By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Services

Everyone has a story.

Each week, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s Tony Taglavore takes to lunch a local person—someone well-known or influential—and asks, “What’s Your Story?”         

You know how the story goes.

A child is raised in church and lives a straight and narrow upbringing. The parents are strict and don’t allow much. Entering adulthood, the young man or woman goes to seminary school and before you know it, is standing at the pulpit, preaching to his or her own congregation.

Yeah, this isn’t that story.

This is John Fream’s story—make that Pastor John Fream’s story. Up until 1991, his life consisted of too much drinking (“I was a beer guy”) and too much cussing.

“In 1991, (going to college and working for Delta Air Lines) was the only thing going well in my life,” John said. “Nothing else was going well. I was not a good friend. I was not a good husband. My life was just a mess. I would lay down at night, I would put my head down and go to sleep, and I had no peace. I just didn’t have any peace. I didn’t know what peace was — I just knew something was missing in my life.”

In his 15th year leading Cypress Baptist Church in Benton, John chose Newk’s Eatery in Bossier City to tell me his story. John ordered the Newk’s Favorite salad, while I had the Southern salad. The married (Darla, 35 years) father of two (Megan, Brad) and grandfather of one (Rhett) looks tan and at ease. His casual attire of a wrinkle-free, black shirt that isn’t made to tuck in, dark khaki pants, and white tennis shoes, fits his relaxed personality.

“I learned a long time ago to not take yourself too seriously…I’m not that important. I’m not that big a deal.”

However, Easter Sunday 32 years ago was a big deal. Each week, Darla would ask her husband to go with her to church. Each week, John’s answer was the same. “Nope.”

But that week—that Sunday—John was moved to say, “Yes.”

“I went and it changed my life. I gave my life to Christ that morning and haven’t missed church since. It was an absolute life change for me. I laid down that night, went to sleep, and thought, ‘Ok, this is what’s been missing. I’ve been missing peace. I’ve been at odds with God my whole life and didn’t know it. But now, I’m at peace with him.”

Growing up the youngest of four children (three sisters, one brother) in Midwest City, Oklahoma, John’s   family didn’t go to church.

“We weren’t anti-God. As a matter of fact, we were God-fearing, we thought, but we just didn’t go to church. That just wasn’t something we did.”

John’s mother was a secretary. John’s father was a machinist in the oil and gas industry, and later started his own courier company.

“He was one of those guys that just knew how to work. He wasn’t a great businessman, but he could outwork anybody. He just worked all the time.”

But their father-son relationship was limited.

“I was very close to my mom. My dad and I didn’t get along. He loved cars and hot rods. He and my brothers were always rebuilding cars. I have no mechanical abilities. I loved sports. My dad hated sports. He thought they were a waste of time. I lived for sports.”

In high school, Fream suited up for just about all sports — football, baseball, basketball, and wrestling. His senior year, Fream’s pigskin team won the 6A state championship. For three years, Fream’s quarterback was Mike Gundy, the current and longtime Oklahoma State head coach.

“I was trying to put on weight and bulk up for football and wrestling. I had a set of clothes for football, then I would go to wrestling and have a whole other set of clothes, because I would immediately have to drop 20-25 pounds. I would play at 215, and I would wrestle at 195.”

John — who looks like he has a couple of plays left in him — began college at the University of Oklahoma, before transferring to — and graduating from — Southern Nazarene University with a marketing degree. He and Darla met on a blind date. However, there were a couple of questions Darla wanted answered before the relationship went much further.

“’Are you a Christian?’ I said, ‘Well, of course I am a Christian.’ She said, ‘Ok, would you go to church with me?’ I said, ‘Sure. Will you go out with me?’ She said, ‘Yes, as long as you to church and you are a Christian, I will.”

They eventually married (he was 19, she was 18) while still in school and working to make ends meet.

“We were dumb and poor and young, and all that includes.”

But once Darla committed to John, John de-committed from his promise.

“Instantly, I quit going to church. I’ve got you now. I don’t have to go to church.”

Every Sunday, Darla would worship God, and John would worship the golf course. Until that Easter morning.

“It was just a typical Easter sermon — the Gospel. (The preacher) didn’t have to convince me I was a sinner. I knew that. He didn’t have to convince me that Jesus died on the cross for me. I believed that. I wasn’t raised in church, but I was raised that God is good. Jesus is good. But it was never personal for me…When I accepted Christ and said, ‘I want your forgiveness. I want you to come in and take over my life, it changed everything. When I say ‘everything’, my wife literally got a new husband that day — and she will tell you that.”

Eventually, John was called to ministry. He served 10 years as a youth pastor, before leading his first congregation, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

“I took a little church that was dying and had voted to quit existing…The first Sunday, there were 35 people there. Within about two years, we were running 300-350 people.”

John says his third church — Cypress Baptist — is one of the largest and fastest-growing churches in the state. So many years removed from his non-pastor ways, John is grateful for the direction God has led him.

“I still can’t believe I get to do this for a living. I am humbled. I still can’t believe on Sunday mornings that people come to church and that they want to hear me. They’re not coming to hear me preach. They’re coming to hear from the Lord. But I’m still in awe that I get to stand there and do this.”

And at 55 years old, John thinks he will keep preaching for a while longer.

“I know me. I know where I was. Praise God for where I am now. I’m not what I used to be. God is not through with me. I’ve still got more to go. I learned a long time ago that there’s nothing special about me over anybody in that congregation., except that I have a calling in my life.”

Having finished lunch, I asked my final question. As always, “What is it about your story that can be an inspiration to others?”

“I hope my love for the Lord, and love for people, is contagious. I hope people say he really does love the Lord…I hope to influence people that way. Love God and love each other the way the scripture wants us to. The way the Lord wants to empower us to do.”

Do you know someone who has a story to tell? Contact Tony at: SBJTonyT@gmail.com

Bossier Sheriff’s Office deputies, Lt. Eric Wikstrom and Corporal Steven Shankle, were recently recognized for overall exemplary performance in violent crime investigative efforts during the course of their duties by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The deputies were recognized during the Western District of Louisiana’s United States Attorney’s Office Annual Training and Leadership Development Conference that was held at the Bossier Sheriff’s Office Substation on Sept. 21.

Lt. Wikstrom and Corporal Shankle were presented awards for their efforts during a high-risk traffic stop involving a firearm that occurred on I-220 in Bossier Parish in May of 2022. As a result of the stop, Recardo Pierce was arrested and convicted by a federal grand jury for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm in January 2023.

The two deputies are part of the Joint Criminal Apprehension Team (JCAT) that primarily targets areas that are vulnerable to crime and frequented by criminals.

Lt. Wikstrom is a 17-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office and leads the Joint Criminal Apprehension Team (JCAT) and is the SWAT Commander. Corporal Shankle is an 8-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office and is also a member of SWAT.

Through a partnership with the Bossier Parish Libraries History Center, John Fox, a student at Bossier Parish School for Technology & Innovative Learning, is reimagining images from historic Bossier City.

Fox began interning at the History Center in September of 2019 when he was a student at Airline High School. At the History Center, he would organize and verify information regarding archived images of historic Bossier City. Through a conversation about these archived images with his Talented Arts Program (TAP) teacher, Mark Burt, he was tasked with hand-drawing his own version of historic Bossier City. He has created at least twenty hand-drawn images.

In the Fall of 2022, the History Center presented John with the idea of turning his images into a coloring book. This project was overseen by John’s Graphic Arts teacher, Kyle Hadley, at Bossier School for Technology and Innovative Learning (BPSTIL). Through the course of the year, John was able to digitize thirteen images using the graphic arts program Procreate.

The History Center was presented with Fox’s digitized images at BPSTIL in early September. These images will be used to produce coloring books for distribution to all ages that visit Bossier Parish Libraries. Through John’s vision and talent, historic Bossier City can once again be relived.

A 2022 graduate of Airline High School, Fox is participating in the PIVOT program at BPSTIL where he is earning Industry Based Credentials (IBCs) to prepare him for a future career in Graphic Arts. John has earned credentials in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Premiere Pro.

Caddo Parish Parks and Recreation is looking for local artists for the 2023 Art in the Park on Saturday, November 4 from 12noon to 4pm at Richard Fleming Park (7919 West Lakeshore Drive, Shreveport, LA 71107).

The event features all local artists from the Shreveport-Bossier area who take inspiration from the natural world. Celebrating art and nature, the event hosts a wide variety of nature inspired art for sale, from paintings and photography to stone tools and woodcarvings, all from local artists. Mini art workshops, artist demonstrations, hands-on art activities, live music, and food vendors are also planned.

Amateur and professional artists whose work features wildlife or nature or uses natural materials as their medium are eligible. If you would like to be considered as a featured artist, please submit the application found on caddoparks.org. Spaces are free of charge but limited.

For more information, contact Stacy Gray at sgray@caddo.org or (318) 929-2806.

By Doug De Graffenried

Did you ever have one of those moments?

The other evening, I decided that supper would include steaks. I did the early morning preparation for the late afternoon cooking ritual. Those steaks were well prepped.

The other part of the steak ritual involves the grill. I have one of the wood pellet grills. It is spiffy. My cooking has improved. Once upon a time, hamburgers that I grilled were not palatable and later used as official hockey pucks. I’m much better now. The wood pellet grill needs several minutes to warm up to steak temperature. It gets very hot but helps me avoid hockey puck cooking accidents.

The cover came off. I checked the inside of the grill. Verified the nice little drip bucket would have adequate room for drippings. The wood pellets were checked and determined to be adequate. 

I reached around back to turn the grill on. Nothing! The switch glows orange when the grill is on. This switch was dark. I checked the plug, after all I had wired it with my redneck electrician method of designing an outdoor circuit. The GCFI plug was tested and verified to be working. It has a nice green light showing it’s functioning.

Never trusting the one outlet, I grabbed an extension cord and plugged everything into the other GCFI outdoor outlet. Nothing! Tried a couple of other outlets inside the shed. Nothing!

In my rapidly filling up mind, I decided the switch had gone bad. The steaks were begging to be cooked, so I reverted to the broiler inside. The steaks were marvelous. I was a little bummed about the grill though. It is not that old.

After the sumptuous steak supper, I grabbed the manual that came with the grill and turned to the troubleshooting chapter. Nothing! The switch would not light up. The grill would not come on, although clearly my redneck circuits were supplying power to the outlets.

I resolved to call and check the warranty. I walked back outside to put the cover on the grill and roll up the extension cord. That’s when I learned that I’m a dumb donkey. OK, I’m the other thing, but I can’t use that language in this family friendly publication.

The cord for the grill not only plugs into the wall, but it also plugs into the grill. The end of the cord plugged into the grill had worked its way loose. When I unplugged the grill cord from the extension cord, the other end fell to the ground.

I had to confess my stupidity. I resolved to check that end of the cord each time. But here’s the deal, I should have thought of it. Who would have thought that the other end of a power cord could come loose from where it plugged into the grill? The answer is, just about everyone!

In a conversation last week, a person said, “I don’t feel like I’m connecting with God very well these days.” I know who is unplugged. When God seems distant, you need to check both ends of the spiritual connection. If you don’t know about the two directions of a spiritual connection, come see me on Sunday, I’ll explain it to you. We might have steak!

Each week, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s always hungry reporter visits a different restaurant and tells you about the experience.

By ANON E. MUSS, Journal Services

It was lunchtime, and we didn’t have much time.

My friend and I were in Bossier City on a recent Tuesday, so we decided to visit BeauxJax Crafthouse (501 Barksdale Boulevard), in the East Bank District.

I had been there once — maybe twice — but it was at least two years ago. My friend had been there maybe a time or two more. But neither of us have the best memory, so we treated this trip as if it were our first trip.

If you go to BeauxJax, be prepared to park and walk. A little after Noon, street parking near the restaurant was full. We parked in a concrete-surface lot behind and a couple of streets over from BeauxJax. The walk wasn’t bad, even in 90-degree heat.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and BeauxJax made a good first impression. We walked in the door at 12:15, and before it was 12:16, we had been greeted and seated. That, despite only two available tables in an almost-full restaurant, counting bar seating. There is covered patio seating, of which several people took advantage. However, as I mentioned, it was 90 degrees.

Within another minute, our server — Ozzy — was standing at our table, introducing himself, and asking for our drink order.

Looking around, we couldn’t help but like BeauxJax’s atmosphere. My friend said it reminded her of New Orleans, and I agree. She said the red brick-exposed walls were the building’s original walls. We looked up and saw wooden ceiling beams and exposed air condition ductwork.

There were seven televisions throughout the restaurant, with most of them over the bar. It looked like no matter where you sit, you would have a view of a game or whatever was on (in this case, U.S. Open tennis.) The crowd was a mix of businesspeople, workers, and medical staff/students. The noise wasn’t so loud that my friend and I couldn’t have a conversation.

Seven minutes after we sat down, Ozzy was back to take our order. BeauxJax’s menu isn’t overwhelming, but the focus is on Sharables (think appetizers), Salads, and Po-Boys. Because I am also thinking of you, the reader, I insisted we start one of those sharables — the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail ($10.99). The menu said the appetizer would consist of eight jumbo shrimp with cocktail sauce. I was surprised when it arrived, as I have always seen a shrimp cocktail served in some type of glass. However, this shrimp cocktail came in a non-glass serving bowl. The shrimp were seasoned, and very tasty. However, BeauxJax’s use of the word “Jumbo” was a bit of a stretch.

For my entrée, I chose the Half Po-boy & Salad ($11.99). I went with the Gator Andouille, and a Mixed Green salad (I could have chosen a Traditional Caesar Salad.) The menu described the po-boy as made up of gator sausage, slaw, and house sauce. It had been a while since I had a po-boy, mostly because I don’t eat much bread. You know when you order a po-boy, there is going to be a lot more bread than what’s on the inside. This po-boy wasn’t any different. The bread — Gambino’s French Bread — looked to have a little melted butter. It was good — not too tough, not too soft. My only complaint with the po-boy is that the eight pieces of gator sausage were not hot. While they weren’t cold, they weren’t warm, either.

I would say they were room temperature. The sausage needed to be hot because they were on top of the slaw—which was cold. I didn’t need the only two things inside the bread to be cold.

Now, let me tell you about the house sauce. It was delicious! Ozzy said it’s a mix of Pepper Jelly and Cole Slaw. It had a bit of a kick, and I found myself taking pieces of sausage which had fallen out of the po-boy and dipping them in the sauce.

The salad was fine — nothing special. It was a nice portion of lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, and sliced onions. I ordered the house dressing which turned out to be the house sauce! It was so good, I was happy to have it twice.

My friend chose the Bourbon Chicken Caesar Salad ($13.99). It came with lots of Bourbon Street Chicken, romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese, croutons, and Caesar dressing. It was big enough that she couldn’t eat it all, leaving much of the lettuce and none of the chicken. My friend said the chicken had good flavor and a bit of a kick, although I took a bite and found the chicken to be a bit dry. She said the Caesar dressing — which can be too tangy at some places — was good and creamy.

For dessert, we had three choices: Banana Foster Cheesecake, King Cake Cheesecake, or Bread Pudding. I don’t like bananas, so we were down to two. Given the responsibility of selecting, I went with the King Cake Cheesecake ($7.49).

When served, it certainly looked the part. The top layer resembled a dark, rich king cake. The bottom layer looked like cheesecake. The top had Mardi Gras-color icing, and a small swirl of whipped cream in the shape of a nice design.

Unfortunately, my friend and I agreed we should have chosen something else. The King Cake Cheesecake wasn’t bad — and it was good enough that we ate it all — it just didn’t stand out. I thought it had a bit of a pumpkin spice taste but was otherwise bland. My friend said she tasted sea salt. We concluded that next time, we will make a different selection.

Yes, there will be a next time. More on that shortly.

Along with our check, Ozzy brought my friend an unsolicited Diet Coke in a to-go cup. That was a nice gesture, although on the check, we were charged for two drinks when we only had one (I had water). I brought it to Ozzy’s attention, and he quickly agreed that was a mistake, and would take care of it. When he returned with my credit card and receipt, there was only one drink ($3.49) listed.

The total for our lunch, excluding tax and tip, was $49.38. One thing I really liked is that the original customer’s copy of the receipt listed suggested tip amounts based on different percentages. Those percentages were based on the subtotal—not including tax. That’s how I think it should be done, but always isn’t. My copy of the final receipt was itemized and included my tip. (The accounting folks at the SBJ appreciate that as well when they receive my expense report.)

We were up from our two-seat, high-top, wooden table at 1:17 — an hour and two minutes after we arrived. It was a very efficient dining experience — not a lot of wasted time. And when you don’t have much time, that’s what you want.

After a brief discussion, my friend and I decided we would return to BeauxJax Crafthouse and go out of our way to do so. However, we would order something different. My main reason in giving BeauxJax Four Forks is not so much for the food, but for the really pleasing atmosphere and terrific service. To me, those count for a lot. So much, that BeauxJax will have a repeat customer.

Is there a restaurant you would like the Journal to review? Email: SBJRestaurantReview@gmail.com

1 Fork: Would rather eat a box of dirt
2 Forks: Will return, but only if someone else is buying
3 Forks: Will return and look forward to it
4 Forks: Will return and go out of my way to do so

The Shreveport Regional Arts Council (SRAC), in collaboration with the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau, announces an open artist “call” for designs for the gateway signs to adorn the iconic Boom or Bust Byway. The Boom or Bust Byway runs from Mooringsport and Hosston North to Hwy. 2 and East/West from Vivian to Lake Claiborne/Homer. The Boom or Bust Byway is selected as an All-American Byway…the highest designation for a scenic byway.

Inspired by the “THUNDER BAY” Gateway Signs that welcome visitors to Thunder Bay, Canada, these laser-cut metal signs are unique in that they showcase the natural beauty of the region’s backdrop – meadows, woodlands, forests, and field of sunflowers will be seen through the laser-cut metal.  The gateway signs will pay tribute to the cultural heritage of eight towns along the Boom or Bust Byway through Northwest Louisiana.  Each will provide an opportunity for “selfie stops” and a QR Code will direct byway travelers to the unique shops, restaurants, and destinations in the eight towns.  

The Boom or Bust Byway Gateway Signs provide an opportunity for Northwest Louisiana artists to showcase their creativity by combining the selected key activities that make each community unique with a distinctive visual narrative. These icons, selected by each community, will mirror their unique history, culture, and allure. The selected artists will channel their vision into symbols that best resonate with the community they represent.  The artists will be responsible to submit to-scale designs, which will be professionally fabricated under the direction of Project Manager, Bruce Allen.

Objectives of the artists’ designed gateway signs:

Encouragement: Enthuse travelers to embark on the mesmerizing journey of the BOOM OR BUST Byway, a scenic route that weaves through the landscape of Northwest Louisiana.

Exploration: Inspire travelers to explore the hidden gems nestled in each Town and Village along the Byway – an opportunity to encounter the authentic Louisiana experience off the conventional route.

Inspiration: Spur travelers to halt for a picturesque “Selfie,” share their experiences on social media platforms, and scan a QR code for access to the region’s history, as well as directions to local shopping, dining, and attractions.

The submission process is open to Artists who have self-identified and registered on the Northwest Louisiana Culturalyst Directory at the time of submission. Artists residing or owning property in Northwest Louisiana and possessing a portfolio of at least 10 works of art, along with a professional resume and an Artist’s statement, can register on the CULTURALYST directory at no cost.

Design entries will be accepted via Submittable.com through the following links:

https://nwla.culturalyst.com

https://srac.submittable.com

Important dates:

Submission deadline: 4:00 p.m., Thursday, September 28

Scope and background:

Up to 11 artistic gateway signs will be erected along the 163-mile Boom or Bust Byway, showcasing the vibrant communities of Gilliam, Oil City, Plain Dealing, Vivian, Belcher, Hosston, Red River Bridge, Sarepta, Homer, and Lake Claiborne.

For reference, examples of Thunder Bay Gateway Signs, fabrication, and installation can be found on Submittable Culturalyst. The role of the Artist is to design the sign; not fabricate, construct, or install the sign.

This artist call presents a golden opportunity for artists to become an integral part of Northwest Louisiana’s rich cultural narrative. Join us in this endeavor to illuminate the Boom or Bust Byway with creativity and inspiration.

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – There are so many facts and figures and numbers that tell the story of how the Battle of the Golden Boot went down to the wire here Saturday night.

But here’s the one – neither 12th-ranked LSU or feisty underdog Arkansas had to punt in the final 43½ of 60 minutes.

Dual-threat quarterbacks Jayden Daniels of LSU and KJ Jefferson of Arkansas combined for 693 yards and 7 TDs in a tit-for-tat shootout decided by a 186-pound placekicker who drilled the first game-winner  of his life.

Parked on the doorstep of the Razorbacks’ goal line after a near-perfectly timed 72-yard drive, Damian Ramos calmly made a 20-yard field goal with five seconds left for a 34-31 victory.

“I was ready for it,” said Ramos, who kicked just a handful of field goals in his last two seasons in 2019 and 2020 at St. Paul’s High in Baltimore. “I hit a couple balls in the net. I continued my mental routine. I use a lot of visualization. I already saw it go through (the uprights) before I even kicked it.”

Even then, the Tiger Stadium crowd of 99,648 didn’t exhale until LSU cornerback Zy Alexander intercepted Jefferson’s last-gasp Hail Mary heave at the LSU 19 as time expired. It was the fourth straight season the LSU-Arkansas rivalry was decided by a field goal. The Tigers have won three of those nailbiters, but the 16-13 2021 loss to the Hogs in overtime was the last time LSU lost to an unranked team in Tiger Stadium.

The Hogs entered Saturday’s game – the first time the Tigers-Hogs battle royal had been contested in September – unranked and as a 17½ -point underdog. But LSU head coach Brian Kelly, whose team improved to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the SEC West, wasn’t buying that.

“We told our team that they (Arkansas) were going to play their very best, and I thought they played their very best,” Kelly said. “It’s one of those games where we were the last ones to have the football. These are the games you have to find a way to win.”

Offensively after LSU punted twice and Daniels threw an interception on the Tigers’ first three possessions, LSU scored on its final six series – a 24-yard field goal, four Daniels TD passes with two each to wide receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., and finally Ramos’ game-winner.

Daniels, who completed 20 of 29 passes for 320 yards and those four scoring strikes and had 36 yards rushing on 10 carries, said he overcame his slow start by being true to himself.

“Just keep being me,” Daniels explained how he suddenly found his rhythm ending the first half and opening the second half with a pair of 49-yard TD bombs to Thomas. “Everybody believes in me, the coaching staff and the entire team. So, they knew I was going to come around.”

So did Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman.

“Jayden Daniels played a great game,” Pittman said. “Once he was on, he was on. I thought both he and KJ got better as the game went on. Both got in rhythm and were hard to stop.”

The scoreboard and the stats didn’t lie. Arkansas led 13-10 at halftime, fell behind 17-13, cut the lead to 17-16, got down 24-16, tied the game 24-24, and trailed 31-24 before tying it at 31-31 on Jefferson’s 11-yard TD pass to Luke Hasz.

Though LSU outgained Arkansas 509-426 in total yardage, the Razorbacks held a 34:22 to 25:38 advantage in time of possession.

The Hogs’ scoring drives were methodical and physical, highlighted by the 6-3, 252-pound Jefferson completing 21 of 31 for 289 yards with 3 TDs and 2 interceptions as well as 48 yards on 16 carries despite being sacked four times.

Three consecutive plays Jefferson made in a sequence in the first minute of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 24-24 spoke volumes. He played most of the night like a man among boys.

He got Arkansas out of a second-and-20 hole at the Hogs’ 27 by first scrambling for a 14-yard gain. He followed that by dancing out of harm’s way, relocating to an open space and finding a wide-open Hasz for a 59-yard TD. Then, Hasz caught a Jefferson two-point conversion bullet pass in the back of the end for the tie with 14:11 left in the fourth quarter.

“He’s bigger than a defensive tackle,” marveled LSU linebacker Greg Penn III, who had a team-high 12 tackles along with safety Major Burns.

When LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. was flagged for a roughing the passer penalty that kept alive Arkansas’ final drive, Kelly took umbrage with the nearest member of the officiating crew.

“There was no blow to the neck or head (by Perkins), but he (the official) thought it was unnecessary,” Kelly said. “My response was, `He’s 252 pounds, you try to tackle him.’ We couldn’t get him down on the ground. You can’t bring a rope out there.”

LSU’s final 10-play balanced Daniels completing 3 of 4 passes for 42 yards and running back Logan Diggs gaining 30 of his game-total 97 yards rushing on 14 carries.

At the end, after Kelly milked the clock down to next-to-nothing before Ramos’ field goal, there was just enough time for Jefferson to launch a desperation heave that didn’t really have a chance.

“That’s what you come to the SEC for, two quarterbacks battling and leaving it all out on the field,” Jefferson said. “Even after the game, we shook hands, gave each other respect and moved on.”

While Arkansas (2-2, 0-1 SEC West) next faces Texas A&M in Arlington, LSU plays at Ole Miss in the first of two straight road games. The Rebels suffered their first loss of the season Saturday in a 24-10 loss at Alabama.

“We played well offensively at the end of the first half and in the second half,” Kelly said. “Defensively, there is a lot that has to continue to get better. Most of them are self-inflicted wounds that are going to have to improve as we go on the road these next two weeks.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

JOURNAL SPORTS 

LSU 34, ARKANSAS 31 

Score by quarters 

Scoring summary 

Ark – Cam Little 23 field goal, 12 plays, 51 yards, 6:53 

Ark – Little 23 field goal, 12 plays, 75 yards, 6:51 

LSU – Damian Ramos 24 field goal, 8 plays, 68 yards, 2:31 

Ark – Tyrone Broden 19 pass from KJ Jefferson (Little kick), 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:14 

LSU – Brian Thomas Jr. 49 pass from Jayden Daniels (Ramos kick), 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:18 

LSU – Thomas 49 pass from Daniels (Ramos kick), 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:00 

Ark – Little 40 field goal, 15 plays, 53 yards, 8:16 

LSU – Malik Nabers 8 pass from Daniels (Ramos kick), 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:04 

Ark – Luke Hasz 59 pass from Jefferson (Hasz pass from Jefferson), 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:29 

LSU – Nabers 20 pass from Daniels (Ramos kick), 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:28 

Ark – Hasz 11 pass from Jefferson (Little kick), 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:37 

LSU – Ramos 20 field goal, 9 plays, 72 yards, 5:01 

TEAM STATISTICS

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS 

RUSHING 

Ark –  Rashod Dubinion 15-78; Jefferson 16-48; Max Fletcher 1-8; Dominique Johnson 2-3; AJ Green 3-0. 

LSU – Logan Diggs 14-97; Josh Williams 1-41; Daniels 10-36; Kaleb Jackson 2-12; John Emery Jr. 2-3. 

PASSING 

Ark –  Jefferson 21-31-2-289, 3 TDs. 

LSU – Daniels 20-29-1-320, 4 TDs. 

RECEIVING 

Ark – Hasz 6-116, 2 TDs; Andres Armstrong 6-76; Dubinion 3-35; Isaac Teslaa 3-31; Broden 3-31, 1 TD. 

LSU – Nabers 8-130, 2 TDs; Thomas 5-133, 2 TDs; Mason Taylor 3-33; Aaron Andreson 2-14; j. Williams 1-7; Diggs 1-3. 

TACKLES 

Ark – Jaheim Thomas 3-10—13; Alfahiym 5-3—8; Chris Paul 3-5—8; Hudson Clark 5-2—7; Cameron Ball 1-5—6; Lorando Johnson 1-2—3; Dwight McGlothern 3-0—3; Jaheim Singletary 2-1—3; Eric Gergory 0-2—2; Taurean Carter 0-1—1; Landon Jackson 0-1—1; Jashaud Stewart 0-1—1; Keivie Rose 1-0—1. 

LSU – Major Burns 7-5—12; Greg Penn III 3-9—12; Whit Weeks 2-7—9; Andre Sam 3-4—7; Harold Perkins Jr. 3-2—5; Denver Harris 5-0—5; Zy Alexander 2-3—5; Mekhi Wingo 2-2—4; Sai’vion Jones 0-4—4; Jordan Jefferson 0-3—3; Maason Smith 1-1—2; Bradyn Swinson 0-2—2; Da’Shawn Womack 2-0—2; Duc Chestnut 0-2—2; Jayden Daniels 0-1—1; Sage Ryan 1-0—1; Miles Frazier 0-1—1; Jacobian Guillory 0-1—1; Paris Shand 0-1—1. 

JOURNAL SPORTS

CLASS 5A   

1. 1. John Curtis (3-0) beat Jesuit, 41-21
   2. Edna Karr (3-0) beat St. Augustine, 27-16 
   3. Destrehan (4-0) beat Hahnville, 47-11 
   4. Zachary (3-0) beat McKinley, 54-6 
   5. Ruston (4-0) beat Lafayette Christian, 29-26 
   6. Carencro (4-0) beat Sulphur, 57-14 
   7. Catholic-BR (2-2) lost to St. Thomas More, 35-28 
   8. West Monroe (4-0) beat Scotlandville, 30-12 
   9. Acadiana (3-1) beat Lafayette, 63-12 
   10. St. Augustine (2-1) lost to Karr, 27-16

Others receiving votes: Airline (4-0) beat Benton, 60-35, East St. John (4-0) beat Thibodaux, 49-14, Dutchtown (3-0) did not play, Southside (3-1) beat New Iberia, 49-26, Brother Martin (3-1) beat Ouachita Parish, 31-14, Mandeville (2-2) lost to Northshore, 23-16.  

CLASS 4A 

1. St. Thomas More (4-0) beat Catholic-BR, 35-28
2. Lafayette Christian (3-1) lost to Ruston, 29-26 
3. Neville (4-0) beat North Caddo, 54-0 
4. Westgate (4-0) beat St. Martinville, 49-32 
5. Warren Easton (1-3) beat BTW-NO, 28-6 
6. North DeSoto (3-1) beat Minden, 51-0 
7. Lutcher (2-1) beat Vandebilt Catholic, 18-0 
8. West Feliciana (3-1) beat Tara, 41-14 
9. Teurlings Catholic (3-1) beat Notre Dame, 34-14 
10. Opelousas (2-2) lost to St. Amant, 28-22 

Others receiving votes: Leesville (2-2) lost to Catholic-N.I., 31-14, Archbishop Shaw (2-2) beat Bonnabel, 34-0, Evangel (2-2) beat Bossier, 49-0, Cecilia (3-1) beat Crowley, 65-14, Tioga (4-0) beat Marksville, 42-14, Vandebilt Catholic (2-2) lost to Lutcher, 18-0, Plaquemine (3-1) beat Istrouma, 20-15, De La Salle (1-3) lost to St. Charles, 32-14.  

CLASS 3A   

1. University (3-1) beat Helix Mentorship, 55-0
2. St. James (3-1) beat Assumption, 33-20 
3. E.D. White (4-0) beat Woodlawn-BR, 57-7 
4. Sterlington (3-1) beat Carroll, 46-6 
5. Madison Prep (2-2) lost to Parkview Baptist, 28-21 
6. Jena (4-0) beat Winnfield, 32-20 
7. Union Parish (2-2) beat Bastrop, 41-14 
8. Parkview Baptist (3-1) beat Madison Prep, 28-21 
9. John F. Kennedy (3-1) won by forfeit 
10. St. Louis (3-1) beat Kinder, 45-20 

Others receiving votes: Amite (2-1) beat Country Day, 39-0, Carroll (3-1) lost to Sterlington, 46-6, Bogalusa (2-2) lost to John Ehret, 49-39, Lake Charles Prep (2-2) beat South Beauregard, 20-14, Iota (3-1) beat Ville Platte, 49-8, Iowa (2-2) beat Jennings, 35-28, Kinder (3-1) lost to St. Louis, 45-20, Marksville (3-1) lost to Tioga, 42-14, Wossman (3-1) lost to Calvary, 21-6.  

CLASS 2A 

1. Calvary (4-0) beat Wossman, 21-6 
2. St. Charles (4-0) beat De La Salle, 32-14 
3. Newman (4-0) beat Many, 49-31 
4. Notre Dame (2-2) lost to Teurlings Catholic, 34-14 
5. Dunham (3-1) beat Ascension Catholic, 29-28 
6. Oak Grove (2-2) beat Rayville, 63-26 
7. Many (2-2) lost to Newman, 49-31 
8. Episcopal-BR  (3-1) beat Port Allen, 55-19 
9. Northlake Christian (4-0) beat Hannan, 23-10 
10. Loreauville (3-1) beat North Vermilion, 17-10 

Others receiving votes: Catholic-N.I. (3-1) beat Leesville, 31-14, Ascension Episcopal (2-2) lost to Breaux Bridge, 51-16, Oakdale (4-0) beat Grand Lake, 44-38, South Plaquemines (2-2) beat Sarah Reed, 57-13.  

CLASS 1A   

1. Ouachita Christian (4-0) beat Tensas, 59-0 
2. Kentwood (3-1) lost to Walker, 30-8 
3. Vermilion Catholic (4-0) beat Erath, 38-14 
4. Southern Lab (2-1) beat Opelousas Catholic, 60-35 
5. Homer (4-0) beat Magnolia Charter, 48-12 
6. St. Martin’s (3-0) did not play 
7. Riverside (3-1) beat Houma Christian, 40-7 
8. Haynesville (4-0) beat Glenbrook, 34-14 
9. Ascension Catholic (3-1) lost to Dunham, 29-28 
10. St. Mary’s (4-0) beat DeQuincy, 21-12 

Others receiving votes: Glenbrook (3-1) lost to Haynesville, 34-14, Logansport (3-1) beat Mansfield, 32-24, St. Frederick (2-2) beat Delhi Charter, 43-8. 

JOURNAL SPORTS

LINCOLN, Neb. – Louisiana Tech was knotted up with Nebraska at halftime, but the Cornhuskers used the ground game to pull away from the Bulldogs for a hard-fought 28-14 decision in front of 87,115 fans on Saturday inside Memorial Stadium.

Louisiana Tech (2-3) and Nebraska (2-2) went scoreless in the first quarter and then traded touchdowns in the second quarter to make it 7-all at the midway point. However, the Cornhuskers scored 21 unanswered points in the second half, 14 in the fourth quarter, to subdue the upset-minded Bulldogs.

Nebraska finally broke through after a fake field goal to pick up a first down. Two plays later, a jet sweep went nine yards for the first touchdown of the game with 11:31 to go in the second quarter.

Cyrus Allen appeared to tie the game with a 94-yard kickoff return, but a holding penalty erased the touchdown and put the Bulldogs back at their own 12. The flag was one of 12 marked off against the visitors for 100 yards.

The plucky visitors overcame that cancelled TD to tie the game on the ensuing possession and it was a big third down version from midfield that made it happen. Making his first career start at quarterback, Jack Turner dropped in a dime to Allen up the left sideline for 28 yards. The completion set up a 14-yard Jacob Fields touchdown run off left tackle, making it 7-7 with 6:07 remaining in the half.

The Bulldog defense stood tall again late in the second quarter, and when a 41-yard field goal attempt missed the score stayed deadlocked at halftime.

Ater the Cornhuskers recovered their own fumble on the second-half kickoff, they drove 85 yards on nine rushing plays to retake the lead, 14-7 five minutes into the third period.

A pivotal moment came later in the period.

A questionable spot on a potential first down catch by DeColdest Crawford was not changed by a replay and made it 4th-and-1 from the Nebraska 28-yard line. The Bulldogs attempted a quarterback sneak but did not pick up the first down, and were spurned in a bid to draw even.

The Cornhuskers cashed in a short field later in the quarter, resulting in a 29-yard touchdown pass from Heinrich Haarberg to Thomas Fidone II early in the fourth quarter.

The Bulldogs looked primed to slice into the deficit, getting a 35-yard Smoke Harris catch and run, one of his game-high 10 receptions. Harris then drew a pass interference on a third-and-long, but the flag was waved off to the justifiable dismay of Tech coach Sonny Cumbie and the Bulldogs were forced to punt.

“It wasn’t a great explanation,” Cumbie said. “They thought both guys were going up for the football at the same time. That was a tough one. If we get a first down (by penalty), it’s 21-7 with a chance to make it 21-14. (Instead) it’s 28-7 pretty quick, so that part was disappointing.”

Three plays later, Haarberg shook off an ankle tackle at the line of scrimmage and dashed 72 yards to put Nebraska up 28-7.

After a 55-minute lightning delay midway through the fourth period, the Bulldogs found the end zone on another Turner-to-Allen connection, a 20-yard grab in the corner of the end zone with 5:17 remaining.

Nebraska outgained Louisiana Tech, 419-338, with 312 Cornhusker yards coming on the ground. Turner finished with 292 passing yards with his two favorite targets being Harris – 10 receptions for 73 yards – and Allen – six catches for 102 yards.

While the Bulldog offensive line allowed no sacks, the Bulldog defense racked up nine tackles-for-loss, including three sacks. Nebraska entered the contest third nationally in making QB sacks.

“I was really proud of our offensive line. It did a nice job of protection, and Jack did a good job of extending plays late,” said Cumbie.

Asked what he will take forward into the return to league play, which comes next Friday night at UTEP, Cumbie had a short hit list.

“The penalties, and execution on offense was sloppy today. Special teams, we knew we had a chance to impact the game, and the penalty hurt us. We had a touchdown. Defensively, we’ve got to stop the run. We gave up three plays for 150 yards. We’ve got to eliminate the explosive plays.”

He had a message he shared with his players before kickoff, and reinforced it afterwards.

“We started the day 1-0 in Conference USA, we finished the day 1-0 in Conference USA. We have seven (CUSA) games ahead of us, everything that we want to accomplish,” said Cumbie. “I think they should take a lot of confidence from this game. We have to apply it in the right way as coaches and as players.”

By T. SCOTT BOATRIGHT, Lincoln Parish Journal

GRAMBLING – In a game that at times resembled a heavyweight slugfest, Grambling State won by unanimous decision.

The G-Men kept swinging — and scoring — until the very end and held on for a 35-23 Southwestern Athletic Conference win over Texas Southern Saturday afternoon at Eddie G. Robinson Stadium.

While it certainly didn’t come easily, GSU head coach Hue Jackson was simply pleased to outlast the winless visitors.

“I’m excited for our players, our fans, our supporters to be able to watch us get the first (SWAC) win against Texas Southern at home,” Jackson said. “We knew it was going to be a dogfight. That’s a good football team regardless of what their record is. I think our guys battled extremely hard. We understand the momentum in games and how it comes and goes.

“There are some things we know we have to continue to clean up and get better at, but I’m excited because we’re winning. We’re starting to stack wins together and that’s what you have to do in this conference. These conference games mean a lot, so to open at home with a victory was very important.”

Winning at home for the second straight week, Grambling went to a double-barrelled ground-and-pound offensive attack with sophomore running backs Chance Williams and Floyd Chalk IV attacking the TSU defense right from the opening kickoff.

The G-Men took their second possession and marched 49 yards on seven plays with Chalk plunging to paydirt from one yard out to put Grambling up 7-0 midway through the first quarter.

Grambling went on top 14-7 at intermission thanks to quarterback Myles Crawley firing a 17-yard touchdown to Lyndon Rash, who outbattled a TSU defensive back for the ball, with seven seconds left in the second quarter. He added a second-half TD catch.

“Lyndon is one of those guys who doesn’t complain, doesn’t say ‘give me the ball,’” Jackson said. “He’s always about the team. Every now and then I want him to be selfish, because he’s that kind of player.”

Texas Southern (0-4, 0-1) battled back to open the second half, marching 49 yards and kicking a 41-yard field goal that cut Grambling’s lead to 14-10 only 4:09 into the third quarter.

Grambling quickly landed a counterpunch, pushing its advantage to 21-10 on an 11-yard scoring scamper by Williams at the 7:27 mark of the third stanza.

Williams finished the day with 174 yards on 19 rushing attempts as part of a GSU rushing attack that totaled 282 yards on 48 carries. Chalk also had a strong game, totalling 88 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 17 touches.

“I think we can run the football,” Jackson said. “I’ve always said that. We have good backs. We have a good offensive line. We work at it. But we miss some things, too, at times, but we have some good runners and they know how to run the football and I think we’ll continue to get better at it.”

Texas Southern battled back with Wilson hitting Eyan Means on a 34-yard touchdown pass that cut GSU’s lead to 21-17 with 1:37 left in the third quarter.

But once again GSU quickly responded as Crawley connected with Rash on a 10-yard scoring strike to put the G-Men up 28-17 with 11:27 to go.

Texas Southern followed that blow with one of its own as Wilson fired his third scoring pass of the game, hitting Jyrin Johnson on a 25-yarder to shrink Grambling’s lead to 28-23 (TSU missed the point after) with 8:12 left on the clock.

Then Grambling delivered the knockout, as Chalk again scored on a 1-yard run with 3:25 remaining to seal up the win and move the G-Men to 2-2 overall in the SWAC lidlifter for both clubs.

Jackson was pleased to see how his team consistently responded to TSU scores, crediting Crawley for leading that charge.

“Those were very important,” Jackson said of GSU’s last two touchdown drives. “When you have an offense that can answer, a quarterback with that kind of calmness. His whole thing was, ‘Don’t worry about it Coach, we’ll take care of it.’ And that’s what you want. There was never any doubt on our sideline, and that’s because we have a quarterback that you believe and who’s going to go and take the team down the field.”

Contact Scott at tscottboatright@gmail.com

BROOKELAND, Texas – The LSUS Bass Fishing pair of Brayden Nichols and William Tew won the opening college event of the Major League Fishing series Sept. 8 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir.

Nichols/Tew bested the field with their five-fish limit of 20 pounds, 12 ounces, besting the field by more than two pounds on the Abu Garcia College Fishing series.

“Our morning spot didn’t really work out,” Tew told majorleaguefishing.com. “We caught two little ones there. We had a bunch of brush piles we were going to run throughout the day, so we ended up hitting them pretty early.”

The tandem targeted brush piles in 15-20 feet of water in the San Augustine Park area of Rayburn, catching eight bass total – all keepers.

“We caught a five-pounder and a six-pounder when we got to our first brush piles,” Tew said. “We kind of beat around for the fifth fish and finally caught it.

“We weeded through a bunch of two-pounders, and about (11 a.m.) we went back to where we caught the big ones and caught a 6.5-pounder.”

The pair captured $2,000 in winnings.

The individual win was the second under coach Charles Thompson, who is starting his fourth season.

“What a way to start the first tournament of the season,” Thompson said. “There were (180 boats) in the tournament, and it was great to show what we could do on a body of water that’s closer to home for us.”

LSUS placed four boats in the top 50 and another two in the top 100.

Tripp Bowman/Matthew Nesbit finished 21st (12-11), Chance Shelby/Levi Thibodaux placed 24th (12-4) and Luke Batts/Bryant Martin came in 46th (10-3).

The Pilots captured important points in a bid for another top-15 finish to their season.

“I think we do have what it takes to be a top program again this season and compete for a national title,” said Thompson, whose team made a late push to finish 15th this past season.

LSUS gets back on the water this weekend with half the team headed south for a Louisiana event while the other half treks to Kentucky.

High school anglers interested in fishing at LSUS can attend an open house Thursday at 6 p.m. This is not a recruiting event but an informational session to help anglers and parents understand college fishing and to tour LSUS’s campus.

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

RUSTON – Very rarely, if ever, has such state sports star power gathered at their beloved alma mater like six legends of their games did Wednesday evening at Louisiana Tech.

Pro Football Hall of Fame members Terry Bradshaw, Willie Roaf, and the late Fred Dean, represented by his daughter Fredricka.

Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers Karl Malone, Kim Mulkey and Teresa Weatherspoon. And another, Leon Barmore, sitting front row while two of his players, Mulkey and Weatherspoon, were in the spotlight.

They came from all over to revisit their college days, to thank Tech for their springboards to national stardom, and to see their statues unveiled in the new A.L. and Sarah Williams Champions Plaza at the northeast corner of Aillet Stadium.

Thanks to Mulkey’s instigation, with a $25,000 check brandished at her 2016 Ark-La-Tex Museum of Champions induction dinner in Shreveport, Barmore’s statue already stands outside the Thomas Assembly Center.

Wednesday night the Super Six joined him, with their likenesses unveiled 3-4 Bradshaw bombs downhill.

An audience approaching 1,000 savored a series of interviews with Bradshaw, Malone, Mulkey and company inside the TAC. It appeared nearly all supporters made their way outside over to the statue reveal under spotlights and a crescent moon about 90 minutes later.

Nobody enjoyed it more than the centers of attention.

“I’m not sure I’m worthy, but I’m honored,” said Mulkey. “I came off the bench when I was a freshman, that’s how good we were,” she said.

“I’m honored to be here. I’m humbled to be here,” said Malone, who has settled in Ruston after growing up in nearby Summerfield. He said he couldn’t imagine what his mother, Shirley, and grandpa Leonard would think of him being immortalized with a statue on campus.

“I’m in awe. I’m in awe of this honor, and who I’m being honored with,” he said.

There was plenty of common ground, as Mulkey noted.

“Other than you, Terry – this means you’re pretty damn old – I can honestly say I have some history with everybody.”

Mulkey, now the national championship LSU women’s basketball coach, was an assistant to Barmore when Weatherspoon led the Lady Techsters to the 1988 NCAA crown.

Malone and Mulkey played at the same time – “Karl, you remember, you guys played first, then we played,” she jabbed, and he grinned and nodded. The Lady Techsters won three national championships in the 1980s, and were the unquestioned big deal in town.

Malone, by this time a young NBA star, was a factor in Roaf deciding to come from Pine Bluff, Ark., to attend Tech. Roaf, who also played while Mulkey was an assistant coach to Barmore (“Willie had the skinniest ankles,” she said), recalled Malone’s snazzy sports car around campus, and recounted early 1990s interactions with “The Mailman.”

Weatherspoon said while Malone was emerging as a star as a junior, he “recruited me to Louisiana Tech” ensuring she succeeded Mulkey as the Techsters’ point guard in 1984.

Mulkey even had a link to Dean, who was in the NFL when she arrived in Ruston from Hammond in 1980.

“Fred Dean hit my ex-husband so hard in practice, the mangled face mask sat on our mantle for years after we married,” she said.

Bradshaw, the ebullient senior citizen of the group at 75, is a Shreveport-Woodlawn product who was the No. 1 pick in the 1969 NFL Draft. Dean grew up on top of the hill overlooking Aillet Stadium, watching Bradshaw play, and then became a devastating presence on the defensive line as the Bulldogs ran unbeaten through the Division II national playoffs in his junior and senior years (1973-74).

“Dad would stand on that hill, and say, ‘I’m gonna play down there. I’m gonna play on that field,” said his daughter. Not even the allure presented by the great Eddie Robinson coaching four miles to the west at Grambling could shake him. “It shows the power of dreams,” said Fredricka.

Bradshaw’s interview, predictably, set a rollicking tone. Mentioning his colleagues on the Fox NFL Sunday studio show, he said he was proud he came back to complete his degree at Tech after being drafted by Pittsburgh, and said his diploma put him in the degreed majority on the show.

“Michael (Strahan) and Howie (Long), unfortunately never started college, apparently,” he said. “They don’t have degrees.

“And now I’m the only one with a statue,” he chuckled.

Late in his NFL days, while helping San Francisco win a pair of Super Bowls on his way to 92 career sacks, Dean was asked if he ever sacked his fellow Bulldog great Bradshaw, who led the Steelers to four Super Bowl crowns in the ‘70s.

“I wrapped him up,” he said then, “and I just laid him down.”

There were poignant moments. Malone sat down for his interview with the man who gave him his indelible nickname, then Tech sports information graduate assistant Teddy Allen, immediately pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket, and began dabbing his eyes in the first of many uses.

Weatherspoon, a passionate speaker, came to a halt for almost 10 seconds when she began to consider what Barmore meant to her.

Mulkey, known in her head coaching career for her steely stare, had sparkling eyes as she spoke.

As she pulled on a new Tech letterjacket – one was presented to each of the Super Six when their interviews finished — Bradshaw couldn’t resist.

“Hey Kim, I dare you to wear that in Baton Rouge,” he said.

“Oh, down there, they know where I went to college,” she said, grinning proudly.