Pineville Animal Control will hold Adoption Event on Saturday, Aug. 19 from 10 am – 2 pm at PetSense, located at 3200 Monroe Hwy., Suite 120 in Pineville.
Shelter animals need adoption!! Come out and help us get them adopted!!!
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development announced on Aug. 15 that it will begin issuing special permits to vehicles transporting hay during the current gubernatorially declared drought emergency. § RS 32:387 (6) grants the DOTD Secretary the authority to issue special permits to vehicles transporting hay due to a disaster or emergency.
Permit fees will be $10 and will be valid for only as long as the declared drought emergency exists, not to exceed one year.Restrictions that apply are the following:
a. Vehicles transporting hay bales loaded side by side shall not exceed 12 feet in width and 14 feet in height. All other weight and dimension restrictions and requirements still apply.
b. Travel is limited to daylight hours beginning at sunrise and ending at sunset and is limited by all no-movement requirements on certain holidays.
c. Vehicles must travel with the required signs and flags properly placed and indicating that they carry oversized loads.
d. Vehicles must be equipped with mirrors that allow drivers to have a clear view of the highway to least 200 feet to the rear of the vehicle.
e. Loads must be securely bound to the transporting vehicles.
f. Carriers, owners and drivers of any vehicle being operated are responsible for verifying in advance that the actual dimensions and weights of the vehicles and loads are acceptable for all routes being traveled.
g. It is the responsibility of the carriers, owners, and drivers to track the status of the declared emergencies. In the event the emergency expires prior to the one-year period, the owner, carrier, and driver shall be responsible for terminating use of the permit. Information regarding the status of declared emergencies and to obtain a special permit may call the DOTD Permit Office toll free at (800) 654-1433 or (225) 343-2345 for the Baton Rouge area.
h. No vehicle shall exceed weight limits posted for bridges and similar structures, or relieve any vehicle or carrier, owner or driver of any vehicle from compliance with any restrictions other than those specified, or from any statute, rule, order or other legal requirement.
By JIM BUTLER
High school football followers remember Kendarious Joseph as big No. 72 on the Bolton line, tackle both ways, in the late years of the last decade.
Law enforcement knows him otherwise.
Joseph, 23, was booked August 9 on an attempted 2nd degree murder charge.
Almost exactly four years earlier, on August 13, 2019, he was accused of murder 2nd degree or non-negligent manslaughter. In May he had graduated from high school.
On the 23rd, a charge of possessing a firearm with obliterated serial number was added and on the 25th a murder 2 count emerged.
Records indicate Joseph was in the parish facility until April 2021.
Those records do not reflect any actions within the court system.
By JIM BUTLER
If you’re going to drink and drive, a word of advice – put on your big boy, or girl, pants if stopped and take your medicine.
Failure to do so can lead to more headaches than that stop ordinarily means, and they are bad enough. (Any hangover headaches next day don’t count.)
Two drivers Sunday allegedly took it to the extreme.
Darin Sykes Jr., 28, of Alexandria was pulled over about 5 a.m., drawing attention by allegedly speeding.
Then came OWI suspicion, then, allegedly, Sykes compounded his woes.
He was ultimately charged with battery on an officer, interfering with an officer, resisting an officer, intimidation/threatening a public official, in addition to OWI 1st and speeding.
Later in the morning Ricky Dauzat II, 28, of Lena, apparently no stranger to such stops, was pulled over.
He was charged with OWI 3rd. Two counts of OWI with child endangerment made it worse.
And, allegedly, there was a bribery attempt, resulting in a public bribery charge.
He posted $102,000 bond about 12 hours after booking.
By JIM BUTLER
The Rapides Parish School Board has amended its meetings policy to accommodate remote participation by disabled persons.
At its August session the board adopted provisions required by new state law.
The change allows anyone with a recognized disability, or that person’s designated caregiver, to participate in meetings via teleconference or video conference.
Under the law, the board is required to facilitate participation by anyone requesting it prior to the meeting.
The remote participant will be required to adhere to the same rules as persons attending and speaking in person.
The board has had specific rules and regulations for public participation in place for about 20 years. The rules provide for public input in a controlled manner.
Summarized, they allow any person recognized three minutes to address the topic they requested before hand to speak on, though the presiding officer may extend that time.
The item has to be one that a vote is to be taken on. Speakers are prohibited from questioning board members or staff or from making disparaging remarks, period.
Any items added to the agenda after the meeting begins may be addressed by audience members as the item is called and the chair asks for public comment. There is a two-minute limit for such.
Louisiana Christian University Campus Security is continuing its efforts to ensure a safe environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors by holding an active shooter drill Tuesday, Aug. 15.
School shootings are an unfortunate reality on campuses and in public places across this country. Everyone prays it won’t be at theirs, but it’s important to be prepared in case you find yourself faced with the inevitable.
“Louisiana Christian University continues to take the existential threat of gun violence seriously,” said President Dr. Rick Brewer. “The protection of our entire campus community is our No. 1 priority daily.”
This Active Shooter Drill will follow a previous drill conducted during the spring semester, but with a more intense scenario designed to equip our faculty and staff to serve students in a safe and effective manner should the University experience an actual active shooter in the future.
Faculty will go through training during their fall workshop on how to respond in the event of an active shooter situation.
“The Active Shooter Drill will allow them to practice what they’ve been taught in the event they have one, and it will test our armed faculty who have been through many hours of training,” said Chief of Campus Security John Dauzat.
Faculty will be divided into three classrooms to simulate classes of faculty and students. During the simulated class period, a simulated active shooter situation will transpire and will be broadcast through the university’s RAVE Guardian alert system, according to Dauzat.
LCU faculty who have been approved to be armed will be on the scene and will respond. Dauzat said that upon completion, an evaluation will be done with everyone to discuss, ask questions and correct any areas that need improvement.
Local law enforcement will be notified of this event.
Brewer said, “We are grateful for the collective support of all local law enforcement agencies underscoring collaborative strategies we will be ready to apply if needed.”
Here and there and this and that:
Looking at the list of winners of the Louisiana Golf Association’s Distinguished Service Award, some of the prominent golfers recognized include professional golfers Freddie Haas Jr., Jim McGonagill, Lionel Hebert and Kelly Gibson. Some Central Louisiana recipients have been Walter Fowler of Alexandria, and brothers Jay and Jim Pierson of Natchitoches.
Another winner from Cenla was named last week – the late Scott Brame of Alexandria, and he couldn’t have been more deserving of the honor. Brame was honored posthumously at the 31st Louisiana Mid-Amateur Championship annual dinner last Thursday evening at Oakbourne Country Club in Lafayette.
The LGA’s mission is, in short, to “foster the enhancement and expansion of amateur golf …” and Brame devoted lots of his time to doing just that. The foremost thing that comes to mind is his leadership in marshalling an effort to save – and enhance — the par-3 Bringhurst Golf Course in Alexandria’s City Park. Built in the late 1920s, it calls itself the oldest par-3 course in America.
To get technical, there is an 18-hole course in the Bronx, Van Cortlandt Park, that opened in 1895 as a nine-hole links, according to Sports History Weekly, but nobody has ever come forward to dispute Bringhurst’s claim to be the oldest, continuous par-3 course in the country.
That said, the Bringhurst course was in such bad shape in the early 2000s, the course became basically an unused relic for a while. But in 2008, Brame began raising funds to rebuild the greens and fringes and remake the tee boxes. “The “Friends of Bringhurst” also financed the installation of a new irrigation system. Brame preserved, for the most part, the original course architecture, and the course reopened in 2010 and has been thriving since – and offering free golf — as a four-days-a-week operation (Thursday through Sunday). …
The extensive 100-degree heat and drought over the summer hasn’t stopped area golfers from playing. Pros at OakWing and Links on the Bayou say the lull comes around the middle of the day, but early morning and late afternoons have been busy, with golfers countering the heat with battery-powered fans, wet towels, lots of ice water, etc. Louis Thompson, the assistant pro at OakWing, says each night they are pumping 900,000 gallons of water from Bayou Rapides to irrigate the course.
Links pro Joey Wancewicz says with no trees around, it’s not uncommon to see some dry hot spots in the rough that are hard to reach with the sprinkler system, but he says the fairways and greens are in good shape. What’s more, he said the trend since Covid has been a resurgence of play and “a lot of new golfers.”
“This month, despite the heat,” he added, “we’re on track to beat last year’s numbers for rounds and revenue.”
Golf is also back at the former Timber Trails golf course in Pineville, now named the Reservation Golf and Country Club, and is managed by Adam McCoy, the new owner. Had a scramble tournament there Monday that started at 5:30 p.m.
Bob Tompkins enjoyed a 43-year newspaper career as an award-winning writer and editor, serving the last 39 years at the Town Talk in Alexandria through most of 2015. He is a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame as a past winner of the LSWA’s Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism. An Alexandria resident, Tompkins is a contributing columnist sharing his talents with Rapides Parish Journal readers.
By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
BATON ROUGE — Every year in the brutal heat of August college football pre-season camp – please don’t call it “fall” camp because there’s no autumn with a 115-degree heat index – possible new stars emerge.
In Brian Kelly’s first preseason camp a year ago as LSU’s head coach, it was a 3-star (according to 247Sports) rated tight end from the Miami-area named Mason Taylor who simply caught every pass that came his way.
He was a big and robust dude who got downfield quickly and snagged any throw whether he was wide open or had defenders in his grill.
As it turned out, Taylor won Freshman All-America honors as he has the second-highest-ever single-season reception total (38) by an LSU tight end. And oh yes, he’ll forever live in Tigers’ football lore for his game-winning two-point conversion catch in overtime to beat Alabama.
This year after almost 10 preseason practices with LSU’s Sept. 3 season opener vs. Florida State in Orlando getting closer, here are three newbies so far who’ve stood above the rest.
Duce Chestnut, CB, Jr., 5-11, 205, Syracuse: He’s a four-star recruit who quickly became one of the better cover cornerbacks in the Atlantic Coast Conference before transferring to LSU in January.
The two-time All-ACC honoree started all 24 games in his two seasons with the Orangemen and had 83 tackles, four interceptions, three tackles for loss and 13 pass breakups.
Last season, he allowed just four touchdowns in 356 snaps in pass coverage and was penalized only once in coverage.
Chestnut missed LSU’s spring practice after undergoing surgery with an undisclosed injury. His absence just made LSU head coach Brian Kelly more eager to get him on the field.
“Duce has played a lot of winning football,” Kelly said. “The things that really stood out for us in our evaluation was that he’s a smart savvy player, a sure tackler who’s always around the ball. That’s starting to kind of show itself here in camp. He’s making progress.” Chestnut has broken up passes in 7 on 7 and 11-on-11 drills in just about every LSU practice so far. He has tremendous acceleration breaking to balls on underneath routes.
“He broke up five passes in one practice,” LSU safety Sage Ryan said. “That’s crazy. He’s got ball skills off the chart.”
Aaron Anderson, WR/RS, Fr., 5-8, 180, Alabama: The former 5-star recruit from Edna Karr High in New Orleans was rated by 247Sports as the No. 1 player in Louisiana in the Class of 2022. As a high school senior, he had 74 receptions for 926 yards and 14 TDs and also returned five kickoffs for TDs.
Alabama coach Nick Saban stole Anderson out of LSU’s backyard. And after Anderson’s injury-plagued freshman season with the Crimson Tide a year ago in which he played just one game, Kelly pilfered him back for the Tigers as soon as Anderson put his name in the transfer portal.
LSU’s kick return teams – both kickoff and punts – were a disaster last season. The Tigers fumbled so many punts and kickoffs early in the year that cleanly fielded fair catches were considered rousing successes.
Anderson had more than 20 TD returns in his high school career, and he has looked extremely comfortable fielding punts and kickoffs in Tigers’ preseason practices.
But any LSU DB who’s tried to cover Anderson can attest – he absolutely left Ryan eating dust on a double-move on 70-yard plus TD pass he caught in a drill – he’s ridiculously hard to stop if a defender doesn’t immediately lock him up at the line of scrimmage.
“Anderson is explosive fast,” Ryan said. “He’s a little short guy, so it’s hard to get hands on him. He’s probably the hardest guy (on LSU’s team) to cover. He’s twitchy. He’s going to be an amazing piece for us.”
Tigers’ offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock said his boss Kelly wants to move Anderson to different spots in the offense.
“He’s a guy that has to touch the football,” Denbrock said of Anderson. “Me and the rest of the offensive coaches have to make sure we’re creative enough to use the skills that he brings to the table, like in our screen game and running jet sweeps.
“Aaron is unbelievably blessed with football skills. He can break people down in space, so we’ve got to get him in those scenarios as much as possible.”
Ashton Stamps, CB, Fr., 6-0, 188, Archbishop Rummel: One of the least heralded signees in the Tigers’ recruiting Class of 2023 – he’s rated just a 3-star recruit – Stamps has been turning heads daily in the preseason.
He might have been underrated because he was targeted just 10 times last year as a high school senior, so his stats (65 tackles, 9 pass breakups) weren’t overwhelming.
But his passion and grit finally convinced the LSU staff to sign him.
“The guy came to camp three times to LSU to get a scholarship offer,” Tigers’ defensive coordinator Matt House. “I think that’s all you need to know about Ashton Stamps. He wants to be here, he wants to be great, and he’s not scared of competition. He’s a dude that embraces competition every day.” Stamps has impressed teammates from both sides of the ball. “We watched film from our practice in which he (Stamps) was in Cover 2,” LSU wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr. said. “He-routed the receiver, dropped back and made the pick (interception). You don’t see that every day.” Tigers’ safety Greg Brooks Jr., a former West Jefferson star who transferred to LSU last season from Arkansas, trained with Stamps in the off-season two summers ago. “It’s not a surprise how he’s playing,” Brooks said. “I know how hard he’s worked. I can’t wait to see him ball out this year. You’re going to see him every game.”
Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com
Tonight at 7 on Louisiana Public Broadcasting (KLTS-TV Channel 24 in Shreveport), viewers statewide can enjoy a two-hour special, “Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame: 2023 Celebration,” recapping the July 27-29 induction festivities for the LSHOF’s Class of 2023.
LPB programming is also available live at www.lpb.org and also with the LPB App.
Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, four-time WNBA All-Star Alana Beard, LSU football record-shattering receiver Wendell Davis and College World Series champion baseball coach Paul Mainieri are part of a star-studded 12-member group of honorees recently inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
This LPB sports special, produced in partnership with the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, features highlights from the July 29 induction ceremony and many of the festivities surrounding it. Also included are the induction interviews and profile stories on each of the honorees, plus a look at the newly-added memorabilia to the Hall of Fame Museum in Natchitoches.
“As LPB serves as Louisiana’s storytellers, audiences are used to seeing LPB programs featuring our state’s people, history, and culture,” says Clarence “C.C” Copeland, LPB President and CEO.
“A walk through the Sports Hall of Fame Museum will show you that our state’s contributions to the world of sports is another story worth telling! We are excited to expand our sports programming efforts and what better opportunity than this.”
Along with tonight’s premiere, LPB will encore the show on Thursday, August 17 at 9:30 p.m. and Sunday, August 20 at 5 p.m. After the night of the broadcast premiere, the program will be available for on demand streaming for members with LPB PASSPORT – an extended membership benefit.
Along with Manning, Mainieri, Davis and Beard, the LSHOF Class of 2023 also includes New Orleans native Ron Washington, who managed the Texas Rangers to a pair of World Series appearances and helped the Atlanta Braves win the world’s championship; two-time LSU track and field USA Olympian and world champion Walter Davis; and Slidell native, Tulane great and Chicago Bears two-time Pro Bowl running back Matt Forte.
Also inducted were All-American LSU pitcher Paul Byrd, a 14-year Major League Baseball veteran who made the 1999 All-Star Game; multiple national champion and world class weightlifter Walter Imahara, a UL-Lafayette legend whose story began in a Japanese American internment camp in California during World War II; and retired Baton Rouge-Parkview Baptist baseball coach M.L. Woodruff, whose teams claimed 11 state championships.
Rounding out the Class of 2023: two transformational and highly decorated figures in Louisiana’s sports journalism field, Lafayette writer and editor Bruce Brown and longtime New Orleans Times-Picayune prep writer Lori Lyons.
Visit LaSportsHall.com for more information on the Class of 2023 and all 479 people enshrined in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame since 1958, along with information on past and upcoming LSHOF activities.
Louisiana State Police would like to remind all motorists about the importance of safety in and around school zones, while driving near school buses, and when transporting a child. We urge everyone to be vigilant and follow the rules of the road to ensure the safety of all motorists and our young students.
School Zone Safety:
According to Louisiana law, crossing guards have authority to stop traffic or send traffic through intersections for the safety of students. Please be observant of the crossing guards and the posted speed limits in designated school zones. Be prepared for sudden stops and increased pedestrian/vehicle traffic, especially during drop-off and pick-up times. Be mindful of posted Hands-Free Zones. These particular school zones ban all drivers, even those over 18, from using a cell phone to engage in a call, read/send a text, or use social media. Lessen distractions, stay alert, and always be mindful of children in the area.
School Bus Safety:
When approaching a school bus with flashing red lights, from either direction, traffic must come to a complete stop at least 30 feet away from the bus. Remain stopped until the bus’s stop arm is retracted and the bus resumes motion. Be extra cautious around school buses, as children may quickly enter into the roadway unexpectedly. While many drivers can be confused when to stop for a bus when traveling in the opposite direction, a good rule of thumb is always stop unless on a four-lane road with a physical barrier, a raised median, or continuous turn lane.
Car Seat Safety:
Louisiana law requires children under the age of 13 to ride in the backseat of a vehicle when one is available. For younger children, rear-facing until the age of two and have outgrown the upper limits of the seat by weight or height. Children that are older and are able to face forward must utilize the internal harness to its upper limits, which on most seats that upper limit is 65 pounds. If any caregiver is ever unsure about their child’s seat installation, they are urged to contact their local State Police troop office to consult with a certified child passenger safety technician; this is always a free service.
As a community, we must work together to keep our children safe, whether it be traveling to and from school, to afterschool activities, or work. As a driver, please stay alert and stay safe. Our future is depending on you.
Candidate qualifying for the Oct. 14 primary election closed Thursday. An unofficial list of candidates in races covering parts or all of Rapides Parish, excluding statewide races:
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education District 5
Toby Brazzel, R, Alexandria
Lance Harris, R, Boyce
State Senate 28th District
Heather Cloud, R, Turkey Creek
State Senate 29th District
Jay Luneau, D, Alexandria
State Senate 30th District
Mike Reese, R, Leesville
State Senate 31st District
Mike McConathy, R, Natchitoches
Alan Seabaugh, R, Shreveport
State Senate 32nd District
Glen Womack, R, Harrisonburg
State Senate 35th District
Jay Morris, R, Monroe
State Rep. 25th District
Jason Dewitt, R, Boyce
Trish Leleux, R, Woodworth
State Rep. 26th District
Sandra Franklin, D, Alexandria
Ed Larvadain III, D, Alexandria
Reddex Washington, D, Alexandria
State Rep. 27th District
Mike Johnson, R, Pineville
State Rep. 38th District
Rhonda Butler, R, Ville Platte
Todd McKellar, R, Glenmora
Sheriff
Kris Cloessner, Ind., Woodworth
Mark Wood, R, Boyce
Clerk of Court
Robin Hooter, R, Pineville
Assessor
Rick Ducote, D, Pineville
Josh Pace, R, Boyce
Coroner
Jonathan Hunter, R, Alexandria
Police Jury District A
Bubba Moreau, R, Pineville
Matt Page, R, Pineville
Police Jury District B
Joe Bishop, R, Pineville
Randy Wiggins, R, Pineville
Police Jury District C
Alex Robertson, R, Pineville
Craig Smith, R, Deville
Police Jury District D
Theodore Fountaine III, D, Alexandria
Police Jury District E
Danny Bordelon, R, Boyce
Travis Herrington, R, Boyce
Joey Short, R, Boyce
Police Jury District F
Ollie Overton Jr., D, Alexandria
Clarence Reed, D, Alexandria
Police Jury District G
Sean McGlothin, Ind., Alexandria
Police Jury District H
Parrish Giles, R, Glenmora
David Johnson, R, Glenmora
Police Jury District I
Jay Scott, D, Alexandria
Justice of Peace Ward 3 2nd Justice Court
James Rauls III, D, Lecompte
Constable Justice of Peace Ward 5 2nd Justice Court
Debra Goldman, R, Elmer
Rusty Miller, No Party, Elmer
By JIM BUTLER
Election contests are set for two parishwide posts and there could be linkage between them.
Meanwhile several members of the legislative delegation get a free pass, indicating either constituents are for the most part happy or reapportionment did its insulating job (10 legislative districts have part of Rapides within them).
Sheriff Mark Wood and Assessor Rick Ducote have opponents, both of whom are likely to beat the drum over startling revelation earlier this year regarding assessment of property owned by Wood and others.
Ducote claiming shock and indignation, invoked reassessment; Wood asserted he paid what was billed, seeking no favors; it remains to be seen what the voters think.
Wood, in his first term, is opposed by Kris Cloessner, who lost in a runoff four years ago. Both were senior officers in the department under retired Sheriff William Earl Hilton.
Wood is likely to hear much from Cloessner regarding the property tax matter.
Ducote seemed set to be unopposed as assessor as long as he chose to have the post until Assessmentgate. Was the mea culpa enough?
Josh Pace, who owns a building and remodeling company in Boyce, apparently thinks not.
On the legislative side, Alan Seabaugh of Shreveport faces Mike McConathy of Natchitoches in the redrawn Senate 31, a district stretching from West Rapides to the Caddo Parish city, where Seabaugh, a term-limited representative, happens to live. McConathy is retired from a long stint as NSU men’s basketball coach.
The rest of the Senate delegation got new terms.
On the House side, Jason DeWitt of Boyce and Trish Leleux of Woodworth seek the Dist. 25 post vacated by term-limited Lance Harris. Both are first-time candidates.
Meanwhile, Harris covets the open 5th District BESE seat. He’s opposed by Toby Beazzel, an Alexandria insurance agent.
House 26 has three elected officials in the field. Incumbent Ed Larvadain III faces School Board member Sandra Franklin and Alexandria City Council member Reddex Washington Jr.
Larvadain defeated Franklin in 2019, first in a special election for the remainder of an unexpired term in February, then in October for a full term. Neither Franklin nor Washington has to give up their elected posts to seek the House job.
In House 38, incumbent Rhonda Butler of Ville Platte is challenged by Todd McKellar of Glenmora.
Coroner Jonathan Hunter and Police Jurors Theodore Fountain III (Dist. D) and Sean McGlothin (Dist. G) are unopposed for new terms.
The Saints hosting the Chiefs in their first pre-season game Sunday reminds me that until relatively recently I thought fantasy football was another name for the exhibition games. But I suppose they are more like high-powered touch football.
Anyhow, I’m being encouraged to join a fantasy football league.
As I understand it, “owners” in such a league pick players from the rosters of NFL teams and compete on the basis of how those players perform during the season.
A touchdown counts so many points, a pass reception so many, etc.
I’m told there are all sorts of leagues with all sorts of rules. Some are free with participants competing for fun; others require a fee, with participants competing for cash prizes.
The man trying to talk me into his league says you don’t have to know anything about football, much like some real-life team owners, and I might win as much as $500.
That sounds like the same line I got when first lured to a casino. “Just put your money in and see what happens,” so to speak.
He says having a fantasy team makes watching the 17 weeks of games during the season more interesting, as if I could possibly spend 17 Sunday afternoons, or nights, or Monday nights, or Thursday nights doing that.
“Why I hardly see my wife any weekend in October or November or December, with getting ready for the game, watching the game, watching other games, counting points, figuring standings, checking the waiver wire and all that,” he said.
Fantasy or not, he just got my attention.
Jim Butler, a Bolton High School alumnus, was an acclaimed writer and editor at the Alexandria Town Talk for 36 years, the last 23 (1977-2003) as editor-in-chief. He led Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of Hurricane Katrina for the Gulfport (Miss.) Sun-Herald in 2005. Butler returned home to Cenla a few years ago, and shares his talents and insight with Rapides Parish Journal readers.
By BRET H. MCCORMICK, Journal Sports
Move over, Shohei. Tyler Early’s on deck.
Tyler, an Alexandria resident, might be the best 11-year-old baseball player in the world – and he has the hardware to prove it.
The 5-foot-10, 165-pound sixth-grader at Alexandria Middle Magnet School earned the MVP award at the U-12 Baseball World Cup that concluded earlier this month in Taiwan, leading Team USA to a 7-2 overall record and the World Cup championship. Tyler was selected to the All-World Team in right field following the conclusion of the tournament.
Just like Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese sensation who plays for the Los Angeles Angels, has mesmerized Major League Baseball fans with his triple-digit fastballs and 450-foot home runs, Tyler is equally adept at throwing heaters and hitting homers.
Although he won’t turn 12 until November and was the youngest member on the team, Tyler was one of two Louisiana residents and one of five players from his travel-ball organization, the Houston-based Banditos Baseball Club, selected to the 18-player U-12 Team USA roster in Taiwan. He was a standout on the mound, at the plate and in the field for the U.S. team.
A flame-throwing, power-hitting left-hander, Tyler played right field, designated hitter and pitcher in Taiwan. He started all nine games, batting second in the lineup, and also got the call as the starting pitcher in two must-win games, including the championship game.
Before this summer, Tyler had not played much in the outfield as his primary position when he’s not on the mound is first base. However, with the depth of talent on Team USA, Tyler’s bat was needed in the lineup and his athleticism could be used in right field.
The soft-spoken Tyler, whose favorite player is New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo, said he felt confident in the outfield and that It didn’t take him long to adjust to his new position. He made several jaw-dropping defensive plays, including a diving catch as he sprinted toward the foul line in right field for the final out in a 5-1 victory over South Korea.
Tyler only played the final four outs of that game in right as he started on the mound, giving up two hits and one run with nine strikeouts before having to exit with two outs in the fourth inning after reaching the maximum 85 pitches allowed, in a game the team had to win to advance out of the opening round after an earlier loss to the Dominican Republic.
In the championship game, a 10-4 win for a second consecutive victory over host Chinese Taipei, Tyler struck out six over four innings while giving up four hits and two runs on 75 pitches. He departed with the U.S. leading 3-2 before the Americans scored seven runs in the sixth inning to lock up the victory.
Tyler’s specialty is a fastball that has topped out at 78 mph and consistently sits in the mid-70s, and he also throws a slider and a changeup.
Kenny Hudson, Tyler’s dad who has coached privately through Alexandria’s Barnes Academy and spent this past season as the pitching coach at Mississippi Valley State, said he thought Tyler being named the starting pitcher against South Korea and in the championship game was “definitely by design.”
“We had two big games that he had to start,” Hudson said.
Cole Beeker, the program director of the U-12 national team, said Tyler was “a spark plug” to the team’s lineup, produced quality outings on the mound and gave Team USA a versatile defender in the outfield.
“He was dynamic on both sides of the ball and was a huge part of our team and our success,” Beeker said.
Tyler’s favorite memory from Taiwan came in the first victory against Chinese Taipei on Aug. 5. With the score tied at 2 and two outs in the top of the fourth inning, Tyler smashed a 1-1 breaking ball over the fence in dead center for a grand slam to give Team USA a four-run lead en route to an 11-3 victory.
At first, Tyler didn’t think he had hit a home run.
“I felt like I didn’t give it enough of my power to get it out,” he admitted. “As I was rounding first base, I said, ‘Oh yeah, this has a chance.’”
While Tyler had his doubts, his dad knew it was heading over the 275-foot sign in center field as soon as the ball left the bat.
“As soon as he hit it, I felt like he had got all of it,” Hudson said.
It was a clutch moment, Hudson said, because the team found out about an hour before the game that they still had a chance to win the gold medal.
“We thought we were out of it,” he said, as the team lost 7-0 to Japan the previous game. “We thought we only had a chance for bronze.”
Tyler said he was “kinda nervous” before the championship game because there were an estimated 8,500 fans in attendance cheering for the home team, but he settled down once he actually stepped on the mound.
Tyler’s journey from Alexandria to Taiwan was a lengthy one. He was one of 36 players initially selected to try out for the U-12 team that traveled to Mexico in May for the World Cup qualifying tournament.
He was one of the 18 players to make that roster, and the U.S. went 9-0, including two one-run wins over Venezuela, to win the qualifying tournament. Tyler went 2-0 in three appearances on the mound in Mexico with a 3.60 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched. At the plate, he batted .500 while starting every game, hitting six home runs with 13 RBIs and 20 runs scored.
After that tournament, he was invited back to Cary, North Carolina, to go through another 36-player training camp. He was one of 11 players on the qualifying roster chosen to participate in the World Cup along with seven newcomers. Of the seven players on Tyler’s Houston-based travel team invited to try out, six made the roster for Mexico and five went to Taiwan.
As for what’s next for Tyler and his baseball future, Hudson said his son’s potential is “still unlimited.” He wants Tyler working to improve on the mound, at first base and at all three outfield positions.
“He can do all three at a high level,” Hudson said.
When projecting future development, Beeker said it’s important not to compare an 11-year-old to older players such as high-schoolers. However, he added, all signs indicate that Tyler has some special moments ahead of him on the diamond.
“He is a very special player and a very special human being off the field as well,” Beeker said. “If he continues the way he’s progressing as he is now, he’s got nothing but a bright future ahead of him.”
Ohtani is “changing the game” with his ability to pitch at a Cy Young level and hit at an MVP level, Hudson said, and he’s hoping that allows a new generation of players to continue chasing their dreams of being two-way stars.
Tyler will play multiple positions as long as he can, Hudson said. Where his baseball career eventually leads remains unknown, but for the time being Tyler said he will enjoy his memories from the summer of 2023 and continue playing the game he loves.
