By BRET H. MCCORMICK, Journal Sports
Football teams in Rapides Parish are winding down spring practice and gearing up for spring games this week.
Alexandria Senior High held an offense-vs.-defense intrasquad scrimmage last Friday evening and has three practices remaining this week before traveling to face Northwood-Shreveport on Thursday.
The Trojans, led by LSU commitment JT Lindsey at running back, are looking for a new quarterback following the graduation of Ty Feaster. Sophomores Karsen Sellers and Max Gassiott are competing for the starting position.
There are a number of questions being answered this spring as the Trojans look to replace six starters on offense as well as four All-Parish defenders and three starters in the secondary.
Peabody is scheduled to host Avoyelles at 6 p.m. Wednesday for its spring game, Pineville will play Winnfield at 6 p.m. Thursday at D.C. “Bill” Bates Stadium and Menard will host Marksville at 6 p.m. on Friday.
Tioga, Buckeye, Bolton and Northwood-Lena elected to take an extra week of practice in the fall in lieu of spring practice.
ASH’S SCOTT SIGNS WITH LCU: Former ASH standout wide receiver EJ Scott signed last week to continue his football career at Louisiana Christian, reuniting with his former offensive coordinator Ben McLaughlin, the Wildcats’ new head coach.
The 5-foot-8, 155-pound Scott was a first-team all-district selection and RPJ All-Parish selection as a senior after leading the Trojans with 50 receptions for 697 yards and nine touchdowns as they advanced to the Division I Select quarterfinals.
Scott said he had other opportunities but didn’t feel comfortable going far away from home, and he felt like McLaughlin, who was ASH’s offensive coordinator in 2022 before spending the past two years as Buckeye’s coach, would give him a “fair shot” at playing time with the Wildcats.
“All my life I’ve been overlooked, but I like proving people wrong,” Scott said in a university release. “I’m not the biggest nor the tallest kid, but I am going to outwork everybody.”
LHSAA SEASONS COMPLETE: With the conclusion of the state baseball tournament in Sulphur this past weekend, the 2023-24 LHSAA sports seasons have officially ended.
Rapides Parish did not bring home a state baseball title as Menard, Grace Christian and Rapides all fell in the semifinals. However, the parish did see five state champions crowned throughout the year.
Peabody won the Division II Select boys basketball title, while Menard’s girls won both the Division II indoor track and field and Class 2A outdoor track and field championships.
Tioga added the Class 4A boys outdoor track title, and Grace Christian closed the year with the Division V Select softball championship, its first state softball title in school history.
BASKETBALL COACH UPDATES: Northwood-Lena is looking for a new girls basketball coach after LaShanda Cooper accepted the girls basketball coaching job at Class 5A Ruston.
Cooper led the Lady Gators to state championships in 2022 and 2023, the first two state titles in school history, as well as runner-up finishes in 2021 and 2024.
Northwood will have two new basketball coaches next year as Hakeem “Doc” Welch will lead the boys program after Alan Tinsley announced his retirement.
Welch played for Tinsley at both Tioga and ASH before playing collegiately at Louisiana College. He previously was the boys head coach at Grant High School before serving as Tinsley’s assistant this past season at Northwood.
Tioga hired former Pineville Junior High girls coach Jarrod Jackson as its new girls basketball coach, replacing the retired Debbie Johnson. Johnson led the Lady Indians to the most wins in school history and their first playoff win since 2006 on her way to being named the RPJ’s 2023-24 Coach of the Year.
Bolton announced Aaron Bullock, a former assistant at Buckeye, as its new boys basketball coach. Bullock becomes the latest new coach at Bolton, joining football coach Cody Corley and track coach/athletic director Ron Heard.