Beautiful Homesite – This place is less than 2 miles from I-49, so it has easy access to everywhere, without having to pay those high in-town property prices. There are no utilities on site, and this property will require some clearing, a septic system and a water well. BUT there are no restrictions, you can build a house, barndo, install a manufactured home the possibilities are endless.

Lot #1 Price: 169,900.00
Lot #3 Price: $95,000.00
Location/Address: Persley Rd, Stonewall, LA 71078 (DeSoto Parish)

Lot #1 Property Size: 7.17 Acres
Lot #3 Property Size: 4.05 Acres
Parcel Number:  02001666450
Zoning Description: Residential

Owner/Contact:
Contact: Hayli Cagle
Phone: 318-210-6939
eMail: haylicagle@kw.com

Keller Williams Realty Northwest Louisiana
795 Brook Hollow Dr
Shreveport, LA 71105

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Beautiful Homesite – This place is less than 2 miles from I-49, so it has easy access to everywhere, without having to pay those high in-town property prices. There are no utilities on site, and this property will require some clearing, a septic system and a water well. BUT there are no restrictions, you can build a house, barndo, install a manufactured home the possibilities are endless.

Price: $29,000.00
Location/Address: Atlanta Mira Rd, Rodessa, LA 71069 (North Caddo Parish)

Property Size: 2.4 Acres
Parcel Number:  TBD
Residential Vegetation: Pine
Zoning Description: None

Owner/Contact:
Contact: Van Ferguson
Phone: 318-773-2344
eMail: vanferguson@att.net

Diamond Realty & Associates
315 E Texas St,
Bossier City, LA 71111

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They don’t do radio, but fans love to listen to them.

They don’t do TV, but they hear from people all over the country how much they enjoy watching them.

They are about as non-media as you can get and that is exactly how Shane Cheatham and Keith Sutton want it.

When it comes to live streaming Parkway football, there is nothing traditional about it.

High school football broadcasts are a part of the charm of the sport and have been going for decades. Most schools or broadcasting entities have basically done it the same way, whether its via radio or the video stream, which is on the rise all over the state.

A play-by-play guy to call the action and often an analyst to break down what has happened on the field is the usual formula.

And then there’s Cheatham and Sutton.

When you tune in to SoBo.Live to watch Parkway football, get ready for something that’s about as non-traditional as you can get.

“We wanted to do something different that wasn’t the basic play-by-play thing,” Sutton says. “Nobody wants to listen to a couple of guys just talking about plays. So we are just two guys sitting around talking about the game.”

Sutton is a retired firefighter, has a private communications business and a member of the police jury. Cheatham has a real estate company and has been in city and public service for many years.

Neither has ever been a football coach. Neither has ever worked a day in media. And neither is particularly worried about it.

“Of all the things I’ve done,” Cheatham says, “this is the most fun I’ve ever had serving the community.”

“People love it and tell us how much they enjoy listening to us,” Sutton says. “We’ve had people as far away as Japan who are in the military telling us they watch because their son is playing. We have regulars, but we also have grandmothers in Ohio who watch and they can interact with us on the broadcast.”

A few years ago, Cheatham and Sutton hopped on the podcast train and started pushing out content about their thoughts on the world that revolved around South Bossier Parish, called Two Guys, One Sidewalk. That was all well and good … until Cheatham got a job working for the Gov. Jeff Landry.

“It probably wasn’t going to be a good idea for me to talk about other politicians,” Cheatham says.

But someone came up with the crazy idea that they could take that same podcast format and apply it to Parkway High School, which is basically the capital of South Bossier. Wes Merriott, the brains behind SoBo.Live, figured it was worth running it up the flagpole to see if anyone would salute it.

This really isn’t a broadcast. Even if they knew who was supposed to be in the analyst role, you won’t get a whole lot of information on how Cover 3 is working or the intricacies of the read option.

As for the preparation involved for a broadcast, that can be summed up in one word.

“None,” Sutton says.

For that matter, you might not get a whole lot of play-by-play if the two start wandering off on a topic. It is admittedly a one-sided broadcast – only occasionally will they mention a player on the opposing team – but make no mistake, the people of South Bossier (and beyond) love it.

“It’s been awesome to call these games and realize how many people are watching because they can’t make the game for whatever reason,” Cheatham said.

Now if someone could just keep Cheatham off the basketball court.

This is Year 3 of the SoBo broadcasts and it has certainly been an  … uh … interesting one. Things were rocking right along as the Panthers started building win after win. That wasn’t the problem.

The problem was that Cheatham lost track of his age for a few moments. Attending the Parkway Alumni Basketball game on Sept. 27, Cheatham sat in the stands with his wife, only intending to watch and donate to the cause.

But the game wasn’t very fast paced so what would be the harm, Cheatham figured, in getting out there and reliving the old glory days as a Panther basketball player (Class of ’93)? “Even though my wife told me not to do it,” he says.

Two trips down the court and everything was fine. Until it wasn’t.

One misstep on the way to the goal resulted in a torn patellar tendon in his right knee, along with two other torn tendons.

“I probably should have listened to my wife,” Cheatham says.

You think?

Cheatham had surgery a week later and missed two games. But he has made his way back to SoBo.Live … sort of.

Doctor’s orders prevent him from climbing stairs, so instead, he uses a wireless microphone from the sideline while Sutton makes the call from the press box.

Tonight in the opening round of the playoffs against Covington, you can find Sutton in the press box and Cheatham in a golf cart scooting around the Panther sideline.

“They really are interesting,” Parkway coach Coy Brotherton says. “They’ve got a lot of jokes. Most of them are corny and I like to get onto them about that. And they tell some stories that are crazy. But they love the school, and they love the kids.”

 Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

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JOURNAL SPORTS

Two of the three local high school football teams playing home playoff games tonight are coming off Week 10 losses, and the other one is still stinging from a defeat exactly a year ago to the same team they’re hosting tonight.

The tables are turned this time around for Booker T. Washington, which has earned a home game with a 6-4 record and a 13^th seed in the Select Division II bracket.

“We’re really looking forward to this rematch with Istrouma. We are familiar with them from last year’s 46-44 loss in the first round,” said Lions coach Gary Cooper. “I’m very excited for this senior class having the opportunity to host a playoff game.”

Parkway is back at Preston Crownover Stadium tonight after falling at Evangel last Friday in the District 1-5A championship game. Coach Coy Brotherton is happy his team’s travel is just a few minutes up the road from the Parkway campus, not in the other direction.

“I’m glad we are at home,” he said. “It’s tough in the playoffs to make that five-hour bus trip.”

Instead, it’s Covington with that task and the 9-1 Panthers are counting on a style clash to give them an edge.

“On film Covington looks like a very physical defensive football team with good skill players at the wide out position,” said Brotherton. “We are hoping one thing that gives us advantage is the style of offense we play is something they don’t see down there.”

The Northwood Falcons (8-2) are stinging after losing 28-27 at Loyola in Week 10, an outcome that probably cost them a first-round bye. As they enter the Non-Select Division I postseason, Austin Brown and his coaching staff have used last week’s game tape to their benefit.

“Our guys are excited to right their wrong,” said Brown. “We’ve had tough accountability film sessions.”

As for facing Barbe, a team that opened the season with a 56-27 loss at Airline, Brown says the Bucs have made big strides since then and he’s counting on a homefield advantage at Jerry Burton Stadium to help the Falcons.

“Barbe has some exceptional offensive athletes that are big time baseball players,” he said. “It’s a  very strong 26^th-seed coming in here and we are expecting a big home crowd to push us through for a victory.”

Tonight’s LHSAA playoff schedule involving local teams:

NON-SELECT

Division I

No. 27 Covington (6-4) at No. 6 Parkway (9-1)

No. 26 Barbe (5-5) at No. 7 Northwood (8-2)

No. 17 Airline (7-3) at No. 16 Westgate (6-4)

Division II

No. 22 Bossier (4-6) at No. 11 West Feliciana (6-4)

SELECT

Division I

No. 20 Captain Shreve (6-4) at No. 13 Hammond (7-3)

Division II

No. 20 Istrouma (5-5) at No. 13 Booker T. Washington (6-4)

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By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

The last two seasons, we’ve watched Jamarcea Plater earn his place in the conversation about the best running backs ever to play in Shreveport-Bossier.

He broke Captain Shreve’s career rushing yardage record in just his 16^th game at running back. He’s rushed for 1,657 yards and 21 TDs this season, averaging 9 yards per carry, following a school-record 2,234 yards and 29 TDs (at 10.1 yards per run) last season – in an All-State campaign once he made the move across the ball from playing cornerback in his first two years with the Gators.

He still plays there some, locked down on the other team’s top receiver. He also has made a huge impact in the kicking game — by blocking an amazing 12 field goals or extra points from off the edge.

Plater is justifiably proud of those sparkling credentials as Shreve (6-4) heads to Hammond tonight for a first-round Select Division I playoff game against the 7-3 Tornadoes.

But what you might not know is what Plater, and his mom, hold in even higher regard than his football stats.

His unweighted 4.6 grade point average, and his lifelong track record of academic success.

“Since kindergarten, my momma said, ‘if it ain’t an A, or at least, an A-minus, I don’t want to see it.’ She instilled that good grades will get you far in this world, so I’ve always tried to take my education seriously, and the older I get the more I’ve seen that doing well academically is very beneficial,” said the 17-year-old senior.

He will be playing college football next fall. Where is to be determined – Plater recently decommitted from Wake Forest and is weighing plenty of options. He will be working on a major leading him into a medical profession – probably nursing, or an anesthesiologist, or a computer technician.

“It all depends on what the school I choose has to offer. I can adopt to anything, but I am strong set on being in the medical field,” he said.

His criteria for his college choice begins with his relationship with the coaches, and the academic opportunities.

“I love my education, and a good, transparent, solid relationship with the coach is all I need,” said Plater, “and I love a school that runs that ball.”

He is getting a jumpstart on his future career, doing an internship in patient care at the LSU Medical Center, working Monday-Friday, putting in about 14 hours weekly.

“This internship is also helping me understand my body. It’s really helpful right now, because you can get banged up and I have a much better awareness of what might be wrong and what to do about it,” he said.

He is on the North Louisiana McNaughton Chapter’s Scholar-Athlete Watch List for the 2025 season, and will certainly be Shreve coach Jeremy Wilburn’s nominee for next spring’s NFF Scholar-Athlete Scholarship awards.

He’s probably the only Scholar-Athlete nominee who would absolutely enjoy watching his team’s games from the stands – in the Shreve band.

Plater plays three instruments. He joined the band in the sixth grade, but had to drop out because it conflicted with junior high football. He was playing the trombone then, and is self-taught on the trumpet and the baritone.

His grandmother’s husband is a professional musician, playing the trumpet and baritone. Talking to him on the phone helped Plater broaden his repertoire during the Covid shutdown, when he had time to hone his skills.

Like his musical range, his athletic attributes come from family ties.

His late grandfather gave him his nickname – “Champ.”

“He always called me that, based on the fact that I inherited his football skills, and I always won championships when I was younger,” said Plater, whose Captain Shreve bonds trace back two generations.

“He played running back, and three of his other younger brothers all played football at Shreve (for coach Lee Hedges). The others were receivers, or quarterbacks. He was the one who ran through somebody’s face, and I wanted to be like him.”

His grandmother was a state track champion four years in a row.

“Generational talent, right there,” he said, proudly.

He attributes his exceptional agility to footwork drills from his days as a junior high quarterback.

“I don’t like getting hit, so I didn’t have a choice but to get quick on my feet. I’ve always been fast but I had to put 2 and 2 together.”

Plater admits he keeps track of his statistics — during games.

He sets specific targets for his performance. For example:

“I’m always going to have a goal in mind. This game, I plan to go for 250 (yards) plus, if not four (hundred), but I’ll stop at three because three’s the lucky number.”

That leads us to why he wears jersey No 3.

“I told my middle school coach I wanted No. 1, because I knew I was No. 1, but he humbled me. He said, ‘you need No. 3 for these three reasons – keep God first, put your mother second, and yourself third.’ I’ve carried that with me.”

What is there about “Champ” Plater that he doesn’t believe many people realize?

“I talk a lot. I’ll say that for a fact,” Plater said. “With all this football skill, and my little touchdown celebrations make me seem a little crazy, so people probably don’t see me as a smart person, but I am a real intellectual guy.”

No opponents have been smart enough to stop him.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

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By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – Saturday’s Battle for the Golden Boot in Tiger Stadium between LSU and Arkansas seems more like the Misery Loves Company Classic.

Two teams with a combined two SEC wins this season, both belonging to LSU.

Two teams mired in losing streaks, three straight defeats for the Tigers, and seven consecutive for the Razorbacks.

Two programs with interim coaches.

Two fan bases more interested in the search for their next head coach rather than closing out the season with a few more wins.

Battle of the Golden Boot? It’s more like Fighting for the Frayed Flip-Flop when the Tigers (5-4 overall, 2-4 SEC) and the Razorbacks (2-7, 0-5 SEC) tee it up at 11:45 a.m.

For the first time in history since LSU joined the SEC in 1933, both the Tigers and their opponent will face each other with interim coaches.

This is Frank Wilson’s second game as LSU’s interim head coach after fourth-year head coach Brian Kelly was fired on Oct. 30 after the Tigers’ 5-3 start. Wilson, LSU’s associate head coach/running backs coach, lost 20-9 at No. 4 Alabama last Saturday in his interim debut.

“I like our football team,” Wilson said. “I like the things that we did (in the Alabama loss). I think it’s something to build on, trying to build on our culture and those habits of doing the right thing.”

Arkansas offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, who served as the Hogs’ head coach from 2008 to 2011 before being fired for an inappropriate relationship with an employee, took over as interim when sixth-year head coach Sam Pittman was fired on Sept. 28 after a 2-3 start.

“The biggest challenge is just to keep the players motivated and keep them working together and keep them trying to individually prepare to get better, be good teammates, make sure they take care of their teammates and have a great attitude in the locker room,” said Petrino, who’s 0-4 as the Hogs’ interim.

While LSU hasn’t won a game since it scored a league win on Oct.11 over South Carolina, the drought has been longer for Arkansas.

The Razorbacks’ last win was a 56-14 non-conference blowout of Arkansas State on Sept. 6.

Arkansas, averaging 35.5 points because of the individual brilliance of senior dual-threat quarterback Taylen Green, ranks last in the SEC in scoring defense allowing 33.3 points per game.

The 2025 Razorbacks are comparable to LSU’s 2023 team. Those Tigers averaged 45.5 points, thanks to Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels, yet finished 9-4 because of a porous defense that allowed 28 points per game.

Green leads the SEC in total offense, averaging 335.7 yards, which is about 17 yards fewer than LSU averages as a team (341.9).

Last season in LSU’s 34-10 win in Fayetteville, the Tigers held Green to 230 total offense yards and one TD pass.

“He kind of reminds me of the (NFL) quarterback back in the day named (Randall) Cunningham, who used to play for Philly,” said LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. of the 6-6, 225-pound Green.

“He’s very dangerous with his legs. I feel like we just got to make him play quarterback (force him to pass). Don’t let him get out and do (run) what he loves to do.”

Arkansas will be on red alert for Perkins. In his two career games vs. the Razorbacks (he missed last season’s game with a torn ACL), he has 14 tackles, four sacks for losses of 36 yards, and four forced fumbles.

As for LSU’s offense, it’s establishing itself as one of the worst in school history.

LSU has failed to reach 30 points in its six SEC games this year. The last time LSU went an entire season without breaking the 30-point barrier in SEC play was 1993 as part of Curley Hallman’s 23-game streak over three seasons of failing to crack 30 points in league play. Hallman failed to reach 30 points vs. SEC opponents in 29 of 31 before being fired at the end of the 1994 season.

Last year, LSU starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier passed for 300 or more yards (including two 400-plus yards performances) in eight games.

This season? Zero.

A year ago, LSU had two 100-yard rushing performances because of an offensive line that couldn’t run block.

This season so far?

Zero. Because of an all-new offensive line that can’t run block or pass protect.

In fact, since Kelly took over as LSU’s head coach in 2022, the Tigers have had 14 100-yard rushers in the last 49 games. Seven of those belonged to Daniels.

The average yards gained by LSU’s leading rusher in games has declined from 102.3 in 2023 to 71.2 in 2024 to 60.2 this season.

It has to be one of the factors why Wilson inserted dual-threat backup QB Michael Van Buren at Alabama. He played the last 1½ quarters after Wilson pulled Nussmeier.

Wilson had planned to play both quarterbacks against the Razorbacks, since Van Buren threw for 301 yards, two TDs and two interceptions as Mississippi State’s starter in a 58-25 loss to Arkansas.

But in practice on Thursday, Nussmeier re-aggravated the abdominal injury he dealt with all season. He’s now listed as probable.

“A little bit concerning,” Wilson said Thursday’s post-practice press conference. “Something we need to monitor and watch with him as we head into the game.”

“We’re familiar with both of them,” Petrino said of LSU’s QB duo. “I have a lot of respect for Nussmeier and the way he’s played throughout his career. He hasn’t had the type of year that he thought he would have, but he’s still a really good player. We’ll have to be ready for both of them.”

GO FIGURE

8: Of 9 games this season that Arkansas has scored 30 or more points

12-4: LSU’s record in games in Tiger Stadium with pre-noon kickoffs

15: Times that Tigers’ QB Garrett Nussmeier has been sacked in 9 games so far this season, compared to 16 in last year’s 13-game season

15: Straight games for LSU without a 100-yard rusher

62: Career field goals for LSU’s Damian Ramos, a school record

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

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JOURNAL SPORTS

PULLMAN, Wash. — Louisiana Tech travels cross-country for the second straight weekend when the Bulldogs, one win shy of bowl eligibility but losers of three of their last four, play Saturday night at Washington State.

The Bulldogs (5-4) look to secure their first six-win season since 2019 when they face Washington State (4-5). Kickoff is slated for 9 p.m. CT, televised on The CW with the Louisiana Tech Radio Network broadcast airing locally at 95.7 KLKL FM featuring color analyst Teddy Allen.

The Tech football equipment truck traveled 2,558 miles from Newark, Del., to Pullman, after Tech’s last-minute 25-24 loss at Delaware last Saturday.

Saturday will be the first-ever meeting between Tech and Washington State, as well as the first time the Bulldogs have played a game in the state of Washington. It will also be the first time since 1993 that Tech has played on the East Coast and then the West Coast in consecutive weeks, and the first time since 1939 that the Bulldogs have played back-to-back games in new states.

This will be the fourth different time zone that Tech plays in this season as they travel to the west coast. The last time that happened was 2012.

The Bulldogs slipped to 5-4 last Saturday after falling to Delaware on a last-second 51-yard field goal that completed a 10-point comeback in the last 90 seconds, sandwiched around a successful onside kick. It was the Bulldogs’ third road loss of the season.

Three different quarterbacks saw action in the loss after starter Blake Baker exited in the first quarter with a torn ACL, sidelining him for the remainder of the season. Evan Bullock completed 11 of 15 passes for 95 yards and one interception, while Trey Kukuk went 3-for-3 for 66 yards and added 28 rushing yards.

Running back Clay Thevenin recorded his second consecutive multi-rushing touchdown game, finding the end zone twice on 10 carries for 64 yards. The sophomore added 42 yards on three receptions to surpass 100 all-purpose yards.

Jacob Fields and Jakari Foster each intercepted a pass in the loss, bringing Tech’s season total to 15 interceptions. Fields returned his for his second touchdown of the year, giving Tech a 24-16 lead with just over three minutes left, after Foster notched his team-leading fourth interception of the season.

Linebacker Mekhi Mason became the first player in Conference USA to reach double-digit tackles for loss this season after recording a half tackle for loss against Delaware. The second-year Bulldog has 10.0 TFLs.

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By T. SCOTT BOATRIGHT, Lincoln Parish Journal

LORMAN, Miss. — A Grambling State football team facing personnel questions while having plenty to play for to keep potential playoff hopes alive takes the field Saturday at 2 as Alcorn State plays host to the Tigers at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium.

Grambling enters the game at 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference West Division while Alcorn State stands at 4-6 and 3-3 in the SWAC West while riding a three-game win streak.

The Tigers have won four straight and stand one game behind Prairie View in the SWAC West. But the Panthers defeated Grambling earlier this season and therefore hold the tiebreaker in the race for the division’s SWAC Championship playoff berth, meaning Grambling needs to win out and have the Panthers lose their final two games — against SWAC West cellar dwellers Arkansas Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State — to earn a trip to the conference title game.

But the Tigers are facing bigger questions than the outcomes of the final two games of Prairie View’s season.

On Monday, the SWAC office announced that 18 Tigers have been suspended following a halftime brawl marring last week’s win over Bethune Cookman.

The names of those players have yet to be announced by the SWAC or by GSU’s Athletics Department. But sources indicate some starters are among the Tigers not traveling to Alcorn.

True freshman Hayden Benoit, the 17-year-old who began the season as Grambling’s fourth-string quarterback, certainly will be making his second start of the season after leading the Tigers to a 31-23 win last week.

Benoit was named the SWAC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against Bethune Cookman when he went 12-of-20 passing for 220 yards with four touchdowns and an interception.

“He’s going to get better week-to-week-to-week,” GSU coach Mickey Joseph said. “He had about 65-70 percent of the playbook in reps (going into the Bethune Cookman game). He’s QB 4, but he hasn’t blinked. (GSU quarterbacks coach Shyrone Carey) has done a great job with him and continues to coach him and get him ready to play.

“Benoit was a great leader. He led the team and that’s what we need him to do. We did a great job on defense after we settled down. We played good on special teams and we were able to run the football. We’ve got to just continue to get better as a football team, and we will.”

Joseph said Benoit’s mentality reminds him of GSU’s No. 1 quarterback C’zavian Teasett, who remains hospitalized in Las Vegas nearly three weeks after being injured during Grambling’s win over Jackson State.

“He reminds me a lot of C’za in that aspect,” Joseph said. “He spent a lot of time with C’za in that he’s even-keeled. If you don’t know him, you wouldn’t know that he’s in the room. He still sits in the QB 4 chair (during meetings). He doesn’t sit in the QB 1 chair. He doesn’t get too high, he doesn’t get too low. 

“But, he’s a competitor. He likes to compete. That’s one reason I love Louisiana high school football, because they play against tough competition. And also, they’re built a little different. We talked and I told him, ‘This is not too big for you.’ And he understood it. He came out and said, ‘Coach, I’m going to play. I’m OK.’ And when he told me he was OK, I was OK.”

Joseph said his G-Men won’t be distracted by everything they’ve been through since the start of last week’s game.

“Now we’re going on the road, the toughest thing to do in college football,” Joseph said. “Now we’re going into a hostile environment at ‘The Reservation’ at Alcorn, and they’re going to be ready to go. 

“I told the kids they’re going to love the gameday atmosphere. I had the opportunity to coach there in 2013. The game atmosphere is really good there. When Grambling comes to town, they’re going to pack the house. We expect a rocky crowd. I told them the only way they can quiet the crowd down was to make plays. So we’re looking forward to the test.”

Joseph said he feels his Tigers match up well against the Braves.

“They’re on a (win) streak, and I know because I worked there, but once they get confident, they really get confident and don’t think they can get beat,” Joseph said. “They’ve got a lot of confidence right now but we match up well with them in the run game. On offense, they have one of the best backs in the conference, so we’re going to have to have gap integrity.

“On paper we match up well. But sometimes when you match up on paper, it doesn’t leak into the game. Hopefully that leaks into the game this time.”

Contact Scott at tscottboatright@gmail.com

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By BRAD WELBORN, Northwestern State Sports Information

THIBODAUX – One of the Northwestern State football program’s most challenging road slates ends on Saturday when the Demons take the trip down on the bayou for the annual Battle of NSU.

When the Demons (1-9, 0-6) take on Nicholls (3-7, 3-3) at 3 p.m. on ESPN+ from Manning Field at Guidry Stadium, with a radio broadcast available via 100.7 FM KZBL in Natchitoches and stations in Leesville, Many and Winnfield, they do so hoping the final eight minutes of a tough loss against UIW a week ago breeds something the young team needs a shot of – confidence.

A week ago, the continued growth of the mostly freshmen-led offense showed up in an eight-minute, 13-play drive to close the game. It didn’t produce points, but it did produce something the Demons’ staff has been trying to nurture all fall.

“That was a huge drive for us because it would have been easy for us to go out there and fumble around and get sloppy,” head coach Blaine McCorkle said. “But that just kind of proves the point of what we’ve been saying, our kids are resilient and they see the big picture. One of the things last week and this week is just get better. On that drive I feel like they had that in mind.

“We didn’t throw a pass on that drive. Kept being physical, clipping off some first downs with a lot of young guys in there. That was encouraging to see, and hopefully those things give those guys confidence, because that’s the biggest thing they need, just a shot of confidence knowing we can do this and their time is coming.”

Confidence is key at every position and been seen on special teams after some rocky moments early on. After having a kick blocked against Lamar, freshman kicker Grayson Lytton has connected on field goals in back-to-back weeks — a 33-yarder at McNeese and a 28-yarder last Saturday against UIW.

“Coach has been talking to us the past few weeks about just getting better every week and recognizing those positive results,” Lytton said. “Our whole offense has the talent to move the ball. It’s all about execution. I know we can get there with such a young team. I know it’ll get better with time.”

For Lytton, the mental reset required after each kick mirrors the growth process for a roster still learning on the job.

“You’re on to the next kick right away, whether you make it or not,” he said. “With kicking, it’s 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical. That mental side is easier with experience and maturing.”

That next-play mentality will benefit the Demon defense, that has shown stretches of stout run play, as it faces one of its toughest challenges yet in a Nicholls ground game that has seemingly hit its stride.
The Colonels have piled up 641 rushing yards over their past three outings, including a 303-yard performance against McNeese — the third-highest total in a Southland Conference game this season.

They feature a two-headed backfield in Miequle Brock Jr. (469 yards) and Shane Lee (429 yards), a 225-pound bruiser from St. Rose, Louisiana.

“Defensively we have to avoid the big play,” McCorkle said. “There were some moments last week, and moments in the past too, where we stop the run well and then give up the big hitter. We gave up 215 rushing last week, but 70 of that came on one play. If you take that out, it’s not bad numbers, but that one play counts. So we’ve got to avoid giving up the big play, which is part of the consistency thing.”

With an injury-plagued secondary, finding that consistency on the back end has been one of the biggest hurdles for the Demons.

Kolbe Cage is the only member of the season-opening starting group who has not missed time this year to do injury. Antonio Hall is one of six defensive backs to miss at least one game this season, including last week against UIW, but even through injury the desire for progress is prevalent.

“Everybody is still trying their best to do their job and keep the effort,” Hall said. “That’s what we can do, keep grinding and keep grinding. One of these days things are going to change for this team if we keep that up. I can’t wait. I want to be a part of that success.”

Hall has seen players push through pain on both sides of the ball to stay available on Saturdays.

“I think it shows the kind of heart we have,” Hall said. “They can be in pain but they’re still playing through it and that shows a lot of character and heart. They’re doing whatever it takes to be on the field for the team.”

Offensively, sustaining drives remains the Demons’ clearest path to helping the defense shoulder less of the load.

“We need to sustain some drives and be better on first and second down,” McCorkle said. “If we can get ourselves into a third-and-manageable and move the chains, that’s obviously the goal, but it helps our defense out too. They’ve been playing too many snaps per game. If we can do that and keep it close late, we’ll see what happens.”

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By PATRICK MEEHAN, Centenary Sports Information Director

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Centenary football team hopes the third time will be the charm when the Gents face the Austin College ‘Roos in the opening game of the inaugural Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Football Championship at 10 a.m. Saturday at War Memorial Stadium.

The Gents (1-7, 1-4 SCAC) and ‘Roos (2-6, 1-4 SCAC) will meet for the second week in a row after Austin College defeated Centenary 20-10 in Shreveport last Saturday.

The Gents and ‘Roos are also playing each other for the third time this season as Austin College recorded a 41-15 win over Centenary on Oct. 4 in Sherman, Texas.

“We are excited about the opportunity to play at a historic venue, War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock,” said Centenary coach Byron Dawson. “This is a great event, and we’re looking forward to competing at a high level. We must be prepared and ready to face a strong Austin team, staying focused on correcting the mistakes from last week and executing the game plan with discipline and effort.”

The Gents are averaging 358.3 yards of total offense per game – 248.3 passing and 110.0 rushing and average 17.3 points per game.

Freshman Theo Dunn tops the Centenary receivers with 47 catches for 659 yards and 5 TD

Senior Obadiah Butler is the Gents’ most productive running back, posting 549 yards and scoring for times on 64 attempts.

The team’s top tackler is senior defensive lineman Rhema Getter, a senior from Shreveport who has 54 total tackles (33 solo).

The Gents’ quarterback situation is unsettled. The two veterans, starter Vance Feuerbacher and backup Zin’Tavious Smith, are injured and out for the remainder of the season.

Calvary Baptist freshman Abram Wardell played in two games before being benched he last two weeks by a concussion. Another true freshman, Brock Hamilton, has started the last two games and passed for 363 yards, with no interceptions but also no touchdowns.

Butler has been one of the top running backs in the SCAC and ranks second in rushing yards/game (68.6) and is the league leader with 1,464 all-purpose yards and averages 183 total yards, good for fourth nationally in NCAA Division III.

Butler is also seventh in total offense and owns the conference’s top two rushing performances of the season, finishing with 234 yards at Lyon on Oct. 18, preceded by 159 yards the week before at home against Texas Lutheran.

He also has the conference’s two longest runs of the season – a 95-yard run against TLU and an 80-yard scamper against Lyon. Butler amassed 274 all-purpose yards against the Bulldogs and 269 yards against the Scots – the top two totals in the conference this season.

Dunn is finishing an impressive rookie season as he ranks third in the conference in receiving yards per game (82.4) and has been very consistent, with 60 or more yards six times and a pair of 100-yard games. He had a season-high 133 yards against East Texas Baptist on Sept. 20. 

Getter is averaging 6.8 tackles/game which is good for fifth in the conference and also ranks fifth in tackles for loss (8.5). He had 18 solo tackles in the Lyon win, the second-most by a SCAC player in a game this season, and was named the SCAC Defensive Player of the Week.

Tickets for Saturday’s games are available.

Live stats and live video are available for the game at the links below:

STATS: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=624558

VIDEO: https://www.flocollege.com/signup?redirect=%2Flive%2F214700

 Contact Patrick at pmeehan@centenary.edu

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Katelyn Marie Elson Herring, age 29, passed away on November 5, 2025. Katelyn lived her life with a generous spirit and a tenacious heart.

Memorial services will be held at Aulds Funeral Home, officiated by Pastor Mark Crook of Trees Baptist. Visitation will be held from 10:00 am to 11:30 am, following a service.

Katelyn was born in San Diego, CA, on March 1, 1996, to Shane Elson and Brenda Brown. Katelyn graduated from college at Bossier Parish Community College and pursued a career in respiratory therapy, dedicating herself to helping others. Her greatest joy in life was her son, Eli Everett Herring, born in November 2023, who quickly became the light of her world.

Katelyn loved Christmas most of all and found happiness in shopping, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends. She adored her nieces and nephew and was always excited to see them. An animal lover at heart, Katelyn cared deeply for all creatures and people alike. Her favorite color was purple, a fitting reflection of her vibrant and kind spirit.

Katelyn is survived by her husband, Braden Herring; her beloved son, Eli Everett Herring; her mother, Brenda Brown, and her husband, Todd; her father, Shane Elson, and his wife, Kelly; her mother-in-law, Robin Herring; her father-in-law, Bobby Herring; her sisters, Hannah Elson, Danielle Elson, and Ceeghan Elson; her sisters-in-law, Bailey Rivet and Chandler Herring; and many other family members and friends who loved her deeply.

Katelyn’s warmth and love touched everyone who knew her. She will be forever missed and always remembered.

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Funeral services for Janis A. Hopper Quin, 74, will be held at 11:00 a.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 1815 Marshall St., Shreveport, Louisiana on Monday, November 17, 2025. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until time of service. Burial will be held at Hill Crest Memorial Park in Haughton, Louisiana. Officiating the service will be Reverend Andrew Brewster.

Janis was born on February 9, 1951 to W. A. Hopper and Jennie “Dama” Vines in Shreveport, Louisiana and passed away Tuesday, November 11, 2025 in Shreveport, Louisiana.

She was a graduate of Fair Park High School and worked at Kilpatrick Life Insurance Company as a Sales Agent. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and homemaker. She enjoyed cooking, dancing and her fur babies, Killer, Sissy and Jackie. Jan’s greatest joy came from her family and friends, and she treasured every moment with her grandchildren.

Jan was a beautiful person inside and out. She had beautiful blonde hair, blue eyes, always had a smile on her face and a kind word to everyone she met.

She is preceded in death by her parents; step-father, William Vines; maternal grandparents, Elma Bethany and Bennie Bethany; aunt and uncles, Anita Chesser and Charlie Chesser and Ben Bethany, Jr. and Merna Kennedy Bethany and cousin, Dana Duke. Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Jerry A. Quin; sons, Kyle Patterson and wife, Colbie from Elizabethton, TN and Keith Patterson and wife, Erin from Abita Springs, LA; step-daughter, Shannon Schaffler and husband, William from Dallas, TX and Amanda Brown and husband, Daniel from Hattiesburg, MS; brother, Donnie Hopper and wife, Mary from Springfield, IL; grandchildren, Matthew Patterson and wife, Kelsey, Conner Smith and wife, Makenna, Bryton Patterson, Chandler Patterson, Kylie Patterson, Quin Schaffler, Ella Kate Schaffler, Shea Brown and Peyton Brown and wife, Elena Beth; great-grandchildren, Hayes Patterson, Hallie Patterson, Calloway Smith, and Beckham Brown; cousin, Ken Bethany and Cynthia; cousin, Deborah Hendricks and husband, Jimmy and her very special and life long friend and confident, Alma Sue Walker.

The family offers a heartfelt thank you to Deborah and Alma Sue for their exceptional love and care for Jan over the last several years.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

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Phonetic: /tran(t)SH/
Part of Speech: noun

Definition

1. a portion of something, especially money.
   “they released the first tranche of the loan”

Similar: slice, part, portion, segment, or share

Origin: Old French

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In Louisiana’s home-market context, a 50-year term mortgage may offer lower monthly costs—but the trade-offs for debt duration and total interest paid are especially meaningful.

By Richard Searles, Special to the Journal

What We’re Looking At

Nationwide, the idea of a 50-year amortizing mortgage has been proposed as a tool to boost affordability. The concept: spread loan repayment over 600 monthly payments rather than 360 (the 30-year standard).

In Louisiana, where average home values and incomes differ from national norms, the implications of such a longer-term shift deserve closer attention.

Louisiana’s Home-Market Snapshot

• The average home value in Louisiana is about $209,930.

• As of January 2025, the average fixed-rate 30-year mortgage in Louisiana ran roughly 6.72%.

• These figures create the local baseline for comparing what a 50-year term might change.

Comparing 30-Year vs. 50-Year in Louisiana Terms

For a loan amount typical of Louisiana’s home prices, a 30-year term means 360 payments, resulting in faster equity build-up and less time in debt.
A 50-year term stretches repayment to 600 payments, reducing each monthly installment but greatly increasing the total interest paid and extending debt deep into later life.

Because Louisiana’s home values are generally lower than national averages, the monthly payment reduction may appear modest… but the long-term cost difference remains significant.

Example

At roughly a $200,000 loan and a 6.7 % rate:

• A 30-year borrower pays off the home in three decades and builds equity steadily.

• A 50-year borrower lowers the monthly bill but could remain indebted into their 70s.

• Since lenders typically charge a higher rate for longer loans, the cost gap can widen further.

Equity Build-Up & Risk

• With a 30-year loan, more of each payment goes toward principal after the first decade, speeding up equity accumulation.

• A 50-year borrower builds equity much more slowly… an important trade-off in a state where homeownership plays a major role in family wealth.

• Extended loan life can overlap with retirement years, reducing flexibility for refinancing or downsizing later.

Comparison: 30-Year vs. 50-Year Mortgage in Louisiana

Calculations assume fixed rates and full-term payoff with no early payments or refinancing.

Impact on Louisiana Homebuyers

• Affordability: A 50-year loan might help first-time buyers or households with tighter budgets qualify for a mortgage.

• Total Cost: The lifetime interest burden nearly doubles, making the “lower payment” more of a short-term relief than a true savings.

• Market Behavior: Reduced payments could encourage some buyers to stretch for higher-priced homes, potentially inflating prices in mid-tier Louisiana markets.

• Lender Exposure: Extending loans over five decades increases risk for banks and credit unions in regions affected by insurance pressures, weather losses, or local job fluctuations.

• Retirement Overlap: Many Louisiana borrowers would still be paying into retirement, a shift that could reshape long-term financial stability.

Looking Ahead

• Federal housing regulators would need to approve or pilot such loans before they appear in mainstream mortgage portfolios.

• Lenders in Louisiana’s smaller and regional banks will evaluate how longer-term loans fit within state economic patterns and insurance costs.

• Homebuyers should run their own projections… factoring in future moves, refinancing potential, and long-term interest exposure… before committing to extended terms.

• For most Louisiana families, the 30-year mortgage continues to offer the healthiest balance between affordability, equity growth, and lifetime cost control.

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Just 18 months after LSU Shreveport crossed the 10,0000-student enrollment mark for the first time, the university can now say it’s scaled the 11,000-student plateau.

LSUS announced a record enrollment of 11,359 for Fall 2025 after the census date of its second fall session.

The figure is nearly a five percent increase from Fall 2024 and up more than 400 students from the previous enrollment record of 10,926 in Spring 2025.

This is the fifth straight semester that LSUS has set either an overall enrollment record or a summer enrollment record (Summer 2025).

“We are very excited to set yet another enrollment record for Fall 2025,” said LSUS Chancellor Dr. Robert Smith. “LSU Shreveport is increasing in every category: undergraduate, graduate, on-campus, online and dual enrollment.

“With these constant increases, it is clear that we are meeting critical educational needs here in Northwest Louisiana and beyond.”

While LSUS’s graduate student population has typically driven its enrollment throughout the past 12 years (which has nearly tripled since 2013), the most recent increase came from undergraduate students.

Undergraduate students are up 15 percent from Fall 2024, and the 3,144 total is nearly 700 students more from just three years ago.

The university grew its first-time freshmen (12 percent), transfers (23 percent) and dual enrollment/other (45 percent) from Fall 2024.

Graduate student enrollment remained steady at 8,215, a more than one percent increase from the previous year.

The prolonged enrollment boom has positive impacts on the university as a whole.

Pilots Pointe Apartments, LSUS’s on-campus housing, is full for the first time in recent history and has a waiting list.

The LSUS administration is reinvesting in the physical campus as well as expanding the size of faculty and staff because of larger budgets – which crossed $100 million for the first time.

“We are enrollment driven, and about 85 percent of our budget is determined by our enrollment,” Smith said. “With the new strategic plan we adopted this past spring, we’re looking to grow where we have room to grow as part of an optimized enrollment strategy.

“Our budget is rock solid, and at a time when many institutions are having to consider budget reductions and layoffs, we’re doing quite the opposite. We’re the fastest growing university in Louisiana over the past 10 years.”

Smith said the university is seeking funding for an on-campus residence hall, something the college has never had in its nearly 60-year history.

LSUS has also never had a dedicated recreation and workout space for students. The Louisiana State Legislature has pledged $10 million toward LSUS’s health and wellness hub, a project that is a centerpiece of widespread renovations to the Health and Physical Education building.

The hub will be located in the space that housed the Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Other renovations include multiple biology labs and one physics lab, some of which hadn’t been significantly updated since the university’s founding.

Modern lab space will accommodate not only traditional LSUS science students but new students who enroll in joint allied health programs that LSUS and LSU Health are offering.

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Detectives with the Shreveport Police Department have arrested Charles Hilson on multiple charges, including burglary, theft, narcotics violations, and access device fraud.

The investigation began with Shreveport Police detectives and later developed into a joint effort with the Shreveport-Caddo White Collar Crimes Task Force, also known as the Financial Crimes Task Force, which was investigating a related case of access device fraud.

Hilson, a long-time habitual offender, has more than 15 prior property-related arrests, including multiple arrests for burglary, robbery, and theft. He now faces two counts of access device fraud, one count of burglary, and narcotics-related charges.

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Congratulations to BOM’s Gabe Vargas, Tate Nelson, and Cole Horton — graduates of the 2025 LSU Credit Analyst Education Program! They also earned ABA Certificates in Business and Commercial Lending.

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By LEE BRECHEEN, Louisiana Football Magazine

The Shreveport-Bossier area has finished an exciting regular season and as always, will be well represented in the LHSAA football playoffs with nine teams, six playing Friday night in the first round.

I’m here to share my views on what will happen. Let’s get started!

Select Division I

No. 20 Captain Shreve (6-4) will take a long trip to visit a very athletic 13^th seeded Hammond team. I’ve seen both Hammond (7-3) and Shreve both play. This is a contest of speed against speed. I think Hammond has the edge in a close game.

The Tornadoes have a really good defense and can slow down many high powered offenses with their front seven. Captain Shreve senior RB Jamarcea Plater will have a big game because that’s what he does — he is one of the best in the state at his position.

Evangel Christian (8-2) earned a No. 8 seed and a bye. The Eagles will play at home next Friday against the winner of St. Paul’s and Pineville, which should be St. Paul’s out of Covington.

Select Division II

Booker T. Washington has earned the right to host the Lions’ first home playoff game since 2008. This will be the third year in a row BTW has made the playoffs under Gary Cooper and this is his best team yet. The 13^th-seeded Lions (6-4) will meet 20^th seed  Istrouma out of Baton Rouge.

These teams are equal in talent. I have to give the edge to BTW with their talented WR DK Mitchell and young QB Davion Stewart. This tandem will be tough for Istrouma to contain.

Loyola Prep has had a great season with a 9-1 record, a tremendous offense, and is the No. 2 seed. That earned the Flyers a bye Friday. Loyola will play host to the winner of Belaire and Patrick Taylor of New Orleans.

As usual, in Division III Calvary Baptist (9-1) has a bye and will play the winner of Metairie Park Country Day or Pope John Paul II out of Slidell.

Non-Select Division I

Parkway (9-1) slipped to a No. 6 seed after last week’s loss at Evangel will be home against a really talented  27^th seeded Covington team that I had a chance to see in person. This will be a close game.

Covington (6-4) has a lot of team speed and played a tough schedule. Parkway will need a big game from the defense again in what is a difficult matchup for Parkway.  Edge to the Panthers based on homefield advantage at Preston Crownover Stadium. I have Parkway winning in a close game.

In a rematch of a second-round game last year, the roles are flipped when No. 17 Airline (7-3) will travel to New Iberia to play 16^th seeded Westgate (6-4). The Vikings will need a big game from the defense as happened in 2024 in a 42-16 victory over the Tigers.

Westgate is a young team like Airline. Both are strong on offense. I can see a 45-42 game here with a close win by Westgate because the defense they have gives them the edge, and this time they are at home. But the Vikings have WR Kenny Darby and he makes magic happen. The LSU commit needs to have a career game for Airline to ride home happy.

Northwood, the seventh seed as the Class 4A school plays up in Division I, will be home against 26^th seed (a better team than the seed) Barbe from Lake Charles. Airline handled Barbe in Week 1, 56-27, but that was a long time ago.

This is a game where both teams are even in talent and youth. Northwood has an awesome senior class, but there’s also a core of underclassmen making plays for coach Austin Brown.

Expect a lot of points.  I think Northwood should pull this out because of strong special teams with two really good kickers and a bend-but-don’t-break defense. I am impressed with the Falcons’ QB,  Nathan Cervantes, who is just a dadgum gamer, and think he will be the difference in this game.

Non-Select Division II

Bossier is back in the postseason. Coach Gary Smith and staff are building it the right way and the Bearkats have earned the opportunity as a 22^nd seed.

The Bearkats will travel to 11^th-seed West Feliciana, right outside of Baton Rouge. This will be the first playoff game for Bossier since 2021

Montrevell Lewis didn’t want to play quarterback. He wanted to be a receiver, but it became obvious early in the season that he was something special. I’d say – the sophomore has 2,750 yards total offense and has scored 33 touchdowns. running and throwing the football.

Special teams get overlooked, but not unappreciated by coaches, teammate and savvy fans. One of the big reasons they are in the playoffs is kicker  Bryan Tuyizere, who is having a great year.

Bossier is much improved but I see a West Feliciana win here because of their depth, experience and overall team speed and they have some pretty good lineman in the trenches.

Nearby teams of note

Undefeated North DeSoto is top-seeded in Division II Non Select with a bye this week. I like the Griffins’ chances to go a long way and possibly win it all.

North Webster, a really talented team that Christopher Wilson has developed in his second season, goes on the road to Church Point. The Bears are another talented offensive team so this should be a close Non-Select Division II game.

Homer will be at home against a really good Franklin squad in a Non-Select Division IV 16-17 matchup and it will be a tough one to for the Pels to survive.

Haynesville (10-0) has a bye in Non-Select Division IV and looks ready to roll to the Superdome. Logansport (7-3) will host Varnado and  I give Logansport the win. Kevin Magee’s Tigers have weathered early injuries and are peaking at the right time.

In Non-Select Division III, Mansfield (8-2) hosts Winnfield (3-7) and the  Wolverines look good to me. Minden hosts a talented Wossman in Non-Select Division II and the edge to goes to Wossman in a great game.

Contact Lee at lbrecheen@aol.com

(Lee Brecheen is the longtime publisher of Louisiana Football Magazine, covering all of the state’s high school teams each year since 1997.  He’s been tracking high school recruits since 1992. Free content can be found at the website lafootballmagazine.com. Lee hosts a podcast with guests from around the state — The Sports Scouting Report with Lee Brecheen, available on YouTube).

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By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – Someone on Charlotte’s women’s basketball team thought it was a good idea to trash-talk 5th-ranked LSU via social media.

“They took it personal,” Tigers’ head coach Kim Mulkey said. “It fired them up. And if I were a player, I’d be fired up, too.”

LSU treated the visiting 49ers like road kill, with seven players scoring in double figures and Charlotte not scoring a field goal in the second quarter, in a 117-59 beatdown Wednesday night in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

The Tigers (4-0) broke the 100-point mark for the fourth straight time. The school record for most consecutive 100-point games is five, set by the 2022-23 national championship team to open the season.

But even that LSU squad didn’t have what the 2025-26 team has, an abundance of depth which has produced 114.5 points per game with an average victory margin of 59.5.

And here’s the most astonishing stat of all – LSU’s bench is averaging 57.5 points and the starters are averaging 57.

“I’ve been doing this for almost 40 years,” Mulkey said. “I can’t even think about if I’ve ever had balance like that. I probably have never confidently substituted like this, even in non-conference. And what has dictated that is what goes on in practice every day. You show me in practice.

“Our practices are extremely tough, I think, because they’re fighting for playing time. And I tell them, ‘Don’t worry about who’s starting. Make me play you.’ Well, they’re all making me play them.”

South Carolina transfer guard MiLaysia Fulwiley, trotted out her entire arsenal, scoring 22 points and tying her 3-point career high of 5 3-pointers (in six attempts) in just more than 16 minutes off the bench. She finished just shy of her career-high 24 points scored twice for the Gamecocks, including vs. LSU in last season’s SEC Tournament finals.

“I’m a great driver, so I think that opens up my shot,” Fulwiley said. “It’s all about being confident. I’m a very confident player. When it’s (her shot) going in, I just keep letting it fly.”

Six other Tigers scored in double figures. Former Bossier City Parkway High star Mikaylah Williams had 18 points, Flau’Jae Johnson 16 and Amiya Joiner 15. Kate Koval, Grace Knox and ZaKiyah Johnson contributed 10 each.

“I feel like our team is definitely special,” said Koval, a Notre Dame transfer who also had 12 rebounds for her second consecutive double-double. “We truly enjoy each other.

“You can see our chemistry on the court. Everybody eats on this team. Everybody gets a touch. Double the post players, and we’ve got amazing shooters. You stop our shooters and drivers, we’ve got great post players. We all kind of play off of each other.”

The 49ers were relatively competitive in the game’s first five minutes, trailing 17-10. But when Mulkey replaced her entire starting five during a media timeout with 4:41 left in the first quarter, Fulwiley came off the bench and immediately got busy.

In a 19-2 Tigers’ run to close the first quarter with a 36-12 lead, she hit the first two of her game-total five 3-pointers and got an old-fashioned three-point play with a sweeping one-hand drive and a free throw.

Fulwiley hit 3 of 5 3’s in the second quarter, including a buzzer-beater as the first half ended for 62-17 LSU lead.

The Tigers outscored the 49ers 26-5 in the period as Charlotte went 0 for 17 from the field (including 0 of 13 3-pointers).

“I told them (Mulkey’s team at halftime) `You can’t do any better than that, it has to be a record’,” Mulkey said.

LSU returns to the court with a road game at Tulane on Monday.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

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One of the things I really enjoy as an outdoors writer is interviewing Louisiana deer hunters who have been successful in downing a trophy buck. I get to vicariously sit in the stand with them as if I’m looking over their shoulders as they describe just what they see, including when the buck steps out.

Afterward, I transcribe what they tell me and convert their description of the hunt into a story.

The majority of my articles have to do with bucks taken on land that is known for having the quality to produce good deer. However, I sometimes run into situations where a real trophy was taken on land that, on the surface, is anything but quality habitat.

Such has been the case for the past several seasons of bucks that are growing to outsized proportions on lands where you normally wouldn’t expect heavy bodied; heavy antlered bucks to show up with regularity.

Sabine Parish is an area of red clay and pine trees and unless something is drastically done to improve the habitat, fork horned and scraggly six or eight points is about all you come to expect coming off the land.

Ryan Masters hunts on lands in Sabine Parish and over the past several years, his club has regularly produced some outstanding bucks. How does he do it?

“In 1992, we started out with 200 acres and over the years we have added more acreage we either own or lease to where today we control some 3,000 acres. Early on, we had the philosophy of ‘if it’s brown, it’s down.’

“We have a son, Joel, who was born with spina bifida and has been wheelchair-bound all is life, and I wanted him to have the chance to take a really nice buck. I knew we had to do something different,” said Masters.

Initially, the club where Masters manages started with limiting any buck taken to six points or better and later went to eight points with antlers outside the ears. Results, however, were marginal.

“In 2012, I had the opportunity to hunt outside Louisiana in the mid-west in states like Illinois, Kansas and Missouri and saw that they had better deer there. What was special was that those states only provide one buck tag per hunter per season so the key to bucks being larger is that they had time to grow. In 2015, we settled on one buck per year here but also it had to be 4 ½ years old and later we moved that to 5 ½ years.

“In 2016, we realized that nutrition was also part of the equation so we started a nutrition program and began feeding deer good nutritional food beginning during the off-season. We figured out everything a deer needs to grow big bodies and big antlers,” Masters continued.

The result? Three years into the program, Masters killed his first 170-inch buck and members of his club now consistently get bucks every season in the 150s and 160s. Earlier this season, Joel, sitting in his wheelchair in a blind with his dad, set a new record with a 15-point buck that measured 183 3/8 inches and weighed 220 pounds.

If you want to raise big deer but the only land you hunt is of marginal habitat, do like Ryan Masters did. Offer nutritional food for deer throughout the year and limit each hunter to only one quality buck per season. What he has done is to turn the red clay, pine hills of Sabine Parish into one of the best deer hunting areas in Louisiana.

Contact Glynn at glynnharris37@gmail.com

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On behalf of the Management and Staff of Heavenly Gates Funeral Home, in conjunction with the Devine Family, we announce the celebration of life honoring Chief Master Sergeant Austin Devine.

Chief Devine will lie in state for visitation on Thursday, November 13, 2025, between the hours of 11:00 am. – 5:00 p.m., at Heavenly Gates Funeral Home in Shreveport, Louisiana.

The celebration of life will commence on Friday, November 14, 2025, at 11:00 am, in the sanctuary of Bellaire Baptist Church, Bossier City, Louisiana.

Chief Devine will rest in the gardens of Hall Chapel Cemetery, 1500 Joe Hall Road, Bolton, Mississippi on November 17, 2025.

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