ADVERTISEMENT FOR BID

Village of Natchez (herein referred to as the “Owner”) hereby solicits sealed Price Quotations for the village of Natchez Temporary City Hall building. Sealed price quotations shall be addressed to the Village of  Natchez, and delivered to the City Hall (Administration Office) located at 181 Main  Street (P. O. Box 229), Natchez, LA 71456 not later than 2:30 P.M. (local time) on the 9th^th day of November, 2023. Any quotation received after this specified time and date will not be considered. The sealed price quotation will be publicly opened and read aloud at 2:30 P.M. (local time) on the 9^th day of November, 2023 at the Village of Natchez City Hall (Administration Office) located at 181 Main Street, Natchez, LA 71456.

The instructions to Bidders, Bid Form, Contract, Plans, Specifications, and Forms of Performance Bond and Payment Bond, and other bidding documents may be obtained at the office of MB Design Consultants, LLC, located at 8841 Bluebonnet Blvd., Suite A, Baton Rouge, LA 70810 (Phone – (678) 557-9069). Validation of the Contractor’s license and classifications will be made prior to release of bid documents.

The successful contractor is to furnish Performance and Payment Bond written by a company licensed to do business in the state of Louisiana, in an amount equal to 100% of the Contract amount.

Where bids are to be received on forms furnished by the awarding authority, no contract documents shall be issued to anyone except a Licensed Contractor or his authorized representatives. In no event shall any documents for bidding be issued later than Seventy-Two (72) hours prior to the hour and date set for receiving bids. 

Each price quotation must be submitted in a sealed envelope bearing on the outside the name of the bidder, his/her address, contactor’s state license number and the name of the project for which the bid is submitted. If forwarded by mail, the sealed envelope containing the bid must be enclosed in another envelope addressed to the Village of Natchez City Hall, 181 Main Street, Natchez, Louisiana 71456.

Attention of Bidders is called particularly to the requirements for conditions of employment to be observed and minimum wage rates to be paid under the Contract (Davis-Bacon Act), Section 3 (Low Income Resident anticipation) of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1974, Section 109 (Non-Discrimination) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, Section 503 (Non-Discrimination Against Employees with Disabilities) and Section 504 (Non-Discrimination Against Individuals with Disabilities) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Segregated Facilities, Executive Order 11246, and all applicable laws and regulations of the Federal Government and State of Louisiana and Bonding and insurance requirements, Minority owned firms, small businesses, and/or Section 3 businesses are encouraged to participate. 

No bidder may withdraw his/her Bid within Forty-Five (45) calendar days after the actual date of the opening thereof.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause; such actions will be in accordance with Title 38 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes.

All questions regarding this project and the bid package shall be submitted in writing to the Engineer, MB Design Consultants, LLC, 8841 Bluebonnet Blvd., Suite A, Baton Rouge, LA 70810, mbdesigncon@gmail.com by 5:00PM on Friday October 27, 2023. Responses will be coordinated with the Owner and submitted to all plan holders by 5:00 PM on Friday November 03, 2023.

All addenda, Amendments, Letters of Clarification, and Withdrawal Notices will be submitted electronically to all plan holders.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause and to waive informalities incidental thereto.

OWNER

VILLAGE OF ST. NATCHEZ

BY:         /s/PATSY WARD HOOVER, MAYOR

An ATV (Green Honda) was taken from a truck parked in the front yard of a residence at St Clair Ave and East Fifth St Wednesday night between 10:00-10:30 PM. The owner has surveillance footage of two youths unloading and pushing the ATV away. It was taken without a key, so it is likely they pushed the ATV north on East Fifth Street. If anyone witnessed anything that might be related to the theft, please contact the Natchitoches Police Department.

You can also report an anonymous tip to Natchitoches Crime Stoppers by calling 318-238-2388 or by downloading the P3 tips app on your smart phone. All tips will remain confidential and the caller may receive a cash reward up to $2,500 for the arrest of the offender. Crime Stoppers is not a law enforcement agency.

Paid Content

The Ben D. Johnson Educational Center hosted its 2nd annual “I Tried” Awards Banquet on Thursday, October 19 at NSU’s Friedman Memorial Student Union. The gala honored the life and legacy of the late Natchitoches businessman and civic leader, Ben D. Johnson Sr. and raised funds to support the educational facility named in his honor. Mr. Johnson was the owner of Winnfield Funeral Homes, Winnfield Insurance Company, and other businesses in Natchitoches and around the state. In addition to his business interests, Mr. Johnson was a leader in the Civil Rights movement and community betterment in the local area and throughout Louisiana.

Mr. Ed Ward, a Natchitoches businessman and civic leader, paid homage to Ben D. Johnson’s life and accomplishments in the areas of business, the civil rights struggle and community improvement. In an era when the banking system was far from open to African-Americans, Mr. Johnson financed the building of numerous churches and businesses. His legacy of hard work, determination and community betterment is aptly carried on by the educational center that bears his name.

The Ben D. Johnson Educational Center provides life changing job readiness training, offering everything from GED completion to certifications in construction, food service, forklift operation and Six-Sigma quality control. Their Lagacy Café, staffed by students and utilizing produce grown in the center’s community garden, is one of the finest restaurants in the city. The Center also operates an emergency food and clothing bank for people facing hard times. The Ben D. Johnson Educational Center is a force for good in our community!

The Ben D. Johnson Educational Center honored four community leaders at the banquet: Mr. Ken Hale of Bank of Montgomery, Fr. John O’Brien of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Attorney Howard Conday and community activist De’Andrea “Coach De” Sanders.

I am Parish President Candidate Latorria Freeman: Christian, wife, mother, grandmother, and entrepreneur.  I was born here in Natchitoches to parents Margie Howard Pier and Walter Gay. I have many siblings and one son, Onterio Pier. I am a proud Natchitoches Central Chief from the class of 1995, where friends just called me “Tori.”  I lived in Natchitoches until I was about 19, and first relocated to Dallas, Tx, and started my career.  I later married my husband James Freeman Jr. and moved to Detroit, Michigan, for seven years before deciding to move back home to Natchitoches.

Professionally, I have obtained ten certifications, including auditing and risk adjustment. I am a self-published author, owner of two copyrights and two trademarks, and am the owner of a community-based newspaper that I fully publish and manage. I have always prided myself on being an example that ANYTHING is possible. I have a strong faith in God, and He is where I find my strength to face any task placed before me. We all know that it will require money to get things done. We need to reestablish trust within the community and seek assistance on local, state, and federal levels. Under my leadership, I’ll provide expertise in finding savings opportunities and will rely on the skills of others to create and develop plans to start addressing long-overdue issues within this Parish.

Although new to politics, my passion for unifying the community and assisting Natchitoches Parish with moving into the 21^st century is far bigger than my fear of failing at something new.

It is in that passion, my strong administrative background, my leadership skills, and my inclusive approach to all people that I believe, with the right team of experts, Natchitoches Parish should start to see improvements in our quality of life. Collaborative efforts are key in addressing infrastructure issues, economic development, and strengthening relationships with potential partners for our Parish. Currently, the Parish has a modern approach to government with the Home Rule Charter that, under my leadership, would remain.

My platform is unifying the community, bridging the gap between rural and city areas, and providing transparency to rebuild the trust of the community with the Parish Government.

This Parish needs a leader who is self-accountable and will bring new energy. The “good ole boy” approach to government has not worked and change in this approach is desperately needed.

Natchitoches Parish needs a leader who realizes that it is critical that we, as a community, start setting positive examples and at least begin the process of repairing infrastructure and creating opportunities for future generations.

If I am elected as your next Parish President, I say to the community that I will take this role seriously and will respectfully work with the Council members, staff, and other knowledgeable community leaders. Strong leadership is what is going to get things done in this Parish!

Please consider voting for #52, Latorria S Freeman, for Parish President.

Paid Content

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