Courtesy of LA Tech University Communications

The Louisiana Tech University Faculty and Staff Club hosted its eighth annual live auction during the November 2025 luncheon, raising $5,445 to support two vital campus programs: the Good Nutrition Mission Food Pantry and the Parkinson Resource Center.

The event, held Nov.  4 at the Davison Athletic Complex, brought together faculty and staff for fellowship, fun, and philanthropy. The live auction, led by Dr. Gary Kennedy, dean of the College of Applied and Natural Sciences, raised $3,270 for the Food Pantry and $2,175 for the Parkinson Resource Center.

Founded in 2017 by Dr. Catherine Fontenot, associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences, the Good Nutrition Mission Food Pantry was created to address student food insecurity on campus. Sponsored by the Student Dietetic Association, the Pantry provides nonperishable food items to Louisiana Tech students in need and offers volunteer opportunities for students in nutrition and dietetics, as well as others who wish to serve.

“Funding for the pantry has always been a challenge,” Fontenot said. “But support from events like this helps ensure that we can continue to meet the needs of our students throughout the year.”

The Parkinson Resource Center (PRC) at Louisiana Tech was established through a grant from the Parkinson’s Foundation and developed by Dr. Tara Haskins and Dr. Donna Hood in Tech’s Division of Nursing. The PRC provides education, resources, and community support for people with Parkinson’s disease and their care partners, connecting them to programs that improve health and quality of life.

“The support of the University’s faculty and staff through the auction is an important part of continuing the tremendous, collaborative work that our faculty, staff, and students do to support the Parkinson’s community from across north Louisiana,” Hood said.

Other notable donations included handcrafted holiday greeting cards from Dr. Elaine Thompson, associate professor of History; custom desserts from Jennifer Caskey, known on campus as “The Cheesecake Lady”; and ribeye steaks from the Tech Farm, auctioned with the help of Dr. Mark Murphey, academic program chair for Agricultural Sciences.

Ryan Richard, chief of staff for presidential initiatives, assisted Kennedy as a bid spotter and provided a coveted reserved parking space for the 2025–26 academic year, donated by the Office of the President.

A crowd favorite, bringing a top bid of $510 from Provost Donna Thomas, was a private shopping experience at The Fashion of Ruston for a small group, which included hors d’oeuvres from Uptown Downtown and a gift card.

Additional contributions came from local businesses and campus partners, including Smith Family Farms, House of Colour’s Rebecca Smart, and Enhanced Skin and Beauty.

“What makes this auction special is the collaboration across our campus community,” Kennedy said. “Faculty, staff, and local partners all come together to support our students and friends of the Food Pantry and the Parkinson Resource Center. It’s truly a win-win for everyone involved.”

by Hanna Singh

An aspiring writer has put his passion on paper at A.E. Phillips Laboratory School.

Fourth grader Hank Carmical and his classmates have started a class newspaper, distributed each week with news and stories from their very own school.

Hank, along with other contributors — Carson Terry, Hollis Horvath, Clark Riegelman, Parker Sutton, Lucas Haynie, and his sisters Barbara and Diana — have been reporting on findings around A.E.P and the surrounding Louisiana Tech campus.

“The Daily Phillips” focuses on school and local reports, and on feature stories about school figures and opinions.

“My friends and I try to find things going on around campus to write about and put in our newspaper,” Hank said. “If bigger things are happening nationally, then we will put them in the news, but we mainly try to keep it about our school and Ruston. We also do things like food and movie reviews, teacher interviews, and surveys.”

Although the students are only in elementary school, the creative process mirrors very professional organizations. They start each week by brainstorming ideas, followed by their thoughts on how to turn the ideas into presentable stories. After going out and writing their stories, Hank collects the works and edits the paper with his father. They screen the stories for errors and accurate information, format it into a newspaper print, and hand the copies out at school the next day.

Despite the intense work that goes into producing and printing a weekly newspaper on top of being a fulltime student, Hank and his friends love creating “The Daily Phillips.”

“My favorite part is when I am editing the paper with my dad. I also like brainstorming with the crew,” Hank said. “My friends say they look forward to coming to school and hanging out with the group as well.”

Watching his passion project come to fruition has been a proud moment for Hank’s parents.

His mother, Sarah Carmical, shared that he has shown specific interests from an early age. Showing a passion for information and discussion, along with a strong sense of fairness and inclusion of others, the newspaper was a fitting project for Hank to pursue.

“I think the newspaper sort of marries those two interests,” Sarah said. “He gets to seek information with his friends, they share that information with others, and they all get to learn and have fun in the process. I love how the kids work together to bring the newspaper to life.”

Sarah Carmical also touched on her son’s growing skillset pertaining to journalism and how his close-knit friend group has joined him in that journey.

“I’m proud to say that not only does he seek information, but that he is learning how to do research and how to present credible information to others,” Sarah said. “I’m proud of how he seeks out opportunities to learn and applies that learning by helping create something fun. Hank is so incredibly lucky to be a part of a group of friends who not only love to brainstorm ideas but also work together to bring those ideas to life. I love that the kids find things they are interested in sharing with their classmates and think of how they can write about it in a way that grabs the interest of others. Their classmates seem to really look forward to reading ‘The Daily Phillips’.”

Hank’s efforts have also caught the attention of some of the A.E. Phillips staff, along with the support of Hank’s ELA teacher, Sarah Pender, who helps to distribute the paper to the students each week.

“Hank is such a special student. Highly intelligent, but also kind with wonderful integrity,” Pender said. “Truly a dream in the classroom to teach. He is very creative, so it’s not a surprise to me that he created something so special. We all look forward to reading the newsletter and I just admire him so much for being so confident in his work. I cannot wait to see who he becomes as an adult with all the talent he has and I’m thankful I get to be his teacher.”

The students intend to continue working on the paper throughout the school year, adding new ideas and improving their writing skills as they work. With an entire newspaper publishing organization on his resume, it’s safe to say that Hank has a bright future in journalism ahead of him.

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Lincoln Parish Journal readers have an opportunity each week to win FREE money in the Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em presented by Johnson Physical Therapy, FanBase of Ruston, and Martin Presence.

And the best part is it’s FREE … just like your subscription to the LPJ.

_______________________

The Lincoln Parish Journal wants to thank Karl Malone Toyota, Johnson Physical Therapy, FanBase of Ruston, and Martin Presence 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, Tanyard Creek, Charlie’s Carpet Cleaning, Hod Rod BBQ, Louisiana Orchard Realty, Ruston Athletic Supply, Walker and Co., Lulu Pearl, Rusty’s Jambalaya, Greaux the Good, Tommy’s Tees, and RightFiber for their Pick’em Partnerships within the contest. 

_______________________

Are you ready for some football?!?

Bigger question. Are you ready to win $150 in cash … with the potential to make it $300 if you are perfect on the week (including predicting the No. 1 tiebreaker exactly right).

The Lincoln Parish Journal is holding the 4th Annual Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by FanBase of Ruston, Martin Presence, and Johnson Physical Therapy.

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

Anyone is eligible to participate and each week one lucky winner will go home with a $150 cash prize (maybe $300).  Each week the winner will be the participant with the best record out of 15 selected college football games (ties will be broken by two separate tiebreakers consisting of guessing the total points scored in two of our weekly contests).

The Karl Malone Toyota College Football Pick’em Contest presented by FanBase of Ruston, Martin Presence, and Johnson Physical Therapy will be conducted for 14 regular season weeks of the college season starting with Week 1 games (August 30).

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 $150 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.

The City of Ruston announces, weather permitting, that N. Bernard St., between Kenwood Dr. and E. Georgia Ave., will be closed to thru traffic, Monday, November 24, 2025, from 7:00am to 3:00pm.

This closure is necessary to perform Utility repairs.

The City of Ruston regrets any inconvenience this necessary work may cause residents and
motorists.

We appreciate your patience, and any questions can be received by the Public Works Department at (318) 242-7703.

by Malcolm Butler

The Choudrant High School varsity basketball teams both picked up wins Friday night during their Homecoming Weekend.

The Aggies defeated D’Arbonne Woods 57-48 while the Lady Aggies knocked off D’Arbonne Woods 42-26 to continue their fast start to the 2025-26 season.

Aggies 57, D’Arbonne Woods 48

Clarence Menyweather led three Aggies in double figures with 19 points, while Brayden Pye added 11 and Turner Rhodes chipped in with 10. 

“I really loved how the guys continued to battle even though shots were not falling for us early,” said head coach Ryan Smith. “We were able to establish an inside game in the first half with Brayden Pye that helped get some point on the board in the first half.”

Pye started the game strong, scoring nine of his 11 points in the opening quarter as he helped Choudrant end the quarter in an 11-11 tie. 

Menyweather was the offensive catalyst in the second quarter, netting seven points as the Aggies took a 25-23 lead into the halftime locker room. 

It was Rhodes turn in the third quarter as the freshman scored seven, including hitting a pair of three-pointers, as Choudrant extended its lead to 42-35 heading into the final stanza.

Any chance of a D’Arbonne Woods rally was doused in the fourth as Menyweather hit 6-of-6 free throws en route to scoring eight points as Choudrant outscored the visitors by two.

“D’Arbonne Woods has a really good team that is going to have a successful year,” said Smith. “Getting a win tonight for Homecoming was special for this group of guys. They handled themselves very well all week leading to a great game on Friday.”

D’Arbonne Woods was led by Mikey Carey with 17 points and Damian Carr with 17 points.

______________________________

Lady Aggies 42, D’Arbonne Woods 26

The Lady Aggies used a strong defensive effort in the first half to build a halftime lead in defeating D’Arbonne Woods 42-26.

With almost half the team on the 2025 Homecoming Court, it took the Lady Aggies some time to get in a rhythm on the basketball court. 

“We had 7 girls on homecoming court, so we were out of routine,” said head coach Brandy Roberson.

Although Choudrant managed just seven points in the opening quarter, the Lady Aggies held D’Arbonne Woods scoreless.

Sadie Jones scored four points and Reese Brown hit a three-pointer in the second quarter as Choudrant entered the halftime locker room lead 17-13.

The low scoring affair continued into the third quarter with Choudrant outscoring its opponent 7-5, extending its advantage to 24-18 heading into the fourth.

Free throws were a big part of the final eight minutes as Choudrant hit 9-of-15 while D’Arbonne Woods made 5-of-9 as each team netted 18 points during the quarter. 

“We stepped up and made some big free throws as we struggled to score,” said Roberson. “It isn’t always pretty, but we found a way to win and get the job done. It was a big win being homecoming.”

Brown led the Lady Aggies with 16 points, while Kat Hernandez added eight, and Jones with six.

“Reese stepped up and was a leader and did a good job of handling the ball,” said Roberson.

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Each Monday through 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, Nov. 24
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
6 p.m.: Toastmasters International meeting (Louisiana Center for the Blind, 101 South Trenton Street)
6-9 p.m.: Creative Meetups (Creatives at Work, 301 N. Trenton)

Wednesday, Nov. 26
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
12-1 p.m.: Rotary Club meeting (Historic Fire Station)
6:30 p.m.: LA Tech men’s basketball

Thursday, Nov. 27
Thanksgiving 

Friday, Nov. 28
7 p.m.: Ruston High football playoff game

Saturday, Nov. 29
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
Noon: LA Tech men’s basketball
1 p.m.: Grambling State v. Southern

Monday, Dec. 1
11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
4-7 p.m.: Ice skating (Ruston Sports Complex (2001 Champions Way)
5:30 p.m.: Ruston City Council meeting (Ruston City Hall)
6 p.m.: Toastmasters International meeting (Louisiana Center for the Blind, 101 South Trenton Street)
6-9 p.m.: Creative Meetups (Creatives at Work, 301 N. Trenton)

Tuesday, Dec. 2
4-7 p.m.: Ice skating (Ruston Sports Complex (2001 Champions Way)
6 p.m.: Lincoln Parish School Board meeting (410 S. Farmerville St., Ruston)

Wednesday, Dec. 3
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
12-1 p.m.: Rotary Club meeting (Historic Fire Station)
5:30-7:30 p.m.: Men’s Wild Game Banquet hosted by First Ruston Men’s Ministry (Ruston Civic Center)

Thursday, Dec. 4
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall)
4-7 p.m.:  Ice skating (Ruston Sports Complex (2001 Champions Way)
5:30-9 p.m.: Lincoln Parish Light Up the Pines (Lincoln Parish Park)
6 p.m.: Ruston Christmas Parade
6 p.m.: Southern A’Chord Chorus rehearsal (Presbyterian Church fellowship hall, 212 N. Bonner St.; open to all women singers)
6:30 p.m.: LA Tech women’s basketball
7 p.m.: Ruston Community Theatre presents “A Christmas Carol” (Dixie Theatre)

Friday, Dec. 5
5:30-9 p.m.: Lincoln Parish Light Up the Pines (Lincoln Parish Park)
7 p.m.: Ruston Community Theatre presents “A Christmas Carol” (Dixie Theatre)

Saturday, Dec. 6
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
10 a.m. to noon: Pictures with Santa (Historic Fire Station)
3-8 p.m.: Christmas in the Village (Choudrant)
5:30-9 p.m.: Lincoln Parish Light Up the Pines (Lincoln Parish Park)
7 p.m.: Ruston Community Theatre presents “A Christmas Carol” (Dixie Theatre)

Sunday, Dec. 7
2 p.m.: LA Tech men’s basketball
2 p.m. Ruston Community Theatre presents “A Christmas Carol” (Dixie Theatre)

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.

Special to the LPJ

HAUGHTON, LA. –The Ruston High School Wrestling teams continued their historic inaugural season this weekend at the Haughton Tournament, showing strong improvement across the board and earning multiple podium finishes.

“Every week we’re taking steps forward,” Ruston High Head Coach Jeremy Hebert said. “Our kids are learning how to compete, how to stay composed, and how to wrestle through tough positions. For a second-year program, the growth is exactly what we want to see. Our boys finishing 12th out of 19 teams in just our second tournament speaks volumes. They’re believing in themselves, and they’re starting to understand that their effort and discipline can put them in the mix every weekend. We saw a lot of positives today, but we also saw exactly what we need to sharpen before the next tournament.”

Girls Team Results

Despite being short-handed, the Lady Bearcats battled hard and brought home three placements:
    •    Emma Medders – 6th place, 2 pins
    •    Laini Holloway – 6th place, 1 decision win
    •    Robin Harris – 6th place

Boys Team Results

The boys squad had one of its best collective outings to date, finishing 12th out of 19 teams in just their second tournament ever. Several athletes earned key wins and advanced deep into their brackets:
    •    Robert Stevens – 5th place, 3 pins (Top scorer for RHS)
    •    Luke Pendergrass – 5th place, 2 pins
    •    Levi Stephenson – 6th place, 2 pins
    •    Jailyn Williams – 6th place, 2 pins
    •    Isaiah Clinton – 9th place, 1 pin
    •    Eli Anderson – 1 pin
    •    Cort Jarvis – 1 pin
    •    Patrick Byrd – 1 pin
    •    Ean Lodrigue – 1 decision, 10th place

Notably, Luke Pendergrass, Robert Stevens, and Levi Stephenson all wrestled in placement matches for 3rd place, demonstrating the progress the team is making week to week.

With a roster still developing and several athletes out this weekend, the Bearcats showed grit, growth, and a strong competitive spirit. Coaches noted significant improvement across the boys’ lineup and continued toughness from the girls’ squad.

Ruston High Wrestling looks forward to building on this momentum in the coming weeks and will be at Riot on the Red, at Parkway High School on Saturday, Dec 6.

“This is the foundation year for Ruston wrestling,” Hebert said. “These tournaments are showing our kids that they belong on these mats. The future is bright for Bearcat wrestling.”

by Malcolm Butler

Andrew Burnette’s 25-yard touchdown run on the first play of overtime lifted Louisiana Tech to a 34-28 come-from-behind win over Liberty Saturday afternoon at Joe Aillet Stadium.

The win was the sixth of the season for Tech (6-5, 4-3), who earned bowl eligibility for the first time since 2019 when the Bulldogs defeated Miami 14-0 in the Independence Bowl.

It also brought pure joy to the Bulldog sideline.

After Tech rallied from a 21-point third quarter deficit to send the game into overtime, the Bulldogs Jakari Foster intercepted Ethan Vasko on the second play from scrimmage on Liberty’s offensive possession in the extra period.

Burnette, who also scored on runs of 8 and 3 yards in regulation, took the shotgun snap out of the wildcat formation, ran straight up the middle, and broke free for the game-winning score. 

It sent the Bulldog sideline and the slim Joe Aillet Stadium crowd into a frenzy as Tech won for the first time in it’s last six overtime contests. 

“I am extremely proud of our players and our coaching staff,” said Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie. “When you think about what Coach (Tony) Franklin and our offensive staff did, that’s coaching. You take the players that you have and maximize their skillsets and abilities in a high-pressure environment, and they did that tonight.”

Tech entered the game minus two of its top three quarterbacks, including starter Blake Baker who was lost for the year a few weeks ago. So Trey Kukuk, who started the first two games of the year, got the nod and made the most of his opportunity.

Kukuk ran for 143 yards and two scores and passed for another 118, while making play-after-play with the game on the line.

Tech trailed 28-7 with just over four minutes to play in the third quarter when Kukuk made the first of many momentum-changing plays. On fourth down and three from the Liberty 31, Kukuk dropped back to pass before tucking the football and racing 31 yards untouched for the score. 

The play gave life to an otherwise quiet Tech sideline that saw Liberty take its first two possessions of the third quarter and score, extending a 13-7 lead out to 28-7. 

Liberty tailback Evan Dickens had a career day for the Flames (4-6, 3-4), rushing for 228 yards and two TDs on 30 carries. Dickens eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark on the season. 

However, with the game on the line, Liberty kept turning to quarterback Ethan Vasko. It didn’t work out.

Vasko, who had completed 8-of-13 passes for 141 yards and one score in helping Liberty take the three touchdown lead, had a nightmarish finish. Vasko threw the first of his four interceptions with 3:41 to play in the third quarter as Foster snared the first of his two picks on the day.

“It felt like [Liberty] kept trying to trick us in a way to start it off, because we haven’t played against a triple option or speed option team all year,” said Foster. “It felt like they had some tricky stuff that they ran with their offense.

“We talked through it throughout the whole game, and in the second half we said to understand the formation and see where the guys are, see where they’re coming from. Read your keys and just play your role-the ball will come to you.”

Following the interception, Tech executed one of the most impressive offensive possession of the season, marking 96 yards on 19 plays as Burnette’s three-yard TD run with 10:24 to play in the final quarter cut the Flames lead to 28-21. 

Burnette rushed 17 times for 93 yards and the three scores with almost every rush coming out of the wildcat formation as he and Kukuk took turns taking the shotguns snaps throughout the game. 

“Andrew [Burnette] played his butt off tonight,” said Kukuk. “He was a monster.”

On Liberty’s next possession, Tech safety Michael Richard intercepted Vasko, giving the Bulldogs the ball on the Flames side of the 50-yard line. Five plays later on third down and 7, Kukuk executed the quarterback draw racing 29 yards to paydirt to tie the game at 28-28.

Both teams had opportunities over the final five minutes of the game, including a 54-yard potential game-winning field goal by John Hoyet Chance on the final play of regulation that bounced off the upright sending the game into overtime. 

The Bulldogs intercepted four passes over the final 19 minutes of play and overtime, extending their national lead to 19. 

Vasko ended the game 8-of-21, including 0-for-8 with four interceptions down the stretch.

Jacob Fields led Tech with 14 tackles and one interception, while Foster added eight tackles and two interceptions, giving him six on the season. 

LA Tech finished the season 5-1 at home, its best record in Joe Aillet Stadium since going 6-0 in 2019.

“(Winning) is a desire for everybody,” said Fields. “When Kolbe [Fields] got hurt, we had to have somebody else step up and take the role. Kolbe is one the best guys when he’s on the field, so I feel like, for this team, it’s just everybody’s desire for one thing and that’s to keep winning.”

Tech will end the regular season next Saturday at Missouri State.

Special to the LPJ

Ruston High Girls’ Soccer

RUSTON, La. — Ruston High’s Lady Bearcat soccer squad has started the 2025-26 season on fire after winning its first three matches and outscoring its opponents 23 goals to just two.

“Three and 0 is a great start but we know we have areas we can improve and there’s still growth to be made,” Ruston High head coach Jacquelyn Bean said. “We have freshman that will gain more and more experience in each game as we advance into the next part of our season. I am so proud of the work they’ve put in during the summer and preseason.”

Part of Ruston’s tear through non-district includes a 4-2 win over Airline this past Thursday — the first confirmed win since 2014 (according to the team’s archives).

“We led 2-0 at the half after sophomore Bridget Crittenden opened up the scoring halfway in the first half, and then defensive midfielder Baylee Craig got our second goal, unassisted,” Bean said. “After halftime Airline came back out, they had adjusted their formation and scored 1 within the first 5 minutes. We answered back 3-1, they scored again and made it 3-2. We made some substitutions, changed to a more defensive formation.

“Late in the game we had an indirect kick just inside the 18 yard box that Crittenden nailed into the top bin, assisted by Emely Ulloa, making the score 4-2. We road out the final minutes to the whistle.”

Ruston also was able to get wins over both Franklin Parish and Minden in the first two games and scored two clean sheets.

The Lady Bearcats will play Haughton Tuesday, December 2, and then return home Thursday December 4, to take on North DeSoto.

Deacon Aaron Austin, Jr.  
Wednesday 02/17/1932 — Sunday 11/16/2025   
Family Gathering: Saturday 11/22/2025 4:00pm at King’s Funeral Home  
Visitation: Sunday 11/23/2025 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home  
Funeral Service: Monday 11/24/2025 1:00pm, Miracle Temple Church of God in Christ, 1405 South Farmerville Street, Ruston  
Interment: Monday 11/24/2025 Following Service, Kilpatrick Serenity Garden, 8729 Cypress Street, West Monroe  

Gwendolyn Fay Diamond  
Saturday 08/27/1955 — Monday 11/17/2025  
Visitation: Wednesday 11/26/2025 11:00am to 1:00pm, New Hope Baptist Church, 204 W Vaughn Ave., Ruston  
Life Celebration: Wednesday 11/26/2025 1:00pm, New Hope Baptist Church, 204 W Vaughn Ave., Ruston  
Interment: Wednesday 11/26/2025 Following Service, St. David Cemetery, Vienna 

John J. Aubespin 
Saturday 07/12/1941 — Friday 11/21/2025  
Celebration of Life: Friday 11/28/2025 11:00am, St. Benedict Catholic Church, 471 Main Street, Grambling 
Interment: Friday 11/28/2025 Following Service, Grambling Memorial Garden, Highway 80 West, Grambling 

by Malcolm Butler

Andrew Burnette’s 25-yard touchdown run on the first play of overtime lifted Louisiana Tech to a 34-28 come-from-behind win over Liberty Saturday afternoon at Joe Aillet Stadium.

The win was the sixth of the season for Tech (6-5, 4-3), who earned bowl eligibility for the first time since 2019 when the Bulldogs defeated Miami 14-0 in the Independence Bowl.

It also brought pure joy to the Bulldog sideline.

After Tech rallied from a 21-point third quarter deficit to send the game into overtime, the Bulldogs Jakari Foster intercepted Ethan Vasko on the second play from scrimmage on Liberty’s offensive possession in the extra period.

Burnette, who also scored on runs of 8 and 3 yards in regulation, took the shotgun snap out of the wildcat formation, ran straight up the middle, and broke free for the game-winning score. 

It sent the Bulldog sideline and the slim Joe Aillet Stadium crowd into a frenzy as Tech won for the first time in it’s last six overtime contests. 

“I am extremely proud of our players and our coaching staff,” said Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie. “When you think about what Coach (Tony) Franklin and our offensive staff did, that’s coaching. You take the players that you have and maximize their skillsets and abilities in a high-pressure environment, and they did that tonight.”

Tech entered the game minus two of its top three quarterbacks, including starter Blake Baker who was lost for the year a few weeks ago. So Trey Kukuk, who started the first two games of the year, got the nod and made the most of his opportunity.

Kukuk ran for 143 yards and two scores and passed for another 118, while making play-after-play with the game on the line.

Tech trailed 28-7 with just over four minutes to play in the third quarter when Kukuk made the first of many momentum-changing plays. On fourth down and three from the Liberty 31, Kukuk dropped back to pass before tucking the football and racing 31 yards untouched for the score. 

The play gave life to an otherwise quiet Tech sideline that saw Liberty take its first two possessions of the third quarter and score, extending a 13-7 lead out to 28-7. 

Liberty tailback Evan Dickens had a career day for the Flames (4-6, 3-4), rushing for 228 yards and two TDs on 30 carries. Dickens eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark on the season. 

However, with the game on the line, Liberty kept turning to quarterback Ethan Vasko. It didn’t work out.

Vasko, who had completed 8-of-13 passes for 141 yards and one score in helping Liberty take the three touchdown lead, had a nightmarish finish. Vasko threw the first of his four interceptions with 3:41 to play in the third quarter as Foster snared the first of his two picks on the day.

“It felt like [Liberty] kept trying to trick us in a way to start it off, because we haven’t played against a triple option or speed option team all year,” said Foster. “It felt like they had some tricky stuff that they ran with their offense.

“We talked through it throughout the whole game, and in the second half we said to understand the formation and see where the guys are, see where they’re coming from. Read your keys and just play your role-the ball will come to you.”

Following the interception, Tech executed one of the most impressive offensive possession of the season, marking 96 yards on 19 plays as Burnette’s three-yard TD run with 10:24 to play in the final quarter cut the Flames lead to 28-21. 

Burnette rushed 17 times for 93 yards and the three scores with almost every rush coming out of the wildcat formation as he and Kukuk took turns taking the shotguns snaps throughout the game. 

“Andrew [Burnette] played his butt off tonight,” said Kukuk. “He was a monster.”

On Liberty’s next possession, Tech safety Michael Richard intercepted Vasko, giving the Bulldogs the ball on the Flames side of the 50-yard line. Five plays later on third down and 7, Kukuk executed the quarterback draw racing 29 yards to paydirt to tie the game at 28-28.

Both teams had opportunities over the final five minutes of the game, including a 54-yard potential game-winning field goal by John Hoyet Chance on the final play of regulation that bounced off the upright sending the game into overtime. 

The Bulldogs intercepted four passes over the final 19 minutes of play and overtime, extending their national lead to 19. 

Vasko ended the game 8-of-21, including 0-for-8 with four interceptions down the stretch.

Jacob Fields led Tech with 14 tackles and one interception, while Foster added eight tackles and two interceptions, giving him six on the season. 

LA Tech finished the season 5-1 at home, its best record in Joe Aillet Stadium since going 6-0 in 2019.

“(Winning) is a desire for everybody,” said Fields. “When Kolbe [Fields] got hurt, we had to have somebody else step up and take the role. Kolbe is one the best guys when he’s on the field, so I feel like, for this team, it’s just everybody’s desire for one thing and that’s to keep winning.”

Tech will end the regular season next Saturday at Missouri State.

By Kyle Roberts

RUSTON, La. — Near perfection on all sides of the football led No. 1 Ruston (9-2) to a 51-13 victory Friday night over No. 16 Westgate by a final score of 51-13 at Hoss Garrett Stadium and will now host No. 8 Southside for a quarterfinal matchup next week.

Ruston’s formula for the win was efficient offense and clock management, and boy, did the Bearcats deliver with nearly 30 minutes in time of possession for the night and 302 yards of rushing.

“I’m really proud of our kids,” Ruston High Head Coach Jerrod Baugh said. “We talked about it all week — we were going to need something out of all three phases of the ballgame. And we made some plays early in the first half, and Westgate just couldn’t recover. I mean, they’re a really good football team. I’m just really proud of our kids to have an opportunity to play on Thanksgiving week again.”

The wheels fell off for Westgate early after the Tigers misplayed the opening kickoff and allowed Bearcat sophomore Holt Hunt to recover the ball on the Tiger 22-yard line. Ruston would get some positive yardage but appeared to be stopped on fourth down before a flag was thrown for a personal foul to keep the Bearcat drive alive. Junior Kohl Gray made the Tigers pay shortly after with a nine-yard touchdown run to put Ruston up 7-0 with 9:35 to go in the first.

Westgate answered on the following drive with a long pass completion to set up a short touchdown run by senior Trandin Benjamin out of the wildcat formation just under a minute later.

Ruston was forced to punt on the next drive, and Westgate appeared to be moving the ball with efficiency again. Curiously, however, the Tigers punted on 4th-and-9 from Ruston’s 29-yard line. After the ball went into the end zone for a touchback, the Bearcats started an 80-yard drive and didn’t look back for the rest of the first half.

Senior quarterback Sam Hartwell took an option keeper 59 yards for a score with 1:18 to go in the first quarter for a 14-7 lead.

Ruston again would get the ball back and this time put together a methodical drive of nearly five minutes starting in the second quarter. Gray and Hartwell kept pounding the football and finally ended the 56-yard drive with a 5-yard option keeper by Hartwell to go up 21-7.

“I thought Sam did a really good job on the option run stuff we did,” Baugh said. “He pulled the ball a couple of times, got some big runs on midline and pitched when we needed to. I thought he did a really good job with that tonight. If we like our alignment when we put two tight ends in, we just kind of hang with it and milk it for what it’s worth. We knew offensively they had some big playmakers, and we didn’t need to get those guys back out there. And so our offensive coaches did a really good job of recognizing what we were being given early in the game and stuck with it and stayed with the plan.”

Westgate appeared to settle in again on offense and got the ball into Ruston territory. Sophomore quarterback Noah Antoine, however, threw an interception to junior safety Jayden Anding with 2:41 to go in the second quarter. On this drive, the Bearcats started getting junior tight end Ahmad Hudson more involved by completing a 24-yard pass, where Hudson broke multiple tackles to set Ruston up in great position to score. Hudson capped off the drive with a 6-yard touchdown reception off of a play-action by Hartwell with 0:47 to go in the half.

Westgate then tried to make magic happen before halftime, but again, Ruston made the Tigers pay and forced a punt with just over 10 seconds left. Junior Hunter Soto would block the Westgate punt and recover the ball in the end zone for a touchdown to put the Bearcats up 35-7 heading into the halftime locker room.

The Bearcats would receive the second half kickoff and put together a long drive of over six minutes to set senior kicker Joaquin Ramos up for a 38-yard field goal with 5:58 to go in the third quarter for a 38-7 lead. Westgate would then turn the ball over on downs, and Gray crossed into the end zone for his second touchdown of the night from four-yards out to cap off another scoring drive with 1:37 left in the third quarter for a 45-7 lead.

Senior running back Jeremiah Freeman scored, as well, for Ruston with 9:27 to go in the ballgame, setting up a running clock for the remainder of the night and giving Ruston a 51-7 lead. Westgate scored a late touchdown for the 51-13 final score.

Gray finished the night with 142 yards rushing and two scores, while Hartwell added 90 yards on the ground and 59 through the air for three total touchdowns. Hudson led the cats in receiving with 59 yards and one score.

Unofficially, Hunt was credited with five total tackles on the night.

Next week’s matchup with Southside is set for a 7 p.m. kickoff in Hoss Garrett Stadium.

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By T. Scott Boatright

Ruston’s next man up was a force to be reckoned with in Ruston’s 51-13 win over Westgate in a second-round contest of the Division I Nonselect School Playoffs at L.J. “Hoss” Garrett Stadium.

When Ruston’s No. 1 running back Dalen Powell went down two weeks ago with what ended up being a broken ankle midway through the Bearcats’ regular-season finale against West Monroe, Kohl Gray was that next man up.

Gray didn’t miss a beat in that contest, and he was back at it Friday night as the 5-11, 182-pound junior powered his way for 142 yards and two scores in the win over Westgate.

“This was fun tonight,” Gray said. “I had a great game. We prepared for it all week and that moment came and we started off hot. It was great to get that first score and get things going less than a minute into the game.”

Ruston kicked off to start the game with a squib kick that a Westgate player tried to pick up but failed, with the Bearcats recovering the ball in the red zone.

Gray went right to work, but on fourth-and-three at the Westgate 15-yard line, it looked like he was tackled behind the line of scrimmage.

But Westgate was flagged for a facemask, giving the Bearcats the ball with a first-and-10 at the Tigers’ 8-yard line.

Gray took the ball on the ensuing handoff and burst up the middle for a score that put Ruston on top 7-0 only 2:25 into the contest.

“I knew I had to make a play for the team,” Gray said. “As soon as I got the handoff I saw the hole starting to open and I just took off toward it. The O-line opened it up big for me and I just headed for the end zone and the score.”

RHS offensive coordinator Earl Griffin said the play couldn’t have gone any better for the Bearcats.

“I think he was surprised that the hole was as big as it was that fast,” Griffin said. “He’s been used to running with the second team, and the holes usually aren’t as big with them as with the big boys who start. So, he just saw the hole and did the rest.”

“Kohl stepped up. Kohl did everything we knew he could do. When Dalen went down (last week), we didn’t hesitate to put Kohl in. Kohl had already shown he was a quality backup, and now he’s the guy. He did not disappoint tonight, I’ll tell you that. He went out and got it done.”

Bearcats head coach Jerrod Baugh took notice, too.

“(Gray) came in at the end of the West Monroe and gave people a lot of confidence in what he can do, and I think he gained a lot of confidence, too. So, coming into the ballgame tonight, I don’t believe there were any jitters about what he needed to get done,” Baugh said. “I think he accepted that challenge.

“There’s not a lot of people that can basically stand on the sideline for three quarters basically in that West Monroe game and all of a sudden you get your number called at running back and you’re able to get out there and do what he did. I’m really proud for him. He’s a really hard worker for us.”

Because Gray and Powell are stylistically different runners — Powell is a speedy slasher while Gray is more of a power pounder — Griffin said that some tweaks were made to RHS offense heading into the game against Westgate.

“After Dalen got hurt, we challenged the offensive line to hold their block just a little bit longer just because Kohl isn’t as familiar with the offensive line as Dalen was because Dalen had been getting the most reps all season,” Griffin said. “They know if they hold it a second-and-a-half for Dalen, he would hit the hole.

“So, we asked them to hold it just an extra second for Kohl. And the offensive line came through. And the thing about Kohl is that he’s a hard, strong runner. You saw him dragging players along more than once tonight. But he needed that hole to get his momentum — that push — moving forward. Kohl and the offensive line worked together perfectly tonight to make that happen.”

Baugh noted those plays where it looked like Gray had been stopped but the pile of players he was in the middle of kept pushing forward.

“He’s a heavy runner,” Baugh said about Gray. “You saw those piles just keep on moving. And I thought our offensive line did an excellent job of getting behind because they know he’s a powerful runner. So, they worked together to push the pile for extra yardage.”

Griffin said that despite being on crutches, Powell played his part in both the Bearcats’ win over West Monroe and then again against Westgate.

“Dalen is a great teammate, and he knew when he went down what he had to do,” Griffin said. “So, he called Kohl into the (injury) tent and talked to Kohl, giving Kohl support even while he was hurting.

“And in meetings this week preparing for this game, Dalen kept talking to — coaching — Kohl up. They were kind of feeding off of each other.”

Gray said he appreciated the support from his injured teammate.

“He put it on me,” Gray said about Powell. “He put his trust in me. We talked about it after he got hurt last week. We sat down in the tent and he told me I had to step up. So, I stepped up for him. This game — this win — was for him.

“I just wanted to do my part and fill that hole left by Dalen’s injury. And I ended up with two touchdowns and we got the win. I’ll take that any day.”

Powell continued talking to Gray in the two weeks leading up to Ruston’s playoff opener.

“I had to help him get his mind right and let him know what he was getting into,” Powell said. “But I knew he could do it. Watching him in practice this week, I knew he would do it. And because I can’t play, I’m just trying to still help in as many ways as I can. I’m still a part of this team, and I’m proud of the win we got tonight.”

by Malcolm Butler

INJURY UPDATE: Senior defensive lineman Ra’Keem Potts hobbled off the field early in the fourth quarter. Potts was injured on a play. He stayed in for the next play but as soon as the ball was snapped, he went to the ground instead of pushing off and engaging the offensive lineman. Potts has been Ruston’s most productive defensive lineman this year and is an integral part of the Bearcats ability to stop the run. Pott’s left with the Bearcats leading 45-7. He finished with two tackles on the night.

“He probably could have (come back in) if we had had to absolutely had to have him,” said Baugh. “I heard him saying he thought his ankle was broken, which a sprained ankle can feel that way. I’m assuming he has probably never had a sprained ankle. One of the other players, and I haven’t gotten confirmation from Coach Brister, that that is what it was; an ankle. A bunch of his teammates were over on the sideline checking on him … they know we need him to. Hopefully, he will get some treatment this week and be ready to go by next Friday.”

DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE: After Westgate drove down the field and scored on their first offensive possession of the night to tie the game at 7-7, the Ruston defense held the Tigers in check the rest of the game. Westgate drove 65 yards on just four plays in less than 90 seconds, which included a 32-yard pass play and a 22-yard run play. However, Westgate’s next seven possessions resulted in 40 plays totaling just 157 yards and zero points. The Tigers would not score again against the Ruston first string defense.

“They have some players, but they are young and inexperienced up front on the offensive line,” said Baugh. “They are big, but being young, they are not very mobile right now, so it was a good matchup for the defensive line that we have. There have been sometimes this year we were outmatched because we were outsized, but tonight lended itself to being a big positive or us. Anytime (our front four) can stop the run then we can commit some guys to coverage. Westgate is very very talented offensively, but they are young. I don’t think they have a single senior starter on offense. It was a good matchup for us and I think our guys executed the gameplan.”

MR CONSISTENCY: Junior placekicker Joaquin Ramos nailed a 39-yard field goal in the third quarter, splitting the uprights with ease. It gave the Bearcats a 38-7 lead with 5:57 to play in the quarter on a drive that ate more than 6 minutes off the clock. Ramos, who hit all six of his extra point attempts – one was never attempted due to a bobbled snap — , has been a picture of consistency for the Bearcats over the past three seasons. The 39-yard field had plenty of distance.

“He is a three-year starter for us,” said Baugh. “You just don’t see that much. He has played in two state championships, one as a freshman and one as a sophomore. I don’t think you can really rattle him as far as a game situation. Our offensive coaches never like to kick a field goal. I was like that too whenever I was calling plays on offense. It was a great opportunity to get him out there and for us to execute it for something other than a PAT. He has been good from up to 50. You look at that kick, and it probably would have been good for another 10 to 15 yards. I thought it was a great kick.”

BLOCK PARTY: Late in the second quarter with Ruston already leading 28-7, Westgate lined up to punt deep inside its own end of the field. The Bearcats special teams unit got great push and the punt was blocked back towards the Tigers endzone where junior Hunter Soto fell on it for a touchdown with just 10 seconds to play. It was the final nail in the first half coffin that saw the Bearcats dominate in all three phases of the game.

“I told the coaches in our meeting on Sunday that I thought the way they lined up that we could get one,” said Baugh. “Their punter was not very deep. Normally when you aren’t real confident with your snapper, you try to cheat your punter up. They were catching the ball at 10 or 11 yards, and he was kicking it at 8 (yards). The shield sometimes was at six yards. He has been really close to kicking those guys in the butt. I thought if we just rolled through there and knocked those guys back that he would end up kicking them in the butt. It ended up just like that.

“They were trying to throw the ball and score it. We had a couple of time outs. I assumed they would run it three times and try to get to halftime. But whenever they threw it and stopped the clock … we had a couple of time outs so even if they ran it on third down, we were going to call timeout and make them punt the ball and we were going to go after it.”

LEGGING IT OUT: Junior quarterback Sam Hartwell has a great arm and has shown throughout the season the ability to hurt opponents through the air. However, his legs are an underrated weapon. Hartwell rushed eight times for 90 yards and two scores in the win, including a 58-yard TD run with 1:18 to play in the first quarter that gave the Bearcats a 14-7 lead. Hartwell added a five-yard TD run midway through the second quarter to extend the Ruston lead to 21-7. He was a part of Ruston’s 300-plus rushing performance on the night.

“It’s a different running game with him,” said Baugh. “With Josh it was more quarterback run out of the gun. We did some option stuff with Josh. With him being so big and tall, it was hard for him to maneuver under the center to do that kind of thing. Sam did an excellent job of checking to the right play, and he read it correctly. We ran three different types of options. We ran midline, inside veer and outside veer, and Sam put us in all the right plays. You saw Lander (Smith) gaining some yards whenever we hand it to him. Sam may pull it on midline and he runs one in for a TD, and he made another long run. He pulled it and pitched it a few times and those were big plays. When you operate it correctly, it’s hard to stop.”

CLEAN LIVIN’: At times this year, the Bearcats have been their own worst enemy with penalties and turnovers. However, in the second round playoff win, Ruston played almost flawlessly in those two categories. Ruston did not commit a turnover in the contest, while only committing three penalties for 35 yards. The Bearcats ran the ball 47 times and threw it another nine times, and they were not called for a single offensive holding in the contest.

“I think our guys did a really good job of doing what we ask them to do,” said Baugh. “There wasn’t a lot of unnecessary stuff which we have talked about that. I think they know now that we can’t afford those types of mistakes in a ball game that could be your last. They have accepted what our coaches have laid out there for them. They know it would be unnecessary and we don’t need those things. Some things do happen. We had a facemask penalty at an inopportune time, but when you are hustling to the football, those sorts of things can happen at times. I thought our kids played really good, clean football tonight.”

DISTRICT 2-5A DOMINANCE: Ruston wasn’t the only District 2-5A team that won in the second round. The district posted a 4-1 record with the lone loss being a 42-35 setback by West Monroe against Barbe. In addition to Ruston’s win, ASH defeated Brother Martin 38-27, Neville defeated Mandeville 31-14, and Ouachita upset Destrehan 21-19.

UP NEXT: Ruston will host No. 8 seed Southside next Friday night at James Stadium. Southside defeated No. 9 Terrebonne 56-42 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Sharks are now 10-2 on the season with their only losses coming to Notre Dame (35-28 in Week 1) and Acadiana (17-14 in Week 8). Southside defeated Westgate (Ruston’s opponent tonight) 35-20 in Week 2. Southside has scored 35 points or more in all 10 wins this season while averaging 59.7 points in their last six wins.

Staff Reports

Louisiana Tech returns to Origin Bank Field at Joe Aillet Stadium today for its home finale as the Bulldogs (5-5, 3-3 Conference USA) host Liberty (4-6, 3-3 CUSA) on Senior Day.

Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. and the game can be seen on ESPN+.

Both Tech and Liberty are fighting for bowl eligibility (six wins) with only two games remaining on the 2025 schedule. Tech will play at Missouri State next weekend. 

Tech hasn’t won six games overall or five home games (4-1 this year) since 2019.

The Bulldogs will honor 16 seniors for Senior Day prior to the start of the game.

This will be the second all-time meeting between the Bulldogs and the Flames. Liberty leads the series 1-0 after defeating Louisiana Tech 56-30 in Lynchburg in 2023. Today will mark Liberty’s first-ever trip to Ruston and Joe Aillet Stadium.

LA Tech fell to 5-5 after a 28-3 loss at Washington State in nonconference play and have lost two straight since defeating Sam Houston State 55-14 on Halloween night. 

The Bulldogs will be without quarterbacks Blake Baker and Evan Bullock who have both sustained season-ending injuries over the last few weeks. Trey Kukuk will be under center for Tech with true freshman Jackson Bradley serving as the backup. Kukuk has completed 36 of 53 passes this season for 321 yards and two scores, along with 173 yards on the ground.

Tech continues to lean on a defensive unit that has been stellar throughout the season, despite losing preseason CUSA Defensive Player of the Year Kolbe Fields to injury over a month ago.  The LA Tech defense remains the only CUSA team allowing fewer than 20 points per game at 19.8.

Liberty enters the contest having dropped a pair of heartbreakers over the last few weekends, including a 34-27 overtime loss at FIU and a 21-17 loss to Missouri State at home. 

Courtesy of GSU Athletic Communications

Grambling State University today announced its latest NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data, reflecting continued academic achievement across its athletics programs. The overall GSR for Grambling State University student-athletes reached 80 percent, demonstrating the institution’s commitment to supporting academic success alongside competitive excellence.

Several GSU teams posted standout GSR marks, including Women’s Tennis and Women’s Volleyball, which each achieved a perfect 100 percent graduation success rate. Women’s Cross Country/Track also reported a strong 90 percent, while Women’s Soccer followed closely at 83 percent, and Women’s Basketball at 82 percent. On the men’s side, Baseball reported a 78 percent GSR, Football achieved 79 percent, and Men’s Basketball recorded 69 percent.

“These numbers reflect the hard work of our student-athletes, the dedication of our academic support staff, and the culture of excellence we strive to uphold at Grambling State University,” said the Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Trayvean Scott.

“Our mission is to develop champions in the classroom, in competition, and in life. The GSR data reaffirms that we are doing just that, and we will continue to invest in resources that ensure our student-athletes graduate prepared for success.”

The NCAA Graduation Success Rate measures the proportion of student-athletes who graduate within six years of initial enrollment, accounting for transfers and other factors unique to college athletics. Grambling State’s strong performance across a wide range of sports highlights the university’s dedication to academic progress and degree completion.

Grambling State University – NCAA Graduation Success Rate Highlights

• Overall: 80%
• Baseball: 78%
• Men’s Basketball: 69%
• Football: 79%
• Men’s Cross Country/Track: 67%
• Women’s Basketball: 82%
• Women’s Bowling: 75%
• Softball: 75%
• Women’s Soccer: 83%
• Women’s Tennis: 100%
• Women’s Cross Country/Track: 90%
• Women’s Volleyball: 100%

Grambling State University remains committed to providing holistic support for its student-athletes, ensuring they excel academically while competing at the highest levels of collegiate athletics.

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Christopher Joseph Womack; a devoted husband, loving father, cherished son, and dedicated public servant. Surrounded by the love of his family, he left this world on November 18, 2025, at the age of 54, and entered into the arms of his Lord and Savior; leaving a legacy of faith, courage, compassion, service and unwavering love.

A committed Christian and faithful member of New Hope Baptist Church, Chris lived his life with a servant’s heart. He was born November 18, 1971 and grew into the kind of man others looked up to – steady, selfless and full of quiet strength. His faith guided everything he did. He devoted 35 years of his life to the city of Ruston where he served with honor, integrity, and unmatched commitment. For the last ten years of those years, he proudly held the position of Fire Chief, leading his department with compassion, wisdom, and courage. He was respected by all who worked alongside him and admired by the community he gave so much of himself to protect.

Outside the firehouse, Chris was a true outdoorsman. He loved deer hunting and hog hunting with his dogs; but what made those days most meaningful was sharing them with the people he loved – his wife, son, and close friends. He also was a bullfighter which showed his bravery, athleticisms and heart. One of his proudest accomplishments was passing that love and skill on to his son and teaching him the craft, courage, and respect that this sport demands. Their love in and out of the arena was something special.

He is proceeded in death by his paternal grandparents Joseph Nathan and Barbara Womack; maternal grandparents RV and Belver Johnson; father-in-law Glen McCormack; and step brother Stevon Owens.

He leaves behind his devoted wife of 27 years, Misty and their loving son Tanner; his parents, Belver Owens and Joseph Womack (Sandy); mother-in-law, Deborah McCormack; three half siblings, Ray Womack (Diana), Kelley Arnold (Justin), Samantha Wright (Tyler); four step siblings, Blain Owens (Sherry), Loren Jarmon, Lorissa Owens, Delaine Owens; and sister in laws, Jennifer Lipsey (Byron Gray) and Sherie Wiley (Robert); and numerous nieces, nephews and close friends.

Pallbearers will be Bubba Dunn, Mark Wood, Joe Dan Martin, Adam Jones, Len Snipe, Jeffrey Robison, Shorty Norred, and Mike Martin.  Honorary pallbearers will be City of Ruston Fire Department.

Chris leaves behind a legacy defined by service, love and countless lives he has touched. His memory will live on in the storied shared, the lessons taught, and the many people who where better for having known him.

Funeral services will be held at Temple Baptist Church in Ruston, La. at 10 am, Saturday, November 22, 2025 with Bro. Thomas Patton officiating and Preston Forrest. Interment will follow at Kilpatrick Memorial Cemetery in Ruston, La. under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home. The family will receive friends at Temple Baptist Church from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm Friday, November 21, 2025. In lieu flowers, the family ask that donations be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Chris will be deeply missed but never forgotten.

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