challenges” – he moved back to Mansfield and lived with his older brother and his wife.

“Mom wasn’t real involved (in my life). To a large extent, I raised myself.”

How do you raise yourself when you’re 10 years old?

“I rode my bike to the store to do some grocery shopping. I would iron my own clothes, and get myself up and go to school every day. I just did it by myself.”

Mark’s mother eventually moved to Shreveport, where he joined her. While in high school at Captain Shreve, Mark was told by his mom he needed to get a job. He heard KSLA-TV was hiring – for minimum wage – a newsroom trainee. That’s a fancy way of saying Mark, who got the job, would be running the teleprompter, from which the anchors would read their scripts.

“I had a suit, so I wore my suit to work every day . . . . I was thinking, ‘This is going to be hard because I only have two suits. After four days, (Mark’s boss) said, ‘You don’t have to wear a suit to be a prompter operator.’ I said, ‘Well, sir, when I was 10 years old, my dad told me the way a man dresses reflects his opinion of the situation. This seems like an important job, so I wanted to dress appropriately.’”

Mark’s dad was dead, but his influence was alive.

In short order, Mark worked his way up to the position of Technical Director. That meant he was pushing the buttons and barking orders in the control room during newscasts. Mark was good. Really good. He had aspirations of taking his talents to a bigger city, and bringing home a bigger paycheck. But while visiting the CBS Evening News headquarters in New York, those aspirations faded to black.

“I remember sitting in the back of the control room . . . . (The director) went through an entire pack of cigarettes in an hour. He was so stressed out. There were guys in suits staring at the back of his head from the back of the control room. I thought, ‘Okay, that’s pretty much the pinnacle of this industry.’ This guy, he was probably 40 years old, and he looked at least 60. I was like, ‘I can’t do this. I’ve got to do something else.’”

Mark didn’t know what “something else” looked like. But his mother had inherited some money, and was using the help of a financial advisor. Mark sat in on a meeting and found the whole process interesting. Close to graduating Centenary College of Louisiana with a business degree (he would later earn a master’s in business administration), Mark applied for a job with the advisor’s firm. Next year will be his 40^th year with that same firm.

“I have clients who were in their late 20’s when I was in my early 20’s. They started out saving a modest amount of money, and now they’re very comfortable. I (told them), ‘Here’s what you need to do.’ There are certain habits you need to have if you’re going to be successful financially. They’ve done those habits for decades.”

As someone who breaks out in a sweat every time I insert my debit card in the machine at the grocery store, hoping not to see the word “Declined”, there’s one thing I’ve always wondered about financial advisors. How do they handle the pressure of dealing with other people’s money?

“It does weigh on me. I don’t have trouble sleeping at night, but it’s like being on a boat and having respect for the ocean. I feel the responsibility.”

One way Mark relieves the stress of that responsibility is by spending time in the ocean. An avid scuba diver, the 63-year-old, who dives with his wife (Paula) of 22 years, has been around the world, from Cuba, to Little Cayman Island, to Indonesia.

“It’s very relaxing. I love being around people, but cell phones don’t work under water. It’s really nice to go out and enjoy the sunshine, be out on the water, and see really interesting things. Seeing the things I’ve seen scuba diving, It reaffirms my faith that there is an omnipotent, all-being creator of the universe.”

Mark’s adventures have made him see the world through a lens – make that a mask – in a way he would have never dreamed of back in Mansfield.

“We think we may have dominion over the earth, but you realize we’re the strangest animals on this planet – these things that walk around on two legs and breath air. We are the oddballs. The amount of life you see down there, and the different kinds of life. It’s not just fish, but incredible creatures and animals.”

Resisting the embarrassment of telling Mark I have trouble balancing my checkbook (do people still use checkbooks?), I decided to ask my final question. As always, what is it about his life that he wants to pass on to others? Mark offered three things:

– “Whatever you do for a living, do what’s right by people. Everybody knows what’s right and what’s wrong. Don’t do anything professionally with somebody if you wouldn’t do it for yourself or your loved one.”

– “Go enjoy things like music or art, whether it’s performance art or visual art. I think our souls need some of that.”

– “Don’t forget to attend to your spiritual life . . . . Giving reverence to God, doesn’t it just feel right? . . . . Tending to one’s spiritual life makes life a lot less hard.”

All of that, proving Mark gives sound advice on things other than finances.

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

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

Over the past year, the City of Shreveport’s Department of Water and Sewerage has faced two  significant challenges that impacted our community’s water quality: elevated manganese levels  during the summer of 2024 and an unexpected algal bloom in the winter of 2024. We want to  acknowledge the frustration these events caused for our residents and provide transparency  about what happened and what we’re doing to prevent similar issues moving forward. 

In the summer of 2024, residents reported water discoloration, which was ultimately traced to  a spike in naturally occurring manganese. While manganese is not a health hazard at the levels  detected, it caused visible changes in water color and raised understandable concerns about  water safety. The source of the manganese was traced to a shift in water chemistry influenced  by high temperatures and reservoir conditions. 

Then, during the warmer temperatures in the winter months, an algal bloom led to a noticeable  earthy taste and odor in the drinking water. Though the water remained safe to consume, the  change in taste and smell understandably led to customer complaints and concerns. 

In response to these events, the Department has implemented several key improvements to  strengthen our treatment systems and improve water quality moving forward: 

• We replaced a faulty chlorine dioxide generator and rehabbed a second generator to  improve oxidation at the plant. 

• We replaced the intake air compressor, which plays a vital role in helping oxidize metals  and organics in the treatment process. 

• Staff quickly rehabbed the old carbon feed system—carbon is the most effective way to  absorb and remove the effects of excess Geosmin (the compound responsible for the  earthy taste and odor). We are currently in the process of upgrading and replacing this  carbon feed equipment. 

• We’ve enhanced our manganese monitoring program to better understand the different  forms of manganese present in the raw water and adapt our treatment process  accordingly—using the most effective techniques for each form.

“We are committed to learning from these challenges and improving our systems to ensure  high-quality drinking water for every resident,” said Interim Water and Sewerage Director  Brandon Snead. “We’ve taken these events seriously, and our team has worked diligently to  identify the causes, engage outside experts, and implement changes that will make a  difference. We’re not just focused on solving problems—we’re working to prevent them.” 

The Department of Water and Sewerage is committed to maintaining transparent  communication with residents and continuing to invest in improvements that support safe,  reliable water service for Shreveport. 

For more information, visit our website http://www.shreveportlawater.gov/. 

In place for protection from batted balls, the chest-high fence in front of baseball dugouts is perfect to lean of if you’re an armpit, but it doesn’t protect from armpits up, which is why you see players scatter like a jailbreak when the occasional foul ball stinger comes shooting through there, looking for a target.

But sometimes, the fence doesn’t serve its purpose, which is to protect from armpits down. You’d think it would. That’s why it’s there. But …

Neg.

Such is life, funny dog that she is.

There are cutouts on each end for players and coaches to walk into and out of the dugout. They are athletes, but you can’t expect them to vault a fence dozens of times a game, just to get to their water or glove or bathroom or a place to sit, then back onto the field.

And it was through one of those openings that an unsuspecting player was targeted this past week at the Conference USA 2025 Baseball Championship in Lynchburg, Va.

Thank goodness it wasn’t a player from Louisiana Tech, the defending regular-season champs but the fifth-seed in the 2025 tournament and the fourth team dismissed in the eight-team tournament. Against one win in Lynchburg, they lost for the second and final time on Friday, the anniversary of the end of Bonnie and Clyde in 1934 just down the road from Ruston in Gibsland so … things could have been worse.

Regardless, this tale from the dugout, while not as historically significant, is a sad and timeless one.

A player was minding his own business in the first-base dugout when a teammate, a right-handed batter, swung late on a pitch and lasered the foul ball through his dugout and, most unintentionally, into his teammate, who was met by the stitched orb of a missile right below the equator — if you know what I mean and I think you do.

If you buckled a bit when you read that, you are a guy. You’ve been there. It is not a good place to be. It’s not a good place to visit or even to contemplate. But … these things happen.

The player immediately hit the dugout floor, as anyone but Superman would have. Even Superman would probably have had to take a leotarded knee in this, the most delicate of situations.

A baseball to the nether regions is kryptonite for us all.

It took a minute — an agonizing, long, torturous trial — but the young man was able to keep playing, although with his senses now heightened in every way imaginable, and his young knees somewhat weak. It took a methodical and purposeful, slow, laborious rise to the bent position, followed by an eventual seat on the bench, some cautious re-arranging, and he was as ready to go as any male could be in such a situation.

Hey, it was championship baseball. All hands and all body parts, even sore ones, on deck.

Good for the team in that he didn’t have to play in the field since he was the designated hitter. He will tell you from that bitter experience, being the designated hitter is much better than being the designated hittee.

I had never seen that before. Well, I HAD seen it before, up close and personal. And such an incident is not unusual in athletics, body parts and balls flying this way and that. But to thread the needle with a foul ball through the dugout door and right into the most private of parts, that was a new one on me. And a painful one on the innocent, most unsuspecting player.

There are all kinds of ballpark hurts, of course. Physical ones hardly ever last. But the emotional ones — the loss to a rival, losing The Big Game, the end of a season — those stay with you a while.

Those are the most painful cuts of all. Those hit you where it really hurts. 

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

LEWISTON, Idaho – Tuesday night, sixth-seeded Southeastern (Fla.) scored a couple of fifth-inning unearned runs but managed only three hits, and still surprised No. 2 Georgia Gwinnett 2-1 in the NAIA World Series.

Tonight at 8:30 CDT, the Fire (46-13) gets its chance to extinguish the No. 1 LSUS Pilots’ perfect record.  They are the only two teams undefeated in the 10-team, double-elimination bracket.

Three more are still alive and trying to rally through the loser’s bracket: Georgia Gwinnett, No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan (they meet in the afternoon game today, with one heading home), and No. 4 Hope International, which awaits the LSUS-Southeastern winner Thursday night. Tonight’s loser plays Thursday afternoon against the Georgia Gwinnett-Tennessee Wesleyan survivor.

LSUS (56-0) owns a pair of 6-3 victories in the Series, opening against 10^th-seeded Grand View (Iowa) last Friday and outlasting fourth-seeded and defending national champion Hope International Monday night.

Southeastern’s first win in Lewiston was a 15-2 romp over fellow Florida team Webber International on Saturday. Tuesday night, Aaron Robertson carried a shutout into the ninth as he scattered seven hits while the Fire threw out two Georgia Gwinnett runners at the plate.

The Pilots are hitting a robust .362 as a team while the pitching staff has a 2.33 ERA and is holding opponents to a .190 batting average.

Three regulars are batting over .400:  Josh Gibson (.437, 8 HR, 68 RBI, 52 stolen bases), Ryan Davenport (.418, 2 HR, 45 RBI, 26 steals) and Anthony Swenda (.400, 7 HR, 40 RBI).

The Fire carries a .339 team batting average led by their only .400 hitter, Jon Paul Pennella (.417 50 RBI, 24 steals).

LSUS can reach another milestone with a triumph tonight. The Pilots already have the longest winning streak by any college team (NCAA or NAIA) from a four-year institution. The only string longer is 57 by Howard (Texas) Community College.

All World Series games can be watched at NAIA.org/watch.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

On May 28, National Hamburger Day invites Americans to celebrate the iconic sandwich that has become a culinary canvas. In Louisiana, this day takes on a flavorful twist, showcasing the state’s unique spin on the classic burger.

While the traditional hamburger consists of a beef patty between two buns, Louisiana chefs infuse it with local flair. Think burgers topped with crawfish étouffée, fried green tomatoes, or spicy remoulade sauce. These creations reflect the state’s rich culinary heritage, blending Cajun and Creole influences.

Restaurants across the state are known for their inventive burgers. In Baton Rouge, “Bayou Burgers” offers patties infused with andouille sausage, while New Orleans’ “Creole Buns” serves up burgers with a side of jazz. These establishments not only provide delicious meals but also celebrate the state’s diverse culture.

To mark the occasion, many towns host burger cook-offs, inviting locals to showcase their grilling prowess. These events foster community spirit and friendly competition, with proceeds often supporting local charities.

National Hamburger Day in Louisiana is more than a nod to a beloved food—it’s a celebration of the state’s ability to take a classic and make it uniquely its own. It’s a day to indulge, innovate, and appreciate the flavors that define the region.

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

By ANON E. MUSS, Journal Services

Restaurant owners spend a lot of money on aesthetics. After all, if their place looks good on the outside, it’s likely to attract customers. If it looks good on the inside, those customers are likely to enjoy their dining experience – assuming the food and service are good.

However, it can also be said that you will find some of the best food at places which look like a hole-in-the-wall. You know, restaurants which feel like they were shoe-horned into their space, without a glitzy entryway, and muted décor. (There’s a place in Las Vegas, Battista’s Hole in the Wall, which serves some of the city’s best Italian food.)

Lately, I’ve been driving a lot between Bossier City and Benton. There on the right, I had noticed a (very) unassuming, plain-looking place, with a modest sign reading ‘Uncle Henry’s Smokehouse BBQ’ (4717 Palmetto Road, Benton). I asked around, and sure enough, several people told me not only had they eaten at Uncle Henry’s, but that the barbecue was really good. So, on a recent Wednesday, I stopped in to test the adage that you can’t judge a book by its cover.

Entering the restaurant at 1pm, I was pleasantly surprised. The (not surprisingly) small dining room – I counted 30 seats – looked bright and clean, with various pieces of artwork hanging on the walls. The menu board was one of the nicest I’ve seen, with colorful, stylish penmanship. I had time to study it, because I had to wait in line! Okay, there were only three of us, and the older gentleman at the counter was placing a big order for an upcoming get together. But I thought, ‘Hey, if this guy thinks enough of Uncle Henry’s food to serve all those folks, it must be pretty good.’

At Uncle Henry’s, you order at the counter, serve yourself at the drink stand, and have a seat. The friendly lady at the register didn’t give me a number. She didn’t give me a pager. I guess she is blessed with a good memory. And, with a maximum of 30 guests – and only one person besides me eating in – there wasn’t a need.

But what to eat? That colorful menu board spelled out plenty of choices: (Six) Sandwiches, (Eight) Meat Plates, a Turkey Salad, and a Stuffed Potato.

One item that caught my eye was a Smoked Hamburger. Boy, doesn’t that sound good? Temptation knocked, but if I was going to tell you about a barbecue restaurant, it seemed like I should stick to barbecue. There meat plates included my choice of two sides, and Texas Toast. Or I could get a Two Meat plate ($12.99) and try a couple of different things.

Wanting a little variety, that’s what I went with, and chose brisket and ribs. Of the usual sides found at a barbeque place (Baked Beans, Chips, Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, Corn on the Cob), I selected beans and slaw.

There was disappointment early on when I prepared my drink (water). I didn’t see any lemon (fresh or packets). I asked the above-mentioned friendly lady if she had any lemon and was told she did not. Bummer, but not the end of the world.

However, my disappointment quickly faded when the above-mentioned friendly lady – yes, she was the order-taker, cashier, and server – brought my food. From a distance, I could see white smoke rising from the plastic plate. This didn’t signal the election of a Pope, but did signal that my food would be hot. Cold food is bad. Cold barbeque is worse.

Beneath the smoke were three thick, nice-sized slices of brisket. Placed diagonally over those slices were two meaty-looking ribs. The servings of beans and slaw weren’t over-the-top, but certainly large enough. The big slice of Texas toast looked like it was right on the edge of either being toasted just right or toasted a little too much. I would soon find out.

As for barbecue sauce, there were several squirt bottles by the drink stand. None of them had labels, but I asked (yes, the above-mentioned friendly lady) and she said the sauces were all the same. Returning to my table, I drizzled sauce on my meats, and found the sauce’s taste to be unremarkable. Frankly, there wasn’t much of any taste. The sauce simply served as something to keep from eating dry meat.

And let’s talk about the meat. My brisket was so tender. There was no need to use the plastic knife. I was able to easily tear pieces apart. I mentioned the slices were thick, and even without sauce, the brisket didn’t taste dry.

The ribs had plenty of meat on both sides. You know how sometimes when you take a bite, your teeth touch bone? That wasn’t the case. My first bites resulted in nothing but meat. And, that meat was cooked just right. It wasn’t too tender, and it wasn’t too tough. And while the ribs looked to be overcooked, they were anything but.

As for the toast? It stayed in the toaster just the right amount of time.

Now, to dessert. The menu board indicated I only had one choice. However, if anyone can mess up a one-choice selection, it’s me. I thought the board read ‘Peach Cobbler’. However, when I placed my order, the (of course) above-mentioned friendly lady said the offering was ‘Pecan Cobbler.’ I could not remember ever having pecan cobbler. I’m not sure I had ever heard of it. She also said, upon me asking, that the cobbler was not made in-house, but was very good. So, upon her recommendation, I ordered a serving ($3.25).

Frankly, in hindsight, I could have done without the cobbler. It was basically a plastic container of sugar. The dough was hard, and drowned in pecan filling.

The cost of my meal before taxes and tip was $17.74. My biggest complaint about eating barbecue at a restaurant is that it’s expensive, and often, the barbecue’s taste doesn’t justify its cost. However, this time, that was not the case. Uncle Henry’s barbecue was really good in how it was cooked, how it tasted, and the amount of meat served.

I am happy to give Uncle Henry’s Smokehouse BBQ Three Forks, proving once again that sometimes, a hole-in-the-wall doesn’t need to be patched.

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

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

Email SBJRestaurantReview@gmail.com.

The Shreveport Police Department has arrested 34-year-old William Collins in connection with a business burglary that occurred in the early morning hours of May 22 in the 6100 block of Line Avenue.

Just after 2 a.m., patrol officers responded to a burglary-in-progress call at a local business. Upon arrival, officers located Collins on the property. While he could not be immediately linked to the burglary, he was found in possession of narcotics and was arrested at the scene on drug-related charges.

Detectives with the Property Crimes Unit were called to investigate and quickly obtained surveillance footage from the business. The video clearly shows Collins using a large rock to break the glass door and gain entry into the building. Once inside, he attempted to open locked office doors before helping himself to snacks in a storage area. He then proceeded to gather and leave with several pieces of computer equipment.

Following the investigation, William Collins has been formally charged with one count of Simple Burglary, one count of Criminal Property Damage, one count of Trespassing, in addition to the narcotics charges from his initial arrest.

The Shreveport Police Department remains committed to addressing squatter-related issues throughout our city. As part of our continued enforcement efforts under the new uninhabitable residence ordinance enacted by Mayor Tom Arceneaux and the Shreveport City Council, officers have made three additional arrests Monday.

Kitangela Henry, Robert Jefferson, and Isaac Grigsby were all taken into custody for violating the squatting ordinance. During the arrest, it was discovered that both Grigsby and Jefferson also had outstanding warrants. All three individuals have been booked into the Shreveport City Jail.

The Shreveport Police Department will continue to work diligently to ensure that properties remain safe, secure, and free from unauthorized occupation.

The Shreveport Police Department continues its aggressive initiative to remove firearms from the hands of individuals prohibited from possessing them. On May 22, multiple arrests were made as officers targeted illegal weapons across the city.

In the early morning hours, members of SPD’s Street Level Interdiction Unit—commonly known as the “Jump Out Boys”—executed a search warrant at a residence in Shreveport. During the operation, Damien Wright was arrested after being found in possession of several types of narcotics and a firearm. Wright now faces multiple charges, including felony possession of a firearm.

Later that same day, officers with the Directed Patrol Unit conducted a traffic stop that led to the arrest of Dale Robertson. Robertson was found to be in possession of a handgun. A subsequent investigation revealed that he is a convicted felon and therefore legally barred from owning or carrying a firearm. He was taken into custody and charged accordingly.

Not to be outdone, SPD’s Violent Crimes Abatement Team also executed a search warrant that led to the arrest of SirDarren Law. Law, a convicted felon, was found in possession of three firearms, including a stolen semi-automatic pistol, an additional semi-automatic pistol, and a shotgun. He was arrested and charged with felony possession of a firearm and additional firearm-related offenses.

These arrests highlight the continued commitment of the Shreveport Police Department to reducing gun violence by targeting those who illegally possess firearms.

“Our officers remain focused on removing illegal weapons from our community,” said SPD Chief Wayne Smith. “We will continue to take proactive steps to keep our neighborhoods safe.”

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

LEWISTON, Idaho – Look at the box score from Monday night’s 6-3 LSUS baseball win over defending NAIA national champion Hope International and you’d see catcher Diego Aragon had a pretty big hand in the outcome.

He doubled to lead off the third inning, immediately after Hope grabbed a 2-0 edge, and scored moments later on Josh Gibson’s two-bagger down the left field line. Gibson came in with one out when Vantrel Reed doubled to tie it.

Aragon twice put the Pilots on top, with a fourth-inning RBI single and a sixth-inning push bunt in a first-and-third situation, the latter sacrifice making it 4-3.

That’s not the half of it, said LSUS coach Brad Neffendorf, whose top-seeded club sustained its perfect record with its 56^th consecutive victory – and more important, moved to the third round of the NAIA World Series with a day off Tuesday.

Look at the Pilots’ pitching. Draven Zeigler and Brock Lucas were locked in, combining on a five-hitter with 13 strikeouts (10 by Zeigler in seven innings). Understand how Aragon steered them through the potent Hope lineup (the Royals have a team .357 batting average) and anchored the LSUS defense. After singing the praises of his pitchers, the coach immediately brought up the receiver.

“Diego Aragon caught his tail off tonight. He was a difference maker behind the plate for us,” said Neffendorf. “All around, he was the best guy tonight on the field.”

That’s a mouthful considering …

“Zeigler was outstanding, pitching like the high-level arm he is. Had as good of a start as he ever has, considering the circumstances and environment,” said Neffendorf.

The environment – obvious. The circumstances – remember, Zeigler (now 13-0) had to leave his last start with heat stress 13 days earlier just three batters into the regional championship game back home at LSUS.

He threw 105 pitches, 73 for strikes, Monday night. Then, said Neffendorf, “Lucas came in and was dominant on the back end once again,” earning his fourth save with two hitless innings, giving up only a walk and scattering 26 pitches among seven hitters.

Centerfielder Ian Montz nailed it down for LSUS in the ninth, delivering his third hit, a two-run, two-out single to centerfield boosting the margin to three runs. He earlier tripled and scored the go-ahead run and had the clinching RBIs off Hope’s left-hander, Josh Landry (11-1).

“Montz was extremely good. Led off (the sixth) with a triple (scoring on Aragon’s sacrifice) and (in the ninth) to go backside left on left with two outs and runners at second and third was huge,” said Neffendorf. “He’s starting to really come on for us lately, and a lot has to do with him being a guy who was on a JUCO national championship team.”

The fourth-seeded Royals (47-9) lost for the first time in nine games in Lewiston, where they played their regional after posting five straight wins coming through the loser’s bracket to capture last season’s NAIA title. They took their best shot at knocking off the No. 1 Pilots, who rapped 10 hits.

“Those 10 were off their top two arms,” said Neffendorf.

“Just another team win. Plenty of different contributions,” he said. “They stayed poised and loose and did exactly what they’ve done all year long.”

Although everybody else marvels at their 56-0 record, what’s got LSUS grinning is being 2-0 in the ultimate test, the national championship tournament.

Next up – either the second seed Georgia Gwinnett (the 2021 NAIA kingpins in its 11^th straight World Series), or two-time champ No. 6 Southeastern (Fla.), in its seventh consecutive visit to Lewiston, Wednesday night at 8:30 CDT. Those teams play tonight.

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