The Natchitoches Treasures program, a feature of our city’s life since 2008, recognizes community members whose lives exemplify “service, generosity, volunteerism and love of their community.” In a ceremony presided over by Natchitoches Mayor Ronnie Williams and State Senator Louie Bernard, six new Natchitoches Treasures joined the eighty-four previously named gems of our city.

Named as the 2023 Natchitoches Treasures were:

Barbra Bailey, Sandra Dickens, Hope Ferguson, Oneda Morgan, Mary Ann Nowlin and Carolyn Roy.
The new Natchitoches Treasures join a long legacy of service and selfless dedication. Thank you for making our community a better place!

By Sid Hall, Military Affairs Coordinator / ROTC Program Manager

In continuing its tradition of honoring those who serve in the nation’s Armed Forces, Northwestern State University named Colonel Lesh Nettles Brown, U.S. Air Force Retired, the honorary captain during its home football game against Southeastern Louisiana University Oct. 19.

In 1966, Brown received a direct commission as a Health Services Administrator after three years of enlisted service. He was a Clinic Administrator and Associate Hospital Administrator before serving on the Health Services staff for Headquarters, Tactical Air Command.

Brown was activated during Operations Desert Shield/Storm to serve as the Hospital Administrator for the 23rd Medical Group, England AFB LA. He deployed to Southeast Asia to command the 4409 OSW Hospital. Later, he served on the Health Services staff of the Air Force Surgeon General. His final assignment was Administrator for the 433rd Contingency Hospital, Lackland AFB TX. After 33 years of military service, Brown retired in 1993. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal.

A pillar of the community, Brown is well known for his many years of volunteer service. Notably, he has been a member of the Kiwanis Club of Natchitoches for over 50 years, including service as past president of Kiwanis International. He is the past chairman of the United Methodist Foundation of Louisiana and served as chairman of the Board of Trustees for First United Methodist Church in Natchitoches. Additionally, he is the president of the Natchitoches Parish Port Commission and has long supported his alma mater, NSU. In May, the Natchitoches Area Chamber of Commerce named him the recipient of their 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Brown is a Financial Services Professional with New York Life Insurance and is both a Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant. A native of Coushatta, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern. He was escorted on field by NSU President Dr. Marcus Jones and Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Smalley, U.S. Army Retired, Northwestern Demon Regiment Chief of Staff.

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame & Northwest Louisiana History Museum was the place to be for sports excitement as over 50 Grambling State University and Southern University fans gathered for the Bayou Classic Roadshow, Sunday, October 22.

The Bayou Classic is an annual football game played over Thanksgiving between Grambling State University and Baton Rouge’s Southern University for bragging rights. Over the years, it has grown into much more than a football game. There is everything from job fairs to parades, Greek step shows, concerts, and Battles of the Bands. The Bayou Classic is now a weeklong family reunion and celebration of HBCU culture.

The Roadshow is a bus adorned with each school’s logo and the Bayou Classic logo. It is sponsored by the State office of Tourism and several businesses. The local stop was sponsored by the Natchitoches chapters of the Grambling and Southern alumni associations as well as the Ben D. Johnson Educational Center. The bus makes the rounds of major Louisiana cities as well as Dallas each year. This year marks its first stop in Natchitoches. At each stop, that city’s mayor signs a ceremonial 50th Anniversary game ball that will ultimately be on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Natchitoches Mayor Ronnie Williams was joined by members of the GSU and SU alumni associations as he affixed his signature to the soon to be historic item.

October is Louisiana Folklife Month and a fitting time to celebrate two Natchitoches Parish residents. F.J. Delphin and Nicol Delphin were among the eight persons named as 2023 Louisiana Tradition Bearers by the Louisiana Folklife Commission and the Louisiana Folklife Society in a standing room only ceremony held at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame & Northwest History Museum, Saturday, October 21.

A Louisiana Tradition Bearer is a person who lives, preserves, and propagates a traditional Louisiana Culture. The Delphins certainly qualify! Married 28 years, the couple has lived most of their lives along the Cane River. They are lovingly restoring the 205 year old John Carroll Jones Plantation Home, built from a Creole architectural design. They are stalwarts of the Creole community centered around the Cane River and St. Augustine Church where they are lifelong parishioners.

The Delphins maintain the traditional lives of their Creole ancestors and community. They hunt, fish, grow gardens as well as quilting and other crafts, living a life close to the land as their ancestors did. They learned these skills from their parents and grandparents and are passing them on to their son and grandson. They are a veritable font of information and are always willing to teach others.

After they were presented with their certificates by Dr. Shane Rasmussen of NSU Folklife Center and Dr. Kent Peacock of NSU’s Creole Heritage Center, the Delphins joined a panel where they answered questions and spoke of how they maintained the traditional ways of life in the modern world. They brought examples of crafts, canned food, frog gigs and preserved food, The audience was also treated to a wonderful home-made gumbo made with local ingredients.

Lastly, there was a delightful bit of lagniappe. During his talk, F.J. mentioned his family dancing to “the Wooly Bully Song” at family events. Dr, Rasmussen found the song on his phone and there was an impromptu dance by many audience members who joined the Delphins. It was a delightfully unscripted moment!

The Natchitoches Parish Journal wishes to congratulate the Delphins on their well-earned honor.

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – The end zones were painted with Army camo.

With three almost-perfect on-field landings and not into somebody’s tailgate party in a surrounding parking lot, the Army Silver Wings parachute team stole the pregame show by flawlessly swooping from the sky to deliver the United States, Army and POW/MIA flags and the game ball.

Both teams – in a scene straight out of a feel-good movie from the 1940s or ‘50s – gathered together postgame in front of their respective bands to sing each other’s alma mater.

On a historic Saturday night when the Cadets from West Point, N.Y. made their first Tiger Stadium appearance ever, there was no red, white and boo.

After the LSU faithful debated all week on social media whether to be on their best behavior or scream “Tiger Bait” (and worse) at the 20-something-year-old young men training to defend our country, the No. 19 ranked Tigers issued one of their most polite and respectful Death Valley beatdowns ever in the program’s 130-year history.

LSU second-year head coach Brian Kelly got the 300th win of his 33-year career and his 15th against a service academy in a 62-0 Homecoming howitzer that sent the Bayou Bengals into next Saturday’s open date with a 6-2 record.

“For us, it was about how do we get better,” Kelly said. “So, it’s the consistency of performance on the offensive side of the ball and continuing to make that improvement (on defense) necessary to have a team that can compete for an SEC championship.

“We ran into a couple of rough spots as we moved through our schedule, but our guys have really put themselves in a good position with four games remaining to be in the thick of the SEC race.”

With a looming Nov. 4 showdown at No. 11 Alabama that will factor heavily in deciding the SEC West Division winner, LSU skated through three hours of football against the 32-point underdog Cadets in a game light on injuries (except for Tigers’ starting cornerback Zy Alexander) and heavy on stats inflation.

“We have great momentum right now,” said Josh Williams, one of LSU’s five running backs who contributed to the Tigers rolling for 570 total offense yards. “Both the offense and the defense played great tonight. We can’t get concerned about Alabama yet. We’ve just got to take it day-by-day in our bye week and get ready.”

The blowout transpired much like LSU’s 72-10 win over Grambling on Sept. 9 when Tigers’ QB Jayden Daniels threw for 269 yards and five TDs as LSU took a 42-10 halftime lead. The 32-point cushion afforded Daniels the opportunity to sit out the second half.

In sprinting to a 38-0 halftime advantage over Army, Daniels threw for 279 yards and three TDs and ran for another. And again, he was able to put up his feet and rest the final two quarters as Kelly eventually used 70 players in the blowout.

Tigers’ backup QB Garrett Nussmeier started the second half, launched a 51-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Malik Nabers on LSU’s fourth snap of the third quarter and kept his foot on the Tigers’ offensive accelerator.

Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. had virtually the same brilliant receiving performances.

Nabers had four catches for 121 yards and two TDs. Thomas had three receptions for 122 yards and two TDs, including an 86-yard catch and run off a Daniels’ scramble that was the third-longest pass play in LSU history.

True freshman Trey Holly, the Tigers’ fifth running back, ended up as LSU’s leading rusher with 91 yards on six carries. He busted loose on a 67-yard TD run for LSU’s final score with 40 seconds left.

With the Tigers’ starting offensive line outweighing Army’s defensive front by almost 60 pounds per man, it wasn’t a fair fight from the moment the Cadets got off their team bus.

“They (LSU) look like an NFL team out there,” said Army head coach Jeff Monken, whose team fell to 2-5 as it suffered its second consecutive shutout. “We made mistakes, they got up early and didn’t let their foot off the gas. I don’t know what we learned from that (game). It’s an unbelievable atmosphere (in Tiger Stadium) for our team to experience, but to get beat 62-0 is hard.”

What made it worse for the Cadets was that their usual starting quarterback Bryson Daily was sidelined with injuries suffered in last Saturday’s 19-0 loss to Troy.

As a result, Monken used freshmen QBs Champ Harris and Larry Robinson and both got swallowed by LSU’s aggressive defense that limited Army to 193 yards and forced four turnovers leading to 17 Tigers’ points.

Harris was yanked after a rough first half in which he finished just 13 total offense yards and committed three turnovers (two interceptions) and a fumble leading to 14 LSU points.

Robinson had 37 total offense yards and threw a third-quarter interception that the Tigers converted into placekicker Damian Ramos’ second and final field goal.

LSU’s defensive star of the night was safety Andre Sam, an Iowa, La. native who’s a senior transfer from Marshall University. Sam had two interceptions, a pass breakup and three tackles.

“I should have had four (interceptions) because I dropped two,” Sam said. “But I’ll take two. I’m good with that.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By MATT VINES, Journal Sports

MONTGOMERY – Perfection may be an unachievable standard, but St. Mary’s performance Friday came about as close as possible. 

the Tigers scored all 49 of their points in the first three quarters and scarcely surrendered a first down before the younger players rolled in to finish a 49-0 obliteration of Montgomery on the road. 

Quarterback Mixon Bankston completed all 10 passes for 208 yards and two scores while also leading the Tigers’ (6-1, 2-0 District 3-1A) rushing attack with 58 yards and another touchdown. 

St. Mary’s first drive stalled and resulted in a missed field goal, and the Tigers weathered some early Montgomery offensive success. 

But Connor Jordan sacked Montgomery on fourth down to halt its first drive, and Montgomery didn’t gain another first down on the next four drives. 

Meanwhile, St. Mary’s scored touchdowns on its next four drives to build a 28-0 lead. 

“Mixon Bankston threw the ball really well tonight, and he was very effective overall,” said St. Mary’s coach Aaron York. “Our defense settled in after the first series and really excelled. 

“It’s great to get back to district play, and we look forward to contending for a district title over the next two weeks.” 

Montgomery (4-4, 2-1) entered the contest on a three-game winning streak and were victors in four of their last five contests. 

But St. Mary’s quelled any thoughts of a Montgomery upset by holding the hosts to three yards or less on seven of their 10 possessions. St. Mary’s hasn’t allowed a point in district play with shutouts of LaSalle and Montgomery. 

Montgomery gained just 74 offensive yards before piecing together a 70-yard drive on its final possession against backups, a drive that ended on a failed fourth down. 

St. Mary’s early offensive outburst started with a Ben Bienvenu 4-yard touchdown run followed by three Bankston scores. 

Bankston connected with Ethan Busby (38 yards) and Bienvenu (53 yards) before rushing in a 4-yard touchdown to construct the 28-point lead. 

Once Montgomery finally gained another first down late in the second quarter, Nathan Slaughter crushed that momentum by returning an interception 82 yards for a touchdown. 

St. Mary’s added two third-quarter touchdowns on a Normand Braylin 2-yard run and a Tilly Preston 15-yard pass to Cole Yopp. 

Bankston wasn’t the only perfect passer as Preston completed his two attempts and Godfrey Jackson completed his three passes. 

St. Mary’s 15 completions overall went to nine different receivers with Bienvenu (2-64), Busby (3-55) and Payne Williams (1-49) leading the way. 

The victory comes after St. Mary’s 14-game regular-season winning streak was snapped last week at Peabody. 

If the Tigers are to start another winning streak, it’ll come with a district title in hand as St. Mary’s hosts Logansport this week. 

Logansport (7-1, 2-0) has won seven straight games after playing Calvary Baptist closer than most to open the season. These Tigers won their first two district games by a combined score of 120-6. 

By MATT VINES, Journal Sports

For all the plays that Natchitoches Central did make Friday to lead once-beaten Parkway for more than 40 of the game’s 48 minutes, a handful of negative plays ultimately decided the Chiefs’ fate in a last-second 27-26 loss at Northwestern State’s Turpin Stadium. 

Without the state’s leading receiver Cam Davis (after an ankle injury early in the fourth quarter), the NCHS offense engineered an 80-yard drive to retake the lead, 26-24, when running back Zion Thompson scored from 14 yards with 1:40 remaining. 

But a Panthers offense that largely spit and sputtered all night thanks to a swarming NCHS defense kicked into gear, piecing together a lengthy drive of their own to set up stud kicker Aeron Burrell for a game-winning 31-yard field goal with no time remaining. 

Many of Parkway’s biggest plays came on third-and-long. In the game-winning drive, quarterback Kaleb Williams escaped pressure on third-and-19 to scramble for 30 yards. A 28-yard pass to Jayden Lewis which involved a missed tackle positioned Burrell for the walk-off field goal.

“I was proud of our guys for answering the call, and we had some guys step up big time,” said NCHS coach Jess Curtis. “We just have to make the plays when they are there to be made in crunch time. 

“Our defense played well for the most part, we just had some missed tackles that hurt us. We have been close the last few weeks, but it’s about winning. We just have to keep doing the right things, and the wins will come.” 

Chiefs quarterback Owen Smith appeared to be the hero by guiding the Chiefs (2-6, 1-4 District 1-5A) 80 yards down the field against statistically the best defense in northwest Louisiana. Parkway (7-1, 4-1) held five of its last six opponents to one score or less (including three shutouts). 

Smith connected with AJ Scott (30 yards) and Naiim Helaire (20 yards) on big gains while picking up a fourth-and-four with his legs. 

NCHS found success on the ground in spurts against a stout Parkway run defense, no more so than when Thompson ran for the go-ahead score (26-24) with 1:40 remaining. 

The Chiefs missed a two-point conversion that would have eliminated Burrell from the equation, instead leaving the door open to win with a field goal at the end. 

“It’s tough. We’ve been close the last few weeks,” said Curtis, whose team has three one-score losses against Benton, Captain Shreve and Parkway among its four straight defeats. “But it’s about winning, and we have to keep doing the right things, and the wins will come.” 

Thompson topped the 100-yard mark (121 yards) and scored two touchdowns while Smith threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns with one interception on 14-21 passing. 

But two negative plays particularly made NCHS fans wince most. 

Leading 20-17 midway through the fourth quarter with Parkway facing a third-and-13, Williams connected with Lewis for 71 yards in which Lewis broke a tackle from the only Chief that had a chance to grab him. Parkway jumped on top 24-20, its first lead of the game, with less than six minutes remaining. 

Williams threw for 191 yards and a score on 11-25 passing. Lewis hauled in four catches for 152 yards. 

“We are starting four sophomores on offense, and for them to face adversity the way they did against a great team like (NCHS) is really incredible,” Parkway coach Coy Brotherton said. “I’m super proud of all those guys for the fight they showed. 

“Jayden Lewis had a great tonight as well, breaking tackles and making big plays.” 

The Chiefs’ defense stood tall on most possessions despite being faced with horrid field position. 

And it looked like NCHS made another superb stop when the Chiefs stymied Parkway after an interception handed the Panthers possession in the red zone. 

But NCHS jumped offsides on a field goal attempt, reviving Parkway’s drive in which Antonio Gladney plunged in from 2 yards to slice the Chiefs advantage to 20-17. 

NCHS (2-6, 1-4 District 1-5A) built double-digit leads in each half thanks to a stout defense and an offense that mixed explosive passing plays with a steady ground game.

Davis made his mark early, hauling in touchdown passes of 44 yards and 57 yards as the Chiefs sprinted to a 13-0 first-quarter lead. He finished with 118 yards on five grabs with Scott adding 108 yards on six receptions. 

The Chiefs’ defense started the game with a fourth-down stop near midfield, a trend that continued as five Parkway drives that started on their own 45 or better resulted in just three points in the first half. 

Parkway was able to piece together longer drives as Gladney capped a 67-yard drive with a 14-yard run to cut the Chiefs’ edge to 13-7. Gladney rushed for 73 yards on 20 touches. 

The Panthers converted a bad NCHS punt snap into a 43-yard Burrell field goal just before the half that drew the visitors within 13-10. 

After the Chiefs forced another fourth-down miss from Parkway, NCHS cashed in with a 9-yard Thompson scoring run to go up 20-10 midway through the third quarter. 

But the offsides on the field goal and missed tackle on the 71-yard Parkway strike set the stage for the squads to exchange late-game heroics. 

“We’re on the road, and we faced two double-digit deficits,” Brotherton said. “Games like that is what it’s all about, and these guys being able to be in a dog fight like tonight and find a way to win is huge.” 

By MATT VINES, Journal Sports

 CAMPTI – Lakeview answered an early Mansfield shot across the bow Friday, but the Gators struggled to find additional ammunition as the Wolverines swamped Lakeview in the first half of a 61-18 Mansfield win. 

The Wolverines (3-5, 2-1 District 3-2A) rattled off 34 straight points in 16 minutes of game action en route to a 36-point halftime lead. 

Mansfield running back Terrance Pegues scored three of his four rushing touchdowns to kickstart the Wolverines offense, accounting for their first three scores. 

Lakeview (3-5, 0-3) did respond to Mansfield’s first touchdown with a Kaleb Collins 10-yard run, but the Gators couldn’t corral an explosive Wolverine rushing attack. 

Mansfield averaged 16 yards per carry, gaining 420 rushing yards on 26 attempts. Pegues’ first two rushing touchdowns covered 55 and 51 yards, respectively, setting a big-play tone. 

“Mansfield is just bigger, stronger and faster,” said Lakeview coach Andy Boone. “This is a really tough district, and we’re trying to compete. 

“We have to tackle much better than what we’re doing right now. “ 

Collins accounted for all three of Lakeview’s touchdowns. 

A 10-yard score kept Lakeview close early, slicing Mansfield’s lead to 7-6. 

But the Wolverines bottled up Lakeview for the vast remainder of the first half as they constructed a large lead. 

Collins finished with 102 yards on 25 carries and added a 65-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Lamarion Rushing. The pass came with four minutes remaining in the second quarter, pulling the Gators to 41-12. 

He added a 1-yard touchdown plunge late in the third quarter. 

Omarion Pierr contributed 73 rushing yards on 17 touches. 

Mansfield running back Kalvin Jackson added two first-half touchdowns (one rushing and one receiving) to pad the Wolverines’ first-half lead. 

The loss extends Lakeview’s losing streak to four games after a 3-1 start to the season. The Gators’ district losing streak lengthened to 14 games dating back to 2019. 

Mansfield recovered from an 0-4 start to the season to win three of its last four contests. 

Lakeview’s playoff hopes still remain intact as the Gators entered the week sitting at No. 17 in the Division IV Non-Select bracket. 

The Gators host a Jonesboro-Hodge team in Week 9 that’s dropped six of its last seven games. 

By JASON PUGH, Northwestern State Athletic Media Relations Director

AUSTIN, Texas — Northwestern State head football coach Brad Laird stood in the pulpit at Olivet Baptist Church and counted to three.

Each number stood as a point of emphasis for NSU junior safety Ronnie Caldwell, whose too-short life was celebrated Saturday afternoon in a packed Baptist church just east of the Texas state capitol building.

Caldwell, 21, died in the early hours of Oct. 12 after being shot at an off-campus apartment complex. Saturday, Northwestern football staff members and his teammates  made the 10-hour round trip and attended his funeral.

“Ronnie came to Northwestern State as a football player, but we quickly learned he was more than just a football player,” Laird said. “One, last year, Southland Conference Academic Honor Roll. Southland Conference Academic — I said academic not athletic— Honor Roll. Two, he gave back to the community. He loved people, and he loved kids. He spent all last summer and last spring coaching a youth baseball team in the city of Natchitoches.

“Three, Ronnie was hurt this season. He had not played this season. At every game, he was a coach. At practice, he was a coach. At the games, he had a headset. That’s what we thought, his teammates thought, Northwestern State University thought of what we called ‘Ro.’”

“Ro” was one of several names bandied about during the nearly 100-minute service to honor Ronald LaWayne Caldwell Jr.’s life as Laird and family member reminisced on a “life well lived.”

The big brother persona Caldwell cultivated in the NSU locker room came naturally as did a family-minded attitude.

“We knew him as Ronald, Ronnie, Doogie and big brother,” said Caldwell’s older sister, Rhonda. “He was our brother. He was our protector. He was our best friend.

“He was funny. He was a jokester. He was loving. I have two boys. My brother would come here and make it his business to stop by my house and work with my boys. My youngest son, his father’s not in his life. Doogie stepped in.’’

Though Caldwell had not played a down in the 2023 season due to a foot injury, he started in 10 games and appeared in all 11 during the 2022 season, finishing seventh on the team with 42 tackles, including 4.5 for loss.

Laird referenced Caldwell playing safety and a requirement of that position as having “to be tough.” That instinct came naturally to Caldwell as well.

Even beloved family members weren’t spared from seeing Caldwell’s toughness though many times the combatants were left with love and smiles in the following moments.

“Even though he was younger than me, he never let me push him around,” said Caldwell’s older cousin, R’mani Leavell. “Like most cousins, we had our share of squabbles, but since this is Doogie’s day, I’ll say he won most of them.”

Caldwell’s work ethic pushed him from a walk-on at Tyler Junior College to a spot in Northwestern State’s starting lineup – something that did not surprise Caldwell’s older brother, Alfred Carter.

“That boy was going to work,” said Carter, who at 19 years older than Caldwell said he considered his younger brother more like a son. “That’s one thing about my brother – he was going to put in the work. He was outside every chance he could get. He had his nets on the ground, all the boxes, whatever he needed to get better. One thing about Doogie, he was going to put in the work.”

Caldwell’s work ethic – and football knowledge – made him a pivotal piece of the NSU football team, even through his injury, and left a lasting impact on his family, friends and classmates.

Said Laird: “On behalf of Northwestern State University, the Northwestern State football team, coaches, administrators and the city of Natchitoches, to the family we say, ‘Thank you for sharing Ronnie with us for the past several years.’’

Contact Jason at pughj@nsula.edu

Dear Friends,

Our hearts are overwhelmed with gratitude for the support this past year as we ran our campaign for Senate District 31.  I learned much and made many new friends while traveling through 10 parishes!  

I am so thankful for all those who helped, who prayed , who physically worked, and who encouraged me.  I am proud of what we accomplished.

Let’s continue to support Louisiana and each other, our future depends on it.  

May God continue to bless!

Coach Mike & Connie

By DWAIN SPILLMAN JR., Natchitoches Parish Journal

The Natchitoches Central Chiefs have been knocking at the door in the realms of District 1-5A football this season. Is it time now for head coach Jess Curtis’ crew to kick in the proverbial door and establish ground in a district filled with powerhouse teams — or will the Chiefs just keep knocking?

NCHS,  2-5 overall and 1-3 in 1-5A in Curtis’ first year at the helm, have battled the league leaders down to the wire but failed to finish. The Chiefs had district leader Captain Shreve (No. 1 statewide in current Division I Select power ratings) on the brink a week ago but fell short to the Gators 32-24. It was a similar story as the Chiefs were extremely competitive against Airline (fourth in the Division I Non-Select power ratings) and at Benton – where they overcame a huge deficit, took a lead midway through the fourth quarter, only to lose it late.

Tonight, Parkway of Bossier Parish comes to Turpin Stadium. The Panthers, not picked by analysts to finish much above the middle of the pack this season, have quietly risen to just one win shy of the top spot of 1-5A. Head coach Coy Brotherton’s squad sports a 6-1 overall mark while holding at 3-1 in the district. The only blemish on the Parkway record is a decision at the hands of Captain Shreve.

“I have been really proud of our players over the last three weeks,” Curtis said as he looked back over a three-game skid. “Our kids are starting to understand what our coaches are teaching them. Film study and preparation on and off the practice field is starting to show the results on the field that we are after. Last week was a good game for us. Like the last three weeks, it came down to just three or four plays going our way.”

Curtis was quick to add, “But, honestly, I am tired of playing teams close and tight. We need to go out and get it done now, to start getting those wins that we let slip away.

“They always said there was huge talent here (at NCHS). We have definitely discovered that. When talent prepares, talent wins. We have to continue to prepare and start making those few plays that make the difference. That’s what winning teams do.”

After kicking off the season 2-2 overall and earning Curtis’ first district win as the Chiefs’ new boss man, NCHS has hit the skids over the last three weeks against the district’s top opponents. The maroon and gold face yet another big challenge in Parkway and Curtis believes his Chiefs are ready for prep fans to take note of their progress.

“We have seen some real growth over the last three weeks,” Curtis concluded about his team. “We are right there on the doorstep and we just need to start closing the deal. It is now time for us to turn these games into wins for us. It’s there for the taking and we just need to go get it.”

NCHS last defeated Parkway, 38-21, during the 2021 season.

In Parkway’s three district victories this season, the Panthers have outscored those opponents 90-9. Their productive offense is attributed to Brotherton, who is spread offensive minded, and has had successful coaching stints on staffs previously at Airline, Plain Dealing and Captain Shreve before being elevated to the top job at Parkway, bringing the Panthers out of the proverbial cellar.

The Panthers’ defense is their calling card. They’ve held five of their opponents without an offensive touchdown and last week shut down Byrd’s triple option running game, holding the Yellow Jackets to 67 yards rushing in a 21-3 triumph.

How Parkway addresses the two-dimensional NCHS offense will be interesting. The Chiefs boast the state’s top receiver in senior Cam Davis, who leads Louisiana with 61 catches, ranks No. 2 in receiving yards (885) and is third in TD catches (9), but with running back Zion Thompson and dual-threat quarterback Owen Smith, NCHS can pressure defenses.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. tonight.

The result of Northwestern State’s matchup with Southeastern on Thursday night was secondary to the fact the Demons were on the field.

Playing for the first time in 12 days – seven days after a shooting at an off-campus apartment complex killed junior safety Ronnie Caldwell – the homestanding Demons fell to Southeastern, 37-20, in Southland Conference play at Turpin Stadium.

“When we first met going into the week – we have a word of the week – and it was honor,” sixth-year head coach Brad Laird said. “When we talked about honor, you want to honor how Ronnie played the game. That was the challenge to our guys, seven days removed from a devastating situation for these young men and our coaches.

“We talked about honor in a lot of different ways. Honor your family. Honoring how they live their life each and every day. Yes, we had a football game to play seven days from that incident, but our biggest thing was wanting to come out and play how Ronnie would play. He played with great effort and had fun playing the game. That’s what I wanted our guys to do, and I was proud of our guys.”

The Demons’ early effort and execution offensively helped them keep pace with the Lions (1-7, 1-3), who followed an emotional first play of the game by scoring on a six-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Bauer Sharp’s 1-yard touchdown run.

Northwestern State (0-6, 0-2) and Southeastern began the game with Lions quarterback Zachary Clement, a former NSU signal caller, running 10 yards to Caldwell’s black No. 23 jersey and kneeling down, placing the football on the jersey.

“That first play, giving (Caldwell) the tackle, showed he was still with us,” said safety Cadillac Rhone, who honored his fellow safety by producing a team-best nine tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles. “We wanted to come out and honor him – play fast, play hard, play a 60-minute game. That’s what we tried to do.”

A little less than 17 minutes into that 60-minute game, the Demons had their lone lead of the game when Stanley King made a highlight-reel, one-handed grab of a 29-yard pass from Tyler Vander Waal to give NSU a 17-14 advantage.

It was King’s second career touchdown grab – both of which have come against Southeastern in Turpin Stadium. His first career scoring catch was a 45-yarder from Clement in an October 2021 matchup with the Lions in Natchitoches.

King’s scoring grab and a 2-yard Vander Waal rushing touchdown that answered Sharp’s game-opening score were sandwiched around a 38-yard Brett Money field goal to account for the Demons’ 17 points in the first 16:44 of Thursday’s game.

That strong start offensively allowed Northwestern State to roll up a season-high 396 yards total offense.

The Demons were unable to carry over the same offensive momentum in the second half as Southeastern used a pair of big-play scores – a 58-yard Victor Tademy interception return and an 81-yard Deantre Jackson run – to extend a four-point halftime lead and grab their first win of the season.

“I don’t think we understand what those young men have gone through,” Laird said. “To be able to come out and play this type of game – a fast, physical football game – that’s what I was most proud of. It didn’t always look pretty, but our guys they settled down and played with great effort and played in a way that would make Ronnie proud.

“I’m proud of our guys and how they’ve gone through this week. We’ll get together (Friday) morning and get on a bus Saturday to go to Ronnie’s funeral.”

The Demons return to action Oct. 28 when they travel to Lake Charles to face McNeese for the first time since the 2021 season finale. Vander Waal is likely out for the rest of the season after suffering a possible broken leg early in the fourth quarter on an attempted fourth-down conversion.

JOURNAL SPORTS

After the tragedy it suffered last week, the Northwestern State football team will be in a “safe haven” when it returns to action.

NSU will host Southeastern Louisiana at 7 p.m. tonight at Turpin Stadium in Northwestern’s first game since an Oct. 12 early-morning shooting at an off-campus apartment complex claimed the life of NSU junior defensive back Ronnie Caldwell.

Natchitoches authorities are still investigating, but within a day of the slaying arrested a 27-year-old non-NSU student — who was in the same four-plex apartment as Caldwell — on a charge of possessing a gun and drugs. Caldwell and the man reportedly did not know each other prior to being assigned to share accomodations at the Quad Apartment Complex several weeks ago.

NSU cancelled last Saturday’s game at Nicholls in the wake of the slaying. Monday, NSU and SLU agreed to move their game, scheduled for Saturday, up to tonight.

“Having the opportunity after this to play at home will be special,” sixth-year head coach Brad Laird said. “Ronnie had so many opportunities on the practice field, during scrimmages, on the headset. He’s done a little bit of it all. To be able to play it at home, yes, Thursday instead of Saturday, will be special as we honor Ronnie.”

Northwestern (0-5, 0-1) returns to action for the first time since falling to Lamar 27-13 on Oct. 7 in Beaumont, Texas. Southeastern (0-7, 0-3) lost last Saturday 30-24 at home to Lamar.

The Demons are playing at home for the first time since Sept. 30 – marking NSU’s longest stretch between home games this season.

Playing at home this week holds even more importance for the Northwestern players.

“That’s kind of everybody’s safe haven where they can take their mind of outside noises,” said center Brayden Staggs, who has started all five games at the pivot. “It felt good to get back out there (for practice) and get back on that routine schedule. At the same time, everyone’s still kind of empty with everything that’s gone on.”

Southeastern is playing its final game ahead of the Lions’ open week.

The defending Southland Conference champions and preseason favorites have dropped three straight one-score decisions, including last weekend to Lamar after a second-half rally fell short.

“The last thing we’re going to do is look at records,” Laird said. “(Southeastern head coach Frank Scelfo) is probably saying the same thing. You turn on the film and you don’t see (an 0-7 team). It’s a very talented team. Things haven’t fallen their way in games. We know how that goes.

“They were picked to win the conference in the preseason. When you look at what they’ve done since Frank has been there, you know there is a good football team coming in here in Thursday night.”

The decision to move the game up two days came after Caldwell’s wake and funeral services were set for Friday and Saturday of this week in the Austin, Texas, area.

It will produce a unique situation for many of the Demon players who were not around for the program’s most recent Thursday night game, in 2021 against Sam Houston.

“The last time I played on a Thursday was in high school as a sophomore,” Staggs said. “It was a situation where there were too many schools playing on one weekend. It’s crazy to think I’m getting ready for a Thursday night game in college.”

Laird credited the administrations of both schools for allowing the date change to happen on short notice.

He added his appreciation for the response from coaches and administrators, and others across the conference and region who have sent well wishes to the NSU community.

“The people who reach out and supports know the investment we have in student-athletes, and they know the relationships – player to player, player to coach – we have,” he said. “They know we spend so much time with those guys. I appreciate the calls and texts and what they have meant in this grieving process.

“To our administration, starting with (NSU President) Dr. (Marcus) Jones and (Director of Athletics) Kevin Bostian, we appreciate how supportive they’ve been. They’re hurting, too. As we all get through this, we find out a lot about each other’s character through adverse situations. There are a lot of great people at Northwestern State and throughout our conference.”

Players, coaches and other NSU team personnel will travel to Austin for Caldwell’s services.

By DWAIN SPILLMAN JR., Natchitoches Parish Journal

A battle of long-standing rivals. Remaining at the crest of the district standings is on the line.

The St. Mary’s Tigers travel to Grant Parish this Friday night to meet head on with Montgomery in a battle for the top spot in 3-1A. Montgomery, Logansport, and St. Mary’s are all undefeated in conference play with just three games remaining in the regular season. One such team will fall at least into second place in the district standings as SMS and Montgomery square off to remain in the ranks of the district unbeatens.

St. Mary’s is 5-1 overall and 1-0 in district action while the host Tigers of Montgomery are 4-3 overall but more importantly unblemished in the conference standings at 2-0.

“It will be good for us to get back into district play and do what we do best. Our goal is to get back on the winning track, to go 2-0 in district and 6-1 overall,” Tigers head coach Aaron York said.

York’s comments came early this week after his Tigers suffered their first blemish on the season record as Class 4A Peabody gained the decision, 40-21, last Friday.

“I believe some of us got complacent,”  York said about the first season setback. “Peabody came out with fire and we didn’t. I have always said that we don’t need to peak until the playoffs. We are going to learn from the mistakes and clean up our mistakes from last Friday night. You never want to lose a game, but if we had to, this was the best case scenario for us.”

The Tigers’ boss was referring to the out-of-district loss in Alexandria a week ago. Even the loss keeps SMS in line for a district title and possible No. 1 seed come postseason. SMS maintained the top spot in this week’s power ratings in the Division IV Select category.

“The biggest thing for us is to get back to what we do,” York continued about his team’s preparation this week. “We have to know our schemes and get rid of the mental mistakes. We just have to make it simple, do a few things really well, and execute the plan.”

One has to turn back the calendar to the 2019 season to find the last time St. Mary’s lost to Montgomery. The Grant Parish-based Tigers are on a two-game win streak in conference play after defeating Northwood-Lena and LaSalle during the stretch.

York admits every game is extremely important in district play, especially the “next” one. He stressed his team must play with much more intensity to gain victory on the road this week.

“We just have to show up with the right mentality,” York concluded. “We must have the right preparation and the will to win. If you don’t do that then anyone can be beaten on Friday nights. It is completely up to us to show up and go get the win.”

In Campti, Lakeview is hoping to rebound from a three-game losing skid as the Gators host Mansfield Friday on the turf in the Swamp. 

Coach Andy Boone’s Gators, currently 3-4 overall and 0-2 in District 3-2A, have been plagued by injuries and roster depth issues during that stretch.

Lakeview dropped a difficult battle with Red River just a week ago by a 68-14 count with a very short roster of players.

The visiting Wolverines are a meager 2-5 on the season and 1-1 in conference matchups although Mansfield grabbed it first district win a week ago, dispatching Jonesboro-Hodge on the road, 39-18.

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

If the initial figures released Wednesday by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association hold up, St. Mary’s and Lakeview could fit in the same Class 1A district in the next two school years.

Wednesday, the LHSAA posted enrollment figures that should dictate reclassification of some schools for 2024-25 and 2025-26. Schools submitted enrollment data for the LHSAA to assess and determine potential district alignments and postseason divisions.

Officials stressed Wednesday’s report is a first step in the process and that additional data and appeals could create adjustments from the projected reclassifications.

St. Mary’s reported enrollment of 118 (in high school) which would keep it in Class A during the regular season for district play. The Tigers compete in Select Division IV in the playoffs in the six “major” sports.

Lakeview’s enrollment was listed as 209 which will fall 21 short of the minimum to quality for Class 2A and would shift the Gators to Class A. They would compete in Non-Select Division IV in postseason.

Lakeview could petition the LHSAA to “play up” and remain in Class 2A if desired. Typically geographic factors to reduce travel are the chief motivation to “play up.”

Natchitoches Central, with enrollment listed at 1,140 is destined to retain its current Class 5A status, and will be the smallest school in 1-5A.

Principals have until noon Oct. 31 to file appeals to be considered by the LHSAA in a Nov. 2 meeting. Petitions to “play up” must also be filed by that deadline. Football powers Evangel and John Curtis are among schools that have traditionally opted to “play up” higher than enrollment would dictate.

A districting proposal will be issued by the LHSAA after the Nov. 2 meeting with a Nov. 13 session set for discussion. St. Mary’s and Lakeview could fit into a new district including Jonesboro-Hodge, which is dropping to Class A for the second time in four years.

Airline is the largest District 1-5A school with 1,866 students. Captain Shreve is next at 1,783, followed by Benton (1,491), Byrd (1,470), Haughton (1,332), Huntington (1,301), and Parkway (1,290) as the Shreveport-Bossier schools that seem settled in District 1-5A with NCHS.

Southwood should drop to 4A while Huntington is moving up from 4A.

The second happiest moment for me as a hunter occurred when I went to the photo shop and picked up pictures of my buck of a lifetime. My happiest moment, obviously, was when I walked up and found that huge 8-point lying at my feet; the photos were just icing on the cake.

During the years since that fortunate occurrence, memories of the actual event have become faded and frayed. The photos, though, are still there, sharp as ever. My grandkids are somewhat interested when I tell about that buck. Their eyes light up, though, when I whip out the photos.

This is why it is ever so important that good quality photographs are taken so such memories can be preserved in living color.

I have the good fortune of getting to write stories of big bucks taken in Louisiana each season for Louisiana Sportsman magazine and website. I frequently receive photos of someone’s trophy, hunters who are obviously proud of their accomplishment but sadly, they didn’t take enough time to shoot quality photos. I’m unable to use some of the most poorly composed shots because they’re…well…just plain awful. The rack and body of the deer may be impressive but other elements of the photo don’t measure up.

With this in mind, I contacted Tes Randle Jolly, a friend and expert wildlife photographer from Tuskegee, Ala., whose photos frequently find their way to magazine covers and full-page spreads in some of the country’s most popular outdoor magazines. I asked Jolly for some tips to help the average hunter get the most memorable photos of their trophy.

“First, try and take a photo as soon as possible after harvest so you can capture the hunter’s excitement. You may have to move the deer to a more favorable spot to get the best possible photograph,” Jolly said.

“If there is a little rise in the land, put the deer and hunter on the rise so the photographer can be a little lower. This way you may be able to capture some blue sky behind them.

“Before doing that,” she added, “be respectful of the animal and clean it up. I keep paper towels in my pack to wipe the deer’s face, removing blood and debris. If blood has dried, I carry a spray bottle of window cleaner to soften dried blood and making it easier to wipe away.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to stop blood from oozing from the nostrils so I tear off a piece of paper towel to plug each nostril. Tuck the tongue back into the mouth.

“If the deer’s side is bloody, I also clean it, sometimes in a pinch using dried leaves. The main thing,” she added, “is to show respect for the animal you have just taken.”

I’ve seen photos of big trophy bucks hanging from the meat pole and sometimes over a gut bucket. I’ve seen photos of bucks in the back of a pick-up with beverage cans, sacks of corn or other assorted stuff cluttering the photo. Jolly says it is important to set up the photo for the most pleasing presentation.

“Prop the deer up on its chest and tuck the front legs under at the elbows. Have the hunter kneel or sit behind the animal holding the antlers but be sure you check the background before composing the shot, complying with your state’s hunter orange regulations with the hunter wearing his vest,” Jolly added.

While Jolly goes afield with thousands of dollars worth of photo equipment, she says that there are many point and shoot cameras available costing under $200 and good quality cell phones that work quite well.

Follow these recommendations from a professional nature/wildlife photographer to enable your photos to not only pop but to lend dignity to the animal you photograph.

Contact Glynn at glynnharris37@gmail.com