Courtesy of GSU Athletic Communications

Grambling State University Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Trayvean Scott announced contract extensions for head softball coach Nekeya Hall, head women’s soccer coach Justin Wagar, head women’s volleyball coach Paige Phillips and head baseball coach Davin Pierre, on Thursday afternoon.

Hall and Wagar received two-year contract extension that will run through Dec. 2027. Phillips also earned a two-year extension goes through June 2028.

Pierre picked up a three-year extension that’s set to run through May 2028.

Each contract extension has been approved by the University of Louisiana System (ULS) Board of Supervisors.

“Grambling State University is thrilled to extend the contracts of coaches Nakeya Hall, Paige Phillips, Davin Pierre and Justin Wagar. Their commitment to excellence, leadership, and the holistic development of our student-athletes have been exceptional,” said Dr. Trayvean Scott, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics. “Each coach brings a unique strength to our athletic programs, and we are confident that their continued contributions will elevate our teams to new heights.”

Hall has ushered in a new era of success for the Grambling State softball program. She is third all-time in wins at GSU (102) and had the highest winning percentage in the history of the program (.434). In 2023, she led the Tigers to the SWAC Championship game, the first time GSU had advanced that far since 2001.

Wagar, who is currently in his sixth season leading the GSU women’s soccer program, has been one of the most dominant soccer coaches in Grambling State history. He’s currently first in all-time wins at GSU, currently sporting a 67-47-13 record. Last season, he captured his first SWAC Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament berth. He’s led the Tigers to two SWAC regular season crowns and four SWAC title game appearances.

Since taking over the Grambling State women’s volleyball program in 2022, Phillips has kept the Lady Tiger in the top half of the SWAC. In just her first season, she led GSU to the No. 3 seed in the SWAC Tournament, the program’s highest since 2009.

Head baseball coach Davin Pierre assumed the reins of the GSU baseball program in 2022 after spending 12 seasons as an assistant. In just his third season as head coach, Pierre led GSU to a SWAC Tournament championship and clinched the Tigers’ first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2010. Pierre has proven to be one of the elite coaches in the SWAC, sporting a 60-25 record in conference play. With an 81-85 overall record, he’s third in winning percentage (.488) just behind Grambling Legends Wilbert Ellis (.594) and Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones (.703).

For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

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Yesterday, at approximately 4:00 p.m., the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations/Bossier Field Office (LSP/BFO) arrested a Louisiana Department of Corrections, David Wade Correctional Center employee on criminal charges. The investigation resulted in the arrest of 48-year-old Helen Washington-Turner of Haynesville.

The investigation began in July 2024 when investigators learned Washington-Turner, while in her official position, sent unauthorized criminal history query results to an out-of-state agency. Also, she used her agency’s official letterhead to contest the validity of an active warrant for a family member.

As a result of the investigation and information obtained, an arrest warrant was obtained through the 2^nd JDC, charging Washington-Turner with malfeasance in office and false impersonation. Washington-Turner turned herself in to authorities yesterday afternoon and was booked into the Claiborne Parish Detention Center on the above charges.

To report suspicious or criminal activity in your community, the Louisiana State Police online reporting system is available to the public through a convenient, anonymous, and secure reporting form that is submitted to the appropriate investigators. The form can be accessed by visiting lsp.org and clicking the Report Suspicious or Criminal Activity.

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By Kyle Roberts

RUSTON, La. — The Lincoln Parish School Board voted on multiple items Thursday evening in a special-called session regarding its Medicare Advantage Health Plan, its self-insured health and dental administrative services renewal, and changes to health insurance premiums for employees and retirees.

The board voted unanimously on all three measures, which include:

• Moving its Medicare Advantage Health Plan from Louisiana Blue Cross/Blue Shield to UnitedHealthcare (UHC) effective Jan. 1, 2025
• Moving its Self-Insured Health and Dental Plan administration from Louisiana Blue Cross/Blue Shield to United Medical Resources (UMR)
• Increasing health plan premiums by an average of 24 percent, the first increase since January of 2009

”For both our retirees and our active employees, benefits will not change,” Lincoln Parish School Board Superintendent Ricky Durrett said. “UHC is a nation-wide plan, so it opens up more opportunities if you’re traveling or going out-of-state.”

When the premium increase portion was up for discussion, Hunter Smith of District 7 proposed incremental rate increases to avoid another high rate hike in the future.

“If you take 24 percent on average for 15 years, it’s a 1.6 percent increase yearly,” Smith said of the gap from 2009 to 2024. “That’s a lot easier to swallow than 24 percent — I’m pretty sure our teachers’ pay has not gone up 24 percent in 15 years. I’m sure we’re doing the best we can; I just hope moving forward that we do that in smaller versions.”

The rate increase for premiums will cover a projected shortfall for 2025 of $2.2 million. The plan will also move enrollees from a 3-tier to a 4-tier premium structure (employee only, employee + spouse, employee + children, and family) and will eliminate the dual-employee rates.

The cost of coverage, however, can still be discounted by spouses enrolling in separate health plans.

”Either plan was going to make us have an increase in cost, since we have not had a rate increase for our active employees since 2009,” Durrett said. “Going with UHC made that rate increase lower than it would have been if we had stayed with Louisiana Blue/Cross Blue Shield.

”We feel like we have a really solid plan now going forward with our retirees and active enrollees.”

The consultant firm of Brown & Brown out of New Orleans worked with the LPSB to make the recommendations.

Absent from the meeting was Dr. Danielle Williams of District 1.

For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

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Courtesy of Louisiana Center for the Blind

For nearly 40 years, Ruston residents have had a close-up view of the spirit of perseverance and ingenuity of our Louisiana Center for the Blind students.

From across the United States and from around the globe, blind people come to our quaint city to acquire the blindness know-how to obtain employment, pursue education, care for their families, and become immersed in their communities. For many of our students, the path towards achieving the American dream begins on Ruston’s Main Street.

 “Learning to walk alone and manage without the constant help of other people has been my biggest achievement,” said David Delgado, one of the most recent graduates. “That feeling of independence is indescribable. Every step I take is proof that the effort and support I have received have paid off.”

Delgado arrived at LCB on the arm of a relative and concluded our program by fulfilling an independent travel assignment in Los Angeles California. While our students complete several courses at LCB, most visible to local residents and to visitors are the daily cane travel lessons that enable students like David to learn to get around.

“I love teaching people and helping them reach their goals,” said Rachael Grider, the newest cane travel instructor and a LA Tech graduate. “The thing I love the most is watching students build their self-efficacy and their confidence as they start to do things that they really didn’t think they could do.”

Throughout October, our blind community in Ruston is recognizing Blind Equality Achievement Month. Our recent White Cane Walk highlighted the tools and training methods that foster self-sufficiency. We are also using this month to warmly reflect on Ruston’s contributions in promoting our students’ independence and sense of belonging.   

Our alumni fondly remember meals at Pickle Barrel and Trenton Street Café; meanwhile, more recent students are making memories at the Heard Freighthouse Food Truck Park, and at Bayou Axe. These are just some of the places marking our students’ first steps towards freedom. Next year we will celebrate our 40^th anniversary and we are looking forward to acknowledging the people and places that make our work at the Louisiana Center for the Blind possible.

For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

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This week in Lincoln Parish Schools

The Lincoln Parish Journal is providing our local schools with an opportunity to submit nuggets from what’s going on at their respective schools in order to get more information out on their students, faculty and staff. The information below comes directly from those schools.  Any school wishing to provide content each week can email to flynnhl@warhawks.ulm.edu

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High Schools

Cedar Creek

National Honor Society Induction-

The newest National Honor Society inductees.

Britton Bennett, Avery Bourn, Selah Bryan, Catherine Grace Calvert, Ainsley DeMent, Gia Fernandez, Rex Freling, Anderson Godlewski, Kate Harris, Felicity Hunt, Caroline James, Catherine McAdams, Paxton Mounts, Emma Phillips, Addison Taylor, Rubye Ann Walsworth, Gilly Grace Washam, Katherine Worthey, Connor Yates

Officers:

James Myers – President

Zoey Venters – Vice-President

Jack Bell – Treasurer

Nolan Martin – Secretary

Ruston High School

This week in Bearcat Nation, the Ruston High Bearcats hit the road to take on the ASH Trojans Friday (10/25), kickoff is at 7:00.

Saturday (10/26), the Varsity Volleyball Team will travel to play Calvary.

Monday (10/28), JV and Varsity will take on Loyola and celebrate Senior Night.

Tuesday (10/29), JV and Varsity Volleyball will play Neville, on Neville’s campus.

The Teacher of the Week is Mr. MacDaniels. Mr. MacDaniels has taught Algebra I for two years at RHS. Along with teaching, he is the RHS YoungLife sponsor.

Simsboro

Simsboro FBLA is off to a great start this year, with a record-breaking 53 members. Thanks to the Hygiene Drive they held school-wide, they were able to bring in over 2,000 items that they then used to create a “Comfort Closet” in the nurse’s office. The Comfort Closet is now open and available for all students at Simsboro School, and it has items such as shampoo and conditioner, soap, deodorant, shower gel, and other hygiene products.

We had a great turnout at our 3rd Annual Purple and White Night! It was great to see our Simsboro community come together to support and cheer on our students!

Our Fall Carnival is tonight at 6:00! This year it will be at the Simsboro track. It’s $5 to enter or $15 to play games. We hope to see you there!

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Elementary Schools

Choudrant

Choudrant Elementary -Lil’ Aggie News

We are gearing up for Red Ribbon Week 10/28-11/1 with the following themes for each day:

Monday-Team Up Against Drugs

Tuesday-Tip Your Hat To Be Drug Free

Wednesday-Love Your Heart

Thursday-Give Drugs the Boot

Friday-Show Your Aggie Pride

S.T.R.I.V.E. Club

S.T.R.I.V.E. Club members celebrated Unity Day on October 16th by chalking the sidewalk with encouraging words, welcoming students in carline with Unity Posters as well as passing out orange heart shaped stickers.  Unity Day stands for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion for all.

4-H Club

Our Choudrant Elementary 4-H club held its annual pumpkin carving contest this week. They also held officer elections and are collecting socks as part of the “Sock-tober”parish wide service project.

Cross Country

Congratulations to our Lil Aggies! They have had a Great Season!

Choudrant Elementary XC Team Results from the Simsboro Invitational on Saturday, October 19th, are as follows:

K-2 Girls were 1st place overall, which means they are undefeated so far this season!

Top 10 Finishers were:

Evelyn Aycock – 5th place

Lainey Baker – 8th place

Abigail Garner – 10th place

Attitude and Effort Awards:

Livvy Baker, Everly Nichols, and Charlotte Case

K-2 Boys were 1st place overall!

Top 10 Finishers were:

William Bueso – 1st place

Nicholas Warrick – 2nd place

Grayson Haddox – 6th place

Attitude and Effort Awards:

Ben Rinehart, Daryl Collinsworth, Felix Kemege, Camden and Carter Collie, Elias and Landis Juneau

3-4 Girls were Runner-Up!

Top 10 Finishers:

Lakynn Roberson – 4th place

Kynlee Pyle – 7th place

Attitude and Effort Awards:

Anna Edmiston, Laleigh Upshaw, Liv Howard, Amelie Hebert

3-4 Boys were Runner-Up!

Top 10 Finishers:

Briggs Holloway – 3rd place

Jacob Jones – 7th place

Attitude and Effort Awards:

Emerson Smith and Ty Rozelle

5th Girls were Runner-Up!

Top 10 Finishers:

Elouise Aycock – 3rd place

Savannah Patterson – 9th place

Attitude and Effort Awards:

Olivia Smith and Caroline Craig

5th Boys

Top 10 Finishers:

Tucker Rinehart – 7th place

Attitude and Effort Awards:

Gray Williams

Our next official meet is the Louisiana State Games Meet on Saturday, October 26th, at West Ouachita!

I.A. Lewis Elementary

October 14-18, we celebrated Bullying Prevention Week with a poster contest.  Zane Tradewell took first place, Mia Whitlock 2nd place, and there was a tie Ainsley Ayers and Joey Moore for 3rd place!  

We also celebrated Unity Day by having all 278 students spell out “RAMS” on our playground!  Our school was able to accomplish a fire drill and spelling out RAMS in less than 20 minutes!  

Upcoming Events:

October 28 -November 1st Red Ribbon Week

November 1st The Ultimate Ram Jam Reward!  Students who have followed school rules and have no disciplinary referrals or more than 2 lunch detentions will get to bust their moves at our Silent Disco by Bayou Beats!  

For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

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By Kyle Roberts

ALEXANDRIA, La. — It’s a sign of a top-quality football program when experiencing a loss is a rarity.

Such is the case for the Ruston High Bearcats (6-1, 1-1 District 2-5A), whose seniors experienced only their third loss in three seasons playing on varsity Friday in a 26-21 loss to rival Neville High School in the Bearcats’ return to Hoss Garrett Stadium after four-straight weeks on the raod.

But with that comes the need to bounce back — and it won’t be easy with the next team up in District 2-5A: the Alexandria Trojans (7-0, 2-0 District 2-5A), who boast a high-scoring offense and is unbeaten this season.

“This group of guys hasn’t lost many ballgames,” Ruston High head coach Jerrod Baugh said of his Bearcats. “They’re not used to this, which is a good thing. But on the flip side, you’ve got to learn how to deal with that when you lose in the regular season; you’ve got to get things back together and learn from it.”

Neville and Ruston had a showdown for the ages Friday as the Tigers held on at the end for a one-score victory. Baugh admitted the loss was frustrating given how good Neville is and feeling like the Bearcats did not play their best while being so close.

“We feel like we hung in there with a really good football team and didn’t play a good game,” Baugh said. “That’s tough to swallow. Hopefully, we’ll shake back and finish this week strong, be mentally prepared and ready to go play down there tonight.”

The Trojans are averaging 49 points per contest this year on offense, with sophomore quarterback Karsen Sellers having thrown 17 touchdowns and no interceptions. Senior running back JT Lindsey accounts for 1,169 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns on the ground. Through a combined air and ground game, ASH’s offense will be a great challenge for Ruston’s defense.

“They’re really good scheme-wise,” Baugh said. “Coach (Thomas) Bachman does an excellent job to how they’ll run the ball against you, and then in the throwing game, their quarterback is really skilled. You do the best you can to manage that. If we put them in third-and-long situations, then you have to get your defense off the field. They’re going to use some tempo-offense, and hopefully, we’re in good enough shape to handle that. You can’t sustain yourself if they’re able to get in their groove over and over again.”

Ruston is no slouch on offense, either. Senior tailbacks Dylone Brooks and Jordan Hayes have combined for nearly 1,000 yards rushing and nine touchdowns, while senior quarterback Josh Brantley has 395 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on the ground. Brantley has also through for 945 yards and eight TDs this season.

Defensively, Baugh expects ASH to have a solid defense and is counting on his Bearcats to put together multi-play scoring drives to keep the ball out away from the Trojan offense.

“We have to put drives together and avoid three-and-outs,” Baugh said. “They have a very good defensive unit and play well together. They’re well-coached, and they’re going to be where they need to be in order to defend you; you’re not going to catch them making a mistake.”

Ruston and ASH will kickoff at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Q94.1 FM and streamed on BearcatNationNetwork.com.

For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

 

 

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As if great food isn’t enough to draw folks out to North Village Food Park, now the recently-opened venue will start hosting special event nights.

According to Project Manager and Lola’s Teriyaki owner Joey Lopez, the venue will play host to a “Movie Night” on Saturday, November 2. The featured movie will be Sing 2 and will start at 7 p.m.

Lopez said that the special events are free and open to the general public and that the food trucks would be open and serving food starting at 5 p.m.

“We are excited about starting these types of special events,” said Lopez. “Our focus has always been on attracting families and the wonderful people of our community, and I think these types of events will provide an entertainment value. We want to encourage everyone to come out and enjoy some great food in a family-friendly atmosphere.”

The North Village Food Park will then host Monday Night Football on November 4 as the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Game time is 7:15 p.m. Once again the food trucks will open at 5 p.m. to serve.

Located at 2102 Timberline Court along East Kentucky Avenue adjacent to North Village Apartments, North Village Food Park currently consists of Lola’s Teriyaki and Big Boyz Smokehouse with SaborMex Taqueria set to open in the coming weeks. Hours of food operation Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and then for all special events. Park hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Lopez said that Lola’s Teriyaki will be serving shrimp and salmon teriyaki bowls while supplies last on Saturday, November 2.

Lopez said any food vendors interested in becoming a part of North Village Food Park should contact him at 318-918-9417.

In addition to the pavilion and the food vendors, North Village Food Park includes an existing playground built a few years ago. However, it was recently renovated and upgraded to better serve the foot traffic.

On the front side of the food truck park closest to East Kentucky Avenue will be an area for games and other forms of entertainment, including corn hole, horseshoes, picnic tables, and movie nights and game nights.

This is a paid adverorial

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Courtesy of Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office

 

This Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration will host DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day at locations across the country. DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs.

This year’s site will be Super One Foods on 1500 North Trenton Street in Ruston.

For more than a decade, the event has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or expired—that too often become a gateway to addiction.

Take Back Day offers free and anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at close to 5,000 local drop-off locations nationwide.

What:              National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

When:              Saturday, October 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Who:               Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office  

Where:            Super One Foods ( 1500 North Trenton Street Ruston, LA )

In partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed 9,285 tons of medication from circulation since its inception.

Collection sites will not accept syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage.

For more information and to find a collection site near you, visit www.DEATakeBack.com.

For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

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This is an advertorial

Members of Ruston High School’s graduating class of 1984 are invited to celebrate their 40th reunion for homecoming weekend in November.

Events will include:

• Friday, Nov. 1, 5:30 p.m. – Burger dinner at Hoss Garrett Stadium
• Friday, Nov. 1, 7:00 p.m. – Homecoming game against Pineville High School ($10)
• Saturday, Nov. 2, 4 – 6:00 p.m. – Class Gathering at Louisiana National Bank in the Louisiana Room – 2100 N. Trenton

Please fill out this registration form to RSVP for the events.

Football tickets will need to be purchased by Sunday, Oct. 27. If you are interested in attending the game, please Venmo $10 to @carolwilliams for your tickets. With the game possibly being sold out, tickets should be purchased quickly.

Classmates are encouraged to share these links with others that do not have social media.

 

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The Lincoln Parish Journal wants to thank Karl Malone Toyota, Northern Louisiana Medical Center and Johnson Physical Therapy for their title and presenting sponsorships of this year’s College Football Pick’em contest.

We also want to thank Dubach Air and Heat, Ginn’s Autobody, Hart Designs, Dawghouse Sports Grill, Pattons Western Wear, Tanyard Creek, Stows Moving Co., Ruston Athletic Supply, Hot Rod’s BBQ, and Charlie’s Carpet Cleaning for their Pick’em Partnerships within the contest.

We encourage all of our readers to utilize the services and products provided by our advertisers!

CLICK HERE TO PLAY

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CLICK HERE TO PLAY

Are you ready for some football?!?

Bigger question. Are you ready to win $200 in cash … with the potential to make it $400 if you are perfect on the week (including predicting the No. 1 tiebreaker exactly right).

The Lincoln Parish Journal is proud to host the Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by Northern Louisiana Medical Center and Johnson Physical Therapy.

If you live in the deep south, you know College Football is King!

Readers are eligible to participate and each week one lucky winner will go home with a $200 cash prize (maybe $400).  Each week the winner will be the participant with the best record out of the predetermined 15 college football games (ties will be broken by two separate tiebreakers consisting of guessing the total points scored in two of our weekly contests).

Only one entry per participant will be accepted each week.

The Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by Northern Louisiana Medical Center and Johnson Physical Therapy will be conducted for 14 regular season weeks of the college season starting with this week’s games.

There is no entry fee, just like there is no cost to SUBSCRIBE to the Lincoln Parish Journal where it will come to your inbox every weekday morning at 6:55 a.m.  It takes 20-30 seconds to sign up and not much longer than that to make your picks.

All contest decisions by LPJ management are final. Weekly winners will be notified Monday and will be requested to take a photo that will run in the following week’s LPJ.

Every participant will receive a FREE subscription to the Journal, if you’re not already signed up for the easily-navigated, convenient 6:55 a.m. daily e-mail. Enjoy it all, for FREE, and enter each week’s contest. You could collect $200 each week!

Follow the Lincoln Parish Journal each morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. It’s FREE! Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

A Ruston woman was arrested last week after she allegedly damaged property and then resisted and threatened officers who arrested her.

Crystal M. Jones, 27, was arrested about 11 p.m. Oct. 19 after officers investigated a complaint of property damage at a South Vienna Street residence.

The victim said Jones had kicked in one of the doors and caused a floor tile to be to become unattached. Officers found Jones to be belligerent and became irate when an officer attempted to speak to her.

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A records check showed that a warrant was held by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Department for Jones for failure to appear in Third Judicial District Court. Officers had to wrestle with Jones to keep her from kicking them and used force to secure her in handcuffs.

As she was being taken to a patrol car, Jones allegedly threatened to kill two officers and later told the transporting officer, “I’m going to kill your wife and children, believe me I am.”

Jones was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for simple criminal damage to property, resisting an officer, three counts of public intimidation, and the warrant.

Bail for the charges from the arrest was set at $7,000.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

Follow the Lincoln Parish Journal each morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. It’s FREE! Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

Louisiana State Police arrested two men on the Grambling State University campus last week after bags of marijuana and a firearm were found in their vehicle.

De’tyris V. Byrd 19, and Marquay D Brown 19, both of Shreveport, were arrested on numerous drug and firearm charges on October 19.

Troopers learned that a red Chevrolet vehicle with a certain license plate was involved in drug activity. The vehicle was located on the GSU campus, and three men were seen stepping out of the vehicle. When troopers approached, they saw loose marijuana in plain view on the floorboard.

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Troopers smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. During a search, four ounces of marijuana was found in the trunk along with 11 individual bags of marijuana and two clear jars containing loose marijuana. A Lorcin .25 caliber pistol was found on the rear seat in a Popeyes Chicken box.

Byrd told troopers the 11 bags of marijuana and the pistol were his. He said the gun was for protection.

Brown claimed ownership of the four ounces of marijuana.

Both suspects were transported to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center and booked for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a controlled substance in a school zone. Byrd was additionally booked for possession of a firearm in a school zone and possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled substance.

Byrd’s bail was set at $50,000 and Brown’s at $20,000.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

Follow the Lincoln Parish Journal each morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. It’s FREE! Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Please pick the beep you like best.

Beep is defined as “a short, relatively high-pitched tone produced by a horn, electronic device, or the like as a signal, summons, or warning.” It is also a way of describing how some forms of media edit out unseemly words. If I were doing this on the radio you might hear, “Oh BEEP, I dropped the hot casserole dish on the floor after I removed it from the microwave upon hearing the aforementioned microwave emit a beep.” Beep is example of onomatopoeia.

I’m wondering if you have discovered that beeps have become BEEP annoying.

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The microwave cooks food quickly and it beeps. Mine will emit a beep until you open the door or select the stop button. I guess the microwave doesn’t want you to forget the sumptuous TV dinner you have just warmed up for your evening repast.

The oven beeps. It beeps when it is heated to the selected temperature. It beeps when there is one minute remaining for the cooking time. It beeps until you hit the shut up button and turn the timer off. The oven will beep at you all night until you do something.

The house alarm system beeps. It beeps when you turn it on or off, when the power is interrupted for more than three minutes or so. I guess if the house is burning down or being burglarized the thing will beep. If the power goes off and you don’t reset the alarm, it beeps until you reset it acknowledging the “power went off recently and stayed off a while” beep. Each button you press on the control panel beeps when you press it. That is four beeps to set the alarm which then does this chirping beep thing to let you know it is set. It then beeps to let you know you have a certain number of seconds to get out of the BEEPING house before alarm goes off.

To avoid the beeping madness, I escaped to the BEEPING car. The car has a mystery beep that I have yet to interpret. I have one of those pushbutton cars. Sometimes when I shut it off and open the door, it beeps at me. I have yet to figure out what I have done wrong or what I have left on for the car to protest my exit. Maybe the car is saying, “Bye.”

The car beeps at me when I’m too close to another car, the wall at the bank drive thru, when someone is crossing behind me in the parking lot, when I change lanes without signaling, when I change radio stations, and when I select the apps button to turn on the map functions.

This morning, I pulled into the office parking space. The car beeped at me. I sat down at my desk and my computer was doing some kind of beeping about something Bill Gates and Microsoft didn’t like. Oh BEEP!!!

Because things beep at us, we develop a BEEPING immunity. I was only paying attention because I was researching the beeps around me.

We condition ourselves to filter out the annoyances of life, such as the things that beep. 

Please Lord do not allow us to filter out people, they are not annoyances but people you love for whom you died. I need to go now and spend time confessing my sins in this area, what about you?

For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

By T. Scott Boatright

 

GRAMBLING — Lincoln Prep used a strong start to pick up its first win ever over Cedar Creek as the Panthers defeated the Cougars 30-6 at Panthers Field.

It only took Lincoln Prep 53 seconds to get its first score as defensive end Jamarion Pouncey snagged an interception and rumbled 24 yards to paydirt to put the Panthers on top 6-0 after the two-point conversion attempt failed.

The Panthers pushed the lead to 12-0 at the 11:28 mark of the second quarter as senior running back D’Tavion Wright ran for 31 yards on three carries before breaking free for a 12-yard scoring scamper on a 60-yard drive aided by a 12-yard pass from Jordan Brown to Trey Spann.

Lincoln Prep held Cedar Creek to a three-and-out on the next possession before a long punt return by Cenario Wilson set the Panthers up at the Cougars’ 30-yard line. Four plays later senior running back Jaylin Huntley slashed into the end zone on a one-yard run that pushed the Panthers’ lead to 18-0 with 9:20 remaining before halftime.

“Their size really got to us more than their speed,” said Cedar Creek coach William Parkerson. “I thought after the first quarter ewe were able to adjust to their size and we started getting some penetration and playing with better pad leverage.

“We had plays in the backfield, but if they could get loose they had guys who could run. They’re an older team and they’re big and they’re fast and they’re playing well right now. They’re good at what they do and give them all the credit for executing and beating us.”

Trailing 18-0 at intermission, the Cougars came out strong to open the second half. They recovered an onsides kick (Lincoln Prep deferred on the opening coin toss) as their kicker ran toward the ball before stopping and letting the closest Cougar to his right boot the ball which was recovered by a teammate at the Lincoln Prep 41-yard line.

On the next play Cedar Creek used more trickeration as quarterback Cason Floyd pitched the ball to James Myers, who pitched the ball to Payton Harris on a double reverse before Harris pitched the ball back to Floyd, who fired a pass caught by Myers midstride at the Lincoln Prep 21. 

Myers raced the rest of the way to the end zone to cut the Panthers’ lead to 18-6 after the two-point conversion attempt failed only 13 seconds in the third quarter.

“We told them at halftime we were going to do the onsides kick and run the double reverse and we did them both perfectly,” Parkerson said. “But then we had them in third-and-eight and a guy broke the tackle and got a first down. I really think if we would have been able to get off the field on that third-and-eight it’s possibly a different ballgame, but we let them get the first and continue the drive.”

But Lincoln Prep countered on the ensuing possession as Brown hit Tyler Wimberly on a 30-yard scoring strike to take a 24-6 advantage with 8:29 remaining in the third stanza.

The Panthers’ final score came with 4:26 remaining in the contest as Wilson broke free on a 30-yard scoring scamper.

“The big play has haunted us all year,” Parkerson said. “We get two good plays and then on third down they hit us with a big one. I was proud of the way we fought until the bitter end and we do that every week. As coaches we’ve got to be better and scheme up some points.”

Lincoln Prep coach Glen Hall said earning the hard-fought win was critical for his Panthers this late in the regular season.

“It’s really big, you’re looking to win these next two games and get a good spot in the playoffs,” Hall said. “It’s all about the challenge. You’ve got the preseason, you’ve got the regular season and you’ve got the postseason. But when it’s time for the postseason we’ve got to be ready.”

But that doesn’t mean Hall was happy with everything he saw from his team.

“Every time we put ourselves in a scoring position our center snapped the ball over the quarterback’s head and sent it rolling on the ground (backwards),” Hall said. “And he missed practice some this week. I’m not happy about that.

“The guys that came to practice played hard and that’s the reason we won. But it’s just a different situation when you can’t get everybody to come to practice every day because they have something going on at home. It’s just tough. Coaching is a tough field to be in right now. I love it, I love the kids, but I also want to teach life lessons. And that lesson is that if you don’t work, you don’t get paid.”

Hall also wasn’t relishing in the fact that the win was Lincoln Prep’s first ever over Cedar Creek. The last time a Grambling-based high school defeated the Cougars came in 2014 when Grambling Lab won 8-7.

“I didn’t think about that one time and never said anything about it one time,” Hall said. “I think this team has the ability to beat a lot of people. I just concentrate on the positive and the negative and make sure we point out both. Now I’m sure for the players to beat a crosstown or cross-parish team is big, but we’re just trying to make sure we’re executing the things we’ve got to do.”

Next up for Cedar Creek (1-7 overall and 1-2 in District 1-1A) will be a home game against Arcadia next week.

“We gotta keep doing what we’re doing,” Parkerson said. “We practice great every week. We play hard. We play intense and as physical as they can. We just gotta keep doing what we’re doing and try to get these last two (games).”

Lincoln Prep now stands at 5-3 overall and 2-2 in District with a game scheduled to be played at Plain Dealing next Friday.

But Plain Dealing had to back out of this week’s scheduled game at Jonesboro-Hodge because it currently doesn’t have 11 healthy players to put out on the field.

It remains unclear if the Lions will have enough players to try and host Lincoln Prep next Friday.

“I talked to (Plain Dealing’s) coach earlier in the week and he said they’ve got a couple of injuries and that if they get better they’ll play but if they don’t get better they won’t,” Hall said of next week’s scheduled game. “They want to play because it’s their Senior Night. I just told him to let me know as soon as possible early in the week because I’m really trying to find somebody to play and hopefully get some power ranking points.

But Hall isn’t sure he can schedule another opponent this late in the season.

“I’ve looked and it’s pretty tight right now,” Hall said. “I want to play. I want an off week earlier in the year because you can clean stuff up after that. I hate being off Week 8 or Week 9. It hurts a team I think.”

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By Kyle Roberts

RUSTON, La. — It was as close to a playoff atmosphere that you could ask for.

The Ruston High Main Gym home side was nearly packed with students wearing red t-shirts with “Beat Byrd” emblazoned in white on the front. And as senior Harper Cauley planted the final kill of the night, the crowd erupted to cheer the No. 15 Lady Bearcats (23-12) as they swept the No. 7 Byrd Yellowjackets (27-9) by final scores of 25-23, 25-18 and 25-14.

And factor in some sweet revenge after being beaten at Byrd back in September in five sets, well, it was a recipe for a great Bearcat night.

“I’m just unbelievably proud of the way the girls came in and played tonight,” Ruston High head volleyball coach Mandy Cauley said. “Their execution and their chemistry was what we’ve been working on. That’s what I stressed in practice yesterday. I literally made them stand in a circle, look each other in the eye and say “We have to do this together.” We said it over and over. We said it pregame– it’s can’t be one person or two people. It has to be the whole team. Everybody on the court, on our bench, the Cat Box, the coaching staff — it was an incredible victory.

“The atmosphere was great for both teams. It’s beneficial to get everybody ready for what we’re about to face (in the postseason) in the next week or so.”

The Lady ‘Cats and the Yellowjackets practically traded runs in the first set. Byrd got up to a 21-17 lead before Ruston stormed back to take set one on an 8-2 run.

“I have to give it to our leaders — they knew what this win meant,” Mandy Cauley said. “We lost the first set (at Byrd) 25-23, and I kept saying that if we had won that set, it would have been a different ending. I’m so proud of how we pulled out of that deficit to finish. It helped us carry the momentum into the other sets because we got Byrd off their game.

Harper Cauley took over in the ensuing set, getting eight of her 14 total kills for the night in the second set. And set three saw two crucial blocks from both junior Courtney Harris and sophomore Jane Ramsey.

Ruston’s sweep keeps the Lady Bearcats perfect at home as they have not lost a single set in the Main Gym this season.

“We just need to schedule more home games,” Cauley said before laughing and talking about playoff seeding. “This win will hopefully help us out hosting a round one playoff match. They carry a lot of power points, so that will be good for us.”

Ruston High has only two matches remaining during the regular season: at Calvary Baptist on Saturday, Oct. 26 and then against Loyola Prep on Monday, Oct. 28 for Senior Night. The Lady Bearcats will need to finished No. 16 or higher in the power rankings to host a first round home playoff match.

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For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

Each Monday and Friday, the Lincoln Parish Journal will post a list of non-for-profit upcoming events happening in the parish. If you would like to add your event to this list or advertise your for-profit events, please email us at lpjnewsla@gmail.com. 

Friday, Oct. 25
9 a.m.: Dedication of Guice Plaza (Aspire, Tech campus)
6 p.m.: Ruston Wine Walk (Downtown Ruston)
7-10 p.m.: Haunted Carwash benefitting Ruston Community Theatre (Rocketfast Car Wash)
7 p.m.: Cedar Creek v. Lincoln Prep football game (Lincoln Prep)

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Saturday, Oct. 26
Monster Mash Tennis Tournament (Ruston Sports Complex tennis courts)
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
7-10 p.m.: Haunted Carwash benefitting Ruston Community Theatre (Rocketfast Car Wash)

Sunday, Oct. 27
Monster Mash Tennis Tournament (Ruston Sports Complex tennis courts)
1 p.m.: LA Tech soccer
4-6 p.m.: The Springs Trunk-or-Treat (Cypress Springs Elementary)
5-6:30 p.m.: Trunk-or-Treat at Trinity Methodist Church (1000 Woodward Avenue)

For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

Benjamin Kimble “Ben” Rogers 
June 5, 1949 – October 21, 2024 
Service: Hamilton Cemetery, Monday, October 28, 2024, 10:00 am 
Cemetery: Graveside service at Hamilton, Monday, October 28, 2024, 10:00 am 

Bonnye Ruth Voss  
June 23, 1948 – October 22, 2024  
Visitation: Friday, October 25, 2024, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel  
Funeral Service: Saturday, October 26, 2024, 2:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home  
Cemetery Committal: Saturday, October 26, 2024, Greenwood Cemetery, 515 Everett St, Ruston  

Jackson Hammonds “Jack” Mitcham   
September 16, 2003 – October 19, 2024   
Service: Temple Baptist Church Sanctuary, Friday, October 25, 2024, 10:00 am  
Cemetery: Kilpatrick’s Memorial Gardens, Friday, October 25, 2024 

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A man wanted on numerous violent felonies by several local law enforcement agencies was taken into custody Wednesday morning in Ruston.

Delano Deshun Teray Owens, 30, of Ruston, was taken into custody October 23 after he escaped from the Grambling Police Department after an arrest the previous day, according to Lt. Matt Henderson of the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office

Owens was wanted on violent felonies from Ouachita Parish and Grambling.

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Grambling Police were dispatched to an apartment to conduct a welfare check of a woman about 11:00 a.m. on October 22. The woman was allegedly being held hostage. After the woman escaped, officers learned Owens was inside the residence and refused to come out.

The Special Response Team from LPSO assisted GPD in locating Owens in the attic of the residence, Henderson said.

Owens was taken to Grambling PD headquarters for processing. He escaped from GPD, prompting a massive search including the LPSO and its K-9 units and a K-9 chase team from Wade Correctional Center. The search continued into the night with drones and K-9s.

Wednesday morning, Owens reportedly received a ride from the Kennon Lane-West Alabama area in Ruston to the Eastland Avenue-Edgewood neighborhood. When the driver saw Owens was wearing handcuffs and shackles after he got out of the vehicle, he went to the Ruston Police Department to report what he saw.

Henderson said while LPSO was preparing search warrants for two residences where it was suspected Owens might be, a neighbor called about seeing a man in her yard wearing shackles. Agencies involved in the hunt quickly located Owens in a yard near East California Avenue and Edgewood Street about 9:00 a.m. He was still wearing GPD’s cuffs and leg shackles.

Owens was wanted by the Grambling Police Department for false imprisonment, resisting an officer, unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, second degree battery of a dating partner with strangulation, simple escape, theft, and violation of a protective order.

The Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office holds arrest warrants for Owens for two counts of second degree kidnapping, second degree rape, stalking, and aggravated burglary.

Owens is currently being held at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center. Bail was set at $585,000 on the Lincoln Parish charges.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

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Courtesy of GSU Communications

Alvin J. Schexnider, Ph.D., will deliver the keynote address during Grambling State University’s 123rd Founder’s Celebration on Thursday, October 31. With the theme, “Achieving Excellence Through Service,” the event will be held at 10 a.m. in the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.

The day’s activities will begin with an opening ceremony at 8 a.m. outside of Lee Hall to don the bust of founder Charles P. Adams with a wreath to honor his legacy and impact.

Founded on November 1, 1901, as the Colored Industrial and Agricultural School, Grambling State University has evolved into a global institution. Initially established by the North Louisiana Colored Agriculture Relief Association, the school transformed into a state junior college and later became Grambling College in 1946, expanding its academic offerings.

The institution earned accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in 1949 and adopted its current name in 1974 with the introduction of graduate programs. What started with three teachers and 125 students has grown into a global brand that has produced over 40,000 graduates and boasts a student body representing 44 states and 30 countries. As the nation’s only HBCU with a Digital Library building, Grambling State University continues to cultivate an environment that empowers students to become trailblazers, thought leaders, and innovators.

Dr. Schexnider, a Grambling State University alumnus, is the managing principal at Schexnider & Associates, LLC, where he consults on board governance, strategy, and provides executive coaching. Prior to his retirement in 2007, Dr. Schexnider held key leadership positions, including serving as executive vice president and interim president at Norfolk State University, and as chancellor of Winston-Salem State University. His career also includes faculty and administrative roles at prestigious institutions such as Syracuse University, Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of North Carolina Greensboro, and Wake Forest University.

A native of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Dr. Schexnider earned a B.A. in political science from Grambling State University. He went on to earn both an M.A. and Ph.D. in political science from Northwestern University, where he was a Norman Wait Harris, Ford Foundation, and Woodrow Wilson Fellow. Dr. Schexnider is also a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and a Senior Fellow at the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB).

Dr. Schexnider’s achievements have earned him numerous honors, including the J. Sergeant Reynolds Award for Outstanding Service in Public Administration, the Alpha Phi Alpha Distinguished Educator of the Year Award, and the Urban League Silver Star Award for Education. A member of the Grambling State University Hall of Fame, Dr. Schexnider’s work in higher education has had a lasting impact on numerous institutions. He is the author of Saving Black Colleges and co-author of Blacks and the Military. His latest book, Confessions of a Black Academic: A Memoir, was published in 2024, adding to his prolific career as an educator, administrator, and author.

Following Founder’s Convocation, Dr. Schexnider will host a book signing at noon for his memoir, Confessions of a Black Academic, in the Barnes & Noble bookstore at the Favrot Student Union.

For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

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 by Wesley Harris

 

“Firmly Founded Alma Mater,

Mother True is She.

Here beneath her towering columns,

Pledge we loyalty.”

A Facebook user posted recently that he had asked artificial intelligence (AI) to tell him when Ruston High School began playing football. He received a response that the school started in 1921 but had played football since 1905.

Sometimes AI doesn’t know everything. Sometimes it isn’t real intelligent.

His post started a social media discussion of the correct date for the beginning of the school and the start of the football program.

Those dates are difficult to determine.

So when was Ruston High “firmed founded”? The answer is a little more complicated than looking up when the first building was constructed.

Wikipedia, an encyclopedia-type website that isn’t always accurate, says the school started in 1921.

A history of the school on its alumni association’s website says the institution existed “prior to 1911” without giving an exact date.

Ruston High went only to the 8^th grade in 1918 and did not extend to the 11^th grade until 1921, the year it appears the first formal graduation was held. That probably explains the 1921 date found on some internet sites.

Finding the real answer means looking back at the history of early education in Ruston.

In 1883, Ruston began to grow out of former cotton fields as the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific Railroad built its way across north Louisiana. While trains crisscrossed Mississippi and even Texas, the only railroad in northern Louisiana at the time was a short line from Vicksburg to Monroe.

The Civil War interrupted and bankrupted that line and nearly two decades passed after the war before a new company, the V. S. & P., completed its route across north Louisiana. New towns popped up along the line, including Ruston, while other small towns missed by the railroad faded away.

Ruston rose on land owned by Robert E. Russ, hence the name of the new town. Russ gave land for a courthouse, Baptist and Methodist churches, and a cemetery.

Russ also provided a block for a school. This block, bordered by Trenton Street, Georgia Avenue, Monroe Street, and Florida Avenue, is now home to City Hall and the Civic Center.

Ruston’s first schools were private ones. Harmolean Grambling Simmons ran a school close to the railroad tracks where the fire station, farmer’s market, and old power plant are located—also a plot donated by Russ. Previous keepers of Ruston history consider this the first school (1884) in the new town.

The passing trains were a constant distraction to Miss Simmons’s young students. Older students attended an academy or college located in the school block donated by Russ.

A Baptist minister, William Christopher Friley, operated the Ruston Male & Female Academy beginning in 1885, a year after Ruston’s incorporation as a town. The name of the school soon changed to Ruston College and a two-story wooden building was constructed in the Trenton Street school block facing West Georgia Avenue.

By 1889, Ruston College boasted 275 students. The term “college” is a bit misleading since colleges of that time usually included what today would be high school-aged students. Today, Ruston College would be considered a combination grade school—high school—junior college.

As Louisiana Industrial Institute, the first name for Tech, came into being in 1894, Ruston College closed in favor of the state-supported public school. Reverend Friley moved on to take the presidency of Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene and later, Louisiana College in Pineville. His son Charles, likely a Ruston College student, became one of the longest serving presidents of Iowa State University.

Considered a forerunner of Louisiana Tech, Ruston College can also be considered a precursor to Ruston High. After the college closed, the Lincoln Parish School Board used the building as Ruston’s public school, starting about 1896. By 1911, the building was no longer sufficient as Ruston’s only white public school. A bond election was held in 1911 to pass a 3 ½ mill tax to construct a multi-story brick building called “Ruston Public School.”

The old Ruston College building was demolished to build Ruston Public School which housed grades 1-6. Grades 7-8 were added in the 1915-16 school year. When Hallie Townsend became principal in 1918, the 9^th grade was added with a total of 482 elementary students and 104 high schoolers.

By the 1922-23 school year, 508 students studied under ten teachers in grades 1-7 and 328 in grades 8-11 under nine teachers. The school became so crowded, a temporary wooden building called “The Doghouse” was erected at the corner of Trenton Street and Florida Avenue.

A $175,000 bond election in 1922 allowed the school board to plan two new (and white) elementary schools, renovate Ruston Public School into a proper high school, and a brick school building for black students.

The new brick building constructed in 1924 on Oakdale Street for black students became known as Washington Heights School. Before that, in Ruston’s early days, black students attended schools in space provided by churches. In 1891, the private Ruston Normal Colored School was formed on West Line Avenue, a site now occupied by the Neighborhood Walmart. Even when black public schools were constructed, they were leaps and bounds behind white schools until integration in the 1960-70s when all-black schools were closed. Ruston High was fully integrated in the fall of 1970 when Lincoln High were incorporated into the school.

The 1911 Ruston Public School was known as Ruston High School in 1924 after the departure of the elementary students to the completed Hillcrest and Eastland Schools. A third floor of the school was finished out and the building served as a high school until the “new” high school was completed on Cooktown Road (now Bearcat Drive) in 1939. The old high school then served as a junior high for a time.

The 12^th grade was not added to Ruston High until the 1949-50 school year. The Art Deco-styled building has seen numerous additions to double its size.

So take your pick on the year Ruston High was started—1884, 1896, 1911, 1924. You can make a case for each of them.

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by Malcolm Butler

Losing six of their first seven games was not what Landon Hall, James Myers and the Cedar Creek senior class had on their bingo card entering this season.

But reality can be hard.

With a 37-man roster that includes more eighth graders than seniors and a total of 26 underclassmen, the Cougars have endured plenty of growing pains during the 1-6 start to the year.

Despite the constant struggles, Cougars head coach William Parkerson has stayed consistent with his messaging to both his team and the local media throughout the first seven weeks, and odds are it won’t change over the final month.

“Obviously, I knew we would be young and would have to count on way more freshmen and eighth graders then we would ever want to,” said Parkerson. “It has been fun to see some of the underclassmen not only make leaps from week one to where we are now, but sometimes actually grow up during one game from half to half. It’s been fun to see some guys grow up.”

The Cougars have been outscored 230-72 in their six losses with their lone victory being a 64-0 win over a Plain Dealing program that hasn’t won in more than three years. The highs on the field have been few and far between when it comes to winning games.

Yet, despite the tough times, Cedar Creek’s seven-man senior class has stayed the course. It’s something not lost on their head coach.

“I have been proud of the way the juniors and seniors have handled it,” said Parkerson. “They have continued to do what they can. They continue to help teach. I knew it would be a challenging year. I am very much a glass half full type of guy. I obviously thought we would have more than one win at this point, but they are a fun group to be around. They have gotten better every week, and it’s a good locker-room. Hopefully, we can come out and finish strong and give ourselves a shot at the playoffs.”

Staying positive despite so much adversity is tough for anyone of any age, much less 16- and 17-year-olds. Parkerson gives his players and their families the credit.

“It says more about who they are as people then anything,” said the second-year Cougars head coach. “They continue to play hard. They continue to put in the work. I can still tell they are locked in when I’m talking to the team. Their eyes are focused. It has more to do with how they have been raised by their parents. They continue to fight and believe. They have had a heavy weight put on their shoulders, and they have handled it like champs.”

The senior class has played for three head coaches during their four years in high school. And while Parkerson points to the leadership of those seniors, the players point right back to the mindset and messaging of their head coach.

“Coach Parkerson is huge part of (our positivity),” said Hall, a senior offensive lineman for the Cougars. “I’ve had a lot of coaches at Cedar Creek. And I’ve never had someone who invests in every single player as much as Coach Parkerson does with us. He has written me notes. Every week he writes all of us two to three pages full of motivational stuff. He has leadership meetings. He has bible studies. I feel so connected.

“He always stays on track. He never deviates from his objectives. His primary objective is to win, but he makes sure we are all loved. It’s phenomenal.”

Myers, who has proven to be the Cougars top play-maker this year, said he has stayed focused on being a conduit for future success for the program … even if he won’t be wearing the interlocked C’s and reap the benefits when that time comes.

“Just to build a legacy, building something that will be passed on to the players next year and into the future,” said Myers when asked what continues to motivate him. “(Wednesday) morning we had a bible study, and we were talking about what do I want to leave behind for the other players. I want them to know the work I put in to inspire them in the future. It’s just about building for the future.”

In a day and age where sometimes wins and losses become too important and the overriding goal of developing young people into leaders of the future, it’s a tribute to the Creek senior class which also includes Mason Wooden, Landon Burnham, Nolan Martin, Joseph Luffey, and Aidan Woods.

There is no doubt this group wants to win and hasn’t given up hopes of making a playoff push over the final three weeks. However, they do so with the right mindset.

“I like to win, but I play football to play football,” said Hall. “I love the sport and everything that comes with it. The most important thing to me is the people that I get to do it with. That’s what makes it worth waking up for.”

“It’s been fun,” said Myers. “I’ve enjoyed my teammates. There hasn’t been any negativity on the team. It’s been a good year for getting to know people and help mold these younger players.

“My goal down the stretch is to encourage my teammates and give it everything that I have. Obviously, the goal is to win. But I’m just going to give it everything that I have with everything I do.”

Win or lose, Parkerson said the process remains the same.

“We just kept doing what we do,” said Parkerson. “That’s all I know to do.”

For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox. Just CLICK HERE to sign up.

RUSTON, La. – The local chapter of Habitat for Humanity recognized the ETA Zeta Chapter right before halftime Tuesday night in Tech’s 14-10 win over UTEP for their fundraising efforts in the first annual ”Raise a House” Award, known as the “Hammer Award.”

“Raise a House” was a campus-wide fundraiser for all student organizations, where each group would raise funds for Habitat for Humanity in any way they chose. The contest lasted two months with the deadline of Monday, Oct. 14.

”The chapter felt it was an amazing opportunity to give back to our Ruston community and philanthropy has always been important, but the competition made it even better,” Sigma Nu member Read Areingdale said. “The competition exceeded our expectations in the amount of money that was raised. But it doesn’t stop now. The chapter is planning to assist in the landscaping of one of the new houses being built in Ruston.”

“Our efforts entailed one day where we cooked and sold burgers in Centennial Plaza on campus and we also held a carwash at the Sigma Nu house that was extremely successful,” fellow Sigma Nu member Luke Hackney said. “The response from Habitat was truly grateful. For starters, (Habitat for Humanity CEO) Mrs. Kathy Gardner is truly an amazing woman. The passion she feels for Habitat is so authentic. Throughout our fundraisers she was so supportive and grateful that we could come together as a chapter for a better cause.”

Gardner said she was thankful for all of the efforts by students to help raise funds and encouraged for students to volunteer to help their efforts.

”For the first year I was totally blown away by what these students accomplished,” Gardner said. “We have two homes in Ruston to build now, and we need volunteer workers to help us complete these homes. We invite (other students) to join us next year, see what we’re about and volunteer building homes for those that need a hand-up and a safe place to call home.”

The Raise a House competition was deemed so successful that it will continue next year.

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