John Collins January 25, 1968 – September 14, 2025 Service: Thursday, September 18, 2025, 11am at Mt. Gilead Cemetery, Vivian.
Larry D. Miller January 9, 1953 – September 14, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 12pm at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Blanchard.
LaRue Rue Ann Montgomery November 26, 1942 – September 14, 2025 Service: Thursday, September 18, 2025, 10:30am at St. Jude Catholic Church, Bossier City.
Albert Thomas “Mike” Clingan January 2, 1929 – September 13, 2025 Service: Friday, September 19, 2025, 11am at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Lamar Lindsay April 17, 1966 – September 13, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 1pm at Walnut Hill St. Mary Baptist Church, Shreveport.
Helen Wilson Clark April 21, 1939 – September 12, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 11am at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, Shreveport.
Constance “Connie” Carol Grigg Floyd March 24, 1944 – September 12, 2025 Service: Friday, September 19, 2025, 2pm at University Church of Christ, Shreveport.
Lindia K. Clark January 17, 1955 – September 11, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 2pm at Morning Star Baptist Church, Shreveport.
Betty Jean Henderson May 15, 1940 – September 10, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 1pm at Winnfield Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Mattie Jackson September 28, 1939 – September 10, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 11am at Union Mission Baptist Church No.1, Shreveport.
Jennifer Louise Cochran May 20, 1990 – September 9, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 1pm at Rose-Neath Funeral Home Southside, Shreveport.
Delphine Lewis April 5, 1962 – September 9, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 11am at Ford Wilson Cemetery, Plain Dealing.
Dimas Matias Morales October 12, 1966 – September 8, 2025 Service: Friday, September 19, 2025, 10am at Winnfield Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Rose Marie Owens June 30, 1958 – September 8, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 1pm at Heavenly Gates Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Shirley Ruth Wiggins-Coleman May 8, 1945 – September 8, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 11am at Forest Park Cemetery West, Shreveport.
Billie Campbell Tipton May 25, 1952 – September 7, 2025 Service: Friday, September 19, 2025, 2pm at Mooringsport Baptist Church, Mooringsport.
Betty Ann Dixon March 16, 1962 – September 6, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 10am at Heavenly Gates Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Leroy Mitchell, Jr. March 21, 1944 – September 5, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 1pm at Mount Sinai Baptist Church, Shreveport.
Teresa Watson Raley July 19, 1957 – September 2, 2025 Service: Monday, September 22, 2025, 11am at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Bossier City.
Claudia Toinette Sewell March 5, 1947 – July 26, 2025 Service: Saturday, October 11, 2025, 1pm at Airline Baptist Church, Bossier City.
The Shreveport-Bossier Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $95. Contact your funeral provider or SBJNewsLa@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Notice of Death shown above are FREE of charge. You may email them to SBJNewsLa@gmail.com.)
Agents with Attorney General Liz Murrill’s Louisiana Bureau of Investigation arrested a Shreveport couple for Government Benefits Fraud.
The Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (LBI) received a criminal referral from the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) regarding allegations that 42-year-old Ebony Taylor and her husband, 39-year-old Andre Jackson, of Simpson Road in Shreveport, had concealed their true income and employment for purposes to receive Medicaid benefits.
LBI found that Taylor fraudulently applied for and received Medicaid benefits for herself and her dependents between 2017 and 2025. In her applications to LDH, Taylor repeatedly reported an income of $750 bi-weekly and failed to disclose her marital status or household income with co-defendant Andre Jackson. During the same period, Andre Jackson also applied for and received Medicaid benefits, claiming no income from 2017 through 2023.
LBI’s investigation revealed that Taylor and Jackson owned multiple properties and maintained substantial financial assets, which were inconsistent with their reported Medicaid eligibility. Notable assets included a one-acre tract of land in Caddo Parish where they constructed a large residence. Mortgage and parish tax records showed a taxable property value of $656,270 for 2025. In a mortgage loan application, Taylor reported a monthly income of $15,000 and disclosed a bank account with a balance of $350,000. In addition to their residence, Taylor and Jackson were found to own numerous tracts of property throughout Caddo Parish.
In 2022, Taylor financed a 2023 BMW X5 for $80,024 with monthly payments of $1,480. That same year, Taylor and Jackson contracted the installation of an in-ground swimming pool with a jetted spa at their residence for $94,000. Financial records further demonstrated yearly incomes of hundreds of thousands of dollars, as well as expenditures on jewelry, vacations, hotels, restaurants, a bridal store, Amazon, Netflix, Fanduel, furniture, orthodontics, liquor stores, and a cosmetic surgery in Texas.
As of March 2025, Taylor and Jackson had defrauded the Medicaid program of approximately $127,000.
LBI obtained arrest warrants and on September 10, 2025, Taylor and Jackson were arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Prison for:
LA RS 14:70.9 – Government Benefits Fraud (Felony)
“It’s pretty bold to buy a new pool, BMW, and plastic surgery while defrauding our Medicaid program. The hardworking men and women of Louisiana paid for their extravagant lifestyle, and now they’ll be brought to justice,” said Attorney General Liz Murrill.
No bond has been set at this time.
This is an ongoing investigation, so no further details are available. Additional charges could be filed in the case.
Shreveport Regional Airport recorded its busiest summer in 44 years, marking the fourth busiest summer in the airport’s 73-year history.
Between May and August, 307,597 passengers traveled through SHV, representing a 19 percent increase compared to last year. Airport officials credited the surge in part to new and expanded nonstop routes.
The seasonal nonstop flight to Nashville proved especially popular, carrying more than 5,400 passengers in just three months of operation. Nonstop service to Nashville, along with routes to Destin and Orlando, is scheduled to return next summer. Allegiant is expected to place tickets for the seasonal destinations on sale by the end of the year.
The airport also reported August as the 32nd consecutive month of passenger growth. Since January, 541,739 travelers have flown through SHV, an increase of 78,810 passengers compared to the same period in 2024. The year-to-date total reflects a 17 percent rise in activity.
Airport leaders said the steady growth highlights the increasing role SHV plays in meeting the region’s travel demand.
Shreveport Fire Department received a call for a report of a fire in a commercial building in 700 block of N. Market on Monday, Sept. 15, at 2:13pm.
Engine 1 arrived on scene within 2 minutes and reported heavy smoke and flames visible from a machine located inside the commercial structure. 10 units comprised of 32 firefighters responded to the incident before placing it under control at 2:25pm. The building was evacuated due to precaution by employees before arrival of SFD.
No injuries to firefighters or citizens have been reported at this time. The origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation.
In a shocking revelation that has theologians, churchgoers, and coffee shop philosophers buzzing, it appears that Jesus Christ—Son of God, Savior of the World, and occasional foot-washer—has absolutely no backup plan for spreading the Gospel, healing the broken, or ushering in the Kingdom of God.
Sources close to the Trinity confirm: “It’s us. Just us. That’s the whole strategy.”
Straight from Scripture
According to 1 Peter 2:9-10, believers are described as “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession.” Which sounds lovely until you realize it’s not just a compliment—it’s a job description.
“You were chosen to declare His praises,” the verse continues, which theologians now interpret as divine shorthand for: ‘Tag—you’re it.’
Heaven’s HR Department Speaks Out
When asked why the Creator of the Universe would entrust His mission to a group of people who routinely forget where they put their keys, Heaven’s spokesperson replied: “Look, we tried outsourcing to angels once. They’re great at singing and smiting, but they just don’t get nuance. Humans, though? They’ve got stories. They’ve got scars. They’ve got TikTok. That’s how the message spreads.”
No Contingency Plan Found
A recent audit of Heaven’s strategic documents revealed no alternate plan, no celestial task force, and not even a divine intern waiting in the wings. The folder labeled “Plan B” was completely empty except for a sticky note that read: “See Plan A.”
So What Now?
If you’re wondering who’s supposed to feed the hungry, comfort the lonely, challenge injustice, and share the good news—it’s you. Yes, you. The one reading this while procrastinating on laundry.
Jesus didn’t say, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel unless you’re tired or it’s raining.” He said, “Go.” Period.
Local Pastor Reacts
Pastor Linda of Grace Fellowship Church responded to the news with a sigh and a shrug: “Well, I guess we better get to work. Apparently, if we don’t do it, it doesn’t get done. And Jesus isn’t sending in the reserves. We are the reserves.”
So next time you feel unqualified, overwhelmed, or tempted to wait for someone holier to step up—remember: Heaven’s counting on you. There’s no Plan B.
And if you’re still unsure, just reread 1 Peter 2:9-10. Then grab a coffee, say a prayer, and get moving. The Kingdom won’t build itself.
BIG DUDE TD: Jacob Bradford enjoyed a defensive lineman’s dream Saturday night when he rumbled 20 yards with a recovered fumble and scored in Louisiana Tech’s rout of New Mexico State. (Photo by JOSH MCDANIEL, Louisiana Tech Athletics)
By TEDDY ALLEN, Journal Sports
A redshirt freshman with one tackle last year and less than eight snaps played on the defensive line after 11 quarters of the 2025 season, Louisiana Tech’s Jacob Bradford was suddenly a star.
Stage: Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston, under the Saturday night lights.
Bad guys: New Mexico State offense.
Bradford’s supporting cast: A stingy Dog defense playing with a 27-14 lead early in the fourth quarter of the Conference USA opener.
Center stage was Bradford, lined up over the Aggie center, in the game because Tech had the two-score lead and because of defensive line coach Paul Randolph’s depth-building process.
“We don’t all play much but we’re all very good,” Bradford said. “I think that’s why we’ve played so well; everybody’s pushing. We came into the season with lots of new guys up front. The D-line, we were the question mark. We wanted to prove people wrong.”
Now was another opportunity.
Que the ball being snapped, Bradford moving off the center and crossing to his right, toward the guard, through the gap, and Aggie quarterback Logan Fife dropping back.
“It’s a pass.” Bradford is replaying it now. “The pocket’s closing. I’ve got a shot …”
Glory! Bradford, 6-1, 290 pounds of smiles and optimism and smarts and sweat from the football fields of Pass Christian in south Mississippi, is thinking, “First Collegiate Sack!” What would Coach Randolph say? What would his big brother Jordan, a three-year starter at Tech, 2016-18, say? What would ANY of his five brothers and sisters say? A bona fide sack in the conference opener. In his home stadium!
Surely, this is a dream … A long, wonderful dream in just a few hectic moments …
The action continues and Bradford closes, Fife moves up, players bunched in the pocket now, Fife stepping back, Fife cocking to pass but Tech’s Jaydon Mayfield closing in and Fife in all sorts of trouble and …
“He dropped the ball,” Bradford said.
Dropped it. The ball bounces.
“My immediate thought,” Bradford said, “is, ‘Jump on the ball.’”
Recover a fumble? Twenty yards from the end zone? Leading by 13 in the fourth? When the ball bounces perfectly into your greedy little mitts?
Forget that! Instead, he had this second thought, and that’s the one he acted on, right there in front of Randolph and head coach Sonny Cumbie and 13,235 fans and the Lord and everybody.
“I picked it up,” Bradford said.
Yes, he did. And here the fun began.
His walk on the red carpet was more like a rumble, but it took him 20 fun-filled yards into the end zone.
“I was expecting to get tackled any second,” said Bradford, who once recovered a fumble 40 yards out for St. Stanislaus High but got taken down from behind before he could reach paydirt, the glorious Promised Land for anyone who’s ever played the line. “I was holding onto the ball with both hands. Running hard as I could.”
But then he realized, “the touchdown was Right There!” so he switched the ball to one hand, pressing it with his forearm to his chest like a paper sack of groceries — “Wasn’t holding it right,” he said, “but I started picking up speed.”
And suddenly, more or less, he was in the south end zone and Tech led 33-14.
All the fight was gone out of the Aggies.
But shoot, Bradford was just starting.
He held the ball up with his right paw, then dropped it at the feet of Champ, the sunglasses-wearing team mascot. He twirled with defensive back Kam Franklin. He broke into a “No Fly Zone” dance as if he were the world’s most “fly” 290-pound wide receiver.
“Heat of the moment type thing,” he said shyly.
“The lights started going on and off. People started cheering. Guys are jumping on me.”
He is talking through grateful laughs.
“It was like a movie.”
Bradford’s fumble recovery was one of three takeaways on the night in a 49-14 win that pushed Tech to 2-1 going into Saturday’s game against old rival and future Sun Belt foe Southern Miss, also 2-1 but playing its first road game of the season.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6:32 in Ruston, the first meeting of the two programs since a down-to-the-wire 31-30 Tech win in Hattiesburg in 2020.
“I’m trying to explain to the guys that this is a Rivalry Week game,” said Bradford, who played high school ball in Rock-A-Chaw Stadium, about 90 miles south on the Mississippi coast from M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg. “You can feel it building.”
Bradford can feel his team’s defense building too. Some of it is a pair of Louisiana Tech rookies but veteran coaches in defensive coordinator Luke Olson and the charismatic Randolph, a former all-league linebacker at UT-Martin, two-time Grey Cup champion, and Winnipeg Blue Bombers Hall of Famer.
“Playing for him is a blessing,” Bradford said. “He preaches the fundamentals and makes us all know we’re an important part of everything this team is trying to accomplish. He makes you love getting to football practice, makes you love working to get better.”
Some of it is Cumbie, who formed a few “exercises” during the spring and again in fall camp, activities designed to make sure everyone knew each other better, “not just the players,” Bradford said, “but the coaches, the staff, the equipment managers and training staff: each group has its own connection but all of us have a connection, too.
“This year, we have great athletes like we had last year, but it feels the ‘team’ part of it is different,” he said. “‘I’ll take on the block so the linebacker can get the tackle.’ There’s energy on the sideline. We have more activities together outside of football. It’s a closeness … You should have been on the sideline Saturday.”
Some of it is an added depth, and some of it is guys like Bradford.
“Shows up with a smile on his face, ready to work,” Randolph said. “He wants to be great.”
Same thing for guys like Trevell Vivians, 6-2, 311, a redshirt junior from Philadelphia, Miss., a player cut from the same cloth as Bradford, Randolph said, getting back-up snaps to complement Emmanuel Oguns and Zion Nason and Jayden Madkins and Christian Davis and others who’ve gotten more playing time, smiling all the way from the locker room to the practice field and back.
“He had a pass breakup Saturday,” Bradford said of Vivians, his fellow defensive lineman. “We’re good and we’re always ready. Coach preaches and we go.”
Then next “go” time is Saturday night. The script is a good one, the game one of the biggest in Joe Aillet Stadium in years. Momentum on the line. Another hard-to-win battle. Another rivalry matchup. The final weekend home game until Halloween.
Head football coaches, especially on the high school level, have plenty to do. Some of it actually involves coaching football.
They got into the profession eager to develop players, mentor young men, draw up prolific offenses, dial up dynamic defenses, and lead teams to championships. Those are still primary objectives, but as assistant coaches become head coaches, they discover there’s so much more to do that is not in the job description.
All educators shoulder an important role that continues to expand – mentoring their students and being responsive to each youngster’s particular needs. The coach-player relationship is especially deep because of the amount of time the students are spending In practice and meetings, let alone traveling to games and playing games, being guided by their coaches.
This week’s Shreveport-Bossier Journal Coaches Roundtable topic addresses what head coaches really do, far past breaking down videotape, drawing up game plans, coaching the assistant coaches and setting a tone for the program – along with being a focal figure at the school.
Bet you didn’t realize coaches ….
De’Aumante Johnson, Southwood (in his second head coaching role, previously at Bossier): “I honestly don’t think there’s a lot of surprises when it comes to being a head coach in this area. A lot of people know that we have to do it all, and you accept that. I do mow (the practice field) three times a week, which is very peaceful and relaxing.”
Jerry Byrd Jr., Plain Dealing (also a veteran head coach at other schools): “Creating a full-color game program which highlights not only the football team, but also the spirit groups – and creating and distributing an ad form to offset the cost.”
Jeremy Wilburn, Captain Shreve: “One comes to mind right away – doing laundry. Very few fans/parents think about these components of our jobs. I would put our staff up against any laundromat crew when it comes to turning around our players’ clothes!
“On an average day we are collecting, washing, drying and distributing around 300+ individual wash straps for players.”
Stacy Ballew, Byrd: “You gotta cut grass. Lunch duty is a chore. You gotta deal with salesmen – everybody wants you to buy their product so they can get some of your money.
“You gotta do laundry. We played a mud game down in Pineville years and years ago, and we were visitors. We had the jerseys in trash cans, soaking in soap and water, about four of us in the showers, with paddles and yardsticks, anything we could find, trying to get the mud out of those white jerseys, holding them up against the shower heads. You had to do that before you washed and dried them.
“You ever been to a crawfish farm? That’s what it smelled like. It was so muddy one of the coaches lost a shoe on the sideline – couldn’t find it.
“Painting the field – nowadays, a lot of places have turf, but we have a little half-grass practice field we do paint. Some schools still play on grass. A lot of these young coaches don’t know how to paint a field. They don’t know not to wear your good white jerseys for a road game that’s gonna be muddy.
“One time there was a rain game and Benton wore their practice jerseys, instead of their white game uniforms. Mitch Downey was one smart coach.
“You’ve gotta take kids home, pick them up. You’ve got to counsel kids through every aspect of life. You really need a pastor in some schools. It’s tough for these kids to cope with real life situations – a parent who’s really sick, or bad stuff that happens in their neighborhood, or even to family members. It is life, and sometimes, death. These kids need us more than ever. It’s not for the faint of heart.
“Everybody thinks you can solve all the problems, and you wish you could. You just do the best you can for those kids.”
NATIONAL ACCLAIM: LSUS athletic trainer Meghan Neffendorf’s latest honor says she’s the NAIA’s best in her profession. (Photo courtesy LSUS)
JOURNAL SPORTS
LSU Shreveport director of sports medicine Meghan Neffendorf has been named the NAIA Athletic Trainer of the Year.
Neffendorf protects the health of student-athletes in six different sports and three club teams.
She distinguished herself as a model in the athletic training profession in personal conduct and professional allied health service.
“Meghan’s recognition as the NAIA National Athletic Trainer of the Year is a testament to her unwavering commitment to the health, performance, and resilience of our student-athletes,” said LSUS athletics director Lucas Morgan.
“Behind every national championship team is an elite athletic trainer ensuring that each student-athlete is prepared, protected, and performing at their best.
“Her expertise and care have been the foundation of our success, and this honor is more than deserved.”
Neffendorf, the first three-time Red River Athletic Conference Athletic Trainer of the Year in league history, was selected among award-winning athletic trainers from 20 NAIA conferences.
Outside of injury prevention and treatment, Neffendorf has streamlined other processes including insurance protocol, which has saved the department in premium costs and delivered care more quickly to student-athletes.
Neffendorf’s service to the department goes beyond the playing fields and surfaces as she was named the Senior Woman Leader in the athletics department in 2024.
The Athletic Trainers Association Board Secretary also organizes baseball tournaments that LSUS hosts, including the NAIA Opening Round.
Athletics success has been abundant at LSUS with its baseball team posting college baseball’s first-ever perfect record (59-0) en route to the university’s first national championship in any sport.
All five other sanctioned sports were ranked in the Top 25 at some point during the 2024-25 academic year with club sport bass fishing earning a top-five ranking in the single university division.
Neffendorf, who is the wife of LSUS head baseball coach Brad Neffendorf, previously served at Southern Illinois, Tennessee Wesleyan, Campbellsville and New Mexico, gaining experience at the NCAA Division I and NAIA levels.
LSUS Athletics adds the Athletic Trainer of the Year award to the Athletics Director of the Year (NACDA) and Baseball Coach of the Year awards from national organizations, highlighting the record-breaking campaign for the Pilots.
By PATRICK MEEHAN, Centenary Sports Information Director
Although it was a rough night overall in Jackson, Miss., last Saturday for the Centenary football team, there were two very bright spots for the Gents, who play at home this Saturday.
Centenary hosts the East Texas Baptist Tigers (2-0) in a non-conference game set for 6 o’clock at Atkins Field. A reminder – tickets much be purchased for all Centenary home athletic events.
Centenary lost 56-14 last weekend at Millsaps. The Gents (0-1) fell behind 28-7 at halftime and could not recover against the Majors (1-1).
Junior Vance Feuerbacher was all over the field for the Gents. He punted seven times for 234 yards (33.4 average) with a long of 44, completed 18-of-25 for 115 yards through the air at QB and rushed seven times for 32 yards and a TD. He led the Gents on an 18-play, 99-yard drive and capped it with a 1-yard TD run to tie the game at 7-7 early in the second quarter.
Sophomore linebacker Collin Watkins led the Centenary defense with 10 total tackles (5 solo and 5 assisted) including 1.5 tackles for loss and he added a pass breakup. Watkins was the leading tackler in the game.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY: Centenary finished sixth on Friday in the ULM Cross Country Invitational against a competitive field held at the Sterlington Sports Complex.
Freshman Zack Wroten had the Gents’ top finish (33:03.31) in 24th place. Centenary returns to action in the Grambling State XC Invite on Oct. 10 in Ruston at Lincoln Parish Park.
WOMEN’S SOCCER: The Ladieslost 2-0 to the LaGrange College Panthers on Sunday afternoon in a non-conference contest at Atkins Field.
Centenary was (0-5-1) were back in action following a 2-2 tie against Texas College on the previous Tuesday.
Freshman Morgan Stancliff made her first career start in goal for the Ladies and went the distance, making nine saves against the Panthers.
The Ladies remain at home when they return to action on Friday against Millsaps College in a non-conference match set for 5 o’clock at Atkins Field.
MEN’S SOCCER: Centenary finished in a 2-2 tie with the Howard Payne Yellow Jackets on Saturday evening in a non-conference match at Brownwood, Texas.
The Gents (2-2-2) rebounded from a disappointing 4-2 loss at Hardin-Simmons on last Thursday evening in Abilene.
Junior forward Carter Webb scored the first goal of the match in the 24th minute to give the Gents a 1-0 lead. Junior midfielder Jacob Ramsey assisted as Webb and Ramsey connected for the second consecutive match after doing so against Hardin-Simmons on Thursday.
Centenary took a 1-0 lead into halftime. Howard Payne then scored the next two goals, taking a 2-1 lead in the 84th minute on a penalty kick.
The Gents would not be denied as Ramsey found the next less than a minute later to knot the match at 2-2. He scored a goal for the first time in his career and with his assist now leads the team this season with three helps.
The Gents will return to action Saturday night with another non-conference contest versus the ETBU Tigers at 7:30 in Marshall, Texas.
VOLLEYBALL: Centenary lost 3-0 to the nationally-ranked ETBU Tigers in a non-conference match on Tuesday evening inside the Gold Dome.
The Ladies dropped to 1-5 while the Tigers, ranked 10th in the latest AVCA/TARAFLEX Division III Poll, remained undefeated at 12-0, their best start in program history.
Centenary next Tuesday visits LeTourneau in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference opener in Longview at 6 o’clock.
Today we are going to throw a few spitballs and see what sticks. This article is going to cover what’s going in our world today and what needs to be talked about.
In the bass fishing world, congratulations to Team USA for winning the World Championship., topping teams from Japan, Germany, Canada, Italy, Portugal and Serbia to name a few. Bass fishing truly has become a global sport that may become an Olympic sport one day.
One of the members of Team USA was fishing pro Jacob Wheeler, who just won his fourth Major League Fishing (MLF) Angler of the Year title. This guy continues to set the bar for all anglers with incredible consistency and his total domination of the sport.
Speaking of domination, there’s a young man in East Texas who has made a name for himself as a consistent winner. Longview’s Zach Fogle is someone we’ll remember. He has been the American Bass Anglers (ABA) Angler of the Year the past two seasons.
Zach will be taking his fishing to the next level next year with the Toyota Series and the BFL’S. All of us are glad to see Zach move up in the world as we’re all tired of donating to his future fishing endeavors!
Next, let’s talk about one of the legends of bass fishing announcing his retirement. For 30 years California’s Skeet Reece has set the standard for what it means to be a professional angler. Other than Kevin Van Dam, no one has capitalized on their fishing success better than Skeet.
He’s an angler known for his business prowess and bright yellow fishing rods, truck and shoes. He’s a master at branding and taking advantage of the worldwide bass fishing market. I would like to wish Skeet happy days in his retirement.
Nothing is more exciting than the start of football season and nothing goes by faster as we are already into Week 3 or 4 depending on what state you’re in (Texas high schools kick off a week earlier than on this side of the Sabine River and Toledo Bend). The Dallas Cowboys have been a pleasant surprise as they opened playing very competitively with their conference rival, the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. In Week 2 the ‘Boys defeated the New York Giants in an overtime thriller, 40-37.
With football well underway, it means that hunting season is here, starting with dove season. A dove hunt is nothing more than a social gathering that gets hunters excited to pull the trigger. A passing cold front, days getting shorter, and fall foliage puts everything in motion for all hunters.
To all those who will be hitting the woods and waterways this fall for both bucks and ducks, we would like to wish each of you success in whatever game you’re pursuing. ‘Til next time, happy hunting!
To enhance safety in churches across Caddo Parish and its surrounding areas, the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is currently offering two awareness training classes tailored for churches, synagogues, and mosques.
This free course aims to prepare places of worship and the public for potential active attack situations and various hazards, including severe weather. The instructor will discuss Louisiana laws regarding concealed carry in religious settings, procedures for carrying concealed weapons in these facilities, security recommendations for your place of worship, and how to develop effective emergency plans.
The class will take place at the following location on Thursday, Sept. 18, at 6pm:
University Church of Christ
2045 East 70th Street,
Shreveport, LA
Additional venues will be announced shortly.
If anyone has any questions, contact Lt. Tony LeBlanc at 318-675-2255. No registration is required to attend.
Shreveport Police officers responded to a call in the 9400 block of Normandie Drive regarding a disorderly person inside a residence on Sept. 13 at approximately 5:20am.
Upon arrival, officers spoke with the complainant, who stated she found a 23-year-old male, later identified as Skylard Tiner, lying on the floor inside her home. The complainant advised that Tiner had come to the residence to see her 16-year-old daughter and that she struck him after discovering him inside without her permission.
During the investigation, officers learned that Tiner and the juvenile had been communicating through Instagram. The complainant provided messages where the juvenile informed Tiner that she was only 16 years old and a junior in high school, telling him, “you’re too grown for me.” Despite being aware of her age, Tiner reportedly continued the conversation and made inappropriate and explicit sexual references.
Tiner was arrested and booked into the Shreveport City Jail before being transferred to Caddo Correctional Center. He is charged with Indecent Behavior with a Juvenile.
The Shreveport Police Department remains committed to protecting children in the community and encourages parents to closely monitor their child’s online interactions.
September 17 holds a special place in American pop culture history. On this day in 1937, the masked hero known as the Lone Ranger made his debut on national radio, galloping out of regional obscurity in Detroit and into living rooms across the country. What began as a small-scale radio drama would soon evolve into one of the most enduring legends in American entertainment, spawning television shows, comic books, films, and a cultural legacy that still echoes nearly nine decades later.
The Lone Ranger had already been riding the airwaves for a few years in Michigan before this national breakthrough. Created by WXYZ radio station writer Fran Striker and station owner George W. Trendle, the character was imagined as a heroic Texas Ranger who survived an ambush and fought for justice in the American West. With his iconic silver bullets, trusty horse Silver, and loyal companion Tonto, the Lone Ranger embodied a romantic vision of the frontier.
By the time the program went national on September 17, 1937, the United States was in the depths of the Great Depression. Families gathered around radios not just for news, but for escape, and the Lone Ranger delivered. His adventures brought listeners into a world where good triumphed over evil, and where the lawless frontier could be tamed by courage and honor. The show quickly gained a devoted following, making “Hi-Yo Silver! Away!” one of the most recognizable catchphrases of the era.
The significance of the Lone Ranger’s debut goes beyond entertainment. The show helped set the template for modern serialized storytelling. Its weekly cliffhangers, character arcs, and strong moral center influenced everything from superhero comics to today’s television dramas. Scholars have also pointed out how the Lone Ranger reflected American ideals of the time: rugged individualism paired with a sense of duty and justice.
Yet the series was not without its complexities. Tonto, portrayed by Native American actor Jay Silverheels in later television adaptations, became both a groundbreaking role for Indigenous representation and a controversial stereotype. Historians and critics have debated the cultural impact of the character for decades, noting how the show reinforced some outdated tropes while also giving audiences their first mainstream Native American hero.
The Lone Ranger’s influence stretched far beyond radio. The first television adaptation premiered in 1949 and ran for eight years, cementing the character in visual culture. A string of films, comic books, and merchandise followed. Even as late as 2013, Disney attempted to revive the franchise with a blockbuster film starring Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp, though the movie met with mixed reviews. Still, the fact that the story continues to be retold speaks to its lasting resonance.
September 17, then, marks more than a date on the calendar. It marks the birth of a pop culture icon that bridged radio, television, film, and literature. The Lone Ranger’s call to justice, his silver bullets, and his bond with Tonto are all reminders of how a character created during the hardships of the 1930s could ride into the national imagination and stay there for generations.
The Bossier Parish Consolidated Waterworks/Sewerage District No. 1 (CWSD #1) would like to notify residents and businesses of a scheduled water service interruption and subsequent boil advisory affecting a portion of Winfield Road in Haughton.
A contractor working on behalf of CWSD #1 will perform a critical water line tie-in on Winfield Road, beginning at 9am today. This work will require a temporary shutdown of water service for approximately one hour to homes located between Bellevue Road and Violet Drive.
Due to the loss of water pressure during this operation, a mandatory boil advisory will be issued once service is restored. The advisory will apply only to residents and businesses on Winfield Road between Bellevue Road and Violet Drive.
During the boil advisory, affected residents are advised to:
Bring tap water to a full rolling boil for at least one minute before use.
Boil water even if it has been filtered.
Use boiled or bottled water for:
Drinking
Cooking
Brushing teeth
Food preparation
Water samples will be collected and submitted to the Louisiana Department of Health’s Office of Public Health in Shreveport for analysis. The advisory will remain in effect until testing confirms the water is safe for consumption.
CWSD #1 appreciates the community’s patience and cooperation during this essential maintenance and will provide updates as they become available.
John Collins January 25, 1968 – September 14, 2025 Service: Thursday, September 18, 2025, 11am at Mt. Gilead Cemetery, Vivian.
Larry D. Miller January 9, 1953 – September 14, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 12pm at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Blanchard.
LaRue Rue Ann Montgomery November 26, 1942 – September 14, 2025 Service: Thursday, September 18, 2025, 10:30am at St. Jude Catholic Church, Bossier City.
Billie Frances Tarver Bacle August 2, 1942 – September 13, 2025 Service: Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 1pm at First Baptist Church of Haughton, Haughton.
Albert Thomas “Mike” Clingan January 2, 1929 – September 13, 2025 Service: Friday, September 19, 2025, 11am at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Lamar Lindsay April 17, 1966 – September 13, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 1pm at Walnut Hill St. Mary Baptist Church, Shreveport.
Helen Wilson Clark April 21, 1939 – September 12, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 11am at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, Shreveport.
Lindia K. Clark January 17, 1955 – September 11, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 2pm at Morning Star Baptist Church, Shreveport.
Betty Henderson May 15, 1940 – September 10, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 1pm at Winnfield Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Mattie Jackson September 28, 1939 – September 10, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 11am at Union Mission Baptist Church No.1, Shreveport.
Delphine Lewis April 5, 1962 – September 9, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 11am at Ford Wilson Cemetery, Plain Dealing.
Shirley Ruth Wiggins-Coleman May 8, 1945 – September 8, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 11am at Forest Park Cemetery West, Shreveport.
Rose Marie Owens June 30, 1958 – September 8, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 1pm at Heavenly Gates Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Billie Campbell Tipton May 25, 1952 – September 7, 2025 Service: Friday, September 19, 2025, 2pm at Mooringsport Baptist Church, Mooringsport.
Betty Ann Dixon March 16, 1962 – September 6, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 10am at Heavenly Gates Funeral Home, Shreveport.
Leroy Mitchell, Jr. March 21, 1944 – September 5, 2025 Service: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 1pm at Mount Sinai Baptist Church, Shreveport.
Teresa Watson Raley July 19, 1957 – September 2, 2025 Service: Monday, September 22, 2025, 11am at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Bossier City.
Edward Martin Hannon May 29, 1948 – August 15, 2025 Service: Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 11:30am at Northwest LA Veterans Cemetery, Keithville.
Claudia Toinette Sewell March 5, 1947 – July 26, 2025 Service: Saturday, October 11, 2025, 1pm at Airline Baptist Church, Bossier City.
The Shreveport-Bossier Journal publishes paid obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $95. Contact your funeral provider or SBJNewsLa@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Notice of Death shown above are FREE of charge. You may email them to SBJNewsLa@gmail.com.)
A CAREER BASED ON “PURPOSE”: Verni Howard knew she was meant to be something other than what people thought she should be. (Submitted photo)
Each week, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s Tony Taglavore takes to lunch a local person – someone who is well-known, successful, and/or influential, and asks, “What’s Your Story?”
By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Services
At 9 o’clock on that August night in 2023, like every night, the family of four prayed. This night, it was the daughter’s turn to lead.
“She asked God to watch over us and protect us,” the child’s mother remembers. “She said, ‘Let no hurt, harm, or danger come to our family.’”
A little more than three hours later, the family was standing on the street, watching their house – the house built by their parents and grandparents – burn to the ground. Not even the foundation survived.
“Everything my parents had worked for, everything we owned, was in that house,” the mother told me. “Every memory, my kids’ pictures, my mother’s pearls, my dad’s military flag, my ordination certificate when I was ordained a minister. Everything was in that house.”
But leave it to a child – the daughter who hours earlier had guided the family in prayer – to put in perspective something so tragic.
“She said, ‘Mommy, God answered our prayer.’ I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ She said, ‘I asked Got to protect us—to keep us from harm and danger—and he did just that.”
Soon to be 55-year-old Verni Howard, Director of Community Development for the City of Shreveport, told me that emotional story – and her story – during lunch at a place she chose, The Noble Savage. Verni had a grilled chicken sandwich without the top bun, sweet potato fries, and half-sweet, half-unsweet tea. I enjoyed the chef’s salad, and water with lemon.
“In that moment, I understood homelessness. I understood the work God has called us to do.”
For nine-and-a-half years, Verni worked with the homeless as Executive Director of Providence House. Before that, she thrived during an 18-and-a-half year banking career. Verni readily admits her career path has hasn’t resembled a straight line.
“If you tried to take a pencil and connect the dots of my life, it’s impossible. I can’t do it. Every single step, God was preparing us in that season for the next leg of the journey.”
The daughter of a preacher who worked two jobs, and a social worker who worked two and sometimes three jobs, Verni grew up in Shreveport’s Mooretown neighborhood. It was a part of town built on caring for one another.
“There was only one single parent our street. She had four kids, and I would watch my mom empty our freezer to make sure that family had food. I watched my parents live and serve all their days. It really shaped who I am and why I navigate life the way I do.”
When Verni was 16, her parents opened a restaurant – the entire family worked there – that would become the place for movers and shakers to meet and eat.
“Right in the middle of Queensboro, I was introduced to what I call ‘Civics’, where men and women were committed to making community better. There were these conversations about church and religion and people and love and kindness, happening in the middle of a restaurant where two people who grew up poor had vision and tenacity and a zeal and a conviction and a commitment to work, and to make our community better.”
The plan all along was for Verni – who graduated at the top of her high school class – to go to medical school. “My parents said, ‘You’re so smart, you should be a doctor.’ I heard that all my life.” So, Verni went to LSU and earned an undergraduate degree in microbiology and chemistry.
But you know what they say about plans.
“I came home and told my parents, ‘I got accepted to med school, but guess what? I’m not going.’ My mom was like, Are you kidding me?’ I said, ‘I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up, but I know I was purposed to do something bigger than anything I could conceive.”
Eventually, Verni went to graduate school and received a master’s degree in public administration/public policy. She was going to have a career managing hospitals. In an effort to beef up her interview skills, Verni applied for a job at a bank – a job for which she did not have interest. Verni was so impressive, she was one of 40 people nationwide accepted to the bank’s commercial banking training program. Out of those 40, only 16 would be accepted for full-time positions.
Vernie was one of the 16.
“My whole life has been built on faith. My whole life has been about walking in spaces I did not understand, but knowing that God had purposed me to do a certain thing.”
After 16 years in banking in Atlanta and Baton Rouge, Verni was once again led to a space she did not understand. Verni was offered the opportunity to continue her career back home. She was offered a fancy title and a nice salary – a salary she suggested.
“’What would it cost us to get you here?’, the man doing the hiring asked. It was just like you see in the movies. I got a white sheet of paper and they said, ‘Write down your salary. What would it take?’ I was so nervous to do that . . . . I gave it to the guy. He said, ‘Is this all you need?’ I thought, ‘Crap, I didn’t write enough.’”
Once home, in addition to her full-time work, Verni sat on the board of Providence House. During that time, the non-profit organization’s leader retired.
“A consultant we hired to help us find the next executive director said, ‘One of your best candidates is sitting at the head of the table.’ I was a scribe. I was taking notes. It was quiet in the room. I said, ‘I know she’s not talking to me.’ I was thinking, ‘Lady, do you know how much money I make? Do you know how hard I’ve worked to get to Senior Vice President?’”
Still, Verni prayed about it, and discussed it with her husband.
“He said, ‘You do know this is what God has purposed you to do?’ That wasn’t what I wanted to hear. I called my sister. She said, ‘All of these things you’ve been able to accomplish—God has allowed you to have title and prestige. But he also needed to know he could trust you with that. If he could trust you with that, he can trust you with what is most important to Him, and that is people who are disenfranchised, poor, and vulnerable.’”
Verni took an almost $100,000 pay cut “to do the work I was called to do.”
And when Shreveport’s Chief Administrative Officer called a few months ago with an offer to work for the city, Vernie saw an opportunity to help many more people.
“When God says, ‘Go’, we go. When he says, ‘Move’, we move. My life has been guided by my walk with God.”
Running the risk of making Verni late for a meeting, I asked my final question. As always, what is it about her life story that can help shape your life story? Verni answered with passion, and of course, a purpose.
“Know who you are, and let that shape you and motivate you to always do good . . . . My story is never about me. It’s for my children. It’s about doing good for the benefit of others . . . . If you’re doing it for a big win for you, don’t do it. Don’t ever take a position, role, or title for your own benefit. Make sure what you do is for the edification of others and the glory of God.”
In the heart of Rogers, Arkansas, what started as a simple drive-thru coffee stand in 2017 has transformed into one of America’s fastest-growing restaurant chains. 7 Brew Coffee, originally offering seven signature coffee options that gave the brand its name, has become a phenomenon that is redefining the drive-thru experience across the South and beyond.
Founded by John and Jenna Ramsey, 7 Brew began with a clear mission: to turn the mundane drive-thru coffee experience into something joyful and memorable. The company’s original seven drinks included the Blondie (caramel and vanilla breve), Brunette (hazelnut and caramel mocha), and the Triple 7 (their Smooth 7 blend with six espresso shots). What set them apart from the beginning was not just their coffee, but their commitment to what they call “cultivating kindness” – treating every customer interaction as an opportunity to spread joy.
The company is now headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and operates under the parent company Brew Culture LLC. Under the leadership of CEO John Davidson since 2020, 7 Brew has experienced explosive growth that few restaurant chains can match. From just fourteen locations at the start of 2022, the company has expanded to over 320 locations across more than twenty-five states by 2025.
Arkansas: The Home Base Advantage
Arkansas remains the birthplace and testing ground for 7 Brew’s innovative approach to drive-thru service. The state currently hosts nineteen locations, including stands in Little Rock, North Little Rock, and various smaller communities. These Arkansas locations serve as more than just coffee shops – they are laboratories for the brand’s customer experience innovations and training grounds for what the company calls its “Brew Crew.”
The Arkansas locations highlight 7 Brew’s unique operational model: prefabricated modular buildings with double drive-thru lanes, no indoor seating, and employees who take orders outside with iPads rather than through traditional drive-thru speakers. This approach allows for more personal interactions and faster service, with most locations operating from 5:30 AM to 10:00 PM (11:00 PM on weekends).
Financial data reveals the success of this model. According to the company’s franchise disclosure documents, 7 Brew locations generate median gross sales of approximately $2.06 million annually, with some high-performing locations exceeding this figure significantly. The Arkansas locations, benefiting from brand loyalty in the company’s home state, often serve as benchmarks for performance metrics.
Louisiana: A Strategic Expansion Market
7 Brew’s expansion into Louisiana represents a significant milestone in the company’s growth strategy. The Pelican State has become one of the most important markets for the brand’s continued expansion, with multiple locations already operational and several more in development.
Current Louisiana Footprint:
Louisiana is home to nine locations, strategically positioned across key metropolitan and regional markets:
Greater New Orleans Area:
Metairie: 7100 Veterans Memorial Boulevard, near I-10 and Clearview City Center
Chalmette: 8111 W Judge Perez Drive, across from St. Bernard Parish Hospital – the first 7 Brew to open in the New Orleans metro area in January 2025
Harvey: 1635 Barataria Boulevard, opened with a ribbon-cutting on August 29, 2025
LaPlace: 1421 W Airline Highway, opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in July 2025
Baton Rouge Area:
Baton Rouge (2 locations): 5117 Essen Lane near BREC Olympia Stadium, and 5821 Creek Centre Drive near LSU
North Louisiana:
Bossier City: Located on Airline Drive, convenient to Barksdale Air Force Base
Ruston: 1110 Cooktown Road, across from Louisiana Tech University
Natchitoches: Kyser Avenue just east of the Cane River bridge
Louisiana Growth Strategy:
Louisiana’s selection as a key expansion market was not accidental. The state’s coffee culture, combined with its drive-thru friendly climate and growing suburban population, makes it ideal for 7 Brew’s business model. According to regional manager Landon Evans, who oversees east Texas and western Louisiana operations, the company has identified Louisiana as a market with significant untapped potential.
The Louisiana expansion is being managed through franchise partnerships, including the Brew Crew franchise group, which holds rights to develop over fifty locations across Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Texas. Each new Louisiana location brings 50-65 jobs to the local community, contributing to the state’s economic development. The brand now has over two hundred jobs in the New Orleans metro area alone.
The 7 Brew Experience: What Sets Them Apart
Menu Innovation: What began with seven coffee options has evolved into a menu boasting over 20,000 possible drink combinations. Louisiana customers can choose from:
Traditional espresso-based coffee drinks
Custom energy drinks (including 7 Brew’s proprietary energy blend)
Smoothies and shakes
Specialty teas and Italian sodas
Flavored lemonades and 7 Fizz (sparkling water infusions)
Service Philosophy: The company’s “Cultivate Kindness” motto is not just marketing – it is embedded in their operational DNA. Employees, known as the “Brew Crew,” are trained to create positive interactions that go beyond typical fast-food service. This approach has resonated particularly well in Louisiana, where hospitality is deeply valued.
Technology and Efficiency: 7 Brew locations use iPads for order-taking, allowing employees to engage face-to-face with customers while maintaining speed. The double drive-through lanes and prefabricated building design enable high-volume service without sacrificing quality.
Financial Performance and Investment
The company’s financial trajectory has been remarkable. 7 Brew reported total revenues of $43.5 million in 2024, up from $15.4 million in 2023 and just $4.1 million in 2022. This growth attracted significant investment from Blackstone Growth, which made a major growth equity investment in 2024 to accelerate the company’s expansion plans.
The investment has proven prescient, as 7 Brew has been recognized by QSR Magazine as the “Breakout Brand of 2023” and was deemed the fastest-growing restaurant chain in America by research company Datassential. The brand’s rapid expansion has been accompanied by strong unit economics, with franchise locations requiring investments between $887,000 and $1.85 million.
Community Impact and Corporate Culture
In both Arkansas and Louisiana, 7 Brew has made community engagement a priority. The company regularly partners with local organizations and schools and has established the “7 Brew Heroes” program, which recognizes community members who exemplify kindness and service. Monthly winners receive $500 and free coffee for a year, with an annual grand prize winner receiving $10,000.
This community focus has been particularly important in Louisiana, where local connections and community support drive business success. The brand’s emphasis on treating “people like people” and creating genuine connections has helped it establish strong footholds in Louisiana markets.
Future Outlook: Continued Growth Plans
Looking ahead, both Arkansas and Louisiana are positioned for continued 7 Brew expansion. The company has contracted to potentially open as many as 3,500 locations domestically, with significant growth planned for the South and Midwest regions.
For Louisiana specifically, industry observers expect continued expansion into markets like Shreveport, Lafayette, and Lake Charles. The state’s geography and demographics make it an ideal testing ground for 7 Brew’s rural and suburban expansion strategies.
Arkansas, meanwhile, will see densification of existing markets and expansion into smaller communities that fit the brand’s operational model. The state’s role as the company’s home base ensures it will continue to receive priority for new concept testing and operational innovations.
Bottom Line
7 Brew has cracked the code on drive-thru coffee by combining genuine hospitality with operational efficiency. Starting from humble Arkansas roots in 2017, the company has achieved extraordinary 2,100% growth since 2022, generating $43.5 million in revenue while maintaining strong unit economics with locations averaging over $2 million in annual sales.
Arkansas remains the innovation hub where 7 Brew perfects its “Cultivate Kindness” culture, while Louisiana serves as the proving ground for scalable expansion across the South. With Blackstone’s investment backing and contracts for up to 3,500 domestic locations, 7 Brew is positioned to reshape the drive-thru coffee landscape.
The company’s success formula is straightforward: treat customers like people, not transactions, while delivering consistent quality at speed. For Arkansas and Louisiana, this means continued economic impact through job creation, community engagement, and a homegrown success story that is becoming a national phenomenon.
MULTI-TASKING: A 4.0 student at Captain Shreve, Gators senior linebacker Briggs Savage (35) is harassing quarterbacks, hauling down ballcarriers, dropping in pass coverage and even has a reception for a touchdown already this season – and he plays baseball, too. (Journal photo by KEVIN PICKENS)
By LORI LYONS, Journal Sports
Brotherhood.
It’s one of the things Captain Shreve senior scholar-athlete Briggs Savage loves about playing football and baseball at Captain Shreve High School.
“All my close friends play football,” he said. “And I can just enjoy it whenever I’m having a hard time outside of football, I can just put it all into the game. Whether I’m mad or sad or disappointed, I can just focus on football and work hard.”
Savage is a stellar 6-foot-1, 215-pound linebacker for the football team and plays third base for the baseball team. In two games, he’s made 16.5 total tackles (8 solos), has 1.5 sacks and five quarterback hurries – and has hustled across the ball to catch a touchdown pass in spot duty at tight end.
He also holds a 4.0 grade point average and is one of 37 Shreveport-Bossier seniors who have been named to the fifth annual National Football Foundation McNaughton Chapter Preseason Scholar-Athlete Watch List.
Nominees must have at least a 3.2 grade point average, have won all-district honors or have remarkable team impact, and be involved in extracurricular activities.
A member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and a hopeful candidate to join the National English Honor Society, Savage said he enjoys learning about the different civilizations in history class. He even enjoys writing papers.
“Except I can’t type very well so that kind of sucks,” he said.
Brotherhood also is what helped Savage become the athlete that he is.
As the younger brother of 2024 Watch Lister Brodie Savage, now a freshman quarterback at Central Georgia Tech College, Savage followed his big brother first into flag football then onto the field at Captain Shreve.
“We got to play two years together,” Briggs Savage said. “It was definitely a good experience. I enjoyed it. He was on the opposite side of the ball, but I guess he helped me with stuff. Growing up I was always compared to him. In football people would try to tell me I could play quarterback like he did. People would compare us but it was OK. He’s my big brother. I liked it.”
Savage said he always worked hard to be better in football and he will savor the memory of getting to play in his first game as a sophomore.
“That was my favorite moment so far,” he said.
But he definitely is looking forward to this year’s contest against rival Byrd, and he will love a rematch against Evangel, who knocked the Gators out of last year’s playoffs after Shreve took a 77-76 regular-season classic.
Savage does love a battle. While he was in middle school, he took up boxing just for fun.
“I just fell in love with it,” he said. “I don’t think I’m going to pursue it, but it’s something I do enjoy doing in my free time.”
Savage said he isn’t sure what his future will bring. With a few Division 2 and 3 offers in hand, he hopes to get a few more by year’s end. And if one of those reunites him with his big brother, well, that would be OK too.
“We’ll see,” he said. “It just depends on what happens.”
TIGER VISION: Evangel junior quarterback Peyton “Pop” Houston declared Monday his intention to sign with LSU in the Tigers’ 2027 recruiting class. (Journal photo by GAVEN HAMMOND, landgphoto.com)
JOURNAL SPORTS
Record-breaking quarterback Peyton “Pop” Houston became the first member of LSU’s 2027 recruiting class Monday when the Evangel Christian junior began his 17th birthday celebration by unveiling his verbal commitment to the Tigers during an announcement at ECA.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder uncovered an LSU polo shirt and pulled on an LSU cap as his parents flashed Tigers’ gear, signaling his selection over four other finalists: Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and USC.
Verbal commitments are not binding. Under the current NCAA recruiting calendar, the earliest Houston can officially sign with LSU is next August.
Houston is ranked as a top 200 recruit according to 247 Sports, and their No. 14 quarterback prospect nationally in the Class of 2027. He is rated 77th on ESPN’s “Junior 300” list and the top pocket passer in his class nationwide.
He did not play as a high school freshman after transferring to Evangel from Calvary Baptist. He threw for a state-leading 4,480 yards and 38 touchdowns as a sophomore, setting a national single-game passing yardage record with 817 against Captain Shreve In a 77-76 one overtime loss to the Gators.
Houston was in Baton Rouge Saturday to attend the Tigers’ win over Florida. His god-brother is former LSU All-America linebacker Devin White, and Houston attended a number of the Springhill native’s games in White’s LSU career.
LSU’s recent ability to develop NFL-ready quarterbacks – Heisman Trophy winners Joe Burrow (2019) and Jayden Daniels (2023) along with current Tiger starter and Heisman hopeful Garrett Nussmeier – was a pivotal factor in the decision, Houston said.
Other priorities cited were offensive fit, community culture, life possibilities after football, and joining a program that has strong Christian values.
Houston reportedly has 32 offers from major programs.
If you’re not a big Haughton football fan or a family member or friend of one of the current Buccaneers, doubtful that you fully appreciated the impact of their 36-35 overtime triumph last Friday over Byrd in the District 1-5A opener for both squads.
It had been six years since Haughton won its district debut. When Case Corkern cradled a play-action, bootleg toss from Taylor Weathersby for a walk-off two-point conversion to seal the deal, erasing that skid made it even more special.
“Our kids were pretty fired up about that,” said Haughton’s second-year but homegrown coach, Matthew Sewell, noting while the last couple seasons haven’t been good, the Bucs of recent vintage have enjoyed quite a bit of success – in all but 1-5A openers.
“There’s three playoff wins in those six years. We were 8-2 in the Covid year, and we made the semifinals in 2019, we almost made the quarterfinals in 2022, and none of those teams started 1-0 in district,” Sewell said.
That fact is one of the compelling reasons Haughton is the Shreveport-Bossier Journal Team of the Week. No disrespect to the wonderful milestone by Southwood’s Cowboys, who ended a 46-game skid dating back to 2019, but they were supposed to beat Class A Arcadia. The Bucs, however, weren’t favored against a Byrd program that reached the state quarterfinals last year – a Yellow Jackets program that beat them by 35 last year.
“Every win is a big win. You do not take them for granted, not in this district,” said Sewell. “It’s so deep.”
This win was particularly refreshing considering how this season started for Haughton, with a 36-34 homefield loss to Class 2A stalwart Homer, a game a 5A school should win. The Bucs were throwing into the end zone in the final moments but didn’t connect.
“That’s tough, but it toughens you,” said Sewell. “These guys didn’t flinch (against Byrd) with the game on the line, going down to the wire. They didn’t panic, kept fighting, and more than anything, I’m so proud that they compete, they fight.”
They know the territory. Haughton has played eight of its last 20 games to three-point margins, and is 4-4 in those nailbiters, something Sewell realized late Friday night. He was offensive coordinator in 2023 before getting promoted last year, so he’s been around for all of it.
“How’s my heart still working?,” was his first thought, he said. But the toughness his still-young club has – there are only two senior starters, one on each side of the ball – shined through against Byrd.
“We trailed 13-7, 20-14, 28-20, and 35-28, and came back each time,” said Sewell. “It’s hard to do that.”
There was no shortage of stout performances. Some speak for themselves: receiver Ethan Johnson’s 281 yards receiving on 12 catches included three touchdowns; Weathersby threw for 309 yards, going 16 of 30 with no interceptions; and Brandon Craig rushed for 127 yards and a pair of TDs on 24 carries.
Some popped out on film, like from Jayden Lackey, a senior who starts at tight end/H-back.
“He didn’t catch a pass, but he was instrumental in us being able to run the football against Byrd. We’ve struggled to do that in the past,” said Sewell. “He is an excellent protector in the passing game. Jayden is a great kid, a program kid who has worked really hard to earn his playing time, and he was a big part of us winning that game.”
Sophomore linebacker Jameson Voigt had a sensational night – 19 tackles, the third-most by a Haughton defender this century. Included were a sack, two tackles for loss, and a blocked punt.
Two juniors, outside linebacker Colton Bedgood and offensive lineman Jaden Keith, were also especially vital contributors to the outcome, Sewell said.
The victory put the bounce back in the Bucs’ steps. The long haul forecast is bright, but other than team members, getting edged by Homer dampened enthusiasm. No longer.
“There’s a lot of hope,” said Sewell. “There’s a lot of promise with our sophomores and especially the juniors. They were very successful in junior high, and built a lot of confidence, but they got beat up (emotionally) pretty badly last year. When you don’t have success like you’ve had in your past, some doubt can creep in, but they’ve never wavered in their work ethic, in trusting the process.
“For them to find a way to win a game like that, it was really cool and exciting,” he said.
Doing so in such dramatic fashion – not just the final play, but the slugfest of the first three quarters and the fourth-quarter flurry of a combined 36 points – made it an instant classic, something Sewell told his team moments afterward.
“For sure,” he said again Monday. “Everybody from Haughton who was there will remember that one forever.”
MAXIMIZING HIS TIME: LSU safety Dashawn Spears played only nine snaps in the Tigers’ 20-10 win Saturday night over Florida, but his two interceptions included a 58-yard pick six and earned him SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors Monday. (Photo courtesy LSU Athletics)
By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
BATON ROUGE – LSU head football coach Brian Kelly on Monday made two things clear in his weekly in-season press conference.
First was his apology for his angry outburst directed at WBRZ-TV sports director Michael Cauble in the postgame press conference following the No. 3 unbeaten Tigers’ 20-10 SEC opening win over Florida last Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.
Then, Kelly emphasized that until LSU’s offense comes out of its coma, his in-game strategy will be tilted toward relying on the Tigers’ defense, ranked in the top 15 nationally in six statistical categories, to preserve wins.
“We have a top 10 defense, and we need to play to that strength,” said Kelly as he previewed Saturday’s 6:45 p.m. non-conference home game against Southeastern Louisiana. “So sometimes, you have to pull back a little bit here and there (offensively). I’m tapping the brakes a little bit in those situations.”
A year ago, Kelly often agreed with analytics that led to the Tigers’ offense gambling 24 times on fourth down. LSU converted 12 of those.
So far this season, the Tigers are 0 for 1 on fourth down conversions.
In the win over Florida, LSU punted twice each on fourth-and-one and fourth-and-three. The punts were fair caught or downed at the Florida 21, 12, 2, and 15-yard lines. Three of those ensuing Gators’ possessions led to Florida QB DJ Lagway throwing interceptions, including one with 23 seconds left in the first half that allowed LSU’s Damion Ramos to kick a 45-yard field goal as time expired for a 13-10 lead at the break.
“Last year, the stats were the exact opposite against Florida (LSU dominated total offense yardage and time of possession), and we lost that game,” Kelly said. “This was about managing the game, and at the end of the day, my job is to win football games for LSU. That’s how we had to win the game.
“We have a great defense, and when we get into games like that, I’m going to make sure that we minimize any of the mistakes that could be made on offense.”
In first down situations vs. Florida, LSU had 13 rushing attempts for 46 yards and completed 4 of 8 passes for 100 yards. The Tigers only twice gained enough yardage on first downs that immediately resulted in a first down.
“I walked into the post-game locker room with our coaches,” Kelly said. “Our defensive coaches were pretty happy. Our offensive coaches were really reserved and maybe expecting that they were going to get the paint peeled off the rope. And I said, `Listen, this is how you win games. You have to manage games.’ “
Here’s Kelly on other subjects:
On the uneven play of senior starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier
“He’s been slowed a little bit with a torso injury, and he’s fighting through it. He’s getting better, and he’s not going to be able to really shut it down until we get to the bye week (after the Sept. 27 game at Ole Miss).
“We’ve limited him a little bit during the week because of some tightness that he’s had in his torso. It’s an upper body injury that you want to be careful with how many reps he’s getting to throw in the football.
“This is now about management and shutting him down a little bit during the week.”
On LSU’s no-huddle tempo offense benefiting Nussmeier
“We felt the same way that maybe we were trying to be too perfect in our play calls. Let’s just go play. Let those guys get the ball in space. Garrett is doing a little bit too much, checking everything. He’s so smart. He can manage the whole thing. But sometimes, less is more.”
On the targeting call that ejected LSU linebacker Whit Weeks on Florida’s third offensive play of
the game
“We all understand what targeting looks like. But he (Weeks) is trying to make a play on a runner who ducks his head. You make a tackle to throw a guy out of the game for that. I don’t know how to coach him (Weeks) differently, like I don’t know what to tell him to do differently, and you’re going to throw him out of the game. That makes no sense to me.
“Common sense at some time has got to get involved in targeting, and if common sense gets involved, maybe we’ll get an answer real quick.”
Last game for Lions: SLU scored touchdowns on its first four possessions in a 56-3 win over Mississippi Valley State last Saturday night as the Lions totaled 445 yards in their home opener. Quarterbacks Cardson Camp and Kyle Lowe combined to complete 16 of 20 passes for 302 yards and five TDs.
Series record and last meeting: LSU leads 2-0 after winning 31-0 in 2018.
SLU head coach: Frank Scelfo (46-37 in 8 seasons overall and at SLU).
THIS AND THAT
Appearance fee paid by LSU to SLU per game contract: $750,000 and 400 complimentary tickets.
Early betting line: LSU opens as a 24-point favorite.
Betting tip: Under LSU head coach Brian Kelly, the Tigers are 2-1 against the spread vs. FCS opponents.
Number of Louisiana natives on SLU roster: 66
Number of Louisiana natives on LSU roster: 56
Number of transfers on SLU roster from 4-year schools: 22 players from 19 schools.
SLU PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB Carson Camp (37 of 59 for 442 passing yards, 3 TDs, 2 interceptions), QB Kyle Lowe (18 of 25 for 233 passing yards, 3 TDs, 1 interception, 145 rushing yards and 3 TDs on 23 carries), WR Jaylon Domingeaux (10 catches for 152 yards, 3 TDs), LB KK Reno (24 tackles, 3 TFL), DL Roman Briggs (9 tackles, 2½ sacks, 1 forced fumble), DL Khalid Moore (9 tackles, 1 PBU, 3 QB hurries, 1 fumble recovery), PK Guillermo Garciia Rodriguez (14 of 14 extra points, 1 of 3 FG), P/KO Alec Mahler (11 punts for 43.27 ypk) and 18 kickoffs for 63.8 with 8 touchbacks).
DID YOU KNOW. . .
In LSU’s 2018 game vs. SLU, Tigers’ receiver Ja’Marr Chase caught his first-ever college TD pass from QB Joe Burrow.
MAKING A MOVE: Booker T. Washington receiver D.K. Mitchell (7) tries to evade Bastrop defenders during the Lions’ 28-12 victory last Friday night. (Journal photo by RAYNALDO ALEXANDER, Sniper Sports Photography)
JOURNAL SPORTS
Rivalries certainly can be friendly. Case in point: the District 1-5A battle coming Thursday in Bossier City between early league co-leaders Haughton and Parkway.
For several years, it was the “Brotherton Bowl” with siblings Jason Brotherton (Haughton) and Coy Brotherton (Parkway) as opposing head coaches.
Now it’s billed as the “BFF Bowl” with Coy Brotherton and close pal Matthew Sewell on opposite sidelines. They’ll have their regular Wednesday night dinner together with their families, then go at it for 48 minutes (maybe more, as the Buccaneers beat Byrd in overtime last Friday), and as Sewell said Monday, probably ride together Friday night to scout a future district opponent or two.
That matchup is a highlight of the local Week 3 high school slate, along with a clash of explosive unbeatens Friday night (Mansfield at Northwood), the LSWA’s top-ranked 4A team (Franklin Parish) visiting 2A’s sixth-ranked Calvary Baptist on Friday, and one of the best local rivalries, the 52nd annual Soul Bowl Saturday at 5 between Booker T. Washington and Green Oaks.
Week 3 games involving Shreveport-Bossier teams:
THURSDAY
Haughton (1-1 overall, 1-0 in 1-5A) at Parkway (2-0, 0-0)
FRIDAY
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)
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
