Louisiana Christian’s football team has done all it can in the first two games of the season to earn a spot in the NAIA Top 25, but the Wildcats aren’t quite there yet.

Perhaps a third straight win might do the trick.

They take a shot at it 10 hours and over 650 miles away from Pineville, north of Lubbock in Plainview, Texas, for a Sooner Athletic Conference date with Wayland Baptist.

Kickoff of Saturday’s contest against the Pioneers (1-1, 0-1 SAC) is set for 6 p.m. at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium.

LCU (2-0, 1-0) opened with an epic 42-37 upset of NCAA Division I Northwestern State in Natchitoches, then plastered visiting Langston 70-14 last Saturday night at Wildcat Field.

Wayland Baptist started at Sul Ross with a 34-20 victory, but was blasted at home last week 56-14 by SAC power Ottawa.

ASH product Datlan Cunningham is averaging 116 rushing yards in two games with four touchdowns for LCU. Quarterback Bryce Perkins has completed 60 percent of his 43 passes, throwing five for TDs and averaging 214 yards per game.

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By JIM BUTLER

Counsel for the Diocese of Alexandria, responding to what it terms an unnecessary demand, intends to withdraw a proposed payment allocation protocol for accepted sexual abuse claims.

Some insurers in August filed a motion to compel the diocese to produce the plan’s details though told it did not affect their interests.

The Diocese pointed out in its testy response that none of the insurers involved in the motion have accepted coverage for filed abuse claims.

Only putative claims allowed would be affected by the allocation outline, the Diocese noted.

The allocation protocol did not address other debtor interests in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy declared last October by the Diocese, which advised the court this month it would move to withdraw the protocol, making the motion to compel moot.

In doing so counsel attached the draft plan to its response.

It proposed a points system for evaluating putative claims by abuse survivors, based on economic damage.

The draft noted no distribution would be made solely because of bodily injury and/or emotional distress or mental anguish attributable to the bodily injury.

Categories in the proposed evaluation process included nature of abuse (duration, frequency, degree of intrusiveness, etc.); impact (school problems, legal troubles as minor, loss of faith, etc.); adult and current functioning issues. Each current and future claim would be assigned a point total. The point totals of all acknowledged claims would be combined.

That total divided into the amount of money in the plan trust would yield a claim award value per point.

The protocol used as an example 50 total claims with overall total of 10,000 points. Assuming $4,000,000 in the trust each point assigned a claim would be valued at $400.

The Diocese in July submitted two alternates for creating the trust, establishing funding mechanisms of $4-5 million.

Its most recent operating report showed a cash balance of $2.24 million on July 31. Equity/net worth was listed at $4.4 million.

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ThThe Alexandria Senior High Trojans opened the season with an impressive intersectional win and moved up two spots in the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 5A top 10 poll for Week 2 of the high school football season.

ASH pounded Arkansas power Bryant 44-20. The Trojans go to Union Parish this Friday, then host Lafayette Christian and visit Neville to continue a challenging non-district slate in September.

Only 12 of the 50 ranked teams in this week’s top 10 polls are from the 318 area code. ASH is the only parish school getting votes.

Eleven sports media members in the LSWA are polled weekly to compile the rankings.

Class 5A

School (1^st place votes), record, poll points, last week’s ranking

1.Ruston (10), 1-0, 131,1

2. Karr (1), 1-0, 123, 2

3. Alexandria Senior High, 1-0, 100, 5

4. St. Augustine, 1-0, 97, 6

5. Catholic-Baton Rouge, 0-1, 80, 3

6. John Curtis, 0-1, 75, 4

7. Archbishop Rummel, 1-0, 72, 9

8. Acadiana, 1-0, 50, Not Rated

9. Brother Martin, 1-0,  23, NR

10. Zachary, 0-1, 21, 7

Others receiving votes: Ouachita 18, St. Thomas More 18, West Monroe 12, Mandeville 10, Ouachita 10, Jesuit 8, Southside 5, Destrehan 3, Barbe 2, Thibodaux 2.

Class 4A

1. Westgate (7), 1-0, 124, 2

2. Archbishop Shaw (2), 1-0, 118, 3

3. North DeSoto (1), 1-0, 108, 4

4. Neville (1), 1-0, 104, 1

5. Plaquemine,1-0, 94, 6

6. Lake Charles Prep, 1-0, 76, 8

7. Madison Prep, 0-1, 63, 5

8. Franklin Parish, 0-1, 41, 7

9. Cecilia, 1-0, 35,NR

10. E.D. White, 0-1,  33,  9

Others receiving votes: Teurlings Catholic 18, Salmen 10, Lafayette Renaissance 8, John F. Kennedy 8, Leesville 8, Carencro 1.

Class 3A

1. St. Charles (8),1-0, 129, 2

2. Sterlington (3), 1-0 , 118, 3

3. St. James, 1-0, 104, 4

(tie) University, 0-1,104, 1

5. Jena, 1-0, 83, 6

6. Jewel Sumner, 1-0, 78, 7

7. Vandebilt Catholic, 1-0 , 65, 8

8. Loyola College Prep, 1-0, 55 , 9

9. Iowa, 0-1, 53, 5

10. Iota, 1-0, 30, NR

Others receiving votes: Marksville 20, Northwest 13, Carroll 6, De La Salle 1, Erath 1.

Class 2A

1. Dunham (11), 1-0, 132, 1

2. Calvary Baptist, 1-0, 120, 2

3. Oak Grove, 1-0, 106, 4

4. Notre Dame, 1-0, 97, 5

5. Kinder,  1-0, 85, 6

6. Mangham, 0-1,  69, 3

7. Catholic-New Iberia, 1-0,  58, 7

8. Lafayette Christian Academy, 1-0, 53, 8

9. Amite, 1-0, 51, 9

10. Newman, 1-0, 26, NR

Others receiving votes: West St. Mary 23, Loreauville 10, Mansfield 10, Union Parish 4, Covenant Christian 3, Avoyelles 1.

Class 1A

1. Ouachita Christian (9),1-0, 130, 2

2. Riverside Academy (2), 1-0, 121, 3

3. Ascension Catholic, 1-0, 105, 4

4. Jeanerette, 1-0, 92, 5

5. Haynesville,  0-1, 90, 1

6. Logansport, 1-0, 71, 7

7. Southern Lab, 1-0, 60, 10

8. Kentwood, 1-0, 46, NR

9. Westminster-Lafayette, 1-0, 34, NR

10. Westminster-Opelousas, 0-1, 31, 6

Others receiving votes: South Plaquemines 29, East Feliciana 13, Cedar Creek 15, Lincoln Prep 15, St. Edmund 1.

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BOM Bank was proud to host a booth at Unitech Training Academy’s Alexandria Campus! BOM’s Anna Lee and Holly Cloessner had an amazing time visiting with students, staff, and members of the community.

We love opportunities like these to connect, build relationships, and show our support for the communities we’re proud to serve. Thank you, Unitech, for having us!

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By JIM BUTLER

Football season is just starting but significant punts have already been made.

An England Authority special meeting to review details of the ICE family deportation staging center has been cancelled as a result.

Two of seven commissioners who last week called for a September 8 special meeting have recanted. At least six of the 10 commissioners are required for such a call under Authority rules.

Vice Chairman Jamar Gailes, a City of Alexandra appointment, and Trey Crump, City of Pineville-appointed, changed their minds, according to normally reliable sources, evidently convinced a meeting would serve no point other than exacerbating the matter.

Persons who’ve spoken on the issue at Authority sessions previous have made their position quite clear and in some cases it’s been quite personal.

The increasing intemperance is a concern among commissioners and staff and, sources say, was among topics raised by those urging the two to change their stance.

Absent in the hearings appearance record is any person speaking in favor of the staging center and any comment from often-vocal locals such as public figures,  politicians and pastors.

The current count indicates official discussion of the project is done, as it is not likely to again be on an Authority agenda barring unexpected change.

Adding it to the agenda during a meeting would require unanimous vote. That is as unlikely as Lane Kiffin being invited to the SEC Christmas party.

That then leaves officially unanswered some questions, with or without foundation, raised by various parties, both at the Authority meetings, on social media and in published articles. Examples include:

• Who is liable if something goes wrong – the Authority or LaSalle Family Foundation?

• Is the agreement with ICE available for public reading? If not, why not?

• Does federal Freedom of Information process overrule state public records provisions?

• Same for Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with LaSalle?

• How many jobs of various categories are envisioned in this project? Payroll?

• When did discussion of family center begin?

• What are health and medical provisions?

As pitched at last week’s gathering, the special meeting was to explore such.

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RUSTON — The result of Northwestern State’s season opener a week ago was a big disappointment.

The performance, however, gave the Demons plenty to build on.

NSU takes the lessons from its season-opening loss to Louisiana Christian into its first road game of the season Saturday when it visits Louisiana Tech (0-0) at Joe Aillet Stadium. 

Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. with the game streaming on ESPN+ and airing locally in Natchitoches on 100.7 FM KZBL.

The Demons’ 37 points and 525 yards of offense against LCU were the most in a single game under third-year head coach Blaine McCorkle, who took over a program whose last four games of 2023 were cancelled, resulting in a massive rebuilding project still ongoing. The 525 yards were the most in a game since 2022, while the 37 points were tied for the second-most the Demons have scored in a game since 2021.

Northwestern scored on each of its first five possessions, finding the end zone three times while adding a pair of field goals. It marked the first time in more than 15 years the Demons had scored on their first five possessions of a game.

“Statistically there were some really good things from that game, on both sides of the ball,” McCorkle said. “Our defense outside the penalties only gave up about 25 yards in the first half. There are a lot of really good things to build on from the game. But the bottom line is you have to finish the game to get the win.”

The offensive production was led by a career performance from Zay Davis.

Davis accounted for 199 all-purpose yards, including the first 100-yard rushing game of his career. His 126 rushing yards made him the first Demon to rush for at least 100 yards in a game since Kennieth Lacy did so at Houston Christian in 2022.

Davis’ 199 all-purpose yards were the third-most by a Northwestern State player in the past five seasons and the second-most by a player under McCorkle.

Add the 300-yard passing performance from quarterback Abram Johnston who completed throws to 10 different receivers in the game and the Demons had an offensive rhythm working through most of the night.

Now the Demons turn their attention toward an experienced Louisiana Tech team playing its season opener.

The Bulldogs are coming off an 8-5 season in 2025, their first winning record during Sonny Cumbie’s tenure. Tech capped the season by defeating Coastal Carolina in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl in Shreveport.

Among the Bulldogs’ returning standouts is tight end Eli Finley, a John Mackey Award watchlist selection who led Louisiana Tech in 2025 with 38 receptions for 444 yards.

For Northwestern, the key is carrying the positives from its opener forward while eliminating mistakes that ultimately prevented the Demons from finishing the job.

“Just do our job,” offensive lineman Caleb Billiot said. “Communicate up front. They throw similar things that we see from our defense so taking everything over from practice into the game. And both sides of the ball eliminate penalties. Eliminate turnovers and go play our game.

“We can’t let this last one get to us. Coach said we have 11 weeks left in the season, so what can we do now to change what happened. You can’t do anything but get back up and go to work. We have a new opponent ahead of us. They’re a really good team and let’s go find a way to get a win.”

That mindset has been a focal point for the Demon defense as well.

Transfer defensive line Donovan Dozier, who played against Tech a year ago with Liberty, said the team has locked in on the importance of every player handling his individual responsibility rather than trying to do someone else’s job.

“Defensively, and really the whole team, this week we’re really focusing on and emphasizing doing your one of 11,” Dozier said. “Focusing on doing your part every time you’re on the field. I’m doing my part, then I’m helping my brother and my team.”

The opportunity to respond comes against a program with which the Demons have a long history, another point of emphasis this week.

 Saturday’s meeting is the first between the rivals since 2023, but the history between them stretches much further back. The schools have played for more than a century, including memorable meetings at the Louisiana State Fair in Shreveport.

“It’s an exciting week for any Northwestern State fan because this game has such a long history and the rivalry between the schools,” McCorkle said. “Obviously it’s not what it used to be because we’re not the same level anymore, I think people forget that sometimes. Just tremendous history from those old State Fair games.

“I want our guys to know that and know that this is more than just playing a regional FBS opponent. There’s a lot of history and a lot of people take a lot of pride in this game and I think our guys will too.”

Davis knows the Demons have a chance to turn the tables on the type of comeback that spoiled their opener.

“We’re focused on the team,” Davis said. “It’s not fun losing a game you feel like you could and probably should have won. But going up against Tech we’re excited. There is a chance to do what LC did to us. We’re going to go to work this week. Practice really hard. Watch a lot of film against these guys and be ready to play Saturday night.”

The Demons will look to carry the offensive rhythm they established in their opener while cleaning up the penalties and turnovers that proved costly.

More than anything, McCorkle wants his team to understand that one result does not define what he believes is the most complete team he has had during his tenure.

“I believe in who we are and what we’re doing,” he said. “The core of our program is what it is and it’s not going to change. I think our guys are maturing and starting to understand exactly what it takes to do that. I think they’re in a good spot and ready to move forward.”

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The Louisiana Christian Wildcats shocked the college football world last week with Thursday’s 42-37 upset of Northwestern State in Natchitoches.

Saturday, they open their home season at 6 o’clock trying to sustain that surge of momentum and begin defense of their 2025 Sooner Athletic Conference co-championship as Langston visits Pineville.

The Wildcats won 31-24 at Langston on Labor Day weekend last season to begin their 2025 SAC success. Langston did not play a Week Zero game last week and will be opening its season at LCU. The Lions were 3-7 a year ago.

LCU rallied from a 27-14 halftime deficit at NSU, playing nearly error-free while the Demons lost two fumbles in the red zone and suffered a Pick Six interception that Ernest Mitchell returned 42 yards in the third quarter. That was part of a 21-point third period that lifted LCU ahead to stay.

The Wildcats got 117 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Datlan Cunningham, and 178 yards passing on 14-of-25 aim with just one interception by Bryce Perkins. Omarius Davis made 10 receptions for 81 yards and one of the TDs.

Saturday’s game will be streamed live on 446Sports and the Wildcat Sports Network.

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After stunning the college football world by beating NCAA Division I Northwestern State 42-37 last Thursday night, the Louisiana Christian University football team swept the Sooner Athletic Conference’s weekly football honors.
 

Alexandria Senior High product Datlan Cunningham was named the conference’s Offensive Player of the Week with Ernest Mitchell named the Defensive Player of the Week and Centenary transfer Obadiah Butler named the Special Teams Player of the Week.

It was only the 13^th time an NAIA football team has defeated an NCAA Division I opponent, the first time for LCU.
 

Cunningham, a redshirt junior running back, earned the honor after rushing for 117 yards on 14 carries, an 8.4 yard per carry average, and two touchdown He scored on a two-yard plunge in the first quarter and then broke loose on a 37-yard scoring scamper on the first drive of the third quarter.

In the final two minutes, facing a third-and-13 with a chance to secure the improbable victory, the ball was handed to Cunningham who busted loose for a 16-yard gain for the game-clinching first down. This is Cunningham’s second career SAC Offensive Player of the Week award.
 

Mitchell, a redshirt freshman cornerback from East Ascension High School, was the point man in two transformative defensive plays. Late in the second quarter with NSU leading 27-14 and threatening to add more, the ball was forced loose and Mitchell hopped on it in the end zone for a touchback, ending the threat. That was the first of two straight Demon drives that got into the LCU red zone but ended with a turnover right before the half, keeping the Wildcats in the game heading to the break.

After Cunningham’s 37-yard jaunt to start the third quarter which got the Wildcats back within a score, Mitchell read a slow-developing screen pass, jumped the route, intercepted the ball, and took it back 42 yards for a TD to give LCU the lead again, 28-27, and spur the comeback win. He also made a pair of solo tackles in the victory. This is Mitchell’s first career SAC Player of the Week award.

He will likely be a contender for national NAIA Defensive Player of the Week honors next week. The NAIA did not name players of the week for the Week Zero games last weekend.
 

In his LCU debut, Butler, a senior running back from Crowley who was a standout last season at Centenary,  returned two kickoffs in the first quarter. The second one he took back 65 yards to the Demon 25-yard line, setting up a Wildcat touchdown which gave LCU a 14-13 lead. NSU did not allow another opportunity to return a kick in the contest.

The ‘Cats are home for the first time this season as Langston comes to Pineville on Saturday to open the conference portion of the schedule for both teams. Kickoff of Saturday’s contest against the Lions (0-0) is set for 6 p.m. at Wildcat Field and will be televised on 446Sports.

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BOM Bank is honored to serve as a proud sponsor of the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Cenla Louisiana Banquet, an event dedicated to conserving Louisiana’s coastal resources and supporting sustainable fisheries for future generations. We are grateful for the opportunity to stand alongside organizations that champion conservation, stewardship, and the outdoors across Central Louisiana. Pictured left to right: Robert Alexander and BOM’s Daniel Lonsberry.

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By BRAD WELBORN, Northwestern State Athletic Communications

NATCHITOCHES — Northwestern State had Louisiana Christian on the ropes.

Then the Demons let go.

After building a two-score advantage late in the second quarter, the Demons had the opportunity to take complete control of its season opener Thursday night at Turpin Stadium. Instead, a pair of red-zone fumbles and a slew of penalties throughout the night opened the door for LCU, an NAIA power that stormed back in the second half to hand the Demons a 42-37 loss.

“We didn’t do what we needed to do,” Demons’ third-year coach Blaine McCorkle said. “In spurts early on it looked like the game went the way that a lot of people probably thought it would and for whatever reason we couldn’t hold onto it. We’ve got a lot of things that we’ve got to figure out and some hard conversations to have.”

For a stretch in the second quarter, everything appeared to be going according to plan for the Demons, who raced to a quick 10-0 lead before LCU rallied to a 14-13 advantage.

Northwestern scored touchdowns on its first two possessions of the second period, with Abram Johnston punching in a one-yard option keeper before connecting with Jimmie Duncan on a 59-yard deep ball.

The back-to-back scores pushed NSU’s lead to 27-14.

The Demon defense forced three straight punts, including consecutive three-and-outs, giving the offense two more chances to add to the advantage before halftime.

Neither opportunity produced points.

Both drives ended with fumbles inside the Wildcat 10-yard line, keeping the LCU within striking distance and ultimately becoming a defining sequence of the game.

“We hold on to those two balls we may have 40 points on the board at the half,” McCorkle said. “We didn’t. We had two really good, trusted players that turned the ball over in the red zone and you can’t do that. The one drive they had in the first half we probably had 80 yards of penalties on us. You can’t do that against anybody.”

NSU outgained Louisiana Christian 218-25 in the period, with Johnston completing 11-of-13 passes for 179 yards. The Demons, however, managed just two touchdowns on four possessions.

The Wildcats carried that momentum into the second half.

Touchdowns on their first two possessions of the third quarter, sandwiched an interception return for another score, put LCU on top to stay. The 21-point outburst flipped the game and gave LCU a 35-30 lead entering the fourth quarter.

The Demons had plenty of offensive firepower show up between the 20s, surpassing 500 yards of total offense for the first time since 2022, but three stalled drives that ended in field goals and two fumbles left several points off the board.

Following Louisiana Christian’s first touchdown of the second half, Zay Davis broke loose for a 60-yard run on the ensuing NSU possession, pushing him past the 100-yard mark for the first time in his career.

Davis finished with 124 rushing yards and a touchdown while adding to his total as an all-purpose threat with 28 receiving yards and 47 in on the opening kickoff return for 199 all-purpose yards. His performance made him the first 100-yard rusher for Northwestern since Kennieth Lacy at Houston Christian in October 2022.

Ten different players caught a pass in the game, led by Dylan Rhodes’ six grabs for 55 yards and a  touchdown with 2:47 left, but an onside kick failed and LCU ran out the clock by running for a pair of first downs.

Johnston finished 30-for-42 for 319 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, his second career 300-yard passing performance.

“Other than the turnovers our offense looked like what it should in a game like this,” McCorkle said. “Zay Davis is a good player. I thought Abram played well. Our offensive line is better.

“I told the guys the most frustrating thing about this whole thing is going into our third year, there is no doubt in my mind this is the best football team we’ve had. Without question. No doubt this is the deepest team we’ve had. This is the best culture we’ve had in the locker room, not even close. When you know that those three things are true, that makes these things even more of a mystery.”

The Demons also got a strong showing from Natchitoches native and Colorado State transfer Payne Williams III.

Williams connected on field goals of 32, 47 and 39 yards, becoming the first Northwestern kicker to make three field goals in a game since Eddie Godina did so in 2021.

Northwestern committed 12 penalties for 111 yards, including costly, drive-extending infractions that led to Wildcat scores. It was the most penalties in a game in the McCorkle era.

Against a Louisiana Christian team that capitalized on every opening it was given, the combination of turnovers and penalties proved too much for the Demons to overcome.

“Give Louisiana Christian a lot of credit,” McCorkle said. “They are a really good football team. They’re going to win a lot of games. I think (head coach) Ben (McLaughlin) and his staff do a phenomenal job. They have the chance to win a lot of games.”

Contact Brad at welbornb@nsula.edu

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By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

NATCHITOCHES – Turns out the lunar eclipse beginning about 9:30 wasn’t the strangest thing seen from Turpin Stadium Thursday night.

Louisiana Christian 42, Northwestern State 37. The Wildcats, 8-3 last fall and Sooner Athletic Conference co-champions, with 18 of 22 starters back, became the first NAIA program to defeat an NCAA Division I scholarship team, ever, according to LCU.

Ben McLaughlin’s third Wildcats team earned it. Outgained by 188 yards, but not outfought.

“I told them before the game, never look at the scoreboard. When we got up 14-13, don’t look at the scoreboard, just keep playing. We got down by over a touchdown, just keep playing. They just kept playing one play at a time, and when you do that, you’ve got a chance to win a ballgame,” he said.

LCU was down 10-0 less than six minutes in, but rallied to stake a 14-13 edge 10 minutes later. Northwestern seemed ready to take command, answering with two touchdowns, the second a 59-yard catch by former ASH star Jimmie Duncan to go up 27-14 midway through the second period.

The Demons twice moved into the red zone before halftime, but both times, the Wildcats recovered fumbles, in the end zone (Ernest MItchell) and at the 13 (Kristian Doyle). NSU could have put up 41 points before the band show, but didn’t.

Then came a 21-point third period outburst into a 35-30 lead by the visitors, highlighted by a 42-yard pick six down the NSU sideline by the soon-to-be NAIA Defensive Player of the Week, Wildcats redshirt freshman cornerback Mitchell. The spread grew to 42-30 on Omarius Davis’ 52-yard reception from Bryce Perkins just into the final quarter, and the Demons couldn’t answer until 2:47 remained.

They never had possession again. LCU evaporated the rest of the clock with a pair of first downs by 118-yard rusher Datlan Cunningham and Jaterius Johnson, and Wildcats danced out to midfield after the final snap.

“That’s the longest three minutes of my life there at the end, trying to grind out those last couple first downs,” said McLaughlin.

“Our guys just believe. They believed from the beginning,” he said. “We’ve got such an old veteran group that I’m trusting that the confidence they have is the right confidence, and my coaching staff is amazing. I’ll put our coaching staff up against any staff in the nation or any division.”

“So you put the right culture, with the right staff, and you got a special team, and this is (what can happen),” said McLaughlin, whose Wildcats have won 11 of their last 15 games dating back to the end of his first season.

It was a performance that earned admiration from the other sideline. As exasperated as Demons’ third-year coach Blaine McCorkle was afterward, he gave LCU its due.

“I don’t have a lot of words for what happened tonight. I give Louisiana Christian a lot of credit. Really, really good football team. They’re gonna win a lot of games,” said McCorkle, who resurrected a former LCU rival, Division III Belhaven, in six seasons, and is trying to do the same gradual rebuild in Natchitoches.

“I’ve said for a long time, Ben and his staff do a phenomenal job. They’ve got good personnel. They’ve got good schemes. They know what they’re doing. They are an older team. Everything we said, they were, as far as that goes. I think they have a chance to win the whole thing at their level. That’s what that’s what a high, high-end NAIA team looks like. So kudos to them, really proud of them.”

“Very proud of these guys,” said McLaughlin. “The players win games. We try to get them ready, but they were the ones that did this. Those guys were awesome.”

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

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BOM Bank was proud to be a sponsor and field a team in the Trailblazers Cup Golf Tournament! Proceeds from the tournament will help support Alzheimer’s awareness and efforts to make a difference in the lives of those affected by the disease. We are honored to support organizations and events that strengthen our communities and promote important causes. Pictured left to right: Jaden Chenevert, Wesley Pickering, BOM’s Titan Marler, and Cameron Kerik.

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By JIM BUTLER

Dollars and decency, some say, clash at the corner of Frank Andrews Blvd. & Van Gossen Ave.

Put in that context, dollars are winning.

Though not on the posted draft agenda, more complaints about a 528-bed facility for “self-deporting” illegal alien families and children may be voiced at Thursday’s England Authority meeting during comment on proposed demonstration/protest permitting rules, but reality is right next door.

Fencing’s going up, shrubbery screening’s going up, modular housing is on site, plumbers, electricians and other craftsmen are busy.

The Authority’s Intergovernmental Support Agreement with ICE pays about $535,000 a year to lease two former barracks and 10 acres. The five-year agreement has a five-year extension clause.

At this point the barracks seem untouched, perhaps an asbestos removal issue, but the acreage is getting an overhaul.

A potential $5.3 million revenue stream fits well in the Authority’s budget. Clearly such a facility isn’t what Airpark creators envisioned 30 years ago, but things change, some say.

And, they note, attendant spending for goods, services, personnel, etc. is measurable economic development.

At what incalculable human costs?, a growing group of critics ask.

LaSalle Corrections and an affiliated non-profit agreed at the end of June to build and operate the 72-hour holding center.

Construction costs are not indicated.

England is the logical site selection for the center. More than 4,400 deportation flights departed AEX in 2025, by far the most of any U.S. airport, published studies show.

Creating the center helps ICE break a logjam that can occur when it wants to move children from foster care or recognized shelters since it cannot house unaccompanied children in its facilities.

The ICE-LaSalle pact, records indicate, stipulates those housed at the center cannot be called “prisoners, detainees or inmates.”

Tell that to the temporary residents, opponents counter.

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‘Tis the SZN.

With high school jamborees and Week Zero college games, including a noteworthy Thursday night reunion in Natchitoches, football finally is here.

Too soon to tee it up, with temps in triple digits?

Nope. Do right and hydrate. That advice is free and important for everyone not pulling on a helmet at the games.

Those band members and cheerleader and pom-ponners, the dance line girls (and boys), and their coaches and coordinators, and everybody in the stands, won’t have hard-working trainers walking up with water bottles and sports drinks to guzzle.

Zig Ziglar said this long ago: “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” Since he was Alabama born and spent all his days south (Mississippi, South Carolina) and southwest (Dallas), except those traveling to spread his motivational messages, Zig should have added, “… to keep wetting the whistle while watching and cheering.”

Maybe they didn’t write that part of it down. Or nobody was taking notes at the tailgating party.

Stay thirsty, my friends. For victory, and for cold drinks. Do not let a concession stand line discourage you. Whoever is running it needs your money to support their good cause, and you need what they have to pour.

We all need the football. People who don’t begin to understand the game enjoy the spectacle of it, the social aspects of tailgating, and take on the responsibility of pulling on the school colors from head to toe even if they can’t name two players in their team’s uniforms or they think that NIL means nonexistent.

As in, “chances for survival were slim, almost nil.”

Which applies to college football as we’ve known it. The rules of the game haven’t changed much, but the rules of the sport have.

NIL has made it worthwhile for NFL rookies to retreat to better paying gigs at Big College U. LSU’s Lane Kiffin is not the only college coach scouting pro preseason rosters to identify first-year fellows who aren’t going to make an NFL roster but would happily collect six figures to play a dozen or more games back where they were stars.

Hate the idea, but admit it, in the depths of your fandom, would you rather have some of those guys playing for your team, or against it?

The Southeastern Conference fired out a statement Monday decrying this latest development, because SEC presidents and administrators know they’re staring at another court case that’s going to drag on indefinitely. Tuesday, they issued an edict that the SEC won’t allow pros to retreat to their teams, but expect more tremors around this topic or the next few to boil up.

Give me high school ball, along with colleges within a short drive from your front door.  NIL is in play for the teams in those stadiums, too, but on a much smaller scale. Tolerable to consider.

High school football has its own special magic and traditions. One continued Tuesday when the Alexandria Rotary Club hosted the annual Pigskin Preview, providing a showcase for coaches and a couple of senior student-athletes from all eight of the parish football schools to show their optimism for what’s about to unfold, speaking in front of a large audience of community leaders.

Jamborees this weekend have a variety of matchups, from a clash of titans down south between Class 5A powers ASH and Zachary, to two programs trying to get going in the right direction when Pickering plays Lakeview in the Battle on the Bricks NRMC Jamboree at NSU’s Turpin Stadium.

There’s a small school matchup Friday night in Natchitoches that won’t matter in the grand scheme, but will be a farewell fight. The Tigers from LaSalle and the Tigers of St. Mary’s have squared off for decades as district foes, but realignment has halted that series, except in the second annual Battle on the Bricks Jamboree.

A night earlier, Turpin Stadium will usher in north Louisiana college competition when Louisiana Christian rides 58 miles up I-49 to play Northwestern State for the first time in 58 years.

Was a rivalry when TVs were black and white. Will be simply a neat reunion Thursday night, one that’s clear of court injunctions with the only fireworks going off when the Demons take the turf.

It’s been too long … since LC and NSU met, and since last football season.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

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By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

ST. LOUIS – In his summer-long run on the PGA Tour, former LSU All-American Sam Burns has overcome slow starts. For example, he was 1-over through 18 holes at the U.S. Open, and roared back to be runner-up. At the British Open, he was 3-over after the first round, and finished third.

Thursday’s opening 1-over 71 at the 50-man BMW Championship isn’t the desired start in the second event of the three-round FedEx Cup playoffs, but it’s hardly a significant stumble. Especially when the Choudrant resident is already assured of advancing to next week’s 30-player Tour Championship thanks to his No. 6 ranking in the FedEx Cup points race coming into this week’s play.

Burns is coming off a third-place tie in the playoff opener, the FedEx St. Jude Championship last week in Memphis. The runaway winner there, Scottie Scheffler, shot 2-over 72 Thursday. Burns is tied for 37^th among the 50 qualifiers and Scheffler is tied for 44^th entering today’s second round.

He hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation and nine of 14 fairways, averaging 338 yards on his drives, sixth in the field. But he had the worst average shots gained on approach, minus 2.88 shots, ranking 50 out of 50 players. His season average is 31^st on tour, plus .392.

In Thursday’s round, Burns was 1-under until the last two holes, when he bogeyed the par-5 17^th and the par-4 18^th.

He started the day with an 18-foot birdie putt on the par-4 first hole but double bogeyed the par-4 second. After a 15-footer on the par-3 sixth got him back to even for the round, Burns bogeyed the par-4 10^th and slipped back to 1-over.

The Shreveport native hit a 108-yard approach on the par-4 14^th to three feet for a birdie to get back to even, then moved to 1-under with a 14-foot birdie on the 229-yard par-3 16^th, but wasn’t able to sustain the momentum.

Burns and his playing parter, Wyndham Clark, tee off at 1:33 today at Bellerive Country Club. Golf Channel coverage begins at 2 o’clock. Clark is among five players atop the leaderboard at 6-under, including Rory McIlroy.

All 50 players continue into the weekend. Golf Channel will carry Saturday and Sunday play from noon-2 p.m., with CBS picking up the rest of the afternoon action.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

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The City of Alexandria sent a crew last week to clear the overgrowth that surrounded the historic Arna Bontemps House in downtown Alexandria.

The city owns the lot but the Arna Bontemps Foundation owns and is responsible for the house, which remains dilapidated after closing several years ago.

In a weekend story in the Baton Rouge Advocate about the forlorn former museum, Alexandria Deputy Administrative Officer Michael Caffery said the city has sought to contact the point person for the foundation since Mayor Jacques Roy’s administration took office in 2022, but attempts have been unsuccessful. The foundation’s status as a Louisiana nonprofit was revoked in 2024, according to the Louisiana secretary of state’s website.

The issue was brought to the public’s attention by a column some weeks ago in the Rapides Parish Journal by Bob Tompkins.

The house honors Arna Bontemps, who was born in Alexandria in 1902 and became a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. He wrote acclaimed books, poems and essays while befriending other Black luminaries likes W.E.B. Du Bois and Langston Hughes.

“We implemented an administrative hearing agency to try to hold people accountable,” said Kay Michiels, Director of Planning for the city.

“The agency is in its infancy stage. Previously we had to bring people to city court,” she added, noting that was a lengthy, mostly unsuccessful effort. Community Development inspects, cites, condemns and demos a number of properties each year.”

This has become more expensive in recent years, which makes it more difficult to deal with for a city strapped for cash, she said.

The question of what to do with the house is a “daily, ongoing matter,” said Michiels. “It is a very complex problem.”

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BOM Bank is proud to support the Glenmora High School Model United Nations Club! Our sponsorship will help these outstanding students travel to Washington, D.C., where they will compete in the Model United Nations Conference alongside students from across the country. The Model United Nations program provides academically advanced students with real-world enrichment opportunities that demonstrate how their education applies beyond the classroom. Through collaboration, leadership, and problem-solving, students gain valuable experiences that help prepare them for future success. We are honored to invest in programs that empower the next generation of leaders and make a lasting impact on our communities. Pictured left to right: BOM’s Holly Cloessner, Savannah Niette, Damien Alejandre, and Lara Mathews.

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Congratulations to our Spring 2026 LBA Leadership School graduates: Anna Lee, Robin Thompson, Tiffany Ostbloom, Kimberly Wilkerson, and Jessi Norman! Over the six months, these outstanding bankers have dedicated their time to strengthening their leadership skills and investing in their professional growth through the Louisiana Bankers Association Leadership School. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and this well-deserved accomplishment.

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BOM Bank made a donation to the Pineville High School Cheer Team to support its athletes as they build teamwork, leadership, school spirit, and a tradition of excellence both on and off the sidelines. We are proud to invest in local students and programs that help young people develop confidence, discipline, and lifelong skills through extracurricular activities. Pictured left to right: Aubryi Adcock and BOM’s Jessica Brunson. At BOM Bank, we’re always cheering on the next generation of leaders!

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Allison Frye, who coached Pineville High School to the Select Division I state softball championship in May, is a featured speaker this morning at the Louisiana High School Coaches’ Association clinic in Baton Rouge.

It’s the second straight year Frye has presented at the clinic, a mecca for the state’s high school coaches in all sports. Her talk is not softball specific and begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Crown Plaza Hotel.

Her topic will be “Team Building That Works” and her expertise is apparent.

Along with this year’s state title at her alma mater, Frye coached Holy Savior Menard to the Class 2A state championship in 2015 and the state finals in 2016 and 2018. She’s been a consistent winner at both schools.

Her Lady Rebels finished with a 29-9 record this year, wrapping up with a dominant playoff run culminating in the school’s first state softball crown in 28 years. In postseason, Pineville run-ruled all four opponents, outscoring them 52-5 in just 21 innings, scoring at least 12 runs each game.

She was a clear-cut choice for Class 5A state coach of the year honors from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

Frye took the Pineville post after the 2018 season. She was a three-time All-State infielder for the Lady Rebels when she played from 2003-06, then an all-conference player at Louisiana Christian.

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Join us in congratulating Matthew Hicks, son of BOM’s Jared Hicks, on receiving the LBEC Freshman Scholarship! Matthew is the son of Jared Hicks, Senior Vice President and Government Guaranteed Lender at BOM Bank. This scholarship, established by the Louisiana Bankers Education Council, recognizes individuals with bright futures and strong potential in banking and beyond. We are proud to celebrate this exciting achievement and can’t wait to see all that Matthew accomplishes in the future. Way to go, Matthew!

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By JIM BUTLER

Kim Beebe Ryder never darkened a courtroom door.

Charged in November 2023 with malfeasance while working for the Sheriff’s Office, her case has been dropped by the District Attorney’s Office.

Any number of things could have led to the nolle prosse decision. As is customary, none were cited in the May motion to end the prosecution.

Ryder was accused of criminal misuse of more than $25,000 from an employee-funded account used for various employee support occasions.

She was 46 at the time and a SO employee for 28 years, a member of a family connected with the office long before the current administration.

A bill of information in her case was filed on August 15, 2024.

According to court records, neither she nor her attorney appeared for scheduled arraignment on August 30, 2024.

The only court minute entry between then and the nolle prosse earlier this year was the normal rotation from one court division to another.

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