by Malcolm Butler

Two of the top Class A teams in the state of Louisiana square off tonight when the Cedar Creek Lady Cougars host the Arcadia Lady Hornets at The Brickhouse. 

Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. 

Cedar Creek (24-3, 5-0) is currently ranked No. 3 in the Select School Division IV power ratings while Arcadia (24-3, 5-0) is currently ranked No. 1 in the Non-Select School Division IV power ratings. 

The winner will capture the District 1-1A title as they prepare to both head into the LHSAA playoffs later this month. 

“I feel like it’s where preparation meets opportunity (tonight),” said head coach Katie Hall. “I feel like we should be a confident team because of the preparation we have put in since last April. It’s just an opportunity for us to play in a great game. I think it will be a great atmosphere.”

Although Hall and the Lady Cougars know the importance of tonight’s match-up, they also know it’s not do or die.

“This is why they want to play basketball,” said Hall. “If I can’t get the ready for that then I don’t know what to tell them. I think we will be ready.

“But at the same time it’s not a win or go home type of situation. I feel like both teams have put themselves in great positions for the playoffs to be able to most likely get a bye in the first round and host home games. This game is not the measuring stick of whether this season has been successful. It’s just another opportunity.”

Cedar Creek junior Avery Ryan said she feels her team is ready for the challenge.

“Our mindset is just play our game,” said Ryan. “Push the ball. Play good defense. Defense will be key tonight and rebounding.

“Honestly, I’m not concerned (about the fact we haven’t played a close game recently). I know our team. We don’t give up easily. We won’t back down from a challenge. We have a great mindset.”

Neither Cedar Creek nor Arcadia have had much competition since the calendar turned to 2025. Since the start of the new year, the Lady Cougars have played just one game decided by less than 20 points (a 44-32 win at Summerfield). 

The same can be said for Arcadia. The Lady Hornets have only played one game decided by less than 16 points (a 31-27 win over Class 5A Haughton). 

Arcadia has won its five district games by scores of 86-9 over Haynesville, 58-29 over Plain Dealing, 52-18 over Glenbrook, 55-17 over Jonesboro-Hodge and 51-4 over Ringgold. Cedar Creek has won its five district games by scores of 53-13 over Glenbrook, 69-16 over Ringgold, 60-37 over Plain Dealing, 60-8 over Haynesville and 50-11 over Lincoln Prep. 

Hall knows in order to win the Lady Cougars will have to handle Arcadia’s athleticism and slow down the one-two punch of Ari Williams and DeAsia Alexander.

“Arcadia has two really outstanding players and a strong overall team,” said Hall. “We need to be able to slow them down. They are athletic. They are quick. Their defense may bother us a little bit. We need to take care of the basketball. That and keeping them off the offensive glass are the two keys for us.

“I feel like Alexander is next level. She is 5-11 and has guard-like tendencies. Williams can handle the ball really well, and she is really quick.”

Both teams also have marquee wis over larger classification schools this year. Creek has wins over West Monroe, Bastrop, Northwood, Benton and West Ouachita (twice), while Arcadia has wins over Haughton, Ruston, and Ouachita. 

Arcadia’s three losses have come against Parkway, Huntington, and Captain Shreve – teams that are a combined 59-16 this year. Cedar Creek’s three setbacks are against Haughton, Airline and Sterlington — teams that are a combined 61-16.

The game is 24-Carat Cougar Night as Cedar Creek fans are encouraged to wear gold for the games. 

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. Admission is $10. Prepurchase your tickets HERE or tickets can be purchased at the door with a credit card (NO CASH accepted).

JV boys play at 5 p.m. and varsity boys will follow the varsity girls game. 

Courtesy report

CECILIA, La. — Ruston High School’s Speech and Debate team traveled southward this weekend to compete in the 2025 Cecilia Sweetheart Classic against 17 schools from around Louisiana.

“We only have one tournament left this season before we take on the state competition in late March,” Ruston High Speech and Debate Coach Sydney Phillips said. “Last year we had two members, Kate Kyzar and Harper Anderson, make the all-state speech team, so we are looking to top that this year.

“It has been an amazing season so far and I’m so proud of how these students have grown personally and in competition. They are such a great representation of what it is to be a Ruston High School Bearcat.”

See results below:

• Finalist in Varsity Extemporaneous Speaking- Ben Wages
• Finalist in Declamation- Abigail Ligon
• Finalists in Duo Interpretation- Caed Baines and Elena Baines
• Fourth Place in Varsity Impromptu Speaking- Oli Deal
• Fourth Place in Declamation- Kylin Harris
• Fourth Place in Novice Impromptu Speaking- Abigail Ligon
• Second Place in Novice Extemporaneous Speaking and Novice Impromptu Speaking- Josie Bishop.

Special to the LPJ

Louisiana Tech’s Student Government Association will be holding its annual Big Event on Saturday, April 5, 2025, and local residents are encouraged to consider filling out a registration if they, or someone they know, could use services for home and yard cleanup.

Over 1,500 students across a number of on-campus organizations come together and work on numerous community service projects around the Ruston area for Big Event.

For SGA Director of Community Service Connor Nepveaux, it’s a testament to the willingness of Tech students to serve and impact the North Louisiana Community at large.

“To be able to see the sea of students in the stands and knowing that over the next few hours they will be making a difference in our community is incredible,” Nepveaux said. “Being able to set up this year’s Big Event has been such a joy. I look forward to seeing the impact we make in our community.”

From the registration form:

“If you or someone you know need and could benefit from assistance, we encourage you to sign up as a Big Event Worksite. Volunteers can help with, but are not limited to tasks such as: Hedge Trimming, Yard and Garden Maintenance, Raking Leaves, and Porch Cleaning. If you have a specific task in mind and are unsure if it can be completed, please contact SGA for clarification.”

The registration form can be found here.

For more information about Big Event or the registration process, please contact:
Connor Nepveaux – SGA Community Service Director
cnn005@latech.edu | 337-446-6280

A man arrested last week for shoplifting in Ruston was also wanted for failing to appear in court.

Travis Heard, 35, was arrested February 4 at the Walmart Supercenter for theft and a warrant for failure to appear in Ruston City Court.

A Walmart manager said she saw Heard taking items and then exiting through the self-checkout kiosks where she stopped him. The manager said Heard had taken seven 10-pound packages of ground beef, seven packages of shrimp, and a backpack. The merchandise was valued at $417.78.

A records check revealed the warrant for failing to appear in Ruston City Court on a charge of entering/remaining on premises after being forbidden.

Heard was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center with bail set at $5,000.

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

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

By Kyle Roberts

MONROE, La. — The Bryan Beck era is off to a nice start after Monday night.

After taking an early lead and never looking back, Ruston High (1-0) beat the Oak Grove Tigers (0-1) 7-3 on a chilly afternoon at Lou St. Amant Field on the campus of the University of Louisiana-Monroe to win its 2025 season opener.

“Man, we’re really excited for our kids and our coaches,” new head coach Beck said. “We kind of got thrown around the yard a little bit on Saturday (at the Bayou Jamb). We played two three-inning games, and I felt like we good for three and then not good for three. But after that, I told the kids that we had a ball game against a real one in Oak Grove. They’re four-time defending state champions, and they’re a really good baseball team. They’re going to win a lot of games this year.

“We had a lot of guys show up to a voluntary practice (on Sunday), and that was good to see. We’re still trying to figure out who we are offensively right now. We play some small ball, and we got some good things going for us.”

Bearcat senior outfielder Jake Simmons led Ruston with three hits and four runs batted in after singling in the top of the first, fifth and sixth innings, while as a team, Ruston finished with nine hits.

“Jake is our bell cow on offense,” Beck said. “He’s the guy you want on the plate when the game is on the line and when there are runners on base. I’m really happy for him. His expectations on himself are really high, and he wants to get a hit every single time. That’s the kind of guy you want up there when you have runners in scoring position, and he was able to do that tonight for us.”

The Bearcats also put Oak Grove in some tough spots with some good bunts and forced fielding errors by the Tigers.

“Those were our big innings when we started to put the ball on the ground in the bunt game,” Beck said. “They made some bad fielding plays, and it really got us going.”

The Bearcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning off hits by both Simmons and junior Lander Smith. Simmons hit a ball into left field to score senior Peyton Martin, while Smith hit a liner to left scoring Simmons.

Ruston added three more in the top of the fifth after junior Jackson Lee scored off of an Oak Grove error following a bunt by Martin. Simmons then singled again on the next at-bat to score Martin, while Smith’s bunt led to another Tiger error, scoring Simmons.

In the top of the seventh, Simmons connected on another line drive and scored both sophomore Davis DeMoss and Martin. Taking a 7-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh, Oak Grove was able to get three runs, but it would not be enough.

Due to a rainy forecast near the end of the week, Beck said that he wanted to try to preserve as many pitching arms as possible and elected to send out seven different pitchers throughout the night. Collectively, the committee gave up on four hits and three runs on the night.

Senior lefty David Griep started the night and was credited with the win after the Bearcats got up 2-0 after the first.

Ruston will return to action for a weekend series against Haughton. Due to the forecast, the dates and times are still in flux.

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

by Malcolm Butler

As Chad Yates enters his second year as the head coach for the Cedar Creek baseball team, he does so without fear of expectations for his Cougar program. 

And he is quick to admit it.

“Expectations are never a bad thing,” said Yates, whose Cougars opened up their regular season with an 11-0 loss against Class 5A Parkway last night. “I think setting that standard and expectation of going out and competing each game … pitching, defense and competing at the plate … would allow us to stay in baseball games and give us a chance.”

In his first year in a Cougar uniform, Yates had to establish a winning culture and mindset that he believes will spill over into this season. 

“Early on it was tough to break that (last year) because they weren’t used to winning,” said Yates. “They didn’t expect to win. We had teams on the schedule where they just looked at the names and thought ‘We are done.’ As they saw during the season where we started doing those things we asked and they started having success … it has definitely rolled into this year with this club.”

In preseason scrimmages against Oak Grove and Byrd and a jamboree win over Calvary, the Cougars showed some signs of promise despite a roster that is peppered with underclassmen. 

“The expectation is to go out there and do well,” said Yates. “We saw that in our scrimmages against Oak Grove and Byrd and the jamboree against Calvary. I think everyone in the stands could see the difference in the body language and so forth. 

“If we can go out there and take care of the things that we can take care of then we put ourselves in a position to compete with anybody we play.”

The Cougars will be led by sophomore pitcher and infielder Kade Luker, who was phenomenal at times during his freshman season. Yates said Luker will be at key not only on the mound, but at the top of the Cougars lineup. 

“We are going to go as he goes in a sense of when you have a guy like that and you are looking ahead to a one-game playoff,” said Yates. “He has definitely ticked up in his velocity. His maturity is off the charts for his age. The biggest thing he has improved on is with his bat. If you make a mistake with a pitch with Kade then he can definitely change the score.”

The Cougars pitching staff will also need quality innings from senior JB Robinson (RHP), junior Jax Doiron (LHP), junior Connor Yates (RHP), freshman Eli Slocum (LHP), senior Aidan Crosby (RHP), sophomore Ryan Williams (RHP), freshman Cason Floyd (RHP), and eighth grader Noah Smith (RHP). 

Doiron is a transfer from Evangel who Yates believes has great potential. 

“Jax is a 6-4 lefty that has a chance to be really good,” said Yates. “His stuff plays. It’s just the maturity and getting the innings under his belt. He hasn’t had a lot of innings in high school baseball. This kid just needs to continue to develop. He could give us a big boost. He is 82 to 85-miles per hour from the left side. He has good enough off-speed stuff. to help.”

The Creek starting infield will include Luker at first base (Gavin Hall when Lukar is on the mound), Smith at second base, Yates at shortstop and Floyd at third. Junior Brett Bell will serve as the Cougars starting catcher. 

“Noah has come on and really showed some maturity,” said Yates. “He started at middle linebacker at football and showed an ability to lead. We feel Cason will do a great job at third and hit for us in the middle of the order.

“Brett Bell will start behind the dish. Brett is in basketball right now, but when he is out there with us, it makes all the difference in the world. Noah will back him up. Having Brett out there makes us a more complete ball club.”

Coleman (LF), Kaleb Negrotto (CF) and Crosby (RF) will serve as the Cougars starting outfield, according to Yates. 

“We also have some platoon guys like Doiron and Slocum,” said Yates, referring to the outfield. “With the way our pitching is … all of our pitchers also play out in the field. So when we make a moves, we will have a few guys we can substitute in and move around.”

Offensively, Yates thinks the Cougars could be solid although they must replace some veterans who were lost to graduation.

“We lost a lot of seniors last year,” said Yates. “We lost some maturity in how they handled the day to day schedule we had. This group of guys I feel production wise they have a chance to put up some really good numbers offensively.

“We expect aggressive at bats. We want to put the ball in play. Make the other team make plays. We want to battle with two strikes. We feel like it will be one of our strengths. We are anxious to get started.”

Cedar Creek will host Calvary Baptist in its season opener Thursday at 6 p.m.

Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications

Paris Bradley earned her fifth Conference USA Freshman of the Week honors after leading Louisiana Tech to victories over Liberty and FIU.

Bradley was electric in the fourth quarter to lead the Lady Techsters back from a 10-point deficit to begin the final 10 minutes. The Carrollton, Texas, native accounted for 19 of Tech’s 23 points, including the final 16. She scored 13 of her game-high 19 points in the fourth quarter, capping off the thrilling victory with the game-winner with 2.7 seconds remaining.

The 5-9 guard was a perfect 6-6 from the field and finished 7-8 from the free throw line. She added six rebounds and tied a career-high with seven assists.

Against FIU, Bradley helped the Techsters hold off a rally by the Panthers in the third quarter. She finished with a team-high 17 points, with nine in the first quarter and five in the fourth quarter. She would finish shooting 41 percent from the field while adding five rebounds and four assists.

Anita Howard Gray, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully on February 6, 2025, at the age of 78. A pillar of strength, compassion, and unwavering love, she leaves behind a legacy of devotion and joy that will be forever remembered.

Anita’s greatest joy was her family. She is survived by her devoted husband of 58 years, Will Gray; daughter, Julie Louthain; son, David Gray (Amy); six treasured grandchildren: Alison Louthain (Matthew Hutchinson), Kate Louthain, Emma Louthain, Scott Gray, Anna Gray, and Laura Gray; beloved mother, Harriette Howard; and cherished sister, Nannette Orr (William). Anita is also survived by countless friends and loved ones.

She is preceded in death by her father, Alfred Howard.

As a proud Navy wife, Anita stood by her husband Will through years of service, embodying resilience and grace. Her steadfast devotion made her the heart and rock of her family. She built a successful career as a dedicated real estate agent, helping countless families find their forever homes.

Anita was an active member of Alabama Presbyterian Church and served as an Elder with distinction, supporting the community with a warm smile or a home-cooked meal. She was a proud member of the Order of the Eastern Star and an enthusiastic bridge player, always bringing warmth and laughter to the table.

Anita’s legacy of love, kindness, and quiet strength will live on in the hearts of those who were blessed to share life with her.

The Funeral service will be held at Alabama Presbyterian Church on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at 10AM, interment following at Sibley Cemetery.  Visitation will be held between 5-7 PM on Friday, February 14, 2025, at Kilpatrick Funeral Home in Ruston

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 

Barbara Ann Knight McKaskle, 90, of Ruston, Louisiana passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 20, 2025. Two Memorial Services will be held in her memory.  The first will be Saturday, February 8, 2025, at 2:00 P.M. at First United Methodist Church in Hammond, Louisiana, of which she was a long-time member. Reverend Jack O’Dell will serve as the officiant. Visitation will be held at the church from 1:00 P.M. until service time. Following the service, a reception for family and friends will be held in the Fellowship Hall at the church.

The second Memorial Service will be Saturday, February 15, 2025, at 2:00 P.M. in Burkhalter Chapel of Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston, Louisiana with Reverend Doug de Graffenried officiating.  Visitation will be held at the church from 1:00 P.M. until service time.  Following the service, a reception for family and friends will be in the Fellowship Hall at Trinity Methodist Church.

Barbara was born on July 20, 1934, in Kingsville, Texas. Barbara was a CASA Advocate and loved volunteering at the food pantries in both Hammond and Ruston. She was very passionate about helping those less fortunate in her communities. Barbara was also a conservationist and was always keeping her neighborhood clean and free of litter; she was affectionately known as the “Trashy Lady”. She loved to grow zinnias and distributed them to friends and places she went to put a smile on someone’s face. Barbara is preceded in death by her husband, Charles Ray McKaskle; parents, Emily Veit and Cecil Knight; and sister, Linda Knight Bartly.

She is survived by her son, Raymond McKaskle and wife Kimery of Houston, Texas; grandchildren, Amy McKaskle Watts and husband Jim of Shreveport and Kyle McKaskle and wife Amy of Ruston; great-grandchildren, Emily Watts, Elizabeth Watts, Charlie McKaskle, and Sadie McKaskle; sister, Betty Barcello and her husband Bennie of Willis, Texas; brother, Sydney “Pete” Knight of Deer Park, Texas; numerous nieces and nephews who loved her dearly and called her Aunt “B;” and a host of many other cherished family and friends.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Rusty Knight, Pete Knight, Roy Stapp, Kyle McKaskle, Jim Watts, and John Stapp.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to your local food pantry or to Court Appointed Special Advocates.

Anita Howard Gray 
August 19, 1946 – February 6, 2025 
Visitation: Kilpatrick Funeral Homes – Ruston, Friday, February 14, 2025, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm 
Service: Alabama Presbyterian Church, Saturday, February 15, 2025, 10:00 am 

Sarah Singleton Howard 
Friday 09/08/1922 — Thursday 02/06/2025  
Visitation: Friday 02/14/2025 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home 
Funeral Service: Saturday 02/15/2025 11:00am, New Prosperity Baptist Church, 1378 Prosperity Church Road, Clay 
Interment: Saturday 02/15/2025 Following Service, New Prosperity Cemetery, Clay 

By Kyle Roberts

Bryan Beck was just a kid when he first fell in love with Ruston, La.

His father Gil was a high school football official in North Louisiana for over 30 years, and when Dad would get called to a game at James Field, young Bryan would follow.

“My dad would load me up from time to time while I was in grade school and middle school, and that was in the mid-80’s and early-90’s,” Beck said. “He always loved it when he drew Ruston. When we came here, it was different here, right? You could feel it when you walked into the stadium — the crowds, the players– everything about it was different.”

Beck at the time had no way of knowing just how much Ruston would be threaded throughout his story. And as Beck prepares to coach his first game tonight as a head coach, he recounted his journey from a rising sports star in Caddo and Bossier Parishes to Tech Bulldog catcher and now the head guy at a school he loves.

A quarterback, pitcher and catcher growing up, Beck was a Dixie Youth and American Legion baseball player and played both football and baseball for two years for Northwood High School before transferring to Airline High School, where he graduated in 1997. During that time, Beck was getting noticed by colleges from McNeese to Northwestern State to Louisiana Tech.

And, like most senior boys in high school, his decision to sign and play for Louisiana Tech was heavily swayed by a girlfriend, though they had split by the time Beck got to campus.

“We weren’t even together by the time I graduated high school,” Beck said. “But I was still on the way to Tech, and God has His plan there.”

Beck played four years for the Bulldogs behind the plate, even catching for Casey Blalock in the Bulldogs’ final game in the Sun Belt before Tech moved to the Western Athletic Conference the following season.

While at Tech, Beck made the best decision of his adult life by pursuing and then marrying Ruston High alum Jana Newberry. The couple now has three sons, Payton, Bailey Jack and Knox.

And it wasn’t only baseball that Beck found appealing in choosing Louisiana Tech: his Bulldog degree is in agronomy and plant science, a passion he’s held since a youngster on the field and the diamond, having plenty of experience growing up tending to the grounds of various baseball fields.

During his Bulldog tenure, he developed a friendship with a fellow Diamond ‘Dog and local business owner, Steve Davison. And it just so happens that Davison was getting ready to open a premiere golf course in 2002 shortly after Beck’s graduation: Squire Creek Country Club, which would need an assistant superintendent of grounds.

“Steve told me they were building a golf course and told me that I’d be really good for them,” Beck said. “He got us hooked up out there, and I was there for about six years. There was a couple of years I was there during construction, and I served in that role for a few years afterword.”

Beck would leave Squire Creek and join up with Nick Cauley for a landscaping business, where he would stay until the itch to get into coaching got too intense to ignore.

“It just really started to tug on my heart,” Beck said. “I look back and see that God’s called me to do this for a long time, so in 2018, we sold the business and I told my wife Jana that coaching is what I was supposed to be doing.”

And in 2018, he called an old friend and Bulldog teammate: first-year Ruston High Principal Dan Gressett.

“When he decided he wanted to return to education, we knew we wanted to hire him,” Gressett said. “He helped out in special ed and helped coach softball, so we had to hire him as a longterm sub at first, since he wasn’t certified just yet. He was someone that would just do what we needed him to do.”

Ruston High School head football coach Jerrod Baugh saw the same desire from Beck early on when he wanted to come be part of the “Firmly Founded.”

“When he came in and told me that this is what he wanted to do, I believed him,” Baugh said. “Coach Beck was involved in other jobs before this, but he was always involved in some form as a coach. And doing those other things allows him to bring a lot to the table. Ever since he was completely certain that he wanted to get into coaching at the high school level, he’s done everything that has been asked of him to do. He’s worked his tail off to get where he’s at today, and he’s absolutely earned it.”

Gressett saw during the hiring process last year when the role was opened just how committed Beck was. Never did he waver on his commitment to Ruston High — a school that he may never have walked the halls as a student, but a school that has adopted him dearly as one of its own.

“He’s all in on Ruston High,” Gressett said. “His heart is all in. You can see how much he cares by how hard he works and that he genuinely cares for the kids and is intentional on forming relationships. I think a lot of people don’t get to see that.”

And tonight is a special marker for Beck. After years and helping in anyway he could, including co-coaching the offensive line for the 2024 Ruston Bearcats, he now has a brand new title, and one that suits him well: Bearcat Head Coach.

“I’m really humbled considering I never thought I’d be sitting here today as the head coach,” Beck said in an interview over the summer. “There were a lot of rumbling out there during this hiring process, but I was ready to serve as needed. But then, all of a sudden, they wanted to hire me. It can humble you really quickly.”

And his mission is clear: take care of the students that come through the program and the school and put the program back on the winning path.

“It’s our obligation to give kids the best experience they can have here,” Beck said. “I think we’re going to some really great things here.”

Ruston High opens the 2025 season tonight against Oak Grove in Monroe, La., at Lou St. Amant Field on the campus of UL-Monroe. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.

See full schedule below.

By T. Scott Boatright

GRAMBLING — Water project funding was the primary order of attention Thursday evening as the Grambling City Council held its monthly meeting for February.

That included the City Council authorizing a change order for a Water Sector Project involving replacement of city water meters. The change order comes after the Council voted in December to redistribute surplus funding from another project.

“This should bring us to as built conditions,” Shuler said of the need to make the change order. “Contractually on paper we’re done, but they have more work to do in the field. Probably 40-45 days and we’ll be ‘done done.’ All in all, I’m tickled because we’re about $220,000 under budget.

“Here’s what that means. The Water Sector Program won’t allow us to use that for something completely unrelated. Half of that, around $100,000, was from (the city’s) ARPA funds and has been redistributed as was voted on during your December meeting to keep work on (replacing city) water meters going. This change order will make that happen.”

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is a $1.9 trillion federal stimulus bill that was signed into law by President Biden on March 11, 2021. The ARPA was intended to help the country recover from the COVID-19 pandemic by providing economic and public health assistance. 

Grambling’s City Council also authorized Mayor Alvin Bradley to sign all documents required to make 2024-25 LGAP (Local Government Assistance Program) and CWEF (Community Water Enrichment Fund) applications.

“LGAP is Local Government Assistance Program that comes from the state every year,” Shuler said. “You’re eligible for up to $50,000, and you usually get at least close to that. This application will be for street repairs. It will probably be just isolated patches.

“CWEF stands for Community Water Enrichment Fund. The most popular need right now is water meters, so we’ll seek up to $50,000 to change out more water meters. I believe we’re doing about 800 of them in the current project so we still have several hundred to go to finish all of it. This is what the money would go toward.”

Shuler also advised Grambling’s City Council to authorize Bradley to sign a contract with the Mabry Company for a need he deemed urgent.

“We have kind of a couple of emergency situations that if we don’t fix them now could get out of hand,” Shuler said. “Probably the most urgent one is on Stadium Drive where we’ve had a caved-in culvert. The city has made a couple of temporary patches.

“What that authorization would do is allow the Mabry Company to repair that one and another one on Park Street. We have amended another LAGAP grant to fund those repairs, so that won’t come directly out of city funds.”

Shuler then warned the Council he said they need to keep their eyes on.

“The Trump Administration had their federal funding freeze,” Shuler said. “(Grambling Mayor Alvin) Bradley called and asked if that would affect us. My answer was no, because any Federal funds we have coming are already approved. 

“But then it was clarified a little later than even though there might already be money in state coffers, (the federal government) could freeze those accounts. I didn’t know that. So the point I’m making is that about $900,000 of your current water projects come from federal funds that have not been released yet. You draw the money as projects are completed.”

Shuler told the council that one state agency yesterday decided to delay the start of an approved project because of the current uncertainty about federal funding of projects.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty that’s above my pay grade and above y’all,” Shuler said. “So let’s just pray that gets worked out because it could impact the city. I’ve been told they wouldn’t be able to process your payouts for federally-funded projects if, for some reason, that freeze is there.

“It doesn’t make me feel good because a lot of our projects, even beyond y’all, are federally funded. We’ve gotten emails from the state encouraging that we should try to draw the funds as quickly as possible because of fears the freeze could hinder projects.”

Courtesy of GSU Communications

Grambling State University remains committed to removing financial barriers and empowering student success, awarding $267,968 in donor-funded scholarships to 264 students for the Spring 2025 semester.

This milestone builds upon a record-breaking year, with the university surpassing its $500,000 scholarship goal for 2024-2025 — a 102% increase in total funds distributed and a 131% rise in the number of awards granted compared to the previous academic year. With 7,541 applications submitted, the GSU Scholarship Committee worked diligently to review applications and strategically allocate funding to maximize impact.

“Every dollar dedicated to our students helps unlock their potential, fuel their success, and shape their future,” said Brandon A. Logan, Vice President for University Advancement and Innovation. “With 42% of our students being first-generation and over 95% relying on some form of aid, we recognize the critical role scholarships play in transforming lives. Our mission is to become the #1 HBCU in social and economic mobility, and these investments directly empower our students to achieve upward financial and career success.”

Some of the most impactful awards this semester came from the Hunt Forest Products, LLC Endowed Scholarship, Joel L. Fletcher, Jr. and Ralph W.E. Jones, Sr. Scholarship, Rick Gallot Endowed Scholarship, The Shade Room First Generation Endowed Scholarship, and the Willie D. Davis Endowed Scholarship, each contributing $9,000 in scholarships to deserving students.

Scholarship Recipients Share Their Transformative Experiences

For many students, receiving a scholarship is more than just financial relief — it represents hope, recognition, and a renewed commitment to their academic journey.

“As an international student with a partial scholarship and a $3,000 deficit, receiving this support has been life-changing,” said Theophilus Mensah, a freshman management major from Kumasi, Ghana. “It has significantly reduced my financial burden, allowing me to focus on my education and career aspirations. This scholarship is a symbol of hope and encouragement, reminding me that my dreams are valid and achievable.”

Tamia Curtis, a sophomore criminal justice major from Ruston, Louisiana, echoed this sentiment. “After receiving this award, I felt that my academic efforts had been noticed — I’ve been working hard to exceed my own expectations. The financial assistance will allow me to focus more on my studies and become more engaged on campus, including joining student organizations.”

These scholarships not only lighten financial strain but also empower students to remain engaged, persist, and achieve their academic goals—a direct testament to the power of philanthropy in higher education.

Expanding Philanthropic Reach & Securing Student Success

This semester’s awards surpassed the university’s goal, marking a record-breaking year of scholarship support. Compared to Fall 2024, when $232,500 in endowed scholarships were distributed, Grambling State continues to increase scholarship resources year over year.

“Grambling State remains steadfast in its mission to eliminate financial barriers and open doors for our students,” said President Dr. Martin Lemelle, Jr. “We are deeply grateful to our investors, whose generosity continues to transform lives. Their commitment not only supports individual student success but also strengthens the legacy of excellence that defines Grambling State.”

Endowments: A Lasting Impact on Grambling State’s Future

Endowments serve as a cornerstone of GSU’s long-term strategy for financial sustainability and student support. Unlike one-time gifts, endowments generate investment income while preserving the principal, ensuring perpetual scholarship funding for future generations.

The Grambling University Foundation plays a critical role in managing these funds, ensuring that donor contributions are maximized for growth and longevity.

“Endowed scholarships allow donors to create a lasting legacy while directly shaping the future of our students,” said Logan. “With a 3% payout of endowment value this year, these funds are actively providing critical scholarship support while preserving principal for future generations.”

Join the Legacy – Invest in Grambling State Students

As Grambling State continues to break barriers and expand access to education, the support of investors remains crucial. Every gift — whether establishing a new endowment, contributing to an existing scholarship, or making an annual commitment fuels student potential and strengthens Grambling State University’s institutional excellence.

To learn more about how donor-funded scholarships and endowments are transforming lives, visit www.gram.edu/endowments.

Police arrested a Ruston woman last Monday after she allegedly lied about her name and was found with crack cocaine.

Andrecia D. Mays, 34, was arrested February 3 after a Ruston Police supervisor saw a vehicle stopped in the middle of the roadway on Jones Street. When the officer approached, the two occupants both attempted to walk away from the vehicle. One of the women initially identified herself as Dena Mays. However, the name could not be verified.

As the officer attempted to detain the woman, she began to pull away and cry. When asked why she was resisting, she admitted she had a pipe for smoking illegal drugs on her.

The glass pipe and a small plastic bag of suspected cocaine was found in her jacket pocket. The woman finally identified herself as Andrecia Mays.

Two active warrants through were found for Mays for failure to appear in Third District Court on charges of simple battery and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance.

Mays was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for a possession of cocaine, resisting an officer by providing false information, and the two warrants. Bail was set at $26,500.

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

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

by Malcolm Butler

Milton Williams made history.

No he isn’t the first Louisiana Tech player to ever win a Super Bowl title, but he did join an elite fraternity of professionals Sunday night when he helped lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a 40-22 victory over Kansas City in Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.

Williams also became the 15th former Bulldog to earn the bling bling, joining the likes of Ryan Allen (3x), Larry Anderson (2x), Chris Boniol, Terry Bradshaw (4x), Fred Dean (2 time), Doug Evans, David Lee, Johnny Robinson, Artie Smith, D’Anthony Smith, L’Jarius Sneed (2x), Matt Stover (2x), Grant Williams and Tramon Williams.

And Milton didn’t just win one, he had a tremendous impact on the Eagles making easy work of the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs. 

Williams, who lettered for the Bulldogs from 2018 through 2020, recorded a season-high four tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, one fumble recovery and one QB hurry for an Eagles defense that held Kansas City scoreless until late in the third quarter when the game was already out of reach.

The Crowley, Texas, native finished the regular season with 24 tackles, including five sacks. 

In addition to 15 former Tech players winning Super Bowls, three former Bulldogs (Cloyce Box, Caleb Martin, Leo Sanford) won NFL Championships prior to the Super Bowl existing. 

Courtesy report

BATON ROUGE, La. — Ruston High School’s indoor track and field team put together a stellar performance this weekend, including a state-leading long jump by senior Aidan Anding and the boys 4×800 meter relay team performance.

“There were a lot of great takeaways from our trip down to LSU this past weekend,” Ruston High head coach Trey Smith said. “I was very encouraged to see how well the team put together a multitude of top 10 placings highlighted by Aidan’s Louisiana No. 1 Long Jump of 22 feet, 11.25 inches, and our Boys 4x800m Relay team of Joshua Daulton, Taylor Huddleston, Josiah Finley, and Luke Braswell top time of 8 minutes, 15.51 seconds, and Boys 4x200m Relay (D’Joryen Jenkins, Aidan Anding, Dylone Brooks, Malcolm Pierce) LA#3 time 1:31.70. 

“Aidan’s first time jumping indoors was very impressive, and a great credit to him getting right back to wear he left off last year being the Outdoor 5A state runner up. Our relays competed with a level of intensity that we have been fostering all through winter training. We had one chance to qualify, and I couldn’t be happier that the boys 4×800 left with the top qualifying time and our 4×2 set a new school record in the process. Our execution of the technical aspects of each event has tremendously improved over the past month of indoor season resulting in these outstanding student-athletes qualifying in a multitude of events for state.”

I’m very excited to see how we progress in the following weeks leading up to the Indoor state championships on February 22nd at the Carl Maddox Field House at LSU. 

See below for other finishes of note.

Top 4 Placements from LSU Last Chance:

Aidan Anding 1st Place Boys Long Jump with a leap of 22’11.25’. Ranks #1 in Division 1.

Boys 4x800m Relay team of Joshua Daulton, Taylor Huddleston, Josiah Finley, & Luke Braswell – 1st place with a time of 8:15.51. Ranks #1 in Division 1.

Boys 4x200m Relay team of D’Joryen Jenkins, Aidan Anding, Dylone Brooks, & Malcolm Pierce – 2nd place with a time of 1:31.70. New School Record and Ranks #3 in Division 1.

T’Avion Clark 4th Place Girls 400m Dash with a time of 57.66sec. 
Ranks #5 in Division 1.

Other State Qualifying performances by the Bearcats this indoor season:

Jacob Miller – Long Jump (20’9” Ranks 12th in Div. 1) and Triple Jump (42’4” Ranks 9th in Div. 1). 

Taniyah Johnson – Long Jump (16’9.25” Ranks 6th in Div. 1). 

Timiyah Graham – High Jump (4’9” Ranks 12th in Div. 1). 

Kaleb Williams – Shot Put (41’11.25” Ranks 16th in Div. 1).

T’Avion Clark – 60m Dash (7.98sec Ranks 13th in Div. 1). 

Boys 4x400m Relay team of D’Joryen Jenkins, Malcolm Pierce, Kemondrick Hunter, JaQuincy Bryant (3:32.35sec Ranks 4th in Div. 1)

Girls 4x400m Relay team of Taniyah Johnson, T’Avion Clark, Hallie Hebert, Sydney Owens (4:15.25sec Ranks 8th in Div. 1).

Staff report

MONROE, La. — Ruston High School’s tennis squad took fourth out of 15 teams at the Bolton Cup over the weekend on the campus of the University of Louisiana-Monroe, with senior GiGi Daughtry and sophomore Lillian Fendley leading the way with a championship in the girls’ doubles main draw competition.

“I’ve got a great group of kids that work hard and it shows,” Ruston High Tennis Coach David Poe said. “I’m very proud of my team and look forward to seeing how well they do this season.”

See highlighted results below:

• Senior GiGi Daughtry and sophomore Lillian Fendley – champions, girls’ doubles main draw.
• Junior Jake Hawkins – runner up, boys’ singles main draw runner up
• Senior Jordan Blount and junior Micah Blount – quarterfinals, boys’ doubles main draw
• Senior Myles Hull and senior Cooper Stephenson – quarterfinals, boys’ doubles main draw
• Junior Alyssa Langiulli and sophomore Libby Morgan – Round of 16 in the girls’ doubles main draw.

Staff Reports

Choudrant Hoops

Carson Carrico scored 24 points, Jackson Ambrose added 13 and Tucker Batterton 10 to lead Choudrant to a 70-46 win over Family Community Christian School Friday night.

With the victory, the Aggies won their eighth straight game and captured the District 2B title.

Choudrant (14-13, 5-0) jumped out to a 20-13 lead after the first quarter as Carrico connected on a trio of three-pointers in the opening quarter while Ambrose netted five points.

The Aggies lead was extended to 37-23 at halftime as Batterton knocked down three buckets in the stanza while Carrico added his fourth three-pointer of the game.

Carrico connected on his fifth and sixth three-pointers in the third quarter with the Aggies outscoring FCCS 20-9 and pushing the lead to 57-32.

Jadon Carroll led FCCS (13-24) with 13 points.

Choudrant will put its win streak on the line Tuesday when it hosts Quitman (22-4). 

______________________________________

Simsboro Hoops

Jakelab Modest netted 23 points to lead Simsboro to a 77-69 win over North Caddo Friday night at SHS Gym.

The Tigers (17-8) won their ninth straight game with their last setback coming a month ago against Arcadia. 

Ahmad Smith added 19 points and Jalen Outley 13 points for head coach Adam Wodach’s team which built a 39-31 halftime lead and held on for the win.

Leading 14-12 at the end of the opening eight minutes of action, Simsboro — ranked No. 6 in the Class B power ratings — erupted for 25 points in the second quarter. 

Smith scored seven and Modest and Outley each added six points in the frame as the Tigers were able to stretch their lead out to eight at the break.

North Caddo (12-15) trimmed a single point off the lead in the third quarter, outscoring the Tigers 18-17 to close the gap to 56-49 entering the final stanza. Modest led the Tigers with eight points in the frame.

Simsboro was able to pull out its 17th win of the season despite missing 18 free throws in the contest. 

The Tigers will travel to Castor on Tuesday. 

Lady ‘Cats drop key road game against ASH

By Bret H. McCormick

ALEXANDRIA – The Ruston Lady Bearcats really needed a victory Friday night as they looked to move up in the Division I power rankings and secure a playoff berth.

Gioia Tatum nearly shot the Lady ‘Cats to an improbable comeback win.

Tatum knocked down five 3-pointers and scored a team-high 15 points, but it wasn’t quite enough as Ruston (11-13, 1-3 District 2-5A) fell to Alexandria Senior High 46-40.

The sophomore guard’s fifth and final 3 came right at the 3-minute mark in the fourth quarter and cut the Lady Trojans’ lead to just two points, the closest Ruston had been since trailing 9-8 in the first quarter.

ASH (21-6, 3-1) answered with an and-1 by its own sophomore guard, Destiny Vories, to pull ahead 37-32 with 2:47 to play in the game, but Ruston responded less than 10 seconds later with an and-1 by senior Kiersynce McNeal.

The Lady ‘Cats went cold from the field after that, however, as ASH ran off five straight points to take a 42-35 lead and was able to put the game away with late free throws.

Ruston coach LaShanda Cooper said her team’s youth and inexperience played a role in Friday night’s outcome.

“We made some really bad decisions,” said Cooper, whose roster features five sophomores and freshmen.

The two teams traded runs in the first quarter as ASH took a 6-0 lead. Ruston didn’t get on the scoreboard until the 3:32 mark in the quarter when Tatum sparked an 8-0 with two 3-pointers sandwiched around a Bailee Harrison bucket.

The Lady Trojans then ran off 10 points in a row to close the quarter as Cassie Benoit and Thamerin Balthazar knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers and Jamaari Collins turned two steals into two transition baskets to give ASH a 16-6 lead after one quarter.

“We stressed in the beginning that we truly needed this win and we couldn’t get off to a slow start, and that’s what we did,” Cooper said.

Ruston’s offensive struggles, which were exacerbated by nine first-half turnovers, continued in the second quarter as they scored just three points to fall behind 25-11 at the half.

Cooper said a combination of a young team’s early nerves mixed with the atmosphere in the ASH gym along with what the Lady Cats had on the line caused them have some “really bad turnovers early.”

Ruston trailed by as many as 17 in the third quarter before closing on a 9-0 run – sparked again by two Tatum 3-pointers – to cut the lead to 28-20 heading into the final quarter.

Friday night’s loss kept the Lady Bearcats perilously on the postseason bubble as they sat 29th in the power ratings, one spot outside of the playoffs, with road games against Ouachita and West Monroe remaining on the schedule.

“We’ve got to win ‘em all,” Cooper said of the remaining games. “This would have put us in a good position.”

Fourth-quarter collapse costs Bearcats at Alexandria

By Bret H. McCormick

ALEXANDRIA – The Ruston Bearcats looked poised to wrap up the District 2-5A basketball championship Friday night.

They led Alexandria Senior High by seven points after one quarter, opened that lead up to 16 at halftime, and held a comfortable 10-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Then, it all unraveled.

The Bearcats (14-5, 3-1 District 2-5A) scored just four points in the fourth quarter as ASH (25-5, 4-0) rallied for a 49-44 victory to stay alive in the race for the 2-5A title.

“We just didn’t execute,” said Corey Deans, the Bearcats’ acting head coach.

A battle between two of the state’s top big men – Ruston’s super 6-foot-7 sophomore Ahmad Hudson against ASH’s 6-8 junior Tyshawn Duncan – gave the packed house plenty of big plays and reasons to get out of their seats.

Duncan shook off an uncharacteristically quiet first half to finish with 17 points, including two 3-pointers and three dunks, to go along with four massive blocks that sent the Trojan faithful into a frenzy.

He won the scoring battle against Hudson, who was held to just 11 points, mostly on offensive rebounds and dunks. However, Hudson dominated the glass, finishing with 17 rebounds, and added two blocks and two steals.

Ruston took control early behind the trio of Hudson, fellow sophomore Keshun Malcoln and senior guard Aidan Anding, who combined to score 14 first-quarter points.

Hudson’s dunk with 14 seconds left in the quarter followed by Anding’s buzzer-beater broke open a three-point game. A 3-pointer by sophomore Kohl Gray just over a minute into the second quarter gave the Bearcats a 19-9 lead.

Ruston closed the half with an 11-1 run over the final four minutes to send a dejected Trojan squad to the locker room trailing 30-14.

Duncan, who scored just three points in the first half, and senior guard Jordyn Johnson kept the Trojans within striking distance in the third quarter, combining to score 14 points as ASH nearly cut its deficit to single digits, trailing 40-30 heading into the fourth.

That’s when Johnson, who scored a game-high 18 points, took control of the game, using his speed to slice his way to the rim along with his long-range accuracy to knock down 3-pointers.

His first 3 of the quarter cut the Ruston lead to 42-35 with just over five minutes to play, before Malcolm answered with a reverse layup about a minute later to push the Bearcats’ lead back to nine.

However, Ruston’s offense went scoreless for the final 4:08 of the contest as the Trojans finished the game on a 14-0 run.

Deans said the gameplan was to get the ball inside and finish at the rim. Instead, the Bearcats continued to misfire from the perimeter.

“We just kept shooting the ball,” he said. “… We were in control, but the same shots we were hitting early just didn’t go in.”

Duncan and Johnson each hit a 3-pointer to trim the Ruston lead to three with just under three minutes to play, and Johnson’s crafty finish at the rim over the outstretched arm of Hudson cut the lead to just one with 2:21 to play.

Duncan gave ASH its first lead of the game with 52 seconds remaining when he grabbed an offensive rebound near the free-throw line and threw down a ferocious slam to put the Trojans ahead 45-44.

Ruston still had chances, however, the best of which came when Malcolm missed two free throws with 39 seconds to play that would have given the Bearcats a one-point lead.

Deans lamented that the Bearcats allowed ASH to get easy transition baskets, which led to the Trojans’ comeback.

“As long as we make it a halfcourt game, we win,” he said.

Malcolm finished with 12 points for the Bearcats, who still have a shot at claiming a piece of the District 2-5A title. Ruston closes district play with a road game at West Monroe next Friday, and a win there coupled with an ASH loss at Ouachita would mean a three-way tie for the district title. The Trojans can clinch the title outright with a win against Ouachita.

By T. Scott Boatright

Girls Hoops

GRAMBLING — Sometimes the difference between an established basketball program and one that is rebuilding from scratch.

That was glaringly obvious Friday night as Lincoln Preparatory School played host to Cedar Creek in a District 1-1A girls hoops showdown inside the LPS Gym.

And because of the difference between the teams, this game was basically over before it started as Cedar Creek (24-3, 5-0) shut out the Lady Panthers in the opening stanza en route to a 50-11 final.

The Lady Cougars roared out to a 23-0 advantage by the end of the first quarter, and continued taking advantage of a plethora of Lincoln Prep turnovers in the second period to build a 39-4 lead by halftime.

Avery Ryan sparked Cedar Creek’s strong start with eight of her game-high 12 points coming early on in the contest while Alivia Lee and Mallory Smith added four points each in the opening quarter.

“I’m proud of our girls and the effort they give,” said Lady Cougars coach Katie Hall. “No matter what the scoreboard says, they’re going to play hard, share the ball and play to our standards. So I was very pleased with their effort tonight.”

Hall added that she was proud of the unwavering focus her team showed from start to finish.

“I’m going to give credit to them,” Hall said. “They love the game. They just play hard. It’s just them. I can’t take credit for that. They just get after it and never let up.”

But despite trailing by an insurmountable lead early on, the Lady Panthers never quit either. 

Ajah Saulsberry, who finished with a team-high four points, connected on a running jumper for the first score of the second half that came 32 seconds into the third quarter.

Lincoln Prep added five points in the final eight minutes of the contest, which saw a running clock start before halftime, as the Lady Panthers’ Londyn Barnes, who finished with three points, nailed a long one from behind the arc from the left wing with 3:22 remaining before Kayla Ferguson laid one against the glass and in with 20 seconds left on the clock.

Lady Panthers coach Demetria Keys knew the challenge her team was facing well before opening tip-off.

“We knew our team isn’t at the point that Cedar Creek is at this point, ” Johnson said. “Our girls are really just starting to learn the game. Almost like they’re in school, and tonight they faced a tough lesson.”

The Lady Cougars had nine players on the scoring stat sheet, with Mary Grace Hawkins totaling 11 points, Arlyn Boyet adding seven from inside the paint, Alivia Lee finished with her early four points while Zoey Venters added another four, Caroline James pitched in with three and Britton Bennett and Kennedy Hall added one bucket each. 

“I love it when everybody can play and everybody can contribute,” Hall said. “Our fans love to see that, too.

“It’s hard to get quality minutes for everybody to get (in tighter games with starters playing more minutes) as far as conditioning and not just playing each other in practice. So to get everybody quality minutes is just good.”

Next up for the Lady Cougars is the only other undefeated team in district play as Arcadia, which defeated Haynesville 86-9 Friday night, comes to the Brickhouse on Tuesday evening.

Hall believes her team will be ready.

“These girls are playing with confidence and I like where we are,” Hall said.

____________________________________

Boys Hoops

GRAMBLING — Overall team health is a crucial factor for any sports team, especially late in the season.

And as Cedar Creek traveled a few miles southwest Friday night to play at Lincoln Prep in a District 1-1A boys basketball matchup, the Panthers were healthy and the Cougars weren’t.

The result was a 63-28 home win for Lincoln Prep inside the LPS Gym.

Cedar Creek was playing without three of its starters, including leading scorer Canon Robbins, now out for the season after breaking both elbows suffered last week in a loss to Ringgold. The Cougars were also without Jack Bell (illness) and Jake Terry (undisclosed). 

That fact wasn’t lost on Panthers coach Antonio Hudson.

“We changed our game plan when we found out they had three starters out because we knew we had to press hard,” Hudson said. “But I really hate it, because (Cedar Creek coach Lance) Waldron really had those guys playing well over there and they had a chance to make some noise in the postseason. I guess that’s just basketball.

“I feel sorry for those kids. I feel bad for them. Robbins is a senior, and I feel bad for any kid like that because not being able to finish their senior year is tough. And we all know it would have been a much better Cedar Creek team we faced tonight if they would have been out there.”

Lincoln Prep opened with a 8-2 run in the first 2:01 of the contest with the “Brothers Spann” — junior Trey Spann and sophomore Josiah Spann each nailing 3-pointers, Josiah from the wing and Trey from above the key.

“Josiah can score the ball,” Hudson said. “He can score at a high rate. With him, we just have to figure out a way to get him in and use him defensively. But no exaggeration, he’s probably the best all-around scorer that we have — he’s shifty with the basketball, he can shoot the basketball, he’s crafty around the rim. 

“He still needs to find ways to get those shots off, but he’s going to be a really good player as he gains more and more experience. But just him gaining added confidence heading into the playoffs is big for our whole team.”

The Panthers marched out to a 19-9 advantage by the end of the first quarter before outsourcing the Cougars 21-8 in the second to push their lead to 51-23 at halftime.

That didn’t deter Waldron from being proud of his team’s effort from opening tip to the final buzzer.

“I thought we did a real good job of sharing the ball and moving the ball around,” Waldron said. “That was one of our goals going in. We’ve been working on it a lot, but it just so happens that we lost three starters. And we weren’t able to do it, especially with all the pressure Lincoln Prep brings.

“But I was really proud of the way we handled that and kept our emotions in check and didn’t get in a hurry.”

Both Spanns recorded double-doubles for the Panthers, with Trey hitting for 16 points while also chalking up eight rebounds and Josiah scoring 12.

Zion Hicks added 10 points for the Panthers while Hicks chipped in with four.

Cedar Creek was led by Cameron Temple with seven points while Brett Bell and Zack Waldron added six each for the Panthers and Lance Waldron totaled five.

“I’m really excited about the future and this team going forward,” Lance Waldon said. “We’ve got to plug some holes, you know we’ve had an injury or two, and some of the other guys stepped up and I think we’re going to see a lot of progress.

“We’ve had to shift gears because we’ve been relying on some heavy scoring by Cannon and we don’t have that anymore. So we have to change what we do and it’s going to take a little bit of time for us to do it. But after tonight, I’m really excited about what’s going on.”

Cedar Creek (12-7, 2-3 in District 1-1A) will next play host to Arcadia on Tuesday while Lincoln Prep (20-7, 4-1) will play at Plain Dealing that same night.

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

Monday, Feb. 10
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)

Tuesday, Feb 11
7 p.m.: Lincoln Parish Police Jury meeting (Lincoln Parish Courthouse)

Wednesday, Feb. 12
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

Thursday, Feb. 13
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall)
9:30 a.m.: Piney Hills Quilt Guild (Grace Methodist Church)
6:30 p.m.: GSU women’s basketball
6:30 p.m.: LA Tech men’s basketball

Friday, Feb. 14
Valentine’s Day
4 p.m.: LA Tech baseball
6 p.m.: LA Tech softball

Saturday, Feb. 15
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market
Noon: LA Tech baseball
Noon: Grambling Black History parade
2 p.m.: GSU women’s basketball
3 p.m.: LA Tech basketball
3 p.m.: LA Tech baseball
4:30: GSU men’s basketball
7 p.m.: LA Tech softball

Sunday, Feb. 16
1 p.m.: LA Tech baseball
4 p.m.: LA Tech softball
7 p.m.: LA Tech softball

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.