By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE—The best thing for LSU’s psyche after the Tigers’ historic SEC tournament offensive deep freeze this past weekend is time, distance, and receiving a top-eight national seed in the NCAA tournament.

On Monday morning, the Tigers (44-13) were named the No. 6 seed, giving them host duties for this weekend’s regionals and then the Super Regionals the following weekend if they advance.

Five LSU wins in Alex Box Stadium, where the seven-time national champions are 30-5 this season, send the Tigers to the College World Series in Omaha for the 20^th time.

“I honestly didn’t care who we played,” said LSU junior starting pitcher Anthony Eyanson, who’s fourth in the nation in strikeouts (125) and second on the team behind national leader Kade Anderson (145). “I stopped listening (to ESPN’s tourney bracket reveal show) after we got the top eight seed. What I wanted was to have just another opponent.”

Three days and almost 400 miles removed from LSU’s worst two-game offensive performance in SEC tournament history in a 4-3 quarterfinals win over Texas A&M and a 2-0 semifinals loss to Ole Miss, the Tigers are looking forward to Friday’s 2 p.m. Baton Rouge Regional opener vs. Arkansas-Little Rock (24-32), surprise winners of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.

The winner advances to Saturday’s second round to play the winner of Friday’s 6:30 p.m. game between Atlantic 10 regular season and tourney champ Rhode Island (38-20) and Conference USA regular season champion Dallas Baptist (40-16).

“It’s three caliber championship teams,” LSU head Jay Johnson said of the opposition in the Baton Rouge regional.

The Tigers were 13-9 this season against 11 teams that earned NCAA tournament bids. Among those opponents is Dallas Baptist, the BR regional No. 2 seed, which LSU beat 7-3 on Feb. 26 in Frisco, Texas.

Arkansas-Little Rock is the only squad in the 64-team field with a losing record. The Trojans lost 13 of their last 14 regular-season games and tied for eighth place in the Ohio Valley Conference.

They won five games in four days to win the league tourney and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tourney, where they are the No. 4 seed in the BR regional behind No. 3 seed Rhode Island.

Thirteen SEC teams earned invites, including six of the top eight national seeds — No. 1 Vanderbilt, No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Arkansas, No. 4 Auburn, No. 6 LSU, and No. 7 Georgia.

Those schools, plus Ole Miss and Tennessee, are hosting regionals.

Johnson and his Tigers have insisted all season that they focus more on themselves than the opponent. That is especially needed in the next few days since LSU must shake its SEC tourney offensive ineptness.

The Tigers scored four runs in the first three innings vs. Texas A&M, then went 2 for 50 at the plate and scoreless in its final 15 innings against the Aggies and Rebels.

LSU, held scoreless in 16 of 18 innings, hit an embarrassing .111 (6 for 54) with 16 strikeouts.

Only one LSU starter – designated hitter Ethan Frey – had two hits. He had an RBI double and a two-run homer vs. the Aggies.

The rest of the Tigers’ 10 starters – they started a different catcher each game – had one hit or none.

First baseman Jared Jones, second baseman Daniel Dickinson, catcher Luis Hernandez, right fielder Jake Brown and third baseman Michael Braswell II were a combined 0 for 26.

“Guys are executing pitches and we’re kind of getting ourselves out at times,” Jones said. “I think we could be better battling and getting pitch counts up.”

LSU’s lone positive of the league tourney washout was its pitching.

Five Tigers’ pitchers – Game 1 starter Anderson, Game 2 starter Jaden Noot, Game 1 reliever Eyanson, and Game 2 relievers Chase Shores and Jacob Meyers had a combined 2.50 earned run average with 24 strikeouts and seven walks.

In Friday’s win, Johnson used his No. 2 starting pitcher Eyanson in relief for the first time this year. After All-SEC first-team honoree Anderson struck out 12 Aggies in six innings, including eight of A&M’s first nine batters, Eyanson threw a two-hit shutout in the final three innings while striking out four.

Johnson said he decided after last Saturday’s regular season-ending win at South Carolina that he would pitch Eyanson in relief in LSU’s SEC tourney opener.

“There are many reasons why we decided to do that,” Johnson said of using Eyanson.

“The first thing, we’ve asked a lot out of those two guys (Anderson and Eyanson). This was a good week to minimize what we asked of them and their load to get them fresher and better for next week (the NCAA regional).

“The second thing was that we now have the option to do whatever we want next Friday. And you know, when you don’t know who your opponent is, you want to have the option to choose. And I have that option because I have two pitchers as good as that.

“Number three, I wanted to play more than one game here, and the only way you get better as a team is to play. All that’s left are teams capable of going to Omaha and winning the national championship. So, what an opportunity for us to get better this week.

“The next thing is, we’re going to need more than those two guys (Anderson and Eyanson). Now, this is going to thrust a few guys into pitching well against teams that are capable of winning the national championship, which will thus make us better as we move forward.”

The Tigers never had a chance to use All-SEC first-team selection Zac Cowan and Casan Evans, their best relievers. Noot, Shores, and Meyers were so effective against Ole Miss that they proved they could play key roles in LSU’s anticipated NCAA tourney run.

“What a performance by those guys,” Johnson said. “Really happy with Jaden how he took a step forward last week at South Carolina and another step forward against a good team (Ole Miss). Chase was outstanding, and Jacob has been working his tail off.”

Here’s the two-game recap of LSU in the SEC tourney:

GAME 1: LSU 4, Texas A&M 3 – Despite going scoreless in their last five innings as A&M reliever Clayton Freshcorn retired the last 13 LSU batters, the Tigers scored four runs in the first three innings and held on in Friday’s quarterfinal win.

LSU managed just four hits, all off A&M starter Myles Patton. Designated hitter Ethan Frey was 2 for 3 with an RBI double and a two-run homer.

A pair of doubles in the bottom of the first by left fielder Derek Curiel and Frey ignited the Tigers’ 2-0 start. Frey’s RBI double scored Curiel, and catcher Luis Hernandez’s sacrifice fly scored first baseman Jared Jones.

After Texas A&M shortstop Kaeden Kent botched a potential third-out grounder by LSU second baseman Daniel Dickinson, Frey belted a two-run homer for a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third.

Then, it was A&M’s turn to heat up with three runs in the next three innings while the Tigers went scoreless the rest of the way.

GAME 2: Ole Miss 2, LSU 0 – Four Ole Miss pitchers combined for a two-hitter in Saturday’s semifinal victory that marked just the third shutout of LSU in the Tigers’ 146-game tournament history.

The Rebels got just three hits – all in the first four innings off LSU starting pitcher Jaden Noot – as Tigers’ relievers Chase Shores and Jacob Meyers held Ole Miss scoreless in the last five innings.

Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco’s squad got all the runs it needed on Will Furniss’ two-out solo homer in the first and designated hitter Smithwick’s RBI single in the fourth.

LSU’s only hits were consecutive one-out singles by catcher Cade Arrambide and center fielder Chris Stanfield in the bottom of the third inning.

The Tigers, shut out for the first time this year and blanked in the SEC Tournament for the first time since 2016, had just one of their eight baserunners reach third base.

 

Contact Ron at ronhiggnsmedia@gmail.com

 

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It’s a big day in my small world. Moving day.

For the first time since the Clinton administration (B.M., before Monica), I am relocating.

Full disclosure: it’s a pickup truck move. In fact, barely that. The new abode, in the final stages of total completion, is just the outfield grass away from where I sit tonight. An infield fly. A chip shot. A decent high school-length field goal.

Have recruited a couple of Northwestern State football players, agreed to an NIL deal, and they’re doing the heavy lifting. Mike McConathy, being the good neighbor and great friend he is, is lending his pickup, and knowing him, won’t be satisfied just making the shuttles from carport to garage. Uncle Bubba is inbound as the on-site handyman.

I don’t consider myself a pack rat, but I am reconsidering. The alarming collection I am facing, fortunately, is nothing like the attic of my grandmother, who had neatly organized stacks of Readers’ Digest editions from the 1930s and ‘40s. I do have a select pile of mid-1960s Sports Illustrated issues the late Tynes Hildebrand gave me when he and Julia moved from their longtime Natchitoches home to The Oaks in south Shreveport over a decade ago.

Couldn’t pass on a 1965 Masters’ preview cover of Jack and Arnie, with analysis by Dan Jenkins his own self. Mr. Jenkins again, from steamy Congressional CC in 1964 (not Mr. Jenkins’ headline, as his pal Teddy Allen can attest: “The Open: Venturi’s Sizzling Victory” across the cover).

A year later, “New York Yankees, End of an Era” with the Mick wiping his brow. He milked three more seasons out of his knees, but it was the start of a decade-long downturn for the pinstripers.

Different sport, dynastic franchise, but this one in the midst of its greatest run – and pro sports’ most mind-blowing stretch. Ten NBA titles in 12 years for the Celtics, including 1965, with SI featuring John Havlicek on the cover.

A year later, a personal favorite because he’s from my parents’ hometown of Butler, Penna.: “A New Legend At Notre Dame” featuring quarterback Terry Hanratty, written by of course, Mr. Jenkins. Published Nov. 7, 1966, a dozen days before the infamous 10-10 stalemate with Michigan State, which somehow left the Irish as No. 1 at season’s end, prompting much growling from Bear Bryant, whose undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide were stuck at No. 3 in the final polls.

No collection of SI editions is complete without a swimsuit showcase. “Bahamas, The Out Islands Are In.” Sixty years ago “out” did not carry the same connotation it does now.

There could not have been any angry letters by parents – not yet – protesting the display of bare skin. That erupted 13 years later when Cheryl Tiegs graced the cover in a fishnet top. Point of reference: she’s 77 now, and still a sight for sore eyes.

That’s the extent of my SI collection – none saved from the decades I was on the subscription list, starting in 1968 as a birthday gift from Mother Ireland. Did. Not. Save. One. Arrrrrggggghhhh.

Same for those shoeboxes of baseball cards. No telling how many high-priced gems found the trash in Jonesboro when I left for college. Oh, the humanity!

There is much to move, and some to toss today and the rest of this week. Treasures to transport, more items once prized (VCR tapes of Miami Vice and Moonlighting stuck in a cabinet) but useless for years now.

The memories travel, hopefully undiminished for the rest of my run. Since I moved in while 42 (not Jackie Robinson) was in the White House, here’s a Clinton tale from those days.

The 1998 Southland Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships were hosted by Stephen F. Austin, and it was hot in mid-May in Naca-nowhere. I ducked out of the sun into the AC of the hospitality room to grab an ice-cold Snapple (there’s a time stamp), and several of the track event officials were watching the Lewinsky-sparked impeachment proceedings.

They were disgusted. Mortified at the president’s conduct. I couldn’t hear the testimony, just their commentary, which was fine. I sipped my tea, and as I was about to head back out, I walked over to the gents.

“Fellas, I can’t disagree with anything you’ve said,” I opened. “But, to be fair, I think he’s not a complete disgrace. Look at his daughter.

“She’s a freshman at Stanford, an exceptional student. You hear about her doing all sorts of community service. Seems like a really good young lady, and I guess that makes the President a pretty decent dad.”

That produced a murmur and grudging agreement. Then they were back to the hearing. I was headed out the door, and on my way, I was met by a young woman wearing an SFA Athletic Training polo shirt.

“Thank you,” she said, looking at me.

“Pardon me?” I replied.

“For what you said. You’re right. Chelsea is as good as it gets. She’s marvelous. I know. She’s my first cousin. I’ve been to Hope, and Little Rock, and the White House to visit her, and she’s come to see me in Houston. She is so impressive.”

“Well, that’s nice to hear,” I said. “That is sure how it seems.”

She replied: “But Uncle Bill? He’s a scumbucket.”

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

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Louise Ciccone was born in 1958 in Bay City, Michigan to Tony and Louise Ciccone.  Because she shared the same name as her mother, her five siblings called her Little Nonnie.  Little Nonnie was five years old when her mother died from breast cancer.  Her father was a hard worker but struggled to provide for his large family.  When one of the kids wanted something, Tony replied, “Get a job.  I’m not paying for it.”  Tony could barely afford the necessities.

In high school, Little Nonnie was intelligent, got straight A’s in school, but struggled to fit in.  Little Nonnie felt like a country bumpkin around her rich classmates.  They wore the finest and most fashionable clothing while she often wore the same inexpensive clothing for several days in a row.  Little Nonnie’s home life was difficult.  As the eldest daughter in a family without a mother, she was responsible for doing the laundry, cleaning the house, fixing meals, taking care of her younger siblings, and a myriad of other tasks required to keep a household running while her father was working.  For these reasons, Little Nonnie did not associate with her classmates. 

Little Nonnie graduated from high school early and attended the University of Michigan for a year as a dance major.  She planned to become a professional dancer to escape from Michigan, and she was a natural.  With the encouragement of one of her teachers, Little Nonnie decided to move to New York to fulfill her dream despite her father’s objections.  Her first time in an airplane was her flight from Michigan to New York.  From the airport, she took her first taxi ride.  With no idea where to go, Little Nonnie told the taxi driver to take her to the center of the city.  He dropped her off in Times Square.  Little Nonnie immediately experienced the culture shock of coming from the suburbs of the Midwest into the hustle and bustle of Manhattan.  She knew no one, had no place to stay, had about $35 in cash, and wore all of the clothing she brought with her.  She quickly made friends with someone who asked why she was wearing a winter jacket in the middle of summer.  He allowed her to sleep on his couch until she found a place to stay.

Little Nonnie began going to auditions.  She knew her dancing career waited just around the corner, but getting around that corner proved harder than she had expected.  In the meantime, Little Nonnie worked at whatever job she could find including a short stint as a hat check girl at the Russian Tea Room, a job she was fired from for wearing fishnet stockings although she was only visible from the waist up, and an even shorter stint at Dunkin’ Donuts, a job she was fired from for playfully squirting jelly on customers.  While waiting for her big break, Little Nonnie’s apartment was burglarized repeatedly.  She was mugged.  She was raped.   

Despite all the obstacles, Little Nonnie never gave up.  She eventually became a dancer, but her talents led her to a blend of world renown and controversy.  The highest selling musical artists of all time in order are Elvis, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, and then Little Nonnie.   Although some members of her family still refer to her as Little Nonnie, the rest of the world knows Louise Ciccone by her first name, Madonna.

Source: “The Howard Stern Show 2015 Madonna,” Vincenzo Depalma, June 20, 2024, YouTube video, 1:15:35,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El0crjdU2Nw

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The Bossier Parish School Board proudly introduced Mrs. Andi Vrbka as the new Assistant Principal of Kingston Elementary School during its meeting held Thursday.

Mrs. Vrbka brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to her new role, and her appointment was met with warm applause from board members and attendees.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mrs. Vrbka to the Kingston family,” said a district spokesperson. “Her passion for education and dedication to student success make her a perfect fit for our team.”

The school community is eager to begin the upcoming school year with Mrs. Vrbka as part of the leadership team.

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Bossier City, La. — The Bossier Parish School for Technology and Innovative Learning proudly celebrated the achievements of its 2025 PIVOT graduates today, honoring a remarkable group of students who have shown perseverance, growth, and determination on their journey to adulthood.

The PIVOT program is designed to support students as they transition beyond high school, focusing on continued education, life skills, and personal development. Each graduate has overcome unique challenges, reached meaningful milestones, and demonstrated what it means to move forward with purpose.

“These students are a shining example of strength, resilience, and the power of perseverance,” said a school representative. “We are so proud of everything they’ve accomplished and excited to see all they will achieve in the future.”

As the Class of 2025 prepares for greater independence, careers, and community engagement, their teachers, families, and supporters are celebrating this major step forward.

Congratulations, PIVOT graduates! Your future is bright—and we’ll be cheering you on every step of the way.

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The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office will hold a sobriety checkpoint from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. tonigh in north Caddo Parish.

The goal of the checkpoint is to raise awareness of impaired driving and execute enforcement tactics to apprehend and remove such drivers from the roads before they can injure themselves or others. 

According to the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, the number of impaired drivers involved in or causing accidents has come down. However, there is still a long way to go to eliminate all impaired drivers from being on the roadway.

Funding for the checkpoint is provided through a grant from the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.

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The Shreveport-Bossier Journal staff will take off an extra day this weekend as America marks the annual Memorial Day observance with nearly all governmental and financial agencies closed Monday along with a large segment of businesses.

There will be no Monday edition this week. If a major breaking news story warrants coverage, however, count on the SBJ to provide it. We will resume publication Tuesday morning with our weekday edition landing in your e-mail at 6:55 shortly after it is posted on our website and Facebook page.

Memorial Day honors the members of the United States military who have made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives in the line of duty serving America to uphold our democracy.

While the long weekend provides many opportunities for fun activities and gatherings, your friends at the Journal urge you to reflect on the purpose of Memorial Day and the military heroes lost while serving our country.

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By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports

There aren’t many instances when you can use the long-departed Par 3 golf course in West Shreveport and world-famous Whistling Straits, home of three major championships and a Ryder Cup, in the same sentence.

But that combination is, in fact, the reason why you see a 178-foot net dominating the Bossier City skyline these days.

Chasing Aces, a golf/entertainment/semi-baseball facility/so much more, is only a few weeks from opening at its location, which once was a landfill that neighbors Margaritaville Casino. To say that it is unlike anything that this area has seen before would be a gross understatement.

And it all dates back to a combination of John Dudley’s childhood memories of playing night golf at Westwood (a.k.a. Par Three) and a golf trip he took four years ago.

“I went on a golf trip and, was really inspired about this par three course we played in Whistling Straits called The Baths,” says Dudley, who is the Chasing Aces CEO. “it was just a different vibe. There was a tiki bar and music and we went and we had a really great experience. And so on the flight back, I had a magazine and I started going through it and saw something about night golf.

“I loved Westwood; it was my childhood,” he adds. “We were right there every day. And so I thought if I could just create something that made sense like that. And I started looking into doing the entertainment driving range, the par three course and so on. Our plane coming home got diverted from Dallas and we had to get off the plane in Oklahoma City and drive back. By the time I got back out here, I had a business plan and started looking for real estate the next day.”

For a while, Chasing Aces was viewed as not much more than a construction site, but when the gigantic net was installed recently, everything really started coming together. As the opening date closes in, there is plenty of activity at the site. The building is filled with dozens of workers getting everything ready for the June 10 open.

“Getting to build something like this very unique,” says Mike Mitton, Chief of Operations. “I’ve been managing golf courses for 35 years. But I’ve never seen something that I could bring everybody to, whether you’re a great player, a tour player or someone that just has the desire. I can facilitate all that. I’ve never gotten a chance to do this before.”

What once was just a sketch on an airplane flight is now in place. There are 30 hitting bays – 15 on each level – a nine-hole par 3 golf course and an 18-hole putting course. All are synthetic turf-based but with the ability to manipulate the speed of the greens with a sand mix.

“Synthetic turf has never been used like this before,” Mitton says.

Don’t let the technology — and there’s plenty of it – fool you. “It’s also old school golf,” Mitton says. “We teach, we club fit. There’s a pro shop. We built an academy for kids who have never played before. We have a putting golf course for people to enjoy with their families. We have a par three that’s really built the same way. We have the hitting bays, where groups can get together and play games and but once again, it’s you don’t have to bring a skill level here.”

The bays will open at 11 a.m. and close at 11 p.m. on weekdays and 1 a.m. on weekends. The putting and 9-hole courses will open at 8 a.m.

But there’s more. A lot more. And it’s not just golf.

Would you like to see if you could hit one out of Yankee Stadium? Dig in and take a few swings at the Home Run Dugout, an indoor facility similar to the golf simulators that are popping up all over the country.

It’s only natural to wonder what the difference is in Chasing Aces and a Top Golf facility.

“Top Golf does a great job with their facility,” Mitton says. “The only thing difference is they put a chip in their golf ball for ‘target games’ (in the hitting bays). All our games are radar based. So once you hit a golf ball 10 feet in the air, you’re actually competing. It doesn’t have to end up somewhere (in a target zone). But we love what Top Golf does; we just tried to expand that.”

At Chasing Aces, there can be competition between players vs. player, bay vs. bay or even level vs. level.

“We can set up a four-man scramble on any bay here and you compete against the person next to you, or you compete against somebody at a different facility,” Dudley says. “That is inter-coordinated there’s with our technology. We believe that InRange is a superior, software technology than what Top Golf uses. Even though they’ve done a great job and they were a pioneer in the golf entertainment, things are changing. Just like as technology changes and this company’s kept up with the times.”

“What’s special about this place is that we offer so much for families to come here,” Mitton says. “But this is golf entertainment. Anybody who has a desire to understand just a little bit about golf but has never hit a golf ball before, can walk out here and we can facilitate that.”

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

 

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By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

LEWISTON, Idaho – Forget 54-0. The unbeaten, No. 1-ranked LSUS baseball team has never really paid their perfect record much heed.

Since the first day of fall practice, the Pilots have been zoned in on landing in Lewiston and staying there until they win the last game of the season – the national championship game in the NAIA World Series, which begins today.

LSUS is obviously the top seed in the 10-team double-elimination tournament, and will meet the 10^th-seed, Grand View (Iowa) in a 1:30 CDT matchup. The winner won’t play again until Monday. The loser plays for its postseason life Saturday.

Although the Vikings (38-12) are the most surprising entry in the World Series, entering their regional bracket as the fourth-seed in a four-team field and losing their opener 13-3, they’re dangerous, said LSUS coach Brad Neffendorf. Every team is in this field.

“When you get out here and everybody’s 0-0, anything can happen,” he said. “Truthfully, you’ve seen anything does really happen 90 percent of the time out here. But you look at who’s here – Georgia Gwinnett, Hope International, Tennessee Wesleyan, they’ve all won it. I like it. Every team has some really good arms, and the ability to swing it and score. I think it will be a really good World Series.”

There is a palpable sense of urgency among a senior-laden LSUS roster.

“We understand this is a one-time thing,” said senior third baseman Josh Gibson, still stinging from LSUS losing on its homefield in each of the past two seasons and failing to reach Lewiston.

He and 19 other Pilots are seniors. “We don’t get to run it back next year. This team is this year’s team.”

Further evidence that Neffendorf and his club are taking nothing for granted:  staff ace Isaac Rohde (14-0) will start on the bump today.

“We’re playing a very offensive team,” Neffendorf said. “Obviously we don’t have to score like we have (11 runs per game) but we’ve got to pitch and play defense really well to be in position at the end of this game.

“Isaac rebounds well – he throws a little better on less rest. We saw that last Wednesday (when Rohde entered in relief in the first inning of the regional championship game, and threw 4.2 scoreless innings just 36 hours after pitching seven innings in the regional opener).”

Trotting out the Pilots’ ace is easier considering the depth of the staff, which has a composite 2.32 ERA and has held opponents to a .190 batting average. The pitchers rely on a defense fielding at a remarkable .983 clip with just 29 errors all season.

“It’s a good field, more offensive this year. A lot of the explosive offenses in the country have gotten here,” said Neffendorf. “I think teams are going to score, but I think it will come down to who can pitch and defend, and I like our chances when it does, because we’ve done that well all year.”

Every team LSUS meets will aim to make their mark by wrecking the unbeaten record. Conversely, the Pilots have other things in mind, said Gibson.

“We don’t really pay much attention to that. We focus on the day, going pitch by pitch, making sure everyone’s doing their job and we’re holding each other accountable,” he said. “It’s just win the day. Come out and handle business.”

While the on-field excellence has produced an incomparable season, the roots of the Pilots’ perfection run well outside the baselines.

“It starts in the locker room,” said Gibson. “From Day 1, this group has been so close. We spend a lot of time together obviously on the field, but off the field, we really enjoy being around each other and I think that separates us from the rest.”

“We’re very loose, a very poised team that plays together extremely well, because they’ve grown to love being around each other, practicing together, playing together, and hanging out together,” said Neffendorf. “It can be tough at our level with so many revolving doors. We do have a large number of returners but we still had a lot of new faces. What they’ve done to form a unity between them, which translates to how we play on the field, that’s been the most impressive piece to me.”

As the first day of the Series unfolds, the Pilots are calm and confident.

“This will be the toughest format we’ve been in all year, as it is for nine other teams,” said Neffendorf. “But this group has a way of flipping the switch, and upping their level of intent and focus in moments I’ve never seen either. It’s almost like they get blood in their eyes.

“It wouldn’t surprise me that we might play deep into this tournament without an L on our record, but that won’t be the focus. They’ve done a really good job all year of playing one game at a time … staying routine, understanding who they are, and playing so well together. I think that plays a major part in what we’ve done, and I think it’s going to help toward the success we could have in this thing.”

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

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And now we wait.

Fifteen Fridays from now, high school football will begin. In other words, it’s the length of an entire football season between now and the opening game.

Only one difference. The upcoming 15 weeks will seem like 15 months. The following 15 weeks after that will seem like 15 days.

Might as well get comfortable; it’s going to be awhile.

Spring football is done, which ended with a scrimmage against another school or some kind of souped-up intrasquad game. Draw any conclusion you’d like from those performances, which can lead to anything from (1) already making hotel reservations in New Orleans in December to (2) wondering how in the world your team can possibly win a game.

Staring down the barrel of morning workouts during the summer can be, to say the least, daunting for a high school player. Weight room, conditioning drills, maybe a little video study … it never seems to end. With no real game in sight.

That’s a lot of advance work for 10 nights in the fall (but hopefully more).

This may be the all-time football coaches cliché, but it is true: You have to want it.

There really is no other reasonable, rational explanation as to why it’s worth going through all that a high school football player goes through. Especially when there are friends who are sleeping in, headed to the lake or simply enjoying the summer like everybody else.

As for the coaches, it’s not as if they are exactly thrilled about the whole proceedings either. Many, especially those who are classroom teachers, would like a little bit of a break from the grind of the school year. Oh sure, they’ll squeeze in a quick weekend family trip or a round or two of golf, but somebody has to be there in the early mornings to open the weight room door.

Say what you want about 7-on-7 – the wiffle ball of high school football – at least it brings a degree of competition to the summer. It’s something to look forward to rather than running the cone drill on a dew-filled practice field.

June is filled with 7-on-7 tournaments, which can be difficult for those who also play another sport to schedule around, not to mention those who are attending some kind of a college camp (when the real recruiting goes on). But at least it’s something.

It really just comes down to Fridays. Real Fridays.

Fridays in the summer are just like any other day. But somewhere out there, there are Fridays with stadium lights and cheerleaders and people with different color jerseys on. All you can do is keep focused on those Fridays.

May will turn to June; June will turn to July; and July will turn to August. By that time, school will start and the abnormality of the summer will begin to feel normal again. Shoulder pads will be given out. Some poor sophomore will get stuck with jersey number 37.

All of a sudden, a scrimmage will be held. Then a jamboree. And then an actual, honest-to-gosh, real high school football game.

But for now, it’s just best to show up and not look at a calendar.

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

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By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

HOOVER, Ala. – A year ago, then-defending national champion LSU entered the SEC baseball tournament as the No. 11 seed, fighting for its postseason life.

For the first time in more than a decade, the Tigers were just 36-20 overall in the regular season. It included a pedestrian 13-17 SEC record, which was only made possible by LSU going 10-5 in the second half of SEC play.

LSU scored 11 or more runs in winning each of its first four SEC tourney games before losing 4-3 to eventual national champion Tennessee. It was enough to earn an NCAA tourney invite to the Chapel Hill Regional, where the Tigers lost to host North Carolina 4-3 in 10 innings in the championship game.

This year, it seems as if LSU has nothing to sweat. At 42-13 overall, 19-11 in the SEC and ranked No. 1 nationally, the Tigers apparently have locked up a No. 8 NCAA tourney seed, which would give them homefield advantage in the regionals and Super Regionals.

Win five games in Alex Box Stadium where the Tigers are 30-5 this season, and LSU will be off to the College World Series for the 20th time.

Yet when the Tigers finally take the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium field tonight at 6:30 as the SEC tourney’s No. 3 seed to face Texas A&M, it’s all gas and no brakes for LSU fourth-year head coach Jay Johnson.

“I want to win this tournament, because it’s competition, and I’m just a competitor,” Johnson said. “Everything is training for something. What a great opportunity to play three teams capable of winning the national championship. I’d like to have our players have that experience and to be able to draw from it for what’s ahead.”

A year ago, five SEC teams were among the top eight national seeds for the NCAA tournament.

No. 1 Tennessee and No. 3 Texas A&M played for the national championship. No. 2 Kentucky lost to the Vols in the Super Regionals. No. 5 Arkansas was eliminated in the Fayetteville Regional it hosted and No. 7 seed Georgia lost its home Super Regional to North Carolina State.

The SEC’s expansion to 16 teams this season, adding Texas and Oklahoma, increased competition with weekly predictable results.

Tennessee entered this week as a No. 8 SEC tourney seed, Kentucky No. 13 and Texas A&M No. 14, all total flips from last season. The latter two teams may not even make the NCAA tournament field.

With a bevy of transfers, key freshmen, and a core of returnees, LSU jumped in the opposite direction from last season as it has moved toward the top.

“With the amount of professional players that we’ve churned out over the last two years,” Johnson said, “the character thing was going to be really important this year. It’s a very eclectic blend of where players come from, via returnees from last year, high school ranks, from the transfer portal, or junior college. I’m proud of the way they’ve come together, and the only way they’ve done that is because of their solid human beings.”

The abundance of talent has meant at least five to seven position players bouncing in and out of the Tigers’ starting lineup.

“We’re going to play match-up games (hitters vs. pitchers) like lefty on righty,” LSU junior first baseman Jared Jones said. “Coach Johnson moves guys in and out of the lineup. But everybody’s done a great job of understanding their role this year and playing for one another.”

So much so that Johnson’s group of interchangeable chess pieces, which include designated hitters/outfielders Ethan Frey, Josh Pearson and Jake Brown along with reserve third baseman Tanner Reaves and pinch-hitters Ashton Larson, John Pearson and Dalton Beck, have been nicknamed “The Goon Squad” by LSU hitting coach Marc “Chief” Wanaka.

“It’s a lot of good guys that are owning their deal, knowing to be ready when they need to come in,” said Brown, who in LSU’s last two SEC series batted a combined .625 (10-for-18) with two doubles, three homers, six RBI, and eight runs scored. “Everyone’s doing pretty good so far. So we like it (the nickname). It’s fun.”

Johnson said he’s been pleased with his team’s improvement down the stretch, something not easily accomplished.

Some players, such Kade Anderson, took huge leaps of improvement.

An unsteady green and growing freshman reliever last season, the left-handed Anderson blossomed into LSU’s pitching staff ace named All-SEC first-team by the league’s coaches earlier this week.

“It (being selected All-SEC first-team) is a pretty big deal,” Anderson said. “Adding the slider has really developed my game a lot. Without that pitch this year, I don’t think I’d be where I’m where I am right now.”

 

No. 1 LSU (42-13 overall, 19-11 SEC, No. 3 seed) vs. Texas A&M (30-25, 11-19 SEC, No. 14 seed), SEC tournament quarterfinals, Hoover Metropolitan Stadium  

PITCHING MATCHUP

Today, 6:30 p.m. CT (SEC Network)

LSU – TBA

TEXAS A&M – Jr. LH Myles Patton (3-4, 5.10 ERA, 72.1 IP, 79 KO, 16 BB).

LSU’s SEC TOURNAMENT HISTORY

LSU has a league-best 94-50 (.653) record in the SEC tournament, and the Tigers own a conference-high 12 tournament titles. LSU has reached the championship round of the SEC Tournament on 20 occasions, the most recent losing in last year’s finals 4-3 to eventual national champion Tennessee. LSU has won six SEC Tournament crowns since 2008, claiming the title in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2017. LSU had reached the semifinal round in seven straight SEC Tournaments (2013-19) before dropping a first-round, single-elimination game to Georgia in 2021. 

LSU IN THE SEC THIS YEAR

Series wins (7): 3-0 vs. Missouri, 3-0 vs. Mississippi State, 3-0 at Oklahoma, 2-1 vs. Alabama, 2-1 vs. Tennessee, 2-1 vs. Arkansas, 2-1 at South Carolina. Series losses (3): 1-2 at Texas, 0-3 at Auburn, 1-2 at Texas A&M

TEXAS A&M IN SEC THIS YEAR

Series wins (4): 2-1 at Tennessee, 3-0 vs. South Carolina, 2-1 at Arkansas, 2-1 vs. LSU. Series losses (6): 0-3 vs. Alabama, 0-3 at Vanderbilt, 1-2 vs. Kentucky, 0-3 at Texas, 0-3 vs Missouri, 1-2 at Georgia.

LSU-TEXAS A&M SERIES

Texas A&M leads the all-time series (which began in 1907) 34-31-1. The series is 19-18, favoring the Aggies (11-10 in College Station) in the 37 games played between the schools since Texas A&M began playing baseball in the SEC in 2013. LSU has posted 2-1 series victories over the Aggies in 2023 and 2024 before A&M won this year’s series, 2-1, in College Station. LSU is 0-1 vs. Texas A&M in the SEC tournament, losing 5-4 in a 2023 elimination game.

A LOOK AT LSU

LSU is No. 3 in the SEC in team batting average (.306), No. 2 in on-base percentage (.417), No. 4 in runs scored (446), No. 5 in hits (559) and No. 5 in doubles (114). The LSU pitching staff is No. 2 in the league in team ERA (3.78) and No. 3 in strikeouts (611) and opponent batting average (.224). Junior first baseman Jared Jones is No. 3 in the SEC in RBI (66), No. 3 in total bases (147), No. 3 in hits (76), No. 4 in home runs (19), and No. 8 in slugging percentage (.665). Freshman outfielder Derek Curiel is No. 7 in the SEC in hits (72), No. 7 in walks (41), and No. 8 in doubles (15). Junior second baseman Daniel Dickinson is No. 4 in the SEC in on-base percentage (.478). LSU sophomore left-hander Kade Anderson is No. 2 in the nation and in the SEC in strikeouts (133) and No. 2 in the league in innings pitched (83.0). Junior right-hander Anthony Eyanson is No. 3 in the nation and in the SEC in strikeouts (121), and No. 3 in the league in innings pitched (81.1).

A LOOK AT TEXAS A&M

Texas A&M is hitting .261 with 86 doubles, five triples, 95 homers, and 41 steals in 47 attempts. The Aggies are led at the plate by third baseman Wyatt Henseler, who is batting .316 with 15 doubles, 12 homers, and 33 RBI. Shortstop Kaeden Kent is hitting .279 with 12 doubles, one triple, 13 homers, and 49 RBI. Outfielder Jace LaViolette, who has recorded team-highs of 18 homers and 59 RBI, is limited because of a broken hand.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

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JOURNAL SPORTS

Bossier City’s Mikaylah Williams, a mainstay on the summer 3×3 women’s basketball international circuit since her days as a superstar at Parkway High School, is on the USA Basketball 3×3 Women’s Series roster for competition beginning today in France.

The LSU junior-to-be is among four women representing the USA in the series.

The USA’s season starts at the Marseille Women’s Series event in Marseille, France. As part of Pool C, USA will face Czech Republic and France today at 9:15 a.m. and 1:05 p.m. CDT, respectively.

USA Basketball is also slated to compete at the Ulaanbaatar Women’s Series competition June 18-19 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, with additional events expected to be added at a later date.

Williams helped the USA earn three straight FIBA 3×3 U18 gold medals from 2021-23. The 2022 USA Basketball 3×3 Athlete of the Year and 2023 USA Basketball 3×3 Female Athlete of the Year, Williams has continually made an impact for her home country.

Last summer, Williams competed in the FIBA 3×3 Nations League Americas Conference, a series of qualifying tournaments for the 2024 FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup. She and the U23 team also played in a 3×3 exhibition game at the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game against the USA 3×3 Olympic team.

Along with Williams, the USA roster includes Cierra Burdick, Sarah Strong and Sahara Williams.

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Shreveport, La. — Volunteers for Youth Justice (VYJ) proudly announced Kasie Mainiero as its 2024 Hero of the Year, recognizing her outstanding dedication to the well-being of children and families in Caddo Parish.

Mainiero serves as the Child Well-Being Specialist for the Caddo Parish School District and has been a vital partner to VYJ, helping implement trauma-informed practices across schools. Her work acts as a critical bridge between students and families in need and the services provided by VYJ.

“Kasie exemplifies what it means to build a community that cares for children, youth, and families in crisis,” said a VYJ spokesperson. “Her commitment to ensuring students have access to the resources and support they need is truly inspiring.”

VYJ’s Hero of the Year award celebrates individuals who go above and beyond in advocating for vulnerable children and strengthening family support systems. Mainiero’s leadership and compassion continue to make a lasting impact across the school district and broader community.

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On May 23, 1934, the infamous criminal duo Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were ambushed and killed by law enforcement officers in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. Their crime spree during the Great Depression, marked by bank robberies and murders, captivated the American public and law enforcement alike.

The ambush ended a two-year manhunt and symbolized the federal government’s intensified efforts to combat organized crime.

Additional historical events on this day:

1430: Joan of Arc was captured by Burgundian forces during the Siege of Compiègne, leading to her trial and execution.

1533: The marriage of King Henry VIII to Catherine of Aragon was declared null and void, a pivotal moment in the English Reformation.

1915: Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary, joining the Allies in World War I.

2015: Ireland became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage through a popular vote, reflecting shifting societal attitudes.

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