By BRET H. MCCORMICK, Journal Sports

The Dixie Dynasty rolls on. 

Alexandria Dixie Girls Softball finished with a 4-0 record, winning two games on Sunday and two more on Monday, to claim the Dixie Debs World Series championship held at Alexandria’s Johnny Downs Sports Complex. 

It was the third straight year the Alexandria Debs won the World Series as the host team. They also won the 2021 title in Ruston and three titles in four years from 2013 to 2016, giving them seven championships in the past 12 years in Dixie Softball’s oldest age group. 

“Man, I love it. Every time I do it, it’s exciting,” said Alexandria manager Charles Kelone, who has been a part of all seven of those World Series titles. 

Alexandria rode the arms of two of the parish’s top pitchers, Kaylee Methvin and Rylee Guillot, to dominate the competition. They outscored their opponents 40-4 during the seven-team tournament, which began on Saturday and finished shortly before midnight Monday night. 

Alexandria defeated Virginia 11-1 to open the tournament Sunday morning after receiving a first-round bye, then beat North Carolina 10-0 Sunday night behind a strong pitching performance from Guillot, a rising senior at Grace Christian who also demolished a two-run home run in the game. 

Methvin, a junior-to-be at Holy Savior Menard, tossed a complete-game shutout in an 8-0 win over Alabama Monday night that featured a lengthy rain delay, and the Alexandria Debs closed out the championship with an 11-3 win over North Carolina. 

Methvin, who pitched 13 of the team’s 26 innings in the tournament, threw 10 innings on Monday as she pitched three innings in relief of Guillot to finish off the tournament. 

The 12-player team was made up of girls from five local high schools, including five from Grace Christian’s state championship team. Oak Hill featured three players, while two were from Alexandria Senior High and one each from Menard and Pineville. 

This Alexandria Debs team was extremely young, with only one returnee from last year’s championship team along with a single high-school graduate (Ava Guillot from Grace Christian) and a player who has yet to start high school (Makala White, also from Grace). 

While the Alexandria Debs’ stellar pitching separated them from the rest of the competition, they also got clutch hitting throughout the lineup and some stellar defensive plays as well. Anniston Fairbanks, who will start her junior year at ASH in just over two weeks, made a diving catch in right field for the game’s final out. 

Cassi Lacaze, the only returner from last year’s championship team who will be a senior at Oak Hill this fall, said she was a newcomer on last year’s Debs team and was happy to be back on the field with girls she’s played with most of her life. 

“I feel like I’ve grown up with this group,” said Lacaze, who plays second base. “Last year I had to get used to all the girls because they were so much older than me. I was the youngest one on the team, and it was really hard to fit in. But these are the girls I’ve played with my whole life, so it was really easy to get back in the groove with them.”

“Most of us grew up together,” Methvin said of the team’s chemistry. “We all obviously go to different schools, but we’ve all been playing together since T-ball and coach pitch. It was easy for us to bond and understand each other on the field.”

Lacaze was the only player on the team who had won a World Series previously as this group had fallen short in younger age groups. She praised the performances of Methvin and Guillot, saying “they held up to the pressure” of pitching in the World Series. 

“It definitely feels good because I know I’ve been waiting forever,” Methvin said. “Every single year we always get right to the championship or the game before the championship and we lose, so it feels good to finally get it.”

Kelone said each of the teams he’s coached to World Series titles is unique, but this one stood out because of its youth and hunger to finally win a title after coming up short previously.

“They really stuck together the whole time,” Kelone said. “They had two good pitchers who really stepped up. We had a lot of young players, but they played together and they listened to what you tell them.”

NATCHITOCHES — Opelousas native Jimmy Genovese strode into his first public function Tuesday as Northwestern State’s 21^st president to the groove of his beloved zydeco music.

The soundtrack quickly shifted to the Demon Fight Song as Genovese and his wife Martha, and three of their five daughters, made their way to front-row seats at his welcome reception and introduction on campus.

Genovese further amped up the energy level of an overflow audience at the Friedman Student Union with his passionate remarks reflecting on his joy at taking the helm at his alma mater, and expressed determination to revitalize his alma mater.

He also unabashedly asked for the audience’s buy-in.

“It’s overwhelming. I want to thank each and every one of you for being here because I need you and you are part of the overall plan,” he said. “I have a lot of institutional knowledge, having served on the Supreme Court for eight years and having handled 200 employees, 19,000 lawyers, 372 judges and a budget of $208 million.”

He recognized his wife Martha and their daughters Stephanie, Adrienne and Sarah, who were in the audience.  Daughters Celeste and Elizabeth were too far away (vacationing on the Gulf Coast, and living in Denmark) to attend.

“Having five daughters and lived through that, I think I can take on this job,” he said. 

He also thanked outgoing president Dr. Marcus Jones for his service to the university and assistance in the transition of office.

“I commend him for what he has done. His heart and soul are with Northwestern, and he has now levitated into a position in the UL System, but he has been there for me and I speak with him on a regular basis.”

Natchitoches Parish District Attorney Billy Joe Harrington, president of the state DA’s association and an NSU alum who has tried cases in front of the new president, said Genovese has a reputation for treating people with dignity and respect and will bring experience, leadership and energy to his new role.

“If you watch President Genovese, he is exhilarating, he is exciting, he is full of energy and that is going to translate into Northwestern, into all of us. That will translate into getting more students here and benefit our town,” Harrington said. “President Genovese has so many layers of experience, leadership, administrative leadership and those layers are going to be wonderful for Northwestern.”

Earlier in the morning, Genovese met with students who provided a lively welcome, introduced themselves and showcased campus life. During the program, student leaders and student-athletes presented gifts to the new first couple, including a Demon fan starter pack, and offered encouragement and insight.

“How invigorating it is to be with the students and see their joy and their excitement,” Genovese said. “It brings back memories and I emphasize how they are the lifeblood of this institution.”  

The new president noted there are abundant points of pride at NSU and said he will focus on increasing enrollment and addressing inadequate financing.

“We’ve got great programs, and I want to get out and I want to sell it,” Genovese said. “My vision is to reinvigorate and rejuvenate Northwestern and bring it back to the prominence that it once had and certainly deserves today.”

Genovese was named as the incoming president last Thursday by the University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors, and will officially assume office Aug. 5 as the university approaches its 140th academic year.

He is a lifelong resident of Opelousas and a 1971 graduate of NSU who went on to earn a law degree from Loyola University in 1974.  As an undergraduate, Genovese was a four-year letterman in tennis.

He was named to Who’s Who Among Universities and Colleges, Who’s Who Among Greek Fraternities and Sororities of America and Outstanding College Athletes of America. He was also president of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity and was president of the Interfraternity Council, while also being a Student Government Association senator and participating in intramurals.

In his brief remarks during Tuesday’s introduction, he fondly recalled camping trips to nearby Kisatchie National Forest and to area waterways to fish. He now has a camp on nearby Toledo Bend Lake.

Genovese was inducted into the Long Purple Line, NSU’s alumni hall of distinction, in 2018. 

Mrs. Genevese, the former Martha Anne Janes, also attended Northwestern as a nursing major, but chose a military career and retired as a staff sergeant in the Air Force. In addition to five daughters, they have four grandchildren and one great-grandson.

George Carlin once made this comment on why he had such a congenital distrust of religious neophytes who claim to be “born again.” “They talk too much, pure and simple! When I was born, I was so stunned that I couldn’t speak for two years! If someone has a religious experience and shuts up for a couple of years, I will take them seriously.” Carlin had nothing nice to say about organized religion, but in this regard, he points out a spiritual truth.

Wonder and awe stun and mute our spontaneous energies. They paralyze us so that we become reflective by conscription. 

Amazement does the opposite. Amazement opens up the conduit to our emotions and usually to our mouths. When your friend starts, “we had the most amazing vacation.” Don’t you catch your breath because you are about to be assaulted with a verbal travel journal? Of course, to go with the narration, pictures will be thrust upon you. Wonder and awe are spiritual and deep, amazement is visceral and shallow.

I take you to the Christmas stories in Luke. There are angels busy giving birth announcements. Zechariah the old man gets one and he is amazed. Zechariah, knowing about biological impossibilities voices proper questions, and Gabriel, seemingly unhappy with his questions, mutes him for nine months. So, Zechariah was amazed, and he spoke. Albeit, he spoke “out of school.”

A short time later, the same angel goes to the virgin Mary, with her birth announcement. She certainly knows about biological impossibilities, but she says nothing. She ponders the angel’s words in her heart. She is filled with wonder and awe by this news. Her wonder and awe kept her silent.

Wonder and awe are the biblical antithesis to amazement.

It is the difference between taking your breath away and taking your words away.

Are wonder and awe a part of your daily experience? When you listen to the voice of creation as the sun is setting? When do you hear divine music? When are you touched by the love of another? Are there moments that are so divine for you, that you can’t speak? 

Where do you find wonder and awe? What takes your words away?

Doug de Graffenried is Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church in Ruston. You can contact Doug at dougsponderings@gmail.com

Arrests are accusations not convictions.

July 20

Robin Barber, 51, Deville — OWI 1st, improper driving on left, 9:56 pm, $1.100 bail.

July 21

Donald Byrd, 21, Lecompte — OWI 1st, improper lane use, open container, 12:59 am, $1,200 bail.

July 22

Darius Johnson, 23, Alexandria — OWI 1st, 9:14 pm, $1,000 bail. 

Arrests are accusations not convictions. 

July 22

Kejuan Davis, 18, Alexandria — theft of motor vehicle 3 counts, resisting, $3,500 bail;

Richard Deal Jr., 59, Lecompte — criminal conspiracy, theft, $7,500 bail;

Rodney Rogers, 36, Alexandria — aggravated assault, resisting, $500 bail;

Javon Sanders, 20, Alexandria — flight, resisting, no headlight, $5,600 bail. 

This date: 13 arrests, 8 including one or more contempt counts. 

Arrests are accusations not convictions.

July 22

Burt Ryder, 46, Alexandria — possession, paraphernalia, contempt 2 counts, $4,000 bail.

The Rapides Parish Journal and Hahn Roofing are giving away tickets to the Mud Racing Nationals, and the final winner was Eleanor Moore.

If you see Eleanor, please tell her congratulations!

Thank you to all who participated in our ticket giveaway!

Notices of the quadrennial millage game have been posted by taxing bodies in the parish.

Public hearings usually sparsely attended are required before officials decide whether rolling forward is to be or not to be.

Traditionally answering the question is not near as difficult as it was for that Danish fellow.

Every four years property is reassessed and new values established.

As part of the process assessors “roll back” millage rates to a level producing no less or no more than the same amount of tax revenue as the previous year; conversely if assessed values decrease assessors adjust millage upwards to accomplish the same goal.

Roll back lowers the tax rate yet allows agencies the income benefit of increased property values.

The state constitution guarantees no agency receives less property tax revenue than before reassessment.

It also provides the right to roll forward to a taxing level no higher than the previous year.

A hearing is required, as is adequate pubic notice, before a super majority of the agency involved can roll forward up to that maximum. In the case of single-official agencies, it’s one person’s call.

Hearing notices are supposed to include anticipated property tax revenue in the coming year and how much of that would be from the roll forward.

Two views are in play for the bodies comprised mostly of professed fiscal conservatives: the roll forward rate is a previously approved level of taxation and enables budgets to keep pace with the times, or it is taxation without approval because it requires no ballot box approval.

Another way of looking at it — rolling forward provides both benefits from normal economic growth as well as reassessment.

Having the cake and eating it too prevails in most instances.

The Mount Rushmore of baseball players from Alexandria might well be Juan Pierre, Russ Springer, Warren Morris and Terry Mathews, but there’s a former major league pitcher with a connection to Alexandria who had a Mt. Rushmore-type pitching performance 79 years ago. Almost to the day.

It was July 21, 1945, and Les Mueller, the uncle of Alexandria’s late, great “Mr. Baseball,” Jodie White, pitched 19 2/3 innings for the Detroit Tigers in a marathon 24-inning contest at Philadelphia’s Shibe Park. The day game, which started at 3 p.m., ended in a 1-1 tie and was called because of “darkness” even though it was just 8 p.m. on a steamy summer evening.

A story clipped from the Detroit Evening Times reported the “bespectacled” pitcher came within one-third of an inning reaching the team record for longest game by a Tigers pitcher. The Detroit record had been set by George Uhle, who worked 20 innings against the Chicago White Sox in 1929.

And here’s the kicker: the Chicago pitcher in that game, a future Baseball Hall of Famer,  was Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer Ted Lyons of Lake Charles, who pitched 21 innings in a 6-5 loss to the Tigers. As incredible as that seems to most of us now, it wasn’t unprecedented back then. Uhle and Lyons then became the 10th pair of pitchers in baseball history to throw at least 20 innings in a game and only the fourth since the live-ball era began in 1920.

Mueller, who pitched for the Class D Alexandria Aces of the Evangeline League in 1938, married Jodie White’s aunt, Peggy Brodnax of Alexandria, and helped the Tigers win the World Series in 1945. He split time in his retirement years between his native town of Belleville and the Alexandria area.

Back to Alexandria’s Mt. Rushmore of baseball, Pierre and Springer are well-known for their accomplishments and are in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Morris is known across the land and even the globe for his game-winning, bottom-of-the-ninth home run to win the 1996 College World Series for LSU, and he was third in the National League Rookie-of-the-Year balloting in 1999 for the Pittsburgh Pirates. And Mathews, a product of Holy Savior Menard High School and UL-Monroe (formerly Northeast Louisiana University) compiled a career 22-21 MLB record with 300 strikeouts and a 4.25 ERA. He pitched for four different teams from 1991-99 and competed in the playoffs with the Baltimore Orioles in ’96 and ’97.

Although nobody from Alexandria is in the majors now, the roll call of those who have worked in the big leagues is impressive. Aside from those already mentioned, guys who are either natives of Alexandria or who have lived in Alexandria or central Louisiana and played in the big leagues include: pitcher Jim Willis (1953-54), pitcher Jesse “Red” Hickman (1965-66), pitcher Al “I.E.” Schroll (1958-61), pitcher Kevin McGehee (1993), infielder Pat Listach (1992-97) and pitcher Greg Smith (2008-10).

We can sort of cheat in claiming Baseball Hall of Famer Lee Smith since the seven-time All-Star from Bienville Parish has a central Louisiana connection through his collegiate experience at Northwestern State University as a basketball player. He was already a minor league baseballer, discovered pitching for Castor High School by legendary scout, coach and baseball ambassador Buck O’Neil.

According to the Baseball Almanac, major leaguers from this area who were born in Louisiana but didn’t spend a lot of time here include the likes of Norm Charlton, who had a reputable career from 1988-01, having been born at Fort Polk (currently Fort Johnson) and Alexandria natives and pitchers Jay Aldrich (1987-90) and Ken Tatum (1969-74).

Kind of amazing how many of those mentioned were pitchers.

Back to the marathon game Mueller is known for, umpire crew chief Bill Summers halted play 4 hours and 48 minutes after the start of the game as deep shadows engulfed the field. Although lights had been installed at Shibe Park in 1938, according to the rules of the day, no day game could be continued under the lights. Although the game ended as a 1-1 tie, the fans certainly got their money’s worth and true to baseball traditions, they rose and stretched at the 7th, 14th and 21st innings.    

NATCHITOCHES – Whether online or in person,  anyone can watch this morning at 11 as Northwestern State University introduces James T. “Jimmy” Genovese as the university’s 21st president. 

The welcome event is open to the public and will be in the Sylvan Friedman Student Union Ballroom in the center of the campus. It will be streamed live on the university’s official website, www.nsula.edu, and also on the Facebook/NorthwesternStateUniversity page, and archived at both locations.

Genovese, who has served as an associate justice on the Louisiana Supreme Court, was named the university’s president-elect last Thursday in Baton Rouge by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors in a unanimous vote.

Today’s program will include recognition of local and regional elected officials, figures from Genovese’s personal life, special presentations to the newly-elected president and comments from Genovese.  Following the program and media interviews, Genovese will be available to greet those attending the introduction.

The 1971 Northwestern graduate, an Opelousas resident, will officially take over Aug. 5, officials said.

Northwestern operates two central Louisiana campuses, at England Air Park in Alexandria and in Leesville at Fort Johnson, along with a nursing school in Shreveport and the main campus in Natchitoches.

By Brad Dison

Guess who’s turning 100 this fall?

Tiger Stadium.

That’s me. Betcha didn’t know I could talk, did you?

I’m pretty chatty on a football Saturday, but you can never hear me over 102,321 mostly alcohol-fueled fans.

I question our head coaches a lot. I remember when Les Miles coached here. It seemed like every game, I’d start a sentence with “What in the hell is Les Miles doing. . .”

Like in the 2007 game vs. Auburn. LSU was well in range for a game-winning field goal with eight seconds left. That’s when I said, “What the hell is Les Miles doing throwing for the end zone?” Demetrius Byrd caught a 22-yard TD pass with one second left for a 30-24 LSU victory.

I’m like any other old guy. My waistline has vastly expanded from when I was born in November 1924. I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve had some cosmetic work done over the years, such as this summer’s installation of new video boards you can view from Mars, new speaker towers that reach Defcon 1 level and new LED lights for in-game light shows.

Truthfully, I’m not much for bells and whistles. To me, the show is always the Tigers. They create the noise and the passion, not recorded songs on a soundtrack. They’re why they are 451-156-18 in my Cajun cathedral of pigskin.

I’m exceptionally excited this season because four of seven games I’m hosting are first-time visitors – Nicholls State, UCLA, South Alabama and Oklahoma, one of SEC’s two new members.

Just last week, Oklahoma starting quarterback Jackson Arnold said the stadium he’s looking forward most to visit for the first time is me.

“Never played there, never been there at night, so I’m super pumped about it,” Arnold said.

Jackson, I appreciate the respect and your anticipation. But I’ll do everything to make your life a living hell for three hours.

I can be the loudest place on the planet, like when the crowd noise registered on a seismograph on the LSU campus when Eddie Fuller caught the game-winning TD vs. Auburn in 1988.

My favorite quote about me was from South Carolina receiver Bruce Ellington. He said, “It was barely so loud I couldn’t read the signals (from the sideline). My eyes were vibrating.”

I really LOVE that.

Something else that makes me unique is I am one of three major college programs (Florida State and Washington State are the others) that have old-school H-style uprights anchored two goalposts rather than one.

My goalposts have been torn down a few times by our fans celebrating a monumental victory, like our only home win ever vs. a No. 1 ranked team in 1997 vs. defending national champion Florida.

I was told late in that game LSU’s game operation manager John Symank went to athletic director Joe Dean’s press box suite with concerns students would rush the field and tear down the goalposts when the game ended.

“WE’RE GONNA BEAT THE NUMBER ONE TEAM IN THE COUNTRY,” Dean roared. “I WANT THEM TO TEAR THE DAMNED THINGS DOWN.”

I’ve hosted visiting teams that included 13 Heisman Trophy winners, 8 eventual national champions, 4 future Super Bowl MVPs and 12 future NFL No. 1 overall draft picks.

The list of memories runs deep.

I’ve seen a grown man (LSU QB/DB Y.A. Tittle) get his belt buckle ripped off when he made an interception vs. Ole Miss in 1947 and attempted to hold up his pants while running. Ole Miss defender Barney Poole later said, “I was never told how to tackle a guy with his pants down.”

I’ve seen a dapperly dressed head coach (Ole Miss’ Johnny Vaught) with two huge mud spots on his suit pants after he sunk to his knees in the mud when LSU’s Billy Cannon ran past him on his famous Halloween Night 1959 game-winning 89-yard punt return.

Twice, I hosted the head coaching debuts of Paul Dietzel in 1955 (as LSU’s coach) and in 1966 (as South Carolina’s coach). Guess which game he was welcomed with a crescendo of boos?

I saw an LSU receiver (Carlos Carson) catch five TD passes in his college starting debut in 1977 vs. Rice on an offense that would finish the season with just 12 TD passes.

I witnessed a Tigers’ center (T-Bob Hebert) win a football game in 2010 by prematurely snapping the ball over the head of his quarterback just before time expired ending the game drawing a too many men on the field penalty from Tennessee’s defense. LSU scored the game-winning TD on the extra play it received due to UT’s penalty.

I teared up watching my season-ticket holders greet each other with extended hugs and tears of relief at my rescheduled Monday night 2005 season opener vs. Tennessee following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hitting South Louisiana in a 26-day span.

I saw LSU’s perfect 15-0 national championship team average 48.3 points in six home games. A year ago, I was dazzled when LSU’s eventual Heisman winner Jayden Daniels’ torched Florida in a 52-35 win with his SEC record 606 yards total offense.

Starting my 100^th year, I’m hoping for the only wacky thing I have yet to see.

The Tigers win with a drop-kick field goal as time expires.

Hey, it COULD happen.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

Arrests are accusations not convictions. 

July 21

Marquilla Jones, 37, Bunkie — obstruction of justice, resisting, theft, contempt 6 counts, $50,000 bail;

Alana Wiggins, 39, Pineville — illegal possession stolen things, theft, contempt, fugitive, $2,000 bail;

Latonna Young, 34, Pineville — battery on dating partner, contempt, $25,500 bail. 

This date: 12 arrests, 7 including one or more contempt counts. 

By JASON PUGH, NSU Sports Information Director

SAN ANTONIO – Belief is a simple word that carries a much larger impact, especially for the Northwestern State football team.

That concept – and an atmosphere of excitement – permeated the Demons’ time at Monday’s Southland Conference Opening Drive event at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in the Alamo City.

“I wouldn’t say it came quickly,” junior linebacker Cadillac Rhone said. “We grew that belief through spring ball and the offseason, going to work each and every day, being around each other each and every day. That belief started to grow, and you started to see more and more confidence in each of the players.”

That confidence will be paramount for a Demon team that first-year head coach Blaine McCorkle pointed out has gone “625 days as of today” between victories.

“They’ve been through as much as any college football player should ever have to go through,” McCorkle said. “They’re still reeling and hurting from missed opportunities last year. One of the best things these guys can do is go out and play some football. That’s the best medicine for them.”

Northwestern’s 2023 season ended after six games last season, with four remaining games cancelled by the university in the wake of the off-campus shooting death of a player.  McCorkle was hired several weeks later and began to piece together the program, which suffered heavy attrition.

Monday, Northwestern was chosen ninth in the nine-team preseason poll, but that talking point was simply that.

“That’s exactly where we belong,” McCorkle said. “We haven’t done anything to be in any other position with the history of the last few years and the unknown of players coming back. To be picked anywhere other than last would be a shocker. It helps us realize how far we have to go to earn respect, and the best way to do that is by putting wins on the scoreboard. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

As much as the Demons’ trio who attended the two-day affair put on by the Southland Conference talked about belief, they shared also enjoyed a shared sense of excitement for a season that is less than six weeks away from the Aug. 29 kickoff game at Tulsa.

Senior athlete Chance Newman joined Rhone and McCorkle in San Antonio, part of the byproduct of the premature end of the 2023 season, which extended the senior’s college career by a season.

Like his teammate and his new head coach, Newman spent the two days soaking up the excitement of the upcoming season and trading good-natured meetings with the players he and the Demons will see on the field in 2024 – all of which served to whet his appetite for NSU’s 12-game schedule that quickly is drawing near.

“Going through the day to days we’ve gone through and will go through with fall camp, getting one percent better every day is the goal,” he said. “Two seasons ago, we were 4-0 in conference and if we win either of our last two games, we’re co-champions or outright champions depending on who beat. Tulsa is our main focus, but the ultimate goal is to win a conference championship by going through the process with (strength and conditioning) coach (Jason) Smelser in the offseason and the summer.

“You see the leaders of some of the other teams and meet the coaching staffs. It’s a great experience, and Cadillac and I are grateful to be here. It means the season’s right around the corner.”

Contact Jason at pughj@nsula.edu

A winner will be selected by RRJ Management.  All decision are final, and contest rules can change without notice.

The Rapides Parish Journal and Hahn Roofing are giving you a chance to win pairs of tickets to the Mud Racing Nationals, Friday July 26, at the Rapides Parish Coliseum.

Registration begins Monday July 8.  The Rapides Parish Journal will select a winner after the registration closes Tuesday July 23.  The winner will be announced on Wednesday, July 24.

Register to win the tickets and receive a free lifetime subscription of the Rapides Parish Journal.