By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

No Texas Longhorns running back recruit James Simon. No national career passing accuracy leader Abram Wardell. No Kolby Thomas, the sure-handed receiver who dashed past defensive backs. No Ole Miss offensive line signee Devin Harper, or Air Force recruit Julius Moss, or ….

The Class of 2025 graduation list didn’t stop there for the Calvary Baptist football team.

But 1 remains. And Braylun Huglon is a pretty spectacular cornerstone for Rodney Guin’s new edition of Cavaliers.

“Number 1’s a football player, a special kid who works very hard,” said Guin Friday night, grinning broadly in the wake of Calvary’s stunning 33-30 victory over the state’s top-ranked Class 4A team, visiting Franklin Parish.

“What he gets, he deserves. We gotta get him the football, and he can make things happen.”

Understatement. Huglon, a senior defensive back and wide receiver, wasn’t a one-man wrecking crew, but what he did triggered the Class 2A Cavs’ upset at Jerry Barker Field, on a night when Calvary dedicated its sparkling Helen Barker Fieldhouse.

He got things going with a 56-yard touchdown catch from sophomore Hudson Price moments after the opening kickoff. They combined again late in the first period on an 8-yarder for a 13-0 lead.

And when Franklin Parish drove 12 plays to the Calvary 8 ending the first half, poised to cut into a 16-0 deficit, there was Huglon with his biggest splash, a 100-yard pick six, weaving from three yards deep in the end zone, flowing past Patriots, untouched, as the halftime horn sounded.

That 23-0 lead grew to 30-6 early in the second half.  Franklin Parish rose up, even more so than Calvary expected, and twice closed within one score, at 30-24 and then with six minutes left, 33-30.

That’s when Price, bowling ball fullback Z’Ryan Miles and a reconstructed offensive line did what it took, mounting a 10-play drive that wiped out all but the last 1:26 and left Franklin Parish at its own 20. The Cavaliers’ defense kept the pressure on Patriots quarterback Dezrian Ellis and the visitors from Winnsboro got no further than their own 32.

“This is a huge one for us. It means a bunch,” said Guin, whose team had been manhandled at 5A power Neville, 38-14, a week earlier, and was coping with injuries that made a young offensive front a younger, unsteady offensive front.

“We just don’t have bodies up there,” said Guin. “But they battled tonight.”

Said senior O-line stalwart Hunter Davis: “A bunch of people got hurt, so we had to move a lot of people around, and it was pretty rough the first two weeks. But we stepped up big time this week, and came out here and dominated.”

Calvary (2-1, sixth in the Class 2A state top 10 poll) handled the heat and got a win that might well define the rest of this season.

“Our team grew up tonight,” said Huglon. “Our quarterback, he’s just a sophomore, and he grew up tonight. The line played very well tonight.”

“I didn’t get sacked a single time,” said Price. “I didn’t get tackled a single time. They were great.”

Steering the Cavs to their first big win without Wardell guiding the offense, Price completed 17 of 23 for 181 yards, albeit with two interceptions, one run back for a touchdown. But the final score was all that mattered.

“I’ve been waiting for this since I came here, in the fifth grade,” he said. “I dreamed of being the quarterback here, and finally it came true.”

Two pivotal factors, said Guin, were kicker Ty Knight and the Cavs’ defense. Knight nailed field goals of 34 and 30 yards, the second one boosting the lead to 33-24 with 11:02 to go. After the Patriots answered to draw within three, they got nowhere with the game on the line at the end.

“The kicker was huge for us. That’s the difference in the game, that we had two field goals.

“I thought we tackled well tonight, especially in space. You give up 30 points, somebody would think you didn’t play good defense, but we really did,” said Guin.

Patriots coach Adrian Burnette knew what his explosive team was getting into, although they weren’t going to face so many of last season’s prime time performers who were shocked at Winnsboro 32-28 a year ago.

“I don’t give a damn what people say, at the end of the day you’ve got teams and you’ve got programs. Teams live for the year, programs live for decades, and that’s what Calvary Baptist is,” he said. “They’re a great program. You got what you’re supposed to get tonight.”

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports

Loyola sophomore wide receiver Charlie McKenzie has been feeling a little left out lately.

As part of the Flyers’ four-man wide receiving corps that came into Friday’s contest with a total of 30 catches, McKenzie led the group with 11 receptions through two games. But there was one place where he had been left out – the end zone.

The other three receivers had all scored touchdowns in the first two weeks, but McKenzie had yet to make it across the goal line.

“I’ve just been waiting to get into the end zone,” McKenzie said.

He didn’t have to wait long, nor did the entire Loyola offense, in a 64-13 rout of Cedar Creek at Messmer Stadium.

Late in the first quarter, after the Flyers had already scored on their first three possessions, McKenzie finally got a chance to ring the bell. He started the drive with a 24-yard reception and followed that two plays later when he caught a quick slant, made two nice moves, and walked into the zone.

Paydirt. Finally.

“It was awesome,” McKenzie said. “Coming into that drive, coach (John) Sella said we are going to get me one and I just went out and made a play.”

He liked that feeling so much that he followed it up the Loyola’s next possession with a 24-yard touchdown reception as part of a night in which he caught four passes for 84 yards.

No one got left out as the Flyers basically had a Homecoming celebration in the end zone as the other members of the receiving group – senior Jake Black, junior Brock Geter and sophomore Ty Walsworth – also caught touchdown passes. Walsworth had four catches for 136 yards.

It may be the best wide receiver group the Flyers have even had. Black and Geter return as starters from last year after they combined for 84 catches and have added Walsworth as a transfer and McKenzie, who was sidelined most of his freshman season after suffering a leg injury as a kick returner.

As Loyola concludes its non-district schedule at 3-0, the foursome has 44 catches for 722 yards and 10 touchdowns.

“It’s an awesome group,” McKenzie said. “We spread it around and share the ball. Nobody feels like they have to get all the yards or receptions because we’ve got four guys who can do it. We just feed off each other.”

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have a quarterback who has already gone over the career 3,000-yard mark throwing to them. Junior Bryce Restovich had a career-high 325 passing yards as part of a five-touchdown night.

Restovich completed 14 of 17 passes and was one incompletion away from setting the school record for single-game passing efficiency. Early in his junior year, he is already closing in on the school record for career touchdown passes (59).

The Flyers did a lot of the same things against the Cougars that they have done all year. One of those is seeing Mason Drake score touchdowns, as the senior running back upped his season total to eight with his second three-touchdown performances of the year.

Loyola’s defense also came up with four turnovers, raising the season total to 11.

The 166 points scored by Loyola is the most ever through three games in a season. The Flyers will attempt to get to 4-0 for the first time since 2019 when the open District 1-4A play against Southwood (2-0) Thursday at Independence Stadium.

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

By MATT VINES, Journal Sports

Football fans can generally get a sense and feel for a game in the first quarter or so, but crazy twists and turns highlighted Week 3 page turners.

Evangel and Byrd entered Week 3 on two wildly different trajectories.

The Eagles (now 2-1) were one point from being undefeated but established themselves as a Class 5A deep playoff contender with their play in that loss, 33-32 in Week 1 at state power Neville.

The Yellow Jackets (now 0-3) were reeling after one blowout loss and a heartbreaker to Haughton.

Evangel dumped the first 22 points of the game and appeared to be cruising at 29-7. But Byrd’s methodical Wing-T rushing attack took hold and the Jackets closed to 29-26.

Evangel made the necessary plays to hang on, 43-36, overcoming Byrd’s more than 400 rushing yards (Christian Maxie’s  230 set the pace, and he scored three times) with more than 600 offensive yards of its own — with a huge night by quarterback Peyton “Pop” Houston (225 rushing, including an 80-yard scoring run and another TD; 334 passing on 18 of 31 aim and three more scores)

Up at Northwood, a back-and-forth battle of 2-0 teams turned into a blowout.

Mansfield led the Falcons 20-13 as Friday’s night fight looked like it would go the distance.

And Northwood hit the gas and left the Wolverines in the dust in a 62-26 victory. Northwood scored 49 of the last 55 points.

Mansfield proved that no lead is safe after clawing back from a 35-point deficit to beat Minden in the opener, but Northwood running backs Kyran Johnson and John Sneed both scored a pair of touchdowns to stymie any Mansfield comeback thoughts.

Calvary Baptist (3-0) roared out to a 23-point lead against Class 4A power Franklin Parish headlined by a 100-yard interception return from Braylun Huglon to end the first half.

But the Patriots roared to life after halftime, scoring 30 of the next 40 points.

Calvary clung to the lead in a 33-30 win, exacting revenge for a Franklin Parish win that rocketed the Patriots to state notoriety in 2024.

While Captain Shreve mounted a game-ending surge, it might not qualify as a “wild swing.” The Gators scored three of the final four touchdowns in a tough 42-36 win at Natchitoches Central.

The Chiefs led for nearly three quarters and tied the game again for part of the fourth before Captain Shreve’s Shawn Devers (7 catches, 138 yards) snatched the lead for good on a 50-yard bomb from Jackson Gaskin with 3:46 to go.

Jamarcea Plater ran for 121 yards on 15 carries and scored three TDs (22, 10 and 3 yards) and also threw a two-point conversion pass to Devers.

Former team wins ‘Dennis Bowl’

Stephen Dennis built Huntington into a District 1-4A force before leading the Raiders to a successful first season in District 1-5A in 2024.

Dennis crossed the Red River to coach Benton High this season, and his old and new teams collided in a classic 59-57 Huntington win Friday. It was 32-29 Raiders at halftime.

Veteran college assistant John Simon secured his first victory as Huntington’s coach as the Raiders (1-2) ran for 227 yards and got a huge game from quarterback Justin Whitaker. He threw for 376 yards on 20 of 28 aim with no interceptions, and accounted for five total touchdowns, four passing.

Benton and Dennis are still looking for their first victory together as they fell to 0-3 despite 253 yards rushing (138 by Greg Chambers, who scored three times) and 345 total yards (278 passing) by Malachi Zeigler, who threw three TD passes and ran for another score. Case Austin was the Tigers’ top target with 122 yards on three catches, two (71, 18 yards) for touchdowns.

Different kind of streak

What do you do when you snap the state’s longest winning streak at 46 games?

Start a different kind of winning streak, of course.

First-year Southwood head coach De’Aumante Johnson has won his first two games with the Cowboys (2-0), a 16-15 nailbiter over Arcadia and now a 50-28 whipping of North Caddo.

They’ll be heavy dogs against a legit Loyola Prep (3-0) bunch this week, but hey, two straight wins after 46 consecutive losses has to feel pretty good.

King of the North

While Loyola (3-0) might have something to say this year, traditionally District 1-4A has been decided by the winner of Northwood (3-0) and North DeSoto (3-0).

Those undefeated teams square off in Week 4 to begin district play, and both teams are coming in on heaters.

North DeSoto has pummeled its opponents up front in wins over tough guys Union Parish (46-3), Center (49-20), and on Friday, winning in comeback fashion at West Monroe (39-28).

Northwood has also thumped its opponents, although the Falcons’ competition doesn’t stand up to the Griffins’ slate so far.

But the Falcons have dominated just the same, topping Benton (49-16), Peabody (61-13), and Mansfield (62-26).

North DeSoto has won the last two meetings (and those district titles), while Northwood captured the previous two meetings along with district titles.

Soul Bowl surprise

Previously winless Green Oaks followed quarterback Javontaye Dean, who threw for three scores as the Giants opened a 24-0 lead and stunned 2-0 Booker T. Washington 38-16 in the 52^nd annual Soul Bowl Saturday.

Green Oaks erupted for 32 second-half points as new coach Nick Peoples notched a memorable first career win as  Dean finished with 5 TDs (4 passing).

Message from a Hall of Famer

No, Plain Dealing hasn’t stopped its state-long losing streak as it stretched to 37 in a row Friday with a 52-0 loss to Lakeside.

But the Lions did receive a video message from Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive lineman Willie Roaf  on Friday, encouraging the guys to keep fighting and that “tough times don’t last, tough people do.”

New head coach Jerry Byrd played with Roaf at Louisiana Tech, and even though Plain Dealing is 0-2, there’s no question the culture has changed up in north Bossier, and don’t be shocked when the win column number will too.

Contact Matt at sports@journalservicesllc.com

JOURNAL SPORTS

It’s apparent which four Shreveport-Bossier teams have been most impressive through the first three weeks of the high school football season, but it’s tough to separate the middle of the pack.

Among the 19 local squads, 12 got voting support this weekend from the Shreveport-Bossier Journal Top 10 panelists.

Unbeatens Airline and Parkway were overwhelming picks for the top two slots. Northwood, which has dominated its first three foes like Parkway has, and Evangel are the other two upper-echelon picks in the SBJ poll.

Close behind are unbeaten Loyola, which has clubbed three Class A foes, and Calvary, whipped in Week 2 at Neville but coming off an impressive upset of Class 4A state title contender Franklin Parish.

Captain Shreve is in the neighborhood of a top five ranking thanks to an offense that has come to life in the last two weeks.

After that, the other five teams getting votes in this week’s poll are closely packed.

Week 4 games should provide some separation. For the moment, speculation is plenty of fun.

This week’s SBJ Top 10:

1. Airline (3-0), 4 points
2. Parkway (3-0), 9
3. Northwood (3-0), 13
4. Evangel (2-1), 14
5. (tie) Loyola (3-0), 22

Calvary (2-1), 22

1. Captain Shreve (2-1), 28
2. Woodlawn (2-1), 36
3. (tie) Southwood (2-0), 37

Booker T. Washington (2-1), 37

Also receiving votes:  Green Oaks (1-2), 39; Huntington (1-2), 39.

BATON ROUGE – LSU did what it was supposed to do Saturday night in Tiger Stadium against a vastly overmatched Southland Conference opponent.

It dominated Southeastern Louisiana, which was happy to collect a $750,000 guarantee for a 96-mile round-trip bus ride.

If you’re going to get hammered 56-10, at least make it financially worth your while (virtually no travel expenses) and convenient.

What did the 4-0 Tigers glean from the glorified scrimmage?

Defensively, it learned that it has a group of veteran headhunters who approach every opponent with equal respect, preparation, and effort.

LSU’s starting defense played the first seven series of the game (exiting after the first SLU series in the third quarter). It held the Lions to no points and 51 yards, including just five rushing yards.

“This was a big day for them,” LSU head coach Brian Kelly said of his defense. “They knew they could let their guard down, and if they did, it would be seen. They did not. They were mature about the way they practiced this week. And you can see it on the field.”

The Tigers were minus linebacker West Weeks, who sat out mending an ankle injury.

But younger brother Whit Weeks, free from last week’s almost game-long suspension vs. Florida for targeting, was back flying all over the field.

“I’m excited about the way we played,” Whit said. “I’m excited with the way Coach (Blake) Baker dialed us up.”

Baker, in his second season as defensive coordinator, is giddy that the massive transfer portal acquisitions LSU acquired in the off-season have allowed him to open his entire playbook of schemes, blitzes, and deception.

He now has a disruptive D-line connected through playmaking linebackers to a secondary full of swaggy ballers who rarely are out of position and don’t miss tackles.

Because last season Baker’s defense had nowhere near the talent level of this year’s group. It limited his playcalling.

What’s unfortunate for the Tigers is that the progression of their defense from last season is matched by a stunning, unexpected offensive regression.

LSU dropped from No. 3 to No. 4 in both the AP and Coaches polls on Sunday after its 46-point win. While the polls are no big deal, the Tigers in reality should be ranked around No. 10.

Why?

Because while their offense rolled up 530 yards against the Lions, there are still numerous concerns, especially with SEC offensive juggernauts (Ole Miss, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M and Alabama) dead ahead on LSU’s schedule.

Starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier’s “mystery” upper torso injury, revealed last Monday by Kelly, has resulted in conservative playcalling by offensive coordinator Joe Sloan.

Nussmeier completed 25 of 31 (with at least three dropped passes) for 273 yards and three TDs in his seven possessions against SLU.

“I’m not gonna answer any questions on the torso or the injury or anything like that right now,” said Nussmeier, who matured into the cliché-riddled veteran hellbent on not providing remotely insightful answers to any questions he’s asked. “It was a big night for us, just building the chemistry.”

Which is worrisome. Because one-fourth through a 12-game regular season, LSU’s offense is still trying to build chemistry.

It has an offensive line that couldn’t even dominate a Football Championship Subdivision defensive line to establish a viable run game. And even though Kelly and Nussmeier claim the QB1 injury is healing, he still can’t rip the ball deep downfield.

LSU’s lack of big-play ability might be revealed this Saturday at Ole Miss or in the coming weeks.

The Tigers have made 27 big plays – 16 runs of 10 yards or longer and 11 passes of 20 yards or more. Ole Miss has 50 big plays with 25 runs of 10 yards or longer and 25 passes of 20 yards or more.

Every remaining opponent on LSU’s schedule probably thinks the Tigers’ offense has been sandbagging.

It hasn’t.

And unless the offense gets substantially more explosive in a hurry, LSU’s defense will have to play out of its collective mind for the Tigers to earn a College Football Playoff berth.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

JOURNAL SPORTS

RUSTON — Louisiana Tech rode a dominant first half and a game-changing defensive score to knock off rival Southern Miss, 30-20, in the Bulldogs’ 16^th annual “Red Out Game” Saturday night inside Origin Bank Field at Joe Aillet Stadium.

Tech (3-1) posted all 30 of its points in the first half, building a 20-point lead. That was all the scoring the red-clad Bulldogs needed as the defense limited USM (2-2) to just two scores in the second stanza to win the renewed rivalry that dates to 1935. Next year, the teams meet as Sun Belt Conference foes when Tech moves over from Conference USA.

“Our players did a great job of starting this game fast, and I think being able to stack consistent performances-we’ve been able to do that since week one, two three and four,” said Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie. “There’s been some glaring improvements, but there’s also some glaring things we must clean up. But I was just proud of our football team.”

The ‘Dogs came out firing in the opening quarter. Following a 3-and-out by the defense, Tech marched 74 yards in just two plays to grab the early lead on a one-yard keeper by quarterback Blake Baker. Setting up the easy score was a 73-yard catch-and-run by tight end Eli Finley who was wide open over the middle.

“There’s always a lot at stake every week,” said Finley, who finished with a career-high six catches for a career-high 155 yards. “No one week is more important than the other, so we had that mindset coming into the week, attacking every practice. Every time we get on that field there’s one outcome that we want, and that’s to win. So, that’s how we attack every week.”

After the Golden Eagles quickly answered,  Drew Henderson booted a 24-yard field goal and Omiri Wiggins added a three-yard touchdown run to send the Bulldogs in front, 17-10, after one.

The second quarter proved decisive. Linebacker Kolbe Fields jumped a route and returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown to give Tech a two-score cushion.

“All throughout the week we go to film study, and you usually get the same things from offenses week to week because they are who they are,” said Fields. “Our safeties coach, Coach [Sam] Carter, he said anytime the back motions away they’ll screen on the back side, so I just trusted it. They ran it on the second play of the game, and I tackled it, but you can’t ever be satisfied with a tackle when you can go make a bigger play.”

Just before halftime, Clay Thevenin powered in from a yard out to cap a 14-play, 80-yard drive, sending the Bulldogs into the locker room with a commanding 30-10 lead.

USM controlled much of the second half statistically – finishing with 514 total yards compared to Tech’s 340 – but the Bulldogs’ defense bent without breaking. The Golden Eagles were stuffed on a goal-line stand in the third quarter and managed just a field goal and a late touchdown, never fully erasing the early deficit.

Baker finished an efficient 15-of-21 through the air for 239 yards and 29 yards on the ground. Finley led all receivers with six catches for a career-high 155 yards. Wiggins paced the ground attack with 49 rushing yards.

“I think it was a complete win, and when I say that: the offense, defense and special teams all took turns making plays,” said Cumbie. “Really making plays together at times in the first half where we played well on all three sides of the ball. And I think in other parts of the second half our guys, whether it was the defense picking up the offense.”

Defensively, Fields anchored the effort with nine tackles and the pick-six, while Mekhi Mason and Sifa Leota each added seven tackles. The linebacker trio also combined for two tackles-for-loss, three pass breakups, and two quarterback hurries.

By T. SCOTT BOATRIGHT, Lincoln Parish Journal

GRAMBLING — For a second straight week, the Grambling State University football team played a barnburner that went down to the very end.

And for a second straight week, the Tigers won.

On Saturday, one week after scoring in the final minute to force overtime, the Tigers again found themselves trailing with under two minutes remaining,

And for a second straight week, GSU’s defense sealed the deal, lifting the Tigers to a 31-28 home win over Southland Conference member East Texas A&M.

Last week it was an overtime scoop-and-score that made the Tigers winners.

This time it was a defensive stop that forced the Lions into a 49-yard field goal attempt that sailed wide left with 20 seconds remaining.

“I want to take my hat off to my coaches and players for fighting,” Grambling coach Mickey Joseph said after his team rose to 3-1. “We say don’t look at the scoreboard, just keep fighting until the scoreboard says zeroes.

The Lions (1-3) controlled much of the first half, building a 14-0 lead before Marquel Linzer picked off a pass at the Lions’ 18-yard line with 1:25 left on the second quarter clock.

Three plays later GSU quarterback C’zavian Teasett fired an 11-yard scoring strike to tight end Codavis Knighten with 59 seconds left in the half and cut East Texas A&M’s halftime advantage to seven.

Grambling tied it early in the third quarter thanks to a ball snapped over the head of the punter, who kicked it out of the back of the end zone. After a referees’ conference, East Texas was flagged for an illegal kick, marking the ball half the distance from the original spot, which was the 2, giving the Tigers a first-and-goal at the 1-yard line.

It took four downs, but Teasett got across from the 1 to tie the game at 14 at the 11:10 mark of the third quarter.

The teams then traded touchdowns on their ensuing offensive drives — the Lions scoring on a 26-yard pass before Eaton burst up the middle and raced 54 yards to tie the game at 21 with 5:10 left in the third.

The Lions moved back on top via a 6-yard touchdown run with 13:24 left in the contest. GSU kicker Theodore Caballero booted a 41-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 28-24 with 10:54 remaining.

With the clock winding down, Teasett directed a 77-yard drive culminating with a 1-yard TD dash to the right side that put the Tigers on top 31-28 with 1:56 remaining.

The visitors drove as deep as the 35-yard line before Grambling’s defense stymied the Lions and forced them into a 49-yard field goal try on a fourth-and-10 with 22 seconds remaining. It floated wide left and the Tigers were winners again.

“We’re on the right side (of the scoreboard) again,” Joseph said. “I know there’s a lot of people out there that don’t like how we’re winning. But we don’t care. Either you’re 100 percent with us, or you’re not with us at all. All that fake support, we don’t need it. Stay away from us. That’s bad energy. We’re teaching our kids and coaches to fight ’til the end.”

Teasett finished 14-of-26 passing for 179 yards and a score while adding 13 yards and another touchdown on the ground.

Eaton led the Tigers with 69 rushing yards on six carries while George Tyson led GSU in receptions with three for 59 yards.

Defensively, Grambling was led by Jamal Jordan with eight tackles while Bryce Cage added seven.

Next up for the Tigers will be a 6 p.m. Southwestern Athletic Conference game next Saturday against Prairie View A&M at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

Contact Scott at tscottboatright@gmail.com

By JASON PUGH, Northwestern State Sports Information Director

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – Northwestern State and Prairie View A&M have played two football games against one another following Saturday night’s matchup with both going down to the wire.

In this year’s edition, the visiting Demons came up just short of their first road victory, falling 27-24 to the homestanding Panthers, who relied on a powerful running game to build the lead and then salt away the victory.

Prairie View (2-2) rushed for 346 yards – including topping the 100-yard mark in the first and fourth quarters. The final 46 of those yards came as the Panthers ran the final 4:08 off the clock.

“We didn’t play well enough to win,” second-year Northwestern coach Blaine McCorkle said. “We didn’t take advantage of opportunities when they were there. We didn’t play complementary football. The offense would make a play, and the defense wouldn’t back it up. Then the defense would make a play, and the offense wouldn’t back it up. We didn’t do the things we needed to do to give ourselves an opportunity to win tonight, and that’s very disappointing.”

In a second half where momentum ping-ponged between sidelines, the Demons (1-3) could not fully take advantage of the opportunities provided by the Panthers.

Down 20-17 early in the fourth quarter, Northwestern cornerback Caesar Magee III corralled his second turnover of the day, recovering a Jyzaiah Rockwell fumble at the Prairie View 36-yard line. One play later, the Demons gave the ball back as a double pass turned into an interception that Prairie View’s Travor Randle returned to the Panther 46-yard line.

That swing in momentum hearkened back to the second quarter where Northwestern had a chance to put more pressure on the Panthers.

Under heavy pressure, Prairie View quarterback Tevin Carter’s pass on a first-and-25 was intercepted by Magee along the right sideline near midfield. A roughing the passer penalty negated the interception, and the Panthers quickly took advantage.

Six plays later, Lamagea McDowell’s 1-yard touchdown run gave the Panthers a 17-10 halftime lead.

Magee cut short the Panthers’ first drive of the second half with an interception in the end zone – the Demons’ fourth end-zone pick of the season – before Northwestern’s defense delivered back-to-back stops that were sandwiched around a lost fumble on a punt return.

Much like Northwestern’s first scoring drive, the Demons’ first score of the second half was built on explosive plays.

After forcing a turnover on downs at the Demon 33, Myion Hicks started the quick-strike drive with a 35-yard run before quarterback Abram Johnston scrambled for a 29-yard, game-tying touchdown run.

A three-and-out ahead of the first-play interception followed for the Demon offense while Prairie View built a 27-17 lead.

“Consistency was the key,” McCorkle said. “That’s part of being really, really tired and really, really young. When you’re really tired and really young, those things are going to happen. We have to learn how to put together a complete game. This bye week will help us heal up and learn a little bit.”

Down 10 midway through the fourth quarter, Johnston bounced back from a late hit to the head that forced him to the sidelines for one play and hit Ben Buisson for a 44-yard, catch-and-run touchdown that cut the margin to three. Buisson’s first career touchdown grab came with the Demons facing a third-and-15 from the Prairie View 44.

Johnston finished the game 12 for 19 for 156 yards and two touchdowns – including a 21-yarder to Camryn Davis to open the scoring in the first quarter. In addition to his first multi-touchdown passing game, Johnston led the Demons with 71 rushing yards and a touchdown.

He became the first Demon to account for three touchdowns in a game since Zachary Clement threw for four touchdowns in a Nov. 5, 2022, win at then-Texas A&M-Commerce.

“Abram’s one of the toughest guys on our team, and he’s just a freshman,” McCorkle said. “We’re going to look up before we know it, and he’ll be lighting up this league. He’s tough. We showed in moments tonight what we’re capable of.”

The Demons will take their open week next week before returning to host East Texas A&M on Oct. 4, beginning Southland Conference play.

Contact Jason at pughj@nsula.edu

JOURNAL SPORTS

Moving the ball wasn’t the problem Saturday night for the Centenary football team as the Gents made their official homefield debut at Atkins Field.

Stopping East Texas Baptist was – along with not being able to convert 503 passing yards into more scoring in a 50-33 non-conference loss.

Centenary (0-2) gave up 29 first-half points to the visiting Lions (3-0), but closed within 29-19 by scoring a touchdown with one second to go.

ETBU posted another 21 points afterward and the Gents could only answer with seven until getting into the end zone for the last time with 22 seconds left.

Vance Feuerbacher was 28-46 for 503 yards passing including each of Centenary’s touchdowns.

It was something of a forward step for the second-year Gents’ program, which was shelled 47-8 at ETBU last season.

Natchitoches-based company selected to manage pharmacy benefits for Louisiana state employees, showcasing the strength of Louisiana’s healthcare innovation sector

In a significant win for North Louisiana’s business community, Liviniti, the innovative pharmacy benefit management company headquartered in Natchitoches, has secured a substantial $390 million contract with the state of Louisiana. The Louisiana Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget approved the emergency contract this week, positioning Liviniti to manage pharmacy benefits for the state’s commercial employee health plan.

The contract represents a major milestone for the company that has been pioneering transparent pharmacy benefit management since its founding in 2011 as Southern Scripts. Liviniti’s selection from a competitive field demonstrates both the company’s operational excellence and Louisiana’s growing reputation as a hub for healthcare innovation.

A Homegrown Success Story

Liviniti’s journey from a regional startup to a state contractor exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit thriving in Louisiana’s business landscape. Co-founded by CEO LeAnn Boyd and Executive Vice President Steven T. Boyd, PharmD, the company was built on principles of transparency, affordability, and quality service, consistently challenging traditional industry practices while building a reputation for delivering measurable value to clients.

Steven T. Boyd brings two decades of experience as a clinical pharmacist across academia, independent pharmacy, and managed care. He was recognized with the 2024 Gold Globee® Disruptive Entrepreneur Award for his efforts to make prescription drugs more affordable and accessible, and was named Louisiana Pharmacy Association’s 2006 Distinguished Young Pharmacist of the Year and 2011 Pharmacist of the Year.

LeAnn Boyd founded the company in 2011, recognizing an opportunity to create a new kind of PBM built on complete transparency. Her contributions have been recognized throughout the healthcare industry with a Modern Healthcare Women Leader Award (2024), an MM+M Pinnacle Award (2024), and selection for the Inc. 2025 Female Founders 500, recognizing the most dynamic women entrepreneurs in America.

The Natchitoches-based firm has built its success on what it calls a “completely transparent, pass-through PBM pricing model,” ensuring clients receive full rebate transparency and access to claims systems. This innovative approach has gained national attention and positioned Louisiana as a leader in healthcare benefit management reform.

Economic Impact for North Louisiana

The $390 million contract brings significant economic opportunities to the North Louisiana region. As Liviniti manages pharmacy benefits for thousands of state and local government employees, the company will likely expand its workforce and operations, creating additional high-skilled jobs in the Natchitoches area.

The contract also demonstrates the state’s confidence in homegrown businesses, keeping substantial healthcare dollars within Louisiana’s economy rather than flowing to out-of-state corporations. This “Louisiana First” approach strengthens the state’s business ecosystem and showcases the quality of services available from in-state providers.

Innovation Meets Public Service

Liviniti’s selection highlights the company’s technological capabilities and commitment to innovation. The firm recently achieved HITRUST certification for information security and has been recognized with technology awards for its data visualization and business intelligence capabilities.

The company’s cloud-based data warehouse provides real-time analytics and reporting, offering unprecedented visibility into drug spending, utilization trends, and cost-saving opportunities. This level of technological sophistication ensures Louisiana state employees will benefit from cutting-edge pharmacy benefit management.

Commitment to Quality Service

Unlike many large PBM companies that rely on automated systems and overseas call centers, Liviniti has built its reputation on high-touch, personal service. The company’s U.S.-based customer service team operates 24/7/365, ensuring state employees receive prompt, knowledgeable support when they need it most.

This service-first approach, combined with the company’s transparent pricing model, addresses many of the concerns that have historically plagued the PBM industry. Louisiana’s selection of Liviniti signals a preference for accountability and transparency in healthcare benefit management.

Looking Forward

As Liviniti prepares to implement services for Louisiana state employees, the contract positions the company for continued growth and expansion. The state contract serves as a powerful reference for other potential clients, demonstrating Liviniti’s ability to manage large-scale, complex pharmacy benefit programs.

For Louisiana, the partnership represents more than just a business transaction—it’s an investment in the state’s healthcare infrastructure and a vote of confidence in Louisiana-based innovation. As healthcare costs continue to challenge employers nationwide, Liviniti’s transparent approach offers a promising model for sustainable, cost-effective pharmacy benefit management.

The success of this North Louisiana company on the state stage reinforces Louisiana’s position as an attractive destination for healthcare innovation and demonstrates the quality of business talent developing throughout the state. From Natchitoches to Baton Rouge, Louisiana continues to prove that homegrown companies can compete and win against national competitors through innovation, service excellence, and commitment to transparency.

Liviniti’s $390 million contract with Louisiana represents one of the largest business wins for a North Louisiana company in recent years, highlighting the region’s growing prominence in the healthcare services sector.

411 Bienville St
Natchitoches, LA 71457
Phone: (318) 214-4764
Email: solutions@liviniti.com

Courtesy of the North Louisiana Business Journal

The Shreveport Police Department’s Vice Unit continues to focus on addressing prostitution and human trafficking in our city, with concentrated enforcement in the Monkhouse Drive corridor. On September 17, 2025, Vice officers conducted an operation that resulted in multiple arrests:

• Cathlina Cummings was taken into custody for prostitution and narcotics-related offenses.

• Angela Dupont was also arrested for prostitution and was discovered to have an outstanding warrant for theft.

These arrests are part of an ongoing initiative aimed at disrupting illegal activity, reducing the presence of prostitution, and preventing human trafficking in Shreveport. Vice investigators work hand-in-hand with other divisions of the department as well as community stakeholders to address the root causes of these crimes and provide resources for victims who may be exploited.

Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith emphasized that these enforcement efforts are not only about making arrests but also about restoring confidence and order in the Monkhouse area. “Our goal is to clean up this corridor and make it a safer place for everyone. That means removing criminal elements, but also partnering with organizations that can help individuals escape cycles of addiction and exploitation,” Chief Smith said.

The Shreveport Police Department remains committed to coordinated efforts with the City of Shreveport and community partners to reduce crime and create a safer environment across the city. Residents are encouraged to report suspicious or illegal activity by calling Shreveport Police at 318-673-7300 or contacting Caddo Crime Stoppers at 318-673-7373.

Haughton and Parkway High Schools have plenty in common – Sligo Road, a school district border and both have red as the dominant color – but they also share something else.

A heartbeat that lives with both head coaches.

Before Thursday’s game started, Haughton coach Matthew Sewell couldn’t help but reminisce on being at Preston Crownover Stadium once again. “Something about it …” the Bucs coach said.

He’s a graduate of Haughton and began his coaching career there, but it was at Parkway where things began to happen. It happened because of Parkway coach Coy Brotherton, another Haughton graduate, who brought Sewell over to the Panthers when he became their head coach.

These two share Haughton High and they also share Parkway High.

“It’s a game I grew up watching,” Sewell said. “I have great memories being involved in this game as a kid growing up and as a coach on both sides.”

This one won’t go down a great memory for Sewell and the Bucs (1-2, 1-1) as Parkway (3-0, 1-0) rolled to a 66-21 win in a District 1-5A matchup.

It’s easy to make enemies in the high school coaching ranks. A lot of feelings get displayed on coaches’ sleeves on Friday nights. Some coaches you can tolerate, others not so much.

But this is different.

“We hang out together,” Brotherton said. “We talk every day and are close friends. But in this situation, you have to do what you have to do for your team.”

When Brotherton’s older brother Jason was coaching Haughton, Coy would always insist it was his least favorite game to play. Once Jason retired, playing Haughton is still Brotherton’s least favorite game.

“I try not to think about coaching against him, but I do,” Brotherton said. “It’s tough to see them try to make plays and not be able to. But I’d rather play against anybody else and day of the week. I wish we never played them.”

“It’s fun coaching against him,” Sewell said. “But sometimes it’s not. We want them to do good and they want us to do good. But only one of us can win.”

Wednesday night — 24 hours before their teams did battle – they had dinner together. They take vacations together. If they go a few days without talking to each other, there’s probably going to be a call to the authorities for a welfare check.

When Haughton scored on a 68-yard pass to Brandon Craig on the third play of the game, it gave the Bucs a quick ray of hope.

For 93 seconds.

Parkway scored and scored and scored and scored — and then the second quarter stated. Not only did the Panthers score touchdowns,

they pretty much exhausted their two-point play repertoire in the process, going three-for-three to start the game.

The Panthers even scored on defense when linebacker Mark Copenhaver lived up to his jersey number with a 31-yard pick-6 to end the first quarter and a 38-7 Parkway lead.

To the Bucs’ credit, they didn’t lay down so that they could get home in time to study for a Friday Algebra II test. While staring a potential running clock situation in the second half, Haughton got a score on a 12-yard pass from Taylor Weathersby to Ethan Johnson with two seconds remaining before halftime to score its 21^st point.

That’s a nice half, until you consider that Parkway already had 52 points.

The running clock did eventually make an appearance with 5:26 left in their third quarter, otherwise the game might still be going on. At that point, it basically became a JV game.

“They are a really good team and they looked awesome tonight,” Sewell said. “But we’ve got some guys with some fight and weren’t going to lay down.”

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

JOURNAL SPORTS

Three District 1-5A contests, two battles pairing 2-0 teams, a matchup of state top 10 squads and the 52^nd annual Soul Bowl between unbeaten Booker T. Washington and Green Oaks on Saturday are among highlights of the Week 3 local high school football slate.

It started with a bang in Bossier City Thursday night as Parkway roared to 3-0 and opened its 1-5A campaign by blasting Haughton 66-21.

The Panthers answered a quick Buccaneers touchdown on the game’s third play with 38 first-quarter points.  Parkway senior Kaleb Williams delivered four touchdown passes.

Tonight, the 1-5A competition locally pits the explosive Evangel Eagles (1-1, 1-0) against Byrd (0-2, 0-1) at Lee Hedges Stadium, and matches winless teams at Independence Stadium. Benton, led by former Huntington coach Stephen Dennis, takes on the Raiders.

ECA will play its first game since junior quarterback Peyton “Pop” Houston announced his commitment to LSU. Houston has thrown for 664 yards and five scores, and has run for 189 more and a pair of TDs. Linebacker/fullback Damari Drake has 312 rushing yards and five scores already.

In Natchitoches, the potent Captain Shreve offense will be spearheaded by running backs Jamarcea Plater and Gabe Lockett, who both have 224 rushing yards in a 1-1 start. The Gator defense will try to contain Chiefs’ quarterback Owen Smith and an offense that has scored over 40 points in both games so far.

Northwood hosts Mansfield and Loyola welcomes Cedar Creek with all four teams off to 2-0 starts.

Calvary Baptist, ranked sixth in Class 2A, is home for the first time and plays a Monroe-area opponent for the third straight week. It’s a tough assignment: Franklin Parish is top-ranked in the LSWA’s Class 4A Top 10.

The schedule concludes with the only Saturday game of the season, the annual battle between BTW and Green Oaks for Soul Bowl supremacy.

Week 3 games involving Shreveport-Bossier teams:

THURSDAY’S SCORE

Parkway 66, Haughton 21

TONIGHT’S GAMES

Evangel (1-1, 1-0) at Byrd (0-2, 0-1), Lee Hedges Stadium

Benton (0-2, 0-1) at Huntington (0-2, 0-1), Independence Stadium

Captain Shreve (1-1, 1-0) at Natchitoches Central (1-1, 0-1), Turpin Stadium

Airline (2-0) at Union Parish (0-2)

Bossier (2-0) at Logansport (0-2)

Cedar Creek (2-0) at Loyola (2-0)

Mansfield (2-0) at Northwood (2-0)

Woodlawn (1-1) at Lakeview (0-2)

Southwood (1-0) at North Caddo (0-2)

Franklin Parish (2-0) at Calvary (1-1)

Lakeside (1-1) at Plain Dealing (0-1)

Magnolia School of Excellence (0-2), open

SATURDAY

Green Oaks (0-2) at Booker T. Washington (2-0) – 5 p.m. kickoff

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – LSU is unbeaten after three games, ranked No. 3 nationally, and very few people believe it has the goods to get to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

The Tigers’ defense is ranked in the top 15 nationally in six stat categories.

The LSU offense is ranked 93^rd or worse among the 134 FBS schools in five stat categories.

Heading into Saturday’s 6:45 p.m. non-conference game here against Southeastern Louisiana, the Tigers’ offensive ineptness is puzzling, and it’s the opposite of what the obvious reasons for the defense’s success would suggest.

Which makes, as crazy as it sounds, it necessary that LSU needs to cover the spread as a 39-½ point favorite vs. FCS member SLU (2-1) if the offense wants to be viewed favorably.

If LSU wants to gain any offensive confidence heading into six straight SEC opponents (four are ranked) in the next eight weeks, it has to start fast and finish faster vs. the Lions.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly, who erred on the side of conservative offensive playcalling while his defense intercepted five passes in last Saturday’s 20-10 SEC opening win over Florida in Tiger Stadium, seemed more optimistic about offensive improvement this week.

Kelly revealed in his Monday press conference that senior starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has been dealing with a torso injury. But on Thursday, Kelly had a more positive update.

“We had to limit a lot of things that we did the first three or four weeks (with Nussmeier),” Kelly said. “He’s finally coming to practice feeling good and getting into a good rhythm. This is his best week of practice.

“He’s excited to play because he feels so much better. And I don’t want to say, `Hey, he’s back to (being) Garrett Nussmeier but there were a lot of things that he couldn’t do that he had to adjust to.

“We want him to go and play the game at a level where he’s comfortable.”

While Nussmeier has been sacked just four times – more of a testament to him getting rid of passes quickly or his scrambles from the pocket – LSU’s all-new starting offensive line hasn’t consistently provided the run blocking required to establish enough of a running attack.

The Tigers are averaging 110.7 yards per game, 15^th in the 16-team SEC and 116^th nationally.

“We need to be technically sounder and everything that we do,” Kelly said of his offensive line, and that was our focus this week (in practice).

“We have a lot of players that don’t have a ton of experience. We’re really making sure that the technique that they need to use on Saturday is present during the week. We were being really demanding that’s what they pay attention to. I thought they did a great job this week of really paying attention to the details associated with playing with the offensive line.”

Nussmeier hasn’t spread the wealth to eight to 10 receivers this season like he did in almost every game last season.

For instance, senior wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr., who ended last season on a tear after finally healing injuries that kept him out most of the year, has 1 catch (2 targets) for minus 1-yard so far this season.

After Southeastern was blanked 24-0 by Louisiana Tech, the Lions have rebounded with victories of 45-24 over Murray State and 56-3 over Mississippi Valley State.

SLU enters the LSU game averaging 33.7 points and 400 yards.

Quarterbacks Carson Camp (37- for-59, 3 TD, 2 INT) and Kyle Lowe (18-25, 3 TD, 1 INT) have split time at quarterback for the Lions. A total of 13 Lions have caught passes in the first three games.

“The opportunity to go play in Tiger Stadium is awesome,” SLU head coach Frank Scelfo said. “Are we doing it for the money (a $750,000 guarantee)? I know that. But at the same time, the chance for our guys being in that setting is good.”

GO FIGURE

0-33: Southeastern’s record vs. FBS teams since 2003.

0: Second-half points allowed by LSU’s defense in the second halves of the first three games.

5: Interceptions by LSU vs. Florida, the most since the Tigers’ five picks vs. Ole Miss in 2020.

17-1: LSU’s record in night home games under Brian Kelly.

27: Points allowed by LSU through three games are the fewest for LSU since giving up 24 over that span in 2014.

32: Straight wins by LSU over in-state colleges.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

JOURNAL SPORTS

RUSTON — On September 30, 2009, Joe Aillet Stadium wasn’t just lit up by the bright lights of ESPN2 cameras – it was bathed in a sea of red.  Louisiana Tech hosted its first-ever Red Out game, a midweek showdown against Hawaii that became as much of a festival as it was a football game.

The latest Red Out contest is Saturday night at 6:30 when longtime rival Southern Mississippi visits. The Bulldogs will aim to stay unbeaten at home, bringing a 2-1 overall mark with homefield wins over Southeastern Louisiana (24-0) and last week, New Mexico State (49-14).

It will be the first road game of 2025 for the Golden Eagles, who will become a conference opponent for Tech next season when the Bulldogs join the Sun Belt Conference. USM opened at home falling to Mississippi State 34-17, then topped Jackson State 38-20 and last week won impressively 38-22 over Appalachian State to begin Sun Belt play.

Saturday night’s Red Out will require some special flair to measure up to the debut of the event in Ruston in 2009.

The marketing for the game was in full effect.  Students poured in wearing scarlet shirts, with 2,000 official Red Out tees flying off the tables before kickoff.  A special $1,000 student sweepstakes added more fuel to the attendance, while the pregame Hawaiian Luau tailgate theme encouraged Bulldog fans to fire up their grills with roast pork, glazed ham, and pineapple chicken.

And in the ultimate show of Lincoln Parish unity, Grambling State students were invited free of charge, flashing their IDs to join the celebration and bolster the atmosphere.  Even reality TV joined the mix: the cast of A&E’s The Exterminators was on site, signing autographs and mingling with fans before kickoff.

For older Bulldog fans, red stirred up memories.  Red jerseys were once a signature part of Tech’s football identity.  For decades, Tech teams stormed the field in bright scarlet tops, but by the mid-1990s, the program shifted away from red, opting for more traditional blue-and-white combinations.

Red jerseys were brought back to life in the 2008 regular season finale against Nevada.  Fast forward to 2009 and red was taken to another level.  For one night, the color that used to be regularly seen came barking back – this time not just on the field, but in the stands.  The nationally televised stage gave fans a chance to celebrate their history while uniting behind a new tradition.

By the time the ball was kicked off under the Wednesday night lights, the scene was electric.  It marked the first nationally televised midweek football game ever played in Ruston.  In the stands, a raucous crowd of 21,260 fans delivered the atmosphere.  On the field, the Bulldogs made sure the Red Out matched the name: they turned the lights out on Hawaii.

The Bulldogs snapped Hawaii’s streak of 63 straight games with a touchdown, grinding out a commanding 27-6 victory.

The 2025 Tech defense has been stout in its first three outings, giving Bulldogs fans hope for another  happy Red Out night.