March 28, 1939 — March 17, 2024

In humble gratitude for a life rich in love and service, the family of Julia Lee Doll announces her peaceful passing at the age of 84 on March 16, 2024, in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Born on March 28, 1939, in Shreveport, LA, Julia embraced life with a spirit of kindness and a heart full of generosity.

Julia now joins in eternal rest those who preceded her: beloved husband of 43 years, Eugene M. Doll, cherished daughter Donna E. Doll, dear parents John & Elizabeth Ethridge, loving foster parents Earl & Eunice Hagy, sister Janice DeGeorge, and brother Robert Ethridge.

A native of Oil City, LA, Julia was a devoted wife and business owner who, alongside her husband, operated a data processing business and newspaper advertising publishing business. Her life was a testament to the virtues of hard work and the joys found in simple pleasures. A proud alumna of St. Vincent’s Academy and graduate of Ayres Business College in Shreveport, Julia instilled knowledge and wisdom in herself and her children.

Julia’s life was a reflection of her faith, she attended Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Natchitoches. Her actions spoke of a deep respect for religion and a humble walk with her Creator. Her warmth extended in and out of the home. Julia delighted in playing Bingo and the laughter that accompanied gatherings of family and friends.

Affectionately known as “Dolly” to those she loved, her legacy is carried forward by her family: daughter Linda D. Lee and husband Edd of Natchitoches, son Dennis E. Doll of Natchitoches, daughter Gloria A. Doll of Dallas, granddaughter Lindsay Lee of Shreveport, grandson Warner Lee and wife Catherine of Shreveport, grandson Jonah Brewer Doll of Dallas, and great-granddaughter Adele Lee of Shreveport, along with numerous relatives and friends who felt the touch of her grace and compassion.

The final tribute to Julia’s earthly journey will commence on Thursday, March 21, with visitation from 8:00am to 9:00am at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home in Natchitoches. A rosary prayer will follow at 9:30am. A brief church service will be held at Immaculate Conception Church at 10:00am with Father Irion St. Romain officiating. Here, in the serenity of shared memories and prayers, we will bid farewell to a soul who embodied the essence of love. Julia will then be laid to rest with graveside services in Memory Lawn Cemetery.

The family wants to thank caregivers Regina Monette, Leslie Coker, and Tammy Raphiel for their dedication and heart-warming care for Julia in her final years.

Many thanks to Dr. Chris Ingram, Dr. Jack Fair and Hospice of Natchitoches and to their nurses and staff for their care during Julia’s final days.

May Julia’s memory be cherished as a reminder of the profound impact one life, lived with intention and devotion, can have on the world.

Because we are in the middle of high school and college baseball season and because desperate times call for desperate measures, I am having to name myself Infield Fly Rule Sheriff for north Louisiana and maybe even for east Texas.

This is effective immediately. No time to waste …

The Infield Fly Rule can make you look crazier than a road lizard, more foolish than the guy who botched the one-car funeral procession. Not knowing this rule has caused more Walk of Shames than beer.

We’ve witnessed it mangled twice last week.

Once, a defender’s mistake cost his team a run. The other time, a baserunner ran his team out of an inning.

This happens more often than you’d think. And when it does, it looks like a prison break.

“An infield fly is a fair ball — not including a line drive nor an attempted bunt — which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second, or first, second and third bases are occupied, before two are out.”

Once the umpire declares “Infield Fly!” and/or points to the sky, the batter is out and all force plays are removed, regardless of whether the ball is caught.

This is to protect defenseless runners: an infielder in this situation could drop the ball on purpose and then turn an easy double play.

The rule sounds tricky but it’s not once you ponder it for a moment. And the moment to ponder is not when the Infield Fly Rule has been declared. It’s now, while no bullets are flying and all is quiet on the western front. 

So, the examples from last week:

Runners first and second, one out, fly to infield’s right side. Infield Fly is declared. Fielder misses the ball, and the runner on second, safe as grandma’s banana pudding secret recipe, semi-panics and takes off for third. The throw from the second baseman, who’s recovered the ball, is in plenty of time — BUT the third baseman doesn’t tag the runner. Steps on the bag thinking there was a force. But the force is off once Infield Fly is declared. The runner, who was surprised as anyone by his good fortune, then scored on a two-out base hit.

In the other example, runners were on first and second, one out, their team trailing by a run, eighth inning. Big Moment. Infield Fly is declared on a very high pop behind first; it hits the fielder’s glove and drops maybe three feet from him and — the runner on second bolted toward third as if propelled from a cannon. Easy throw to the third baseman, who makes the tag, end of that half inning and end of threat.

Makes your heart hurt.

So it is my suggestion that each team designate an Infield Fly Rule Captain. Or it could be Infield Fly Rule Sergeant-at-Arms or Infield Fly Rule Flavor of the Day/Ringmaster/Man About Town. Whatev. The point is, when the Infield Fly Rule is in effect as noted above, that appointed Infield Fly Rule Specialist is yelling to the baserunners, “HOLD YOUR BASE, FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING DECENT AND GOOD, DO NOT MOVE!”

Whether the fielder catches the fly or not, you are safe. Batter up.

Now if you are a fielder — this will take some practice and communication and work and your coach will have to agree — you almost always “have” to let the ball drop. The batter will be out anyway, the runners probably won’t know the rule or will panic, and you can double one up. If the runners don’t move and the ball doesn’t drop and take a wild bounce, no problem. Ball back to pitcher. Batter up.

And if you forget all that, it’s OK. The important thing is that you find and read “Mitch and the Infield Fly Rule,” an essay by the master of the art, the late and great Mississippian Willie Morris.

In it, when Morris taught a class in the American Novel as writer-in-residence at Ole Miss in the 1980s, a “willowy, full-breasted blond Chi Omega” called Mitch, 21 and a straight-A student, “tall and slender and lithesome, wry and irreverent and whimsical,” stands in class one day, recites the Infield Fly Rule in its entirety and finishes by saying, to her wide-eyed classmates in the cataclysmic quietness of the large amphitheater classroom and with a throaty Bacall voice, “I always thought it a fine rule.”

Contact Teddy at teddy@latech.edu

Ehren Guidroz drove in six runs to lead the Natchitoches Central softball team past Byrd Lady Jackets 17-4 on Tuesday, keeping the defending champion Lady Chiefs perfect in District 1-5A.

Guidroz hit a grand slam to left field in the fifth inning after her two-run double in the first inning.

The visiting Lady Chiefs (11-11 overall, 5-0 in district) took command after Byrd (3-17) rallied in the third inning for a 4-all tie.

Natchitoches Central rang up a six-run fourth inning thanks to home runs by Lila Robertson and Skylar Braxton.

The Lady Chiefs scored seven runs in the top of the fifth. Morgan Robinson doubled, scoring one run before Guidroz ripped her grand slam to left field. Maggie Massia drew a bases-loaded walk, and Robinson singled, plating another run.

Sydney Terrell stepped in the circle first for NCHS and struck out eight in four innings.

Natchitoches Central amassed 12 hits led by Massia and Robinson with three each. Mallory Lacour collected two.

While I’m all for the sport of bass fishing growing, at what cost? Professional anglers are taking the new forward-facing sonar technology to levels that may not be good for the sport. Our lakes and waterways are under assault as we speak. Lakes are being invaded with sonar technology that has all species of fish on high alert. Today we’ll look at the impact this may have on the industry in general.

To understand where we are with today’s technology, we must first look at where we came from. The first fish-finder device was developed in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1948. Then in 1957 Lowrance released the Fish-Lo-K-Tor that was designed for recreational fishermen. These first fish-finding units were hard to operate and were difficult to read unless you had a good understanding on what you were actually looking at, but they were prone to misinterpretation.

But today’s electronics can be read without any misinterpretation as anglers watch on a 12-to-14-inch screen on what can only be described as a high-tech video game. This technology has played right into the hands of the young anglers on the rise looking to compete with the best anglers on the planet.

Their learning curve has been fast forwarded to warp speed like the Star Trek’s Enterprise. No longer do they have to spend years developing a feel on how and where to find bass based on weather conditions. No longer do they have to spend years understanding how to read water. They no longer need the instincts that the older generation of anglers used to compete with on the highest level.

This being said, how will this new technology affect the industry overall? It appears to me and many others that we are developing a group of young anglers without the fishing instincts so many of today’s top professionals possess. These seasoned anglers took years of time on the water to develop instincts and skills necessary to compete with the best anglers in America and across the globe.

One facet of bass fishing that will be truly affected is the bait and tackle industry. With the popularity of forward-facing sonar has come a new series of minnow-style baits. These baits are all the craze right now and are winning tournaments consistently. So, what about all the crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jigs that have made up a huge part of bass fishing sales over the years? What will become of all these baits that have been the bread and butter of all major bass fishing companies? Will they just sit on the shelf and collect dust, or will it all come back to life after this forward-facing sonar obsession is over or possibly banned?

For tackle store owners, there’s got to be a sense of nervousness as dealers all over the country do inventory on baits that are just hanging on pegs waiting for anglers to pull one off. It’s almost like land of the misfit toys in the Christmas movie “Rudolph.” They are just waiting for the day when they will be wanted again.

Like anything new, we wonder if this new unbelievable technology is here to stay. Is this just a fad like bellbottom jeans and silk shirts with white dress shoes? Or is this like the Pet Rock and Ty Beanie Babies that some thought were the best ideas ever? The one unknown factor at this point is IF tournament organizations will ban these new fish-finding units. If this does happen, maybe things will get back to what we used to think of as normal.

‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and make sure to check out Tackle Talk Live podcast, as well as the Hook’N Up & Track’N Down Show on You Tube. 

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

Goldonna Elementary Junior High School Principal, Cori Beth Manuel, would like to congratulate the following most recent honor roll recipients.

Principal`s List

Kayden Dewayne Bedgood
Bryson Layne Carter
Alaynna Cheyenne Day
Grace Elora Day
Anthony Isiah Giannone-Flores
Brody Eli Guin
Piper Raylyn Killingsworth
Bronson Micheal Mclendon
Posey Lane Riddle
Lani Elizabeth Todd

A Honor Roll

Piper Leann Adams
Chaylie Delise Cox
Mackenzie Dodge
Saydee Alise Flack
Willis Edward Freeman
Brookelyn Ciara Garner
Carlee Rose Martin
Zalien Antowine Paul
Hunter Leigh Ann Quinn
Brinley Grace Sampey
Case Blaine Sampey
Awnah Renee Schmidt
Gavin Lane Spears
Victoria Marie Stewart
Dillon Dax Tebbetts

B Honor Roll

Henry Barnum
Haiden Justis Black
Nathan Joseph Black
Ella Marie Chism
Silas Trevor Collinsworth
Kayden James Dodge
Lydia Charlotte Mogridge
David Edward Quick
Ayden Blake Smith
Johnny Wayne Stewart
Autumn Rain Womack

Many well wishes for a successful final semester to the 23-24 school year. Fall enrollment will be right around the corner. If you would like more information about enrolling your child for the 24-25 school year at Goldonna Elementary Junior High School please reach out to the School Board Office at 318-352-2368.

Natchitoches Parish – Over the last two days, the Central Louisiana Violent Crime Abatement Team (VCAT) conducted a very successful criminal enforcement detail.  This collaborative unified initiative was comprised of Louisiana State Police (LSP), Louisiana Probation and Parole (LAP&P), Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office (RPSO), Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office (NPSO), Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office (SPSO) and the Natchitoches Police Department (NPD).

The goal of the operation was to detect, identify, and apprehend individuals involved in various types of criminal activity including, but not limited to, weapons violations, violent crime, possession of stolen property, and possession/distribution of illicit drugs. 

Due to the multi-agency partnership and the effort put forth from all involved, the operation totaled:

• Poss. CDS I (marijuana) – 16, Poss. CDS I with intent (marijuana) – 1
• Poss. CDS II (methamphetamine) – 4, Poss. CDS II (fentanyl) / (cocaine) – 2
• Poss. CDS II (hydrocodone) – 1, Poss. CDS III (buprenorphine) – 1
• Second or subsequent offenses – 1, aggravated flight for an officer – 1
• Resisting an officer– 4, Poss. of a firearm by a felon – 6
• Poss. of a firearm in the presence of CDS – 3, Poss. of CDS in the presence of a juvenile – 2
• Poss. of a stolen firearm – 2
• FTA Desoto Parish – 1, FTA NPSO – 18, FTA NPD – 23
• NCIC warrants – 7, City marshal warrants – 13, NCIC warrant from Shreveport PD for 2^nd Degree Murder – 1

Drug seizure totals:

• Marijuana – 570 grams, Cocaine – 3 grams, Methamphetamine – 26.6 grams, Fentanyl – 2 grams,  Prescription pills – 5 tablets

Firearms seizures:

• Stolen – 1,
• Not stolen – 5

Total traffic citations issued: – 83 and Total arrested subjects: – 55

Photo/Graphic – The Pozo Law Firm

An NPJ Reader and former employee of the Sonic on University Parkway in Natchitoches tell the NPJ that a member of the ownership/management team came down from Oklahoma to inform the employees that the Sonic location has been closed.   No further information was provided regarding the future of that store or the building/location.

Photo – Reader Submitted

St. Mary’s High School senior Andrew Kautz has verbally committed to play tennis for Allegheny College, a private, non-profit, four-year liberal arts institution in Meadville, Pennsylvania.

Allegheny’s head tennis coach Dave Hayden started recruiting Kautz before a University Sports Program (USP) Showcase in Naples, Florida in November. The USP is one of the most prestigious college placement agencies across the country. Since 1994, USP has helped over 1,800 student-athletes succeed in their lives through the college tennis path. The USP priority is to match each student with the right college beyond tennis where they will have a lifelong and rewarding career.

Coach Hayden, after seeing Kautz compete at the USP Showcase, offered him a place on the Allegheny tennis team, impressed by his serve and discipline on the court.

Kautz visited Allegheny College on February 2-4 and was thrilled by the coach, the facilities, and the tennis team.

“I had an amazing experience,” said Kautz. “It is a great school; the facilities are tremendous, and the program is full of international and American players. Allegheny is certainly a school I have been interested in since Coach Dave Hyden began recruiting me at the USP Showcase in November.
It was a great feeling.”

Allegheny facilities and support services include a designated weight room for athletes, two strength and conditioning coaches, and four trainers. The coaches have individualized workout plans and keep track of the players progress on iPads in the gym. There are four indoor courts and 12 outdoor courts.

The program has a special building next to the outdoor tennis complex for players to review their matches on computers, find out about nutrition, and serve as a gathering place for the team. The program has swing vision that videos each match and gives each player specific information on the ball
placements and match statistics.

Last year Allegheny won the Presidents’ Athletic Conference and the tennis team played in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

The college offered Kautz the highest merit scholarship, a total of $168,000. Founded in 1815 Allegheny is the oldest college in continuous existence west of the Allegheny Mountains and is located less than an hour south of Lake Erie, about 90 miles north of Pittsburgh. It has about 2,000 undergraduate students.

Kautz is one of the top junior tennis players in Northwest Louisiana, and he is the defending singles tennis champion at the Regional Tennis Tournament. In addition, he was a quarterfinalist at the State Division IV Tennis Tournament. He led the St. Mary’s Tigers and clinched the Boys Regional Tennis Title.

Kautz will be among the favorites to return to the state tournament this spring. He played in several out-of-town tournaments this past summer to prepare for his final year of high school tennis and to get ready for college tennis competition.

By LAMAR GAFFORD, Journal Sports

PINEVILLE – Louisiana’s girls and boys basketball seasons might have officially ended over the last two weeks, but there was another game Saturday for a select few senior standouts.

The stars once again aligned inside Louisiana Christian University’s H.O. West Fieldhouse Saturday for the Louisiana High School Coaches Associatio/Louisiana High School Basketball Coaches Association All-Star
Games.

“It’s been a privilege for me for the past three years and to be involved in this game,” said Natchitoches native Meredith Graf, the East girls coordinator and highly successful Ruston High coach. “Every year this brings a really cool and a neat experience between the girls, practice and the banquet.”

While her East squad fell 90-59 to a West that started a backcourt of the two top guards and Division I signees in Lafayette Christian’s Jada Richard (LSU) and Parkway’s Chloe Larry (Tennessee Tech), Graf has loved her experience in being part of this game.

Graf, who formerly starred at Natchitoches Central and Northwestern State, was the head coach of the East last season and coached against her friend and fellow Lady Demon teammate Lyndzee McConathy last season.

This season her duties were as a coordinator for the East and making sure her East squad coaching staff that boasted championship coaches Valencia Wilson of Liberty Magnet and Fekesha “Rena” Pierre of Amite.

“You get to appreciate more from the inside when you get to go through it as a coach or as a coordinator,” Graf said. “You get to see how talented these girls really are. It’s kinda nice not playing the same people that kill you during in a game during the high school season and you get to appreciate
them now being on your team.”

Natchitoches Parish was left without a representative in the girls game after NCHS guard Ma’kayla Gallien was a late scratch, but it made up for it with two players in the boys game.

St. Mary’s guard Ayden Warren and Lakeview guard Andre Sowell were on opposite ends of the matchup as Sowell’s West squad defeated the Warren’s Eastern All-Stars, 90-84.

Warren scored five points, while Sowell scored eight points and drained a couple of 3-pointers.

“It was great being around a bunch of competition like this,” Warren said. “It’s going to prepare me well for college as these guys all have offers somewhere.”

Warren, who transferred to the Tigers from Menard before his junior year, closed out his high school career helping lead them to the Division IV select quarterfinals the last two years and earning District 3-1A MVP honors as a senior.

Warren will have a big decision to make soon as he plans to commit and sign to a college in April.

Currently, East Texas Baptist and NSU appear to be in the lead for Warren’s services. Junior college Angelina College and the NAIA’s Southwestern Assemblies of God also have shown interest in Warren.

“I just want to go somewhere where I’m wanted and can play and develop the most,” Warren said. “These are all good options and I feel like I can’t go wrong anywhere I go.”

Office Building for Lease:

Size: 2 story / 2,170 Square Feet; Downstairs: 3 offices, file room and 2 bathrooms; Upstairs: 1 office, conference room, kitchen and 1 bathroom
Term: Lease – 1 year minimum
Lease Rate: $2,200.00 per month  NOW $2,000.00

Location: 101 Hazel Street, Natchitoches, Louisiana

For more information and/or a showing, please contact, 318-663-9077 or 318-471-9955

Serious Inquiries Only

RUSTON – In a wild series-opening matchup, the Northwestern State baseball team came up one big swing of momentum short.

The Demons used a chaotic sixth-inning rally to erase an early six-run deficit before a seeing-eye single allowed Louisiana Tech to score the final runs of a back-and-forth, 11-9 Bulldog victory at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.

“We continue to say it, because we believe in it and because it’s the truth, and because they deserve to hear everyone say it – they fight their tails off,” first-year head coach Chris Bertrand said. “We compete our tails off. We overcome so many things, even when we don’t execute the best. If we want the result at the end of games to be a little different, we have to get to the point where we are more consistently executing a winning brand of baseball.”

Northwestern State (5-13) jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Daniel Burroway’s two-run single in the first after the Demons loaded the bases with no outs before Louisiana Tech starter Luke Nichols wiggled out of further trouble with a pair of strikeouts to strand two runners in scoring position.

The Bulldogs (14-5) ran off the next eight runs across the first two innings, putting the Demons in an early six-run hole.

Right-hander Alejandro Marquez gave the Demons a lift out of the bullpen with two scoreless innings, allowing NSU to again pressure Nichols in the fourth and force an early call to the bullpen for Louisiana Tech.

Balin Valentine’s RBI single – his first career RBI – pulled the Demons within five before Cole Hill drew a walk to load the bases with one out in the fourth. The Bulldogs called on Sam Broderson, whom Reese Lipoma greeted with a two-run single.

After a Samuel Stephenson walk, Broderson struck out a pair of Demons to strand the bases loaded. In the first and fourth innings, NSU stranded five runners – four in scoring position.

“In the moments that decide games – in matters of run scoring and run prevention – we have to be better executers,” Bertrand said. “You saw they were better executers today than we were.”

The Demons saved their biggest and most chaotic rally for the sixth inning.

Down 9-5 with runners on the corners and two outs, Rocco Gump shot a hit-and-run single through the vacated shortstop hole. Stephenson headed toward third where he made contact with Louisiana Tech shortstop Kasten Furr before being thrown out at third base.

Initially, the call stood with no interference before Bertrand spoke with the umpiring crew. After a discussion, Stephenson was awarded third base.

On the first pitch following the delay, Bo Willis connected on a titanic, game-tying three-run home run to left field to square the game at 9. It was Willis’ 18th career home run – six of which have either tied a game or given the Demons a lead.

“We continue to be proud of our team for the way they navigate certain moments,” Bertrand said. “The way (pitching coach) Dan (Hlad) and the bullpen does navigating a short start. The way the offense navigated a comeback and handed quality at-bats to one another and strung them together. Obviously, we’re going to continue to depend on Bo. Hat’s off to Bo for continuing to be a rock and a cornerstone for us.”

The Bulldogs answered back after the topsy-turvy top of the sixth with Ethan Bates leading off with a single against Adam Alexis (0-2). Three batters later, Michael Ballard grounded a tiebreaking two-run single through a drawn-in infield to deliver the decisive runs.

Bates, who suffered two losses to the Demons a season ago, recorded his fourth save, backing up two scoreless innings from Grant Hubka (1-0) with 1 1-3 scoreless innings.

Lipoma (2-for-5), Burroway (2-for-4) and Valentine (2-for-4) paced NSU’s 10-hit attack as the Demons recorded double-figure hits for the second straight game.

The series continues at 2 p.m. Saturday with a matchup of right-handers. Northwestern State will send senior Dawson Flowers (1-1, 6.06) to the mound against Louisiana Tech sophomore Jacob Havern (1-1, 4.66).

Louisiana Tech 11, Northwestern State 9

NSU 200 304 000 – 9 10 2
LT 350 012 00x – 11 13 0
W – Grant Hubka (1-0). L – Adam Alexis (0-2). S – Ethan Bates (4). 2B – LT, Cole McConnell, Dalton Davis, Adarius Myers 2, Grant Comeaux. HR – NSU, Bo Willis (3). LT, Ethan Bates (3). Highlights: NSU, Reese Lipoma 2-5, 2 RBIs; Daniel Burroway 2-4, 2 RBIs; Balin Valentine 2-4, RBI. LT, Davis 3-5, 2B, 2 RBIs; Bates 2-3, HR, 3 RBIs; Myers 2-5, 2 2Bs; Comeaux 2-5, 2B.

Records: Northwestern State 5-13; Louisiana Tech 14-5.

BEAUMONT, Texas – Northwestern State suffered its second straight walk-off loss on Friday with Lamar scoring a pair in the seventh to come away with a 6-5 win in the series-opening game.

After a walk-off infield single at Louisiana Tech on Tuesday, the Demons (11-17, 0-4) dropped their second straight in their opponent’s final at bat when a passed ball allowed the winning run to score, souring the otherwise win-worthy performance to start the weekend.

“They definitely made the type of adjustments that we worked on all week in the batters box,” head coach Lacy Prejean said. “We had double-digit hits and we scored five runs. We stole bases, squeezed with two outs and did a lot of things right. We just didn’t have all three phases come together today.

“We gave away some free bases and they (Lamar) executed when they needed to. It’s conference and every game is going to be tough and a battle. When you’re playing on the road you have to take advantage of your chances and we missed some key ones late and we let them hang around.”

The Cardinals took advantage of their first run-scoring chance when the first three batters of the bottom of the third reached base. An error, base hit and a walk loaded the bases with no outs.

After a ground ball to short led to the the force out at home a single up the middle brought in the first two runs of the game. A sacrifice fly to center added a third and gave Lamar the 3-0 lead after three innings of play.

The Demons generated an immediate response in the fourth thanks to another clutch hit from freshman Cameron Curtis.

Back-to-back singles put two runners on with two outs for Curtis. She laced the first pitch she saw the opposite way over the head of the right fielder for her first career triple to score two runs. Ashlyn Walker laid down a perfect bunt up the third base line on the next offering and within the span of two pitches the Demons brought in three runs to tie the game.

NSU’s response was the second of four straight half innings in which the teams scored runs.

Lamar regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth on a one-out solo home run to left center and threatened to add on with another hit and a walk to follow. Mia Liscano snagged a soft line drive just to her left and flipped to second for an inning-ending double play to escape the trouble.

She led off the next inning by reaching on an error and Bailie Ragsdale followed with a bunt single to put the first two on for the Demons. Taylor Williams fought off an outside pitch, putting it in play on the right side in the hole between first and second.

A wild throw to the second baseman covering the bag went down the right field line allowing both Liscano and Ragsdale to score easily on the play and give NSU the 5-4 lead.

Two pinch-hit singles in the top of the sixth from Kat Marshall and Lexie Roos gave NSU the chance for some insurance with two on and one out. Liscano moved both runners into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt but the clutch two-out hit did not come and the missed chance proved to be too costly to overcome.

The Cardinals led off the bottom of the seventh with a double and a bunt single to put the winning run on base with no outs.

Starting pitcher Kenzie Seely got the first out with a backwards K, and after intentionally walking the Cardinal clean-up hitter to load the bases, got a ground ball to second base. Unfortunately for the Demons the only play on the softly hit tapper was to first allowing the tying run to score and putting the winning run at third.

A rare passed ball, just the third of the season, during the next at-bat allowed the run in from third giving NSU its second straight heartbreaking walk-off loss.

The Demons had 10 hits in the game for the third time this year, with nine different players picking one up.

Game 2: NSU 2, Lamar 0 (Postponed after fourth inning)

The Demons took an early lead in the second scheduled game of the day after the first two batters of the game reached and made their way to scoring position.

Tristin Court gave NSU the lead on a sacrifice fly to left scoring Bailie Ragsdale from third easily.

With a runner at second and one out in the second, Sophia Livers hit a sharp single to left bringing Ashlyn Walker around to score as she tapped her foot on the plate to avoid the tag and five NSU a 2-0 lead.

Starter Maggie Darr followed with two more shutout innings, picking up her four strikeout in four innings to end the third and a ground ball to second and fly out to left to strand a one-out double in the fourth.

As the Demons were coming to bat in the top of the fifth, Mother Nature finally made her way into the picture.

A lightening delay put the game on hold for the next 30 minutes and with the impending forecast for the remainder of the night, officials with both teams decided to put the game on pause until the following day.

NSU and Lamar will resume game two of the series at 10 a.m. on Saturday and play the final 30 minutes following the conclusion of that game.

Photo Credit: NSU

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

Jess Curtis is bullish on the future of Natchitoches Central’s long-struggling football program.

But he won’t have a hand in it. Just 14 months after stunning the state’s prep football circles by departing the small school football powerhouse he built in his hometown of Many, Curtis told NCHS players Thursday he was leaving to take over the rising Southside High School program in rapidly-growing Youngsville, on the outskirts of Lafayette.

After developing Southside’s football team in its first seven seasons of the school’s existence, and leading the Sharks to a second-round playoff appearance last fall on the heels of a quarterfinal trip in 2022, Josh
Fontenot resigned to join the Lafayette Parish school system administrative staff, creating the coaching opening. A new football stadium at the school is planned soon, something that NCHS has craved for its campus.

For Curtis, recently divorced, the opening down south presented a life-changing opportunity.

“It’s been a year of transition, and I’m real serious with a woman down in that area,” he said. “That job came open, and that is an intriguing opportunity. Youngsville is exploding. That school’s probably going to be one of the biggest in the state.

“It was a tough deal telling these kids (at NCHS) today,” said Curtis. “They have given me everything. The administration, (principal) Micah (Coleman) and (athletic director) Dean (Johnson), they’ve given me everything. They’ve looked at me as their answer. But I’ve got to take care of me, too, and it’s the right move for me, at the right time. It is a new start in my life. I think I’ll be happy there.

“Natchitoches is going to move quick. There’s some good possibilities out there, and they’re going to get somebody good. The guys here have learned how to work and compete. We did some good things, and we were close to a few more wins, a point here and a couple points there,” said Curtis, whose
Chiefs finished 2-8 on the field, 3-7 officially after a postseason forfeit from Opelousas.

“It’s a good place, and there’s so much potential here. I hope they get somebody to dig in here, and the worm will turn. They have everything they need to succeed here. Everything. The kids, the people, the desire, the commitment.”

Coleman, a member of the LHSAA’s executive committee, was at a conference in south Louisiana. Natchitoches Parish schools superintendent Dr. Grant Eloi said Coleman and Johnson will run the search for the next NCHS coach, and said he will not be “deeply involved.”

“I would like to thank Coach Curtis for his time at NCHS and wish him the best on his next adventure,” said Eloi in a statement. “In his brief time at NCHS, Coach Curtis has brought an excitement and passion for Chief Football that had been missing from our community. The staff of NCHS and I appreciate
his contributions to our students and school.

“I look forward to the next chapter of Chief Football and finding the right coach, someone dedicated to Natchitoches and the Chiefs. Our student athletes deserve nothing less.”

It will be the third head coach in as many seasons for the school, which parted ways with third-year coach James Wilkerson after a 3-7 season in 2022 on the heels of a 7-4 campaign a year earlier, the school’s best record this century. Wilkerson was a key part of Calvary Baptist’s staff last fall as the Cavs won a state championship.

Curtis won three state titles while reaching state championship games six times in his last nine seasons at Class 2A Many. He was 142-32 (.816) in 13 seasons, winning 10 consecutive district titles and finishing as state finalists in 2013, 2019 and 2021 while winning the state title in 2014, 2020 and 2022.

His only Chiefs’ team narrowly missed District 1-5A wins at Benton, and at home in one-point losses to Haughton and Parkway. Just a couple of months after taking over at NCHS, Curtis interviewed for a high-profile vacancy at one of the state’s premiere prep programs, West Monroe, and was reportedly in the mix of two or three finalists.

NCHS football is poised for a breakthrough, said Supt. Eloi, who cited a preseason fundraising dinner and rally that drew about 800 people to the Natchitoches Events Center.

“You look at what’s going on at Central right now: softball’s winning again, baseball’s No. 1 in the state (power rankings), boys basketball just played for the state championship, girls basketball got to the quarterfinals,” he said. “Everything is on fire in a good way.

“The biggest thing for us is someone who wants to be committed to Natchitoches,” Eloi said, “who wants to lay roots here and develop something. We have the athletes. It’s been proven in all these other sports.

“I do think it’s more difficult to do it in football. I think it can be done here when we find the right person who fits the culture and is committed to Natchitoches,” said Eloi.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com