By JIM BUTLER 

A decade ago Dorian Henderson was considered a potential next-level player as a junior wide receiver at ASH if he could overcome mistakes in behavioral judgment. 

Evidently he couldn’t. 

Henderson, 27, was booked Monday on possession with intent to distribute narcotics, having a firearm with drugs, and escape, as well as escape and four contempt counts. 

Jailed about 1:30 a.m., his bail is set at $47,700. He was out on $50,500 bond from a March arrest when booked Monday. 

Henderson, listed as an Alexandria resident at booking, has apparently also lived in the Houston area in the years since leaving ASH, according to Texas records. 

Making bail has to this point been a regular event for Henderson. The record to 2020, according to available Rapides records: 

March 18, 2024 – three possession with intent counts, firearm with drugs, illegal carrying weapon, illegal possession stolen things, paraphernalia, $50,500 bond posted March 25; December 17, 2023 – contempt 3 counts, $13,000 bond posted December 19; February 28, 2023 – contempt 5 counts,

$21,000 bond posted March 23; 

April 12, 2022 – possession with intent 2 counts, felony flight, contempt 7 counts, $26,500 bond posted next day; 

November 15, 2020 – possession with intent, felony flight, paraphernalia, traffic charges, $8,100 bond posted next day; 

June 21, 2020 – possession, contempt, $1,000 bond posted same day; 

April 17, 2020 – possession with intent, paraphernalia, resisting, traffic charges, contempt 2 counts, $12,100 bail posted next day.

By JIM BUTLER

James Andermann, COO and part owner of CSRS, tried to convince the School Board the firm would do better.

His promises and apology were too little, too late.

Board members voted Tuesday evening without dissent to authorize their attorney to move forward with terminating the CSRS contract and to solicit formal proposals for assuming management of the remainder of the District 62 bond issue construction program.

Willard McCall seemed to be expressing feelings of his cohorts when he said he had been at the forefront of criticism of CSRS because he never encountered project managers on-site and was frustrated at the lack of progress at some plants as schools prepared to open.

The level of discontent was reflected in the unanimous vote.

Andermann had conceded the firm’s representatives were not visible enough and said that would change pronto. 

He also made a personal commitment to weekly meetings and communications to keep all involved up to date, to no avail.

About $40 million in renovations are still to be done under the $100 million bond issue.

Your chance to Win $100.00… CLICK HERE TO PLAY

Starting this week, the Rapides Parish Journal (RPJ) is proud to host the Red River Bank High School Football Pick’em Contest.

It’s easy … follow the link, pick the winners and track the teams scores. Each weekly winner over the life of the contest will be on the receiving end of $100 and will have their photo taken and featured in the Rapides Parish Journal as our weekly winner.

Anyone 18 and older is eligible to participate. All it takes is an email address and a combination of skill and a little luck.  Readers are eligible to participate and each week one lucky winner will go home with a $100 cash prize.  Each week the winner will be the participant with the best record out of the predetermined 10 High School Football games (ties will be broken by two separate tiebreakers consisting of guessing the total points scored in two of our weekly contests). There will be only ONE winner per week.

There is no entry fee, just like there is no cost to SUBSCRIBE to the Rapides Parish Journal where it will come to your inbox every weekday morning at 6:55 a.m. It takes 20-30 seconds to sign up and not much longer than that to make your picks.

All contest decisions by RPJ management are final. Weekly winners will be notified on Mondays.

So prepare to fire up your phones, notebooks or computers and let the pick ’em begin.

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – In his 28th game as LSU’s head football coach, Brian Kelly finally showed what causes him to erupt like a volcano.

It’s failing to salt away a win after leading in the second half.

The then-No. 13 ranked Tigers couldn’t extend a 17-13 advantage over then-No. 23 USC in Sunday’s season-opening Modelo Vegas Classic. They lost 27-20, thanks to USC running back Woody Marks’ 13-yard game-winning TD run with 8 seconds left.

It was the second time in the last two seasons LSU lost when leading in the second half. The Tigers fell 55-49 at Ole Miss last season after leading 49-40 with 8:34 left in the game.

Kelly’s postgame response after the USC loss – punctuated by pounding his fist on a table – was an outpouring of sheer frustration. His flames were fanned by his team failing to put nails in USC’s coffin after LSU forged ahead on quarterback Garrett Nussmeier’s 13-yard TD pass to Aaron Anderson with 3:42 left in the third quarter.

There is a list of corrections the now-18th-ranked Tigers need to make before Saturday’s 6:30 p.m. home opener vs. Nicholls State. But how do you improve the lack of killer instinct?

“You just have to continue to build a mindset amongst your guys that the focus is on dominating that play,” Kelly said Tuesday at his weekly in-season press conference. “We’re still working on that every single day, about dominating the play in front of us.

“Sometimes we get outside of that, we start thinking big picture. Or the game is over if we get one more stop. Forget about one more stop. Think about this play right now. We’re still building that with our group.

“This is going to be a good football team, but we got to understand that it takes 70 to 80, 90 to 100 plays, and you’ve got to stick with it. You can’t let your guard down for one second.”

While Kelly felt LSU’s revamped defense of new coordinator Blake Baker played well enough for the Tigers to win – “We got consistent play from our defensive tackles, really good depth play at defensive end, I liked our linebackers and cornerbacks,” he said – LSU’s running game was a huge disappointment.

Running behind a returning veteran offensive line with 98 career starts, LSU gained just 117 rushing yards on 26 attempts. Nineteen of the attempts gained 4 or fewer yards each.

“This is not just on our players, it’s on coaching as well,” Kelly said. “I don’t know that it’s a particular scheme as much as it is we’ve got to make sure that we’re putting our guys in a good position. We can’t be predictable.

“When it’s third down, and everybody knows you want to run it, let’s be creative in running the football. But let’s execute at a high level, and we didn’t execute at the level we’re capable of executing. Our O-line knows that.” 

INJURY REPORT: Kelly said reserve junior defensive end Princeton Malbrue, a Northwestern State transfer, sustained a serious knee injury vs. USC as a kickoff coverage team member. He’s likely done for the season. Also, starting wide receiver Kyle Parker had a UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) elbow injury and wide receiver Chris Hilton is continuing to rehab a preseason ankle injury that forced him to miss the USC game. Both are doubtful for the Nicholls State matchup. 

KNOW YOUR ENEMY 

No. 14 LSU (0-1) vs. Nicholls State (0-1) Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, Saturday, 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network) 

Last game for Nicholls: The Colonels forced five turnovers and linebacker Elin Ennis earned Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors in a 25-18 season-opening loss at Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs recorded six sacks as Nicholls had just 204 total offense yards.

Series record and last meeting: Although Baton Rouge and Thibodaux are just 68 miles apart, this is the first football game between the Tigers and the Colonels.

Nicholls head coach: Tim Rebowe (53-49) in 10 seasons overall, all at Nicholls.

THIS AND THAT

Appearance fee paid by LSU to Nicholls per game contract: $760,000 and 600 complimentary tickets.

Early betting line: LSU by 19½

Number of Louisiana natives on Nicholls roster: 77

Number of Louisiana natives on LSU roster: 59 

Number of transfers on Nicholls roster from 4-year schools: 12 players from 11 schools including 1 player from a Power 4 Conference school 

NICHOLLS PLAYERS TO WATCH

QB Pat McQuaide (10 of 28 for 138 passing yards, TD), RB Collin Guggenheim (79 rushing yards on 18 attempts), WR Quincy Brown (4 catches for 70 yards, 1 TD, LB Eli Ennis (10 tackles, ½ TFL, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery, LB Alex Villavaso (6 tackles, 1 sack), PK Ray Vallee (0 of 2 FG, 2 of 2 extra points), P Kylan Dupree (10 for 44.6, 3 fair catches, 4 inside the 20, 3 50 yards + punts). 

THREE AND OUT

1. What was the last calendar year that Nicholls won two sporting events over LSU?

A.1986

B. 2023

C. 2012

D. 1999

2. What former LSU QB played for five different schools including Nicholls in seven seasons of college eligibility?

A. TJ Finley

B. Lowell Narcisse

C. Lindsey Scott Jr.

D. Justin McMillan

3. Who was the last Power 4 conference football team Nicholls beat?

A. TCU

B. Kansas

C. Kansas State

D. Texas Tech

ANSWERS: 1. B 2. C. 3. B

NATCHITOCHES – The basketball magic of Pistol Pete Maravich that captivated fans first during his record-shattering LSU playing career from 1967-70 will be rekindled Thursday evening at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum in Natchitoches.

“Celebrating Showtime! LSU’s Spectacular Pistol Pete” is the theme for the evening, beginning at 5:30 and wrapping up about 7. There is a $10 admission charge for adults. Military and first responders get in for half-price while students and members of the FLASH (Friends of Louisiana Sports and History) museum support group are admitted free.

The “Showtime!” exhibit made its debut in the Atmos Energy Gallery on the first floor of the museum kicking off the 2024 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration on June 22. It will remain in place through Oct. 19 at the acclaimed 27,500-square foot state museum located at 800 Front Street across from the traffic circle in downtown Natchitoches.

The reception, hosted by FLASH, features nearly 70 photos of Maravich during his LSU years, including many backstage images previously unseen. All are part of the Musemeche Collection, nearly all taken by Baton Rouge photographer John Musemeche, who as a young sports journalist in Baton Rouge in the 1960s became friendly with Pistol Pete and his father, LSU head coach Press Maravich.

The “Showtime!” exhibit also includes an award-winning 8-minute mini-documentary film, “We Were Fans,” by Drew Tewell that features memories from Musemeche about those days, and footage of Pistol Pete in action. A scrapbook of newspaper clippings from throughout Maravich’s LSU career, painstakingly compiled by future Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne (then a Baton Rouge teenager), is included in the exhibit along with a copy of the “Maravich” magazine published by Musemeche and two friends in collaboration with the superstar and his father before Pete’s senior season.

Some Maravich teammates from their days as Tigers are expected to attend and participate in a panel discussion with Musemeche after the film is screened early in the 6 o’clock hour. Attire is casual.

The exhibit is underwritten with support from Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation in collaboration with the Louisiana State Museum system.

Light food and refreshments will be provided, along with beer and wine for adults. Guests can browse the entire two-story museum, which includes more Maravich memorabilia along with a vast collection of state sports history, including the Heisman Trophy exhibit featuring items from the state’s five Heisman winners:  Billy Cannon (Baton Rouge, LSU), John David Crow (Springhill High School), Joe Burrow (LSU), Devonta Smith (Amite High School) and Jayden Daniels (LSU).

Arrests are accusations not convictions. 

September 2 

Weapons

Tyrus Gable, 38, Alexandria — felon with firearm, improper plate display, parole violations, $10,100 bail. 

Other

Johnny Bennett Jr., 30, Alexandria — theft, contempt 7 counts, $26,500 bail;

Johniesha Hayward, 23, Alexandria — aggravated battery on ER, EMS or health care professional, contempt 2 counts, $31,000 bail;

Lacee Williams, 36, Alexandria — obstruction evidence tampering, resisting, paraphernalia, escape, probation violation, $12,000 bail. 

This date: 21 arrests, 11 including one or more contempt charges. 

Arrests are accusations not convictions. 

September 2

Jorion Henderson, 27, Alexandria — possession with intent, firearm with drugs, paraphernalia, switched plate, suspension/revocation, escape, contempt 4 counts, $47,700 bail;

Trey McLean, 48, Pineville — possession with intent, no insurance, switched plate, suspension/revocation, failure to appear, contempt 5 counts, extradition, $34,800 bail. 

February 19, 1954 – August 31, 2024

Services for George Terry Swafford will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 7, 2024, in the Chapel of Hixson Brothers, Alexandria with eulogist, Michael Rabalais. Burial will be in Greenwood Memorial Park.

The family requests visitation be held Friday, September 6, 2024, at Hixson Brothers, Alexandria from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until service time.

Mr. Swafford, 70, of Baton Rouge, passed from this life, on Saturday, August 31, 2024, at The Crossing at Clarity Hospice.

Mr. Swafford grew up in Alexandria and attended LSUA. He worked at Channel 5 as a videographer and production manager. He was married to Ann Blackburn for twenty years. From 1977 to 1982 he worked at Channel 6 in Beaumont, Texas in commercial production. In 1982 he moved to New York and worked for Woolworth making their commercials and opened his own production company, Terry Swafford Advertising and Design, back in Beaumont, where he did production for the United States Army, and AT&T. In 1996 he moved back to Alexandria and married Bobbie O’Quin and opened Terry Swafford Advertising and Design. He then accepted a position with WBRZ, Baton Rouge as a videographer where he advanced to editor and he also worked at Channel 33 and Synergy Production as a videographer and editor.

Mr. Swafford was an assistant scout leader with Troop #478 of the Boy Scouts and a member of the Order of the Arrow, and Emmaus.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George Alonzo and Hilda Hickman Swafford.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Bobbie O’ Quin Swafford; son, William Wade Swafford, who was his greatest joy; and a host of other family members and friends.

Thanks to Dr. Barker, Dr. Weaver, Dr. Kuri, and staff, Dr. Ali Sombra and staff, Dr. Jeryl Breaux, Dr. Darla Burnette, and Baton Rouge Mid City Wound Care and Clarity, Ollie Steele Burden Manor Nursing Facility for the wonderful care he received.

Donations may be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, Inc. 912 Killian Hill Rd SW, Lilburn, GA 30047.

The river run starts at noon on Saturday, September 14th 

By JIM BUTLER

Confidential response to an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint includes admission of liaisons with a female employee by Pineville Mayor Rich Dupree and his former Chief of Staff Doug Gann.

Britanny Poston claims she left city employment in March because of a hostile work involvement following liaisons with both men. 

She was employed in February last year as a utility billing clerk and was director of operations and special events when she resigned. She filed the EEOC complaint on May 29.  

The revelations came to public light Sunday on a silent Facebook site, silent meaning there is no attribution of ownership of it. The material leaked to media and others a few days earlier. 

Dupree, as would be expected considering pending litigation, Monday afternoon referred questions and request for comment to City Attorney Mark Vilar. 

“I’m remaining focused on taking care of my family and serving this city, where we have so many good things going on,” Dupree added. 

In his response to Poston’s claims (August 16), attorney Jonathan Cobb says essentially that no retribution occurred after the indiscretions ended.

He notes Dupree for a time allowed Poston to use a condo he owns as refuge from an allegedly abusive ex-husband. 

Both the mayor and Gann, through Cobb’s response, said the encounters were the result of “aggression and predatory activity” by Poston.

That included hundreds of unsolicited explicit and obscene photos and videos, Cobb asserts.

Beyond the prurient aspects of the complaint, Cobb asserts the plaintiff never took advantage of harassment policy complaint procedures. 

He also contends the complaint, even if justified, was filed beyond prescription, making it invalid, and that Dupree and Gann are not proper targets because the city hired Poston, not them, Cobb asserts. 

Political fallout from the revelations has begun. The Recall Dupree site that posted the documents noted Monday that petitions would be available soon. 

Whether Pineville residents view the incidents as peccadilloes or moral turpitude will play out as time goes by. 

By JIM BUTLER

The School Board may talk at its meeting today about issues it has with CSRS.

Then again it may not, letting whatever members heard and/or discussed in closed-door conversation suffice.

In the spirit of the just-launched football season the over/under on discussion is 2, minutes that is.

Willard McCall’s motion on today’s agenda calls for approving termination of the CSRS contract, authorizing the administration and legal counsel to negotiate terms and conditions of the termination with recommendation to the board and authorizing the board president to sign any documentation.

The motion, seemingly drafted with at least counsel from counsel, is co-offered by board member Sandra Franklin and Supt. Jeff Powell.

McCall initiated the move for executive session on CSRS at the August 20 special meeting.

Though the justifications for the private talk seemed to be outside state law allowables, the board and its counsel apparently opted for the if it’s not specifically banned, it’s okay approach, as opposed to the if it’s not specifically approved it’s banned approach.

As a result, to this point the bone McCall, and apparently others, is picking is not yet identified for the record.

Some members were clearly out of sorts in July as school opening approached with work at four elementary schools still ongoing. Whether that’s the issue at hand is unknown.

CSRS, an architectural-engineering firm with projects across the state, region and nation, has been the management entity for the District 62 (Wards 1 & 8) improvements since the bonds were sold several years back, with about $60 million spent or contracted and about $40 million still on the table.

A report on current status of the bond projects is on today’s agenda, as it has been monthly for some time.

Projects underway and about to be completed include Peabody High interior and track and field, Acadian, Alma Redwine, D.F. Huddle, Martin Park and L.S. Rugg Elementaries.

Elementary projects under way are in planning stages were impacted by the board’s decision early this year to include tornado shelters in construction plans.

Projects underway are about to begin include a classroom wing at ASH, substantial overhaul at Bolton and Peabody roofing.

Remaining on the schedule and approaching bid dates:

ASH feeder system – Brame Middle Magnet and Cherokee, Horseshoe and Nachman Elementaries; Bolton feeder system – Alexandria Middle Magnet; Peabody feeder system – Arthur F.  Smith Middle Magnet.

Dear Coach Kelly:

Tough loss Sunday night. I commiserate. It must be embarrassing to suffer your third straight season-opening loss as LSU’s head coach, which was the fifth straight season-opening loss for LSU. Might need to start scheduling Cream Puff U for the opener to get over that hex.

Nonetheless, it’s admirable that unlike most of the power conference schools, LSU offered college football fans a game on the opening weekend of college football worth anticipating and watching. LSU vs. Florida State the last two years. USC this year. Good stuff. That’s why it was the only college game on network TV Sunday night.

But 0-for-3 in opening games? What gives?

This team, we kept hearing in the preseason, will not likely be as explosive offensively as last year’s team led by Heisman Trophy quarterback and first-round draft choice Jayden Daniels, but the defense, which was horrible last year, would be improved, especially after spending $16.11 million to bring in an entirely new defensive staff. Ask not what your checkbook can do for you; ask what your defensive coaches can do for your checkbook.

Granted, the defense is better. The 447 yards your Tigers gave up to the Trojans’ offense looked like Eggs Benedict compared to the molded mini sausages served up by the defense in recent years. Holding a nationally-ranked team to just 10 first-half points is an all-too-rare  positive.

But, Coach, one sign of a disciplined team, a well-coached team, is one with few penalties, especially stupid unsportsmanlike penalties. Do you and your assistants not coach the players to act with class? Do you forbid unbecoming celebrations after big plays and touchdowns – something, unfortunately, all too prevalent in the NFL? Why provide your opponent incentive to dig deeper for stamina and resiliency? That’s what receiver Kyren Lacy did after his talented 19-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter that merely tied the game, by pantomiming shooting a gun at the USC defender he had just beat. 

Those kinds of penalties can take a toll. It forced LSU to kick off from its own 20 instead if its 35, and helped Zachariah Branch, a dangerous return specialist, to motor 46 yards, setting up a 22-yard field goal.

Coach, it was cool that Jayden Daniels was one of three Heisman winners on the sidelines, along with Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart from USC, and it was also cool that Daniels’ replacement at quarterback, did so well. Garrett Nussmeier completed 29 of 38 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns. Yes, he had that one interception virtually at game’s end, when Tiger fans could only dream of a “Bluegrass Miracle” type play, but he was impressive, not only with his passing but with his coolness under fire and his leadership.

He cannot run like Daniels did so often, but you assured us he didn’t need to, because the running backs would take care of business. Now, when LSU drove to its one lead of the game, running back John Emery Jr. looked good, slashing for runs of 39 and 10 yards. Made Tiger fans glad he came back after testing the waters in the transfer portal. But, other than that, where is the vaunted running game?

And where is the offensive line that was supposed to be among the best in the nation? And what’s up with senior preseason All-American Will Campbell being flagged for a false start?  

Speaking of false starts, Coach, are you channeling former coach Les Miles, whose teams were infamous for that kind of thing?   And speaking of penalties (10 for 99 yards), what about the unsportsmanlike (there’s that word again) penalty against senior defensive back Major Burns?

After a fourth-down stop by the defense in the final quarter, with LSU leading 17-13, Burns removed his helmet on the field, apparently to celebrate, and LSU was penalized 15 yards to start its ensuing offensive series. Which went nowhere.

And what happened to junior star linebacker Harold Perkins, who made just one solo tackle against the Trojans? And is the target in proper tackling coached by your staff the runner’s torso, or shouldn’t it be the legs, which seems a better way to cut ’em down?

Yet, I do sympathize with you, Coach. Some of the same fans who hailed you after you boldly went for 2 in overtime and it paid off against Alabama two years ago, are saying they’ll never forgive you after Sunday night’s loss.

The same folks who criticized you for going for the TD, without success, and not taking the sure field goal on the first offensive drive are the ones who berated you for “settling for a tie” when you sent Damian Ramos in on fourth-and-8 for a 31-yard field goal with 1:47 left.

It’s a tough racket, big-time college coaching, especially at a big-time football school like LSU. But, then again, Coach, you get paid big bucks to produce wins. Once again, you’ve got an uphill climb to earn your keep, which at LSU translates to reaching NCAA football’s promised land.

Your chance to Win $100.00… CLICK HERE TO PLAY

Starting this week, the Rapides Parish Journal (RPJ) is proud to host the Red River Bank High School Football Pick’em Contest.

It’s easy … follow the link, pick the winners and track the teams scores. Each weekly winner over the life of the contest will be on the receiving end of $100 and will have their photo taken and featured in the Rapides Parish Journal as our weekly winner.

Anyone 18 and older is eligible to participate. All it takes is an email address and a combination of skill and a little luck.  Readers are eligible to participate and each week one lucky winner will go home with a $100 cash prize.  Each week the winner will be the participant with the best record out of the predetermined 10 High School Football games (ties will be broken by two separate tiebreakers consisting of guessing the total points scored in two of our weekly contests). There will be only ONE winner per week.

There is no entry fee, just like there is no cost to SUBSCRIBE to the Rapides Parish Journal where it will come to your inbox every weekday morning at 6:55 a.m. It takes 20-30 seconds to sign up and not much longer than that to make your picks.

All contest decisions by RPJ management are final. Weekly winners will be notified on Mondays.

So prepare to fire up your phones, notebooks or computers and let the pick ’em begin.

No Rapides Parish teams, despite some impressive playoff runs last season, are ranked statewide at the start of this year’s high school football season. 

Alexandria Senior High is among those receiving votes but not cracking the top 10 in Class 5A as games kick off this Thursday and Friday. 

Area teams Bunkie, Jena, Ferriday and Leesville got mentioned. Bunkie and Jena are both in the top 10 in Class 3A, while Leesville is receiving votes in Class 4A and Ferriday is among the 2A teams getting some votes. 

A Louisiana Sports Writers Association panel of 12 media members from all regions of the state votes each weekend to rank the top teams in all five LHSAA football classifications. 

Here are the preseason poll results:

Class 5A 

Team (1^st place votes), voting point total  

1. Ruston (9) 140 

2. Karr (1) 125 

3. Acadiana (2) 122 

4. Catholic-Baton Rouge 105 

5. Destrehan 93 

6. Zachary 82 

7. John Curtis 72 

8. Neville 31 

9. Carencro 25 

10. St. Augustine 22 

Others receiving votes: West Monroe 20, Airline 20, Alexandria 15, Archbishop Rummel 15, Holy Cross 8, Mandeville 8, Central 7, Brother Martin 7, Dutchtown 5, Southside 5, Evangel Christian 4, Terrebonne 1, Walker 1.

Class 4A 

Team (1^st place votes), voting point total 

1. Opelousas (10) 141 

2. North DeSoto 119 

3. Archbishop Shaw 116 

4. St. Thomas More (2) 101 

5. Cecilia 95 

6. E.D. White 88 

7. Westgate 74 

8. St. Charles 44 

9. Lutcher 42 

10. Wossman 37 

Others receiving votes: Assumption 27, Teurlings Catholic 20, Franklin Parish 12, Leesville 10, Plaquemine 7, McDonogh 35 2, West Feliciana 1. 

Class 3A 

Team (1^st place votes), voting point total 

1. University (12) 144

2. St. James 120 

3. Northwest 113 

4. Sterlington 104 

5. Madison Prep 97 

6. Amite 82 

7. John F. Kennedy 58 

8. Bunkie 54 

9. De La Salle 52 

10. Jena 40 

Others receiving votes: Parkview Baptist 26, Bastrop 22, Lake Charles College Prep 10, Jennings 4, Abbeville 3, Bogalusa 2. 

Class 2A 

Team (1^st place votes), voting point total 

1. Calvary Baptist (10) 144 

2. Oak Grove (2) 128 

3. Lafayette Christian 121 

4. Newman 98 

5. Union Parish 87 

6. Notre Dame 84 

7. Dunham 74 

8. Ouachita Christian 68 

9. Catholic-New Iberia 40 

10. Episcopal-Baton Rouge 37 

Others receiving votes: Mangham 12, Many 11, Northlake Christian 10, Ferriday 7, Homer 7, Loreauville 7, South Plaquemines 2, Welsh 1. 

Class 1A 

Team (1^st place votes), voting point total 

1. Southern Lab (7) 137 

2. Vermilion Catholic (3) 127 

3. Riverside (2) 120 

4. Haynesville 116 

5. Kentwood 98 

6. Logansport 77 

7. St. Martin’s 69 

8. Ascension Catholic 60 

9. Opelousas Catholic 50 

10. White Castle 26 

Others receiving votes: Catholic-Pointe Coupee 20, Covenant Christian 18, Central Catholic-Morgan City 15, Jeanerette 2, St. Frederick 1.

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

LAS VEGAS – LSU head coach Brian Kelly was more than disappointed.

He was four-plus wrinkles-on-his-forehead-angry.

Not just about the No. 13 Tigers’ 27-20 season-opening loss to No. 23 USC here in the Modelo Vegas Classic on Sunday in Allegiant Stadium.

It was about what led to LSU’s fifth-straight season-opening loss.

He was steaming about well-deserved two game-changing personal foul penalties against two of his veteran players. He was seething about the Tigers’ scoring just six points in three red zone trips. He was at a loss for words about his team’s lack of killer instinct.

“We’re sitting here again,” said a red-faced Kelly, pounding his fist on the table in a postgame press conference, “talking about the same thing, about not finishing off an opponent when you’re in position to put them away.

“What we’re doing on the sideline is feeling like the game is over and I’m so angry that I’ve got to do something about it. I’ve got to coach them better because it’s unacceptable for us not to have found a way to win that football game.”

USC running back Woody Marks, a Mississippi State transfer, ran 13 yards for the game-winning TD with 8 seconds left. The Trojans drove 75 yards in 59 seconds, not even needing to use a timeout.

“Two teams just traded blows the entire game,” USC head coach Lincoln Riley said. “We felt we had some missed opportunities, felt like we outplayed them more than what the scoreboard showed. Our guys were resilient.”

The Tigers took their first and only lead at 17-13 with 3:42 left in the third quarter on quarterback Garrett Nussmeier’s 13-yard TD pass to Aaron Anderson.

But on its next three possessions, LSU managed just a game-tying 31-yard Damian Ramos field goal with 1:47 left to play while USC scored a pair of TDs on a Miller Moss 28-yard pass to Ja’Kobi Lane with 5:44 remaining and Marks’ run up the gut for the game-winning points.

While Nussmeier finished 29 of 38 for 304 yards, two TDs and one interception on the last play of the night, he got no help from the Tigers’ running attack which was supposed to be a strength, powered by a veteran offensive line.

LSU ran for 117 yards on 26 carries, including 61 yards on 10 carries from John Emery Jr. But subtract Emery’s two best gains of 39 and 10 yards and the Tigers averaged just 2.8 yards per carry.

USC outgained LSU 447 to 421 in total offense yards, boosted by Moss’ 378 passing yards (27 of 36) and one TD and Marks’ 68 rushing yards and two TDs on 16 carries.

The Tigers’ defense batted down passes several times and failed to recover two fumbles it caused. And at crunch time, the defense and its new $16.11 million staff failed to come up with a plan preventing USC’s comeback.

On USC’s fourth-quarter TD drives covering 64 and 75 yards, it didn’t face a single third-down conversion situation.

Also, LSU had 10 penalties for 99 yards, including two senseless penalties that led to 10 USC points.

After Kyren Lacy caught Nussmeier’s 19-yard game-tying TD pass at 7-7 with 7:04 left in the second quarter, Lacy pantomimed shooting a gun at the USC defender he had just beat.

He was whistled from a personal foul, which forced LSU to kick off from its 20 instead of its 35. That helped USC return specialist Zachariah Branch to shake loose on a 46-yard return to the LSU 43, which led to a 22-yard Michael Lantz field goal and a 10-7 USC edge with 4:21 left in the first half.

Then with LSU leading 17-13, LSU stopped USC on fourth-and-9 at the LSU 36 with 8:38 left in the fourth quarter. However, the Tigers were hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when senior safety Major Burns removed his helmet during the celebration before leaving the field.

That set the Tigers back to their 21 to start the series. LSU went three and out and punter Peyton Todd booted just a 35-yarder, fair caught at the USC 35.

It took USC only three plays to get in the end zone for a 20-17 lead on Miller’s TD pass to Lane.

“Those penalties were impactful,” Kelly said. “And even when we went up and down the field (offensively), we left a lot of points out there when you score just six points when you’re in the red zone three times.

“When our best was needed offensively, we did not deliver (like Nussmeier’s incomplete fourth-down pass to kill LSU’s opening drive after Kelly bypassed a chip-shot field goal). We put too much pressure on our defense to be something they’re not ready to be. 

“They battled, but we have warts and they’re not going away overnight.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

Arrests are accusations not convictions.

August 29 

Weapons

Keylan Miller, 21, Alexandria — felony flight, illegal carrying dangerous weapon, suspension/revocation, failure to secure registration, tail lamps required, contempt 3 counts, $21,200 bail; 

Other

Darnell Beauregard, 53, Alexandria — theft 3 counts, unlawful communication telephone/telecommunications 2 counts, violation protective order, $5,500 bail;

Melissa Kramer, 59, Pineville — unauthorized use motor vehicle, contempt, 4 counts, $7,000 bail;

Casey Turner, 39, Boyce — aggravated battery, aggravated assault, $30,000 bail. 

This date: 22 arrests, 10 including one or more contempt counts. 

August 30

Alysha Carlton, 34, Morgan City — theft of motor vehicle, criminal conspiracy, $3,000 bail;

Wilbert Clark, 65, Alexandria — 1st-degree rape, $250,000 bail;

Demetrius Piper, 39, Alexandria — aggravated domestic abuse battery child present, violation protective order, failure to appear, $2,200 bail;

Whitney Smith, 33, Alexandria — aggravated domestic abuse child present, failure to appear, contempt 4 counts, $9,000 bail;

Eugene Sykes Jr., 30, Alexandria — felony fugitive, no bail set;

Adam Thomas, 38, Lecompte — criminal conspiracy, criminal damage to critical infrastructure, theft, $35,000 bail. 

This date: 16 arrests, 6 involving one or more contempt counts. 

August 31

Dave Walker, 43, Boyce — felony fugitive, no bail set.  

This date: 11 arrests, 1 including one or more contempt counts. 

September 1

Weapons

John White, 40, Alexandria — aggravated assault with firearm, felon with firearm, fugitive, illegal use dangerous weapons, contempt 2 counts, $42,000 bail.

Other

Javarus Evans, 24, Alexandria — felony flight, misdemeanor possession, driver’s license required, speeding, resisting, $3,700 bail;

William Harris, 62, Oakdale — aggravated resisting force or violence, criminal trespass, $1,500 bail. 

This date: 19 arrests, 8 involving one or more contempt counts.

Arrests are accusations not convictions.

August 29

Alto Jones, 42, Alexandria — possession with intent, reckless operation, probation violation, $18,000 bail;

Angela Stanley, 56, Elizabeth — possession, paraphernalia, theft, $3,500 bail. 

August 30

Zachary Anderson, 40, Houston — possession with intent 3 counts, no driver’s license, improper display license plate, no license plate light, $225,300 bail;

Ashley Duhon, 36, Erath — possession with intent 2 counts, possession, switched MVI, improper display license plate, $100,700 bail;

Dane Romero, 37, Delcambre — possession with intent, possession, $100,500 bail. 

August 31

Markas Mcmahan, 30, Ball — possession with intent, possession, paraphernalia, $9,500 bail;

Ryan McVaugh, 38, Colfax — possession 3 counts, paraphernalia, improper lane usage, $6,100 bail. 

September 1

Stephanie Hooper, 58, Alexandria — possession, theft, $11,000 bail;

Chelsea Thompson, 31, Alexandria — possession 2 counts, switched license plate, $2,700 bail.