On behalf of the Management and Staff of Heavenly Gates Funeral Home, in conjunction with the Hallman Family, we announce the celebration of life honoring Mrs. Quincella Hallman.
Mrs. Hallman will lie in state for visitation on Friday, December 12, 2025, between the hours of 11:00 am. – 7:00 p.m., at Heavenly Gates Funeral Home in Shreveport, Louisiana.
The graveside rites will commence on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at 1:00 pm, in the gardens of Lincoln Cemetery, Shreveport, Louisiana.
SLB announced it will invest $30 million to expand its operations in Caddo Parish, building on its transformation of the former GM assembly plant into a modern, climate-controlled advanced manufacturing hub. The project underscores the company’s role in the hyperscaler supply chain and its long-term commitment to Louisiana’s advanced manufacturing sector.
In addition to its 660 current employees, the company is expected to create 600 direct new jobs. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in an additional 744 indirect new jobs, for a total of 1,344 potential new job opportunities in the Northwest Region.
“Across the country, companies are searching for places that can deliver the industrial capacity and skilled workforce needed to compete in today’s economy, and Louisiana is answering that call,” Governor Jeff Landry said. “SLB’s continued investment in Northwest Louisiana reinforces that Louisiana is a place where global companies grow, succeed, and choose to compete at the highest level.”
The expansion will add new manufacturing space at SLB’s technology center at 7600 Antoine Blvd. in Shreveport, supporting increased production of digital infrastructure and datacenter equipment. The additional capacity will support higher production volumes as demand grows and strengthen long-term operations at the facility.
“Shreveport has become a strategic hub for our expanding role in the hyperscaler ecosystem,” SLB Data Centers Director Andrew Johnston said. “Expanding our footprint here is a natural next step. Louisiana offers the workforce, infrastructure and partnership we need to grow, and we’re proud to deepen our investment in a region that continues to deliver for our business and our customers.”
SLB has invested more than $18 million in its Shreveport operations to date, and the new project will build on that foundation by doubling the facility’s footprint. Work on the expansion will begin in January 2026, with staffing increases planned through 2027 as new areas of the site become operational.
“SLB’s expansion demonstrates how growth in one part of Louisiana’s economy continues to fuel new opportunities in others,” LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois said. “As investments increase in data infrastructure and manufacturing, projects like this strengthen our state’s economic ecosystem and create opportunities for our workers across the state in high-demand fields.” cost. Expanding this network across every region ensures companies can move faster from concept to construction and keeps Louisiana at the forefront of business-ready development.”
To secure the project in Shreveport, the state of Louisiana offered SLB a competitive incentives package that includes the comprehensive workforce development solutions of LED FastStart and a $6 million performance-based grant for utility and infrastructure improvements. The company is also expected to participate in the state’s Quality Jobs program.
“SLB is a great corporate citizen of Caddo Parish, and its efforts benefit the people and the City of Shreveport,” Mayor of Shreveport Tom Arceneaux said. “We welcome the news of this expansion, which will create more jobs and more prosperity for Shreveport. Hooray for SLB!”
“SLB’s decision to double down in Shreveport/Caddo Parish is a powerful vote of confidence in Northwest Louisiana’s workforce and industrial capacity,” President and CEO of North Louisiana Economic Partnership Justyn Dixon said. “This expansion not only brings over 600 new job opportunities to our region, but it also reinforces our position as a competitive player in the global digital infrastructure and advanced manufacturing economy.”
““The expansion of SLB in Caddo Parish is more than an investment in infrastructure—it’s an investment in people, progress, and the promise of economic growth. We are proud to welcome this expansion as a sign of confidence in our workforce, our resources, and our future. Together, we’re building a stronger, more prosperous Caddo Parish for generations to come,” says Commissioner Stormy Gage-Watts, Caddo Parish Commission District 7, President.
Register here to be notified about SLB job opportunities, hiring events and news updates. Louisiana companies, make sure your business is registered at SourceLouisiana.com to enter the pipeline for contract and vendor opportunities with development projects statewide.
Her husband gave her an electric skillet for Christmas. Three days later, he gave her its lid.
On her birthday.
“Pitiful,” she said.
She no longer has the husband, but she’s stuck with the birthdate.
“By December 28,” she said, “everyone’s Christmased and partied and gift-gived out.”
Her story is the story of many others, and each tale ends the same: A potential gift dies in Birthday No-Man’s Land.
These are The People Born Too Close To Christmas. They are short-changed annually because they committed the cardinal sin of being conceived during that first inviting, luscious breath of spring. In a world where timing is everything, they blew it right out of the proverbial chute.
They would kill for a February 29 birth date.
They get presents wrapped in Christmas paper — if they get a birthday present at all. An unofficial poll reveals the most common statement made when handing a present to The People Born Too Close To Christmas is this: “Well, here’s your birthday present and your Christmas present.”
Sigh …
So does this mean they’ll get a two-times-bigger-than-normal present? I mean, it would be different if they said that to you and handed you the keys to a new truck.
But that doesn’t happen. Again, unofficial poll results reveal the presents are often smaller, usually because the gift-giver is thinking, “This sap had the nerve to be born during Christmas when my wallet is already stretched tighter than Santa’s belt.”
They’re lucky to get a skillet lid.
Or a belt.
There is no exact date that determines whether or not you are one of The People Born Too Close To Christmas. “Loved ones” responsible for remembering that you even have a birthday are often too busy before Christmas and too broke after.
Double Jeopardy.
My friend Glenda was born December 17, but the only birthday party she ever had was when she turned 16.
“It’s a bad deal,” Glenda said.
Now Glenda has a daughter, born on December 6 and 16 years old.
“It’s a bad deal,” Glenda’s birthday-poor daughter said.
Again, there is no set rule. A December 6 birth date might give you some breathing room, or you could be in for a rough road if you’re hanging around with a stingy crowd. It all depends on perception and how well your loved ones handle guilt.
Logic suggests that if your birth date is after December 20, you are solidly in the No Gift Danger Zone. And the closer it gets to Christmas, the more risk you run of getting either nothing or — this is worse — a fruitcake with candles in it.
District Attorney James Stewart will continue his annual tradition of holiday giving on Monday, Dec. 15 with the 2025 Christmas Bike Giveaway, delivering a total of 247 brand-new bicycles to students at two Caddo Parish schools.
The first stop will be Walnut Hill Elementary at 8:30 a.m., where 157 bicycles will be presented to every kindergarten and special needs student. Later that afternoon, the DA’s team will visit JS Clark Elementary at 1:30 p.m. to distribute 90 bicycles to students, helping them roll into the holiday season with excitement.
The Christmas Bike Giveaway has become a highly anticipated event each year, aimed at bringing joy, encouragement, and a sense of community to young students across the parish. Stewart’s initiative continues to highlight the importance of supporting children and ensuring they experience the magic and generosity of the season.
COMMERCIAL DRIVER’S LICENSE (CDL) – BPCC, Natchitoches Campus
Program Overview
This course prepares students for employment as professional commercial drivers and follows all Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Entry-Level Driver Training rules, regulations, and guidelines. Classroom theory and behind-the-wheel training will cover topics such as DOT rules and regulations, pre-trip and post-trip inspections, backing and maneuvering, day and night driving on rural, urban, and interstate highways, trip planning, logging hours, coupling and uncoupling, handling cargo, and defensive driving.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be eligible to test for one of the following licenses:
A contracted state-approved examiner administers the final skills test.
To be eligible for this course, students must meet all the criteria listed below before they can begin their CDL training:
Classes will be Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM for 6 weeks.
Cohort 3 Monday, January 12, 2026 – Friday, February 20, 2026
Cohort 4 Monday, March 2, 2026 – Friday, April 10, 2026
What’s required, overview and estimated costs: Click Here > bpcc.edu/CDL
Enroll Today: https://www.bpcc.edu/academics/science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics/commercial-drivers-license
Sherie Moore
CDL Program Coordinator
smoore@bpcc.edu
318-951-4506
Vernon Sykes
CDL Instructor
vsykes@bpcc.edu
318-951-4506
Back in the 1960s, Christmas shopping was an event. Families piled into cars, drove downtown, and pressed their noses against frosty department store windows. The glow wasn’t from a screen—it was from a color wheel shining on an aluminum Christmas tree, turning silver branches into psychedelic blue, red, and green.
And if you wanted to dream big? You didn’t scroll Amazon—you flipped through the Penny’s or Sears catalog. Those glossy pages were the original “wish list generator.” Children circled toys with crayons, then wrote letters to Santa with the confidence that he had a bulk account at Sears. The catalog was basically Santa’s shopping cart.
Fast forward to today: shopping is done in pajamas, with coffee in hand, scrolling through endless digital aisles. No frosty windows, no jingling bells—just the glow of a screen and the occasional “Your package will arrive Tuesday.” We’ve traded window shopping for browser tabs, and clerks in bow ties for chatbots that say, “How can I help you?” (though they never look nearly as cheerful).
And yet—amid all this cultural change—the church still gathers to sing the same carols. “Silent Night” hasn’t been updated to “Silent WiFi.” The story of the baby born in Bethlehem hasn’t been rebranded as “Bethlehem Prime.” While the world has gone from aluminum trees to LED lights, from catalogs to clicks, the heart of Christmas remains unchanged: God’s gift of love, wrapped not in shiny paper but in swaddling clothes.
There’s something comforting about this contrast. In a season when everything else demands “new and improved,” the church offers something beautifully old and enduring. Nostalgia for the simple isn’t just a warm memory—it’s a reminder that the best gifts don’t need upgrades. They’re timeless.
So, whether you’re circling toys in a catalog, clicking “Buy Now,” or humming “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” may you find joy in the simple, the familiar, and the eternal story that still outshines every holiday sale.
Doug de Graffenried is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston, Louisiana. You can reach Doug at his email: DougDeGraffenried
By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
Calvary’s Cavaliers line up in the Caesars Superdome Thursday night at 7, playing Dunham for the Select Division III state football championship, and a big part of the reason why is how they didn’t get the chance to do it last year.
Dec. 6, 2024 is a date that lives in infamy in Calvary football history. It sticks in the collective craw of veteran coach Rodney Guin, the seniors on that team, and the players who returned to fill their shoes in 2025.
Catholic-New Iberia pulled off a miraculous comeback in the last 62 seconds and denied the 2024 Cavaliers the chance to return to New Orleans and defend their 2023 state title.
Braylun Huglon is one of five starters back this season. He started in the state championship game as a freshman. And in the wake of last Friday’s 34-28 overtime triumph in Crowley over second-seeded Notre Dame in a semifinal classic, he said the bitter ending exactly a year earlier spurred this year’s Cavs.
“Every time we’d go to work out, we’d remember, Catholic-New Iberia beat us in the semifinals on an onside kick and a last-second field goal. That was motivation to us in the offseason, summer workouts, everything,” he said, “and that has pushed us to where we’re at right now.”
That game helped establish the identity of this year’s team. Ironically, they saw Catholic’s tenacity and adopted it.
“We’re never going to give up. We’re very underrated. I’m very proud of this team,” said Huglon. “We’re going to keep fighting, keep fighting until the clock hits zero every time.”
What exactly happened in the 2024 semifinal? Here’s the Shreveport-Bossier Journal game story:
Panthers were lucky and good enough to spoil Cavaliers’ bid to repeat
In a sensational state semifinal game filled with dynamic plays, a last-minute lucky bounce was pivotal Friday night.
Catholic-New Iberia’s first onside kick of the year, with 1:02 to go, worked better than it ever had in practice. The Panthers, on the road, down by one to defending state champion Calvary after failing on a go-ahead two-point conversion pass, were in a do-or-die situation facing extreme odds.
But Bennett Boudreaux’s kickoff toward the home sideline got a very beneficial big bounce. It forced a Calvary up man to leap, reaching above his head trying to snag the ball. Instead, it skipped off his hands, went a few yards downfield, and Catholic linebacker Chris Green snatched it at the Calvary 44-yard-line.
The seventh-seeded Panthers moved 33 yards, the last 10 on a penalty for an extra defender on the field, and Boudreaux booted a 26-yard field goal with one second remaining to seal a 33-31 upset of the No. 3 Cavaliers at a jammed-full Jerry Barker Stadium.
As for that decisive big bounce:
“I kinda got lucky on that, I’ll be honest,” said Boudreaux. “Onside kicks, you don’t really know where they’re going. It definitely got a great bounce.
“We don’t really practice it that much (every Thursday, said winning coach Matthew Desormeaux; just 2-3 reps weekly, said Boudreaux), but we definitely know what to do on it and we were prepared.”
It had never worked that well, and rarely worked at all, said Green.
“Most of the time (in practice) we have struggles with it,” he said, “but tonight we executed it perfectly.”
“It was a perfect kick,” said Calvary’s deep man on the kickoff, senior receiver Kolby Thomas. “Could have been gotten, but didn’t fall our way.”
“It was a great onside kick, perfect, a high bounce,” said Cavaliers’ coach Rodney Guin.
That was not the last sink-or-swim moment that Catholic converted in the waning seconds.
Four plays later, the Panthers had gone nowhere until lefty quarterback Luke Landry rolled toward his sideline and hit a sliding Jake Wyman on a comebacker for 11 yards to convert fourth down and survive.
Another two first downs, and Boudreaux came on with the ball in prime position near the middle of the field and five seconds left. Although just 3-of-7 on field goals entering the night, the senior made the game-winner look routine.
“I was trying not to think about it, most of the time. I practice so much it was just second nature.”
Even though just one tick remained, it was impossible to dismiss Calvary – which won last year’s state title with a last-minute 51-yard drive capped by Thomas’ 20-yard catch from Wardell with 18 seconds left. Fifty-one weeks later, Thomas fielded Boudreaux’s final kickoff, hurried upfield, got hemmed in on the Cavs’ sideline near the 35, tossed it across to Julius Moss, and after another couple flips, there was a moment when the home team seemed to have an alley upfield. But there was not another miracle.
“I never ruled it out. I just knew we had to make something happen, and I went left, and threw it back to to Julius … and we couldn’t quite get it done,” said Thomas, getting choked up.
Calvary (10-3), which made big plays routinely all season, struggled to dial long distance against Catholic (12-1). The Cavs scored on drives of 13, 8, 12 and 12 plays before finally taking their last lead, 31-24 with 1:57 to go, on a darting 25-yard bolt by Moss to cap a vintage five-snap, 62-yard march.
“I felt we were winding down on a win, and after we scored on the (Moss) run, I definitely thought we were going to win,” said Wardell, “but that’s football.”
“Their plan was to take away the deep shots,” he said after completing 17 of 22 for 190 yards. “Their linebackers were dropping deep, the corners were dropping deep, making us dink and dunk. We had to take what they gave us.”
Echoed Guin: “We had to throw a lot of underneath stuff. They’re good on the back end, we knew that. I think we played pretty good on offense, we just couldn’t get any big plays on them and it makes it a little harder to score.”
In the final, frantic 7:31, there were five scoreboard updates, including a tie and two lead changes. In the aftermath, an early failure to get on the board first haunted Calvary.
James Simon exploded for 41 yards on the Cavs’ opening play. Seven snaps later, on third down, Wardell scrambled from the 5 into two defenders at the goalline. Officials ruled he finished a foot shy.
“I thought I got in, that the ball was across the line, but they called it differently,” he said. “We had to score on fourth down.”
They didn’t, although Simon, in a wildcat set, bulled across on the next snap. It didn’t count. Illegal procedure pushed Calvary back five yards so Guin sent Ty Knight out for a field goal from the left hash.
“We should have scored,” said Guin. “We got down inside the 1-yard line, and had a little momentum. We got a penalty. You can’t make mistakes in a game like this. Seven points are big, and then we didn’t get the field goal out of it (a subpar snap, and a just-wide-left 23-yarder), and that would have been big, too.”
It ultimately would have been the margin of victory is all. Instead, the visitors celebrated wildly in the 41-degree night, and tears of devastation fell all across the north end of the field.
“After the hurt wears off, and it will, here in a few days … ” said Guin, hesitating briefly.
“We’ve been on the good end of a bunch of games. These guys have won 43 games in four years, more than any class at the school, and they’ll remember that, in a couple days, and be proud of what they did. We just have to live with a tough one right now.”
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com
I’d like to give some free advice to Lane Kiffin since he landed that great big, beautiful contract (7 years, $91 million) to be LSU’s new football coach.
In case you didn’t know, that contract he signed a little over a week ago makes him the second-highest paid college coach in America, earning $13 million a year. That puts him behind only Georgia’s Kirby Smart, who makes $13.28 million annually, according to a USA Today database.
It puts him ahead of Ohio State’s Ryan Day, who earned a $12.5 million a year deal after leading the Buckeyes to a national championship (his first as a coach) last January. Unlike Smart and Day, Kiffin has never won a national title. Smart has won two, guiding the Bulldogs to consecutive national crowns in 2021 and ‘22, including an undefeated 15-0 season in ’22.
To his credit, Kiffin coached Ole Miss to four 10-win seasons in the past five years, including the school’s first 11-win regular season this fall. That was enough to convince LSU to empty the bank vault to snag him in hopes that he can lead the Tigers to a fourth national championship since 2003 and fifth overall.
With such a hefty salary, not to mention the way he departed Ole Miss before the Rebels’ playoff-bound season was over, Lane’s endured a lot of criticism. He’s generated considerable envy, and in a heartbeat, he’s gone from a hero in Oxford, Miss., to a pariah.
The best thing he could do, before coaching his first LSU practice, is to take a page from his foremost mentors, Nick Saban and Pete Carroll, and announce to the public he will donate a significant part of his salary to the faculty, academic scholarships and/or other philanthropic causes at LSU or in the community.
I know Kiffin donated $20,000 of his salary at Ole Miss to “Rebel Aid,” a school fund that provided Covid-19 relief to students in April of 2020. But to whom much is given, much is expected, right? You can find that message in St. Luke’s gospel, and the new LSU coach could take a step towards becoming St. Lane if he follows the example of Saban or Carroll.
Some other coaches, too, past and present, have generously shared their wealth for the betterment not only of football or the athletics budget for the betterment of the entire university or even mankind.
Saban, at both Alabama and LSU, made significant donations to academics and other causes. The “Nick’s Kids Foundation” that started when he was coaching LSU continues to support various charities in Louisiana. While at LSU, he played a crucial role in pushing for, and then helping with the fund-raising for, a new academic center for athletes. He started the fund with about $50,000 of his own money.
At Alabama, Saban’s foundation focused on education, housing and playgrounds. He also made large contributions to various non-profits serving underprivileged youth. He and his wife, Terry, pledged $1 million for first generation scholarships and funded projects such as the Tuscaloosa Juvenile Detention Center’s welding division.
Nick and Terry also started the financing and fundraising for the Saban Catholic Student Center at St. Francis of Assisi University Parish near the university campus, helping raise the $1.9 million needed for the new facility, which served as an education and gathering space for Catholic students.
Pete Carroll established a scholarship at USC for students pursuing graduate degrees. This was in ’07-08, when he was the highest paid employee at a private university in the country. After leaving as coach of the NFL Seattle Seahawks in 2024, he returned to USC to co-teach with two others an undergrad business course. There were 300 applicants for only 52 spots for the course, which focuses on leadership, personal development and creating a “game plan” for life after graduation.
Kiffin’s predecessor, Brian Kelly, talked about the need for more academic funding but Kelly donated to the Tiger Athletic Foundation (TAF) and challenged fans to support NIL, demonstrating generosity primarily for football competitiveness. He also made a $1 million donation in 2020 for the athletic training facility.
The message Kiffin needs to send is that he is all-in at LSU, for academics as well as athletics, and that he’s all-in for the Baton Rouge community’s welfare.
Kiffin should consider this path of philanthropy, and he might also ask his handsomely paid assistants and his upper-crust NIL players to follow suit.
I suggest these things with an attitude of hope in this season of giving. Yet, I recall a vignette from a recent Wall Street Journal story on the Big Ten Conference’s becoming a money machine.
Former Michigan athletics director Bill Martin suggested in 2005 to fellow conference ADs that schools cap how much their departments received with any excess going to a general scholarship fund. They refused, not wanting to risk an opponent luring away their coach with a big payday.
Well, we just have seen a spate of opposing schools luring away coaches with big paydays – the biggest of all being LSU’s luring Kiffin away from Ole Miss.
If there’s any sanity, any sense of unselfish generosity left in a sport that seems crazier than ever, it could come from a ballyhooed coach who sees two roads ahead. The signs above them are “Give” and “Take.”
Hope he chooses the right Lane.
By DAVID ERSOFF, Journal Sports
Two of the finest girls soccer players locally, Benton’s Karsyn Best and Shreve’s Maddie Penwell, committed last week to play at the collegiate level with Division II programs.
Best is heading to Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, a couple hours up I-30 toward Little Rock. Penwell will have a little longer trip to school, signing with Oklahoma’s Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.
As to the girls competition on the pitch, the No. 1 team in the Shreveport-Bossier Journal coaches poll, Benton, had three dominant victories. Last week began with an 8-0 beatdown of what is normally a strong Neville team. The Lady Tigers then cruised through two games in the Gator Cup, beating West Ouachita 7-0 and Northwood 8-0.
Benton’s only game this week was Tuesday night when they visited fifth-ranked Calvary. The Lady Tigers topped the Lady Cavaliers 3-0, with two goals from Baleigh Ware and one by Eryn Flowers.
Byrd’s Lady Jackets had a successful trip to Thibodaux for the E.D. White Tournament. The Lady Jackets started the tournament with a 2-0 shutout of Dutchtown. Byrd’s only loss was a very competitive 1-0 defeat by reigning Division II state champion St. Scholastica. The ride home for the Lady Jackets was much more festive as they ended the event with a 2-1 win over a strong Northshore squad.
Tilley Armstrong was the MVP of the weekend with both goals against Northshore and an assist to Sally McKenzie in the Dutchtown game. She also started the play that ended up as an own goal for the remaining score of the weekend.
Byrd hosts their yearly game with state power St. Thomas More this Friday and will follow that up with a game against Caddo Magnet at Cargill Park on Saturday.
Loyola’s Lady Flyers were off from competition last week in a strategy coach Mark Matlock has implemented in an effort to reduce the stress on his players to increase their freshness later in the season.
The Lady Flyers host Airline on Thursday before a quality matchup with St. Thomas More on Saturday. Both games will be played at Messmer Stadium.
The Captain Shreve Lady Gators had a busy and successful week, going 4-0 while scoring 19 goals and only giving up one. They topped West Monroe 3-0 and Haughton 8-0 before their two games in the Gator Cup. Shreve beat Live Oak 3-1 and Providence Classical 5-0.
On Monday the Lady Gators routed Huntington 8-0. Shreve gets a break from games until this weekend when they travel south to face Thibodaux and East Ascension.
Caddo Magnet’s Lady Mustangs used a 2-1 victory over Calvary and a wild 8-5 win over Providence Classical last week to jump into a tie for the fifth spot in this week’s SBJ coaches poll.
Magnet has had a busy week thus far, beating Sterlington 5-2 Monday and besting Airline 2-0 Tuesday night. The Lady Mustangs are off until their matchup with Byrd on Saturday.
After Calvary’s close loss to Magnet last week, the Lady Cavaliers went undefeated at the Gator Cup, beating West Ouachita 3-2, Ouachita Parish 2-0 and Sterlington 4-0.
The Lady Cavaliers’ winning streak ended Tuesday night in their loss to Benton. Calvary is off the rest of the week to go cheer their football team in the state finals on Thursday night.
The Week 4 SBJ girls’ soccer coaches poll listing school (W-L-T record) points (first place votes):
1, Benton (8-1-0), 24 (4)
2, Byrd (4-2-2), 20 (1)
T3, Loyola (2-2-1), 12
T3, Captain Shreve (8-0-0), 12
T5, Calvary (6-2-0), 3
T5, Caddo Magnet (5-2-0), 3
Others receiving votes: Parkway (1).
Contact David at dersoff@bellsouth.net
By PATRICK MEEHAN, Centenary Sports Information Director
After four near misses by a total of 11 points, first-year Centenary Gents basketball coach J.A. Anglin and his team were able to celebrate after the final buzzer Tuesday night.
Anglin, the Shreveport native who moved over this summer from Bossier Parish Community College to steer the Centenary program, got his first NCAA coaching victory in Marshall, Texas.
Senior guard Craig Collier nailed a 3-pointer with 15 seconds remaining against the East Texas Baptist Tigers to give the Maroon and White a 64-62 win.
Collier finished with 15 points. Quentin Beverly had 19, Bryce Evans 12, and Jaden Braden had 10.
The Gents (1-6) have two one-point losses, and two more by a combined nine points – including a 73-67 defeat in the Gold Dome three weeks ago in their first meeting with ETBU. The tables turned Tuesday night.
Centenary returns to action on Friday night against Howard Payne in Brownwood, Texas at 7:30. The Gents are home again Friday, Dec. 19 against Mary Hardin-Baylor.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Centenary fell 93-27 at East Texas Baptist on Tuesday. The Tigers are now 9-1. The Ladies (2-6) play again Friday against Howard Payne in the first half of a doubleheader with the Gents.
Freshman guard Nakalyn Wells is off to an impressive start as going into Tuesday night’s game, she ranked eighth in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference in scoring, seventh in assists, fifth in assist to turnover ratio, top 10 in free throw percentage (76.5) and eighth in minutes played. Wells has scored in double figures six times, is shooting 37.6 from the floor, and averages 5.4 rebounds/game – tied for second on the team.
Senior forward Kyra Stokes, a former Captain Shreve standout, is tied for 17th in the league in rebounding, is tied for fifth in the league in blocked shots (1.0) per game and has a pair of double-digit scoring performances.
LOCAL WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYER HONORED: Senior Lowrey Lain, a former Haughton High star, was named the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Character & Community Female Student-Athlete of the Week. The SCAC Character & Community award honors the efforts of student-athletes who excel in the field of athletics, and also serve their campus and community.
Lain played in 50 matches with 31 starts in her career for the Ladies, contributing with two goals scored and one assist for five total points. She also served as a campus Ambassador, is a member of the Dean’s List, and a two-time member of the SCAC Student-Athlete Academic Honor Roll.
WOMEN’S FLAG FOOTBALL: Morgan Dorsey has been named head coach of the Centenary women’s flag football team when it begins competition in the spring of 2027.
Dorsey, who just completed her sixth season as head coach of the women’s soccer program, will guide the Ladies in what will become the 19th varsity sport sponsored by the SCAC.
“I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to begin building this program,” said Dorsey.
“Flag football is growing at a rapid pace, and I’m looking forward to sharing my love and experience with our student-athletes. Women’s flag football is coming to Centenary at the perfect time, as interest in women’s sports continues to rise nationwide,” she said.
Flag football has been one of the fastest-growing sports in the country. Nationally, more than 200 collegiate varsity and club teams are expected to compete in 2026, with nearly 40 more launching programs in 2027. Flag football also has been added as a sport for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
GYMNASTICS TO HOLD FREE INTRASQUAD FRIDAY: The Ladies gymnastics program will hold a free intrasquad on Friday from 4-6 p.m. at the Gold Dome.
Centenary’s regular season begins on Jan. 11 and the Ladies will host three home meets this season – on Feb. 6 and 15 and March 6.
Contact Patrick at pmeehan@centenary.edu
JOURNAL SPORTS
CARTHAGE, Texas – Aiden Agnew scored 22 points Tuesday night as Panola Junior College, which has reached the NJCAA national tournament each of the past two seasons, took charge after halftime and handed Bossier Parish CC its first Region XIV basketball loss by a 79-60 score.
BPCC (8-3, 2-1) comes home to host Angelina College Saturday afternoon at 4 at Billy Montgomery Gym in the Cavaliers’ last game of 2025. They won’t play again until Jan. 3.
“Tough loss on the road tonight,” said first-year Bossier Parish coach Jeff Moore. “Panola shot lights out tonight and pounded us on the boards which led to them keeping us out of reach to make a run. We played hard but just weren’t at our best on the defensive end.”
Cavaliers guard Tony Montgomery matched Agnew for game-high scoring honors, posting 22.
Drew Cooper posted 14 points and Zequan Lewis added 10 for the visitors, who were outscored 36-22 after halftime. The Ponies improved to 6-5 overall, 2-1 in region play.
“We will regroup and be ready to play at home on Saturday to close out 2025,” said Moore. “This group will bounce back.”
BASEBALL: Two Cavaliers pitchers have been ranked among the top 100 junior college players in the country, according to PrepBaseballReport.com.
Parkway product Trenton Lape, a sophomore right-hander and transfer from LSU, is ranked No. 10 in the nation, placing him among the most highly regarded JUCO arms in the country. Known for his elite velocity and competitive edge on the mound,
Lape’s continued development has positioned him as a major impact player heading into the spring.
Joining him on the list is fellow right-hander Ben McKinnon, who is committed to Western Kentucky University. McKinnon’s presence, command, and consistency throughout the fall propelled him into the national conversation as one of the top pitchers to watch in 2026.
Coach Bobby Gilliam Jr. said the recognition reflects the standard of BPCC baseball.
“This is what we expect from our program — players who work, compete, and rise to a national level,” Gilliam said. “Trenton and Ben have earned every bit of this. They’re talented, they’re driven, and they’ve set the bar for what BPCC baseball represents. We’re proud of them, and we’re just getting started.”
Over the course of my lifetime after growing up as an athlete, very few people have had the impact that coaches have. Today I’m going to salute a man that literally changed my life – a man who many hold with high regard not just as a coach, but as a person.
Back in 1979, Northwestern State head football coach A.L. Williams, and my recruiter, coach Al Miller, offered me the opportunity to play on the Division 1 level and get a college degree. Like most 18-year-old’s, you don’t always appreciate the opportunities you’re offered until later in life.
While I had several offers from other schools, there was just something different when I made my official visit to Northwestern. Right off the bat, the NSU Demon football players involved in my recruiting trip were great guys who really welcomed me as I felt right at home with both players and coaches.
Now understand, that when it comes to recruiting a player to any university, you’re going to see the best side of everyone involved as they will say and do anything to get a commitment from you. But there was something different about my visit to NSU; it felt comfortable and it felt like home.
Coach Williams is a Louisiana high school and college coaching legend and is also a former legendary running back for Louisiana Tech University. As a coach at Woodlawn High School in Shreveport, he coached some of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game like former Arkansas Razorback and Buffalo Bills QB Joe Ferguson, on the heels of (as an assistant coach to the great Lee Hedges) helping coach former Louisiana Tech and Pittsburgh Steeler QB Terry Bradshaw.
Coach Williams, while at NSU, also groomed former USFL MVP (Michigan Panthers) and New Orleans Saints QB Bobby Hebert. I was truly proud to be a part of an era that many considered the greatest talent to ever play at Northwestern. That list starts with the Kansas City Chiefs running back Joe Delaney (1981 AFC Rookie of the Year, who died a hero two years later drowing trying to rescue three kids, one who survived). His track and football teammate was future Miami Dolphins All-Pro wide receiver Mark Duper. There was Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Victor Oatis and three-time All American and two-time Super Bowl champion Gary Reasons, the former New York Giants linebacker who is in the College Football Hall of Fame along with Joe.
There was a reason these guys came to Northwestern — to play for coach Williams! Coach did not put on a show when it came to recruiting players. He was honest and a man of great integrity who led by his actions. He was a man of great character and a tremendous judge of talent.
The one thing I remember most about playing under coach Williams was his dedication to family. Every week after practice, he would emphasize the importance of us calling our mom and dad and staying in touch with all family members.
They say behind every great man is an even greater woman and that was definitely the case for Coach Williams as his wife Sarah was the best team mom ever. Mrs. Sarah, as I called her, was such a sweet lady and treated all players as if they were the sons she never had.
She even gave my roommate and I a full-size roast one evening after we ran into her at the local grocery. We were actually looking for a good frozen pizza when Mrs. Sarah spotted us and said to follow her out to the house. Upon arrival, she proceeded to pull out of the oven a full-size roast; wrapped it in foil and said ‘enjoy’!
For two college kids, this was as close to a home-cooked meal as you could get! So, as we arrived back at the dorm, we had to hide the roast under a bunch of clothes in a laundry basket so we could get to our second floor room undetected. But that did not work well, as a bunch of hungry Demon football players followed the smell and raced up the stairs banging on our door. But no door was opened until we had our fill.
In today’s college athletics world, so many recruiters make promises they cannot keep. They tell players what they want to hear and flatter them with BS in order to get them to sign on the dotted line. Coach Williams was straight up with all his players. The only promise coach Williams made was giving you the opportunity; the opportunity to prove that you deserve to be in the starting lineup.
In 1979, Coach Williams took a chance on a young boy from East Texas and offered me that opportunity to play both college football and baseball while gaining an education and receiving my college degree. He helped to set me up for the rest of my life and there’s no way a person can ever repay that.
Coach Williams and I have stayed in touch over the years, and I still enjoy our phone calls. While he’s just one of many coaches who have had a huge impact on my life, A.L. Williams is the one who truly changed the course of my life and made me a proud NSU Demon.
Santa is calling the community to downtown Shreveport this Saturday, Dec. 13 as the 700 block of Texas Street transforms into a festive outdoor celebration in honor of Artspace’s holiday exhibition, A JOYCEful Holiday, featuring the Glitter Kittens. The Shreveport Regional Arts Council (SRAC) invites families, friends, and holiday enthusiasts to enjoy a full afternoon of free entertainment and activities from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The street party coincides with Artspace’s immersive holiday exhibit inspired by the imaginative worlds of Shreveport native and award-winning creator William Joyce. Visitors can enjoy free admission all day to A JOYCEful Holiday, which showcases the glittering, whimsical characters from Santa Calls, Rocket Puppies, Glitter Kittens, and more.
Saturday’s outdoor celebration will feature a packed schedule of performances and events:
• 11:15 a.m. — Holiday music by the Davis Studio Ensemble
• 11:30 a.m. — A magical appearance by Mrs. Claus
• 12:15 p.m. — Special visit from the Pet Royalty of the Krewe of Barkus and Meaux
• 12:30 p.m. — Pet Fashion Show hosted by the Krewe of Barkus and Meaux
• 1:30 p.m. — Live music by TIPSEY THE BAND
Throughout the day, guests will also enjoy free s’more-making stations, multiple hands-on holiday art activities, plein air painting by a local artist, food trucks, and a mini holiday arts market featuring local makers.
Inside Artspace, visitors can explore the vibrant, sparkling world of A JOYCEful Holiday, fully decked out in the glamour and glitter of Joyce’s beloved characters and stories.
For more information, call 318-673-6500 or visit shrevearts.org or artspaceshreveport.com.
A memorial service celebrating the life of Cynthia Ann Spataro, 69, will be held on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 4 p.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2201 Airline Dr., Bossier City, Louisiana. A visitation will be held from 3 p.m. until the time of the service. Pastor Terry Young will officiate.
Cindy was born on September 1, 1956, in Shreveport, Louisiana, to Antonio Joseph and Mary Louise Spataro and entered into eternal rest on Sunday, December 7, 2025, in Bossier City, Louisiana.
A proud graduate of Airline High School, Class of 1974, Cindy was known throughout her life for her unwavering faith in God, her kindness, and her devotion to her family. Family was truly the heart of her world, and her greatest joy was found in her children and grandchildren, whom she cherished beyond measure.
Cindy’s days were filled with the simple pleasures she loved: gardening, shopping year-round for her grandchildren, golf, and most of all, time spent with her grandchildren. Christmas held a special place in her heart. She loved decorating, making Christmas cards, and even family baking days during the Christmas holidays.
To those who knew her, she was the best mother, grandmother, sister, and daughter one could ever hope for.
Her legacy will live on in the traditions she treasured, especially her love of Christmas, and in the kindness, faith, and devotion she shared so freely. Cindy’s spirit will continue to shine through her beloved children, grandchildren, and in the lives of all who were blessed to know her.
Cindy was preceded in death by her mother, Mary Louise Spataro.
Left to cherish her memory are her father, T.J. Spataro; her daughter, Nikki Bradberry and husband, Ryan; her son, Ryan Whitlock and wife, Brittany; her grandchildren, Shelby, Kaylee, and Chloe Whitlock, and Adelynne, Ainsley, and Bennett Bradberry; and her siblings, Debbie, Donna, Rickey, and Brandi Spataro.
The family would like to express special thanks to the many caregivers who have helped care for Cindy over the last few years.
The family suggests memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association donorservices.alz.org.
On December 10, 1901, residents of Oslo, Norway, looked to the night sky and witnessed something so unexpected that newspapers across Europe published front-page rumors of extraterrestrial visitors. A series of pulsating, geometric lights appeared above the city, shifting in pattern and intensity for nearly an hour. More than a century later, the event remains one of the most debated unexplained atmospheric phenomena recorded before the era of modern aviation and satellite technology.
The incident occurred shortly after 6 p.m., when citizens walking along Karl Johans gate noticed unusual glimmers forming high above the capital. Those who observed the display from the harbor described shapes resembling spirals, glowing “bands,” and rapid flashes that moved against the wind. While skywatchers had seen auroras in Norway countless times before, this display differed in color, behavior, and precision.
Local scientists initially suggested an unusually strong aurora borealis. However, the patterns observed that night did not match typical auroral activity. The lights shifted in rhythmic pulses and symmetrical loops, leading physicists to question whether a natural explanation was sufficient.
Complicating matters, the phenomenon occurred the same day the world celebrated the first Nobel Prize ceremony—just blocks away. Among the honorees present in Oslo was Wilhelm Röntgen, recognized for discovering X-rays. Some speculated that energy experiments or electrical demonstrations related to the ceremony might have contributed to the strange display, though there was no evidence supporting this theory.
Meteorologists documented the atmospheric conditions of the evening: stable temperatures, clear skies, and no unusual magnetic disturbances. This ruled out the possibility of a solar storm. Several professors at the University of Kristiania collected eyewitness testimonies and classified the shapes as “mechanical” rather than organic, noting the sharp edges and synchronized patterns.
For decades, scientific journals debated the event. Some theorized that upper-atmospheric ice crystals might have reflected distant light sources in peculiar ways. Others argued that military experiments—still largely unregulated and often undocumented in the early 20th century—might have accounted for the unusual geometry.
The debate resurfaced in the 1980s following renewed interest in atmospheric anomalies. Researchers compared the 1901 lights to later spiral-shaped sky events, including failed missile tests that produce visible swirling exhaust trails. However, no such technology existed in 1901, decades before the first liquid-fuel rockets.
Today, the Oslo Lights incident continues to appear in compilations of the world’s strangest natural mysteries. Scientists still lack consensus on the cause, and historians emphasize its significance as one of the earliest mass-witness light anomalies recorded before modern flight, satellites, or missiles—factors that often complicate contemporary cases.
Each year, on December 10, a small group of researchers revisits the archived sketches and written accounts stored in Norwegian libraries. Though the phenomenon remains unexplained, its legacy persists as a reminder that some events defy simple categorization. More than a century later, the citizens who looked up at the Oslo sky that night left behind an account that still fascinates scientists, skeptics, and skywatchers alike.
Each week, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s Tony Taglavore takes to lunch a local person – someone who is well-known, successful, and/or influential, and asks, “What’s Your Story?”
By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Services
“My son is a miracle every time I look at him.”
Married in 1984, the man and woman – both 28 years old – were ready to start a family.
They tried. And tried. And tried. Finally, in 1989, the couple faced reality.
“We couldn’t have children.”
Or so they were told.
“Our doctor here, after doing all the treatment to my wife, said, ‘You’ve got two choices. You can adopt, or you can go down to Houston and try this new thing called In vitro fertilization.’”
Remember, this was back in the 80’s.
“I told Peggy, ‘We’ve come this far, let’s do all we can do.”
So, they went to Houston and tried that “new thing.”
“We went through that whole process, and she got pregnant on the first try.”
Thus, their “miracle” son.
70-year-old Terry Slack, in his 36th year with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), told me that story – and his story – during lunch at a place Terry chose, Sky Grill, at Shreveport’s Downtown Airport. We both had “Today’s Special”: Chicken-N-Dressing with Carrot souffle, Grean Bean Casserole, and a roll.
“(Peggy and I) tried again a couple of more times, and it didn’t work. So, Hayden was our only child and still is.”
Terry grew up in north Bossier’s Greenacres Place subdivision, and admittedly was more interested in sports than school.
“I didn’t make D’s and F’s, but I wasn’t the smartest guy on the campus.”
But Terry was one of the best athletes at Greenacres Middle School and Airline High School. That’s not surprising, since Terry’s father played his way into both the Bossier High School and Louisiana Tech Hall of Fame.
“I was not naturally gifted. I had to work hard at it.”
Especially in 1975. On April 10th (yes, he still remembers the day), Terry was getting ready for his redshirt sophomore season at Tech when he tore his ACL in the spring football game.
“It crushed me. It took something away that I loved.”
Terry couldn’t help but ask, “Why, God?”
But during those grueling months of rehabilitation (he worked out three times every day), Terry learned a valuable lesson.
“I realized football goes away for everybody. It’s not something to put your identity in. It’s not something you’re going to do the rest of your life. My identity had been too much in the ball, and not enough in the Lord.”
Terry earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Education, and wanted to be a coach. When his time at Tech was done, Terry spent four months at Parkway High School filling in for a girl’s physical education coach on maternity leave. Not really his thing, Terry moved on to Airline High School, where he worked 10 years with the football program – the last four years as head coach.
“When I was coaching in high school, I really wanted to coach in college. I wanted to get that opportunity. The Lord gave me that opportunity to go over to Tech for a couple of years.”
But Terry soon found out the lifestyle of a college coach didn’t fit his lifestyle.
“I saw a lot of things that were difficult on a family that coaches go through. They don’t have much time off. . . . I realized coaching in college was probably not for me.”
At the same time, Terry had been offered a job as FCA’s executive director. Not once, but twice. Both times, he said “No.”
“The third time, they asked, ‘Would you pray about it with your wife?’”
Terry did, and in the summer of 1990, said “Yes.”
“I just really felt led to go to FCA. I came back to them and said, ‘I’m going to do this for one school year.’”
That was 36 school years ago.
“It was a blessing, and something that God certainly had his hand on to direct me that way.”
Today, there are approximately 450 FCA chapters in Louisiana – 80 in northwest Louisiana. Terry has taken God’s message to thousands of young men and women. For 14 years, he was FCA’s state director. As an FCA area representative for northwest Louisiana, Terry still visits as many as eight schools a day.
“Plant that seed in their heart at a young age. They may not accept Christ when they are a sophomore or junior, but the seed has been planted, and God can nature that. It’s not me that does the saving. It’s God.”
But I wondered, since Terry was so good at preaching to athletes and coaches, why didn’t he preach on Sundays?
“I never imagined myself behind the pulpit, having a church, or doing anything like that. What’s cool about FCA to me is that if you go to church – and I’m not against church – it’s important. . . . But a lot of times we have a sermon and we leave and go other places. What’s important is what we do with the lesson that’s given to us from the pulpit to go out in the world and share the love of Christ. Don’t you see the world needing the love of Christ? (People) need love from somewhere. They need love and caring that comes from Jesus.”
Knowing there were many young athletes whose souls needed to be saved, I asked Terry my final question. As always, what has he learned throughout seven decades that he would like to share with others?
“Don’t leave God out of your life. . . . Ask God what he wants you to do with your life. What is his purpose for you being here? You were born with a purpose. You. Me. He has a purpose and a plan for both of us. You either follow that, or you don’t follow the purpose God has for you. Sometimes it’s hard to find, but if you pray and seek him, you will find it. Be the best you can be at it.”
Just like Terry.
Do you know someone with a story? Email SBJTonyT@gmail.com.
The Journal’s weekly “What’s Your Story?” series is sponsored by Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers.
The Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) issued a Summary Suspension to Victor Llanito and his Shreveport agency, SBC Bail Bonds LLC, on Dec. 5.
Commissioner Tim Temple received information that warrants emergency action to protect public health, safety or welfare. The licenses held by Llanito and SBC Bail Bonds LLC are summarily suspended pending proceedings for revocation or other action that may be determined. As such, the public should not engage in any bail bond transactions with Llanito or SBC Bail Bonds LLC.
Llanito and SBC Bail Bonds LLC have 30 days from the time of service to request an administrative appeal or the action becomes final.
Anyone who believes they have been defrauded or witnessed insurance fraud can report their suspicions by phone at (225) 342-4956 or online at http://www.ldi.la.gov/reportfraud.
Donnie Bickham Middle School of Shreveport won first place in the 11th Northwestern State University Robotics Competition and Smart Structure Show. Fifty-two students from six schools in northwest and central Louisiana took part in the event
sponsored by NSU’s Department of Engineering Technology.
A team from Caddo Middle Magnet School earned second place and a team from North DeSoto Middle School won third. Other participating schools were Alexandria Senior High School, Natchitoches Junior High School and the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and
the Arts. This was the first time the LSMSA Robotics Club displayed a robotics project during the event.
The Department of Engineering Technology presented the STEM Teacher Award to William Cloutet of Donnie Bickham Middle School for his long-standing commitment to STEM education and for leading teams that have taken part in each year of the NSU Robotics Competition.
For more information on NSU’s Department of Engineering Technology, go to nsula.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/school-of-stem/engineering-technology.
Centenary College proudly celebrates the 15th anniversary of Le Quartier Français (LQF). The College’s first living-learning residential program began in 2010 and has significantly shaped the academic and social experiences of students.
Located in the heart of James Residence Hall, LQF was first proposed as a French language immersion community on the first floor of James Proper. The original proposal included 17 residential spots—one for a Resident Assistant (RA), three for French international students (including a teaching assistant), and 13 for other Centenary students. The mission was clear: create an immersive environment where students speak only French and live in a culturally rich space that promotes global understanding.
Over the years, LQF has grown to include vibrant traditions such as French Table, an informal weekly gathering where students and faculty speak exclusively in French, and student-led events and organizations like Le Tintamarre and Crêpe Night. These immersive experiences bring the French-speaking world to life for Centenary students both inside and outside the classroom.
The program draws strong support from the College’s French Department, especially from faculty members like Dr. Andia Augustin-Billy (Dr. A-B), Associate Professor of French and Francophone Studies. Dr. A-B, a key figure in LQF’s development. “For 15 wonderful years, Le Quartier Français has been essential to the college experience, extending French learning beyond the classroom,” said Dr. A-B. “The James Hall lobby has become the heart of our community, a place where students of every background build lifelong connections and experience the rich, inclusive French-speaking world through events like French Table, crêpe night, and Mardi Gras.”
The program’s roots run deep. Katherine Shamburger, now Centenary College’s Director of Residence Life, served as the Hall Director of James Hall when LQF was launched. “I got to work with the first group of residents living in the Quarter and helped shape the student experience,” Shamburger shared. “While I didn’t speak French at the time, we laid the foundation for a thriving community that has since become an integral part of campus life.”
Over the past 15 years, LQF has welcomed not only Centenary students but also visiting international students from partner institutions, further enriching the cultural exchange within the community. In recent years, the introduction of the LQF Program Assistant role has provided additional mentorship and structure, ensuring the community continues to thrive and evolve.
To mark the 15th anniversary, Kappa Pi, Centenary’s Art Honor Society, has completed a new series of murals in the LQF wing. These murals, designed and painted by students, celebrate French culture and the longstanding legacy of the Quarter.
The murals were unveiled on December 4 at 6:15 p.m. in the James Hall Lobby, where students, faculty, alumni, and community members gathered to honor this milestone.
“We are particularly proud to celebrate this milestone, which perfectly aligns with the College’s values, during this historic bicentennial year,” adds Dr. A-B. Centenary College is also celebrating 200 years of excellence.
Centenary College President Dr. Chris Holoman praised the significance of the project. “This mural represents so many great things about Centenary,” said Dr. Holoman. “The connection to French culture, both in Europe and in Louisiana, is an important part of the College’s identity and student experience. Le Quartier Français is an amazing example of the immersive education that a residential liberal arts college can provide. And having Kappa Pi active on campus has been truly enriching, including this beautiful addition to our residence halls.”
For more information about Le Quartier Français and upcoming events, please visit Centenary College’s website at centenary.edu or email Dr. Andia Augustin-Billy at augustinbilly@centenary.edu.
– This article was written by Centenary senior Arionna Thomas (’26).
By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
It was a very odd statement at the time, early in Week 2 of the season.
Even more odd, considering Neville had just gotten into the end zone for the first time in a 38-14 victory Sept. 12 over a very inexperienced Calvary team.
But in that moment, Cavaliers’ defensive coordinator Mark Miller looked to the future with confidence – extreme confidence. And he told head coach Rodney Guin so.
“The first time they scored, I turned to Rodney and said, ‘we can win a state championship with this defense.’ He looked at me, like, ‘they just scored on you.’ I said, ‘I’m just telling you, those dudes, we can get it done, coach. Put our boys on the line.’”
Thirteen weeks to the day later, there they were, last Friday night in Crowley, in overtime in the Select Division III semifinals, trying to protect a six-point lead as second-seeded Notre Dame took possession at the 10.
Four snaps later – thanks to a fourth-down pass interference call that gave the Pios one more chance from just 2 ½ yards away from the tying TD – the Cavaliers defense faced its destiny.
“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” said Miller, moments later.
The Cavs met the moment. More specifically, they met one of the state’s most productive running backs, Notre Dame’s Joachim Bourgeois, squarely on the left side of the defensive front, and dropped him a yard short of the goalline to secure a 34-28 triumph and punch Calvary’s ticket to the state championship game Thursday night at 7 in New Orleans at the Caesars Superdome.
Making it even more remarkable, Calvary made the stop without one of its best defenders, linebacker Jacob Tibbett, who wasn’t on the field. He had blocked a potential game-winning field goal with 31 seconds left in regulation, but began cramping and had to be helped to the sideline.
He had a unique vantage point for overtime.
“I saw it from the ground, in the mud,” he said. After the decisive goalline stand, he was still there for a bit. “Couldn’t get up and run to celebrate. It hurt.”
He soon hobbled around the middle of the soggy field at Gardiner Memorial Stadium as the sixth-seeded Cavs and their fans hugged and shouted and hugged some more.
That Neville game is Calvary’s only loss. They’ve won 11 straight now, handling the rest of their challenging non-district schedule with quality wins over Oak Grove (10-3, a Non-Select Division III quarterfinalist), Franklin Parish (9-3, NS D-II quarterfinalist), and Class 5A Huntington and dominating District 1-2A foe Union Parish 48-0 (the Farmers, 8-6, were a NS D-III semifinalist).
A team with 17 new starters has reached the ‘Dome, a destination that evaded the 2024 team with five All-State players including stars who signed with Texas, Ole Miss and Air Force.
“We lost 30 kids off that team last year – that should have went to the ‘Dome,” said Guin in the aftermath of Friday’s triumph. “To come back and do it with a young, young football team is just special for us.”
Calvary’s offense was almost a total rebuild in the skill positions, save for star receiver Braylun Huglon. So the onus was on Miller’s defense to sustain success for a program that entered the season with a 53-10 record this decade including state championships in 2020 and 2023.
Suffice to say, at 12-1 heading into the state final matchup with fifth-seeded Dunham (also 12-1) and superstar quarterback Elijah Haven Thursday night, it’s worked.
“We’ve played good defense all year,” said Guin. “With the young kids on offense, we knew we had to play good defense. They made it stand up last week (in a 14-7 upset at No. 3 Jewel Sumner). To come on the road and win two weeks in a row is just amazing for our kids to do.”
Especially since before the Jewel Sumner game, Calvary had dropped five consecutive road playoff games (not including the neutral site state championship contests).
The Cavs’ offense had no doubts.
“The defense came through in the clutch like they always do,” said sophomore quarterback Hudson Price, who overcame a rocky start (two interceptions in his first three passes as Notre Dame built a 21-7 first-half lead) and got much-improved protection after halftime.
“The kids are resilient. We didn’t play well in the first half, didn’t coach well. Made some changes at halftime,” said Guin, “and I thought we really dominated the second half.”
As a result, among the 16 teams competing in the three-day Allstate Sugar Bowl Prep Classic beginning Thursday, Calvary is the third-lowest seed to reach the championship round.
“We came a long way,” said senior linebacker Justin Reeves, “and a lot of people have doubted us. It feels good to show people who we are.”
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com
Had Roy Kramer not passed away last Friday at age 96, he would have thoroughly enjoyed the last several days of college football chaos.
Five SEC teams qualified. Two Group of Five schools in this year’s College Football Playoff. No Notre Dame among the teams selected, causing the Fleeing Irish to decline any bowl invites.
It was Kramer, as Southeastern Conference commissioner, who created the forerunner of the CFP in 1998. It was called the BCS (Bowl Championship Series), which determined through a combination of polls and computer selection methods the top two teams that played in the national championship game.
“We wanted to create new interest in college football, and it did that to a far greater degree than we ever imagined,” Kramer once told me. “College football has always been extremely popular, but it became more of a national sport with people becoming more interested in what was going on in other parts of the country. Fans in Tuscaloosa became interested in what was going on in Oregon.
“We also wanted to improve and maintain the bowl system. The bowl structure is extremely important to all levels of college football, not just to the top three or four teams. Conferences that didn’t have many bowl tie-ins before, like the Mid-American and the Mountain West, suddenly had several bowl selections.”
Kramer’s role in college football history should never be forgotten. He truly loved the game as the head coach for 11 seasons at Central Michigan from 1967 to 1977. He had a record of 83-32-2 and his 1974 team won the Division 2 national championship.
“The best part of coaching was 3 o’clock every afternoon when you walk on that field and leave the world for 2½ hours,” he said. “It’s the teaching, the close relationships and the game days. Those things never leave you.”
His coaching career taught him to be a hands-on grinder, whether he later walked the upper deck of the Georgia Dome to check out sightlines for SEC basketball tournament fans or got all parties to agree on the creation of the BCS.
“Don’t ever get to the point where details aren’t part of what you do,” he always said. “If you expect people to take tickets at the door, make sure you know how to take tickets yourself.”
He retired from coaching at age 48 to become Vanderbilt’s athletic director in 1978. The myriad of challenges he faced running an entire athletic program, as well as serving on various NCAA committees, made him an obvious choice in January 1990 to succeed Boyd McWhorter as SEC commissioner.
It was Kramer’s foresight and mission to provide the financial rocket fuel that launched the SEC into the stratosphere it now operates.
Yes, it was the late Mike Slive, Kramer’s successor as SEC commissioner from 2002 to 2015, who worked to achieve the dream of the league having its own national ESPN network that debuted in August 2014.
But it was Kramer who first created a product that landed TV contracts worth a combined $600 million on three different networks. It provided an unprecedented flood of cash and national exposure for league schools in football and men’s and women’s basketball.
He expanded the league from 10 to 12 teams (adding Arkansas, South Carolina), and split the league into two divisions in 1992 when he created the SEC championship game.
Yet he felt college football wasn’t completely healthy.
“I thought we needed to do some things, particularly to put together some better matchups in some of our bowl games to find a way to increase the excitement,” Kramer explains. “The NFL was so strong and so big that we needed to find ways to increase the interest in the college game.”
Long before the BCS ran its course and gave way to a four-team college playoff that started in 2014, he knew the BCS was the first step toward something bigger and better.
“I knew there would be changes and change is good,” he said when the four-team playoff started. “Will the playoff work? It may result in less controversy, or it may be more difficult to decide between the third, fourth and fifth best teams than it is the first two teams. It’s a step in a different direction, and we’ll see how it works.”
Kramer knew in 1999 that a playoff system was inevitable. That year, a Swiss-based marketing firm offered a six-year deal worth $3.006 billion to manage a 16-team playoff starting in December 2002.
He declined, saying if there was ever a playoff that it would be run by the NCAA and not a foreign group.
Critics of the BCS said it protected the bowl system that fed most of the bowl revenue into the then-six major conferences.
“I felt the BCS was good for the game because we don’t help college football as a whole when fans focus on limited areas,” Kramer said.
He will be remembered as a visionary, a keeper of the game he loved.
“Roy is someone with phenomenal intelligence, courage and foresight,” former BCS and College Football Playoff director Bill Hancock once said. “He can see if a butterfly flaps its wings, how that’s going to affect college football 20 years from now.
“Many people get caught up in the moment, but not Roy. He understands cause and effect beyond anybody else I’ve ever known. He knew the BCS would be successful, and he knew it would be great for the game.”
Something great that led to something greater.
And for that, college football will forever owe a huge debt of gratitude to Roy Kramer.
Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com
By DAVID ERSOFF, Journal Sports
The Benton Tigers only played one game last week: their matchup with the Bossier Bearkats last Tuesday, ending with a 0-0 tie. Behind that result and their first week 2-2 tie with Loyola, the Tigers moved into the top local boys team conversation.
They swayed one coach to vote for them as this week’s No. 1 team in the Shreveport-Bossier Journal boys soccer coaches’ poll. The Tigers remain in third, but are earning respect and making progress.
Benton had a rematch with West Monroe Monday night looking to avenge their 5-3 loss to the Rebels a couple weeks ago. The home field advantage did not help as the Tigers fell 2-0.
Benton is participating in the Bossier Tournament, at Tinsley Park, this weekend and are set to play Ouachita Parish, Central Lafourche, and Minden.
The Loyola Flyers were able to hold the top spot in the poll even after going 1-2 in the Hannan Tournament last weekend. The Flyers lost 2-1 to Northshore on Friday. Saturday the Flyers began the day with a 1-0 victory over host Archbishop Hannan, and they finished the weekend with a 5-0 loss to The Willow School.
Loyola takes on Captain Shreve tonight at Messmer Stadium before playing in this weekend’s Bossier Tournament. The Flyers will face Ouachita Parish and Calvary.
After the scoreless tie with Benton last week, the Bossier Bearkats, ranked second in the SBJ coaches’ poll, headed south to play in the Hannan Tournament. They went 1-1 against their south Louisiana competition. Friday, they fell 3-0 to The Willow School and salvaged the trip with a 2-0 victory against Fountainebleau of Mandeville.
The Bearkats are off in the early part of this week to prepare for their tournament. They are scheduled to play Airline, Central Lafourche, Haughton and Evangel this weekend.
Caddo Magnet moved up one spot, flipping with Byrd, in this week’s coaches’ poll. The Mustangs only played one game last week, beating Minden 7-0. They played Sterlington Monday night, winning 4-2. The Mustangs face Airline tonight, followed by a small break before going to the Beau Chene Tournament the following weekend.
The Byrd Yellow Jackets played two games last week: losing to Neville 4-0 and besting Ruston 3-0. Byrd topped Huntington Monday night 8-0 and are set to face Haughton tonight.
The Yellow Jackets also play in the Bossier Tournament this weekend and are scheduled to play Ouachita Parish, Haughton, and Central Lafourche.
Captain Shreve tripled its points in the coaches’ poll, not quite enough to get into the top five, but it’s forward movement. The Gators split their games last week, losing to West Monroe 4-1, then topping Huntington 8-0.
The Gators beat Ouachita Parish Monday night 9-1 in a prep game for their matchup with Loyola tonight. The Gators finish the week with a game in Marshall, Texas. That game will not count in the power rankings.
The Week 4 SBJ boys soccer poll listing school (W-L-T record) points (first place votes)
1, Loyola (2-3-2), 22 (3)
2, Bossier (3-2-2), 21 (1)
3, Benton (2-2-2), 14 (1)
4, Caddo Magnet (4-1-1), 9
5, Byrd (2-3-1), 5
Others receiving votes: Captain Shreve (3), Calvary (1).
Contact David at dersoff@bellsouth.net