With anything new, there are always growing pains. Whether it’s a new job, career move, or maybe a life altering event like Covid 19, we never know the date or the time when these things will happen. High school bass fishing has exploded on a national level and the growing pains are obvious. Today, I’ll give you my perspective on the problems and some of the solutions that I feel will make a difference.

Over the last few years, I’ve had the honor and privilege to speak to high school anglers and their families. The first thing I noticed with high school anglers is their perception of what professional bass fishing really is. All they seem to focus on is what they see on TV or in magazines, along with the logoed jersey’s the pro’s wear. What they don’t understand are the sacrifices anglers and their families make for the pros to go out and make a living by trying to be the best at catching little green fish called bass. They see the cool truck and boat wraps with advertising promoting all their sponsors. They watch the You Tube videos the pros put out on a regular basis which, by the way, are all very insightful and educational for both novice and high-level anglers. But during my speaking engagements with these high school teams, the first question from a high school young man every time I open the floor up for questions is, “How do I get sponsors?” These young anglers think that getting sponsors is the end-all that will enable them to turn professional.

Here’s the reality…making it as a professional bass angler is a long shot at best. The game has changed over the last ten years and it’s no longer about catching bass and winning tournaments. Today’s professional angler must have the ability to sell not only himself, but a product as well. Sponsors today want a guy who is social media savvy, has good communication skills, and can promote and sell. It’s all about the return on the dollar. Can or will the angler be able to help the company he’s representing, sell more product? I always tell young anglers today, take business classes and above all else, take a speech class. An angler must be able to stand up in front of a crowd and talk intelligently. Catching bass and winning tournaments are still important, but some anglers are making a good living simply because they are great promoters, not only of themselves, but the companies they represent.

Let’s get back to the question of the day,…is high school bass fishing good or bad? The biggest issue with this level at this time, is the fact that a lot of high school kids are not being taught proper fishing etiquette. I’ll compare it to Little League baseball. You have parents and coaches volunteering their time to provide leadership and teach kids the skills they need to improve and get better as baseball players. But some of these volunteers have no clue on how to do this, but at least they’re stepping up and doing what nobody else wants to do. It’s the same for high school bass fishing. You have boat captains (usually dads) stepping up and driving the boat so their kids can participate in the bass tournaments. I truly applaud all those who volunteer their time just so their kids can fish a tournament. But here’s the problem, these same volunteers have no clue on what tournament etiquette even is. Therefore, there are so many confrontations on the water today with older tournament anglers, who understand the unwritten rules of the water. I make it a point to start every lecture I give with tournament etiquette. They need someone to teach them what it means to cut someone off, to understand what hole jumping is, to know the proper way to launch their boat without blocking the boat ramp and creating chaos. They need to be taught to respect another angler’s space or spot they’re actively fishing, and that it’s not good etiquette to use binoculars to see where a popular angler is fishing and then go and fish his spot after he leaves. These are just a few of the things that inexperienced boat captains and young anglers today do not know. Legendary Pro Dion Hibdon (former Bassmaster Classic and FLW Champion) told me years ago that the number one problem on the water today is that the young anglers coming up don’t understand fishing etiquette. He said that fishing etiquette should be a required course, just like hunter safety, before an angler can fish tournaments.

To wrap this up, my biggest complaint currently is the fact that these high school tournaments are too big. It’s not unusual to have 500 boats in a tournament and that’s way too many, not only from a conservation standpoint, but safety issues as well. These events need to limit the number of boats they allow for a high school tournament. Other major bass fishing circuits have limits, why not high school? I still believe high school bass fishing is awesome and great for the sport and its future. But just like any other sport, it needs to be taught the right way by people who know and understand the unwritten rules of the water. I know there will be someone who thinks I’m anti-high school fishing, but nothing could be further from the truth. I just want these youngsters to learn and be taught the right way so everyone can get along on the water. Good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to set the hook!

Steve Graf
Owner/Co-host Hook’N Up
and Track’N Down Show
And Tackle Talk Live

One of Northwestern State’s first dual-threat quarterbacks, Mike Pool knew how to terrorize defenses through the air and on the ground.

Pool will be Saturday’s Exchange Bank Demon Great of the Game during NSU’s home contest against Incarnate Word, which kicks off at 6 p.m.

In two seasons as NSU’s starter (1969-70), Pool threw for nearly 1,700 yards and ran for another 1,200 as the Demons combined for a 14-5 record in those campaigns.

The N-Club Hall of Famer broke the school’s single-game rushing record in 1969 with 167 yards against Southeastern, also throwing the school’s longest touchdown pass (85 yards) in that game.

The two-time All-Gulf States Conference performer sprinted for a 63-yard touchdown that lifted NSU to a 20-17 win against Louisiana Tech at the 1970 State Fair Classic.

He was named one of the Top 100 Demons of the Century chosen in 2007 after being voted a permanent team captain in his last two seasons and as the team MVP in 1969.

The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) released an update to the state’s Covid-19 quarantine protocols on Sept. 29. LDOE announced the creation of a new parent choice option for school systems to include in their quarantine determination process.

If implemented by school systems, mandatory quarantines for students defined as a “close contact” will no longer be required. Parents will be given the option to quarantine their child or allow them to remain in school.

The Natchitoches Parish School Board has adhered to guidance from state officials since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. NPSB is currently gathering more information on these protocol changes and will take them under review. Until school districts across the state receive more clarity on this announcement, all Natchitoches Parish Schools’ quarantine protocols will remain the same.

“Our Covid policies have and will continue to reflect the best practices provided to us by our myriad of professional partners,” said NPSB Superintendent Dr. Grant Eloi. “We will continue to gather information, including guidance from LDOE and make informed decisions that continue to put student learning and safety as our highest priority and responsibility.”

The virtue of the month for September was Charity. Pictured on front row are Sadie Grant, Aubrey Smith and Isla Harris. On middle row are Charlie Rhodes, Addison Albert, Emiry Jeane, Corwyn Gandy and Abram Nichols. On back row are Principal Jason Lachica, Sophia Hogg, Georgia Kate Philen, Ava Knapp, Chloe Methvin, Lainey Bennett and Emma Grace Haecker. Not pictured are Marilyn Mims and Mason McCart. Congratulations to these students!

NATCHITOCHES:
Deborah Rikard Gay
August 13, 1950 – September 27, 2021
Arrangements TBA

Williw Lee (Moody) Taylor
September 19, 1945 – September 23, 2021
Service: Saturday, October 2 at 11 am at the North Star Baptist Church, located at 734 Hwy. 485 in Powhatan

Linda Marie Willis
May 26, 1957 – September 19, 2021
Service: Saturday, October 2 at 9:30 am at the Baptist Cemetery in Allen

Detre Willis
March 28, 1972 – September 22, 2021
Service: Sunday, October 3 at 11 am in the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, located at 318 North Street in Natchitoches

Joseph Lynch
September 20, 2021
Service: Saturday, October 2 at 2 pm at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, located at 318 North Street in Natchitoches

James Clark
September 21, 2021
Service: Saturday, October 2 in the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, located at 318 North Street in Natchitoches

Felenn Sowell
September 08, 2021
Arrangements TBA

Minnie Johnson
September 04, 2021
Arrangements TBA

Rowanoak Development files Petition for Writ of Mandamus against City of Natchitoches

Counsel for ROWANOAK DEVELOPMENT LLC filed a Petition for Writ of Mandamus against the City of Natchitoches on Spet. 27 asking the court to order the City, specifically its Planning and Zoning Commission, to accept the preliminary plats for the proposed Glendale Subdivision sought to be built by Rowanoak in the approximately 12.5 undeveloped acres located immediately east of St. Mary and Weaver Schools and north of St. Maurice Lane.

SEE DOCUMENT BELOW

This comes on the heels of the denial of the project application by the Planning and Zoning Commission at an Aug. 10 meeting. An appeal was brought before the City Council on Sept. 14, but the Council upheld the Commission’s decision to deny the application.

The Petition for Writ filed with the court states that under the Subdivision Regulations of the Natchitoches Code of Ordinances, if a preliminary plat of a proposed subdivision is compliant with all parish procedures and plat requirements, then “the Planning Commission will grant preliminary approval of the subdivision.”

Rowanoak alleges that at its Aug. 10 meeting the Commission, without reason, denied or withheld approval of what the Commission announced was a compliant preliminary plat thus violating the ordinance.

“The commission members were biased and/or succumbed to the pressure of local opposition…the Commission has not and cannot offer any legitimate, legally-valid reason for its decision to deny approval,” claims Rowanoak. By doing so, “the Commission violated its ministerial duty imposed under the Subdivision Regulations.”

A petition for writ of mandamus is used to compel a public servant to perform his or her duty as required by law. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 7.

On Wednesday, September 29th, the Kiwanis Club of Natchitoches held its annual awards banquet and officer installation at the Natchitoches Event Center.  The Kiwanis LaMiss-Tenn 2021-2022 District Governor, Rick Latiolais was on hand as guest speaker and to formally installed the new officers and directors.

2021-2022 Club Officers

President:  Kaitlyn Hamm
President-Elect:  Craig George
Immediate Past President:  Richard Rose
Treasurer:  Mary Beth Fair
Secretary:  Craig Caskey

2021-2021 Club Directors

Ron Brown – 1 Year Term
Tiffany Woods – 2 Year Term
Micah Murchison – 3 Year Term

Retiring Club Officers & Directors

Gina Banks
Heather Martin
Jessica Parker

Kiwanis Awards

Firefighter of the Year:  Ka’Darrius Cole
Lawman of the Year-City:  Officer Shermaria Lewis
Lawman of the Year-Deputy:  Deputy Earnest Sowell
Lawman of the Year-State Trooper:  TFC John Axsom
Teacher of the Year:  Casey Stewart

NSU Scholarship Recipient: Tori Thomas
Kiwanis Volunteer of the Year: Kaitlyn Hamm
Kiwanian of the Year: Micah Murchison

The Natchitoches Parish Council will hold a Special Called Meeting on Thursday, Sept. 30 at 4 pm via Teleconference.

LISTEN LIVE:
https://www.facebook.com/NPJNatLa

If you have any questions concerning any of the agenda items please email your questions to the Council Clerk at sfrederick@npgov.org.

CASA of Central LA welcomed five of its newest advocates for Natchitoches Parish on Sept. 29. Laquisha Duruisseau, Stephanie Dixon, Lorrie Brown, Victoria Walker, and Melody Muchison were sworn in by Judge LaLa Sylvester.

St. Mary’s Catholic School will host a homecoming reception for its alumni on Friday, October 8th from 5:00-7:00pm at the Knights of Columbus Hall. All alumni are welcome to attend the social before the Tigers kick off against Northwood High School at 7:00pm at the St. Mary’s football field for their homecoming game. Refreshments will be provided and a cash bar will be available.
The following classes will be recognized on the field at halftime: 2011, 2001, 1991, 1981, 1971, 1961, 2010, 2000, 1990, 1980, 1970 and 1960.

St. Mary’s is a Catholic, co-educational college preparatory school that educates students from preschool through twelfth grade. It is a ministry of the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Church.

The Noel Foundation is partnering with the North Louisiana Math Teachers’ Circle (NLMTC) to host “The Tower of Hanoi and More!”, a hands-on presentation for local math teachers featuring NLMTC founder Dr. Judith Covington, professor of mathematics at Northwestern State University.

The event will be in the LSU-S University Center ballroom from 5-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 5. Guests can look forward to a free dinner and dessert as well as giveaways for the first 20 teachers who register.

“The goal of Math Teachers’ Circles across the nation are to get K-12 math teachers excited about doing mathematics. It’s different than a typical workshop where teachers simply discuss how to better teach their students,” Covington said. “At this event teachers will have the experience of being students themselves and working together to solve exciting math problems.”

“The Tower of Hanoi and More!” is a presentation that will allow participants to work hands on with the Tower of Hanoi puzzle to explore the minimum number of moves required to complete it. After determining that number, participants will explore modifications to the puzzle.

The Tower of Hanoi, also called Towers of Hanoi or Towers of Brahma, puzzle involves three vertical pegs and a set of different sized disks with holes through their centers. The disks are initially placed on one of the pegs, with the largest disk on the bottom and the smallest on top. The task is to transfer the stack to one of the other pegs subject to two rules: only individual disks may be moved, and no disk may be placed on a smaller disk.

Working with local K-12 teachers and area college faculty is always exciting,” Covington said. “I believe that K-12 teachers are the key to our future, and any opportunity to support and encourage them should be embraced. For over 10 years, NLMTC has provided fun, exciting, and challenging sessions for local teachers.”

The NLMTC is part of the Math Teachers’ Circle Network, a project of the American Institute of Mathematics. It was founded in 2010 after Dr. Covington and four other local teachers attended a workshop in Washington, D.C. The NLMTC’s first event was held in December 2010 and since then they have been offering hands-on professional development for teachers in the region to collaborate with each other and strengthen problem-solving abilities.

The mission of the North Louisiana Math Teachers’ Circle (NLMTC) is to establish the foundation for a culture of problem solving by fostering the enjoyment of mathematics among middle school math teachers. They offer professional development meetings for middle school teachers from North Louisiana, and their ultimate goal is to help today’s teachers and students become flexible, creative, and collaborative problem solvers. They believe that strengthening teachers’ mathematical problem-solving skills will impact middle school students’ problem-solving experiences, expertise, and enthusiasm for mathematics and ultimately transfer to higher student achievement in mathematics.

NATCHITOCHES – A pair of six-time Pro Bowl NFL linemen, New Orleans Saints’ offensive guard Jahri Evans and Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams, join the late Tony Robichaux, No. 1 on the wins list for state college baseball coaches, among a star-studded group of nine 2022 competitive ballot inductees chosen for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

The LSHOF Class of 2022 also includes two of the greatest women athletes in LSU history, three-time national champion gymnast Susan Jackson and two-time first-team All-America softball pitcher Britni Sneed Newman. Williams, who helped the Tigers’ football team win the 2003 national championship, is joined by another of LSU’s all-time great linemen, the late Eric Andolsek, and pro rodeo great Steve Duhon among the 2022 inductees.

Baton Rouge-Episcopal High School track and field/cross country coach Claney Duplechin enters the Hall next summer still active, with his boys cross country team aiming for its 26th consecutive state championship this fall among an astounding 63 LHSAA crowns EHS has claimed in his career. Rounding out the Class of 2022 is the late Dr. Eddie Flynn, who as a Loyola-New Orleans student won the 1932 Olympic welterweight boxing gold medal for the USA, the last gold medal for an American boxer for 20 years.

The Class of 2022 will be enshrined Saturday, June 25, at the Hall of Fame’s home in Natchitoches to culminate the 63nd Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration June 23-25.

A 40-member Louisiana Sports Writers Association committee selected the 2022 inductees. The panel considered 139 nominees from 26 different sport categories on a 33-page ballot.

Also to be spotlighted next summer will be three other Hall of Fame inductees, the winner of the 2022 Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award, and two recipients of the 2022 Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism presented by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, the parent organization of the Hall of Fame. Those inductees from contributor ballots will be announced later this year.

The complete 12-person Class of 2022 will swell the overall membership in the Hall of Fame to 468 men and women honored since its founding in 1958.

Evans arrived in the NFL as part of the Saints’ initial draft class under coach Sean Payton in 2006. The fourth-round pick from Division II Bloomburg (Pa.) helped the squad reach the NFC Championship game and made the All-Rookie Team. That launched a 12-year pro career, all but the last one in New Orleans. He began a string of six consecutive Pro Bowl selections in 2009 when he helped the Saints win Super Bowl XLIV. Evans started all 169 games he played for New Orleans and was chosen for the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s.

Williams, a Ruston native, played in 46 games and started 33 for LSU, earning second-team All-America honors in his senior season of 2005 before 13 NFL seasons, all in Buffalo. When he retired, regarded as one of the franchise’s greatest leaders and the “heart and soul” of the Bills, Williams ranked fifth in team history in tackles (610) including a club-record 48.5 sacks by a defensive tackle. He played in 183 games, starting all but five after being a fifth-round pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. At Ruston High, where he is now the Bearcats’ defensive coordinator, he was the state’s Class 5A Defensive MVP as a senior.

Robichaux tops the state college baseball victory list and ranks 28th all-time in NCAA Division I history with a 1,117-767-2 record in a 33-year career at McNeese and UL Lafayette, which flank his hometown of Crowley. A pitcher in the early 1980s at both schools, he was head coach at McNeese from 1988-94, then spent 24 years (1995-2019) with the Ragin’ Cajuns until his unexpected death in mid-summer. He led UL to a fourth-place finish in the 2000 College World Series, in the school’s first trip to Omaha. He produced 12 NCAA Regional appearances and four Super Regionals, and a No. 1 national ranking for several weeks late in the 2014 season. Robichaux, who developed 86 major league draft picks and 29 All-Americans, will enter the American Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in January.

Duhon, an Opelousas native, was inducted in the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2003 and the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2018. He won three world championships (1986, 1987 and 1993) as a steer wrestler and qualified for the National Finals Rodeo eight times, setting a Wrangler NFR steer wrestling record time of 3.0 seconds in 1986 that was finally tied 15 years later. He won the 1981 national high school reserve champion cowboy crown, then played in all 11 games as a true freshman linebacker that fall at LSU before deciding to focus on his favorite sport. In 1985, he won the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Resistol Rookie of the Year award, launching his legendary pro career.

Jackson became the second LSU female athlete to win the Roy F. Kramer Southeastern Conference Female Athlete of the Year award (preceded only by basketball’s Seimone Augustus, 2006). She won 12 career All-America honors, including 11 first-team awards, and in 2010 was LSU’s first AAI Award winner as the nation’s top senior gymnast and became the first Tigers gymnast to win the Honda Award as the nation’s best gymnast. She won the school’s first NCAA all-around championship in 2010 after claiming individual titles in the vault (2008) and beam (2010), and was inducted in the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019.

Sneed Newman was a four-time All-SEC picture from 1999-2002, and was the SEC Player of the Year in 2001 and SEC Pitcher of the Year as a senior, winning SEC Tournament MVP honors in her final two seasons. Her career record was 120-25 with an 0.89 ERA (all SEC records) while LSU went 230-45. She set SEC strikeout marks as a junior (410) and senior (478) and finished with 1,370 while firing a conference-record 55 shutouts, including 10 individual no-hitters, three more in tandem featuring a perfect game, and holding batters to a .147 average. She led LSU to its first Women’s College World Series and a third-place finish in 2001, and became the first softball player in the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.

A Thibodaux native, Andolsek was 25 and emerging as one of the NFL’s best offensive linemen when he died in an offseason accident in 1992. In his final NFL season, Andolsek helped the Detroit Lions win the NFC Central title and advanced to the 1991 NFC championship game before he was named an All-Pro by USA Today. With Detroit, he played in 61 games and was a starter in 48 over his final three seasons. At LSU, Andolsek was a three-year starter and was named All-SEC, third-team All-American in 1986 and was later chosen as a member of LSU’s Modern Day Team of the Century. A two-year team captain for the TIgers, he was a prep All-American in 1983 at Thibodaux.

Duplechin, 68, owns three national coach of the year awards as he begins his 46th year of coaching and 43rd as head coach at Class 2A Episcopal after beginning his career under 2016 LSHOF inductee Pete Boudreaux at Catholic High in Baton Rouge. The Mamou native has 14 state runner-up finishes along with his 63 titles, a total that ranks sixth nationally and two spots ahead of Boudreaux’s count. The 25 straight boys cross country state crowns is second all-time, two back of the national record. Episcopal has won 33 of the last 35 2A boys XC championships and six times has been voted the top team in all classes. Duplechin’s boys squads have captured 17 outdoor track and field state championships, nine indoors. In 2020, MaxPreps rated the former LSU pole vaulter among the country’s top 100 prep coaches in all sports.

Flynn won Olympic gold in the welterweight (147 pounds) division at the 1932 Los Angeles Games, defeating Erich Campe of Germany in the final. Flynn fought for Loyola’s Wolfpack in the early 1930s under New Orleans sports icon and LSHOF member Tad Gormley. Flynn was the National AAU Champion in 1931 and 1932 and had an amateur record of 144-0. After the Olympics, Flynn fought professionally and compiled a 23-7-1 record until he was entered military service and served through World War II. Flynn, who became a dentist, was part of the inaugural Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame class in 1964 and is also a member of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame (inducted 1974), Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame (1981) and Florida Boxing Hall of Fame (2010).

Evans will become the 18th former Saints standout, coach (Jim Mora) or administrator (Tom Benson, Jim Finks) inducted, and will be only the fourth New Orleans player from this century so far to join the LSHOF ranks, along with receiver Marques Colston, running back Deuce McAllister and Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle Willie Roaf.

Duhon is the second rodeo competitor elected to the Hall, following Leesville’s T. Berry Porter in 2019.

Six of the inductees – Andolsek, Duhon, Duplechin, Jackson, Sneed Newman and Williams – competed at LSU. Jackson and Sneed Newman will become the second set of women competitors enshrined in the same induction class, preceded by LSU track great Esther Jones and UL Lafayette and WNBA star Kim Perrot in 2007.

The 2022 Induction Class will be showcased in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Museum, operated by the Louisiana State Museum system in a partnership with the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. The striking two-story, 27,500-square foot structure faces Cane River Lake in the National Historic Landmark District of Natchitoches and has garnered worldwide architectural acclaim and rave reviews for its contents since its grand opening during the 2013 Hall of Fame induction weekend.

The nine new competitive ballot inductees will raise the total of Hall of Fame members to 367 competitors honored since the first induction class — baseball’s Mel Ott, world champion boxer Tony Canzoneri and LSU football great Gaynell Tinsley — were enshrined in 1959 after their election a year earlier.

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame includes 26 Pro Football Hall of Fame members, 18 Olympic medalists including 11 gold medal winners, 12 members of the Basketball Hall of Fame, seven of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players, seven National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees, 41 College Football Hall of Fame members, 15 Black College Football Hall of Fame inductees, nine National High School Hall of Fame enshrinees, jockeys with a combined 16 Triple Crown victories, six world boxing champions, seven Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame members, seven College Baseball Hall of Fame inductees, 10 College Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinees, four NBA Finals MVPs, four winners of major professional golf championships, five National Museum of (Thoroughbred) Racing and Hall of Fame inductees and two Super Bowl MVPs.

Biographical information on all 456 current Hall of Fame members is available at the LaSportsHall.com website, with a steady stream of info available at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Facebook page and the @LaSportsHall Twitter account.

The 2022 Induction Celebration will kick off Thursday, June 23, with a press conference and reception. The three-day festivities include two receptions, a free youth sports clinic, a bowling party, and a Friday night riverbank concert in Natchitoches. Tickets for the Induction Ceremony, along with congratulatory advertising and sponsorship opportunities, are available now through the LaSportsHall.com website.

Anyone can receive quarterly e-mails about the 2022 Induction Celebration and other Hall of Fame news by signing up on the LaSportsHall.com website.

The 2022 Induction Celebration will be hosted by the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, the support organization for the Hall of Fame. The LSHOF Foundation was established as a 501 c 3 non-profit entity in 1975 and is governed by a statewide board of directors. For information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Foundation President/CEO Ronnie Rantz at 225-802-6040 or RonnieRantz@LaSportsHall.com. Standard and customized sponsorships are available.

It’s Official! TappedTober is back for 2021 presented by Jimmy Granger Ford Lincoln in Natchitoches! Clear your calendars for Saturday October 9th as we once again rock the Natchitoches Riverfront in support of bringing access to healthcare in our community!

This annual event is known for its family friendly environment, top-notch entertainment, and ever expanding beer and wine tasting selections, without missing a second of everyone’s favorite fall activity on the gigantic riverfront screen. Headlining this year’s musical lineup, brought to you by Rhodes Properties & Development, is Louisiana’s own, Frank Foster!  Visit our website at www.thetappedtober.com or find us on Facebook @ Tappedtober for the latest information.

Proceeds from this event will once again support the Natchitoches Regional Medical Center Foundation & the Northwestern Louisiana Cancer Foundation in their efforts to improve access to healthcare in our community!

For the second straight year, Northwestern State wide receiver Gavin Landry has been honored for his all-around student-athlete resume.

Landry, a sixth-year senior from White Castle, was named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy on Wednesday, joining 175 other NCAA Division I, II and III and NAIA football players on the list announced by the National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame.

The Campbell Trophy recognizes a player as the best college football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. Nominees must be a senior or graduate student in his final year of eligibility, have a grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first-team player or significant contributor and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.

Landry is the lone Southland Conference player on the list and one of four Louisiana representatives among the semifinalists.

Through three games of the fall 2021 season, Landry has started every game, catching eight passes for 75 yards. He is coming off a five-catch, 55-yard performance against UT Martin on Sept. 18.

In the classroom, Landry earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration in May 2020 with a 3.94 grade point average, graduating summa cum laude. He was a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection in 2020 and earned a spot on the Academic All-Southland Conference Team.

His overall resume made him a finalist for the 2020 Doris Robinson Student-Athlete Award as well.

Away from the field, Landry has been a four-year member of Northwestern State’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and was the group’s Community Service Outreach Representative. He is a four-year member of NSU’s chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, serving three years as a member of the Worship Team and as a Huddle Leader at middle and high school FCA retreats. He also volunteers with the Youth Group at Freedom Life Church in Natchitoches.

Landry earned the Joe Delaney Award as a permanent team captain in the spring 2021 season and is a past winner of the Chris Waddell Award, which is given to the Demon walk-on player who most exemplifies effort, unselfishness, leadership and character.

“Gavin’s story, overcoming heart surgery as a senior in high school, is matched only by his drive and determination,” said fourth-year head coach Brad Laird. “”He has gone from a walk-on to a key member of our wide receiver group, and his leadership skills are unmatched. He has been one of our most respected players for what he does on the field and away from it. He embodies the characteristics you want to see from every student-athlete – handling his business on the field and in the classroom while giving his time to make everyone’s experience at Northwestern State a better one.

“Those parts of his personality fit in line with what the Campbell Trophy represents, and we feel Gavin is a perfect representation of those.”

With Landry’s back-to-back selections, Northwestern State has produced a Campbell Trophy semifinalist for three straight years, starting with offensive lineman Chris Zirkle in 2019.

The NFF will announce 12 to 14 finalists on Oct. 27 with each student-athlete receiving an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. The finalists will travel to Las Vegas for the 63rd NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 7. The winner of the 32nd Campbell Trophy will be announced that night and the awardee will have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.

SAN ANTONIO – The first road swing of the season begins on Thursday as Northwestern State takes on UIW with both teams searching for its first conference win of the season.

The Lady Demons (6-10, 0-1) dropped their opener to Southeastern this past Saturday while the Cardinals (5-10, 0-1) were swept by preseason favorite Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. First serve is set for 6:30 p.m., with live coverage links, including video, available at www.nsudemons.com.

Across the past three matches, NSU has seen its share of close sets jammed with pivotal moments. Seven times in the past 12 sets the margin of victory has been four points or less, with four decided by the two-point minimum.

It’s in those moments, that head coach Sean Kiracofe wants to see his team take the next step. Beyond the offensive consistency that has begun to fall into place behind Breanna Burrell, Symone Wesley and Jaylibeth Garcia-Rosa and the stalwart defense led by Haley Hoang, it is the key plays in the crucial moments that will move the team forward.

“We have certain benchmarks we want to reach in terms of kills per set, digs per set and all that,” Kiracofe said. “We’ve been really close to those and when you look at those numbers even after a frustrating loss, they aren’t bad.

“It just comes down to that time frame of points 20 to 25. Those are the points that matter more than the rest of them, and we haven’t been able to execute in those moments yet. The more you’re in those situations the more comfortable you become in them. It’s just the evolution of a team that will eventually start to pay off.”

Those key moments were there in the match against Southeastern and will assuredly be present this weekend and every weekend moving forward.

The Cardinals have lost their past six matches in a row, due in large part to a reduced roster including the absence of preseason all-conference outside hitter Bethany Clapp. The senior has missed the past five matches and UIW is 5-5 with her on the floor. She sits at second in the conference in kills per set with a 3.51 average.

“UIW is a much-improved team and that’s been an evolution over the past three or four years,” Kiracofe said. “They finally have the pieces where they can put something out there to complement Clapp. She’s somebody that you need to focus your defense on and stop but now they have a lot of pieces to add around her.”

It’s been a pair of underclassmen that have carried the load offensively in the past couple of weeks with freshman Risa Sena and sophomore Allison Palmi reaching double figures kills on multiple occasions.

“We’re going to have to be prepared for two separate teams and see who shows up,” Kiracofe said. “Ultimately it comes down to our execution on a consistent basis. We’ve been able to play at a high level but being able to keep that consistent. The errors are going to happen, but they can’t be mental breakdown errors at the end of sets.”

Photo: Gary Hardamon

The 2021 season for the Provencal Panther football team is off to a great start. After working hard in the spring and enduring grueling summer workouts, the Panthers were eager to play this fall. The start of the season was delayed one week after the cancellation of the jamboree.

On Sept. 2, the Panthers finally got the see the field. They travelled to NJH to play two quarters against NJH and two quarters against Lab/Magnet. The Panthers defeated NJH 20-0 and Lab/Magnet 32-16.

On Sept. 7 the Panthers met up with Lab/Magnet at St. Mary’s field. Provencal came out of this contest with a 30-6 win.

On Sept. 16 the Panthers made the drive to Lakeview to take on the Gators. The result of this game was a 36-22 victory for the Panthers.

In their last game on Sept. 23, the Panthers went to St. Mary’s for a battle of undefeated teams. The Panthers came out on top with a 46-14 win to improve to 5-0 on the season.

​The Panthers have two more regular season games. On Sept. 30 they travel to Lakeview to take on Lab/Magnetat 7 pm. On Oct. 7 they will play Lakeview at NJH at 7 pm.

The season will conclude with a championship game at NSU Turpin Stadium. The date and time are yet to be confirmed. If you haven’t had a chance to see this team play, you need to. They will not disappoint! Come out and support the Panthers as they try to finish the season 8-0!

NATCHITOCHES:
Deborah Rikard Gay
August 13, 1950 – September 27, 2021
Arrangements TBA

Williw Lee (Moody) Taylor
September 19, 1945 – September 23, 2021
Service: Saturday, October 2 at 11 am at the North Star Baptist Church, located at 734 Hwy. 485 in Powhatan

Linda Marie Willis
May 26, 1957 – September 19, 2021
Service: Saturday, October 2 at 9:30 am at the Baptist Cemetery in Allen

Detre Willis
March 28, 1972 – September 22, 2021
Service: Sunday, October 3 at 11 am in the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, located at 318 North Street in Natchitoches

Joseph Lynch
September 20, 2021
Service: Saturday, October 2 at 2 pm at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, located at 318 North Street in Natchitoches

James Clark
September 21, 2021
Service: Saturday, October 2 in the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, located at 318 North Street in Natchitoches

Felenn Sowell
September 08, 2021
Arrangements TBA

Minnie Johnson
September 04, 2021
Arrangements TBA

Following a five day trial, a Natchitoches jury found Quincy Nash not guilty on one count of second degree murder on Sept. 24. The charges stemmed from a shooting that took place on June 4, 2018 at Rex Waterwell Road, outside the City of Natchitoches. The victim, Brian Keith William Jr., was shot three times and died at the scene.

Joe Beck III, a long time public defender in the 10th JDC, was lead counsel for the defense. He was assisted at trial by John Boekenfohr and Howard Conday. Private Investigator Kim Jones assisted throughout the trial and testified on behalf of the defense. Charles Whitehead and Alice Martin assisted the defense team as well.

At the trial, numerous law enforcement officers and witnesses were called to testify on behalf of the state. After hearing their testimony, Beck’s cross examination of the state’s main witness and his closing arguments, the jury concluded that the state did not prove that Nash committed the murder and returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty.

Rotarian with the Program Jesse Taitano introduced Natchitoches Chief of Police Nikeo Collins, and the Rotarians gave him a warm welcome at their weekly luncheon on Sept. 28. Collins summarized the many duties of the Natchitoches Police Department. Pictured from left are Taitano and Collins.

The North Louisiana Military Museum is a perfect example of the old adage that you can’t judge a book by its cover. The first impression a visitor has of the museum is of a deceptively small steel building. Judging the museum by its nondescript exterior would be a mistake, however. The interior is simply superb. The museum has an incredible range of artifacts from the Civil War through WWI, WWII to Vietnam and the wars in the Middle East.

The museum was founded in 1995 and is now operated by the City of Ruston. The museum has over 10,000 artifacts in its two stories and 4,000 square feet. Many of the artifacts were donated by area veterans which gives the collection a more personal feel. While the museum has a wide range of uniforms and weapons, it also has items not usually found in collections such as a Vietnamese language guide for soldiers and a WWI guide to France.

The North Louisiana Military Museum is a delight for not just history buffs, but anyone interested in our nation’s military heritage. That heritage is much more than weapons and uniforms, it is the collective story of the men and women who served our nation in difficult and dangerous circumstances. The North Louisiana Military Museum tells those stories well. It is a fascinating place.

The North Louisiana Military Museum is located at 201 Memorial Drive, Ruston, LA, 318-251-5099. There is no charge for admission and the museum’s hours are Wednesday Noon to 4:00 pm and Thursday-Saturday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The museum director recommends calling ahead and will promptly return all calls.

BOM is a sponsor of the LA B.A.S.S. Nation Youth North Trail Qualifier this weekend at Grand Ecore Landing.

Pictured left to right: BOM’s Scott Maggio, Kira Calvert, Kort Rutledge, and BOM’s Blaise LaCour. Good luck to the NCHS Chiefs Fishing Team and to all of this years participants.