Most young men would spend their precious and all too short home leave after Marine Corps Recruit Training catching up on their sleep, mom’s home cooking and socializing with their old friends. Private Gavin Aymond, a 2024 NCHS alumni, volunteered some of his time home to join Staff Sergeant Isaiah Gunn in representing the US Marine Corps at the Natchitoches Parish College and Career Fair held Wednesday, September 25 at the NSU Student Union Ballroom.

PVT Aymond graduated from NCHS last May and reported to Parris Island shortly afterwards. He is home on a ten-day graduation leave and will report for further training at Camp Gieger, NC after which he will serve as a combat engineer.

Congratulations on your journey thus far and Godspeed as you serve our nation.

A public hearing will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 5:30 P.M. in the Parish Meeting Room (211) of the Natchitoches Parish Courthouse, located at 200 Church St.

AGENDA:
Council to consider levying increase millage rate or rates after reassessment and rolling forward not exceeding the maximum authorized by law.
Council to consider rolling forward all millages and approve the levying increase.
Council to adopt the adjusted millage rate(s)
Council to set forth the adjusted millage rate{s) and roll forward to millage rate(s) not exceeding the
maximum authorized rate(s).

By MATT VINES, Journal Sports

Natchitoches Central quarterback Owen Smith and the  passing game got back on track with 301 yards, but the Chiefs couldn’t translate that into many points in a 40-20 loss at Captain Shreve last Friday.

NCHS (1-2, 0-2 District 1-5A) aims to take that offensive success between the 20-yard lines and improve in the red zone this week against undefeated Parkway (3-0, 1-0) in Turpin Stadium.

To do that, the Chiefs will need to establish a traditional running game in addition to the plays Smith makes with his feet.

Young running backs and an experienced offensive line did make strides against Captain Shreve, but NCHS coach Brad Laird knows the running game has to be good enough to draw attention away from Smith.

“We’ve been very inconsistent running the ball, and we’ve got to improve on that end moving forward,” Laird said. “There’s so much pressure on Owen, and we want to relieve some of that pressure.

“We’re continuing to look at things we’re doing in the running game, and our running back and offensive line situation. We’re seeing some young guys step up and make plays. We’re continuing to move forward.”

Kelton Howard gained 83 rushing yards against Shreve, which included a 60-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Howard’s 114 yards leads the running back group this season. Smith leads all NCHS rushers with 116 yards, a total which includes the negative yardage from when he has been sacked.

A successful running game will also take pressure off an NCHS defense that has allowed at least 40 points against district opponents after standing tall in the opener (a 14-12 win at Breaux Bridge).

Captain Shreve running back Jamarcea Plater rushed for 287 yards and four touchdowns, and the Chiefs will see another stud running back in Parkway’s CJ Dudley.

Dudley rushed for three touchdowns in a 48-7 blowout of Haughton in the Panthers’ district opener last Friday on the road.

Although Parkway’s schedule date hasn’t been as challenging as most, the Panthers have dominated the opponents in front of them by beating Carroll, Woodlawn and Haughton by an average of nearly 40 points.

Quarterback Kaleb Williams can make plays with his arm and his legs, rushing for 67 yards and throwing for 139 in less than a full game against Haughton.

Parkway’s defense has held its last two opponents to single digits (Woodlawn 6, Haughton 7), with the majority of its 25 points allowed this season occurring when the game was well out of reach.

“We look forward to another opportunity in this district,” Laird said. “Week in and week out, it’s very solid.

“Coach Coy Brotherton has done a great job, and they’re a good football team in all three phases. We have to have another good week of preparation. With it being Homecoming, there’s a lot of activities going on and alumni coming back, so we have to eliminate outside distractions.”

Contact Matt at sports@journalservicesllc.com

Multiple power five games, as well as the early start to Southland Conference play highlights the Northwestern State 2024-25 women’s basketball schedule.

Once again, Northwestern State travels to LSU, Texas A&M and South Florida, as well as trips to North Texas and Tarleton State.

The Lady Demons also open league player earlier than normal, starting with a road game at UIW on Dec. 7.

Northwestern State opens up the fifth season under head coach Anna Nimz on Nov. 5 with a visit from NCCAA power Champion Christian, who rolled up an impressive 21-4 mark.

The first road game is the meeting with national power LSU on Nov. 8, which won the national championship two seasons ago.

“Our non-conference schedule is very tough,” Nimz said. “But for us to be prepared for a tough Southland Conference, we want to make sure we are playing the best. We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to go into Baton Rouge and play LSU, obviously a very talented program, and one that has been making noise the past few years.”

Following a quick stop back home against Arkansas Baptist on Nov. 12, the Lady Demons make a trip to the state of Texas for three games.

The Lady Demons open the trip to Texas with Tarleton State (Nov. 16) before rounding out the trip with visits to Texas A&M (Nov. 17) and North Texas (Nov. 20).

Northwestern State comes back home for Thanksgiving week, playing Southern-New Orleans on Nov. 26 before taking a break before the early conference opener against UIW on Dec. 7.

“With our conference adding teams, we are now beginning conference play earlier,” Nimz said. “We are excited for that, but it puts a big emphasis on ensuring that we are a little further along than we were at that time last season. With conference starting so much earlier, we’re going to have to have a different look to ourselves that we are not quite used to, but we are excited for the challenge and we’re going to embrace the new change.”

The team finishes off non-conference play with a home game with former SLC member Central Arkansas (Dec. 14) and a trip to Tampa to battle South Florida (Dec. 17).

To round out 2024, the Lady Demons go back into SLC play, as they travel to Houston Christian for a game Dec. 29.

After starting out with two road games, Northwestern State goes back home for four of five games, welcoming McNeese (Jan. 2), Nicholls (Jan. 4), New Orleans (Jan. 16) and Southeastern Louisiana (Jan. 18) to Natchitoches.

The four home contests are split up with a trip to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Jan. 18.

Right after, Northwestern State hits the road for five out of six games, including facing new—and old—conference foe Stephen F. Austin (Jan. 25). In that stretch, the Lady Demons also play at Lamar (Jan. 23), Texas A&M-Commerce (Feb. 1), Nicholls (Feb. 6) and McNeese (Feb. 8).

The only home match in that span is a date with conference newcomer UT-Rio Grande Valley (Jan. 30).
Northwestern State alternates two home games (Lamar-Feb. 13, Stephen F. Austin-Feb. 15) with two road games (Southeastern Louisiana-Feb. 20, New Orleans-Feb. 22), prior to the final stretch of the season.

The Lady Demons have an opportunity to gain momentum going to the Southland Conference Tournament, as they finish the season with three straight home games, starting with a visit from UIW (Feb. 27), two and a half months after the teams’ first meeting in San Antonio.

“We are obviously excited to play in front of the Demon crowd for the final three games,” Nimz said. “While we approach every game the same way, whether we finish the season with three games at home or three on the road, it is exciting and a little easier on our bodies when we get to finish out the regular season at home.”

Northwestern State wraps up the season with Houston Christian (March 1) and Texas A&M-Commerce (March 5) before the conference tournament.

The SLC Tournament will be held in Lake Charles at McNeese’s Legacy Center from March 10-13.

Ticket prices are the same as last year.

For season tickets, the courtside seats are sold out, but VIP Seats are still available for – $380. That price includes a $250 donation to Demons Unlimited Foundation. Reserved seats for season tickets are $110.
For single game tickets, available are VIP Chairback Seats ($25), reserved seats (adult $10, youth (age 4-12) $5), DH Reserved Seats ($12, youth (age 4-12) $8), group general admission (25+ tickets) ($5), student guest admission ($5).

For NSU Students, admission is free with your student ID and current sticker.

Season tickets and single game tickets for the 2024-25 season are now available for purchase by visiting http://www.nsutickets.com or by calling 318-357-4268.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Missouri – The Northwestern State football team’s 2024 non-conference schedule concludes Saturday, giving the Demons a shot to put the lessons learned from the first four weeks of the season into action.

The challenge for the second straight week is another Football Championship Subdivision team that has burnished itself as a perennial top-25 team in ranked Southeast Missouri State. One week after facing a Weber State team that traditionally makes its home in the national polls, the Demons will do so against a similar program on the road at 3 p.m. on Houck Field, televised on the subscription streaming service  ESPN+.

“We know what quality opponents feel like,” first-year head coach Blaine McCorkle said. “One of the best ways to get better is to play against good people, and we’ve done that. Our kids are somewhat battle tested. We’ve learned form those battles we’ve been in, and we know we have to clean up those mistakes and play cleaner football and try to turn one of these into a win.”

The Redhawks (3-1) come into Saturday’s matchup ranked 13^th in one poll, 14^th in another after a 38-21 win at then-No. 7 Southern Illinois that zoomed them several spots forward in both rankings.

The rebuilding Demons (0-4) are seeking the first win of the McCorkle era after falling 39-0 at home to Weber State a week ago.

That win moved Weber State back into the STATS Perform Top 25 at No. 25. Now, the Demons face a team that is solidly in the top 25, albeit one that does it in a much different way.

Weber State came into last week’s game with the No. 11 rushing attack in the FCS. This week, the Demons face a SEMO passing attack that ranks sixth nationally at 292 yards per game.

“They can throw the ball, and we have to be prepared for the run as well,” linebacker Blake Gotcher said. “Everyone needs to do their job, practice well and good things are going to happen.”

SEMO quarterback Paxton DeLaurent ranks in the top 10 nationally in passing touchdowns (12, 2^nd), completions per game (25, 6^th), passing yards (1,068, 7^th) and passing yards per game (267, 10^th). His receivers Dorian Anderson and Mitchell Sellers have combined for nine touchdown catches with Anderson sharing the national lead with five.

“It’s definitely a change of pace,” McCorkle said. “Two weeks ago against Tennessee-Martin, they threw the ball 64 times and had only four or five called runs. We joked in the coaches’ office that they only have two runs in their offense – they run on the field and they run off the field. DeLaurent can make every throw. If I were a fan, I’d really love watching him. I’m not really excited about facing him this week, but he’s a fun watch. They also have a true freshman running back, Payton Brown, who’s a very talented kid, fun to watch on film. They have the ability to play several different ways.”

The challenge for the Northwestern offense is a similar one – although more introspective.

Through four games, the Demons are losing the time of possession battle by more than six minutes per contest. One key behind that stat is third-down conversions.

In its first four games, Northwestern has converted 10 of 55 third-down conversions (18.2 percent) while its opponents are 26-for-55 (47.3 percent).

“The main thing we need to do offensively is maintain drives,” running back Kennieth Lacy said. “You maintain drives you wear a defense down and give our defense a chance to stand up and make stops. That will be one of the key points Saturday we need to do to win.”

Part of that could be attributed to the youth movement that has permeated the Demons’ 2024 roster – one that McCorkle acknowledges.

“We’re young,” McCorkle said. “I think we have 19 redshirt freshmen and sophomores getting significant snaps on both sides of the ball – really in all three phases. Battle tested we are in a hurry. Long term down the road the rest of this year and years down the road, that will pay dividends because those are guys the Northwestern State fans will get used to hearing their names for a long, long time as we continue to grow the program.”

The Demons begin their Southland Conference season next Saturday at Stephen F. Austin, and host Texas A&M-Commerce on Oct. 12.

Contact Jason at pughj@nsula.edu

LSMSA IN NATCHITOCHES WILL DEDICATE NEW PUBLIC ART SCULPTURE HONORING SABINE PARISH NATIVE CAROLINE DORMON ON THURSDAY, OCT. 3

“A Path Less Traveled” was made possible by the Louisiana Percent for Art Program administered by the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development

Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) in Natchitoches will officially dedicate “A Path Less Traveled,” a new public art sculpture honoring Sabine Parish native Caroline Dormon, during a dedication ceremony planned for 4:15 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3. The public is invited to attend this free event.

The dedication ceremony will begin in David Conner Treen Auditorium on the first floor of the LSMSA High School Building at 715 University Parkway in Natchitoches. The front entrance to the High School Building will be accessible for visitors to campus, and ample free parking is available nearby.

The program will include an educational presentation from LSMSA Executive Director Emeritus, Dr. Arthur S. Williams, covering Dormon’s life and work.

“Although not usually counted among the other famous women of this parish—those usually named being Cammie Henry, Clementine Hunter, and Kate Chopin—Dormon is, to my mind, the most important and distinguished,” Dr. Williams said.

Following the presentation, attendees will walk from the auditorium to view the sculpture, which is located between the Living Learning Commons and the Center for Performance & Technology.

“This public art sculpture celebrates a woman who truly embodied the spirit of ‘the path less traveled.’ Her groundbreaking achievements remind us that pursuing unique passions can lead to extraordinary success,” said LSMSA Executive Director Dr. Steven Horton. “Dormon’s example resonates deeply at LSMSA, where we encourage our students to forge their own paths toward excellence.”

Dormon, a native of Saline, LA, was a pioneering conservationist and the first woman to work in environmental education in public schools as part of the Division of Forestry in Louisiana. She also authored several landmark books on Louisiana’s native plants and led the charge to establish Kisatchie National Forest. Dormon’s estate, Briarwood Nature Preserve, has been maintained as a nonprofit since her death in 1971.

Artists Jeffrey Reed and Jennifer Madden, creators of “A Path Less Traveled,” will participate in the dedication ceremony via remote call. 

“We wanted to create a place for students to sit and meet,” said Madden. “To this end, we designed multiple tall ‘trees’ with boulders and a path to make a space where people can go to meet friends or read a book.” 

Guests at the dedication ceremony will also hear, from LSMSA Principal Lecturer of Art Chris King, MFA, how Dormon was selected as the subject of the sculpture.       

“I decided to approach this project, from a conceptual perspective, aiming to honor Caroline Dormon and her historic work,” King said. “The more I learned about Dormon’s dedication, the more I saw an opportunity to create a landmark piece that honors this historic woman.” 

The project was made possible through Louisiana’s Percent for Art Program administered by the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development. The Percent for Art Program is designed to bring significant works of art to public spaces across the state. 

“This project has been a profound journey, and it is a testament to what can be achieved when vision, dedication, and collaboration come together,” Percent for Art Program Director Scott Finch said. “My involvement, alongside project manager April Baham, has been to ensure that the installation not only honors Caroline Dormon’s remarkable contributions, but also enriches the LSMSA campus environment. Our goal was to create a site-specific work that would resonate deeply with the school’s mission and the community it serves.”

August 10, 1936 – September 24, 2024

James Lamar Thomasee passed away on Tuesday evening, September 24, peacefully in his home after an extended illness. Services will be held at 1:00 on Saturday, September 28th at Hixson Brothers in Pineville with pastors Mark Richardson and Sammy Morrow officiating. Visitation will be held Friday, September 27th from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm at Hixson Brothers in Pineville, continuing Saturday at 11:00 am until services begins at 1:00. The pallbearers will be Ray Boone, Ralph Boone, Jarred Boone, Mike Mauberret, Carl Bates and Jake Thomasee. A private burial will be held at the Harmony Baptist Church Cemetery where he will be laid to rest beside his parents and son.

If you ever heard Jim speak, he began with, “How exciting it is to be a Christian and to serve our Lord Jesus Christ! What a wonderful Lord we have! He’s ALIVE and he’s coming back soon!”

Jim spent his early life growing up in Natchitoches on the banks of Beautiful Cane River. He and his best fishing buddy Emmett (his dad) caught their share of Big Bass! If the fish weren’t biting, the golf clubs were nearby. While serving the Lord was number One, his other true loves were Marty and FRIED Chicken! Jim learned to play the saxophone at an early age and became quite the musician. He grew up in the post-World War II Era and loved the Big Band music of the times. He played with the Northwestern Demonairs in college and later with the Red River Jazz Band and the Rapides Symphony Orchestra.

Jim was invited to speak with the World Baptist Alliance in Korea in 1970. He, along with his interpreter, spoke to hundreds of thousands in attendance and was followed by Rev. Billy Graham.

Jim preached over a thousand revivals and served as the pastor of Liberty Baptist Church in Pineville since its founding in 1975. He hosted “The Voice of Liberty” radio program which is still broadcast on many radio stations today. He was very active in the prison ministry and visited several prisons weekly throughout the state of Louisiana.

He founded the Jim Thomasee Insurance Agency in 1970, where he served as Owner and President.

He is survived by his only love, high school sweetheart, and wife of 67 years, Martha Book Thomasee and three children Jason Kent Thomasee, Toni Thomasee Guinn (Johnny) and Becky Thomasee Rogers, 8 grandchildren Laurie Thomasee Mauberret (Mike), Lynsey Thomasee, Jake Thomasee, Tori Thomasee, Samantha Thomasee, Raven Rogers, Raleigh Rogers, and Ramsey Rogers; 1 great grandchild, Miles Mauberret. He is preceded in death by his parents Della and Emmett Thomasee and son, John Timothy Thomasee.

The family wishes to express their appreciation and gratitude to the staff at Compassionate Care, Home Instead and Carl Bates, friend and neighbor, for providing loving care.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Liberty Baptist Church, for the continuation of the Voice of Liberty radio program, P. O. Box 4417, Pineville, LA 71361.

Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Detectives are continuing and actively investigating Tuesday afternoon’s shooting in Payne Sub-Division that left a Natchitoches juvenile suffering from life-threatening gunshot wounds according to Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart Wright.

NPSO Patrol Operations Bureau deputies responded to NATCOM 911 Center reports of “shots fired” on Sept. 24 around 5:44 pm in 100 block of Keith Drive in Payne Sub-Division off of La. Hwy 6 East near Natchitoches.

While responding to the area, a sheriff’s detective intercepted a private vehicle with emergency flashers on, transporting a gunshot victim, a 16-year-old Natchitoches juvenile to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center.

Patrol deputies and five sheriff’s detectives responded to the crime scene and Natchitoches Regional Medical Center.

Sheriff Wright and Chief Deputy D. Winder also responded.

At the hospital, detectives learned the juvenile suffering from gunshot wounds had life-threatening injuries.

Natchitoches Regional Medical Center Emergency Staff performed life-saving measures.

The juvenile was later transferred to a regional trauma center in critical condition.

Detectives brought in special lighting equipment to photograph and process the crime scene where over 40-bullet casings, were recovered and collected for crime lab analysis.

Detectives canvassed the area and spoke with residents in the area that reported hearing multiple gunshots in the area.

The suspects apparently fled the area prior to law enforcement’s arrival.

Throughout the night, detectives continued the investigation executing a search warrant at an undisclosed location near Natchitoches looking for evidence in connection with the senseless shooting.

Detectives say throughout today, they have been reviewing evidence, speaking to family, friends, and following up on potential leads in the investigation.

No futher details are being released at this time to protect the integrity of the investigation as it remains active and ongoing.

If you have any information or video in relation to the shooting, please contact the NPSO Criminal Investigations Bureau at 357-7830, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office at 352-6432, or Natchitoches Crime Stoppers at 318-238-2388. You may be eligible for a reward and your information will remain confidential.  Crime Stoppers is not a law enforcement agency.

The Natchitoches Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred early Wednesday morning on Stella Street.

Natchitoches Police Department officers were dispatched to the 1400 block of Stella Street on Sept. 25 around 1:57 am in reference to a gunshot victim.  Upon officers arrival they located the victim and immediately began to render aid while waiting on other first responders to arrive.

The victim was transported to the Natchitoches Regional Medical Center and later to a hospital in Caddo Parish for further treatment.

Investigators were able to canvass the area and spoke with several witnesses.  They were also able to collect several pieces of evidence that will be sent to the crime lab for further analysis.

If you would like to report suspicious activity please contact the Natchitoches Police Department at (318) 352-8101 or if you have additional information in regards to this investigation please contact Detective Davanta Stevenson at (318) 357-3817.  Remember all information given shall remain confidential.  

How to report an anonymous tip via Natchitoches Crime Stoppers:

You can also report a tip anonymously by downloading the P3 Tips app on your smart phone or by calling Natchitoches Crime Stoppers at (318) 238-2388.  All tips remain confidential and the caller can receive a cash reward up to $3,000 for the arrest of an offender.

The Natchitoches Police Department is investigating a homicide that occurred Tuesday evening on July Street.

Natchitoches Police Department officers were dispatched to the 800 block of July Street on Sept. 24 around 6:44 pm in reference to gunshots in the area.  While officers were responding they were notified by police communication officers of a possible gunshot victim at a residence.  Upon officers arrival they were told that the victim, Matthew Daniels (B/M, 17 y.o.a. of Natchitoches), had left the scene and was being brought to the hospital by a personal vehicle.  Matthew Daniels was later pronounced deceased at the Natchitoches Regional Medical Center as a result of his injuries.  

Investigators and officers canvassed the crime scene and were able to speak with several witnesses. They also collected numerous pieces of evidence that will be sent to the crime lab for analysis.

The investigation is ongoing and the Natchitoches Police Department is working with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.  We will release more details as they become available.

If you would like to report suspicious activity please contact the Natchitoches Police Department at (318) 352-8101 or if you have additional information in regards to this investigation please contact Detective William Connell at (318) 238-3911.  Remember all information given shall remain confidential.  

How to report an anonymous tip via Natchitoches Crime Stoppers:

You can also report a tip anonymously by downloading the P3 Tips app on your smart phone or by calling Natchitoches Crime Stoppers at (318) 238-2388.  All tips remain confidential and the caller can receive a cash reward up to $3,000 for the arrest of an offender.

Old Bethel Baptist Church will celebrate their 177th Homecoming on Sunday, Oct. 6. at 10 am. Bro. Jack (Bubba) Mills, III will bring the message.  His wife, Mandi will sing a song.  His daughters, Jenna and Hope will play the piano.  The theme is this homecoming is “The Blessings of the Hands.” We will have lunch in the Fellowship Hall following the worship service.  All former members and the public are invited to attend.

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Special thanks to Lance Lopez – Farm Bureau, Rodney & Eddie Harrington – The Harrington Law firm, Sharpco Hotel Group and Pat Johnson.

By LORI LYONS, Journal Sports

Now that the St. Mary’s Tigers have their first win behind them, they are looking for the next one.

The Tigers and first-year coach Kedrin Seastrunk finally erased the goose egg in their win column Friday night, taking a 17-12 victory over visiting Holy Savior Menard in the annual Bishop’s Bowl, allowing them to hold on to the coveted Bishop’s Bowl trophy for a fourth consecutive year.

But now St. Mary’s must turn its attention to the Many Tigers, who are a surprising 0-3 with lopsided losses to Logansport (46-7), DeRidder (37-0) and Leesville (60-35).

“Probably not too many times you’ve said that — Many is 0-3,” Seastrunk said.

The first thing his team has to do is get past the name the other team is wearing. Even though last year was not great, Many’s program in the past decade-plus has been one of the most successful in the state. The Sabine Parish Tigers are a longtime Class 2A power.

“It’s going back probably 20 years that St. Mary’s hasn’t beat Many,” Seastrunk said. “We’ve just got to keep them focused. But then, at the same time, I think Many has a great environment. Regardless of the record, when you’re playing at Many you know you’re playing at Many. We have to make sure we’re ready, make sure we’re prepared, make sure we’re focused. Most of all it’s believing in ourselves.

Seastrunk said he has seen steady improvement in his young team and in his own coaching. The first two weeks taught him some lessons and led to him making adjustments on and off the field.

“We have a lot of guys playing both ways and we have a high requirement of them,” Seastrunk said. “(The goal) was to make sure we get in shape. They said we ran more this week than we ran all year. We condition, condition, condition. The more they’re in the game the better the team can be.”

Meanwhile, the Lakeview Gators are still working for their first win under the Lawrence Seawood Jr. regime. Lakeview has lost to Class 4A Booker T. Washington (52-0), Delhi Charter (44-0) and Class 4A Woodlawn (48-0).

This week the Class A Gators host DeQuincy, which is 3-0 with wins over Hamilton Christian (32-13), Lake Arthur (31-14) and Oberlin (45-0).

“They’re a very well coached team,” Seawood said. “And they’re on a roll right now. We have to try to control the clock and manage the game.”

Contact Lori at sportslyons@gmail.com

A transfer walking into a new football locker room and become a team captain in the span of roughly three months is a rarity.

Performing rare moments, however, has been a bit of a constant for Blake Gotcher in his semester-plus at Northwestern State, which continues at 3 p.m. Saturday at No. 13/14 Southeast Missouri State.

Gotcher, a junior who transferred from fellow Southland Conference member Lamar, has become a linchpin of the Demon defense in his first season in Natchitoches – none more so than in his first two home games.

In his Sept. 7 Turpin Stadium debut against Prairie View A&M, Gotcher recorded the first 20-plus tackle game for a Demon defender in five years, racking up 23 tackles, a pair of sacks and a forced fumble against the Panthers. He followed it up with 11 more tackles (three for loss) and another two-sack performance against Weber State on Sept. 21.

“I’m willing to do whatever it is to help the team win,” Gotcher said. “At this point, I’m playing as hard as I can and letting whatever happens happen. At the end of the day, I just want to win and help the team any way I can.”

Gotcher’s quick ascension into a leadership role at his new home was a bit surprising while being tempered by the roster turnover Northwestern endured following the 2023 season.

“You never expect a transfer to come in and within three to three and a half months be voted captain, but at the same time our whole team was new,” first-year head coach Blaine McCorkle said. “It’s no secret – everyone’s talked extensively about us being at a point where we had a practice last fall where only 16 kids showed up. The people who voted for him were also new and didn’t know who to vote for or who not to vote for. That played a little into it, but it’s also a great credit to Blake that he came in, went to work and earned people’s respect in a hurry. He’s living up to the bill on the field, and he’s still got his best football ahead of him.”

Junior running back Kennieth Lacy is one of the returning Demon lettermen who make up approximately half of the Northwestern roster.

Lacy is in his third season on the Demon roster, making him one of the program’s elder statesmen. It didn’t take Gotcher long to earn the respect of one of the teammates he battles with on a daily basis in team drills.

“From the first day, his work ethic, how he approached things – especially spring ball – he wanted to be great,” Lacy said. “That’s one of the things I respected about him.”

Through four games, Gotcher has produced at an extremely high level, collecting a team-leading 49 tackles and leading the Southland Conference in sacks per game at 1.0.

Those numbers put Gotcher on pace to record the Demons’ first 100-tackle season since Ja’Quay Pough’s 109-tackle campaign in 2019. In keeping with McCorkle’s assertion of bigger moments lying ahead for the native of Little Elm, Texas.

And while Gotcher does not have any statistical goals aside from adding to Northwestern’s win total, he does feel at home in more ways than one.

“I love the defense, the 3-3 stack,” he said. “I’ve never run it before. It’s fairly simple. I’ve been able to read my keys and make plays when I can.”

As the Demons’ middle linebacker, Gotcher quarterbacks coordinator Matt Conner’s defense. Part of that role – giving credit to others — dovetails with his responsibilities as one of the Demons’ three permanent captains.

“We have a lot of good guys who bought in and took me in,” Gotcher said. “It felt like home. We’ve hung out outside this building. We’ve had a lot of bonding. I’m blessed with a great group of guys around me. I’ve got a nice D-line around me. When everyone’s doing their jobs, everyone can make plays and make a difference.”

Some kids are more fortunate than others. I can’t help but feel a tiny bit sorrowful for those youngsters who were raised in urban settings where concrete, police and fire sirens, heavy traffic were a part of life. I was blessed to be reared out on the rural route, alongside a gravel road where the half dozen cars traversing the old road daily would stir up either dust or mud, depending on weather conditions.

I read about city kids who have their milk delivered by the milkman and who know to head back home when street lights came on. We got our milk from our milk cow that our mom was glad to turn over milking duties to us kids when we got big enough. Street lights? We didn’t have street lights growing up because for the first few years, we didn’t have electricity.

We had kinfolk like grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who lived on the same hill we did near Goldonna in north Natchitoches Parish. Because there were so many of us there, the hill was called “Harris Hill.”

I had a brother, Tom, who was two years younger than me. Living over on another part of Harris Hill were our two cousins, Doug, a year younger than me and Sambo, a year younger than Tom. It was special to have a brother to do stuff with but it was extra special when Doug and Sambo were added to the mix. It was like instead of cousins, we were more like brothers. Some folks called the four of us the Harris Hill Boys.

Thinking back the four of us enjoyed special times together although we didn’t necessarily think we were special because all the kids we knew grew up just as we did.

We had a couple of water sources that attracted our attention when it was warm enough to swim. We usually started our swimming earlier than our moms thought we should. That’s why we’d sneak off to the Tank Pond or Molideaux creek without asking for permission; we just did it and didn’t tell anybody.

Our growing up years together were extra special to us but with the passage of time, we grew up and went our separate ways. I graduated from college and became a teacher and social worker and eventually an outdoor writer. Doug graduated and became involved in the oil and gas industry. Tom got his degree in forestry and for years, worked as a forester. College wasn’t in Sambo’s plans so he joined the Marines and after serving his time, worked as a logger.

One day, Doug, who owned property which included a fine fish pond, got in touch with the other three of us and suggested that rather than us just rely on memories, how about we get together on his pond, catch fish and catch up with all we had done since we grew up and scattered. We jumped at the idea and on June 19, 2007, the four of us met at his pond for the first annual Cousin Fish Fest. For the next 15 years, it became an annual event for us that we looked forward to each spring.

We were all growing older and with age comes infirmities. Tom was the first to leave us as on April 30, 2015, he passed away. Doug, Sambo and I continued our annual Fish Fest until 2022 when Doug began having health problems that curtailed our gatherings and on January 6, 2023, Sambo and I were there to honor Doug at his funeral.

That left only two of us, Sambo and me and a couple weeks ago, a heart attack ended Sambo’s life. He died on September 11, 2024.

That leaves only me to keep the memories of the Harris Hill Boys alive and so long as the Lord keeps me upright, I’ll hang onto those special memories of four country boys who spent their growing up years living a special country life.

Contact Glynn at glynnharris37@gmail.com

Born January 26, 1947, in Coushatta, Louisiana, died September 24, 2024, at her home in Campti, Louisiana surrounded by her loved ones after a long battle with cancer.

Visitation will be held Thursday, September 26, 2024, from 5-7pm with Rosary at 6pm at Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home in Natchitoches.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, September 27, 2024, at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, 119 Tally Street, Campti, with interment in the church cemetery to follow. 

Pallbearers are Jeff Custis, Kain Custis, Zach Bridges, Casey Ebert, Jason Dickson, Mitchell Young, Damon Young, and Peyton Freeman.  Honorary pallbearers are Troy Custis, David Gallien, and Rebel Jackson.

Kaye is survived by her sons Troy Custis and wife Jessica, and Jeffery Custis and wife Kristen; stepdaughters Shane Jackson (Vance), Vonne Walton (Rick), Shanis Young (Sammy), Sharell Eason (Ronnie) and their respective families (including 12 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren); granddaughter Lauren Custis (Drake), and grandsons Kain (Lexi) Custis, Jaxon Custis, and Brandon Welborn, all of whom were the light of her life.  She is also survived by sisters Millicent Bridges and Carol Payzant, brother Richard Fletcher, along with nephew Ricky Bridges, and great nephews and godson Zachary Bridges, Micah Bridges, Hahn Bridges and Chey Bridges.  She is predeceased by her husband of 29 years, Len Dalton; stepdaughter Lenette Tidwell; parents Milton and Hazel Fletcher; brothers-in-law Kenneth Bridges and Bill Payzant; nephew Todd Bridges and great-nephew and godson Cody Bridges.

Kaye began grade school in Hall Summit and graduated from Longstreet High School in 1965. She recently said that living in Longstreet was one of her happiest childhood memories.  She briefly attended Northwestern State College, then later worked at the Sunbeam plant in Coushatta before marrying her first husband, Tommy Custis, in 1968 and becoming a mom and homemaker.  In the late 70s and early 80s, she worked as a school aide in Campti.  While living in Campti, she met Len Dalton, and they were married on October 1, 1985.  Kaye subsequently converted to Catholicism.  In doing so, she found the great rock and anchor for the rest of her life.

For over 36 years, she served her church community at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Campti.  Her loving heart, generosity of spirit and willingness to help others touched many people, whether teaching CCD, serving on the parish council, financial council, altar society or as a Trustee.  The Alexandria Diocese recognized her servant leadership with its Distinguished Service Award in 2023.  She will be deeply missed by her Nativity family. 

Kaye had a tremendous capacity for hard work, raising her sons as a single mom, then later helping Len build two businesses, as well as taking on any job that needed doing at her church home – painting, mowing, tree trimming – she was often the first to arrive and the last to leave.  Even in ‘retirement’, Kaye worked part-time at Carrie’s Animal Health Supply in Clarence.

For her family, there was never a more devoted ‘Mama’ and ‘Meme’ – the comfort and happiness of her husband, sons, stepdaughters and grandchildren were always foremost in her heart.  She had equal devotion to her friends and those in need.  We will always remember the manifest ways in which she served as a conduit of God’s love – she leaves a tangible witness in our hearts forever. 

The family extends their deepest thanks to all those at Nativity who supported Kaye during her long illness, especially her devoted friends Peggy Smith and Monica Grappe. Likewise, grateful thanks to those who provided medical care, including Dr. Manish Dhawan, Dr. Kathleen Kautz, and dear family friend Roxanna Smith, CRNA, who helped in so many ways. The family also thanks Hospice of Natchitoches for their compassionate end of life care.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Nativity Altar Society, c/o Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, 119 Tally Street, Campti, LA  71411.  

Someday, when fades the golden sun
Beneath the rosy-tinted west,
My blessed Lord will say, “Well done!”
And I shall enter into rest