By T. Scott Boatright
MONROE — It was a down to the wire finish for Cedar Creek School’s heavy metal heroes.
And in the end, the Cougars outlasted Calvary Baptist to take the 2021 Louisiana High School Athletic Association Division V boys powerlifting championship Thursday at Fant-Ewing Coliseum on the campus of the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
Cedar Creek totaled 55 points while Calvary Baptist scored 47. Both teams ended the day well in front of third-place finisher St. Mary, which totaled 11 points.
The Cougars’ state title is the sixth in school history and first since 2006. Cedar Creek took state championships in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and now 2021.
Cedar Creek also finished as state runners-up in 2008 and 2009. Last year’s championships were halted as the COVID-19 pandemic was just starting to shut the country down.
The Cougars, competing under head coach Jacob Angevine and assistants Jason Lillo, Paul Riley, Justin Chelette and Josh Robinson, had five athletes take individual titles on Thursday — Lawson Lillo (123-pound and under category), Jed Worthey (132), Jackson Cuthbert (220), Caden Lillo (242) and Trace Barnett (275) each took the podium for top honors.
BASEBALL (Staff report): Ruston (10-5) topped visiting Ouachita Christian 8-4 Thursday evening behind a 10-hit attack, led by Jack Whitaker (double, two singles, two RBIs), Haydn Shoemaker (two doubles) and Cade Patterson (double, single, two RBIs). The Bearcats put up four runs in the bottom of the first and added three more in the fourth before small school power OCS pushed across a three-spot in the sixth to stay in range.
On Tuesday RHS faced one of the state’s strongest squads, Tioga, and the Indians needed a four-run rally in the bottom of the sixth to escape with a 6-5 triumph. The Bearcats piled up 10 hits against a squad that no-hit them 12-0 on Feb. 23. Joshua Miller had three hits and three RBIs while Patterson drove in two runs on a pair of hits and Whitaker also cracked two hits. All three had a double each.
Ruston is on the road today at 4 p.m. to face Claiborne Christian, then visits another small school titan, Sterlington, at 1 p.m. Saturday. The Bearcats will also meet Sterlington at 5:30 Monday evening.
Cedar Creek goes to Cajun country today to face Comeaux of Lafayette at 4 p.m., then meets North Vermilion Saturday at 10 a.m. and Jennings at 12:30. The Cougars (7-5) travel to Union Parish Monday at 6.
Creek won 3-2 Tuesday at home over Union Parish as Brady Wade scattered six hits, struck out five and walked only one, throwing 69 of his 94 pitches for strikes. J.T. Stephens had two of the Cougars’ seven hits and Zach Smith drove in a pair of runs on a base hit and a third-inning sacrifice fly that stood up as the game-winning RBI.
Photos courtesy of Cedar Creek School/Christy Mabou
