RUSTON, La. — The Lincoln Parish School Board has called a special session for this afternoon to fill the vacant seat in District 9 and to approve the search process for the new superintendent.
Earlier this month, long-time LPSB member Lynda Henderson of District 9 resigned her seat to serve on the Lincoln Parish Police Jury following the passing of her husband Joe Henderson, who had filled the seat since first being elected in 1992.
In the same meeting, LPSB Superintendent announced his retirement from his position effective June 30, 2026.
Prior to the special session, there will be a finance committee meeting to continue discussions of a sales tax plan that the school board is considering putting forward for a public vote in the near future.
Ruston Police Officer Matthew Reed has been named Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer of the Year by the Ruston Kiwanis Club.
The award was presented to Reed at the annual banquet of the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce. Each law enforcement agency in Lincoln Parish can nominate one officer for the annual award. Reed was one of several community leaders honored at the February 12 event.
Reed joined the Ruston Police Department after serving as a patrol deputy and K-9 handler for the Jackson Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Chief Eric Watson said Reed, “has demonstrated a level of dedication to the field of law enforcement and the community that far exceeds the standard call of duty. His work embodies the core principles of community-oriented policing: transparency, proactive problem-solving, and the cultivation of deep-rooted trust.”
Watson complimented Reed, noting his contributions “are best exemplified by his proactive self-initiated enforcement activities.” In 2025, Reed participated RPD’s directed patrol unit, DWI task force, and volunteered for numerous special details.
Reed made Ruston safer in 2025 by effecting 82 arrests and responding to 1,970 calls for service, Watson said.
“Matthew Reed always maintains a professional demeanor and presents himself with a positive attitude,” Watson said. “As a field training officer, he takes great pride in assisting new officers with developing their skills.”
Reed’s ability to deal with the public in a professional manner is one of his most impressive abilities, Chief Watson said.
“Matthew has the ability to use innovative methods of communication to gain information from suspects as well as cooperating citizens. This is a skill that sometimes takes an officer years to develop.”
Watson said the award sponsored by the Ruston Kiwanis Club recognizes Reed “as a valuable resource for the Ruston Police Department. His humble dedication to duty sets a new benchmark for professional excellence within this department.”
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Ruston Police have arrested a second person in connection with a shooting that hospitalized a local man earlier this month.
Jordan Vontavious Spencer, 23, of Ruston, was arrested February 19 for accessory after the fact, according to Lieutenant Kayla Loyd, Ruston Police spokesperson.
Under Louisiana law, an accessory after the fact is a person who knowingly harbors, conceals, or aids a felony suspect with the intent that the suspect avoids arrest, trial, conviction, or punishment. Penalties include fines or imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
Brandious Lamar Maryland, Jr., 23, of Ruston, was arrested for attempted second degree murder on February 10. He is suspected of shooting the victim earlier that day.
At about 6:00 p.m., Ruston Police responded to the 800 block of Second Avenue regarding a reported gunshot victim. When officers arrived, they located a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Officers immediately administered life-saving measures until Ruston Fire Department personnel arrived on scene and took over. The victim was transported to Northern Louisiana Medical Center.
Investigators talked to the victim at the hospital and obtained a statement. He was later flown to Shreveport for further treatment.
At about 6:20 p.m., another man with a gunshot wound entered the Northern Louisiana Medical Center’s emergency room with non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators responded to the hospital and obtained a statement from Brandious Maryland. The investigation revealed Maryland had shot the victim found at the scene.
It is unclear how Maryland was also shot.
The investigation remains ongoing, according to Loyd. Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to contact Ruston Police at 318-255-4141.
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The Union Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man last week following a violent domestic incident involving a knife near Marion.
Nicholas Yaxcalmasc, 47, of Marion, was arrested on numerous charges including attempted second degree murder.
On February 14, UPSO deputies were sent to a residence in the Conway community of Marion regarding a reported domestic disturbance involving a knife. Information received indicated an adult male had allegedly armed himself with a knife, attacked several family members, and then fled the scene. While responding to the incident, deputies saw the Yaxcalmasc’s vehicle and were nearly hit head-on by the suspect. Deputies conducted a traffic stop near Farmerville and took Yaxcalmasc into custody without further incident.
The investigation revealed Yaxcalmasc had allegedly attempted to stab a family member during a disturbance at the residence. Additional individuals, including juveniles, were present during the incident. The investigation determined multiple victims were placed at risk during the disturbance.
Yaxcalmasc was booked into the Union Parish Detention Center for attempted second degree murder, domestic abuse battery with child endangerment, cruelty to juveniles, simple battery, and reckless operation of a vehicle.
Bail had not been set at publication time.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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RUSTON, La. — Ruston High (4-4) took one of three this past weekend in the 2026 Trey Altick Classic with a run-rule win over Hahnville Thursday and then losses to both Walker and St. Charles Catholic on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
“It was a long week for us,” Ruston High Head Coach Bryan Beck said. “It started out really good Monday night in against Captain Shreve after picking up that win at Tech. We opened with the Trey Altick playing Hahnville — they’re a really good baseball team.”
Ruston beat the Tigers Thursday 13-3 after six innings, thanks in large part to timely hitting by the team and great pitching by sophomore Max Pyles.
“Our starting pitching was really good,” Beck said. “He got the nod and did really, really good. I’m really happy for him getting his first career varsity win. We were firing on all cylinders that day.”
The Bearcats put up 15 total hits, which included a double and a triple from senior Jackson Lee and a double from senior Jackson Burroughs. Ruston put up six runs in the first two innings and then seven more runs in innings four through six.
Burroughs singled in the bottom of the first to score Lee to put Ruston up 1-0. The ‘Cats added five runs in the second after senior Kenden Freeman first scored on a passed ball for a 2-0 lead. Junior JP Moak then singled into left field to score junior Hunter Soto, and Lee would score again thanks to a single by senior Hudson Wood to go up 4-0.
A few batters later, Moak would score on a wild pitch, and then Wood would score on Burroughs’ double and put Ruston up 6-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, Freeman would get a single to center field and score senior Nolan Parnell from second base. Hahnville would get its first run of the day in the top of the fifth, but Ruston would get back up 8-1 after Lee scored on a Wood ground out.
The Tigers scored two in the top of the sixth before the Bearcats got their next five in the bottom of the inning. Tucker Patterson scored on a dropped third strike by the Hahnville catcher, and two batters later, senior Lander Smith scored Williams on a bunt single for a 10-3 lead. Lee then tripled after a Tiger pitching change to score junior Sam Hartwell, and Moak ended the game with a single to score Lee for the 13-3 win.
Pyles struck out five batters on the day. Both Soto and freshman Tristan Nassar came in for relief to secure the win after six innings.
On Friday, the Bearcats lost 4-1 to Walker despite a solid pitching performance by junior Tyler Roach on the bump.
“Saturday, the cylinders stopped firing,” Beck said. “We had six errors on the day. Tyler Roach, did an incredible job to keep us in the ball game. Most of the game, the score was 1-0, and we couldn’t give him any run support and we were throwing the ball around the yard.”
Roach pitched into the sixth inning and was pulled due to pitch count after striking out five runners and giving up no earned runs. Lee added another double to his total and junior Dillon Williams had a run-batted in in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game 1-1. Walker would score three more runs in the top of the seventh to win 4-1.
Ruston’s offense struggled again on Saturday in a 3-0 loss to St. Charles Catholic final day of the Trey Altick classic, with the Bearcats only able to get three hits on the day.
“They are a really good opponent,” Beck said. “They’re a state championship program. Our starting pitcher (junior Colt) Lary had another incredible outing. We just went cold at the plate. We couldn’t get runners on and ran ourselves out of innings. We’ll have to get that cleaned up and get back to work.”
Beck added that he is pleased overall with how his starting pitchers have performed through the first eight games.
Ruston will now be on the road for the next five games: at Airline Tuesday, and then down in Baton Rouge for the Jay Patterson Shootout. The Bearcats will play Destrehan on Thursday and University Lab on Friday, and then will play a double-header against Dutchtown and Mandeville.
“We’ll find out what we’re made up before we head back up to Ruston after those five days,” Beck said in conclusion.
The Cedar Creek senior broke record after record Saturday during the 2026 Boys North Regional Powerlifting Championships held at West Monroe High School.
School. Regional. State.
It didn’t matter. One record after another fell to the side as Lewis ultimately captured first place in the 198-pound classification.
In addition to Lewis’s performance, Cougar teammates Asa Singleton and Wyatt Gremillion also finished on the podium in their respective weight classes, both finishing in second place.
“Our boys had a great day at Regionals,” said head coach Jacob Angevine. “Our guys are on pace of where we want them to be and peaking at the right time. I’m really excited for this group.”
Carter’s three-lift composite total of 1900 pounds is the second highest total in the history of the Louisiana High School Powerlifting Association regardless of weight class or classification, trailing only Salmen’s Dwayne Coleman’s total of 2000 in the super heavyweight division set in 2024.
“This is something that I have worked incredibly hard for,” said Lewis. “Ever since I broke my arm last year I have found a new passion and drive within the sport. After going to world championships, Lawson Lillo and I learned a lot of valuable information that has really help my progress.
“None of this would have been possible had it not been for the amazing coaches I have around me and my ultimate lifting partner and coach and friend Lawson Lillo.”
Lewis opened the meet by breaking the state composite squat record (previously set by Archbishop Rummel’s William Reed in 2018) with a mark of 660 pounds. This also broke the school mark set by Lewis earlier this year that was held by Dakota Clawson since 2006.
He followed that performance by breaking the state composite bench press mark with a lift of 455 pounds, set by St. Paul’s Jack Caminta in 2017. However, this record would not last long as Central’s Dakota Buhler surpassed it later in the meet with a mark of 500 pounds.
Lewis then set a new North Regional mark in the deadlift with a mark of 735 pounds on his third lift, breaking the old mark set by Kenneth Ratliff (Natchitoches Central) in 2001. It also broke the school mark, previously held by his older brother, Quincy, and the state composite mark set by Dutchtown’s Hayden Willis in 2019. It’s the largest deadlift in the history of the LHSPLA regardless of weight or classification.
Cedar Creek totals from the North Regional Championships:
Asa Singleton (132-pound class) 935 total, 2nd place Jack Robbins (148-pound class) 1005 total Rex Freling (165-pound class) 990 total Harshaan Lally (165-pound class) 995 total Wyatt Gremillion (181-pound class) 1515 total, 2nd place Carter Lewis (198-pound class) 1900 total, 1st place Logan Amidon (220-pound class) 1440 total
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, Feb. 23 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome 6 p.m.: Video-led exercise class (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center) 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, Feb. 24 10 a.m.: Storytime: Going to the Moon with storytime guest Rev. Dele (Lincoln Parish Library) 4 p.m.: Crafternoon: Moving Rocket Ships (Lincoln Parish Library) 6 p.m.: Memories of the Movement: Remembering Our Civil Rights Legacy panel discussion (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center) 6 p.m.: Adult Craft Night: Agamorgraph Black History Art Celebration; registration required by calling 318-513-5510 (Lincoln Parish Library) 6 p.m.: LA Tech baseball
Wednesday, Feb. 25 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) 3 p.m.: GSU softball
Thursday, Feb. 26 10 a.m.: Ribbon cutting celebrating The UPS Store (1735 Farmerville Hwy., Suite 12) 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall) 4 p.m.: GSU men’s basketball 4 p.m.: Tween Time: Alma Thomas paintings (Lincoln Parish Library) 6 p.m.: Teen Time: Volunteer Opportunity (Lincoln Parish Library) 6-8 p.m.: 2026 BFA senior class from Louisiana Tech University’s School of Design will debut Introspective Narratives, a dynamic collaborative exhibition opening (Lincoln Parish Museum) 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 men’s basketball
Friday, Feb. 27 3:30 p.m.: LA Tech softball 6 p.m.: LA Tech softball 6 p.m.: LA Tech baseball
Saturday, Feb. 28 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Inaugural Black Expo (Lincoln Parish Library Events Center) 2 p.m.: LA Tech men’s basketball 4 p.m.: LA Tech baseball 6 p.m.: LA Tech softball 6:30 p.m.: GSU men’s basketball
Sunday, March 1 Noon: LA Tech softball 1 p.m.: LA Tech baseball
Monday, March 2 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome 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, March 3 Noon: Lincoln Parish School Board Meeting (Choudrant Elementary School) 6 p.m.: LA Tech baseball
Wednesday, March 4 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 p.m.: GSU softball 6 p.m.: LA Tech baseball
Thursday, March 5 9 a.m.: Ribbon cutting celebrating Chase Bank (297 North Service Rd., Ruston) 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall) 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.: Lady Techster basketball 7 p.m.: Ruston Community Theatre presents “The Stinky Cheese Man”
Friday, March 6 7 p.m.: Ruston Community Theatre presents “The Stinky Cheese Man”
Saturday, March 7 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Find Your Voice: Empowering Women through Song (Presbyterian Church of Ruston Fellowship Hall) 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Third annual Geektogether (Lincoln Parish Library and LPL Events Center) 7 p.m.: Ruston Community Theatre presents “The Stinky Cheese Man”
Sunday, March 8 2 p.m.: Ruston Community Theatre presents “The Stinky Cheese Man”
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.
Lady Techsters 63, Kennesaw State 59 (Saturday at Kennesaw)
Louisiana Tech won its 15th straight game — it’s third by a total of six points — in defeating Kennesaw State 63-59 Saturday afternoon to claim the outright Conference USA regular season title.
Tied 49-49 through three quarter of action, Tech (21-5,15-1) clamped down on the Owls in the fourth quarter, holding Kennesaw State to just 10 points in picking up the league-clinching victory.
“Gritty defensive effort in the fourth quarter,” said Tech head coach Brooke Stoehr. “It comes down to defending, rebounding, and taking care of the basketball when you are on the road. I am really proud of our effort and toughness, winning in late February is hard, especially on the road.
“This is what the games are going to look like in the tournament and our team is showing that we can win in these situations. We did it with a gritty defensive effort there in the fourth.”
It marks the first regular season conference title for the Lady Techsters since the 2010-11 team captured the Western Athletic Conference crown. With the championships, Tech earned the No. 1 seed in the CUSA Tournament coming up in three weeks.
Louisiana Tech took an early lead 3-2 after Paris Bradley connected on her first triple of the night, but the Owls would take a 10-8 lead into the first media timeout. Both offenses would go back and forth with neither team taking a lead greater than four. Alexia Weaver’s layup close to the end of the quarter closed the gap to 18-16 as the Lady Techsters trailed after the first frame.
Jianna Morris nailed from deep to start the second quarter, taking a 19-18 lead for Louisiana Tech. The Owls fought back, quickly taking another lead until Morris and Bradley connected again, stretching the Lady Techsters lead back to five. Neither team could stop the other halfway through the frame with LA Tech making five shots in a row to Kennesaw’s four in a row.
Fatigue started to settle in the Kennesaw State lineup with only seven active players, closing the frame with an almost four minute drought and four turnovers. The lead stretched to seven as the teams headed to the locker room as LA Tech outscored the Owls 21-12 in the frame.
Morris and Bradley led the way with 11 points apiece. After shooting only seven triples all game in Jacksonville, the Lady Techsters shot 17 in the first half alone against KSU, shooting 41 percent from downtown.
Louisiana Tech’s offense stalled hard in the third quarter, shooting 1-8 entering the media timeout with four turnovers. The Owls took advantage, tying the game with 1:37 left to play. No more points would be scored, making the game tied 47-47 entering the final period. The Lady Techsters shot 3-13 from the field, including 0-5 from three, while turning the ball over seven times.
Both teams fought hard for the lead, tying twice at 51-all before the final media timeout. Weaver’s free throw with 4:55 left to play would give LA Tech a one point lead, one that would never be surrendered.
Bradley’s triple would shut the door while Morris three free throws would slam it, giving LA Tech a seven point lead with 37 seconds left. The Owls would make one more basket before the Lady Techsters dribbled the time out, winning 63-59 and clinching a share of the CUSA regular season title.
Bradley and Morris led LA Tech with 14 points apiece, shooting 7-18 from deep combined. Three Lady Techsters recorded four assists, including Bradley who also registered four steals. Louisiana Tech after shooting only seven threes against Jacksonville State, shot 27 against Kennesaw State, making eight.
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Kennesaw State 58, Bulldogs 55 (Saturday at Kennesaw)
Louisiana Tech’s game-tying three-pointer was off the mark as the Bulldogs dropped a 58-55 defensive slugfest to Kennesaw State on Saturday inside VyStar Arena.
LA Tech’s (15-12, 8-8 CUSA) defense came to play, holding one of the top scoring offenses in the country, KSU (16-11, 8-8 CUSA), to just 35.1 percent shooting and its lowest scoring output at home this season. The Bulldogs also controlled the glass, pulling down 12 more rebounds than the Owls, who came in ranked in the top 10 nationally in that category.
However, the combination of struggling to finish at the rim along with 18 turnovers resulted in a low-scoring night for the Bulldogs in the road loss.
“We should not have put ourselves in that position late because of the turnovers,” said head coach Talvin Hester. “I thought we guarded great for about 37 minutes, but we broke down on a few occasions, got mentally fatigued. We must be smarter down the stretch. We must hold our defensive focus. And we must take better care of the basketball.”
LA Tech trailed for much of the first half. That was until Kaden Cooper ignited for eight straight points, including a rim-rocking slam dunk and a three-pointer which helped give the ‘Dogs a 25-23 halftime advantage.
The Owls quickly regained on a made triple of their own by RJ Johnson out of the break, but four straight made free throws by Will Allen and Jaylen Fenner plus a deep three from DJ Dudley gave LA Tech its largest lead of the contest at 32-26 with 17:40 remaining.
KSU would counter with its biggest scoring run of the game, going on an 8-0 run to reclaim the lead. It was mostly a one-possession game either way for the remainder. Down three with less than four minutes left, Avery Thomas II connected on a three-pointer from the wing. Cooper added a free throw to give the Bulldogs a 51-50 edge with 3:18 to go.
The home team responded with three consecutive made jumpers, two of which came from beyond the arc. Over the final 66 seconds, LA Tech misfired on four shot attempts including a try by AJ Bates with one second left to try to force the game into overtime.
“Kennesaw State is a tough team,” said Hester. “They can stop you with their size and physical toughness. I thought we did a great job battling on the boards. But we had 18 turnovers. We cannot give a team that can really score it that many more opportunities.”
Cooper recorded his sixth double-double of the season with a game-high 18 points and 13 rebounds. Bates added 12 points, five assists, and three steals. Dudley provided 10 points and a season-high nine rebounds.
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Southern 87, Tigers 73 (Saturday in Baton Rouge)
Grambling State battled hard on the road but fell 87-73 to Southern University Saturday evening at the F.G. Clark Activity Center. The Tigers fought to stay within striking distance, but Southern’s efficiency and balanced attack proved too much down the stretch.
Jamil Muttilib led Grambling State with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including 2-of-4 from three, while adding two rebounds, four assists, and a steal in 30 minutes. Muttilib helped keep the Tigers competitive with timely baskets, including a trio of mid-range jumpers and drives to the hoop.
Antonio Munoz carried much of the scoring load with 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting, adding five rebounds and five assists, while Jimel Lane contributed 11 points and a team-high 10 rebounds to bolster the frontcourt.
Roderick Coffee III added six points and three steals, and Rickey Ballard chipped in seven points with a three-pointer.
Grambling State opened the first half slowly, scoring just 24 points and allowing Southern to shoot over 62 percent from the field. The Tigers surged in the second half, scoring 49 points on 56.7 percent shooting and hitting 50 percent from three-point range, but were unable to overcome the early deficit.
Grambling finished with 40 points in the paint, 10 fast-break points, and 13 points off turnovers, but Southern’s hot shooting from beyond the arc and free-throw line carried the Jaguars to victory.
Southern University was led by AJ Barnes with 22 points, DaMariee Jones with 15, and Terrance Dixon Jr. with 12, as the Jaguars shot 58.8 percent from the field, including 50 percent from three.
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Southern 59, Tigers 45 (Saturday in Baton Rouge)
Grambling State University fell 59–45 to Southern University in Southwestern Athletic Conference action Saturday afternoon inside the F.G. Clark Activity Center.
Grambling State and Southern battled evenly in the opening quarter ending the frame tied at 12–12.
Southern carried a narrow edge into halftime, using a slight second-quarter push to take a 29–28 lead into the break.
The Jaguars created separation in the third quarter outscoring the Lady Tigers 13–10 to build a 42–38 advantage entering the final period.
Southern pulled away in the fourth, holding Grambling State to just seven points to secure the 14-point conference victory.
Alisha Murray paced Grambling State with 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for a double-double performance. Monica Marsh added 10 points off the bench, while Zaria Johnson contributed eight points and four rebounds.
Grambling State struggled from the field, shooting 28.6 percent overall and 8.3 percent from three-point range.
Southern was led by Demya Porter who finished with a game-high 17 points and nine rebounds.
LA Tech posted a 3-0 record on the weekend in the Grind City Classic. (photo by Drew Palsey)
Courtesy of LA Tech & GSU Athletic Communications
Bulldogs 6, Ohio State 0 (Friday)
Bulldogs 8, Memphis 5 (Saturday)
Bulldogs 9, Ohio State 3 (Saturday)
Louisiana Tech went a perfect 3-0 in the Grind City Classic to improve to 7-1 after defeating Ohio State twice and host Memphis once during the two-day event.
Head coach Lane Burroughs moved into second place all-time in wins for a Bulldog baseball coach (317) with the win over Ohio State Saturday, moving past legendary Hall of Fame coach Barry Hinton.
“I’m just proud of our guys, especially in the response from the other night against McNeese,” said Burroughs. “That was the main message to the team was to respond this weekend, and I thought they did. We came in here and won all three games against two good teams, and two games against a Power 4 team.
“I appreciate the recognition for the second-most wins in LA Tech history, but none of those victories have I swung a bat or fielded a ball or much less thrown one. It’s all about those Jimmies and Joes, and it’s about surrounding yourself with great coaches and people who are a lot smarter and better than you. That’s one thing I have done very well in my career is hiring extremely good assistant coaches, and we’ve had the opportunity to coach some amazing players, and that’s what it’s all about.”
It was a slow start offensively for Memphis and Tech Saturday with three scoreless innings to start the game. The ‘Dogs struck first in the fourth after the first three batters of the inning reached safely to load the bases with no outs. Trey Hawsey was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame followed by back-to-back singles from Colby Lunsford and Sebastian Mexico.
With one out on the board, Cade Patterson drove in the first run of the game on a fielder’s choice to give Tech a 1-0 lead.
The side was retired in order for the ‘Dogs in the fifth and sixth innings before making it a 2-0 game in the seventh. Eli Berch led the inning off with a double to the left center gap before advancing on a sacrifice bunt and scoring on a passed ball by the Memphis catcher.
Memphis would put their first run on the board in the bottom half with a leadoff homer, but Tech answered back with a six-spot in the top of the eighth.
Casey McCoy led off with a base hit through the left side before finding himself on second with one out following a stolen base by the freshman second baseman. Hawsey drove in McCoy with a base hit through the right side and moved up to second on a wild pitch. Lunsford drew a walk and Mexico poked a base hit to shallow right field to load the bases.
A swinging strikeout gave the Tigers two outs with the bases loaded, but Cade Patterson delivered a clutch two-run double to the right field corner before Wesley Scott capped off the inning with a three-run blast over the right field wall for his first round-tripper as a Bulldog.
Memphis attempted a comeback in their half of the eighth, scoring four on a two-run homer, an error and an RBI base hit, but that’s all they would manage for the rest of the contest. Luke Nichols earned his second save of the season, pitching the ninth inning and getting a double play and strikeout to end the game.
Hudson Rowan was consistent in his second start on the mound, improving to 2-0 and maintaining a perfect 0.00 ERA on the year with six scoreless innings. The southpaw scattered three hits and a walk while striking out six batters.
Lunsford extended his hitting streak to seven games, and Drew Ferguson and Jackson Jones each picked up their first career strikeout on the mound. Mexico ended the Memphis game with three hits, his first of 2026 and sixth three-hit game as a Bulldog.
After blanking Ohio State Friday 6-0, the Bulldog offense was more impactful to start the second game of their Saturday afternoon against the Buckeyes, scoring seven runs across the first four innings and scoring at least one run in five of the eight innings the Bulldogs had a chance to bat.
Tech loaded the bases in the bottom half of the first with a leadoff walk by Colton Coates, a double from Hawsey and a four-pitch walk drawn by Lunsford. Mexico looked to drive in the first run with a fielder’s choice hit to third base, but Coates was called out on the force at home. The next at-bat, Scott put Tech on the board with a two-run base hit to the left center gap.
The bats continued to deliver for Burroughs’ offense with McCoy leading off with an infield single followed with Coates driving a two-bagger to right field to put runners on second and third with no outs. Hawsey made it a 3-0 game with a sac fly before Lunsford made it a four-run lead for the ‘Dogs with an RBI groundout.
Ohio State put themselves on the board in the top of the fourth with an RBI knock, but Tech’s offense showed no signs of slowing down with three more runs on the board in the home half of the inning. Coates ended up on second with a base hit and a fielding error by the Buckeye first baseman and scoring on an RBI double delivered by Hawsey.
Hawsey came around on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch before Mexico and Scott drew back-to-back walks followed with Patterson extending the lead to six runs with an RBI base knock.
The ‘Dogs and the Buckeyes exchanged runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to maintain the six-run gap. McCoy drove in a run on an RBI groundout in the sixth and Mexico plated a run in the seventh with a base hit to the left field line. Prior to Mexico’s hit, Lunsford extended his hitting streak to eight games with a one-out double pulled to left field and showcased his speed by scoring on Mexico’s batted ball.
Brooks Roberson improved to 2-0 on the mound, tossing 5 1/3 innings allowing two runs on four hits, three walks and striking out six Buckeye hitters. Kade Parker slammed the door on Ohio State in relief, tossing the final 2 1/3 innings of the game allowing no runs on two hits and picking up four strikeouts.
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Southern Miss 2, Bulldogs 1 (Friday)
Bulldogs 8, Southern Miss 0 (Saturday)
Bulldogs 4, Southern Miss 1 (Sunday)
Louisiana Tech took two out of three this weekend in a non-conference series against Southern Miss played at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
The Bulldogs (12-3) dropped Friday night’s game 2-1 before coming back and dominating Saturday and Sunday.
Senior Allie Floyd and freshman Bryannah Campos pitched complete games in the two wins, allowing only four hits and one unearned run during the 12 innings of action.
“They have a good ball club,” said Tech head coach Josh Taylor. “(Southern Miss pitcher Kayla) Giardina is really good. A little bit of life up, and you have to be on your game in order to score runs against her. The story of the game was Allie [Floyd]. She pitched really well…really, really well. No earned runs and just pretty much dominated.
“All of our pitchers were pretty solid during this series. Even in Friday night’s loss, we held them to two runs which should be enough to win a game.”
Floyd (4-1) tossed her second complete game in four days, going the distance against USM. The right-hander allowed one unearned run on three hits, two of which were bunt singles, while striking out seven and walking two across seven innings of work.
On the week. Floyd worked 20.0 innings, allowing three runs — one earned — on just eight singles while striking out 14 batters.
Freshman Bradi Gallaway saw her big week continue, as she led the Bulldogs at the plate with two hits and two RBI in the win. Elena Heng also finished with two hits while driving in one run. Reese Torres, Allie Furr, and Gracie Flores all finished with one hit apiece, while Furr drove in one run.
Hannah Christian of Southern Miss opened the game with a bunt single but was erased on a fielder’s choice at second. The Bulldogs then turned a double play on a flyout with Heng throwing out the runner at first to end the inning.
The Bulldogs broke the scoreless game in the third as Heng came around to score on a Gallaway single to left. Heng singled to start the inning and made her way to third on a sac bunt and a groundout. USM tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fifth after the leadoff batter reached on a fielding error and later scored on a sacrifice fly. She advanced into scoring position on a bunt and a sacrifice bunt.
Gallaway put the Bulldogs back in front, 2-1, in the bottom of the inning with a double to left-center that scored Jina Baffuto. Baffuto pinch ran for Gracie Flores, who singled to second base in the previous at-bat.
Tech added two runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth to take a 4-1 lead that would prove to hold. After a groundout and flyout to start the bottom half, Torres singled to right and later scored on a double to left-center by Furr. Heng followed with a single up the middle to plate Furr which extended LA Tech’s lead to three runs.
“We were able to get some timely hits,” said Taylor. “We talk about it all the time…that championship formula is great pitching, great defense and timely hitting, and we got most of that today.”
After allowing leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh, Floyd was able to induce a foul-out, flyout and line out to close the game.
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Tigers 6, South Carolina State 3
Tigers 5, MVSU 4
Lincoln University 3, Tigers 1
Tigers 3, Alabama State 2
Tigers 19, Alabama State 12
Grambling State’s offense erupted Sunday afternoon as the Tigers powered past Alabama A&M, 19-12 at the HBCU Classic at Williams Field to conclude the weekend with a 4-1 mark.
Grambling State wasted no time setting the tone plating six runs in the first inning.
Kamryn Broussard opened the scoring with an RBI single before Zoe Roland delivered a two-run single. Toni Purchas followed with a two-run double, and Hailey Hughes capped the inning with an RBI single to give the Tigers a commanding 6-1 lead.
The Tigers kept the pressure on with three more runs in the second and four in the third.
Logan-Ray Gaspar fueled the surge with a four-hit performance including a two-run single in the third that pushed the lead to 11-6. Roland also helped her own cause with an RBI double later in the inning.
After Alabama A&M made a push midway through the game, Grambling answered again in the fifth with a five-run frame.
Jada Carhee sparked the rally with an RBI double, Hughes added a sacrifice fly, and Broussard and Ziya Donaldson each drove in runs as the Tigers stretched the margin to 19-12.
Gaspar led the offensive explosion, going 4-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored.
Roland finished with two hits and three RBI while Purchas and Donaldson each collected two hits and two RBI. Grambling totaled 21 hits in the victory.
Roland (3-3) earned the win after tossing four innings in the circle. Jaidan Richard secured the save, working the final three innings.
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Southern 13, Tigers 3
Alabama State 14, Tigers 5
Tigers 8, Jackson State 7
Grambling State dropped a 14-5 decision to Alabama State on Saturday afternoon at Holman Stadium at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex as part of the Andre Dawson Classic in Vero Beach, Fla.
The Tigers, who feel 13-3 to Southern Friday, came back Sunday to defeat Jackson State 8-7.
On Saturday, the Hornets struck early with a five-run first inning, highlighted by a three-run home run from J. Williams and an unearned run that pushed the early margin to 5-0. Alabama State added another run in the third and broke the game open with four runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to build a 14-4 advantage through five frames.
The Tigers answered in the second inning with a four-run rally. Shannon Martin, Hasani Johnson and Aidan Lopez opened the frame with consecutive hits before Julio Vasquez launched a grand slam to left center, cutting the deficit to 5-4. Vasquez finished the day with four RBIs and drove in all four runs during the second-inning surge.
Grambling added its final run in the sixth inning. With the bases loaded, Cameron Hill drew a walk to bring home a run and trim the margin to 14-5.
Offensively, the Tigers collected 11 hits. Martin and Johnson each went 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Lopez added two hits and scored once. Trey Bridges and Martavius Thomas also recorded hits, and Vasquez’s grand slam was Grambling’s lone extra-base hit of the contest.
On the mound, starter Trent Shaw was tagged with the loss after allowing nine runs (eight earned) in 3.1 innings of work. Hampton Phillips and Trevor Esparza combined to throw 4.2 innings in relief, with Esparza striking out seven and not allowing a run over 3.1 frames.
After waiting nearly a month to play its home opener, No. 64 Louisiana Tech set the tone early helping to secure a 6-1 victory over Stephen F. Austin on Saturday afternoon at the LA Tech Tennis Complex.
LA Tech (6-2), winners of five of its last six, locked up the doubles point and then followed that up with straight set victories on five of the six singles courts.
“I am incredibly proud of how we competed today in our first home match of the season,” said head coach Amy Sargeant. “Setting the tone early and securing the doubles point at two and three speaks volumes about our preparation, belief, and commitment to each other. We made a clear decision to play on our terms to be the aggressors, to attack the ball with our feet, and to keep the game simple and disciplined. That mindset showed up across the board.”
Mio Kozaki and Diana Starodubtseva got the winning started for the Bulldogs, prevailing 6-1 at the No. 3 position. Clinching the opening point was their court neighbor, Alice Brook and Maria Tsironi, who delivered a 6-4 victory at No. 2.
The ‘Dogs did not let their foot off the gas. June Vigneron surrendered just one game against Avery Kinsey, dominating 6-0, 6-1 on court five to give LA Tech a 2-0 advantage.
Making it 3-0 in favor of the home squad was Isabella Walker who made quick work of Alkmini Giannakogiorgou 6-1, 6-3 on court six. Soon thereafter, Tsironi provided the clinching point for LA Tech, downing Ana Paula Chavez 6-2, 6-2 on court four.
SFA (0-4) would get its lone point of the match on court two with a victory by Sonja Rooth, but LA Tech tacked on two more points with Zoie Epps getting the best of Felicia Back 6-2, 6-4 at No. 1 and Starodubtseva prevailing 6-3, 6-4 over Antonella Taco.
“What impressed me the most today was the maturity and growth this team displayed,” said Sargeant. “We understand what is ahead of us with a tough road stretch, and today proved we are building the habits and resilience needed to rise to that challenge.”
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Bulldog Bowling
The No. 5 Louisiana Tech bowling team had a strong finish in the Big Red Invite Sunday as they jumped three spots in the standings to finish sixth overall in a field that had 12 teams, eight of which are in the top 10.
“This weekend’s tournament was one of the premier events of the year, with nearly every top-10 team in attendance,” said Tech head coach Matt Nantais. “The format had us play everyone once before moving into bracket play, so every team faced essentially the same schedule throughout the weekend.
“We had a few close matches that could have gone our way, but sometimes the pins just don’t fall when you need them to. That said, we made a really strong move on the final day, climbing from 9th to 6th place and finishing with an 8-5 record. In an event this grueling and competitive, I’ll take that result any day of the week.”
The Bulldogs had a total pinfall of 13,604. Kylee Trexler recorded a seventh place finish as an individual after rolling a 1,310 across six traditional games (226, 195, 212, 204, 225, 248).
LA Tech entered the day in ninth and defeated Quincy 1,078-829 to finish 4-2 in traditional match play. The Bulldogs then took on No. 3 Arkansas in their first of two best-of-four-of-seven baker matches.
Tech took down Arkansas state in 4-3 in a thriller (204-176, 182-188, 200-226, 214-193, 206-212, 203-202, 214-191).
The Bulldogs then took on #2 Vanderbilt and fell 2-4 (212-227, 237-185, 183-268, 243-175, 203-192, 203-191).
“We now have a weekend off to prepare for our final regular-season event, with the goal of continuing to move up in the RPI rankings,” said Nantais. “Statistically, this weekend was a big improvement over our last event, and the difference was clear-we bowled as a team, not as individuals. That collective effort is what propelled us forward, and every single athlete contributed to this weekend’s success.”
Brigitte Watson Fitzgerald March 25, 1956 – February 21, 2026 Visitation: Saturday, February 28, 2026, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel Memorial Service: Saturday, February 28, 2026, 2:00 PM, Owens Memorial Chapel
Rose May Cranford November 30, 1935 – February 20, 2026 Visitation: Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Mineral Springs Baptist Church, 118 Pea Ridge Road, Dubach Funeral Service: Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 10:00 AM, Mineral Springs Baptist Church, 118 Pea Ridge Road, Dubach
Katherine Dorena “Doe” Wilson Clark February 23, 1948 – February 15, 2026 Visitation: Saturday, March 14, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Feazel Chapel at First Baptist Church West Monroe, 311 Mill St., West Monroe Celebration of Life: Saturday, March 14, 2026, 2:00 PM, Feazel Chapel at First Baptist Church West Monroe, 311 Mill St., West Monroe
The 2026 BFA senior class from Louisiana Tech University’s School of Design will debut Introspective Narratives, a dynamic collaborative exhibition opening February 26, 2026, from 6:00–8:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Parish Museum.
Featuring bold explorations of memory, identity, perception, and emotion, the exhibition showcases how emerging artists transform personal experience into compelling visual statements. Working across sculpture, painting, drawing, videography, and mixed media, the artists present ambitious work shaped by four years of rigorous studio practice.
The exhibition includes work by Callan Bowling, Anne Erwin, Leana Dillon, Solomon Williams, Sage Traylor, and Jolee Rogers.
Hosted at the Lincoln Parish Museum, Introspective Narratives offers the Ruston community a vibrant opportunity to engage with contemporary student art alongside the museum’s historic collections, creating a powerful exchange between new voices and shared cultural history.
Ruston High School’s Trisha Pangilinan has been named a National Merit Finalist and will now compete for one of the 6,870 National Merit Scholarships.
“Trisha is a phenomenal student and just a wonderful person in general,” Ruston High Principal Dan Gressett said. “We are talking about a student with a perfect ACT score, five highest scores possible on AP exams, and someone who has never made less than an A in any course at RHS. I’d have been shocked if she didn’t become a national merit finalist. We are extremely proud of her and look forward to her advancing in this competition.”
National Merit Scholarship winners of 2026 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. These scholarship recipients will join approximately 389,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title.
A man arrested by the Lincoln Perry Sheriff’s Office was charged with self-mutilation by a prisoner after he allegedly headbutted the metal transport cage in a patrol car numerous times, as well as other charges.
Datreo M. Wagner, 42, of Ruston, was arrested February 12 for disturbing the peace, domestic abuse battery with child endangerment, false imprisonment and self-mutilation of a prisoner, following an incident in a mobile home park on U.S. Highway 80 between Ruston and Grambling.
When deputies arrived at the location, they found Wagner and a woman arguing. The woman said Wagner had thrown her keys into a fire. While she was being interviewed, Wagner attempted to expose himself to urinate in the yard of the residence in front of young children, even though the front door was open, and there was a bathroom inside.
Wagner showed indications of intoxication and was taken into custody and placed in a patrol car. He then began headbutt the metal transport cage and kicking the door of the vehicle, attempting to cause self-injury and damage to the vehicle.
He was directed several times to stop the kicking and headbutting, but only cursed deputies. When he was taken out of the vehicle and placed in leg restraints, Wagner attempted to strike a deputy’s head with his head.
According to a deputy report, Wagner struck the metal cage with his head approximately 30 to 40 times.
The woman told deputy that in addition to throwing her keys in the fire, he had pushed her down and blocked the door, preventing her from leaving the residence.
Wagner was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for disturbing the peace, domestic abuse battery with child endangerment, false imprisonment, and self-mutilation of a prisoner.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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The Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested a local man Sunday after investigating a domestic disturbance in Choudrant.
Eric Allen, 41, of Choudrant, was arrested on several charges after a woman called 911 reporting her boyfriend was beating her before the call was abruptly disconnected.
The woman told responding deputies that Allen grabbed her by the hair and threw her on the bed. He then held her down with his hands. When he let her up, she grabbed her cell phone and called 911, but Allen took the phone from her and snapped it in half.
The woman said Allen then refused to allow her to leave the bedroom.
Allen initially refused to come out of the residence and ordered deputies to leave. He eventually complied and was taken into custody.
Allen was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for battery of a dating partner, false imprisonment, simple criminal damage to property, and interfering with emergency communications.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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RUSTON, La. — It was a night when the shots would just not fall for Ruston as a stingy Ouachita (13-12) defense led to a first-round upset of Lady Bearcats (12-8) Monday 54-42 in the first round of the 2025-26 LHSAA playoffs.
A team known for hitting three’s, Ruston would only get two before the start of the fourth quarter and would only have one in the final stanza.
“I felt like we we had a pretty good game plan against them,” Ruston High Head Coach LaShanda Cooper said. “We tried to change it up a little bit from how we played them the last time. However, it was just a lot of the small things that continued to add up on us. We weren’t able to capitalize on a lot of their mistakes. When we made the 15-9 run, we just kind of felt like it was time to go ahead and start taking over the game, but we had turnovers and missed assignments. Everything just kind of started falling their way, and we just could never get back on track.”
The first quarter proved tight in scoring as Ouachita took an early 5-0 lead after Lady Lion senior McKenna Cooley scored four of the first five points in the first three minutes. Ruston would get its first of two threes in the quarter thanks to senior Journi Douglas knocking down one from the corner with 5:06 to go in the first quarter. After a Ouachita technical foul, junior Angelica Green knocked down the free throws to tie the game 5-5 at the 4:39 mark.
After a Lion free throw and another bucket from Cooley for a 9-6 score, sophomore Jayleen Spann hit a three-pointer to tie the game 9-9 in the final minute of the first.
Freshman Dakota Powell helped Ruston to a 6-0 run to start the second quarter after scoring two baskets and getting two steals in the first three minutes of the period with a bucket from junior Kearra Wilson in between for a 15-9 lead with 5:23 to go in the half.
The Lady Lions would finally get on the scoreboard in the second quarter after a jumper from Rylei James at the 3:42 mark in the half to cut Ruston’s lead to 15-11. Two free throws soon after by Cooley would get the score even closer at 15-13, and Cooley would then tie the game with a basket at 15-15 with just over three minutes to go before halftime. A bucket by Ouachita’s Tylah Saucer capped off an 8-0 run to give Ouachita its first lead since late in the first quarter at 15-17.
After trading buckets, Ouachita would eventually pull slightly away and led 21-17 at halftime.
Ruston sophomore Adrianna Robinson scored the first basket of the second half in the first 30 seconds, and Green followed up shortly after with a basket to tie the game 21-21 with 6:47 to go in the third. Ouachita’s Jordanne Warren would then hit the Lady Lions’ first three of the night at the 6:18 mark, and Taylor Madison would knock down a shot to put Ouachita up 26-21 with 4:44 to go in the quarter.
Lady Bearcat senior Akeirah Jones would then go to the free throw line at the 4:34 mark of the third quarter and made both before she headed out with an apparent leg injury (she would return in the fourth quarter). Ouachita would end with a 31-25 lead headed into the fourth after a pair of key baskets by Saucer.
Ouachita would lead by as many as 12 points early in the fourth quarter, but missed free throws for the Lions let Ruston pull the game close in the final stanza.
Saucer led all scorers with 19 points, while Cooley finished with 14. Junior Kearra Wilson led the Lady Bearcats with 11 points.
Ruston will graduate Jones, Douglas, Genesis Cooper, Ella Kate Jones and Ali-Claire Palmer.
“We love them,” Cooper said of her senior class. “I’m proud of them. We talked to them in the back about their leadership. Things may not have gone the way that that we wanted, but the impact they had on the team really helped to allow everyone to grow up. I told them to take lessons learned inside of our program and just be be successful at the next level whatever it is that they decide to do next.”
The Lady Lions will go down to south Louisiana to take on No. 3 Prairieville early next week.
Seventh-grader Madi Mitchell (3) led Simsboro with a game-best 21 points Thursday night at Weston. (Photo by T. Scott Boatright)
By T. Scott Boatright
It came down to getting into an offensive groove — Weston did, and Simsboro didn’t.
The result was a 67-51 win for the 14th-seeded Lady Wolves as they defeated 19th-seeded Lady Tigers in opening round play of the 2026 Louisiana High School Athletics Association Class B girls basketball playoffs Thursday night inside the SHS Gym.
But in the opening seconds, Simsboro looked like it would find an offensive groove from the get-go as eighth-grader Lazorreya Davis pulled up and hit a mid-range jump shot only five seconds into the game to put the Lady Tigers on top 2-0.
That was Simsboro’s first and only lead of the game.
Weston countered with the next five points before another short jumper from Davis cut Weston’s lead to 5-4 only 1:01 into the contest.
But the Lady Wolves went up by as many as eight points late in the opening stanza before heading into the second quarter with a 15-10 advantage after Simsboro seventh-grader Madi Mitchell nailed a 3-pointer with one second left on the clock.
Weston went up by nine points less than a minute into the second quarter on consecutive baskets by Gracie Gray and Rachel Bandy and held onto a solid lead until Simsboro made a mini-run, cutting the Lady Wolves’ advantage to four points at 28-24 on a Mitchell layup with 1:52 left before halftime.
But the Lady Wolves outscored Simsboro 5–1 from there to take a 33-25 lead into the locker room at the half.
“It’s so tough when you get to that playoff environment and you get one shot,” said Simsboro coach Adam Wodach. “I think we know we didn’t play our best and that’s what’s tough with a one-game playoff. It’s so important to earn home playoff games and credit Weston for that. I think that played a large role in the outcome. But we just didn’t play very well.”
Weston pushed its advantage to double digits at 37-27 at the 5:40 mark of the third quarter and took a 47-32 lead into the final stanza on a Tegan Hall putback with 6.5 seconds left on the clock.
The closest Simsboro could get in the fourth quarter was 12 points back at 54-42 on a 3-pointer by freshman Zakiya Jiles with 5:56 remaining, but Simsboro couldn’t find enough offense the rest of the way.
“We’re young, and I think nerves got to us a little bit,” Wodach said. “Weston made some good shots. They had really balanced scoring. (Carly Jo Davis, who finished with five points) is a really good player for them, and she didn’t have as many points as she usually would. We just didn’t start strong and they did.
“They had a lot of different girls that scored and it’s tough to beat a team with that kind of offensive balance. For us, it was really just Madi and Lazorreya. We have to have more balance. Tonight, Weston was much more balanced than us.”
Mitchell led the Lady Tigers with 21 pointers, including four 3-pointers, while Davis added 20.
Eight Lady Wolves put points on the scoreboard, led by Bandy’s 19.
Weston’s Kate Kieffer added 15 points and JaKayla Fourd added 12 points for the Lady Wolves, who ended Simsboro’s season with a record of 8-17.
Wodach said that while the loss stung, he feels good about the future for his young Lady Tigers.
“When you’re that young and haven’t made it through an entire season yet, you just haven’t gone through it,” Wodach said. “We’ve been playing since November, practicing since October. But it was the first playoff game for all of them except Curniya (McAllister — the Lady Tigers’ lone senior) and Bre (Williams).
“A lot of people didn’t think we’d get in (the playoffs). For us to get into the playoffs, and with the schedule we played, I’m super proud of our girls for even getting here. The next step is having a great summer and pushing forward.”
In April 1964, Walter and Betty Roberts opened the Actors and Writers Workshop in Atlanta, Georgia, “to provide younger talent in all fields with an opportunity to develop and showcase their talents, and to encourage an interest and participation in theater arts among young people, especially high school students.” Walter and Betty met nine years earlier during the casting of a play. Walter and Better were cast as husband and wife who bitterly hated each other, but in real life, it was love at first sight. Three days after they met, Walter proposed and Betty instantly accepted. As soon as the tour ended, they eloped. They worked in theater together until they decided to form their own production company. The A&W Workshop guided the young actors and writers by hosting various performances based on their talents. In celebration of William Shakespeare’s 400th birthday, they selected for their first touring production, “Othello.” Walter directed and played the part of the jealous Moor who killed the tragic Desdemona, who was played by Betty. Since it was a new venture with little capital, “Othello” was presented in modern dress. Walter had an orchestra, which included three musicians from the local Briarcliff High School, prerecord the music for the production. The announcement invited “Artists wishing to associate with the group [to] apply by letter. No fees are involved.”
In 1965, Coretta King called the A&W Workshop and asked if her nine-year-old daughter Yolanda could join the troupe. At just eight years old, Yolanda had written her first play, but she had been turned away from other theater groups because they did not accept black students. Betty, who thought talent was colorblind, told Coretta, “Sure. Come on over.” Yolanda was welcomed into the A&W Workshop and was regularly cast as the lead female in productions. By April 1966, Yolanda was one of two assistant directors of the company. She was just 10 years old at the time. Walter and Betty became close friends with Coretta and her husband, Martin.
In the following year, 1967, Betty was pregnant with her second child. Although the A&W Workshop had a full tour schedule, it was struggling financially. In June, the young performers opened the summer season with “Joan of Arc,” followed by “Little Plays for Little People,” “Green Pastures,” and “Once Upon a Mattress.” In September 1967, the A&W Workshop began its fall season and advertised that although it had already begun, they were still accepting applications for membership. Walter and Betty were in a financial slump and needed more students. On October 28, 1967, Walter and Betty welcomed their second child, a daughter, into the world. It was a happy occasion, mostly. Walter, Betty, and their son, Eric, were overjoyed with the new addition to their family, but Walter and Betty worried about the looming hospital bill which they were unable to afford. When Yolanda’s parents learned about their financial difficulty, they remembered when Walter and Betty had accepted their daughter when everyone else turned her away. Yolanda’s parents, Coretta Scott King and her husband, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., paid the full hospital bill for Walter and Betty. You know Walter and Betty’s daughter. Her name is Julia Roberts.
Sources:
1. The Atlanta Journal, April 12, 1964, p.10-D.
2. The Atlanta Journal, April 23, 1964, p.71.
3. The Atlanta Journal, May 10, 1964, p.104.
4. The Atlanta Journal, July 31, 1964, p.26.
5. The Atlanta Journal, April 22, 1966, p.29.
6. The Atlanta Journal, June 29, 1967, p.79.
7. The Atlanta Constitution, September 9, 1967, p.37.
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