By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports

Let’s be honest about it – Loyola’s playoff game against Belaire Friday night at Messmer Stadium was little more than a formality.

(Go ahead and insert the standard anything-can-happen cliché here.)

The Flyers knew it and, by all appearances, Belaire knew it too. Down 35 points late in the first half but with a chance to get on the scoreboard with three minutes to go before halftime, the Bengals ran only five plays – two of them in Loyola territory – and seemed to content to just go to halftime.

Even though the running clock was not officially applicable to start the second half, Belaire opted for it and only 20 total plays were run in the final two quarters before the Bengals hopped back on the bus for the trip back to Baton Rouge after the Flyers took care of business with a 42-0 second round win.

While Belaire was picking up its first playoff win in 22 years last week, the Flyers had the week off by earning a No. 2 seed in the Select Division II playoffs. Friday night, it looked as though both teams got what they needed in the first round of the playoffs.

The Flyers were far more concerned about getting two defensive starters back from injuries (defensive tackle Grant Psalmonds and safety Thomas Gosslee) than worried about whether the week off would lead to some rust setting in.

“It was great to see the impact they can have,” Loyola coach John Sella said about the two returnees.

After a Gosslee interception ended the opening drive by Belaire, it took the high-powered Loyola offense all of one play to score a touchdown (a 25-yard pass from Bryce Restovich to Jake Black).

Psalmonds was a major part of a defense that didn’t allow a first down for the next five Belaire drives while Loyola offense never missed a beat. Mason Drake scored on two touchdown runs and Ty Walsworth and Charlie McKenzie each caught touchdown passes in the first half. Of the five scoring drives Loyola had before halftime, only one lasted longer than four plays.

“It was exciting because you never know how they are going to respond coming off the bye,” Sella said. “To come out with that kind of energy with no real rust was great. I feel like we did need that bye (and) it was a good thing for us.”

It was tough enough to keep up with the Flyer offense, but it was even tougher keeping up with the assault on the record book. 

• Walsworth set the school record for catching a touchdown pass in his 11^th straight game.
• Black broke the school record for career catches (125).
• McKenzie became the first Flyer to go over 1,000-yards in receiving in a season.
• Drake became the school’s No. 2 career rushing leader (2,855 yards).
• Restovich set the record for most completions in a career (423).

It should come as no surprise that Loyola didn’t have a negative play until the second-to-last snap of the game.

A formality indeed.

But from here, it is anything but. Next up is Archbishop Shaw (Marrero), a 49-6 winner over Haynes Academy. That’s not exactly stunning news to the Flyers, who have been eyeing the Eagles as a quarterfinal opponent since the brackets came out two weeks ago.

Coached by legendary Hank Tierney, Shaw is the defending state champion as well as a six-time state finalist. Though the Eagles are the No. 7 seed, they have wins over Lafayette Christian (the No. 1 seed in Select D3) and St. James (the No. 3 seed in Non-Select D3).

Two of their losses are to teams that are No. 1 seeds in their respective brackets.

This will be Shaw’s fourth straight trip to the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, the Flyers haven’t been this far since 2016 (when they had a bye to the quarters).

“Hey guys, we are playing during Thanksgiving break,” Sella told his team afterward. “That’s something I’ve never done before. That means we are pretty good. But let’s don’t let this end. Let’s keep it going.”

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

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By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

St. Paul’s was determined not to get Popped by Evangel’s uber-talented junior quarterback Peyton “Pop” Houston Friday night in a second-round Select Division I playoff game.

The Wolves’ 3-3 defense and blitz packages contributed to an uncharacteristic slow start by the Eagles, who had four motion penalties on their first drive along with inconsistencies in the passing game. As a haze settled over the playing field at Rodney Duron Stadium, the ECA passing attack sputtered.

But St. Paul’s discovered Evangel’s offense is not one-dimensional. This time, the Eagles ran the ball on 44 plays, and Houston tossed a modest-for-ECA 26 passes.

That was productive enough, combined with a stout defense, to produce a 34-14 victory that lifted Evangel into the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2019. That milestone was pointed out powerfully in a postgame speech at midfield from coach Denny Duron to his team, with his senior class gathered tightly around him after the last home appearance of their careers.

“We went through a drought,” said senior fullback/linebacker Damari “Dae-Dae” Drake, “and now it feels like we finally get some water.”

Evangel’s defense – combined with injuries that knocked St. Paul’s two most productive running backs out of the game – limited the visitors to 171 total yards and one offensive touchdown.

“Hindsight’s 20-20, but if we have those two, maybe our plan works,” said Wolves’ veteran coach Kenny Sears Sr., “because we surely wanted to eat the clock and keep it away from Number 1 (Houston). We felt we could pound ‘em a bit and wear them down. Our defense played well enough to win but we were reaching for straws on offense.”

The Eagles’ willingness and ability to switch gears was pivotal. That shift originated with Houston, who still threw for three TDs (23 and 21 yards to Charley Abraham, and a 19-yarder with a gorgeous contested catch by DeMarkus Evans) and ran for a 16-yard score. His 14 of 26 completion rate and 194 passing yards came with two interceptions, one on a screen pass returned 10 yards for a stunning TD that lifted St. Paul’s up 14-13 midway through the second quarter.

“Everything’s not going to pan out smooth all the time,” said Drake. “We went through a rough little patch, but we shook it back and we got right.”

With the clock winding toward a halftime deficit, Evangel – actually, one Eagle, Kionte’ Mims II —  ran the ball on five of six snaps on a 55-yard drive to the go-ahead score, his 6-yard bolt up the middle with 28 seconds to go.

After a scoreless third period, Drake pounded away between the tackles and Houston threw just once – the 21-yard strike on a quick fly route to Abraham – as Evangel salted it away with a pair of touchdowns, the last Houston’s 16-yard option keeper that left a St. Paul’s defender in perfect position reaching for the quarterback and whiffing as he danced by.

“He’s about winning. He ain’t about stats, and he’ll do anything to win the game,” said Duron. “When it was obvious we needed to run the ball, he was the one coming to the sideline saying, ‘we need to run the rock.’ That’s exactly what Dae-Dae and K2 (Mims) were able to do, and it was a lot of fun to watch.”

Houston said the Wolves forced his hand.

“They were doing a great job of dropping into the zones we prepared for all week. We thought those zones were going to be open, but they were not today,” he said. “The thing we had going for us was the run game.

“As the quarterback, it’s all about winning, so sometimes you’ve gotta let go of the stats. That’s how it was today. Kudos to the offensive line, and Dae-Dae and K2.”

The elusive Mims got the ball 16 times and ran for 104 yards. Drake piled up 174 yards on 15 carries, including several when he bulled through tackle after tackle, and another in a season-long series of leaps over defenders.

“Ever since we played Neville (in Week 1) and I got that first hurdle, everything’s been jumpy, jumpy, jumpy. I try to stop myself, but it just happens,” Drake said.

As for his other jaunts, he noted “I’m an aggressive runner.”

“He’s a heck of a player,” said St. Paul’s Sears. “He ran through some fits that were amazing to me.”

It led to half of Evangel’s 339 rushing yards – and a trip to New Orleans for a quarterfinal date with destiny, the undefeated defending state champion Edna Karr Cougars, who have outscored 11 opponents 480-119.

“It’s a title shot,” Duron told his team.

“It’s a blessing,” said Drake. “You gotta play with heart – no fear.”

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

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JOURNAL SPORTS

Parkway’s nailbiting District 1-5A wins over Airline and Captain Shreve made Friday night’s second-round Non-Select Division I playoff battle with Hahnville familiar territory for the Panthers.

They remained unbeaten in close games as the sixth-seeded hosts topped No. 11 Hahnville 37-31 in overtime after coming from behind in both halves.

Parkway (11-1) overcame a 28-17 third-quarter deficit to claim a late three-point edge, getting two sort Braxxton Black touchdown runs and a key two-point conversion connection between quarterback Kaleb Williams and Gary Burney with 5:47 left to play.

Hahnville (9-3) manufactured a clutch drive but had to settle for a 21-yard field goal with 2:21 remaining that tied the contest.

Williams found tight end Draidyn Davis for an 8-yard TD on the second play in overtime, but the extra point kick was wide, leaving the Tigers trailing by six.

Hahnville didn’t gain a yard on the Panthers’ defense on its four snaps in OT – although the Tigers dropped a potential tying TD pass on third down.

Freshman kicker Thad Smith booted a career-long 34-yard field goal in the final minute of the first half for a 17-14 Parkway edge at the break.

Tony Gladney’s 114 rushing yards and 108 by Black fueled the Panthers. Parkway’s defense allowed only 57 rushing yards and 259 total, while the Panthers ran for 321 and Williams threw for another 169 and three scores.

Calvary moved to 10-1 with its 66-30 Select Division III homefield rout of Metairie Park Country Day, although the Cajuns stunned the Cavaliers by taking a 16-7 first-period lead. Both teams scored on opening drives, then the visitors rang up nine points on two plays, a botched Calvary snap for a safety followed by a 75-yard TD runback of the free kick.

But the Cavs roared to life, getting a touchdown catch and an interception, both on deflected balls collected by Trey McDaniel, with the pickoff returned just shy of the end zone as Calvary ran off 35 unanswered points for a 42-16 halftime advantage.

Second-round LHSAA playoff results involving local teams:

Non-Select Division I

No. 6 Parkway 37, No. 11 Hahnville 31 (OT)

 

Select Division I

No. 4 Catholic-Baton Rouge 37, No. 20 Captain Shreve 14

No. 8 Evangel 34, No. 9 St. Paul’s 14

 

Select Division II

No. 2 Loyola 42, No. 18 Belaire 0

No. 4 University Lab 50, No. 13 Booker T. Washington 16

 

Select Division III

No. 6 Calvary 66, No. 11 Metairie Park Country Day 30

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JOURNAL SPORTS

All three Shreveport-Bossier private schools in the LHSAA football playoffs advanced to state quarterfinal matchups after second-round wins over lower-seeded opponents Friday night.

Loyola gets to stay home for as long as the Flyers keep going in the Select Division II postseason. The Flyers must overcome defending state champion Archbishop Shaw to host a semifinal game.

Parkway is also home this Friday night. The combination of the Panthers’ overtime victory over Hahnville and Ouachita upsetting higher-seeded Destrehan on the road in the Non-Select Division I bracket handed the Panthers a third straight playoff game at Preston Crownover Stadium.

Evangel and Calvary were convincing second-round winners, but so were higher-seeded opponents who will host the locals in quarterfinal games on Black Friday.

State quarterfinal matchups involving local teams:

Non-Select Division I

No. 14 Ouachita (8-4) at No. 6 Parkway (11-1)

Select Division I

No. 8 Evangel (9-2) at No. 1 Edna Karr (11-0)

Select Division II

No. 7 Archbishop Shaw (7-4) at No. 2 Loyola (10-1)

Select Division III

No. 6 Calvary (10-1) at No. 3 Jewel Sumner (11-0)

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BATON ROUGE – Did you think it could get any worse?

Sadder than Texas A&M nailing the coffin on Brian Kelly’s LSU coaching career by scoring 35 straight second-half points in a 49-25 bashing in which the Tigers’ wheezing offensive line allowed five sacks.

Sorrier than Alabama when LSU’s offense had five false starts, lost 27 yards, and scored just a pair of field goals on three red zone trips in a 20-9 loss.

More pathetic than Vanderbilt maintaining possession in the final 3:12 of a 31-24 win and actually ending the game by mercifully taking a knee (probably for the first time vs. the Tigers) on the last three plays starting at the LSU 1.

But somehow, in a season full of historically rancid offensive performances, the 2025 Tigers saved their biggest stinker for Senior Night on Saturday in Tiger Stadium.

Scoring their lowest point total against a non-conference game in 25 years, LSU and its D.O.A. offense crawled across the finish line with a 13-10 victory over Western Kentucky in the final home game of a disastrous year.

Not counting LSU’s final possession when quarterback Michael Van Buren happily knelt twice to kill the game’s final 62 seconds after the Tigers had to field an onside kick to dodge one last bullet, LSU’s other 14 possessions ended in seven punts, two turnovers, being stopped twice on fourth down, two field goals, and a TD.

LSU was 3 for 16 in third-down situations and 1 of 3 on fourth-down situations.

Former Tigers’ backup QB Van Buren Jr., making his second start in place of the injured Garrett Nussmeier, failed to convert 8 of 9 third downs and 2 of 3 on fourth downs. He completed a combined 6 of 12 passes on third and fourth downs, but five were short of the first down marker.

Then, to put the icing on the crumbling cake, LSU running back Harlem Berry fumbled, and WKU cornerback Dylan Flowers scooped and scored on a 71-yard return.

After WKU placekicker John Canno made it a one-possession game with his extra point, LSU suddenly had to recover an onside kickoff to preserve the win.

It was a stinging reminder of why this season was flushed down the toilet, why this team is the eighth in school history to start the season ranked in the top 10 of the AP and Coaches polls and finish in witness protection.

Frank Wilson, a superbly nice human being named LSU’s interim coach when Kelly was fired, wrote off the Tigers’ typically bad offensive performance to injuries and youth.

Not just for the WKU embarrassment, but for the whole season.

“Personnel-wise, you lose your starting center, you lose your left tackle, then you put a different guy in, then he gets out, until you bring an injured guy back in,” Wilson said of his team’s injury woes.

“When injuries start to occur, the playbook condenses to give yourself the best chance of doing whatever it takes to win the game.

“We’re a youthful offensive unit, especially up front, and I think that when you do that, it’s our responsibility to do the things that give you a chance to win. We can go out and try to be sexy and do things that don’t adhere and allow us to be our best version of ourselves, and it won’t bode well for you.

“And so, what do you do? You do the things that you can do with the personnel that you have, and sometimes it’s ugly and sometimes it’s tough.”

And often, it’s a lack of execution, like Van Buren not checking down to safety valve receivers but instead repeatedly throwing inaccurate passes into coverages vs. WKU that Wilson said the Tigers hadn’t seen on film.

It’s also the soft and confused offensive line, this time allowing Western Kentucky (which had just 12 sacks in its first 10 games) to record a season-high six sacks.

Sometimes, it’s nonsensical playcalling, such as in the third quarter when successive Van Buren runs of 16 yards and 3 yards put the ball inside the WKU 1-yard line with second-and-goal.

So, needing a half-yard, LSU interim play caller Alex Atkins stunningly had Van Buren throw an incomplete pass to 6-foot-7-inch tight end Trey’Dez Green.

It was well-covered by WKU, which had seen LSU try this play repeatedly in goal-line situations all season.

Then, on third and goal, instead of having Van Buren under center maybe 15 inches from the goal line, Atkins puts Van Buren four yards back in the shotgun. He fumbles the snap, falls on it at the 4-yard line, and LSU settles for a Damian Ramos 18-yard field goal and a 10-3 lead.

This combination of lousy play calling and bumbling, stumbling execution has lasted the entire season. It hasn’t gotten any better.

And for the most part, the reason LSU has managed seven wins as one of the worst 7-4 (soon to be 7-5) teams with a regular-season road smackdown at No. 8 Oklahoma awaiting next Saturday is a defense that has continued to keep the Tigers within striking distance.

LSU cornerbacks DJ Pickett and PJ Woodland picked off WKU QB Rodney Tisdale Jr. at the WKU 22 and LSU 45 in successive third-quarter possession.

All the Tigers’ offense cashed in was a Ramos field goal, which is par for the course. The 18 turnovers (14 interceptions, four fumble recoveries) caused by LSU this year have led to just 38 points, including eight field goals.

Too many Tigers’ possessions are also derailed by penalties. LSU’s offense has been flagged 43 of the team’s 78 penalties this season, including 20 false starts and 13 holding infractions.

LSU’s defense, unfortunately, has gotten used to not getting help from its offense.

“We came in at halftime (with LSU leading WKU 7-3),” Tigers’ linebacker West Weeks. “We said if they don’t score again, they can’t win the ballgame.”

Yet, LSU’s offense almost handed the 21½-point Hilltoppers a victory on an early Thanksgiving platter.

Hopefully by this time next week, the Tigers will have hired a new head coach, whether they’ve emptied the vault for Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin or Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz or someone else.

Whoever it is, the number one requirement is installing an offensive scheme that is unpredictable, scores beaucoup points, and keeps self-destruction at a minimum.

The 2025 Tigers are one game from possibly being the first LSU team since 1993 to score 25 points or fewer in every SEC game in a season.

The program direly needs a major resuscitation.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

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By MALCOLM BUTLER, Lincoln Parish Journal

RUSTON — Andrew Burnette’s 25-yard touchdown run on Louisiana Tech’s first play in overtime carried the Bulldogs to a 34-28 come-from-way-behind win over Liberty Saturday afternoon at Joe Aillet Stadium.

The win was the sixth of the season for Tech (6-5, 4-3), who earned bowl eligibility for the first time since 2019 when the Bulldogs defeated Miami 14-0 in the Independence Bowl.

It also brought pure joy to the Bulldog sideline.

After Tech rallied from a 21-point third quarter deficit to send the game into overtime, the Bulldogs’ Jakari Foster intercepted Ethan Vasko on the second play from scrimmage on Liberty’s offensive possession in the extra period.

Burnette, who also scored on runs of 8 and 3 yards in regulation, took the shotgun snap out of the wildcat formation, ran straight up the middle, and broke free for the game-winning score. 

It sent the Bulldog sideline and the slim Joe Aillet Stadium crowd into a frenzy as Tech won for the first time in its  last six overtime contests. 

“I am extremely proud of our players and our coaching staff,” said Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie. “When you think about what Coach (Tony) Franklin and our offensive staff did, that’s coaching. You take the players that you have and maximize their skillsets and abilities in a high-pressure environment, and they did that tonight.”

Tech entered the game minus two of its top three quarterbacks, including starter Blake Baker who was lost for the year a few weeks ago. So Trey Kukuk, who started the first two games of the year, got the nod and made the most of his opportunity.

Kukuk ran for 143 yards and two scores and passed for another 118, while making play-after-play with the game on the line.

Tech trailed 28-7 with just over four minutes to play in the third quarter when Kukuk made the first of many momentum-changing plays. On fourth down and three from the Liberty 31, Kukuk dropped back to pass before tucking the football and racing 31 yards untouched for the score. 

The play gave life to an otherwise quiet Tech sideline that saw Liberty take its first two possessions of the third quarter and score, extending a 13-7 lead out to 28-7. 

Liberty tailback Evan Dickens had a career day for the Flames (4-6, 3-4), rushing for 228 yards and two TDs on 30 carries. Dickens eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark on the season. 

However, with the game on the line, Liberty kept turning to quarterback Ethan Vasko. It didn’t work out.

Vasko, who had completed 8-of-13 passes for 141 yards and one score in helping Liberty take the three touchdown lead, had a nightmarish finish. Vasko threw the first of his four interceptions with 3:41 to play in the third quarter as Foster snared the first of his two picks on the day.

“It felt like [Liberty] kept trying to trick us in a way to start it off, because we haven’t played against a triple option or speed option team all year,” said Foster. “It felt like they had some tricky stuff that they ran with their offense.

“We talked through it throughout the whole game, and in the second half we said to understand the formation and see where the guys are, see where they’re coming from. Read your keys and just play your role. The ball will come to you.”

Following the interception, Tech executed one of the most impressive offensive possessions of the season, march ing 96 yards on 19 plays, the last one Burnette’s three-yard TD run with 10:24 to play in the final quarter to cut the Flames’ lead to 28-21. 

Burnette rushed 17 times for 93 yards and the three scores with almost every rush coming out of the wildcat formation as he and Kukuk took turns taking the shotguns snaps throughout the game. 

“Andrew [Burnette] played his butt off tonight,” said Kukuk. “He was a monster.”

On Liberty’s next possession, Tech safety Michael Richard intercepted Vasko, giving the Bulldogs the ball on the Flames side of the 50-yard line. Five plays later on third down and 7, Kukuk executed the quarterback draw racing 29 yards to paydirt to tie the game at 28-28.

Both teams had opportunities over the final five minutes of the game, including a 54-yard potential game-winning field goal by Captain Shreve product John Hoyet Chance on the final play of regulation that bounced off the right upright, sending the game into overtime. 

The Bulldogs intercepted four passes over the final 19 minutes of play and overtime, extending their national lead to 19. 

Vasko ended the game 8-of-21, including 0-for-8 with four interceptions down the stretch.

Jacob Fields led Tech with 14 tackles and one interception, while Foster added eight tackles and two interceptions, giving him six on the season. 

Tech finished the season 5-1 at home, its best record in Joe Aillet Stadium since going 6-0 in 2019.

“(Winning) is a desire for everybody,” said Fields. “When (star linebacker) Kolbe [Fields] got hurt (lost for the year in late September), we had to have somebody else step up and take the role. Kolbe is one the best guys when he’s on the field, so I feel like, for this team, it’s just everybody’s desire for one thing and that’s to keep winning.”

Tech will end the regular season next Saturday at Missouri State.

Contact Malcolm at lpjnewsla@gmail.com

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JOURNAL SPORTS

Bossier Parish Community College hosts the two-day Dacari Markray Classic at the Billy Montgomery Gym on campus today and Tuesday, honoring the memory of the former BPCC guard who was an All-State standout at Doyline High School.

The Cavaliers (4-2) will play at 7 tonight against Baton Rouge Community College, then at 1 Tuesday afternoon against Tribulation Prep.

The LSUS men (3-2) are also home today, in a 2 o’clock game against Freed-Hartman.

The freshman-laden BPCC squad dropped a homecourt game Friday night 85-79 to Southwest Mississippi CC.

“Our team fought hard in the first half to keep it close despite foul trouble,” said first-year coach Jeff Moore. “Down 13 at halftime, we had some players really step up in the second half to fight back to tie it late in the second half.

“This group is improving and will finish a close game soon with a win,” he said. “We still have some defensive things to correct but effort is not an issue. This one just didn’t go our way against a well-coached team that dominated us on the boards. We will learn and turn the page.”

The Cavs got a 34-point outing by Tony Montgomery, who hit 11 of 19 shots including 6 of 9 on 3-pointers. Drew Cooper added 14 points. Zequan Lewis made 5 steals.

Southwest Mississippi shot 61 percent overall to 41.5 percent for BPCC, and held a 41-28 rebounding advantage.

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Gerald Wayne Williams, Sr. 80 of Haughton, Louisiana, passed away on Monday, November 17, 2025, in Shreveport.

A native of Dubach, Louisiana, and a resident of Haughton for over 35 years, Gerald lived a life centered on family, hard work, and the outdoors. He retired from Boomtown Casino in 2007, and in the years that followed, he embraced a quieter life filled with the things he loved most.

Gerald was an avid gardener who found joy in tending to his plants each day. He also loved hunting and fishing, often spending time at the deer lease with his son and grandchildren. Nothing meant more to him than the moments he shared with his grandkids and great-grandkids-those memories were truly his greatest treasures.

Above all, Gerald’s family was his world. His love for them was unwavering, and he will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

Mr. Williams was preceded in death by his parents, Muriel Davis and Lee Williams; sister, Linda Boyd; brother, Kenneth Williams; and stepdaughter, Raychell Corrales. He is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Lynda S. Williams; two daughters, Dee Williams and Christy Solice; his son, Gerald Williams, II and wife Terri; stepson, Shane Smith; eight grandchildren, Shelly Bell, Nathan Williams, Brittany Knipp, Kilie Featheringham, Ashur Smith, Kathyn Hendricks, Shyanne Jones, and Destiny Gilley; 16 great grandchildren, and brother, Robert Williams.

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Lee Smith Holder, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and man of steadfast faith, entered his heavenly home surrounded by the love of his family. Born and raised in Frierson, Louisiana, Lee attended Shreve Christian Academy from 1974 to 1978, where he built the foundation of strong values, ethics, and faith that guided him throughout his life.

As a young boy, Lee attended Frierson Baptist Church with his loyal German Shepherd—affectionately known as King the Baptist—beginning a lifelong journey of serving the Lord. He carried his faith into adulthood, instilling those same beliefs in his wife, children, and grandchildren. Lee led by example, living a life marked by humility, devotion, and a Christ-centered heart.

A master craftsman, Lee spent his lifetime working in hardwood flooring. He began in the family business alongside his parents and brother before establishing his own company. His work took him across Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, and Natchitoches, where he formed lifelong friendships and left lasting impressions through his craftsmanship, integrity, and warm personality. Lee took immense pride in his work, treating every project as a reflection of his name and values.

Beyond work, Lee’s greatest passion was bass fishing. He loved nothing more than spending time on the water with his buddies at the Bayou Fishing Club and with his family, where his humor, storytelling, and camaraderie were cherished by all who knew him. He also enjoyed cooking and experimenting with new recipes, sharing both food and laughter with his family and friends.

Lee will be remembered as a storyteller, a social butterfly, sometimes a bumblebee, and always kind, compassionate, strong, and loving. Though a big, burly man on the outside, he had the heart of a teddy bear—unless, of course, you found a way to make him mad. His presence filled every room; his absence will be deeply felt.

Lee was preceded in death by his parents, Roland and Martha Holder of Frierson; his grandparents, Grover and Freda Smith and Rolond and Annie Delle Holder; and his beloved daughter, Stephanie Vailes.

Left to cherish his memory are his devoted wife, Rebecca Holder; his children Tiffany Blevins, Heather Farris and husband Will, Rorry Bell and wife Cynthia, Jennifer Cox and husband Russell, Amy Holder and fiancé Joe, and Emily Holder and special friend Henry. He is also survived by his grandchildren Skylar Harper, Sean Harper, Claire Hughes, Gabby Vailes, Jacob Vailes, Austyn Cole, Kaylee Simmons, Natalee Lovejoy, Weston Farris, Shelby Canady, Levi Cox, Jinna Farris, Samantha Canady, and soon-to-arrive Rory Alexander Bell.

Lee is further survived by his in-laws, Wilma and William Burgess; his sister, Sherry and Milton McClure and their family; his brother, Paul and Leslie Holder and their family; and cousin Eric Hamelback and his family.

Pallbearers

Joe Harper, Russell Cox, William Farris, Rorry Bell, Henry McKinney, and Wesley Beshea.

Honorary Pallbearers

Jacob Vailes, Levi Cox, Skylar Harper, Jimmy Burns, Randy Hammontree, Byron Smith, Justin and Jeremy Hammontree, Bobby Humphreys, and Jacob Sites.

The family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the entire medical staff and staff of Highland Hospital for their compassionate care, professionalism, and support during Lee’s long battle with heart failure.

The family welcomes testimonies, stories, special memories, and photographs. Your shared moments will be treasured and will help keep Lee’s spirit alive for generations to come.

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Bossier Parish Schools announced its 2025–26 Students of the Year, recognizing three standout students whose academic achievements, leadership, and service have earned them the opportunity to represent the district in the Louisiana Student of the Year competition.

The honorees include an award-winning 4-H member and school broadcaster, a high-achieving performing arts and athletics participant, and a scholar-athlete who has earned top distinctions in both academics and civic service.

Emlyn Soto, a fifth grader at W.T. Lewis Elementary, was named the Bossier Parish Elementary Student of the Year. Soto serves as 4-H Club President and ranks in the Top 10 statewide for her portfolio. She is active in the Bulldog Broadcast team, Poco Voci Honor Choir, tumbling, swim team, Junior Naturalists, and several school clubs. Soto also leads and mentors younger students and participates in numerous service projects, including Operation Christmas Child, local food pantry donations, church activities, and Bossier Schools’ Day of Service.

Hadleigh Fulghum, an eighth grader at Cope Middle School, is the Bossier Parish Middle School Student of the Year. Fulghum is a campus leader involved in FCA, cheer, Yearbook Staff, volleyball, Junior Beta Club, and Junior Musical Theatre. She has starred as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, trains in youth karate, attends the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Dance Camp, and teaches at Vicki’s School of Dance.

Academically, she is part of the Gifted program and maintains A/B Honor Roll status. She is also active in community and church service, including Night to Shine.

Kang Noh, a senior at Airline High School, was named the Bossier Parish High School Student of the Year. A QuestBridge Scholar, Noh serves as Team Captain of the Airline Vikings Football team and was elected Governor of Youth Legislature and School Board President at Louisiana Boys State. He is an Academic All-State honoree in football, earned a 33 on the ACT, and has perfect LEAP scores in English and Algebra I. Noh is also involved in service as a worship leader, musician, and dedicated community volunteer.

The Louisiana Department of Education will announce the State Students of the Year in each grade category during an awards ceremony in the spring.

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Caddo Parish Public Schools reported continued academic progress with the release of the 2025 School Performance Scores, highlighting districtwide improvements and another year maintaining a solid B rating.

According to the district, 10 schools improved by a full letter grade, while 30 schools increased their overall scores. Twelve campuses earned the distinction of being named Top Gains schools, and seven were recognized as Opportunity Honorees for their work in advancing student achievement.

District leaders credited students, educators, and staff for the steady upward momentum, noting that this year’s results underscore ongoing efforts to strengthen academic outcomes across Caddo Parish.

Officials said the district remains focused on building on these gains as it moves forward into the next academic year.

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BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA — The Preamble to the Constitution of the State of Louisiana states, “We, the people of Louisiana,…desiring to protect individual rights to life, liberty, and property;…do ordain and establish this constitution. Article 1, Declaration of Rights, declares the origin and purpose of Government by stating, “All government, of right, originates with the people, is founded on their will alone, and is instituted to protect the rights of the individual and for the good of the whole.  Its only legitimate ends are to secure justice for all, preserve peace, protect the rights, and promote the happiness and general welfare of the people. The rights enumerated in this Article are inalienable by the state and shall be preserved inviolate by the state. “ 

The LA Constitution is the will of the people and therefore the foundation of authority for the Louisiana Government. This constitution both grants power and restricts power. It’s ultimate aim in granting and restricting power is to form a government which the principle purpose, “only legitimate ends” is to protect the rights of men, of these rights, the most basic are Life, Liberty and Property. Any action taken by any branch of our government which violates our Constitution and abridges these rights must be challenged and declared unlawful.

Beginning in 2020, the Louisiana Legislature passed a series of special laws granting special privileges to private companies engaged in the carbon capture and sequestration industry. Through these special laws, the Legislature stripped Louisiana citizens of their Constitutional protections against expropriation of private property by non-utility service providing private companies for private gain. In these special laws, the Legislature granted the power of eminent domain to private companies in violation of Constitutional guarantees and protections, in particular, the right to Property. It is our firm position that these special laws are in violation of the LA Constitution, specifically Article 1, Sections 1, 2, and 4, Article 3, Sec 12 as well as additional sections. 

Today, our organization, Save My Louisiana, a citizen organization dedicated to safeguarding the fundamental rights and public safety of the citizens of Louisiana has exercised our right to petition our government for corrective action of what we believe to be unconstitutional law. We are petitioning the Judicial Branch to review these laws and establish that they are indeed in violation of the Constitution of Louisiana and that they be struck from the law thereby restoring Louisianaian’s fundamental Right to Property. 

Prior to filing this petition today, our organization petitioned members of the Legislature and the Governor to correct this egregious and overt trampling of Constitutional guarantees and protections. As the fact of our standing here today testifies, neither Legislators nor the Governor have taken acceptable corrective action in response to our concerns. 

Legislators have offered excuses for this massive failure stating that they either didn’t read or understand the bills that created this situation yet still they voted for them. It was not until this organization and others like it discovered this treachery of negligence that Legislators began “working” to correct the situation. Although Legislators seek full forgiveness for their negligence, they have only offered anemic half-measures to correct their whole measure offense. Their actions seem more like threading a needle to placate citizens with a false sense of security while protecting the carbon capture and sequestration industry’s “right” to exercise eminent domain. They also continue to deceive citizens that no eminent domain danger exists. The problem with their statements is that RS 19, Sec 2, paragraph 10 and 11 and RS 30:1108, A(1) states “Any storage operator is hereby authorized…to exercise the power of eminent domain and expropriate needed property to acquire surface and subsurface rights and property interests necessary…”. The authorization to utilize the power of eminent domain for the carbon capture and sequestration industry is still in full force. 

The Governor’s response to our petition was to issue an executive order, which, in part cited a “Landowner Bill of Rights for Geological Sequestration Projects” as created by the same laws the Legislature neglectfully passed. The problem with this approach is that Louisiana citizens already have Constitutional guarantees to property which are far more restrictive. New laws can make the taking of property more restrictive but in no case less restrictive than the Constitution.

So here we are today, having been woefully disappointed by both the legislative and executive branches, we are now petitioning our remaining branch of government for redress of our grievance. These special laws created by the Legislature exceeding it’s authorized powers and ignored by the Governor are unconstitutional and this petition before the court will prove that fact to be the case. 

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FOR SALE BY OWNER

57.2 acres, plus or minus, of wooded land bordering Atlanta Mira Rd and Rodessa Ida Rd in Caddo Parish, Louisiana.

Price: $200,000.00
Location/Address: 57.2 acres (plus or minus) of wooded land bordering Atlanta Mira Rd and Rodessa Ida Rd in Caddo Parish, Louisiana.

Directions: Directions Turn South On The Atlanta Mira Rd From The Rodessa Ida Rd. After Traveling South About 0.2 Miles This Property Will Be On Your Left.

Financing (Y/N): N

Property Size: 57.2 acres (plus or minus)

Owner/Contact:
Contact: Ben Bethard
Phone: 318-215-5441
eMail: ben@parishone.com

El El SI, LLC
1923 Southern Loop, Suite V
Shreveport, LA 71106

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Shreveport Public Assembly & Recreation (SPAR) reported a strong turnout for its pre-Thanksgiving turkey distribution event, where more than 300 families received holiday meals thanks to support from community partners.

According to SPAR, the initiative was made possible through a partnership with Healthy Blue, whose contributions helped ensure local families would have access to a Thanksgiving meal. SPAR’s recreation team prepared, organized, and distributed each turkey, working throughout the event to assist residents.

SPAR officials expressed gratitude for the volunteers, staff members, and community partners who helped make the distribution possible. The organization noted that efforts like this reflect its ongoing mission to support a stronger and healthier Shreveport, especially during the holiday season.

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If you happen to be driving down I-49 today around Mile Marker 34 in St. Landry Parish and wondering what is going on at the Grand Prairie Rest Area (yes, it has its own website!), pay no attention to what may be considered some unusual activity at this location.

It might be a little bit more than just stretching the legs and visiting the little girls’ room.

Nestled by Dubuisson Lake, this spot has a lot more than just a few picnic benches and a giant map indicating “You Are Here.” There’s a full-fledged recreational area available for all sorts of activities.

And if you think football isn’t one of those activities, the Booker T. Washington Lions might be there to prove you wrong.

Travel for high school football games always makes for an interesting itinerary. When to leave? When to arrive? Where to eat? What to bring? Who to bring? Who NOT to bring? (“And don’t forget to bring the tax-exempt form so you can save $200 at Picadilly,” says Captain Shreve coach Jeremy Wilburn.)

When it involves a cross-state trip, it’s almost a certainty that there will be a stop along the way to do some version of a “walk-through,” which is a distant relative of an actual practice but still gets the players away from their AirPods for a little while.

Maybe it will happen at a college or even a high school that has a similar surface to the one upcoming later in the day.

Or maybe at Mile Marker 34.

“Just to get off the bus, move around a little bit, maybe taking a bathroom break,” Lions’ coach Gary Cooper says. “They got a big area over there.”

Of the six Shreveport-Bossier teams still in the playoffs, four will be enjoying the comforts of their normal pre-game routine. Parkway and Loyola will have to travel the short drive from the school to their football stadium while Evangel and Calvary will just walk out of the back door.

For BTW and Captain Shreve … not so much.

Both the Gators and Lions are headed to Baton Rouge. Shreve will take on Catholic High while 4.7 miles away, Booker T. Washington will meet University Lab.

For Shreve, it’s the same song, second verse. Last week the Gators had to travel an extra hour in order to distribute Hammond its collective hat.

It might be getting old, but it beats the alternative.

“The kids love it (going on the road),” Wilburn says. “They have a good time with it. I remember those days when I was in high school and some of the best memories I have were on road trips. I know it will be special for them for the rest of their lives.”

“One of the main things is the kids get to go places and see things they may have never seen before,” Cooper says. “You want kids to have an opportunity to experience that.”

Cooper will tell you that being on the road is not all that bad. Though the Lions were home in the opening round last week, they went on the road in the two previous years.

“For the last couple of years, we’ve been pretty good at it,” Cooper says. “Just get them out of their comfortable environment and do something different. You are away from school, and you are away from them possibly getting in trouble. The traveling part is really not that bad.”

Wilburn and the Gators have to walk about 250 yards from the school to the stadium for their home games, so going 250 miles does present some logistical issues. Obviously, you don’t want to arrive too late – hello Baton Rouge traffic on a Friday afternoon! — but you also want to avoid getting there four hours early, with nothing to do.

And with two charter buses full of players, coaches, trainers, videographers (“lots of people you aren’t used to traveling with you,” Wilburn says), staying organized might be one of the biggest challenges of all.

“Every time you get off the bus, you got to check attendance when they get back on,” Wilburn says. “The last thing you want is to leave somebody in the bathroom.”

 Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

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By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

Second-round LHSAA football playoff games involving six local teams – four at home – kick off tonight with every squad entertaining thoughts of turkey and ham being part of their pregame meals next week.

Calvary Baptist, Evangel Christian, Loyola College Prep and Parkway are host teams tonight, while Booker T. Washington and Captain Shreve head to Baton Rouge hoping to upset their fourth-seeded opponents.

Calvary, Evangel and Loyola enjoyed first-round byes last week and their high power rankings earned second-round home games tonight. Parkway powered by visiting Covington 51-30, erasing an early 10-0 deficit, last Friday.

The Flyers are the No. 2 seed in Select Division II and coach John Sella has his team eager for a playoff run.

“We’re saying ‘let’s not waste this opportunity to be possibly practicing during Thanksgiving break’,” said the second-year coach. “There are a lot of teams in the area who haven’t practiced during the break in a long time and a lot of teams that have already hung it up for the year and here we are with an opportunity so let’s take advantage of it and make the most out of it.”

He and Parkway coach Coy Brotherton are reading from the same script when it comes to assessing their opponents.

“At this point, teams aren’t still in the playoffs by accident. Every team from here on out is going to be good so we have to be prepared,” said Sella. “As a high seed you’re going to get every team’s best game so you can’t sneak up on anyone. From here on out it’s the real deal.” 

The sixth-seeded Panthers got an early scare in their Non-Select Division I opener from No. 27 Covington. Now they host 11^th-seeded Hahnville.

“Everyone you play this time of year is going to be good.  Our message to the team this week is ‘be more perfect than you were last week. If you do that you have a chance to advance’,” said Brotherton. “Our coaching staff has done a good job in preparation and the kids have been focused all week long.”

In the tightest seed matchup among the locals, No. 8 ECA hosts ninth-ranked St. Paul’s in a Select Division I contest. Eagles coach Denny Duron is assuring his team is locked in to face the Wolves.

“St. Paul’s is a very disciplined team on both sides of the ball. They are a multi set/multi offensive package football team, which means they run a lot of formations and a lot of different kinds of plays from option to Wing-T to spread to power,” he said. “Their defense is very disciplined and they will not beat themselves.” 

Calvary’s Rodney Guin was grateful for his team’s bye in the Select Division III bracket, which allowed the Cavaliers some recovery time for players with bruises and aches, and the coaching staff extra preparation on Metairie Park Country Day, a 41-point winner in the opening round.

“They have great skill guys we will have to control.  We must control the line of scrimmage on both sides to win,” he said. “They are very well coached and make few mistakes 

Shreve and BTW embrace their underdog status. The Gators go to Catholic High, which has played in the state semifinals each of the last eight seasons, for a Select Division I battle.

“They’re a storied program. They’ve done it for a long time the right way and they’re a heck of a ball club,” said Shreve coach Jeremy Wilburn. “They’ve whooped everybody in the Baton Rouge area for years and years.

“It’s a tall task but it’s a tremendous opportunity for us. If we go there and do what we’re capable of, I don’t see a reason we don’t come out with a win. We’ll let it hang out tomorrow and see where it goes.”

BTW’s Gary Cooper believes squaring off in District 1-4A games against unbeaten North DeSoto, Loyola and Northwood has the Lions tuned up for their Select Division II visit to University Lab.

“It’s going to be a good ballgame. University is good, but in our district we’ve played some of the best in the state,” he said. “We’re not going in timid or scared, we’re going in to play a good football game against a good football team.”

Tonight’s second-round playoff games involving Shreveport-Bossier teams:

NON-SELECT

Division I

No. 11 Hahnville (9-2) at No. 6 Parkway (10-1)

SELECT

Division I

No. 9 St. Paul’s (9-2) at No. 8 Evangel (8-2)

No. 20 Captain Shreve (7-4) at No. 4 Catholic-B.R. (8-2)

Division II

No. 13 Booker T. Washington (7-4) at No. 4 University (8-2)

No. 18-Belaire (6-5) at No. 2 Loyola (9-1)

Division III

No. 11 Country Day (7-4) at No. 6 Calvary (9-1)

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

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By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – Forgive Jacobian Guillory if he got a head start on LSU’s Senior Night ceremony.

“I started crying a little bit,” Guillory said of his wet eyes in the final seconds of last Saturday’s 23-22 victory over Arkansas.

The former Alexandria Senior High star will certainly unleash a torrent of tears of gratitude in Saturday’s pregame ceremony honoring 28 seniors before LSU’s final home game of the season vs. Western Kentucky at 6:45 p.m.

After six seasons – he’s a Class of 2020 signee who inked an LSU scholarship four days after Joe Burrow became the Tigers’ second Heisman Trophy winner in December 2019 – Guillory runs through the Tiger Stadium goalposts for the final time.

He came to LSU as a somewhat doughy 344-pound nose tackle who plugged high school offenses because he was immovable. He’ll leave the Tigers as a 318-pound defensive tackle athletic enough to leap over Arkansas’ defensive line and stop Hogs’ quarterback Taylen Green for no gain on fourth and goal at the LSU 1.

While at LSU, Guillory has played under two head coaches, two interim coaches, four defensive coordinators, and seven defensive line coaches.

“Whatever life throws at you, you’ve got to be able to stand your ground, be where your feet are and just excel,” Guillory said. “I feel like, regardless of who my position coach is and who my head coach is, at the end of the day, I know why I’m here at LSU.”

He came to the Tigers’ program and stayed loyal, never wanting to transfer, because he never wanted to play for any other school.

“A lot of kids transferred after not playing the first couple of years,” Guillory said. “I just decided to stick it through. From a young age, LSU is where I want to be. And I was always grateful for the opportunity. LSU was the first one to believe in me, to offer me a scholarship.”

Guillory reminds himself of that every home game when he’s the first Tiger on the field in uniform and ready to go before pregame warmups.

“When I walk on the field, that’s just me, like being thankful to put on that purple and gold, like,” Guillory said. “A lot of guys where I’m from don’t get that chance.”

It certainly hasn’t been easy for Guillory, who has played in 51 games with 15 career starts, including all 10 this season. His stats aren’t gaudy with 68 career tackles, including six tackles for losses and two sacks.

He has always understood his role, doing dirty work, the hand-to-hand combat with an offensive lineman or two, so teammates could be free to make tackles.

During his LSU career, the Tigers have signed 17 defensive tackles (8 high school, 8 transfer portal, 1 junior college transfer).

Yet, he never wavered.

“Why go somewhere and stop trying to start somewhere else, or do something somewhere else?” Guillory said. “I feel like there was always a reason I was here at LSU. I just feel like I belong here, and I feel like I’ve proved that. It shows it’s a testament to all the hard work I put in.”

Especially last season, when he could have called it a career after tearing his Achilles in the second game of the year against Nicholls. It came on the heels of his best pre-season camp.

“He was our energy guy,” LSU linebacker West Weeks said of Guillory. “When we lost him, it was a huge blow not just for the D-line but also the whole team.”

But Guillory wasn’t about to pack it in. He’s not built that way.

“I wanted to finish what I started,” he said.

So, he had to relearn how to walk, then jog and finally run. He made it back to the field late in spring practice.

Maybe Guillory’s LSU career hasn’t gone as planned. It’s certainly lasted longer than he anticipated.

And while he hasn’t played on championship teams, he has a laundry list of memories about teammates who will be friends the rest of his life.

He’s also had his moments this season, such as stopping Green last week (“I just knew it was about to happen and I just jumped over the whole line,” Guillory said).

Or the Florida game when Guillory was illegally held by Gators’ offensive guard Knjeah Harris, who was flagged for an offensive holding penalty that nullified an 87-yard TD pass.

As the Gators’ Jadan Baugh was racing to the end zone with the Florida fans going crazy, Guillory saw the penalty flag and began waving for everybody to return to the line of scrimmage.

“I saw a picture of it,” Guillory said. “It’s just the flag and me. I was like, `Man, I really called a touchdown back.’

“I’m just grateful for everything I’ve done in Tiger Stadium.”

GO FIGURE

7-4: LSU’s all-time record under interim coaches

8: Straight losses by Western Kentucky against Power 4 Conference teams

26: Straight seasons that LSU is bowl eligible (the Tigers opted out of going to a bowl after going 5-5 in 2020)

32: Points allowed by Western Kentucky in the fourth quarter this season

48.66: Yards per punt by Western Kentucky’s Cole Maynard, ranking him second nationally

69-1: LSU’s home record in its last 70 games vs. non-conference opponents

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

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JOURNAL SPORTS

RUSTON — Louisiana Tech’s bid for bowl eligibility comes down to getting one win in its last two games, which will require the Bulldogs’ offense to operate with either a little-used quarterback or one who hasn’t seen college game action yet.

Tech returns to Origin Bank Field at Joe Aillet Stadium for its home finale Saturday afternoon as the Bulldogs (5-5, 3-3 Conference USA) host Liberty (4-6, 3-3 CUSA) on Senior Day.

The Bulldogs will honor 16 seniors prior to the game. Kickoff is 2 p.m. on ESPN+.

The Louisiana Tech Radio Network broadcast can be heard on 95.7 KLKL FM, with local residents Teddy Allen and Jerry Byrd providing commentary alongside play by play man Kyle Schassburger.

Having dropped four of their last five games, including the last two, the Bulldogs aim to reach six wins for the first time since 2019 while also shooting for their first five-win home season since 2019.

Trey Kukuk is expected to start at quarterback for Tech against Liberty, with true freshman Jackson Bradley serving as the backup as Blake Baker and Evan Bullock are out with injuries. Kukuk opened the season as the starter but Baker took over for the second game at LSU and Kukuk was relegated to a backup role.

Bullock, who ended last year as the starter, hadn’t played until last week, when he started and was hurt midway through the first half last Saturday night in a 28-3 loss at Washington State. The Bulldogs’ only points came on a 51-yard field goal on a Kukuk-led series as time expired in the first half.

Saturday will mark the second all-time meeting between the Bulldogs and Flames, and the first matchup between the two in Ruston. Liberty leads the series 1-0 after defeating Tech 56-30 in Lynchburg in 2023.

Tech finished with 167 total yards, including 60 through the air and 107 on the ground. Kukuk and Bullock combined to go 9 of 18 through the air for 60 yards with one interception.

Captain Shreve product and redshirt freshman punter John Hoyet Chance leads the nation with 25 punts of 50 yards or more. He is one of two FBS players with at least 20 punts of 50-plus yards.

Thanks primarily to a spate of injuries, the Bulldogs now have 19 first-time starters this season after tight end Brayden Bockler earned his first start against Washington State. Tech’s 19 first-time starters are the fifth most in the FBS.

Tech will visit Missouri State (7-3, 5-1 CUSA) next Saturday to wrap the regular-season slate.

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By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – Alcorn State head coach Nate Kilbert knew there was no way his team was going to come close to upsetting No. 5 LSU on Thursday.

So, he set what he thought were reasonable goals.

“I wanted to keep them under 25 points for one quarter,” Kilbert said. “Not two, just one. We didn’t accomplish that.”

Next?

“Let’s not turn the ball over,” he said. “Can we limit our turnovers? We had 31. We didn’t accomplish that.”

Anything else?

“They (LSU) had scored 100 points in everybody (this season),” Kilbert said. “If we could keep them under 100, we’d really done what we came here to do.”

Final score?

LSU 112, Alcorn State 49 as the 6-0 Tigers set an SEC record for most consecutive 100-point games with six.

Kilbert’s summation of the game?

“The check was nice,” Kilbert said of the $10,000 that LSU paid Alcorn (2-3) to show up and get rocked by 63 points.

The latest beatdown in the opening month of the 2025-26 Tigers’ schedule featured all the elements of fifth-year LSU head coach Kim Mulkey’s uber-talented team, which has eight new players and two returning All-SEC first team honorees.

• Balanced scoring with returning senior Flau’jae Johnson and South Carolina junior transfer MiLaysia Fulwiley hitting 18 points each, returning junior Mikaylah Williams and Notre Dame sophomore transfer Kate Koval scoring 15 each, and freshman Grace Knox with 10.
• A deep bench, featuring Fulwiley and at least four of the five freshmen signees that outscored Alcorn’s reserves 43-15.
• Relentless defense that produced 31 turnovers, including 17 steals keyed by Fulwiley’s five thefts, that led to the Tigers scoring 49 points off turnovers and many of them that produced 30 fast break points.

LSU is averaging a nation-leading 115.2 points with an average victory margin of 60.2 points.

“We have great team chemistry off the court and we share the ball a lot,” said Knox, the 6-2 frosh from Las Vegas who’s averaging 10 points and 4.3 rebounds in just under 18 minutes off the bench.

The Braves, playing the second of five SEC teams on their non-conference schedule, trailed by 10 points with 3:08 left in the first quarter when the Tigers went to work.

An 18-0 LSU run starting the last three minutes of the first quarter and stretching to the 7:14 mark of the second period sent the Tigers toward their 57-21 halftime lead.

Fulwiley scored eight of the Tigers’ last nine points in the first quarter, including a buzzer-beater 3-pointer to close the period.

Koval, who came off the bench for the first time this season because Mulkey was experimenting with her starting lineup, had 7 points and 6 rebounds in the second quarter.

LSU pushed its lead to 86-35 after three quarters. The Tigers reached the 100-point mark with 4:24 left to play on Koval’s three-point play.

Nationally, there’s skepticism about LSU’s early domination because of its underwhelming competition. By the time the Tigers start SEC play on Jan. 1, they will have played just one Power 4 Conference team (at ACC member Duke on Dec. 4) in their 14-game schedule.

There are a couple of reasons why Mulkey has always tread softly in her non-conference scheduling.

“With eight new players, you don’t want to overschedule,” she said. “Also, I don’t bring our players in during the summer. I want summers to be our time with our families. We need a break.

“We basically use the non-conference (games), particularly in November and December, as an evaluation. I’m still looking, I’m still learning, I’m still teaching during these games.

“By the time you get to conference, there are enough people in that league to give you all you want. And at the end of the day, you’re trying to finish in the top half of the league. You’re trying to get a first and second round game here, you’re trying to get a decent seat in the NCAA Tournament.”

In her 25 previous seasons as a head coach (21 at Baylor, 4 at LSU), she’s been to the NCAA Tournament all but one season (not counting the 2020 season when COVID-19 canceled the NCAA tourney).

Her 8-1 record in the Final Four is the highest ever winning percentage by a Final Four coach. She’s won three national titles at Baylor and one at LSU.

“It’s worked for me ever since I’ve been a head coach,” Mulkey said of her scheduling philosophy.

Since she’s been at LSU, Mulkey hasn’t had a recruiting class that’s meshed so quickly with each other.

She knew Fulwiley would be an absolute jolt on both ends of the court, and Koval and East Carolina transfer Amiya Joiner would be solid additions to strengthen LSU’s inside game.

But she didn’t realize her five freshmen signees – undersized starting forward ZaKiyah Johnson and reserves Knox, Bella Hines, Divine Bourrage, and Meghan Yarnevich – would be so good so early.

“Did I see this coming?” Mulkey said. “How many times have you seen great, talented teams on paper, but then they have trouble sharing the ball?

“These kids just work. They just go to work. They take coaching. They do catch on to things quicker than you might imagine.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

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By BRAD WELBORN, Northwestern State Sports Information

NATCHITOCHES — Northwestern State couldn’t slow one of the nation’s hottest teams Thursday night, falling to No. 14 Stephen F. Austin, 62-14, at Turpin Stadium, as the Lumberjacks locked down undisputed possession of the Southland Conference football championship.

The Lumberjacks (10-2, 8-0) stormed out to a 20-0 lead in the first quarter on three explosive plays. Return specialist Bugs Mortimer set the tone with a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown, and quarterback Sam Vidlak followed with scoring throws of 26 and 65 yards on SFA’s next two possessions.

SFA’s up-tempo attack kept rolling in the second quarter, producing four more touchdown drives, none lasting longer than three minutes, to build a 48-0 halftime advantage.

“I’ve been blessed in my career to go to the NCAA playoffs four times, so I know what that level of a team looks like, and they’ve got a good football team,” Demons’ coach Blaine McCorkle said. “Very deserving of being our conference champion. I’ll be pulling for Coach (Colby) Carthel and his group over the next few weeks.”

Despite the early onslaught, the Demons (1-11, 0-8) showed sparks against the nation’s second-ranked defense. NSU surpassed SFA’s season average for rushing yards allowed (74.1) before halftime, getting multiple chunk gains from a group of true and redshirt freshmen.

That momentum carried into the second half. Senior quarterback Eli Anderson, who played the majority of the game after freshman starter Abram Johnson was shaken up, guided back-to-back touchdown drives of 75-plus yards.

He found Natchitoches Central product Camryn Davis, a redshirt freshman, for an 8-yard score late in the third quarter, then connected with fellow senior Ty Moore on an 11-play march in the fourth. Moore finished the night as NSU’s leader in both receiving yards and touchdowns this season.

“It’s exciting for them and you want to guys finish their career making a play and a memory there,” McCorkle said. “But what’s unique about both of those guys (Anderson and Moore) is they’d rather win the game than make that play. That’s the beauty of those two guys and a lot of guys in our senior class.”

NSU limited SFA to 14 second-half points and fewer than 200 yards after the break, matching the Lumberjacks 14-14 over the final 30 minutes. The Demons went 4-for-6 on third down in the half and continued their balanced approach.

“The score of the second half was 14-14,” McCorkle said. “They called off the dogs, I would have too. They’re a playoff team and want to stay healthy. So they put all their freshmen in to play against ours and it’s a tie ballgame.

“I’m a bit of a dreamer so as I see that unfold I’m picturing them being back here in two years and us playing for a conference championship in front of a packed Turpin Stadium. If our guys can keep developing, they’ll play against those same guys for a couple years and we’ll see what happens.”

The Demons totaled 146 rushing yards, the most allowed by SFA to an FCS opponent this season, including a 44-yard burst from redshirt freshman Jeremiah James that set up Anderson’s touchdown to Moore.

“We’ve said all year that we have the youngest roster in America and we played the toughest schedule in school history,” McCorkle said. “That’s what we just did. And those guys grew unbelievably from it and it gives us a lot to work with moving forward.”

Contact Brad at welbornb@nsula.edu

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BOM Bank is proud to sponsor the fierce and fabulous Bayou Barbies travel softball team! We’re always excited to support young athletes as they chase their dreams on and off the field. Pictured left to right: BOM’s Ireland Slocum and Aria Hardee—repping BOM and the Bayou Barbies spirit!

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Mary Katherine Padgett “Kay” Byrd, a beloved educator and devoted matriarch, passed away on November 15, 2025, at the age of 76.

Kay was a school teacher in Louisiana, Texas and Arizona for 29 years. In Texas, Kay studied at the Scottish Rite Hospital to become a Certified Academic Language Therapist. Her training included direct instruction from Aylett Cox, the renowned dyslexia pioneer.

In Arizona, she created a business called the Arizona Multisensory Training Institute. Through that business, and with the help of her sister, Becca Barker, she was able to teach Arizona school teachers from many different school districts a common methodology for teaching dyslexic school children how to read.

When Kay returned home to Louisiana later in life, Kay became a successful real estate agent and also was elected to the Bossier Parish School Board, representing South Bossier.

Kay’s career life was very full and she helped and touched the lives of so many people along that journey.

Though accomplished professionally, her greatest legacy was her family. She was born to Judge Louis Harvey Padgett, Jr, and Mary Frances Calhoun Padgett “Hootie”, both now deceased.

She was the heart of her husband of 56 years, Thomas Everett Byrd.

She was always close to her 5 siblings: Gehlen Padgett, Becca Padgett Barker, Buddy Padgett, Francee Padgett Woods, and AmyNell Padgett Ferrar. She had a very special relationship with her sisters, celebrating many wonderful “Sister Weekends” throughout her life.

She was a guiding light to her three children: daughters, Dr. Kallie Byrd Guimond, Annie Byrd Hartman, and her son John Byrd. She was loved dearly by her seven grandchildren.

Kay was often seen as a woman with a vibrant spirit, fierce intelligence, and unwavering dedication. She was known for her kindness, generosity, feistiness, and compassion. Her spirit, now free, will be forever loved and profoundly missed by all whose lives she made a difference in.

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