Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents cited three people for alleged night hunting violations.
On December 3, agents cited Gabriel Ovitt, 20, and a 17-year-old female, both of Dubach, for taking deer during illegal hours in Lincoln Parish. On December 8, agents cited Jeffrey Page, 48, of Farmerville, for taking deer during illegal hours in Union Parish.
In Lincoln Parish, agents received information on December 3 about a potential illegally harvested deer that was taken to a local deer processor. Agents made contact with Ovitt and the teenager and they admitted to harvesting an 8-point deer near Dubach on the night of December 2. Agents learned Ovitt shot the deer with a rifle while the female held a spotlight.
On the morning of December 8 in Union Parish, agents found a harvested deer laying near a road near Farmerville. Agents made contact with Page who admitted to harvesting the 3-point deer with a rifle around 3:45 a.m. that morning.
Agents seized the two deer and donated them to a local charity. They also seized the two rifles.
Taking deer during illegal hours brings a $900 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail. Ovitt and the teen may also face civil restitution totaling $2,033 for the replacement value of the illegally taken deer. Page may face civil restitution totaling $1,624 for his illegally taken deer.
The holiday season is a time for giving, and the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home (LMCH) is inviting the community to help make Christmas memorable for children in need through their annual Angel Tree program. By participating, you can create lasting memories and bring joy to children who may not otherwise experience the magic of the holidays.
The Angel Tree, located at the Walmart Supercenter in Ruston, is decorated with Wish Cards, each representing a child’s Christmas wish. The community is encouraged to visit the tree, select a Wish Card, and purchase a gift for a child in LMCH’s care. Donated gifts can be dropped off at the collection box in the Walmart Vision Center or delivered directly to Methodist Children’s Home.
“It’s amazing to think about the joy on a child’s face when they unwrap a gift they’ve always wanted,” said Michael Garriga, Communications Manager at Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home. “But the Angel Tree is about more than just gifts—it’s about spreading love, hope, and the warmth of the season to children who need it most. Every gift donated makes a real difference.”
The Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home provides comprehensive, intensive care for children ages 11 to 17 with severe emotional and behavioral needs. LMCH is a program of Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services (LUMCFS), a nonprofit organization with a more than 100-year history dedicated to children’s and families’ mental health and overall well-being. LUMCFS delivers crucial services to Louisiana’s children including residential care, therapeutic foster care, and community-based services throughout our state.
Every day, LMCH fosters hope and healing in young people, helping them build brighter futures. The Angel Tree program is one of many ways the Ruston community brings joy and love to children at LMCH during the holiday season.
Let’s make this Christmas a season of hope, love, and memories for the children of the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home.
For more information about the Angel Tree program or how you can get involved, please call 318-242-4638 or visit LUMCFS.org/fundraising/holiday-giving/angel-tree/
Cannon Robbins scored 20 points to help the Cougars down West Ouachita Saturday night. (Photo by Darrell James)
by Malcolm Butler
Cedar Creek raced out of the starting gate to build a big first quarter lead in defeating West Ouachita 64-50 Saturday night at the Neill Killgore Memorial Tournament at The Brickhouse.
The Cougars (6-2) led 23-5 after the opening eight minutes behind a combined 19 points between Jake Terry and Cannon Robbins. The duo hit four three-pointers in the first quarter while West Ouachita (11-3) hit only two baskets total.
Over the next two quarters, the Chiefs outscored Creek 35-25 to close to within 48-40 after the third quarter of action.
However, Terry netted 12 points in the final stanza as the Cougars outscored West Ouachita by six points to pick up the 14-point victory, handing the Class 4A Chiefs only their third loss of the season.
Terry led Creek with 26 points while Cannon added 20 points.
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.
Monday, Dec. 16 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome 5:30 p.m.: Ruston Planning and Zoning meeting (Ruston City Hall) 6 p.m.: Toastmasters International meeting (Louisiana Center for the Blind, 101 South Trenton Street) 6 p.m.: GSU men’s basketball game 6-9 p.m.: Creative Meetups (Creatives at Work, 301 N. Trenton) 6:30 p.m.: LA Tech men’s basketball game
Tuesday, Dec. 17 4-8 p.m.: Ice skating (Ruston Sports Complex) 6-8 p.m.: Gingerbread baking and decorating class (Ruston Farmers Market)
Wednesday, Dec. 18 7-8 a.m.: Veterans Coffee Club (PJ’s Coffee) 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome Noon: GSU women’s basketball game
Thursday, Dec. 19 Last day of school for Lincoln Parish schools 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall) 4-8 p.m.: Ice skating (Ruston Sports Complex) 6-8 p.m.: Christmas Charcuterie and wine tasting (Ruston Farmers Market) 6:30 p.m.: Lady Techsters basketball game 6:30 p.m.: Ruston Rudolph Run 5k (Ruston Sports Complex) 7 p.m.: “In The Christmas Mood” holiday concert (Dixie Theatre)
Friday, Dec. 20 5-8 p.m.: Movie and ice skating (Ruston Sports Complex) 6 p.m.: Ruston Christmas Parade
Saturday, Dec. 21 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market 9-11 a.m.: Cookies and Cocoa with Santa (Ruston Sports Complex) Noon to 5 p.m.: Ice skating (Ruston Sports Complex) 3 p.m.: LA Tech men’s basketball game
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.
Louisiana Tech continues its home stand tonight as the Bulldogs play host to Grand Canyon as part of the CUSA/WAC Challenge. This is one of two non-conference games remaining for LA Tech before its 18-game Conference USA slate begins.
Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game can be heard on KXKZ 107.5 FM with Malcolm Butler and Jack Thigpen providing a call of the action.
Trailing much of the game, LA Tech (9-2) went on a 29-11 run over the last 12 minutes to come away with a 77-63 victory over Georgia Southern this past Friday. The Bulldogs shot a blistering 65.5 percent in the second half, including a stretch of making nine of 10 field goals.
The Bulldogs were highly efficient on offense again, shooting 53.9 percent from the field versus the Eagles. It marked their sixth game this season shooting over 50 percent and the fourth time in their last five contests (shooting 51.1 percent during this span). The team currently ranks 24th in the nation in effective field goal percentage at 57.3 percent.
Daniel Batcho was near perfect from the field, going 9-of-10 for 22 points versus Georgia Southern, his fourth game of 20+ points this season. He is currently averaging 19.5 points per game, which ranks 28th in the country while shooting 74.5 percent from the field, best in the nation. Batcho has shot at least 80 percent seven times in 11 games. The CUSA Preseason Player of the Year also extended his streak of consecutive games with a block to 15, bringing his season total to 31 (third most in the country). He needs two more blocks to become the eighth Bulldog in program history with 100 rejections.
Kaden Cooper had his best game as a Bulldog, posting a career-high 25 points to go along with eight rebounds and three steals versus the Eagles. He scored 14 of LA Tech’s last 18 points during their late run to defeat Georgia Southern. Meanwhile, his 26 steals rank 13th in the country and he also is averaging a team-best 8.0 rebounds per game, having led the team in boards seven times this season.
Sean Newman Jr. continues to be one of the top passers in college basketball. He had 11 against Georgia Southern, his fifth game this season with 10+ dimes (tied for third most in program history). He now has 99 total assists for an average of 9.0 assists per game, both ranking second in the nation.
With a short bench due to injuries, freshman AJ Bates has stepped up as a key contributor for the Bulldogs. After playing a total of 54 minutes in seven of LA Tech’s first nine games, Bates has averaged 20.5 minutes off the bench in the last two contests versus UL-Lafayette and Georgia Southern, averaging 8.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in those games.
Grand Canyon (6-3) had a stellar 2023-24 season, going 30-5 while winning the Western Athletic Conference regular season and tournament title and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after an upset win over Saint Mary’s. GCU is the unanimous favorite to finish first in the WAC and began the season receiving votes in the AP preseason poll.
The Lopes had won four straight games over Norfolk State, Stanford, Hawaii, and Life Pacific before falling 73-68 to Georgia in the Holiday Hoopsgiving event in Atlanta. GCU rallied from a 10-point deficit with three minutes to go to have a chance to tie the game with a pair of three-point attempts, but the shots did not fall and UGA put the game away at the foul line.
Reigning WAC Player of the Year Tyon Grant-Foster, who averaged 21.0 points per game last season, elected to return to Grand Canyon for one more year of college basketball after testing the NBA Draft waters. After missing the first two games of the season, he returned against Arizona State and has since averaged a team-best 15.3 points along with 6.0 rebounds per game. He has scored in double figures five times, including a 23-point effort against Hawaii.
Offensively, GCU is one of the best teams in the country at getting to the foul line. The Lopes average 26.8 free throw attempts per game, which ranks 11th in the country. They have taken 25+ free throws in seven of their nine games this season. As a result, they average 19.9 made FTs per contest.
Defensively, the Lopes apply heavy pressure and try to turn you over. They currently rank 17th in the country in turnovers forced per game at 16.44. Many of those are live ball turnovers as they also average 10.4 steals per game, ninth most in the nation.
LA Tech and Grand Canyon matched up for the first time ever last season with the Lopes winning, 73-70, in Phoenix.
Louisiana Tech fell to 12th-ranked TCU 92-41 in Schollmaier Arena on Sunday afternoon.
Louisiana Tech (5-4) took the lead a minute into the game with a 3-pointer by Jianna Morris. After TCU (10-1) tied it with a three of their own, Robyn Lee pulled up in the short corner to give the Lady Techster the lead again at 5-3. The Horned Frogs would end the quarter on a 16-0 run to take control of the game.
Jordan Marshall ended the Tech scoring nine-minute scoring drought, but TCU would use another 15-point run to grow the lead to 37-7 at the second quarter media timeout. Paris Bradley and Morris would combine for nine points over the final five minutes to keep the deficit the same heading into halftime.
The Lady Techsters had good looks throughout the third, but the shots wouldn’t fall, and the deficit grew to 66-24.
LA Tech continued to fight and put up 17 points in the fourth behind 10 from Paris Bradley. However, the Horned Frogs’ lead would be insurmountable.
Louisiana Tech finished shooting 28 percent from the field and just 4-16 from deep. Bradley led the way with 15 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Morris chipped in 11 on 4-9 shooting and 3-6 from long range. Taylor Rietveld came in to lead the Lady Techsters with five rebounds.
TCU shot 53.8 percent from the field and 12-31 from the 3-point line. Hailey Van Lith finished with 23 points, while Madison Conner added 18. Sedona Prince had 12 points and seven boards for the Horned Frogs.
Louisiana Tech will return to the Thomas Assembly Center on December 19 to take on Central Baptist at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+. The game is the annual Ugly Sweater/Toys for Tots game, and all fans are encouraged to wear their Ugly Christmas Sweater for a chance to win prizes.
Victoria Ellen Jones Fallin, or Vici as most knew her, went to her heavenly home on December 14, 2024. Vici was born on December 10, 1942, in Nashville, Tennessee, to Richard and Peggy Jones. After a move to Arizona and the birth of her beloved baby brother, Drew, the Jones family settled in Ruston, Louisiana, and Vici was enrolled in second grade at Eastland Elementary School and assigned to Mrs. Sunshine’s class where she was befriended by a little black-haired boy named Jimmy Ray Fallin. Neither of them realized it at the time, but that friendship later led to a marriage of 56 years, three daughters, three sons-in-law, seven grandchildren, a grandson-in-law, a granddaughter-in-law, four greatgranddaughters and one great grandson on the way.
A graduate of Ruston High School, Vici attended Louisiana Tech University where she earned her degree in interior design. Upon graduation, Jimmy and Vici married on August 21, 1965, at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Ruston, Louisiana. They then moved to Dallas, Texas, where their daughters Elizabeth and Laura were born. The family of four then moved to Plano, Texas, where they welcomed their baby daughter Carey. And they eventually moved to Lubbock, Texas. But no matter how geographically removed she was, Ruston was always in her heart and what she considered home. Lots of trips were made across I-20 in a forest-green followed by a yellow station wagon (with wood panel of course) to come “home” to visit for most holidays and spans of time in the summer. The family eventually moved to Ruston as co-owners of Ruston Lumber and Supply for about 10 years and then had the opportunity to go back to Texas, moving to Georgetown and living there for 16 years before settling back in Ruston to retire, and replanting those Ruston roots. But no matter where she lived, she managed to gather up lifelong friends.
Vici loved her Lord and His words, but of all scripture verses, this would have to be the one that she most assuredly lived out daily.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8-9
This is what we all hope to do a little bit better when we reflect on her in our hearts or share stories of her with our mouths and ears and with our eyes when we look at God’s creation and the creations of those He created in a way that she would have seen it and then use our whole selves to do something noble, beautiful, pure, lovely, true, excellent, and praiseworthy…just as she did. As one of her cousin’s noted, she was the family historian, the Polyanna, cheerleader, friend, artist, mother, sister, cousin, grandmother, great-grandmother, and the list goes on.
Trying to describe her in words is like trying to capture and contain a brush of watercolor paint in one specific place on the paper. It cannot be done because it cannot be confined to one boundary on that paper. That was her. She was rather like a quilt, the first thing many of us connect to her. She was made up of so many God-given talents and interests and passions of all sorts, just like the myriads of fabrics she sewed into one quilt. She loved needlepoint, and she painted liturgical canvases for many churches that translated the words of scripture into beautiful visual masterpieces that sing praises to our Creator God and His Savior Son. She was also selected to paint the needlepoint canvases for the chair backs at the Texas Wildflower Center where she captured His pure and lovely nature and allowed them bloom perennially.
A member of the Piney Hills Quilt Guild, PEO, the Fabric Shoppe’s Creative Club, The Garden Study Club, her beloved Stitch group, and the altar guilds of every Episcopal church in every place she has lived, Vici has certainly bloomed where she has planted. Vici’s biggest gifts from God were her heart and her art, and she leaves legacies of both behind as she left the world a much more beautiful place with her compassion and her talents.
She is preceded in death by herhusband, Jimmy Ray Fallin; her parents, Richard and Peggy Jones; and her brother, Drew Jones.
She is survived by daughter Elizabeth Fallin Manning and husband Rodney of Ruston, LA; daughter Laura Fallin Ferguson and husband, Jeff of Austin, TX; daughter Carey Fallin Hurst and husband Jay of Dallas, TX; grandchildren Matthew Manning and wife Chastin, Mary-Margaret Manning Arnold and husband Nick, Henry, Caty, and Jack Ferguson, and Molly Cate and Ellen Hurst; and great-grandchildren Camilla Kate Manning, Megan Kate Arnold, Lauren Drew Arnold, and Olivia Grace Arnold.
Services will be held Wednesday, December 18, 2024 at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer with visitation beginning at 10:00 A.M. and the service to follow at 11:00 A.M. under the care and direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes in Ruston. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that memorials be made to The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer of Ruston or to The Well of North Louisiana.
The family would like to thank the medical staff of the following facilities: Ruston Regional Specialty Hospital, Bienville Medical Center, Dr. Benson Grigsby, Dr. Michael Languilli, Dr. Shane Barton and Mike Angelo, PA, and Dr. Guillermo Padilla for their tireless and compassionate care. Our heartfelt thanks also extends to Muriel Hayes, Sandra Hardywayand the amazing staff at The Terrace,the wonderful medical staff of Best Home Health, and to Lacy Youngblood and the passionate nurses and staff of Premier Hospice for their constant care. We also want to express our sincere thanks to Mrs. Ammi Schillinger who shepherded us through this journey to heaven. Finally the family wants to extend their deepest gratitude to Denise Hadnot and Lisa Burksfor their extraordinary loving emotional and physical support.
Victoria Ellen Jones Fallin Dec. 10, 1942 — Dec. 14, 2024 Visitation: 10 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 18 at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer Service: 11 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 18 at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer
Cannon Robbins scored 20 points to help the Cougars down West Ouachita Saturday night. (Photo by Darrell James)
by Malcolm Butler
Cedar Creek raced out of the starting gate to build a big first quarter lead in defeating West Ouachita 64-50 Saturday night at the Neill Killgore Memorial Tournament at The Brickhouse.
The Cougars (6-2) led 23-5 after the opening eight minutes behind a combined 19 points between Jake Terry and Cannon Robbins. The duo hit four three-pointers in the first quarter while West Ouachita (11-3) hit only two baskets total.
Over the next two quarters, the Chiefs outscored Creek 35-25 to close to within 48-40 after the third quarter of action.
However, Terry netted 12 points in the final stanza as the Cougars outscored West Ouachita by six points to pick up the 14-point victory, handing the Class 4A Chiefs only their third loss of the season.
Terry led Creek with 26 points while Cannon added 20 points.
NEW ORLEANS, La. — A nightmare scenario unfolded Saturday in the Caesar’s Superdome after Central played arguably its best football while Ruston High (11-3) struggled to find much offense on the night, leading to a Bearcat loss by a final score of 42-0 to finish runner-up in the Division I, Non-Select State Championship.
It was the first time Ruston had been shut out since 2020 in a playoff loss to Destrehan.
“For whatever reason or another, I didn’t get our guys ready to play, and I take full responsibility for that,” Ruston High head coach Jerrod Baugh said in his post-game press conference. “That’s what my job is. And somewhere, I fell through the cracks.”
Central’s game plan was executed nearly flawlessly in the first quarter. After winning the coin toss, the vaunted Wildcat defense held Ruston to a 3-and-out before Central senior quarterback Jackson Firmin found junior wide receiver Keithon Womack on 2nd-and-2 for a 59-yards touchdown with 8:56 to go in the first quarter.
On Ruston’s following drive, Bearcat senior quarterback Josh Brantley could not hold onto the snap and fumbled the ball, leading to a scoop-and-score by Wildcat senior defensive-lineman DK Mays less than a minute later to give Central a 14-0 lead.
Brantley would follow with his first interception of the day to Wildcat cornerback Mason Moore at the Ruston 35-yards line. The Bearcat defense would force a long field goal miss wide left, but would be forced to punt again. Central would drive the football down the field and score with 4:34 to go in the first half with a five-yard touchdown to senior wide receiver Kylon Thomas to lead 21-0.
Ruston again had to punt, and Central would score again on a 40-yard touchdown throw to Steven Ranel a minute later to extend the Wildcat lead to 28-0 with 3:26 to go before the half. Following Ruston’s fourth punt of the first half, Firmin threw another touchdown pass to sophomore Tyron Williams with 0:12 seconds to go in the second quarter to lead 35-0.
“We couldn’t get into sync offensively,” Baugh said. “Defensively, we started (senior cornerback Aidan) Anding and he got knocked around and we had to pull him out. Then you go shuffling some guys around in the secondary, and we were kind of thin back there already, because we had to take (senior defensive back) Fabian Stringfellow and move him to corner. And then (senior defensive lineman) Peyton Bell got hurt in the first half. He’s a big key to a lot of the things we do. But you have to be able to plug some guys in and be able to make it work.
“Central was a really good football team. They do some things up front in the defensive line that messes up some blocking schemes, and we just never got setting and didn’t have enough plays to run in the first half to get to figure out what we were looking at.”
After the Bearcats started the second half with an onside attempt, Central was able to recover. The Bearcat defense had Central on a third down and ten situation, before Firmin ran 13-yard pickup for a first down. It would lead to a blocked field goal by Bearcat sophomore linebacker Keilan Davis with 8:20 to go in the third quarter.
Ruston had a chance after a first down pickup by Brantley, but a tipped pass led to an interception for Central with 7:18 in the third. Senior linebacker Zander Hayes would pick off Firmin, but the Bearcats would not be able to get any points.
Central scored on a 15-yard touchdown pass to Womack with 7:53 to play, leading to a running clock situation.
Ruston only picked up a total 90 yards offense, while Central finished with 319. The Bearcats were penalized 10 times for 84 yards and only converted one third down on the day.
Ruston High senior Aidan Anding went out of the game early after taking a hard hit as a precaution from a possible head injury suffered last week against Destrehan.
“It was really precautionary to leave him out,” Baugh said of Anding. “Last week, there an incident similar to that, and we were very, very reluctant to push that. We all know that one football game, regardless of whether it’s a state championship or a bowl game, it’s not worth it for any player, regardless of what the future looks like. It’s unfortunate, because he wanted to try to get back in there — but that was just something that we weren’t going to change.”
And while this outcome will certainly sting for players, fans, coaches and administrators, there will still be much to celebrate for the graduating senior class that has accomplished so many things as Bearcats: Beating West Monroe for the first time in three decades, appearing in three straight championship and winning last year’s title.
“I don’t want that to downplay what these guys have accomplished this season,” Baugh said of Saturday’s game. “We’ve had a lot of accomplishments — this senior group has accomplished a lot of things that hadn’t been done at Ruston High School in a long time, or at all.
“It’s hard at a place like Ruston that has a tradition that we have with football to come up with some things that have yet to be done there. So this one game doesn’t define who these guys are up here, and they know that. They know I love them, regardless of what the score turned out to be.”
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.
Two weeks after it thought its season had come to an end, Louisiana Tech is now preparing for a bowl game.
The Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl announced today that Marshall has pulled out of the game and Louisiana Tech will replace the Thundering Herd in the December 28 match-up with Army.
Tech AD Ryan Ivey said that the conversation about it being a possibility began earlier this week, but it really heated up late Friday night.
“We began talking in earnest last night about 10:30 p.m.,” said Ivey. “We had an initial call earlier in the week about it being a possibility, but at that time it looked like Marshall would still be able to play.
“Then last night I got a call around 10:30 p.m. and it became more and more of a real possibility.”
Following its win over UL-Lafayette in the Sun Belt Conference championships game, Marshall head coach Charles Huff departed to take the job at Southern Miss. Following Huff’s announcement, a majority of Marshall players followed suit, entering the transfer portal.
According to ESPN Senior Writer Adam Rittenberg, Marshall had 36 players in the transfer portal – 17 of those from the team’s two-deep, including starting QB and Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year Braylon Braxton.
With no other 6-6 teams available, the Independence Bowl turned to 5-7 teams.
“When there aren’t enough team to quality for bowls, they go to APR to determine the order and it’s based off the multi-year rate,” said Ivey, referring to the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate. “Then it’s up to the teams to say yes or no.”
With most schools on the semester system, many have already left for winter break. Louisiana Tech is on the quarter system and the winter quarter began two weeks ago.
Ivey said he had numerous conversations with Bulldog head coach Sonny Cumbie before telling the bowl officials that the Bulldogs would play.
“We talked about if we are going to have enough players to field a competitive team,” said Ivey. “We wanted to make sure we have a chance to compete knowing Army is such a strong opponent. We obviously had to be prepared for that. After those conversations we feel we are in a good spot.
“Our guys are excited to play. I know the season didn’t go our way, but this is a positive for our program in many ways.”
Ivey confirmed the new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin is already on campus and would be a part of the staff heading into the bowl game.
This will be Tech’s sixth appearance in the Independence Bowl. Most recently, the Bulldogs won the 2008 Independence Bowl over Northern Illinois 17-10 and the 2019 Independence Bowl over Miami 14-0.
Army is 11-1 heading into today’s annual match-up against Navy. The Black Knights won the American Athletic Conference title game 35-14 over Tulane.
Avery Ryan drives for two during Cedar Creek’s double overtime win over West Monroe Friday night. (Photo by Darrell James)
by Malcolm Butler
Cedar Creek 58, West Monroe 53 (2OT)
Cedar Creek outscored District 2-5A foe West Monroe 7-2 in the second overtime to pull off one of its biggest wins in years as the Lady Cougars downed the Rebels 58-53 Friday night at the Neill Killgore Memorial Tournament at The Brickhouse.
Alivia Lee, Mary Grace Hawkins and Mallory Smith each hit buckets in the second overtime period while Taylor Martinez added a free throw as the Lady Cougars held the Rebels to just one field goal.
Creek (7-2) now has wins over West Monroe (5-5), Bastrop and Northwood during the young season.
The Lady Cougars jumped out to an 18-10 lead after the first period behind nine points by Ryan and five from Martinez in the opening eight minutes of play. However, Creek went cold, scoring only two points in the second quarter as the Lady Cougars trailed 26-20 at halftime.
Smith hit a trio of trifectas over the final two quarters while Lee scored six points in the final frame, including 4-of-4 at the free throw line, as the two teams were tied at 45-45 at the end of regulation.
The two teams both scored six points in the first overtime, including another three-pointer by Smith, before entering the game deciding second overtime period.
Creek will host Simsboro at 6:30 p.m. tonight while the Cougars will host West Ouachita at 7:45 p.m.
________________________________________
Cedar Creek Scoring: FG(3FG)-FT-TP
Alivia Lee 3-6-12; Mary Grace Hawkins 3(1)-0-7; Caroline James 1(1)-0-3; Mallory Smith 5(4)-1-15; Taylor Martinez 3(1)-3-10; Avery Ryan 5-1-11. Totals: 20(7)-11-58
Three players scored in double figures as the Lady Cougars defeated Lincoln Parish foe Simsboro 57-37 Saturday night in the final day of the Neill Killgore Memorial Tournament at The Brickhouse.
Avery Ryan and Mary Grace Hawkins each scored 11 and Alivia Lee added 13 points as Creek improved to 8-2 on the season.
Curniya McCallister led Simsboro with 15 points.
The Lady Cougars scored 18 points in both the first and second quarters to take a 36-20 halftime lead and never looked back.
Caroline James added eight points for Creek.
____________________________
Score by Quarters
Simsboro 12-8-9-8=37
Cedar Creek 18-18-15-6=57
Simsboro Scoring: FG(3FG)-FT-TP
J. Abney 2-0-4; D Powell 2-4-6; T. Graham 1(1)-2-5; K. Heard 1-0-2; C. McCallister 5(3)-2-15; B. Williams 2-1-5
Cedar Creek Scoring: FG(3FG)-FT-TP
Alivia Lee 5(1)-2-13; Mary Grace Hawkins 3(3)-2-11; Caroline James 3(1)-1-8; Mallory Smith 1(1)-2-5; Taylor Martinez 1(1)-0-3; Zoey Venters 2-0-4; S. Mariano 0-2-2; Avery Ryan 5(1)-0-11
RUSTON, La. — Regardless of the outcome in Saturday’s championship game, this will be the final game of the 2024 season for the Ruston High School Bearcats (11-2).
Gathered Thursday before lunch for the last time in pads before the Super Dome showdown with Central High School from Baton Rouge, Ruston Head Coach Jerrod Baugh shared that one of the biggest hurdles for this week has been keeping the kids laser-focused on the task at hand and avoid the distractions that naturally come with playing for a state championship.
Or worse: underestimating their opponent.
That commitment to practicing hard throughout the week and making the right preparations outside of just game day is the standard of excellence Baugh holds his players to, and while he knows not every practice is going to be perfect, he also knows what it takes to win a championship.
“I was a little disappointed about practice today,” Baugh said. “Maybe my expectations were too high. It just seemed like we just came out here and checked boxes. Look, I get it — they’re high school kids. There’s a lot of things going on. My thing is, they’re probably listening to too many people outside of here telling them they’ve already won. Someone has gotten the idea that Central is not any good, and I sure don’t know where that idea is coming from. They’re going to be ready to play. Their coach (David Simoneaux) has been in state championships, and he knows how to get his teams ready.
“We’ve got to just finish the week the way we know how to do, and our walkthrough on Saturday needs to be really good. We’re getting ready to play a good football team, and I’m not going to let us ignore them.”
After one final walkthrough today at Hoss Garrett Stadium, the team will be leaving tomorrow morning for New Orleans at 5:45 a.m., and community members are invited to come see the team off.
From there, the Bearcats will conduct a walkthrough indoors at Elite Training Academy in Baton Rouge before getting to the Super Dome. The original plan was to conduct the walkthrough at Southeastern University in Hammond, La., but the weather forecast calls for rain on Saturday.
And to harken back to the early days of the 2024 schedule, this is why Baugh wanted to play a couple Saturday games at neutral sites in Texas.
“As many things as you can do to put kids in a position to something they’ll face similarly down the road, it makes their comfort level that much better,” Baugh said. “They’ve already been in (a Saturday game) routine a couple of times. And they’ve already been in a routine where it’s an early morning, get on the bus, make the trip to play in an afternoon game. Everybody operates a little bit better when you’re comfortable with the situation that’s out there in front of you.”
Should Ruston beat Central, it would be the first time in school history that the Bearcats would be back-to-back state champions. In fact, the 2023 team was the first in school history to even get back to the Super Dome for two consecutive years.
The Bearcat Nation Network will not be able to stream a video of the game due to licensing restrictions — however, the home radio broadcast will be on Q94.1 FM. The audio can also be streamed at KRLQFM.com.
Bearcat fans traveling to New Orleans are invited to a pregame community tailgate Saturday, Dec. 14, from 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. sponsored by Origin Bank to be held at the Opening Act at Champions Square by the Super Dome.
Grambling State University has named NaToria Tarrant the valedictorian of the Fall 2024 graduating class. Tarrant earned the distinction with a GPA of 3.88 and will graduate with a degree in management.
Hailing from Lancaster, Texas, Tarrant is the daughter of Lisa and Randy Tarrant. Her academic journey has been marked by consistent scholarship support, which she has leveraged to achieve her goals.
“I have been fortunate to be a consistent scholarship recipient throughout my academic career,” Tarrant said.
Tarrant’s involvement in campus organizations reflects her dedication to leadership and community service. She is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Grambling State University Cheerleaders, and the Earl Lester Cole Honors College. Additionally, she is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the International Business Honor Society.
“Becoming a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and a Grambling State University Cheerleader are two of my most memorable moments at GSU,” Tarrant said.
As Tarrant prepares for her next chapter, she has clear aspirations for her future. Her ambition aligns with her commitment to making a positive impact in her community and beyond.
“I plan on pursuing a career in government and creating my own business,” Tarrant said.
Reflecting on her time at Grambling, Tarrant expressed her desire to give back.
“Once I graduate, I will contribute as a proud alumna to many initiatives at Grambling State University,” Tarrant said.
Her dedication to her alma mater and her community exemplifies the spirit of service that is a hallmark of GSU graduates.
As Tarrant steps into the future, she carries with her the values and experiences that have shaped her journey at Grambling State University. With a bright path ahead, she is poised to make meaningful contributions to both government and entrepreneurship.
Grambling State University will hold its Fall 2024 Commencement on Friday, December 13, at 10:00 a.m. in the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center with Dr. Percy “Master P” Miller as the keynote speaker. During the ceremony, degrees will be conferred from Graduate Studies, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the College of Education, and the College of Professional Studies, celebrating the hard work and commitment of graduates.
With a growing population of stray dogs and cats in Lincoln Parish, 4-Paws Rescue Inc. Is stepping up to address this issue. By providing room for discussion about the stray animal crisis with a community meeting this Saturday, 4 Paws hopes to foster discussion about ideas and possible solutions to address animal welfare across the parish. All concerned citizens and local officials are invited to talk, learn and present information to address the abandoned animal issue.
The community meeting will take place this Saturday, December 14th from 12-2pm at the Lincoln Parish Library. Attendees can enter the main door of the library, and the meeting will be in the room on the left. Everyone is invited to come learn and discuss, whether they live in Lincoln parish or elsewhere. The event will provide an opportunity for the community to collaborate in finding an impactful solution.
4 Paws Rescue Inc. volunteer and board member, Lauren DeFreese, emphasized the urgency of tackling the problem.
“It is important to address this issue, because the stray animal crisis is getting worse. We get calls daily at 4 Paws of people finding dogs abandoned at dumpsters, dumped on rural roads, found in cages at dumpsters, and there have even been animals found inside dumpsters,” DeFreese said. “We have taken in animals emaciated and injured living on the streets of Ruston. These things are happening right outside our front door. If we don’t come together and come up with a better plan, it will only continue to get worse.”
It is not only the shelters that have become troubled by the staggering population of dumped dogs and cats. Many residents of Lincoln Parish and nearby communities have also raised concerns about the impact of abandoned animals. Dawn Basinger, retired associate dean for the College of Education at Louisiana Tech University, shared her thoughts.
“There are too many people that are dumping dogs. The city of Ruston has animal control, but the parish doesn’t help 4 Paws Rescue, and the shelter is always full because of the dumping,” Basinger said. “I have 8 dogs. I love my fur babies, but you know there are people you think that dogs are just dogs. There are also people who don’t spay and neuter their animals, so we have this overpopulation of puppies and kittens. I wish we could just all pull together to fix this problem somehow, because it really is a problem.”
Mayor Ronny Walker has confirmed his attendance at the event, and members of the Lincoln Parish Police Jury, sheriff’s office, RAC staff, and other local officials have also been invited. DeFreese hopes the meeting will give those with potential solutions the opportunity to share their ideas with decision-makers who can implement them. This meeting could be the first step in solving the issue of pets being abandoned in Lincoln Parish and throughout Louisiana.
Animal lovers who want to make a difference are encouraged to attend the meeting and support 4 Paws Rescue Inc. For more information on how to volunteer, donate, or support the shelter, visit www.4pawsrescueinc.org .
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
After six weeks of reading and study, AP English Literature students staged a two-day Socratic seminar to discuss Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” along with Percival Everett’s 2024 retelling, “James.”
“The release of Everett’s award-winning novel this spring offered a rare opportunity to explore two important texts side-by-side,” Leeanne Bordelon, English instructor and assistant principal, said. “Socratic discussion was the final piece in a unit which required literary analysis, critical thinking, and civil discourse. These students did a fantastic job.”
The class will begin Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” in January.
Ruston High School
It’s a busy week in Bearcat Nation! Tomorrow (12/14), the Ruston High Bearcats will take on the Central High Wildcats for the playoff finals at Caesar’s Superdome in New Orleans; kickoff is at 3:30 pm!
Monday (12/16), the girls soccer team and boys’ varsity soccer team will play St. Fredrick at home; girls at 5:30, and boys at 7:15!
Tuesday (12/17) the girls and boys varsity basketball team will take on Airline at home at 7:00 pm! Also on Tuesday, the girls’ soccer team will play Northwood at home at 5:30!
On Wednesday (12/18), the freshman and JV boys’ basketball teams will play Ouachita at home at 5:30, while the varsity girls will travel to Rayville for a tournament!
On Thursday (12/19), the boys soccer team will travel to Airline; JV will play at 6, and varsity at 7:15! The girls’ soccer team will travel to Haughton and play at 5:30 pm!
The teacher of the week is Mr. Grafton! Mr. Grafton has been teaching for 20 years, this being his 2nd year at RHS. He teaches principles of business and personal finance. Thank you for all you do, Mr. Grafton!
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Elementary Schools
A.E. Phillips
7th Grade Science Fair Winners:
Mrs. Blount’s seventh graders participated in a school level science fair last week. Our students produced some wonderful projects! We are grateful to our judges from Origin Bank and the College of Education at Louisiana Tech who took time out of their busy schedules to graciously score each project.
1st in Animal Science: John Henry Nugent with Paw Preferences
2nd in Animal Science: Hayden Horvath with Which Bait is the Best Bait to Catch Bass?
3rd in Animal Science: Andrew King with Science, Cats, Mazes, Oh My!
1st in Chemistry: Hallie Hogan with Big or Small? Muffins for All!
2nd in Chemistry: Lydia Nankya with Homemade Soap vs Dove Soap
3rd in Chemistry: Ella Morse with Stay Clean and Stay Green
1st in Environmental Science: Imena Ighade with Backyard Biodiversity Bingo
2nd in Environmental Science: Zoey Want with Trash Cleans Water
1st in Health Science: Gabby Genov with The Battle of the Cleaners
2nd in Health Science: Gavin Mollette with Wash Your Germs Away
3rd in Health Science: Joshua Weiss with To Stretch or Not to Stretch
1st in Human Behaviors: Caleb Moore with Does Practice Make Perfect in Chess
2nd in Human Behaviors: Eli Denton with Music Theory
3rd in Human Behaviors: Aubrey Summersgill with Reaction Satisfaction
1st in Physics: Willie Williams with 3 Pointers vs Layups
2nd in Physics: Joseph Rivera with Produce Power
3rd in Physics: Jude Falting with Don’t Just Kick It
1st in Plant Science: Dallas Gouedy with A Hydroponics Experiment; Nutrient vs Regular Water
2nd in Plant Science: Matthew Jackson with Fertilizer Frequency
3rd in Plant Science: William Sanders with Grow Plants! Grow!
Basketball and Cheerleading Season Comes to and End
Thursday night our Bullpups took the court for the final game of the season against Woodlawn. The eighth graders were recognized in between games that evening. Our fans have enjoyed cheering on both teams this year, watching each team grow and improve with every game. The cheerleaders also ended their season this week by putting on a terrific Christmas pep rally for the school and basketball teams and by cheering at their last game as well. We are proud of these student athletes for their hard work and dedication!
PE Classes
On Tuesday, Nov 19, Keaton Tennison (Coach KT) and his team came to AEP and worked with our K-4th grade and sixth grade students during their PE classes. Coach KT is the owner of Ten-10 sports and D-Bat in Ruston. His goal on this day at school was to expose our students to different types of sports-related activities. The students were placed into 5 groups and rotated to each station during the duration of PE. These students were also awarded a free class session at Ten-10 (coupons were handed to the students).
This is the second time Coach KT has come to AE Phillips to work with our students. He has a lot of knowledge about exercises and activities that can help our youth and their development. Plus, he makes it fun! We are hopeful he will come back in the spring and work with our afternoon classes (5th, 7th, & 8th grades).
Ruston Parks and Recreation (RPAR) also came and worked with our K-4th grade students during their PE time. During their session they introduced fun basketball activities for the students and distributed flyers for exciting activities sponsored by RPAR. We are grateful to these organizations for taking the time to invest in our students!
Canned Food Drive
Our school participated in the annual Canned Food Drive again this year. Each morning our Student Council visited homerooms to collect cans brought by students and teachers. As the number of cans grew so did our need for boxes! The Louisiana Tech Bookstore graciously donated boxes for us to use in collecting our donations. We are proud to say that our Bullpups collected 681 cans! We are thankful for each donation that will go to families in need this winter!
Choudrant
Deck the Halls! During Thanksgiving Break the teachers and PTO decorated the halls and hung Christmas lights in the courtyard. When the children returned from break on Monday, they were surprised and excited for the holiday. At the end of the day all the children sat in the hallways as we counted down to the lighting of the school. Cheers and excitement could be heard and seen! Our school has never looked so festive.
Mrs. Martin was asked to be the Grand Marshall of the Choudrant Christmas Parade this past weekend. What an honor! The Strive Club also participated in the parade. What a great way for our students and principal to show support and give back to our community that continuously supports us!
FCA members took a field trip to LA Tech’s Lambright where LA TECH football player, Zach Zimos, shared about his faith and spent time engaging with students. FCA Members also served at The Well by helping them prepare for their Community Christmas event.
We also kicked off our elementary basketball season with a scrimmage in Jonesboro. Way to Go Little Aggies!
Next week we will continue spreading cheer with student Dress Up Days.
Monday – Christmas Shirt
Tuesday – Candy Cane Day – Wear red and white
Wednesday – Grinch Day – wear anything Grinchy!
Thursday – Ugly Sweater Day
Special Events
17 Student of the Month lunch
17 1st grade Stem Project
18 K Christmas program
19 Christmas lunch Prek & 3rd
19 Christmas parties
20- Virtual Day for students, Staff PD
Glen View
Upcoming events:
Friday, December 13 – Grinch Day “wear green”
Monday, December 16 – Polar Express Day “wear PJs”
Tuesday, December 17th – Kindergarten Christmas Program at 8:30am, Second Grade Christmas Program at 10:00am
Wednesday, December 18 – First Grade Christmas Program at 1:00pm
Thursday, December 19th – First Grade parents come eat Christmas Lunch
Our students also collected over 1,200 cans last week in our canned food drive!
The numbers say the Litter Patrol operated by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office is a huge success. Since August 1, the litter crew has devoted 812 hours to collecting 26,020 pounds of trash off our roadways. That’s 13 tons!
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Kudos to the Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development for installing a left turn arrow for motorists westbound on Alabama Avenue at Tech Drive. A long needed aid for those turning south on Tech Drive, DOTD granted the request from Tech Police which has worked many a crash at that intersection.
Thefts from parked vehicles is still a problem in our community. Especially during this solid holiday season, it is important not to leave valuables in your vehicle. Lock your doors. Take your keys.
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The first phase of work on the new Ruston Skatepark is scheduled for the first quarter of 2025. The park will be built at the site of the former municipal pool. More funds are needed for the project.
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The sudden trend of violators attempting to elude local police is disturbing. In recent days, a number of motorists have sped away from attempted traffic stops rather than pull over. In every case we’ve examined, the motorists were caught and faced considerably more charges in addition to their initial violation. Not only will they face harsher punishments, they place lives in danger. As they say, “you can’t outrun Motorola,” the most common police radio.
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Roadwork for the new Buc-ee’s is slated to begin early spring and last ten months. We are unsure if actual work on the megastore can begin before road work is completed.
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.
When the Ruston Bearcats walked off the field after losing 40-36 at Alexandria Senior High on October 25, there were plenty of questions surrounding the direction that the defending state champions may take with back-to-back losses.
However, since that loss, head coach Jerrod Baugh and Co. have played a dominating style of football in route to five straight wins by a combined score of 220-35.
There are plenty of reasons to point to for Ruston’s late season run and postseason success, but one of the biggest is the improved play of the Bearcats defensive line.
“We talked as a staff in the middle of the season around the Neville and ASH games where we were as a team,” said defensive line coach David Taylor. “We made some adjustments to how we practiced, and I think most people have seen the results from that.”
The results? Simply one-sided in favor of the Firmly Founded.
Since surrendering 40 points to ASH, 26 to Neville and 21 to Ouachita in a three-game stretch midway through the season, the Ruston defense has allowed a grand total of 35 points in its last five games, four of those coming against playoff opponents.
“At the mid-season mark we suffered two losses,” said senior defensive lineman Payton Bell. “We refocused in the week leading up to Pineville and ever since then its been all upwards. And now we are back in the state championship. I would give us an A for effort.”
How about an A+?
Although Baugh and defensive coordinator Kyle Williams credit the entirety of the defense for the late season run, the Bearcats front four are the key to this success.
“In football everything starts up front, whether we are talking about the offensive or defensive line,” said Williams. “I think we are in a good position where we have some playmakers on the back end from Zheric (Hill) to Aidan (Anding). A lot of those guys have made some great plays for us down the stretch.
“But if you are not able to reset the line of scrimmage, if you are not able to affect the quarterback … not necessarily sack the quarterback but affect him … you are going to have a tough time. I tell these guys all the time that the back ends best friend is the d-line and vice versa. We aren’t going to do all of these things every time on either end so it’s kind of a yin and yang thing.”
Ruston entered 2024 having lost Ahmad Breaux (LSU) and Geordan Guidry (Tulane) to graduation, leaving plenty of question marks surrounding its defensive line. And although returning starters Payton Bell and Ka’Varion Key had plenty of experience, there was still some growing pains that the Bearcats were going to face early in the year with a few younger guys.
“We felt like we had a chance to be really good on the defensive line,” said Baugh. “They just didn’t have a lot of experience early in the year. Payton (Bell) was a big part of helping stick all of that back together again after Ahmad and Geordan graduated.
“The way the schedule was set up we had to grow up pretty quick or we were going to take it on the chin. I think we put a lot of pressure on them to execute and do things the right way. I think they had to continue to grow or we were going to get beat.”
“We lost a lot of good football players from the defensive line from that state championship team,” said Taylor. “We had two returning starters to start our rebuilding process. We had a couple of kids who we thought would be able to replace (Breaux and Guidry). Maybe not quite as talented as what they were, but they had the work ethic and they knew what we expected from them.”
Despite a tough non-district schedule, the Bearcats were able to reel off five straight wins over the likes of Acadiana, Longview (Texas) and Stephensville (Texas). However, at times, Ruston was winning a little with smoke and mirrors and not in the same dominating defensive fashion of 2023.
“One of the things we talked about as a defensive staff in the summer and early in the year was trying to impart on them the growth mindset,” said Williams. “Continuing to improve throughout the year.
“We were shuffling guys in positions whether it was guys up front or on the back end. We stayed consistent with them about our effort every day. Our individual (drill) time every day. Our technique. With the message of let’s just get a little bit better today, a little bit better today, a little bit better today.
Ruston entered District 2-5A play by escaping Ouachita with a 22-21 victory thanks to a missed extra point by the Lions in the closing seconds. The next week saw the Bearcats fall at home to arch rival Neville 26-21. And then a 40-34 loss on the road at ASH.
Things weren’t clicking on all cylinders. In fact this Ruston ride needed a tune-up in a bad way.
After Baugh and his staff changed some things the following week at practice leading up to a whitewash of Pineville, the Bearcats began to purr once again. In the 49-0 win over Pineville, Ruston’s defense held the Rebels to just 93 total yards and seven first downs as the Ruston front four began to make things much more difficult in the trenches.
But that was Pineville. What would happen in the regular season finale at rival West Monroe? The answer was more of the same.
Ruston won 36-0 on a rainy night and held the Rebels — who would go on to advance to the state quarterfinals — to just 109 yards and five first downs.
Youngsters like Ra’keem Potts and Kaleb Williams began teaming up with Bell and Key to win the line of scrimmage on snap after snap.
“They have been disruptive lately,” said Kyle Williams. “We knew coming into the year that maybe we needed to do a few different things just because of what the good Lord gave them. They are skilled in a different way then the guys that have been here in the past. You saw the guys who (graduated) last year … good grief. They were big strapping kids.
“These guys are gifted in that they are fast and athletic and can move and attack and are competitive. When you have those things going on, you can make some things happen. We just needed to reconfigure things in a way that accentuated what they do well. I think they know what their strengths are so they have really bought into doing what we are doing.”
After a bye week in the opening week of the playoffs, the Bearcats have faced three straight teams that were putting up impressive offensive numbers coming into the match-ups with Ruston.
Against a Zachary team that had scored 40 or more points in five of their previous six games, Ruston held the Broncos in check in a 42-21 victory. Zachary tailback Da’Vekia Ruffin had rushed for over 600 yards and 12 TDs in his previous TWO games, but Ruston limited him to 164 yards on 25 carries in the win while forcing three turnovers.
The following week saw the Bearcats destroy a Southside team that had beaten Live Oak 42-10 and Walker 47-0 in its first two playoff wins. Ruston held Southside to 115 total yards and seven first downs and kept their star running back Ramon Singleton to 28 yards and 10 carries.
“To play as well as we are now, I just think they have continuously grown between coaches pushing them to do things right and their willingness to accept the coaching and get out there and work,” said Baugh. “We thought they had it in them before the season and I think they have just grown and have figured it out.”
However, Ruston may have saved its best defensive performance for last week. In its 44-7 win over Destrehan, the Bearcats stonewalled a talented Wildcat offense that possessed both the ability to beat teams on the ground and through the air.
Ruston allowed just 245 total yards and held tailback Malachi Dabney (who had 600 yards and 11 TDs in three playoff wins) to just 44 yards and 12 carries.
“The results come because they work hard during the week,” said Kyle Williams. “They have done a really good job over the last five or six weeks of showing up on Monday, diving into game plans, and going out there and getting after the other team.”
If you ask the Ruston defensive linemen what the biggest improvement has been from Week 1 to entering this playoff run, they point to their togetherness.
“The biggest improvement from the beginning (of the year) is we have become closer,” said Bell. “We stand on the brotherhood that we have. As long as I have been here, the one thing that we have always stood on is brotherhood, brotherhood, brotherhood. As the season has gone one, we have tried to become closer as a team and I think it shows out on the field.”
And now these Bearcats are one win shy of making school history.
“We have put in a lot of work this season to get here,” said Potts.
RUSTON, La. — Caroling, community, and comfy socks were the story Thursday afternoon at Princeton Place of Ruston as members from the Lincoln Parish Retired Educators group came out to sing and bring gifts to the facility’s residents in a program titled “Carols, Comfort, and Joyful Socks.”
The group sang multiple Christmas carols together, and LPRE President Dr. Liz White recited the entirety of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas from memory.
“We come to the nursing home every year,” White said. “We feel it’s important to rally the community to help them and not forget these residents. Sometimes, that’s a group that can be forgotten, so it’s just a routine for us now. It’s good for them to see people from the community caring for them. My preacher said that if someone can’t get to church, then you’re going to have to take church to them.”
Princeton Place Director of Activities Lisa Gipson shared her appreciation for the group coming out to visit the residents.
“I really appreciate (the LPRE) coming out,” Gipson said. “I told some of the residents that this group has come out for as many years as I can remember. We really, really just appreciate it.”
Following the caroling and the program, the residents were given socks that were collected by the LPRE from donation sites at the Boys and Girls Club and at the Council on Aging.
White said the original goal for the socks was 50 pairs back the the sites were set up in mid-November. And on Thursday, the response had been so overwhelmingly positive that 140 pairs were given out to the residents.
Wow! What an amazing season by my beloved Bearcats.
Keith and I would like to personally thank you, the listeners, sponsors, and all of Bearcat Nation for your overwhelming support of our inaugural broadcast of Ruston High School Football here on the Big Q 94.1.
Thanks are also in order to Superintendent Ricky Durrett, Principal Dan Gressett, and Head Coach Jerrod Baugh. The educational administration of RHS and parish-wide, for that matter, is second to none.
To Kyle Roberts and Nick Brown, what a treasure to have the best in the business on the call. My close friends Toby Nations and Matthew Carswell, great work on half-time and side-line reporting. My youngest son Luke Forester for the live stats, Dad is so proud of you. Everyone at our studio, Tootsie, Rob, Seth, and too many more to list made our programming seamless. Thanks also to all of our great Bearcat halftime guests including Chauncey, Termite, Michael Parker, and Hunter Smith.
As a reminder, tomorrow’s live championship broadcast starts at 3:00 PM with a 3:30 kickoff.
Unfortunately, the Bearcat Nation Network cannot broadcast live video from this event. However, Q94.1 will still have the home call. Tune into the Q, download the Q941 App on your mobile and Ipad device or live stream from our website, KRLQFM.com.
Listen to the best in the biz! Join Kyle, Nick, and the rest of the crew as the Bearcats look to become the first back-to-back champs in school history!
Union Parish man booked on juvenile pornography charges
Agents with Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s Bureau of Investigation arrested a Union Parish man on juvenile pornography charges earlier this week.
Calvin Pardue, 47, of Lillie, was charged with four counts of pornography Involving Juveniles Under the Age of 13 and one count of sexual abuse of animals.
BOI agents initially received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The arrest was the result of a joint investigation with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation and the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Pardue was booked into the Union Parish Detention Center. His bail amount was not available at publication time.
Attorney General Murrill said the investigation is ongoing.
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.
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.
I have reached the age and station of life, where Christmas decorations should be guided by minimalist philosophy. There should be a small tree on the mantle and maybe one elf on one shelf. At this stage, Christmas should fit into one oversized shoe box. I have been told that I have a Grinch-like view of Christmas decorations.
Speaking of the Grinch, I have been type-cast. I will be in two Christmas parades this year. If you are at the Gibsland parade, I’ll be on the Gibsland Bank float as the Grinch. In Ruston, I’ll be on the Trinity Methodist Church as the Grinch. I will be the happy Grinch with the heart enlarged three times!
Did I tell you that I danced eighteen shows with the Lake Charles Ballet as Santa Claus. I have played that role at least three times. I’m picking up on a theme, people keep putting me in costumes that require extensive make up.
Back to our subject of Christmas decorations.
Do you have items that are always present in your Christmas decorations? Do these items have stories attached to them? In some households Christmas decorating takes a while because the decorator narrates the story of each ornament or decoration. I think I appreciate those stories more now than I once did.
One of the items in our household are the baby gates. For years we have used those gates in the doorway of the room that holds the tree. We have no babies in our family. Our grandchildren are older now. We use the baby gates because we have curious and helpful dogs. The dogs have often seen the Christmas tree and the presents under it as a source of entertainment. The two now living in the house are proficient at Christmas curiosity and have a history of undecorating and unwrapping presents.
The baby gates minimize the canine caused chaos.
Those gates remind me of an important truth. Christmas is not about order and perfection, it is about mess and chaos. Think about the story.
The orderly life of the engage couple was thrown into chaos. The emperor issued travel mandates. The child was born in a most rustic place. Mom and baby were disturbed by shepherds and their nocturnal visit. Trust me, the sheep were in tow! Herod got involved in the story in a horrible way. Joseph and Mary became immigrants and for a time outcasts.
Christmas is for people who are not perfect, who do not have it together, who are stymied in their planning.
Christmas is a time that reminds us that God can bring order out of chaos. He can bring life and love in surprising ways. He can see a path for you when you can’t claim it for yourself. He meets sin and failure with his love and grace.
That love and grace is often his way of throwing a baby gate around your heart.
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.
