OLATHE, Kansas – The end to the LSUA men’s basketball season was not fitting.

The Generals swept to the Red River Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships, and rode a seven-game win streak into their first-round NAIA Tournament contest against a Bethel (Indiana) team that had lost four of its last five.

But Bethel played to form, and LSUA did not. The Pilots ended LSUA’s season with an 85-67 triumph Friday evening.

The sixth-seeded Generals, finishing 24-7, were averaging 85 points per game, just like their 11^th-seeded opponent. But Bethel (20-11) pushed away by outscoring LSUA by 13 after halftime.

LSUA shot poorly, 32 percent overall and just 22 percent (6-27) on 3-pointers. The Generals faded in the second half when they connected on just 26 percent overall. Foul trouble also was a problem.

RRAC MVP Kashie Natt had his typical productive outing with 22 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals while hitting half of his 14 shots. JD Allen added 15 points and 9 rebounds while Isaiah Howard scored 11 and Jason Perry II posted 8.

But Natt, Howard and Perry all finished with four fouls and had their minutes limited by foul trouble.

Bethel opened a 13-point lead near the middle of the second half, but LSUA ran off eight unanswered points, the first six from Natt, to close within 58-53 with 9:51 to go. Bethel recovered and outscored the losers 12-5 in the next four minutes to regain control.

Bethel (20-11) was eliminated in the regional final.

By BRET H. MCCORMICK

Buckeye senior pitcher and Southeastern Louisiana softball signee Olivia Henry is putting together a strong season as she looks to guide the Lady Panthers to a third straight state championship. 

Henry tossed her third no-hitter of the season, striking out 13 batters and walking just one, in a 7-0 victory over Marksville last Wednesday as Buckeye clinched an undefeated District 2-3A championship. 

Following a 4-0 loss to Calvary Baptist on Saturday, in which she gave up just four hits and struck out 10, Henry has a 10-4 record with one save and an ERA of 1.10 with 124 strikeouts in 82 ⅔ innings pitched. 

Henry is also having a standout season at the plate with a .500 batting average, seven doubles, two triples and 16 RBIs. Fellow senior pitcher and right fielder Adysen Mitchell, who has a nine-game hitting streak, is batting .431 with 11 doubles, two triples, one home run and a team-high 26 RBIs. Freshman shortstop Rosalee Richey leads the Lady Panthers with three homers. 

Buckeye (13-6) has seven games remaining in the regular season, including a game at Menard on March 25 and a showdown at home against Tioga on April 1, as the Lady Panthers look to hold onto the top power rating and seed in the Division II Select playoffs. 

PINEVILLE’S OATES DISPLAYS POWER:  The Pineville baseball program is in the midst of a major rebuild after advancing to the state semifinals last year, but one player who hasn’t slowed down is junior catcher Wes Oates. 

After batting .275 with three home runs and 23 RBIs last season, the left-handed hitting catcher has seen his production increase greatly this season. 

Although the Rebels have lost 14 of their first 15 games, Oates has increased his batting average by almost 100 points to .367 while hitting five home runs and driving in 18 runs. Oates has two multi-homer games, against Kinder on Feb. 19 and against Winnfield last Wednesday. 

With Pineville trailing 9-7 and the bases loaded with two outs in the sixth inning, Winnfield intentionally walked Oates to bring home a run and put the tying run at third base after Oates hit a two-run homer in the first inning and a three-run homer in the third. The Rebels were unable to bring in the tying run and left the runners stranded in a 9-8 loss. 

Oates finished the game 2-for-2 with two homers, six RBIs and two walks. Nine of Oates’ 18 hits on the season have gone for extra bases. 

ASH’S LINDSEY OUTRACES BUNKIE’S JOHNSON: Alexandria Senior High running back JT Lindsey and Bunkie receiver/cornerback Kyle Johnson, the top two football prospects in Central Louisiana’s Class of 2025 and perhaps the two fastest players in the area, faced off against each other at ASH’s Trojan Relays on Thursday. 

Lindsey pulled away down the backstretch to finish first in the 200 meters in 22.44 seconds, while Johnson, who led coming out of the turn, finished second in 22.70 seconds. 

Lindsey ran a leg on all three of ASH’s sprint relays, while Johnson finished third in the 100 meters and anchored Bunkie’s 400- and 800-meter relay teams, so the 200 meters was the only race the two sprinters squared off head to head. 

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Lindsey is rated as a four-star football prospect by the recruiting website On3.com, which ranks him as the No. 5 player in Louisiana, No. 11 running back nationally and No. 143 overall prospect in the country. 

Lindsey currently claims 14 scholarship offers, including Power-4 programs Cal, Houston, Mississippi State, Pitt and Vanderbilt. He recently visited LSU for its Junior Day and has official visits planned for Pitt and Houston in June. 

The 5-11, 160-pound Johnson is rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals.com and also claims 14 scholarship offers, including Power-4 programs Baylor, Houston, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt. Johnson also recently visited LSU for its Junior Day. 

ASH SWEEPS TROJAN RELAYS: ASH claimed both team titles at the Trojan Relays with the Lady Trojans scoring 234 points, more than three times as many as runner-up Menard (69 points). The Trojans were in a much closer battle, compiling 188.5 points to defeat runner-up Tioga by 16.5 points.  

The meet saw nine victories classified as “elite performances” by the U.S. MileSplit standard. 

Menard junior A’Shyria Burns turned in four first-place finishes and three elite performances. Burns won the girls 100 (12.20), 100 hurdles (14.58), triple jump (38-0) and long jump (17-5.5). Her teammate, junior Cami Harrison, won the pole vault by clearing a height of 10-6. 

Bunkie junior Kaylen Rabalais won the girls javelin with a throw of 133-10, and ASH’s 400-meter relay team finished first in 47.80. 

ASH’s boys 400 and 800 relay teams turned in elite performances with times of 42.12 and 1:28.95, while ASH junior Marquis Butler won the triple jump with a leap of 45-2. 

ASH senior Hunter Rivet broke his own school record in the discus with a throw of 169-8, while Bunkie senior Huxley Pias set a personal record with a javelin throw of 181-4.

The top four finishers in the boys 100 meters were separated by just three-hundredths of a second. ASH senior Jaylin Johnson (11.33) edged out his younger brother, junior Jordyn Johnson (11.34), and Grant junior TJ Young (11.36) in a photo finish in the first heat, while Bunkie’s Johnson (11.35) won the third heat but finished third overall. 

By JOHN MARCASE

Mike Byrnes wasn’t looking for a job. He had a pretty good one as director of Sports Medicine at Mid-State Orthopedics in Alexandria. 

But Louisiana College needed a baseball coach. More importantly, its baseball program needed direction. The years following Billy Allgood’s retirement were difficult, and then-LC athletics director Shelia Johnson turned to Byrnes, an LC alum and former player under Allgood.

“I told Shelia Johnson I’d give her two years to help straighten out the program,” said Byrnes. “God works in strange ways.”

As is always the case, God’s plans are better than our plans. 

Saturday, Byrnes won his 500th game as head baseball coach at Louisiana College, now known as Louisiana Christian University, with a 19-1 win over Texas College as the Wildcats improved to 20-5 overall and 17-3 in Red River Athletic Conference play. 

His 500 collegiate baseball victories are the most among active coaches in Louisiana.

In May, he will start his 25th year at the school.

“It’s been a privilege working with so many great young men,” said Byrnes. “That’s been a highlight – all the young men who have played here. And all my assistant coaches have been ex-players.”

One of his former assistants was his son, Matt Joe Byrnes, whom he coached from 2002-2006. Matt Joe was a three-time all-conference play who left LC with three school records — most stolen bases in a season and career and most times hit by a pitch. He is a member of the LCU sports hall of fame and is now director of secondary education for Rapides Parish Schools.  

“That has been one of the highlights in my coaching career, getting to coach him,” said Byrnes. 

Byrnes was a successful high school coach, winning state championships in baseball (2) and powerlifting at Tioga, and district titles as the Indians’ football coach before he left coaching for what he thought was for good. 

During his 24 years with the Wildcats, he has led efforts to revamp Billy Allgood Field into one of the better facilities in NAIA. He has seen the Wildcats go from the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association to NCAA Division III status and finally back to the NAIA.

The move to the NAIA has allowed Byrnes to build an even stronger program by offering athletic scholarships. The Wildcats have averaged 31 wins over the past four complete seasons, including 36 a season ago.

“You win championships with pitching,” said Byrnes. “Now, we are able to recruit a wider array of pitchers than ever before. This is as nice a group of pitchers as we’ve ever had.”

More than 40 of his former players at LCU have gone into coaching, including first-year Northwestern State baseball coach Chris Bertrand, whose Demons will host LCU March 26.

Before that, Byrnes’ next milestone awaits.

“I’m ready to go and get 501,” he said.  

The Wildcats have a pair of JV games Monday and Tuesday before returning to conference play Friday at Our Lady of the Lake. LCU is one game out of first place behind LSU Shreveport, and will host the third-ranked Pilots April 5-6.

“I’m gonna try to continue to ride this good horse as long as the good Lord is willing,” said Byrnes. 

TODAY’S GAMES

Peabody at Avoyelles
Midland at Glenmora
Pickering at Plainview
Rapides at Northwood-Lena
Oak Hill at Fairview
Georgetown at Grace Christian

Softball standings

Today’s games

Peabody at Southern Lab
Glenmora at Plainview
Iota at Menard
Alexandria Country Day at Berchmans Academy

Standings

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

March 14

Ellen Pfeffer, 33, Douglasville, PA — aggravated assault, $500 bail;

Erica Terrell, 25, Boyce — aggravated assault 6 counts, aggravated criminal damage, reckless operation — $2,100 bail;

William Tyson Jr., 46, Woodworth — aggravated battery of ER, EMS or healthcare professional, assault, resisting, domestic abuse battery, cruelty to the infirm, $16,500 bail;

This date: 18 total arrests, including 11 with one or more contempt charges.

March 15

Fredrick Bray, 44, Pineville — 1st degree rape, aggravated resisting arrest with force or violence, $26,500 bail;

Truvonne Dwellingham, 31, Alexandria — flight, suspension/revocation, expired plate/registration, contempt, $3,700;

Bradley Stewart, 32, Pineville — aggravated battery 2nd degree, no bail set. 

This date: 14 total arrests, including 8 with one or more contempt charges.

March 16

Alvin Chenevert, 30, Alexandria — aggravated domestic abuse battery with child present, no bail set;

Jason Daigrepont, 58, Pollock — criminal trespass, theft, contempt 3counts, $5,000 bail. 

This date: 17 total arrests, including 6 with one or more contempt charges. 

March 14

Craig Brown, 27, Alexandria — possession with intent, no driver’s license, improper lane use, $500,100 bail.

March 15

Shini Jones, 33, Alexandria — possession, suspension/revocation, multi-beam lighting improper, $1,200 bail;

Dwight Pole, 67, Boyce — possession, paraphernalia, obstruction tampering with evidence, intentional littering, $3,500 bail;

Jerry Sheppard, 33, Colfax — possession, unauthorized entry inhabited dwelling, contempt, $6,000 bail;

Sedrick Wells, 29, Alexandria — possession, illegal possession stolen things, contempt 2 counts, $6,500 bail.

March 16

Trinity Jefferson, 50, Alexandria — possession, parole violations, fugitive, $2,500 bail; 

Latasha Williams, 48, Alexandria — possession, $2,500. 

By JIM BUTLER

The new fee schedule at Pineville’s new animal control facility is in effect.

The City Council adopted the revised rates presence in October with a March 1 implementation date.

The shelter moved into its new quarters on the Monroe highway at the Buhlow Lake “y” in January. Many know the site as the long-time location of the Dr. Johnny Jones veterinary clinic.

The fee for adopting dogs or cats previously spayed/neutered is $10.

Otherwise fees are:

Female dogs $116; male dogs $108;

Female cats. $103; male cats $93.

According to the schedule, microchips are implanted with adoption at no charge to the new owner.

As a service to other dog and cat owners the fee is $15.

Owner recovery fees for animals picked up in the street by an animal control officer are:

1st time – $10, plus $6 each day housed; 2nd time – $25, plus $6 daily fee; 3rd time – forget it, animal confiscated and effort begins to find it a new home.

The facility, at capacity as the seasons change, held an adoption day Saturday and will schedule another soon.

More information: 318-449-5674.

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

March 13

Reagan Boone, 64, Pineville — firearm possession by convicted felon, $50,000 bail.

Jason Mercer, Louisiana Christian University’s coordinator of distance education, has been elected to serve as the post-secondary member at large representative for the 2024-25 academic year for the Louisiana Association of Business Educators. 

The 2024 annual conference was hosted at LCU’s Granberry Conference Center on March 1 with presenters from Empowered, a support network for educators. Empowered demonstrated how teachers could enhance their instruction by implementing Empowered’s learning strategy: Principles + Markets = Mindset (PMM) and how to access their library of activities and resources. 

This year, the members of LABE recognized Mercer’s accomplishments as the coordinator of Distance Education at LCU’s Center for Online Innovation and Development for its partnership with LCU’s Ray and Dorothy Young School of Business, Technology and Design,  awarding him the 2023 Administrator of the Year. 

“It is a privilege to grow and serve in an organization that has provided me with so many opportunities over the years and to help support the next generation of business educators,” Mercer said. 

Over the past several years, the COID staff has partnered with the business faculty and adjuncts to develop the undergraduate certificate in project management, Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, Master of Business Administration, Master of Strategic Leadership, and 3 graduate certificates. 

And Mercer never stops learning himself.

“I’m also currently working toward completing my business coursework to earn the PMI certified associate in project management (CAPM) and will begin working on my Master of Strategic Leadership this fall at Louisiana Christian University,” he said. “As an adult educator, I firmly believe that our journey of growth, learning and giving should never cease. That is why I’m so honored to be a part of LCU’s vision of ‘Preparing Graduates, Transforming Lives’ through the work we do each day in the Center for Online Innovation & Development.”

Mercer, who began his career in education as a biology teacher before accepting a position at Atlanta High School, a rural K-12 school in Winn Parish, teaching business computer applications and serving as the technology coordinator for the campus., has been a member of LABE since 2015. 

Through Mercer’s networking with LABE members, he was also appointed as the International Society of Business Educators U.S. Southern Region representative.

Mitzi Fontenot, current president of LABE, said Mercer is the reason she got involved with LABE and currently serves on the board.

“He has always been willing to present at our conferences and share his knowledge – sometimes even if it’s last minute he will work to get something done for our business educators,” said Fontenot, a business educator at Pine Prairie High School. “He has served and has been added once again this year to our board and desires to serve business educators and business students!  He is a definite asset to Louisiana Business Education.”

Moving from the science to the business classroom was a relatively smooth transition, as Mercer had 15 years of retail management experience that he applied with his previous knowledge of computer applications and technology, and pedagogical training he received in his teacher certification program. 

“A passage of scripture that has been very important in my professional career is Proverbs 27:17, ‘Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend,’” Mercer said. “I was working in a small rural school as the only business and technology teacher, and LABE provided me the network to introduce me to the resources I needed to help my students become competitive in high school competitions, gain valuable job skills, and earn industry certifications.” 

He said it was fellow LABE member Becky Draughn, from Annacoco High School, who told him about a workshop on a new entrepreneurship curriculum. 

“I attended this conference and met my future mentor, David Lefkowith, assistant superintendent of the Louisiana Department of Education,” Mercer said. “God placed people in my life to help me achieve things I never dreamed would happen when I took a position in the smallest K-12 school in our district, in a community without a gas station or even a caution light.” 

By JIM BUTLER

Coincidental timing has two events of importance to Alexandria government watchers occurring as this week ends.

Under terms of the city charter, today, March 15, is deadline for the administration submitting its proposed budget for the next fiscal year to the City Council.

How it compares to the current-year budget will reflect the administration’s estimates of revenue and expense changes as well as outline Mayor Jacques Roy’s vision for the city.

To read the plan you’ll most likely have to go to City Hall. The city, like most local governments, doesn’t post current or proposed budgets on its web site and is not required to do so.

The other event this weekend is arrival Sunday of the deadline for Roy recall organizers to reach the 6,300 certified signatures to force a vote.

Project Enough organizers filed their petition with the Secretary of State’s office Sept. 17. By law, they have six months to garner the necessary support to force a referendum on recalling Roy and council members Jim Villard and Lee Rubin.

Given that the 17th is a Sunday it is likely the official deadline will not occur until Monday.

The organizers, who have not issued any recent updates on the campaign progress, cited utilities and law enforcement issues among the complaints.

Coach Curtis talks about his decision to leave Natchitoches Central after just one year and that his reasons for leaving were personal in nature.

By DOUG IRELAND

OLATHE, Kan. – The LSUA men’s basketball team is on a roll entering the NAIA Men’s Basketball Championships, beginning tonight.

Their opponent, Bethel (Indiana), is not.

But the Pilots (19-10), losers of four of their last five games, have a credential the Generals (24-6) crave. Bethel was nationally ranked last month, and owns a win over then No. 6-ranked Georgetown (Ky.).  LSUA sits just outside the final NAIA Top 25 poll, receiving 58 points in voting to rank tops among the others receiving votes.

The Generals, champions of the Red River Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament, are seeded sixth in the Cramer Quadrant of the NAIA Tournament. They will face No. 11 Bethel at 6 p.m. tonight.

The winner will play either No. 3-seeded MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) or 14^th-seeded Central (Ark.) Baptist in the regional final Saturday evening at 6. MidAmerica Nazarene is ranked 10^th nationally with a 24-4 record.

No. 2 seed Oklahoma Wesleyan and No. 7 seed Hastings (Neb.) are the top seeds in the Wichita regional that feeds its winner against the Olathe survivor in the quandrant semifinal the following week.

Tonight’s game should be fast-paced. Both teams average 85 points per game. LSUA shoots a solid 48 percent but Bethel is even better at 51 percent as a team.

The Generals’ first-year coach, Dimaro Jackson, was the RRAC Coach of the Year after moving up from Port Allen High School last year. Junior guard Kashie Natt won RRAC Player of the Year honors by averaging 17.3 points, second in the conference, and leading the league with a 10.2 rebounding rate.

Senior guard JD Allen led the RRAC with an 18.1 scoring average, and grabbed 6.6 rebounds per game, earning first-team all-conference honors. Alexandria junior Jason Perry II scored 11.3 per game and was a second-team All-RRAC pick. Isaiah Howard was the co-Freshman of the Year in the conference.

The Pilots are led by former Incarnate Word three-year starter Drew Lutz, a 6-1 senior guard who is second nationally with a 24.6 scoring rate. He has made 165 free throws, sinking 86 percent.  He leads four teammates with double-figure scoring averages.

Bethel has only one win since mid-February. LSUA has won its last seven. The Pilots have a 12-5 record away from The Fort, their homecourt.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announces that, weather permitting, work to repair the three (3) existing bridges over the Calcasieu River on LA 121 near Hineston will begin on Monday, March 25, 2024. These repairs are necessary to keep the existing bridges in service until the new bridges are completed. This will require the roadway to be closed to all traffic. The duration of this closure is expected to be three (3) weeks.

Permit/Detour Section
The contractor will begin repairs on Monday, March 25, 2024.
Westbound traffic will be detoured to LA 465, to LA 489, and back to LA 121.
Eastbound traffic will be detoured to LA 489, to LA 465, and back to LA 121.

Safety Reminder
All construction activity is weather dependent and may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. DOTD appreciates the motoring public’s patience and reminds drivers to please exercise caution when traveling through work zone areas and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment.

Additional Information
Motorists can access the latest updates on real-time traffic and road conditions using the 511 Traveler Information System by dialing 511 from their telephone and saying the route or region on which they are seeking information. Out-of-state travelers can call 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511). Travelers can also access this information by visiting the 511 Traveler Information Web site at http://www.511la.org. Additionally, you can follow the Traffic Management Center on Twitter: (@Alex Traffic). Motorists may also monitor the LA DOTD website @ http://www.dotd.la.gov and the DOTD Facebook page.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), advises the public that the Jackson Street Bridge over the Red River will be closed on Monday, March 18th and Tuesday, March 19, 2024 due to general maintenance repairs.

Permit/Detour Section
Traffic will be detoured via I-49 and US 167 (Purple Heart Memorial Bridge).

Safety Reminder
DOTD appreciates your patience and reminds you to please drive with caution around the construction sites and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment.

Additional Information
Motorists can access the latest updates on real-time traffic and road conditions using the 511 Traveler Information System by dialing 511 from their telephone and saying the route or region on which they are seeking information. Out-of-state travelers can call 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511). Travelers can also access this information by visiting the 511 Traveler Information Web site at http://www.511la.org. Additionally, you can follow the Traffic Management Center on Twitter: (@Alex Traffic). Motorists may also monitor the LA DOTD website @ http://www.dotd.la.gov and the DOTD Facebook page.

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

March 7

Steven Ray, 47, Alexandria — DWI 2nd, open container, no head light, 8 pm, $1,955 bail;

Piper Smith, 50, Alexandria — OWI 1st, 12:23 pm, $1,000 bail.

March 8

Jerry Duffey, 51, Alexandria — OWI 2nd, felony flight, speeding, littering, restricted driver’s license, improper lane use, no head light, open container, 10:11 pm, $2,500 bail.

March 9

Landon Fontenot, 25, Ville Platte — OWI 1st, improper lane use, safety belt violation, 1:17 am, $1,200 bail;

Kaden Jones, 19, Deville — OWI underage, 1:22 am, $1,000 bail.

March 10

Trenton Marler, 43, Sieper — OWI 1st, open container, 7:14 pm, $1,100 bail;

Kari Nalley, 39, Farmerville — OWI 3rd, open container, 1:17 am, $50,100 bail.

March 13

Nicholas Hammond, 44, Pineville — DWI 1st, careless operation, 9:49 am, $1,100 bail. 

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

March 13

Gabriel Leer, 18, Pineville — purchase/possession of alcohol by minor, resisting, battery on officer, contributing to delinquency, $2,500 bail;

Winnie Lott, 48, Alexandria — aggravated battery, contempt 4 counts, $13,000 bail;

Ericka Thompson, 27, Alexandria — aggravated burglary, contempt 4 counts, $16,500 bail.