Happy New Year!

There’s much to be excited about as 2026 arrives tonight at midnight. Maybe it’s your plans for New Year’s Eve; for an extended holiday weekend; or, simply the hope that 2026 brings happiness.

As for your Shreveport-Bossier Journal team, we are eager to continue bringing you quality coverage of local news and information.

We are thankful for your taking advantage of our free publication. We’re never going to charge you a penny, we’re never going to bombard you with pop-ups and pay walls, and we’re never going to share your e-mail address with anybody.

We are, however, going to take the rest of the week off to start the year! We did the same last week for the Christmas holiday. To allow our wonderful team members to enjoy quality time with their families, friends and pets, or in the woods, in front of the TV, or finding fun and relaxation to refresh for 2026, we will not publish the Journal on Thursday or Friday this week.

We will resume our regular weekday schedule Monday, Jan. 5, with our 6:55 a.m. email edition. All will also be posted on our website and shared on our Facebook page, with plenty of content – all at no cost to you.

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Several new laws and policy changes are set to take effect across Louisiana beginning January 1, 2026, impacting drivers, homeowners, court proceedings, insurance policyholders, and those involved in civil lawsuits. The changes stem from legislation passed during recent sessions and reflect a broader shift in public safety, legal standards, and consumer protections.

Key Louisiana Laws Taking Effect January 1, 2026

• Hands-free driving law fully enforced
• Modified comparative fault standard in injury lawsuits
• Limits on recoverable medical expenses in civil cases
• Expanded tax credits for home fortification projects
• New licensing requirements for residential roofing contractors
• Mandatory electronic or in-person court filings for attorneys
• Insurance companies required to disclose credit score use

One of the most visible changes involves the state’s expanded hands-free driving law. Beginning January 1, full enforcement will begin following the end of a grace period. Drivers will no longer be allowed to hold a mobile phone while driving for texting, scrolling, browsing, or similar actions. Penalties will increase in school zones and construction zones, and repeat violations may result in steeper fines.

Louisiana will also see a major shift in how fault is assessed in personal injury lawsuits. The state is moving from a pure comparative fault system to a modified comparative fault standard. Under the new law, a person found to be 51 percent or more responsible for an accident will be barred from recovering damages. Those found 50 percent or less at fault may still recover compensation, but any award will be reduced based on their percentage of responsibility.

Changes are also coming to how medical expenses are calculated in injury cases. Under the new law, plaintiffs may only recover the amount actually paid for medical care rather than the higher amounts originally billed by healthcare providers. Supporters say the change brings awards more in line with real costs, while critics argue it may limit recovery for some injured parties.

Homeowners will see new incentives aimed at strengthening properties against severe weather. Expanded tax deductions and credits will be available for qualifying home fortification projects, including improvements that increase wind resistance. One measure allows homeowners to receive up to a $10,000 tax credit for qualifying roof fortification upgrades.

New licensing requirements will also take effect for residential roofing contractors. For roofing projects exceeding $7,500, contractors must now hold a state-issued residential roofing license or a residential construction license with a roofing designation. The law is intended to protect homeowners from unqualified contractors, particularly following major storms.

Court procedures will also change beginning in 2026. Attorneys will be required to submit court filings electronically or in person in paper form, in accordance with systems established by each clerk of court. The move is aimed at modernizing court operations and improving efficiency statewide.

Additionally, insurance companies operating in Louisiana will be required to disclose to policyholders whether credit scores are used in determining insurance premiums. While full implementation of this requirement begins later in 2026, the change marks a shift toward greater transparency for consumers.

Together, the new laws represent a mix of safety enforcement, legal reform, and consumer-focused policy changes that will affect residents across the state as the new year begins.

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The Bossier Council on Aging is accepting applications for a part-time maintenance and janitorial position to support its facilities and services for seniors in Bossier Parish.

The position is scheduled for Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will be based at the Bossier Council on Aging facility located at 706 Bearkat Drive in Bossier City.

Job duties include general cleaning and janitorial tasks, light maintenance work, event setup, ordering supplies, and maintaining a safe and clean environment. Applicants should be reliable, punctual, able to work independently, and capable of squatting, climbing, and some lifting. A valid driver’s license is required, and previous maintenance or janitorial experience is preferred.

Interested applicants are asked not to call. Applications can be downloaded from the Bossier Council on Aging website at http://www.bossiercoa.org and submitted along with a resume to cljohnson@bossiercoa.org.

Applications may also be completed in person at the Bearkat Drive location.

The Bossier Council on Aging encourages qualified individuals to apply and join its team dedicated to serving local seniors.

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As New Year’s Eve approaches, many residents are planning to celebrate with fireworks. While public fireworks shows remain the safest option, those choosing to use personal fireworks at home should take precautions to prevent injuries and property damage.

Safety tips for using fireworks include:
Keep fireworks at least 200 feet from buildings, vehicles, and flammable debris.
Never let children handle fireworks; consider safe alternatives like glow sticks.
Avoid using fireworks while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Light one firework at a time and keep a hose or bucket of water nearby.
Soak used fireworks before disposal; never throw them into the trash dry.

Check for local burn bans or dry conditions before lighting fireworks, and always choose a safe, open space for detonation.

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Residents of Caddo and Bossier parishes can expect a mix of sunny skies, mild afternoons, and cooler mornings as the new year begins.

Wednesday: Sunny conditions with highs in the lower 60s. West winds around 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear skies with lows in the upper 30s and southwest winds near 5 mph.

Thursday (New Year’s Day): Partly cloudy in the morning, becoming mostly cloudy later. Highs in the mid 60s with southwest winds of 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy with lows in the lower 50s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny with highs reaching the mid 70s.

Friday Night: Mostly clear skies with overnight lows in the mid 40s.

Saturday: Mostly sunny and cooler, with highs in the mid 60s.

Saturday Night: Clear in the evening, becoming partly cloudy overnight. Lows in the lower 40s.

Sunday: Partly cloudy with highs in the upper 60s.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear skies with lows in the upper 40s.

Monday: Partly cloudy in the morning, becoming mostly cloudy later. Highs in the lower 70s.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy with lows around 50.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy in the morning, then partly cloudy. Highs in the upper 60s.

Residents are advised to enjoy the mild afternoons but remain mindful of cooler mornings, particularly with temperatures dipping into the 40s and 50s over the weekend and early next week.

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Online trends sneak into political conversations. Because apparently what’s trending can matter more than, you know… actual answers. When a meme goes viral, it can suddenly feel like the main issue—whether it makes sense or not. Which is fitting, since “6–7” itself barely means anything at all.

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A crazy thing happened on the way to Louisiana Tech playing one of the worst games in Bulldog/Independence Bowl/recorded history.

The Bulldogs somehow got the one thing they had been missing all day – luck.

But to get it, they had to create it on their own, because the football gods sure weren’t going to help them out, based on what had happened already.

Mired in a game that had flag after flag after flag (there were 25 of them enforced) and punt after punt after punt (there were 17 of them), the Bulldogs managed to qualify for being more than a little bit unlucky. If there was a ball rolling around on the ground for all the world to see, the Bulldogs managed to not come up with it.

That included one crazy play in which FIVE Tech players touched a muffed punt that headed into the end zone (long snapper Ean Burch actually had two shots at it), turning what would have been an out-of-nowhere touchdown into an ordinary Coastal touchback.

Tough luck.

There was a fumble by Tech quarterback Trey Kukuk that should have been overturned by video review to an incomplete pass, but somehow wasn’t.

Bad break.

As poorly as Tech played for most of the game – “that’s as bad of a first half as we have played all year,” said Tech coach Sonny Cumbie – there was also a certain degree of unluckiness involved as well before the Bulldogs came away with a 23-14 win Tuesday at Independence Stadium.

So how do you stop being unlucky? You make your own luck.

And that’s what Tech defensive backs Amari Butler and Jordan McRae did.

There’s no doubt that the Bulldogs picked up the defensive intensity in the fourth quarter. The tackling had a lot more force to it. The secondary coverage, which had been exposed a time or two earlier, suddenly zipped it up.

“The team needed it,” Butler said. “Somebody needed to step up and I just saw an opportunity.”

It turned out to be a lot more than that.

With 11:50 to go in the game and Tech still in sleep-walk mode, Butler had a perfectly-timed hit on a Coastal Carolina receiver to break up the completion on what would have been a first down in Tech territory.

But that’s when luck tapped Tech on the shoulder pads.

Butler’s hit didn’t just force an incompletion. Instead, he popped the ball into the air and there was McRae to pluck it out of midair.

“I saw it coming all the way,” Butler said. “All I had to do was go make the play. I don’t even know where I hit him. But he felt it though. He felt it.”

“I just knew I had to catch it,” McRae said. “We came out kind of shaky, but we just needed to calm down and play the game. We went out there and did what we do. Definitely the biggest play of the game. It turned the game around.”

Whatever fog the Bulldogs had been in seemed to clear after that.

Tech took all of one play to score after that interception. It came on a 52-yard pass from Kukuk to Marlion Jackson for a touchdown. The Bulldogs missed the two-point conversion, but all of a sudden, they were back in the game, within 14-12.

Tech got a nice return after forcing a Chanticleer punt and was helped by an unnecessary roughness penalty. This time, it only took three plays to score as Andrew Burnette took it in to give Tech the lead.

After that, here’s a quick recitation of the final Coastal Carolina drives:

Three and out.

Three and out.

Four and out.

Game ending interception.

Nice job by the Tech defense, which overcame having five of its nine top tacklers think better of playing in the Independence Bowl.

If you are counting up the number of points Tech allowed in the second half, the answer would be zero.

Former Evangel kicker Kaegen Kent, who isn’t 5-foot-8 and isn’t 160 pounds, made his second field goal of the day (bringing his career total to two) and that was all she wrote.

The game had an eerie parallel to the Bulldogs’ season.

There was some unluckiness – Tech lost two games this year on the final play of the game – and seemed to be drifting along and going nowhere as the season wound down. But suddenly there was a big break – rallying from 21 points down and beating Liberty in overtime  – and now the Bulldogs will ride off into the sunset of 2025 with an eight-win season.

“I think the game was an accumulation of a football team that has learned how to win,” Cumbie said. “I’m so proud of our team in how we ended it today.”

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

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By JASON PUGH, Journal Sports

There was something special about Louisiana Tech’s record-setting seventh visit to the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl.

A blocked field goal by Kenyatta McNeese helped move the momentum to the Bulldogs’ sideline in the middle of the third quarter, and Louisiana Tech built on it, upending Coastal Carolina, 23-14, after scoring the final 20 points Tuesday afternoon at Independence Stadium.

“What an effort in the second half,” said Bulldog coach Sonny Cumbie, whose team finished 8-5 with its first bowl win in six years. “The guys didn’t flinch. The first half was about as bad a football as we’ve played in a long while, and (then) these guys made plays. Defensively, it was three-and-out. Then we made plays on special teams and on offense.”

The Bulldogs shook off a sluggish first three quarters offensively. After being held to 150 yards total offense and two field goals through three quarters, Tech posted 147 yards and its only two touchdowns of the game in the final 15 minutes.

In a game that featured 25 combined penalties and 17 combined punts – both the second-highest two-team totals in the bowl’s history – the Bulldogs’ defense delivered a momentum-turning moment that the offense capitalized on immediately.

One play after Jordan McRae made a sliding interception of a pass deflected on a crushing hit by Amari Butler, Tech quarterback Trey Kukuk connected with Marlion Jackson on a 52-yard catch-and-run score to slice the Chanticleer lead to 14-12.

Although a reverse pass for a tying two-point conversion failed, the game was finally flowing Tech’s way with 11:45 to go.

Kukuk’s 29-yard burst set up the go-ahead score. A 26-yard Dedrick Latulas punt return and an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Chanticleers gave Tech possession at the Coastal 34-yard line. Andrew Burnette followed Kukuk’s keeper with a pair of runs that covered the final 5 yards and put the Bulldogs ahead to stay.

“Coach said it well – we just couldn’t find a rhythm in the first half,” said Kukuk, who earned Offensive Player of the Game honors after rushing for 121 yards and throwing for 114 and a touchdown. “I wasn’t playing my best football, and the defense was able to keep us in the game. In the second half, we never really wavered. That’s the character of this team that’s continued to show down the stretch of the season.

“We couldn’t find it in the first half. We weren’t playing our best football, and our defense kept us in the game. Then we started playing complementary football in the second half.”

While McNeese’s block set the Bulldogs’ comeback in motion, they were fortunate to be down only 11 points at halftime. With less than two minutes to play in the first half, Coastal Carolina punt returner Bryson Gates’ 64-yard touchdown was nullified by one of the 10 first-half penalties on the Chanticleers (6-7). Coastal could not capitalize after the flag and went to halftime up 14-3.

“I think if we would have not had a penalty on the one that was returned for a touchdown, we would have won the football game,” Chanticleers interim head coach Jeremiah Johnson said. “That changed a lot of momentum. If we would have gone into halftime up 21-3, who knows? All of those plays, it’s never just one play.

“Momentum in this sport, especially with 22- and 18-year-old young men, is a big deal. In the second half, we never really could get momentum, and they got momentum. Once that snowball gets rolling, especially in the fourth quarter, we had a hard time getting a stop.”

After traveling 72 yards ahead of McNeese’s blocked field goal, the Chanticleers’ final eight drives netted 41 yards on 29 plays and featured three three-and-outs, two turnovers and a four-and-out.

“We had a great mentality,” said Bulldogs senior defensive back Cedric Woods. “I never doubted our defense going into the second half. We’ve been in this situation before. Coach said it pregame, we’ve been in every type of game this season. We started getting turnovers, and I think that was the difference in the game.”

That coupled with a resurgent running game down the stretch – the Bulldogs ran for 78 of their 181 yards in the final quarter – allowed the Bulldogs to improve to 4-2-1 all-time in the closest bowl game to their Ruston campus.

Contact Jason at pughj@nsula.edu

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By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

Shreveport kickers stole the spotlight in Louisiana Tech’s second straight Radiance Techologies Independence Bowl appearance Tuesday.

Captain Shreve redshirt freshman John Hoyet Chance made his college debut last year as the kickoff man for the Bulldogs. He played a much bigger role Tuesday, earning the bowl’s first “Outstanding Utility Man” award.

Evangel true freshman Kaegan Kent knocked through his first college field goal, a 42-yarder, to get a struggling Tech offense its first points late in the first half. He salted away the outcome with 56 seconds left by nailing a 35-yarder to provide a two-score cushion in the Bulldogs’ 23-14 triumph at Independence Stadium.

Snapping for Chance and Kent was Loyola product Ean Burch, who was flawless on three placement kicks and eight Chance punts.

“How about those guys from Shreveport? Ean Burch from Loyola Prep, Kaegen Kent from Evangel Christian, and ‘Leg-A-Tron’ Johnny Chance, from Captain Shreve,” said Tech coach Sonny Cumbie.

Chance, who has emerged as one of the nation’s top punters this season, set an I-Bowl record with his 49.5 average.

“Their punter did a great job of flipping the field,” said Coastal Carolina’s interim head coach, Jeremiah Johnson, who even though he was Tech’s defensive coordinator last season, didn’t know Chance’s name since his role In 2024 was so minor.

Chance had touchbacks on four of his six kickoffs – and he crushed a 51-yard field goal three minutes into the second half as Tech began to overcome a 14-3 halftime hole.

It was the second-longest field goal in I-Bowl history.

“It’s awesome, especially being back in Shreveport and seeing all our old fans who used to come out to our high school games,” said Chance. “Making that field goal really boosted our team’s confidence.”

Kent, the son of former Bulldog kicker and Lou Groza Award finalist Marty Kent, became the first Shreveport native to score in the Independence Bowl since fellow Evangel product Abram Booty caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Herb Tyler for LSU against Notre Dame in the third quarter of the 1997 game.

Until Tuesday, Kent’s college experience was limited to nine extra points he booted in the last two games, both wins lifting the Bulldogs to bowl eligibility. He won the field goal role in practice for the bowl, getting the news last Friday.

His teammates, said senior defensive back Cedric Woods, were confident he would come through.

“We always knew KK was on the team. He’s great,” said Woods, laughing about Kent’s ebullient personity. “I am proud of him and the way he stepped up. He has always been mature, even when he wasn’t the starter. He got his opportunity and he made the most of it. He is going to be a great player for us.”

“So much excitement – I want to give all the glory to God,” said Kent. “I kept the faith and His plan worked out for me.”

As he prepared to try the last-minute field goal, Kent flashed back to his last regular-season game – an Evangel victory at Parkway sealed when he hit a last-play 40-yarder across the Red River in Week 10 of 2024 to push the Eagles into the state playoffs.

“Yes, I did, I was thinking about Parkway. I told myself, ‘I’ve been here before, I’ve done this before. It’s the same kick I’ve made a thousand times in practice, so just go out there and execute,’” he said, “and that’s what happened.”

“The field goal at the end of the game, and a tight spot like that …. It’s a good time, good time, big time kick,” said Cumbie.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

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By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

The 49^th Annual Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl kicked off after a B-52 flyover and despite sloppy play for much of the first three quarters, delivered an exciting finish as Louisiana Tech beat Coastal Carolina 23-14 Tuesday.

The flyover, provided by Barksdale AFB crews and officials, was the only Air Force flyover scheduled during the bowl season this year.

FLAG DAY: Coastal Carolina and Louisiana Tech combined for 17 first-half penalties, putting bowl statisticians on record watch. The flags flew often in the final two quarters, but several were off-setting and others declined, keeping the teams from topping the I-Bowl record of 27 enforced walk-offs.

Their 25 combined penalties were the second most in 49 Independence Bowls. The 228 combined penalty yards were the most ever in the local bowl’s history.

Coastal interim head coach Jeremiah Johnson said some of the problem was the month-long gap between games, but put more of the blame on an overly-sensitive Mountain West Conference officiating crew.

“It’s two teams that haven’t played in 30 days, so there’s that. It was two teams that competed, and there was a lot of emotion on that football field, because of the situation with us being there last year (he was Tech’s defensive coordinator in 2024). There were a lot of guys on both sides who wanted to prove that they were really good and excited to be there.

“There was a lot of emotion, but those kids on both teams played good and hard. It never got dirty. They talked a lot, and apparently the officials didn’t like the talking. Even the stuff they were calling unsportsmanlike, it wasn’t like anybody was throwing punches,” said Johnson.

PUNT TEAMS WORK OT: The 17 combined punts were the second most in Independence Bowl history, following the 18 in 2019 between Louisiana Tech and Miami. Coastal’s Emilo Sebafundi, an Australian, had nine boots for a 43.2 average. Tech punter John Hoyet Chance, the hometown kid from Captain Shreve, punted eight for a 42.6 norm.

ON A BRIGHTER NOTE: Louisiana Tech made I-Bowl history in a better way than sharing the penalty record and coach Sonny Cumbie was pleased to find out about it. The Bulldogs’ victory made it the second program to capture four Independence Bowl victories, joining Ole Miss.

“I really appreciate you bringing it my attention without prefacing it with the penalty record. I wasn’t aware of that one, either. I know we had a lot of them,” he said. “You look at the players, the coaches, and the teams that have played in this illustrious bowl game over 49 years … Ole Miss, now we’re tied to them, in terms of four wins, and, you know, hopefully we’ll have a great opportunity in the future to win a lot of games, and to break that record also.”

TILTING THE SCALES: Tech became the 12th team to lose three fumbles in an Independence Bowl, but countered by blocking a field goal (Kenyatta McNeese) and coming up with three turnovers  — a fumble recovery by I-Bowl defensive MVP Sifa Leota, who led all players with 10 tackles including two sacks; and pivotal interceptions by Jakari Foster and Jordan McRae. McRae’s ignited a 17-point fourth quarter.

Foster, a first-team AP All-American, made his eighth pickoff to halt Coastal’s last possession in the final minute. He took a couple steps and slid to the turf, heeding instructions.

“My coaches said that ‘if you get an interception here, it is down time.’ I looked ahead of me, and I could’ve scored a pick six,” he said, smiling, “but I couldn’t.”

HE’S BEEN AROUND A WHILE:  Louisiana Tech senior defensive back Cedric Woods played in his 58th career game for the Bulldogs Tuesday, the third-most games played in Tech football history.

The Monroe-Carroll product, hoping to keep playing in the NFL next season, looked back fondly at his days with the ‘Dogs.

“It has been a wild journey especially during Coach Cumbie’s tenure. We had two 3-9 seasons, a 5-7 season last year, and finally capping it off with an 8-5 season this year. It has been amazing to have been a part of that,” he said.

“When you lose, you learn more lessons than when you are winning. I can wholeheartedly say that. I want to give a special shoutout to Coach Cumbie. This is a good dude and a good person.”

ATTENDANCE:  The paid attendance Tuesday was announced at 30,298, although it appeared more than half that number chose not to brave the brisk weather – 48 degrees, with a mild 7 mph wind. It was much more pleasant than the near freezing wind chill for Monday night’s Rally on the Red events in Bossier City.

The figure topped 30,000 for a fourth straight year, but didn’t match up to last year’s 34,283 who paid for the Army-Tech contest played at night. The Tech fans were boisterous as their team rallied to win this year’s edition.

• Bowl staff contributed to this story.

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(NOTE – We wrap up a holiday look back at some of our staff’s favorite stories of 2025 with this Teddy Allen gem from June 25 about a local broadcasting icon,  his friend, Dave Nitz.)

Well, shoot.

I hate it when the game’s over.

Legendary broadcaster Dave Nitz loved being around the ballpark, loved being around the guys, loved being close to a microphone and a scorebook.

More than anyone I’ve ever known.

He also loved being around a Wendy’s single and a chocolate Frosty.

More than anyone I’ve ever known.

Oh, and the French fries. Forgot the French fries. Usually ate them first.

“That’s just Dave being Dave.”

Few people I’ve known have enjoyed being themselves as much as Dave enjoyed being Dave. And he loved loved LOVED being “Freeway” Dave, a nickname Leon Barmore hung on him in the late ’70s when a road trip sent Barmore, the Lady Techsters and Dave to Los Angeles, where Dave rented a car with “unlimited mileage” — and managed to exceed it.

Just Freeway being Freeway.

Dave. For a half century, the Voice of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.

A man entirely home at any ballyard, Dave Nitz was appropriately born in the middle of baseball season — July 10, 1942 —and sadly died the first week of summer, June 24, 2025, a Tuesday around 1 a.m.

For those who knew Dave, either in person or by following his thousands of broadcasts, the news of the passing of a pro whose signature call was “You Gotta Love It!” is just the opposite.

You gotta hate it.

All day Tuesday it was the same. Sad.

Calls from old ballplayers.

Sad.

Calls from colleagues.

Sad.

Calls from friends and family.

Sad.

But it was Dave, and Dave was fun for all those years, Dave being Dave, so there was this story or that, either about him being stubborn, being talented, being from West Virginia, being a guy who could embellish a story with the best of them.

I remember road trips in his old van — a VAN — when we were young. Country music concerts (well, hello!, Mr. Merle Haggard!) Gassing up and checking into hotels and strapping on press passes and then Dave getting quiet and no longer laughing but straightening his headset, knocking back a slug of Crystal Light lemonade, and saying, “OK. Here we go … ‘Hello, everybody!’”

Dave being Dave.

His passing is another tough reminder that time is undefeated, that we aren’t really built for life down here, that reality is unavoidable, an acquired taste.

He officially retired only a year ago this month — but diabetes was the thing. And time. All those road trips. Nearly 40 years of professional ball and a calendar of college ball. No one will ever do that again.

One. Of. A. Kind.

So the diabetes, then the arthritis, the creeping in of dementia. We just couldn’t get the traction to turn things around.

But in his prime … well, in his prime, different ballgame. He was a Shirts vs. Skins regular, a force who ran on no sleep, a guy who could broadcast as well as anyone, and that’s with one vocal cord tied behind his back.

One. Of. A. Kind. 

Major Stud Alert.

He got older and reflexes slowed, gifts faded, but his voice was the same, the voice of a couple of generations, and down deep in there, in his Dave heart, there was still the little boy, a kid who loved ball, and I will always be grateful that, until time robbed him and he just couldn’t do it anymore, he faithfully shared that little-boy Dave with the rest of us.

Trust me when I tell you, if you heard Dave broadcasting to you from press row or a radio booth, there was no where else he would have rather been, and no one else he would have enjoyed talking to more, right then, than you. 

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

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JOURNAL SPORTS

Evangel’s explosive junior quarterback Peyton “Pop” Houston has been awarded Outstanding Offensive Player of the Year honors on this year’s Class 5A All-State team chose by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

Evangel’s quarterback passed for 3,836 yards and 42 touchdowns with nine interceptions, while rushing for 942 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was a repeat first-team All-State pick. With Houston pulling the strings, the Eagles averaged 48 points per game and scored 50 or more points in seven different contests.

ECA two-way standout Damari Drake was a first-team linebacker. Versatile Kenny Darby of Airline, as a return specialist, and Byrd kicker Asher Murray also were first-team All-State selections.

A total of 21 more local players from District 1-5A received honorable mention recognition.

LSWA Class 5A All-State Football Team

Offense

WR Chantz Babineaux, Carencro, 5-11, 200, Sr.

WR Easton Royal, Brother Martin, 5-11, 190, Jr.

TE Ahmad Hudson, Ruston, 6-8, 242, Jr.

OL Brooks Brown, Ruston, 6-4, 216, Sr.

OL Ty George, West Monroe, 6-3, 330, Sr.

OL O’Ryan Mosley, Terrebonne, 6-3, 305, Sr.

OL Leon Noil, Karr, 6-4, 270, Sr.

OL Blaise Thomassie Catholic-BR, 6-5, 290, Sr.

QB Peyton “Pop” Houston, Evangel, 5-10, 200, Jr.

RB Malachi Dabney, Destrehan, 5-9, 185, Jr.

RB M.J. Dade, Ouachita, 5-5, 161, Sr.

RB Tre Garrison, Karr, 5-11, 190, Sr.

ATH John Johnson, Karr, 5-11, 190, Sr.

PK Asher Murray, Byrd, 5-10, 176, Sr.

Defense

DL Richard Anderson, Karr, 6-4, 330, Sr.

DL Dylan Berymon, Ouachita, 6-2, 320, Sr.

DL Darryus McKinley, Acadiana, 6-3, 275, Sr.

DL Ra’Keem Potts, Ruston, 5-10, 224, Sr.

LB Jeffrey Curtis, John Curtis, 5-9, 200, Sr.

LB Damari Drake, Evangel, 6-0, 215, Sr.

LB Dylan Shelmire, Zachary, 6-0, 215, Sr.

LB Xzavier White, Alexandria, 6-1, 240, Sr.

DB Blaine Bradford, Catholic-BR, 6-1, 207 Sr.

DB Julian Burns, Neville, 6-3, 196, Sr.

DB Aidan Hall, Karr, 6-2, 200 Sr.

DB Hayward Howard, Karr, 6-2, 185, Sr.

P Owen Oliver, Terrebonne, 5-10, 185, Sr.

ATH Wydell Clark, Ouachita, 5-9, 155, Sr.

RS Kenny Darby, Airline, 6-0, 175, Sr.

OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER: Peyton “Pop” Houston, Evangel

OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Richard Anderson, Karr

COACH OF THE YEAR: Benjy Lewis, Ouachita

Honorable mention

Charley Abraham, Evangel; Quincy Adams, Terrebonne; Cameron Allen, Southside; Jayden Anding, Ruston; Bo Armstrong, Barbe; Brayden Arceneaux, Thibodaux; Isaias Avalos, Acadiana; Cooper Babin, St. Amant; Tadan Bingham, Terrebonne; Jamieon Brown, Lafayette; Romeo Brown, Karr; Tyree Bruer, Bonnabel; Gary Burney, Parkway; Ethan Cabos, Jesuit; Jake Cain, Natchitoches Central; Andre Campbell, Captain Shreve; Geo Carter, Thibodaux; Marvin Causey, Bonnabel; Alvin Celestin, Terrebonne; Mason Coleman, Terrebonne; Emanual Collins, Southside; Montrell Conner Jr., Ouachita; Cody Corales, St. Paul’s; Vashaun Coulon, St. Augustine; Brandon Craig, Haughton; Tyray Darensburg, Chalmette; Trez Davis, West Monroe; Ashton Dawson, Evangel; John Russel Demoss, Catholic-BR; Shawn Devers, Captain Shreve; Colin DiBetta, Acadiana; Ty Dominique, St. Augustine; Derrick Dunbar, Covington; Jeremiah Epps, Airline; Mister Finney, Carencro; Carlos Flemings Jr., Slidell; Cameron Florent, Destrehan; Alex Fontenot, Alexandria; Gabe Ford, Prairieville; Zaiden Foster, Liberty; Eli Fung, Alexandria; Travis Gallien, Acadiana; Tony Gladney, Parkway; Syre Gilmore, St. Augustine; Da’Jean Golmond, Denham Springs; Da’Sean Golmond, Denham Springs; Ian Gray, Byrd; Jelandon Gray, Barbe; Malik Grayson, Neville; Chris Green, Parkway; JaKyrin Griffin, Alexandria; Jordin Griffin, Barbe; Savoy Guidry, Holy Cross; E.J. Hanney, Sam Houston; Graham Harris, Central; Mitch Harris, Archbishop Rummel; Dylan Henry, Mandeville; Da’John Howard, Salmen; Carlin Kinchen, Archbishop Rummel; Braylen Jackson, Airline; Royaun Jackson, Huntington; Quincy Jackson, Bonnabel; Connor Jarreau, Thibodaux; Jake Jarreau, Central; Ethan Johnson, Haughton; Roderick Johnson, Parkway; Jermiah Jones, Thibodaux; Harrison Kidder, Catholic-BR; Ethan Kimmie, Zachary; Micah Levy, East Ascension; Jeremy Lowe, Natchitoches Central; Prentice Mackyeon, John Curtis; Brady McCluskey, Brother Martin; Jabari Mack, Destrehan; DeAndre Mansfield, Ouachita; Kevin Martin, Karr; Brysten Martinez, East Ascension; Van Martinez, Neville; Christian Maxie, Byrd; Brandon Mays, Captain Shreve; Tyrone Morgan, Woodlawn-BR; Jayden Miles, Catholic-BR; Josiah Morgan, Ruston; Damiere Mouton, Southside; Brenton Paul, Denham Springs; Bryon Perrilliat, Riverdale; Jaedon Phillips, Warren Easton; Jamarcea Plater, Captain Shreve; Christian Ponti, West Monroe; Dylan Post, St. Paul’s; Dalen Powell, Ruston; Jayden Reed, Neville; Parker Robinson, Neville; Karsen Sellers, Alexandria; Andrew Shofstahl, St. Paul’s; Albert Simien, Sam Houston; Ke’Rynn Smith, Holy Cross; Owen Smith, Natchitoches Central; Bennett Speer, Evangel; Jackson Speer, Evangel; Jaden Terrance, Archbishop Rummel; Xavier Villamor, Benton; A.J. Washington, Ouachita; Miguel Whitley, St. Augustine; Greg Wilfred, Karr; Kason Williams, Alexandria; Ray’Quan Williams, St. Augustine; Mason Willis, West Monroe; Keithon Womack, Central; Eric Veal, McDonogh 35; J.D. Yates, Airline; Ze’Land Young, Neville; Marques Zenon, Mandeville.

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JOURNAL SPORTS

The final 2025 Shreveport-Bossier Journal Coaches Roundtable conversation with local high school football coaches takes a different twist.

Coaches see the darndest things along the way, and shared some interesting observations.

Did you encounter an off-beat sight or unusual moment this fall?

JUSTIN SCOGIN, Airline: “We rode the team bus from Airline to Union Parish in Farmerville, in September, on a Friday afternoon with no AC. Maybe that’s not exactly odd, but it definitely was not fun.”

MATTHEW SEWELL, Haughton: “Off beat? Lol. We used an old school square-toe shoe to kick off in Week 10. You don’t see that any more. It worked fine.”

STACY BALLEW, Byrd: “Every now and then, you see some strange stuff and you just shake your head. Sometimes you want to laugh, and sometimes you just wonder what the heck is going on.”

DENNY DURON, Evangel: “One funny sight was during halftime at Haughton. We were confined to a small patch of grass adjacent to a sidewalk to meet with players, tape, and administer treatment. I walked up and saw Dr. Waterfallen and his Nurse crew were giving IVs to players sitting in the back of a van with the back doors wide open, and that was not a normal scene.

“What made me proud is that nobody acted like it was anything but five-star treatment! So proud of our kids …when you’re from the ‘Westside’ you are grateful for what you do have and the honor of just getting to play against these great schools.”

COY BROTHERTON, Parkway: “I always try to find my son a couple times throughout the game on the sideline.  One time this year I happened to see him out the corner of my eye, body-slamming another kid his age on the sideline. He’s 8!”

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By DAVID ERSOFF, Journal Sports

As 2026 begins this weekend, several local girls soccer teams will line up against top flight competition and the games played in Louisiana could have major postseason implications in the LHSAA’s power rankings system that determines playoff bracket seedings.

The Benton Lady Tigers have the highest power ranking in the Shreveport-Bossier area —  including all the boys teams. Benton is ranked fourth in Division I and their PR is a sky-high 10.36. The Lady Tigers deservedly sit atop the Shreveport-Bossier Journal coaches poll, which has no impact on the power rankings.

Captain Shreve is just behind Benton with a 10.29 PR, good for the state’s No. 5 seed at the moment. The Lady Gators played the final game of 2025 for local girls team, when they traveled to Texas, defeating Lufkin 2-0 on Tuesday. Out-of-state games do not figure into the LHSAA power rankings.

There are three other local D-I teams that are currently inside the top 32, the magic number as that’s how many make the postseason. Byrd is in 12^th position with a PR of 8.66. Haughton is 25^th  with a 6.74 PR, and Airline stands 27^th  owning a 6.35 PR.

Caddo Magnet is the highest ranked squad in D-II. The Lady Mustangs occupy the No. 6 spot with a PR of 8.31. Parkway is not far behind, holding the 10^th position due to a 7.69 PR.

Northwood has been playing well lately and is the 19^th-ranked team carrying a 6.40 PR. The final local D-II team in the top 32 is North DeSoto with a 5.81 PR, good for 26^th.

The only D-III school in the postseason mix in Shreveport-Bossier is Bossier, standing 28^th with a 3.89 PR.

There are three local Division IV schools in the top 32 rankings, at the moment, and the last one is a surprise. Calvary is tops with 8.05 PR and stands fifth. Loyola is in the 8^th spot and has a PR of 7.63.

The surprise is the local team standing 20^th — North Caddo. Nothing makes this area better as a whole, then when teams that have traditionally struggled in a sport begin to develop and start winning games. The Lady Titans are currently 4-2-1 and have a 6.09 PR.

These seedings and power rankings will change daily until the end of the regular season. These midseason looks begin to paint a picture of each team’s season. Coaches who like their path can stay on it, while coaches not as pleased have enough time to make adjustments and get their teams ready for the upcoming postseason.

For insight on the LHSAA’s power rankings system for soccer,  search for Tuesday’s boys report titled “Midseason power rankings” explaining how the points stack up.

Local schools kick off the New Year strongly this weekend, with Benton, Caddo Magnet and Loyola heading to Lafayette to compete in the EIL tournament, hosted by Teurlings Catholic. The schedule has yet to be announced.

The Lady Gators keep up their traveling this weekend, with their yearly trip to Mississippi where they will face traditional powers DeSoto High and St. Patrick.

Not to be outdone on the travel, Byrd is heading west to Arlington for the program’s annual  Texas tournament. The Lady Jackets are scheduled to play E.D. Bell, Arlington and South Grand Prairie.

The only other local school in action this weekend is North DeSoto. The Lady Griffins are scheduled to face Denham Springs and West Monroe Saturday at Rebel Stadium in West Monroe.

Contact David at dersoff@bellsouth.net

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By PATRICK MEEHAN, Centenary Assistant AD

The Centenary Ladies and Gents return to Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference basketball play on Friday at home as they face LeTourneau at the Gold Dome. The men’s game is set for 5:30 and the Ladies’ game will follow at 7:30.

The Ladies (2-7, 1-0 SCAC) are 0-3 at home this season and were last in action on Dec. 12 at Howard Payne where they fell 85-40.

The Gents got back to action Tuesday afternoon with an exhibition loss at Grambling State. Centenary (1-8, 0-1 SCAC) fell 91-75 at home to Mary Hardin-Baylor on Dec. 19.

Senior guard Quentin Beverly is the Gents’ leading scorer this season (15.8 points per game) and senior guard Amiyah Barrow leads the way for the Ladies (7.9).

In a recent conversation, I sat down with first-year Gents’ coach J.A. Anglin for a “Q and A” before the holiday break.  The first few questions ran here last Wednesday. This is part 2 of 2 … enjoy!

What does it mean to be the coach at a school like Centenary with such a rich basketball tradition and history?

(ANGLIN) “It is an honor and a pleasure to coach at Centenary College. I have a lot of great memories as a child watching college basketball in the Gold Dome. I played against Centenary as a sophomore at Northwestern State. Sometimes I have to pinch myself when I am driving up to the Gold Dome just to make sure I’m not dreaming.”

“I had the opportunity to visit with (former head coach) Coach (Tommy) Vardeman and some former Gents at one of our football games this season. It was great to hear about all of their positive experiences at Centenary College.

“(Former star player) Herb Lang recently spoke at our Bicentennial Celebration earlier this month. It was great to hear about how much of his life and career with the Harlem Globetrotters was impacted by Centenary. My high school coach, Willie Jackson, was one of the best players to put on a Centenary uniform. He was in attendance for our first win at ETBU. It has been awesome to reconnect with some former players and get to know others in my short time here.”

What are your goals for the remainder of the season?

“Despite our record, all of our goals for this season are still in front of us. As a program, we want to constantly be in the hunt for a conference championship. We know that starts with our results in conference play. Our goal is to qualify for the SCAC tournament at Hendrix this season.

“I’ve played and coached college basketball for so long now that I know anything can happen when you qualify for the conference tournament. A lot of times it comes down to matchups and who is playing well going into the conference tournament. It is our goal to be playing our best basketball in February.”

Contact Patrick at pmeehan@centenary.edu

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As things wind down in 2025, I continue to question where we are headed with college athletics. Let me preface this article by saying that, yes, I’m old school when it comes to college athletes being paid. It’s just not right in my opinion, though I do believe in “reasonable” compensation.

Why is it no longer good enough to get a full scholarship and leave college with a degree that sets up a student-athlete for the rest of their life? Why does that no longer have value?

I’m all for subsidizing these athletes so they can go out and enjoy a pizza or go to a movie with a date, but we have now surpassed the idea of a little “spending money” to have a good time and enjoy college life.

As a former college athlete, I get that in the past certain athletes have been taken advantage of. I also get the positive financial impact some athletes can have on a university. But what we are doing with regard to paying college athletes is out of control!

Let’s not deceive ourselves into thinking this is something new. Ever since the beginning of college athletics, certain athletes with gifted abilities have always been catered to in some form. From the early days, the prized recruits might get a meal paid for or maybe a cow and some land given to their family—all due to an athlete’s ability to play at a high level.

In the 1970s, some elite athletes received cars as a gift or incentive to sign with a particular university. In certain instances, it took a briefcase full of money or a well-paying job for mom or dad to get a kid to sign. Some athletes were given high-paying summer jobs that exceeded the normal minimum-wage jobs other students got.

So, great athletes have been catered to for decades! But in 2025, this has gone above and beyond a car or a good-paying summer job. Today, kids are getting millions of dollars up front just to sign with a university—players who have yet to play a down or a minute in college.

What message are we sending to today’s young athletes with all this money being given up front?

They’re being paid whether they start or sit on the bench. What has happened to the idea of proving yourself and earning what you’re worth? Where’s the incentive for today’s athletes? Aren’t we setting them up for failure down the road?

We have placed kids on a pedestal and lifted their egos to levels never seen before! The word “entitlement” comes to mind as the number-one issue among all college coaches. Kids today don’t want to compete for a position—they want it given or promised to them. Oh, and coach, make sure they get some cash.

Just because they were an All-State player in high school, they think they should be starting as a true freshman and handed a starting position in college. Forget the idea of competing for a job and earning it—they expect it to be given to them! After all, they were All-District in high school.

Here’s another issue for today’s athlete. While travel ball in any sport has historically been a good thing, it has also been one of the worst things that has ever happened to so many of today’s athletes. The mindset and lessons learned through travel ball make some kids very hard to coach.

We have now raised a generation of athletes who are truly soft and uncoachable. Kids today cannot handle hard coaching and think a coach yelling at them means he or she doesn’t like them.

Over their entire careers, travel ball kids have been told how good they are and catered to. The recruitment of players, even at this level, is not beyond a few dollars being exchanged by a parent to get their kids on the right travel team.

A lot (not all) of these highly paid travel ball coaches, no matter what sport, are not in it to help develop players and make them better. Some (not all) are strictly in it to win. Winning is their primary focus, not making the kid better. But as all travel coaches know, the best way to attract the best players is to win!

Here’s the kicker with a lot of college athletes today: if they’re not happy, they’ll just transfer to another school. This is also starting to trickle down even to the high school level. If you’re not happy, transfer!

Forget competing and trying to get better—just go where they will pay you more money and promise you a starting position.

A college coach recently told me the first thing that goes through many players’ heads today after the season is over is not “How can I get better?” but “Where can I go and make more money?” Commitment and loyalty to the team have gone out the window with the bathwater, as so many athletes today are out for themselves.

Oh, I’m sure I’ll have many who will disagree with my assessment, especially those who have kids playing today. But just like a referee, I call it like I see it! This comes from someone who has coached and played at the Division I level in two sports.

I also know this: as a booster, it’s getting awfully hard to write those checks to a program where athletes only want one thing—more money. I want my money to be spent on things that will make the program better, not pay an athlete!

I can’t stand the idea that the check I’m writing is going to pay a kid to stay and play for a university that, in some cases, was the only scholarship offer they had. How about staying and playing for the college or university that made a commitment to you? How about playing for your teammates—now there’s a new concept!

If the powers that be (NCAA) don’t make some major changes to the structure and the money that college athletes can make, there’s no end to what lengths colleges will go to get the best players. As they say, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” Yay, go team!

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As this letter is published on December 31, many of us are doing what we always do at year’s end—looking back, taking stock, and quietly thinking about what we want to do better in the year ahead.

From a woman’s point of view, one resolution worth making in 2026 is simple: stop mansplaining.

Mansplaining is not a disagreement. It is not a healthy debate. And it is certainly not men expressing opinions. Mansplaining happens when a man explains something to a woman in a patronizing or condescending way, often assuming she lacks knowledge or understanding—sometimes even when she is the most qualified person in the room.

Most women recognize it instantly. It shows up as being talked over, corrected unnecessarily, or lectured on subjects we already understand—our professions, our finances, our health, our lived experiences. It often arrives disguised as helpfulness, wrapped in phrases like, “What you need to understand is…” or “Let me explain this in simple terms.”

Whether intentional or not, the effect is the same. It diminishes women’s voices, discourages participation, and reinforces outdated assumptions about who holds authority. In workplaces, it chips away at credibility. In civic discussions, it narrows perspective. In everyday life, it undermines respect.

Ending mansplaining does not require silence. It requires listening. It requires recognizing that women come to the table with knowledge, experience, and expertise that do not need translation or approval. It means entering conversations as equals, not default instructors.

As we step into a new year, striving for better habits and stronger communities, this is one change that costs nothing—and improves everything. Conversations are richer, decisions are smarter, and communities are stronger when everyone is heard without being talked down to.

If we are serious about doing better in 2026, this is a resolution worth keeping.

Ida B. Torn
A Woman Who Knows What She’s Talking About

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Funeral services for Freddie “Boogie” Andrew Oursso, 85, will be held on Friday, January 2, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2500 Southside Dr., Shreveport, Louisiana. Burial will follow at Forest Park West Cemetery, 4000 Meriwether Rd. in Shreveport. A visitation will be held Friday from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the service. Officiating the service will be James “Bud” Watanabe and Coy from Keithville Church.

Boogie was born on April 21, 1940 in Luling, Louisiana to Wilford and Elmire Oursso and passed away on Friday, December 26, 2025 in Keithville.

Boogie dedicated more than two decades of his life to Fire Department Station 17, serving with courage, loyalty, and heart. After over 20 years of service, he retired as Captain—a role he earned through hard work, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to protecting others.

He was married to Jan Oursso, the love of his life, and he cherished his family above all else. Loving them was not just something he did—it was who he was.

Boogie was a true jack‑of‑all‑trades. If it needed fixing, building, assembling, or creating, he could do it. There was no project too big, no challenge too complicated. His hands were skilled, his mind was sharp, and he approached every task with the same determination and generosity that defined his life.

Fred is preceded in death by his daughter, Monica Oursso. Those left to cherish his memory include wife, Jan Oursso; daughter, Freda Oursso Butler and husband, Darrell; granddaughter, Crystal Leann Butler; grandson, Shelby Butler; and grandson, Justin Andrew Schmidt and wife, Mary Catherine; great-grandchildren, Rex Andrew and Emmaline Ann Schmidt; stepson, John Byers; stepdaughter, Michelle Nunley; and numerous stepgrandchildren.

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Mary Alice Dudley was born on Friday, January 10, 1944, and took her final breath on December 15, 2025—just 50 feet from where she was born. The years in between, she lived.

Mary Alice graduated from Spearsville High School in 1961 and later attended BMI (Bish Mathis Institute) in Monroe until her marriage in 1963. After marrying, she and her husband made their home in Meridian, Mississippi, and later Bossier City, Louisiana. Following her husband’s retirement from Delta Airlines, they returned to her beloved home in Union Parish.

Mary Alice had a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ and was a faithful member of Mt. Olive Missionary Church. She also held a special place in her heart for Hopewell Baptist Church, a second church within her Laran community.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Murray T. Dudley of Portland, Maine; her parents, Wilfred and Willie Bell Odom; her brother, Delwyn “Pete” Odom; and her niece, Pam Odom Hicks Jones.

Well before the term fashionista was coined, Mary Alice was known for her style and well-kept appearance. She was even known to tend to her flowers fully made up—because you never knew who might stop by to visit. Beautiful inside and out, Mary Alice was remembered for her kindness and generosity. She loved gardening, children, traveling, and spending time with family.

Left to cherish her memory are her son, Roger of Spearsville; her daughter, Rena of El Dorado, Arkansas; grandsons Zack (Kay) of Spearsville and Lex (Sydney Wade) of Spearsville; great-granddaughters Lilly Dudley and Karli Shields; and great-grandson Boone A. Dudley.

A special thank you is extended to Mary Alice’s close girlfriends of over 70 years—Joy, Francis, and Donna—as well as all of their Spearsville classmates. The family also gratefully acknowledges the staff of Reeves Memorial Hospital and Clinic in Bernice, Louisiana, Heart of Hospice, and Cassidy Wade and Hayley Echols of Timberlane Rehabilitation in El Dorado, Arkansas.

Honorary pallbearers will be Lucien Savage, Bubba Walsworth, Greg Hicks, Zack Dudley, Lex Dudley, and Gabe Walsworth.

Visitation will be held at Farrar’s funeral home chapel Saturday, January 10, 2026 from 12:30pm to 1:30pm, following visitation Pastors Buddy Boatright and Dwayne Ramsey will officiate a celebration of Alice’s life. A private family service will be conducted at Zion Hill Cemetery at a later date.

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Phonetic: /ir·​re·​me·​able/
Part of Speech: adjective

Definition

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