Barry Paul Walker Jr., 33, Alexandria – simple burglary, possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, probation violation, $50,000 bail;
Damon Cephus Walls, 34, Deville – possession of controlled dangerous substance, failure to have lamps/reflectors on bicycle, $1,600 bail;
A’leja Almakay Wells, 24, Alexandria – domestic abuse/aggravated assault/child endangerment, domestic abuse battery, no bond data.
Arthur Jamall Wallace, 35, Alexandria – first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, second degree murder, attempted second degree murder, $3,000,000 bail;
Keith Certon White, 42, Alexandria – possession of firearm by convicted felon, driving under suspension, three counts possession of controlled dangerous substance, aggravated battery of police officer, criminal damage to property, $55,800 bail.
January 2
Pagel Lynn Arnold II, 47, Elizabeth – possession of controlled substance, paraphernalia, fugitive, $3,000 bail;
Sean Kevin Bordelon, 50, Pineville – domestic abuse battery serious injury, $5,000 bail;
Kennedy Z. Bowie, 21, Alexandria – simple escape, resisting, flight from an officer, $10,600 bail;
Daniel Christoper French, 23, Alexandria – resisting an officer with aggravated assault, resisting, theft, $26,000 bail.
A neighborhood rivalry will tip off 2025 for the LSUA basketball teams Saturday when LSUS rides down I-49 for an afternoon Red River Athletic Conference doubleheader at The Fort.
The wonen’s game starts at 1 with the men slated to follow at 3. Both are important matchups early in the RRAC race.
The LSUA men, ranked fifth nationally, lead the RRAC. The LSUA women are second in the conference and the LSUS women stand third.
“It’s a big game for us on Saturday to open up this new year,” LSUA coach Dimario Jackson said. “We have had some great practices leading up to this game. Every day our guys got better. LSU Shreveport is a very talented team. They have a lot of guys who can score the basketball. We have to be dialed in for the entirety of the game defensively.”
The Generals (13-1, 10-1 RRAC) won their last two games on the road against Texas A&M-San Antonio, 74-71, and No. 20 Our Lady of the Lake, 85-71. Kashie Natt leads LSUA in scoring (17.4 points per game) and rebounding (10.1 average) and EJ McQuillan is the other double-digit scorer at 13.2 per game.
LSUS enters 2025 with a record of 9-6, 6-5 in RRAC games and are 3-4 on the road. The Pilots split their final two games of 2024, dropping a 90-86 shootout in San Antonio to Our Lady of the Lake before capturing an 83-65 victory over Texas A&M-San Antonio.
The Pilots have six players, who have appeared in at least 10 games, averaging 10 or more points per game. Taj Anderson leads the Pilots’ offense with 18.9 points per game.
The women’s contest pits the second-place Lady Pilots (11-3, 10-1) against third-place LSUA (11-4, 8-3). Unbeaten Xavier is the RRAC leader.
Jewel Jones’ 13.7 scoring average leads a trio of Lady Generals in double digits, just ahead of Dannah Martin-Hartwick (13.3) and Benedetta Perrachi (13.1), who grabs a team-best 8.9 rebounds per game.
LSUS is also balanced with Selna Markisic at 11.9 points per game and Helena Galunic scoring 11.4 and leading in rebounding with a 6.9 average.
LOUISIANA COLLEGE: The RRAC doubleheader scheduled for LCU Saturday at Texas College has been postponed due to the funeral service for the head coach of the Texas College men’s team, Walter Yates, who died Dec. 20. LCU’s season will resume next Thursday in San Antonio.
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier was the Offensive Player of the Year on the All-Louisiana Football Team announced Thursday by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. (Photo by GUS STARK, LSU Athletics)
BATON ROUGE – Louisiana Christian defensive lineman Logan Brimmer and running back Daylon Charles made the 2024 edition of the All-Louisiana College Football Team announced on Thursday by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association
Brimmer, a senior All-Sooner Athletic Conference first team pass rusher, ended his career with his third straight all-conference and second consecutive LSWA selection. Brimmer racked up the fourth-most sack yards (71) & seventh-most tackles for loss yards (89) in the NAIA, wound up 15th in fumble recoveries (2), and was top-five in the conference in sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (12.5). He led the Wildcats in sacks, sack yards, TFLs, TFL yards & fumble recoveries in addition to racking up 10 quarterback hurries.
Charles, a senior record-breaking ballcarrier, captured his first All-Louisiana honor just a few weeks following honorable mention NAIA All-America recognition last month. He became the first LCU ballcarrier with a 1,000-yard rushing season since 2015 and only the fourth player to do so during the modern era (since 2000) while being the first to score 10+ touchdowns on the ground since 2016. Charles’ 19 rushing touchdowns and 1,227 yards ranks as the best / second-best in program history. The All-SAC first teamer ended the regular season fifth in the NAIA for rushing yards, sixth in rushing scores, was just outside the top 10 in carries (204), had the 13th-highest yards per game average (111.6), and was among the top-30 as far as yards per carry (6.0).
Players from LSU, ULM and Tulane, along with Sun Belt Conference West Division championship coach Michael Desormeaux of UL Lafayette, earned top honors on the team..
LSU’s quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and linebacker Whit Weeks earned state offensive and defensive player of the year honors respectively, while running back Ahmad Hardy of ULM was named the freshman of the year. Tulane wide receiver Mario Williams, was named the newcomer of the year for first-year Louisiana players.
Desormeaux, who led the Ragin Cajuns to the Sun Belt Conference championship game, was named the state’s top coach in 2024.
The team was chosen by a group of voters from state media relations and communications office and selected media based on nominations made by each university. School media relations voters could not vote for players from their own school.
Nussmeier, who finished his junior season Tuesday with an MVP performance in the Texas Bowl, through for 3,735 yards and 26 touchdowns during the regular season. His 312 completions ranked No. 2 in LSU history, while with his bowl game his over 4,000 yards passing also ranked second. He topped the 300-yard mark eight times, including a career best 409 yards versus South Alabama. The Lake Charles product had five games with three TDs or more.
Weeks, a sophomore linebacker from Watkinsville, Georgia, earned defensive honors after a first-team All-SEC season that saw him lead the Tigers in tackles with 119. He was ranked No. 3 in the SEC and No. 11 nationally in total tackles and tackles per game (9.92). He had a career best 18 tackles in the overtime win over Ole Miss and 17 tackles versus both Oklahoma and Alabama.
Hardy, from Monticello, Mississippi, added state top freshman honors to go with Sun Belt freshman of the year honors after a season in which he rushed for 1,351 yards and scored 13 touchdowns for the Warhawks, His rushing total was the 10th highest in the country and fourth highest of all group of five running backs. He posted two 200-yard rushing games, finished T2 for touchdowns in a single ULM season.
Newcomer Williams came from USC to Tulane and earned second team All-AAC honors after the wide receiver caught 54 balls for 940 yards and five touchdowns. Williams, a native of Tampa, Florida, led the Green Wave in both catches and receiving yards and led the league in receiving yardage.
Desormeaux and the Cajuns finished the regular season 10-3 and 7-1 in the Sun Belt Conference, advancing to the league championship game after winning the SBC West Division. The team posted a power conference win at Wake Forest, the Cajuns’ first since 2020. The Cajuns were one of 18 FBS schools – one of five from the Group of Five – with 10 wins.
Two teams representing offense, defense and specialists were selected with ties allowed for position allowed on the second team as necessary. The complete All-Louisiana selections:
LSWA ALL-LOUISIANA TEAM
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
POS/NAME/SCHOOL/CL/HOMETOWN/NOTES
OL/Landon Burton/Louisiana/Sr./Lafayette, La./First Team All-SBC
OL/Will Campbell/LSU/Jr./Monroe, La./First-Team AP, Walter Camp, AFCA All-America
OL/AJ Gillie/Louisiana/Sr./Natchitoches, La./First Team All-SBC, HM All-America (CFN)
OL/Shadre Hurst/Tulane/So./Cartersville, Ga./First Team All-AAC, HM All-America (CFN)
OL/Evan Roussel/Nicholls/Sr./Lutcher, La./SLC OL of Year, Second Team AP FCS A-A
TE/Terrance Carter/Louisiana/So./Killeen, Texas/First Team All-SBC; 48 rec., 4 TDs
Sam Spurgeon likely had no regrets seeing 2024 depart.
The Alexandria attorney widely known through billboard and television advertising was booked New Year’s Eve on a felony charge, his second police beat appearance of the year.
This time the charge is a felony, likely just another police blotter entry but for Spurgeon’s public figure stature.
Spurgeon was booked Tuesday on a charge of battery 2nd degree. Jailed at 11:56 a.m., he posted $5,000 bond and was released at 12:58 p.m.
Details leading to the arrest were unavailable due to holiday schedules in the records department.
Second-degree battery is defined under Louisiana law as intentionally inflicting serious bodily injury.
Penalty for conviction is up to $2,000 fine and/or up to eight years imprisonment with or without hard labor. Judicial discretion allows suspended or probated sentence.
Three months ago Spurgeon was arrested at Florida’s Disney World and charged in Orange County with battery domestic violence.
The status of that misdemeanor September 20 arrest and details of the allegations were not available online.
In January 2023, wildlife officials announced arrest of several persons in East Carroll Parish, among them Spurgeon.
They were charged with possession of pods while bowhunting deer.
Pods attached at the tip of an arrow when striking a deer release a substance which leads to death of the animal, which is illegal.
I’m as excited as a kid with a new toy. My third book, “Fathers, Sons and Old Guns” was recently released by Amazon and is now available for purchase from Amazon.com with first book signing set for January 11 at McKinney’s Outdoor Super Store in Ruston from 10 a.m. 2 p.m. The book is a revised edition of my “Talking Outdoors” released in 1995 and includes articles I have written over the past 50-plus years. Here is the title story in the book.
FATHERS, SONS AND OLD GUNS
It began for the boy along about the Christmas of his sixth or seventh year. Dawn was still an hour or more away when the youngster crept out of bed. Peering sleepily around the corner through the living room door, his eyes scanned the brightly-wrapped packages spangled with tinsel and glitter beneath the tree.
His breath caught in his throat when he saw it – twinkling colored lights reflecting off the blue steel barrel and walnut stock. His first gun … the .410 he’d dreamed about.
That was thirty Christmases ago. Today, the boy is a man; a father with a son of his own. This Christmas, the old .410 will be passed down along with the memories it helped create; like the tomato can he peppered with holes the first time he shot it … the surprise he felt when his shoulder was whacked from the recoil … the rusty fox squirrel he rolled off a hickory limb … how he rushed up to it, picked it up and held it up for his proud father to see … remembering the expression on his father’s face was one he’d never seen there before.
Before he takes his son out with the old .410, there’ll be time for instruction; for answering youthful questions fired out from behind eyes wide with excitement. He’ll hand the boy the gun, unbreached, chamber empty, explaining how it functions; how it can be a faithful companion; how it can turn on you coldly if handled carelessly.
After the lesson, they’ll walk out back and prop a tomato can against a clay bank. The father will watch his son’s startled expression change to one of pride as the can spins and careens wildly when pellets perforate it.
It’s Saturday, and the man and boy make preparations for this, their first hunt together … the teacher and student.
Dawn brushes the eastern sky in a blend of delicate pastels as the two wait in the woods in suspenseful silence. A fallen log serves as a comfortable seat in the hardwood glade. On all sides of the ridge are hickories, the ground littered with fresh cuttings. At the foot of the ridge past the thicket, a creek meanders out of the hills to course lazily at the feet of silvery beeches and ancient cypresses.
The raspy rattle of a brown thrasher serves as a woodland wake-up call and a wren, scolding softly, hops to the end of the log where the two sit. Blue jays argue and fuss over acorns in an oak overhead.
The boy is drinking it all in when his dad touches his elbow and points to movement in a nearby hickory. It’s a squirrel, the boy spots it and then looks at his dad with a perplexed expression that says, “What do I do now?”
Regaining control, he remembers his dad’s instructions and waits until the squirrel scampers to the opposite side of the tree. Standing slowly, he eases forward a few steps. As the squirrel reappears and begins whacking away on a hickory nut, the youngster slowly raises the old gun, nestles the butt against the hollow of his slender shoulder, aims … and touches the trigger.
There is no startled expression from the recoil this time. He feels no jolt but is aware only of the squirrel tumbling in a shower of leaves to the ground. With a whoop, the youngster rushes to it, picks it up, and grinning, looks back at his dad. For a moment, the man doesn’t speak. He can’t. A unique bond has been created, an intangible essence of oneness that needs no explanation. It can only be experienced by a man and boy — teacher and student — together under the hickories.
As 2024 comes to a close, we’re taking another holiday break, and there will be no Rapides Parish Journal on New Year’s Day.
We’ll start our round of 2025 editions Thursday morning, bringing you locally-based content free of charge, without annoying pop-ups or log-ins, in a 6:55 a.m. e-mail on weekdays to subscribers (no charge!).
You can also find our content on our webpage (RapidesParishJournal.com) or the Rapides Parish Journal Facebook page – easy to access, free to all.
We hope you have a great New Year’s Eve and a wonderful start to 2025.
Crystal balls are in short supply and Carnack is long since gone, yet we can foresee some events to be alert for in near future:
School Board, Alexandria City Council and Police Jury elect officers in January; Possible GAEDA commissioners appointments with City.
Council membership change, possible resolution to executive director question; Further shakeup in Crimestoppers of Cenla hierarchy in wake of civil action by Kenneth Paul; Status report by CLECO on Diamond Vault, its proposed carbon recovery project. Fish or cut bait?
Wrap up of Police Jury-Jay Scott civil action; Same regarding several-years-old civil action over City Council budget authority; Decision on who will manage Head Start – School Board or another entity?; Another try for Huffman Creek pumping station upgrade in Pineville – city will put up more and seek more from state.
In this Christmas season of snacks – and, yes Christmas isn’t over (this is the seventh of the 12 days of Christmas) – here are some snacks to munch on:
The night of Dec. 26 was a scary one, with at least two tornado warning alarms blaring from our phones. We retreated to the hall as recommended, and I sat watching the tornado coverage by meteorologist Jake Lambright on KALB-TV’s Facebook page.
Jake, a recent graduate of UL-Monroe, is in his rookie season, having just joined KALB in May, but he did a credible job keeping everyone informed with minute-by-minute coverage. He was on top of the facts and kept his cool in trying circumstances. Although he had some rough efforts in his early months on the job, he showed that night he ranks among the better meteorologists KALB has had. Longtime veteran Tom Konvicka, who left the station in 2021, is the dean of that list, and Nick Mikulas, another veteran who owns Cenla Weather, is another go-to guy for many local weather watchers. Some other notables in that position were Adeleigh Rowe, who for three years has been a meteorologist at Fox 7 in Austin, Texas; and Rachel Penton Gauthier, who left in March and is now a meteorologist and “science content creator” at Anchorage, Alaska.
Providentially, the storm wasn’t as bad as some in the past in Cenla. Curiously, we have a bit of history of tornados in December. There was a Christmas Day tornado in 2012 and a major one on Dec. 16, 2019.
Something that struck me (no pun intended) during the stormy time Thursday night were the Facebook comments during Lambright’s broadcast. I saw the scrolling list of names of several people I know who were watching, listening and probably worrying or praying at the same time. There was a sense of community in the crisis.
Some provided their own updates, the best of which might’ve been that a horse had broken free from its stable in the storm and was running on MacArthur Drive. I’d love to hear the story of the cop who pulled over the horse to issue a citation, if for nothing else than for not wearing a seatbelt. …
***
The Cincinnati Bengals (8-8) and their sketchy defense and offensive line may have a 0.6 percent chance of winning the Super Bowl, but they still have a slim chance of making the playoffs after their heart-stopping 30-24 overtime victory over the Denver Broncos Saturday night. There was a magnificent performance by LSU’s 2019 Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow.
“I don’t know that anybody can stand on the field and watch Joe Burrow and say he’s not the best player in the world,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said after Saturday’s victory, when Burrow passed for 412 yards and three touchdowns.
“The clearest thing I can say is, I would not trade Joe Burrow for any player in the universe.” …
***
The Saints (5-11) are reminiscent of the pre-Jim Mora/Jim Finks Saints who never had a winning season, causing my grandfather to often say, “Don’t root for the Saints; they’ll break your heart every time.” Granted, nearly every key starter has been injured, and they were already eliminated from the playoffs going into Sunday’s game, but only three other NFC teams have worse records. Even the Cowboys (7-9) have a better record.
The Saints have not made the playoffs since quarterback Drew Brees retired after the 2020 season, and their record since is 30-36. On Sunday, they were whipped, 25-10, at home by an AFC Las Vegas Raiders team that entered the game with just three victories. This hugely disappointing Saints season oddly enough started with consecutive victories during which they were the hottest team in the NFL.
Saints owner Gayle Benson, I believe, is going to … if not “clean house,” arrange for a scrubbing like the team hasn’t seen since 2006.
Interim coach Darren Rizzi may have given a hint of potential change when he said after Sunday’s game that after the season, “The powers to be (not the powers that be) will evaluate the whole thing, and we will go from there.”
My material grandparents were both born in the 19th century. They lived long enough that I knew them. I was particularly fond of my grandmother. Their house had a huge front porch with a swing and rocking chairs. After lunch we would all go out to the front porch. I asked my grandmother once, “What are we doing?”
She said, “We are watching the world go by.”
After we watched the passing world we were required to go inside and “be still.” Looking back, I understand that was grandparent for “we are napping, you kids don’t bother us.” Forced stillness is tough on a six-year-old. But even at that I have memories. When I was still, I would imagine what the people in that painting were doing.
That painting depicted a bearded man sitting with his wife and two children. My mother inherited the painting from her mother. When my mother died, I took the painting of the bearded man and his family. As a child, I had a vague notion that those people were family. When we cleaned out mom’s house, seeing that painting again after so many years brought back strangely comforting feelings. My siblings had no such affinity for the painting. I took it home.
We live in a world of reciprocal relationships. We say it like this, “what goes around comes around.” Don’t admit this to anyone, but you know that in your heart what you have received in life is what you have planted. This can be a hard truth to swallow in places. And it will break down at times because of evil and human sinfulness. With those caveats, it seems to be true. If you want to change your luck, then change your behavior. If you want to have more friends, be friendlier. If you want financial peace become generous. You get the idea; you have heard it enough in sermons!
Now back to my grandmother’s painting. Since I have inherited it, I have wondered about the identity of those people. Why did this painting pull at my heart?
The other day I was trolling the family tree on ancestry. I was working through the material side of the family. I was tracing my great grandmother who died soon after giving birth to my grandmother’s twin brothers. Her father, my second great grandfather, was Rev. Daniel Shephard Campbell from Kentucky. Attached to his information was a painting showing Rev. Campbell, his wife, and at least two of his ten children. One of the girls he named Katie Marvin Campbell. She was my great grandmother. My mother was named Katie Marvin. One of the girls in the painting was my great grandmother, Katie Marvin.
Interesting things about families, things go around in circles. I sat for several moments and stared at the picture on the Internet of Rev. Campbell and his family. It was the same one that hung on my grandmother’s wall. The same painting I inherited from my mother. It was the painting I looked at for hours while “being still.” It was a painting of my second great grandfather, Rev. Daniel Shephard Campbell a Methodist preacher.
Not only do families have these connections and repeated patterns. They are a part of daily life. You cannot escape connection. We were created to be connected. We were created to be dependent if you want a stronger image. In the New Year, could we all depend on each other a little bit more and be more dependable for others?
One of the truths of a reciprocal life is that we are in danger when we decide to divide our lives into those things we can do ourselves and those things that requires God’s help. When we live depending on God’s presence in our lives, we become dependable people of faith and action. It is all about “what goes around comes around.”
That truth will either cause you to be grateful or to duck!
Rich Dupree’s labefaction and the shuffling of official Pineville was the top parish story of 2024.
The road to the mayor’s resignation in October began earlier when, he subsequently revealed, he dallied with a then-city employee. His chief of staff at the time also had an involvement with the woman.
When she took a complaint to the EEOC and it was leaked to the media in late August an outcry ensued.
By November Dupree was gone and then- parish president Joe Bishop appointed by the City Council to succeed in the mayor’s post.
Bishop’s sister, Mary Galloway, resigned her Council seat before the mayoral appointment. And her successor was appointed afterward.
The police chief retired, then was hired as Bishop’s chief of staff, and a new police chief named.
The political and personnel developments overshadowed a year of continuing growth in the city. Annexations were made and new businesses opened.
The Journal’s remaining Top 10 list:
Young guns— Young adult males using illegal firearms continued to plague the parish, with the urban area drawing the most attention. Killings or attempted killings, from drive-bys to drug deals, took place from January 1 through December.
GAEDA— The Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority came to general public awareness in February with disputed replacement of two members by the City Council. It remained there through early Fall when the administration seems to have weaved a loosely fitting coat of conciliation for the opposing factions. Whether that coat survives Winter is an open question.
Darnell Robinson— A majority of the Louisiana Supreme Court reversed an earlier ruling and reestablished the death penalty for Robinson, convicted of killing four Poland community residents in 1996.
DA Phillip Terrell said the parish will move with deliberate steps to effect the execution.
Renaissance— An eight-parish organization applied for about $40 million in state funds to expand the juvenile detention facility by more than 50 beds. Rapides voters, meanwhile, approved renewal of the facility maintenance and operating tax. In 2023, voters had said no to the renewal and to addition of millage to finance expansion.
Alexandria reapportionment— The City Council reapportioned its earlier reapportioned election districts to correct what one member called illogically drawn lines in some districts.
School Board— Initially reluctant, the board, after restructuring by the administration, voted to seek renewal of the parish’s sponsorship of Head Start. About $70 million into the $100 million program, board members fired the District 62 bond construction management company.
Decorum— The School Board and the Alexandria City Council adopted new, in some cases more restrictive, rules for speaking at their meetings and the Police Jury dealt with speech of a different kind.
The Council’s sessions were turning into behavioral sideshows when matters came to a head after police were called on to clear the meeting room at one session.
Rules allowing input without insurrection have made meetings of late less contentious.
School Board members implemented tighter limits on member speaking time, rules aimed at keeping dialogue on subject.
The Police Jury ended up in court over its effort to impose civility between all members and from all members toward staff.
Ambulance service— An advisory committee created by the jury recommended the parish continue having a sole ambulance service provider.
LSU Alexandria— An enrollment surge continued at the university as construction of facilities to accommodate the growing institution progressed.
Reaching the eighth and likely last decennial observation of my birth I, unlike Derrick Dove, have no trouble pinpointing when I got old.
To answer his question, time didn’t speed up, I slowed down.
And the foot came off the accelerator seemingly overnight, suddenly realizing:
Could no longer play catch, much less chase, with the great-greats; Staying in bed was more appealing than waking for a fishing or hunting adventure; Men, and women, were pausing to let me pass; All the lyrics I know are from songs played at 45 rpm; Prefer bound books to digitized ones; Was actually watching some of HGTV; Prefer TV sports to stadium seat; Am only one writing check at supermarket.
The newest members of the Bolton High Hall of Fame will be inducted at an April 25 function.
The quartet are the second group of inductees selected by the Bolton High School Alumni Association from nominations submitted by the general public.
Inductees are:
Scott O. Brame, longtime Cleco president and philanthropist; W.E. “Ted” Pate, legendary principal active in community affairs; Robert G. “Red” Ryder, captain 1969 LSU football, banking and investments executive; Foster Walker III, automotive company executive, civic and philanthropic contributor; James “Jeems” White III MD, nationally recognized ENT specialist, active in community education and youth programs, Louisiana State Medical Society Hall of Fame member.
The installation banquet will be at the Lagniappe Event Center on Coliseum Boulevard, social at 6 p.m., dinner and program 7:30.
Reserved tables seating eight are available as are individual tickets. They can be purchased at boltonalumni.org.
On Saturday, April 26, guided tours of the school will be conducted beginning at 10 a.m.
Information regarding the HOF nomination/selection process is available on the website.
ASH senior running back JT Lindsey, shown breaking free on one of his four touchdown runs in a playoff rout of Evangel, picked up the Outstanding Offensive Player award on the LSWA’s Class 5A All-State Team. (Journal photo by BRET H. MCCORMICK)
The best offensive and defensive players from Class 5A high schools faced each other in a state championship game, with Edna Karr defensive lineman Corey Adams celebrating with teammates after defeating an Alexandria Senior High team led by running back JT Lindsey in the LHSAA’s Division I Select final earlier this month.
Another state final included the state’s top 5A coach, as selected by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association: David Simoneaux of Division I Non-Select champion Central. A panel of sportswriters from across the state selected the team.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Lindsey was picked as the LSWA 5A Outstanding Offensive Player after compiling 2,476 yards and 33 touchdowns on 324 carries. He also had 18 receptions for 248 yards and three TDs. The LSU signee ran for 100 yards in 13 of the 14 games, coming up two yards short in the one other game. He topped 200 yards six times.
Joining him on the All-State first team was his junior ASH teammate, linebacker Xzavier White. They were the offensive and defensive MVPs on the Rapides Parish Journal’s All-Parish Team announced Friday. White, the Trojans’ middle linebacker, piled up an astonishing 188 tackles with 15 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and 13 QB hurries.
Two Trojans were honorable mention All-State, Jakobi Morris and Darius Washington. Morris, the right guard for ASH, was a powerful run blocker for Lindsey and was selected to the All-Parish and District 2-5A all-district first teams. Washington was the Trojans’ leading receiver with 59 receptions for 826 yards and 14 touchdowns, and was also All-Parish.
ASH played at the Caesars Superdome for the first time in an LHSAA title game. The Trojans previously advanced to the Prep Classic and lost on a failed two-point conversion to Acadiana when it was played at Northwestern in Natchitoches in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic.
Adams, voted the Outstanding Defensive Player for the 5A team, completed his senior season with 47 solo tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, 20 quarterback hurries, one interception, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Undefeated Karr won the Catholic League for the third year in a row, and District 9-5A coaches selected the 6-foot-4, 250-pound Adams as the district defensive MVP.
His efforts helped Karr win its first state championship since 2019 and its seventh overall, as Karr overwhelmed ASH 53-8 in the LHSAA Division I select final.
Simoneaux coached Central to its first football state championship in 58 years. The Wildcats dominated Ruston 42-0 in the final. The title was Simoneaux’s second. He coached Catholic-Baton Rouge to a Division I select title in 2021. He also previously coached Catholic-Pointe Coupee to a title game in 2019.
LSWA CLASS 5A ALL-STATE CHART
OFFENSE
Position, player, school, ht., wt., cl.
WR Kenny Darby, Airline, 6-1, 175, Jr.
WR TaRon Francis, Edna Karr, 6-1, 205, Sr.
TE Ahmad Hudson, Ruston, 6-7, 230, So.
OL Ervin Smith, Catholic-BR, 6-2, 285, Sr.
OL Lionel Prudhomme, Captain Shreve, 6-3, 295, Sr.
OL O’Ryan Mosely, Terrebonne, 6-3, 295, Jr.
OL Sam Nations, Ruston, 6-2, 287, Sr.
OL Leon Noil, Edna Karr, 6-4, 275, Jr.
QB Ben Taylor, Airline, 6-1, 185, Sr.
RB JT Lindsey, Alexandria, 5-11, 185, Sr.
RB Nate Sheppard, Mandeville, 5-10, 190, Sr.
RB Jamarcea Plater, Captain Shreve, 5-9, 180, Jr.
PK Asher Murray, C.E. Byrd, 5-11, 160, Jr.
ATH Peyton Houston, Evangel Christian, 5-11, 185, So.
DEFENSE
Position, player, school, ht., wt., cl.
DL Corey Adams, Edna Karr, 6-4, 250, Sr.
DL Richard Anderson, Edna Karr, 6-4, 320, Jr.
DL DK Mays, Central6-5, 255, Sr.
DL Dylan Berymon, Ouachita, 6-3, 305, Jr.
LB KD Mays, Central, 6-0, 195, Sr.
LB Zheric Hill, Ruston, 6-0, 220, Sr.
LB Xzavier White, Alexandria, 6-1, 220, Jr.
LB Damari Drake, Evangel, 6-0, 215, Sr.
DB Jayden Reed, Neville, 5-11, 175, Jr.
DB Aidan Anding, Ruston, 6-0, 170, Jr.
DB Jacob Bradford, Catholic-Baton Rouge, 5-11, 190, Sr.
DB Aiden Hall, Edna Karr, 6-2, 185, Jr.
P Creighton Wilbanks, Mandeville, 5-10, 170, Sr.
ATH Keeman Thibodeaux, Acadiana, 5-9, 175, Sr.
RS Ja’den Williams, Chalmette, 5-9, 160, Sr.
OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER: JT Lindsey, Alexandria
OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Corey Adams, Karr
COACH OF THE YEAR: David Simoneaux, Central
Honorable mention
Eric Anderson, Chalmette; Cole Austin, Benton; Chantz Babineaux, Carencro; Russel Babineaux, Acadiana; Drew Bailey, Sam Houston; Ayden Baker, Airline; Juelz Baptiste, St. Augustine; Payton Bell, Ruston; Taden Bingham, Terrebonne; Brayden Blade, Neville; Arsenio Bolds, Edna Karr; Chris Bourg, Jesuit; Blaine Bradford, Catholic-BR; Jiwaun Brock, Covington; Joshua Brown, Holy Cross; Xavier Brown, John Curtis; Julian Burns, Neville; Thomas Campbell, Neville; Alvin Celestin, Terrebonne; Wydell Clark, Ouachita; Derrick Collins, Southside; Darell Cottonham, C.E. Byrd; Jeffrey Curtis, John Curtis; Malachi Dabney, Destrehan; Jarvis Davis, Airline; Trez Davis, West Monroe; Caden DiBetta, Acadiana; Nick DiGerolamo, Holy Cross; CJ Dudley, Parkway; Kaleb Duncan, Evangel; Luke Dutil, Southside; Jack Elliot, Ruston; Zyron Forstall, Jesuit; Jax Gallier, Parkway; Ty George, West Monroe; Rida Ghazzali, Riverdale; Myd Gilbert, Destrehan; Syre Gilmore, St. Augustine; Jaxson Granier, Thibodaux; Sam Greer, C.E. Byrd; Jordan Hayes, Ruston; Caden Heck, Covington; Royuan Jackson, Huntington; Jacob Jeffrey, Hahnville; Lester Johnson, Rummel; Cayden Jones, Walker; John Johnson, Edna Karr; Jamard Jones, Rummel; Bennan Keim, St. Paul’s; Dan Lane, West Monroe; Luke Leger, Barbe; Jabari Mack, Destrehan; Nate Malek, Brother Martin; Carmaro Mayo, Parkway; Darryus McKinley, Acadiana; Zaccheaus McNabb, Central Lafourche; Noel Mora, Holy Cross; Jakobi Morris, Alexandria; Malik Myles, H.L. Bourgeois; Jaylon Nichols, Neville; Drew Poche, East Jefferson; Dylan Post, St. Paul’s; Steven Ranel, Central; Chase Ravain, St. Paul’s; Tyler Roark, West Monroe; Warren Roberts, St. Augustine; Easton Royal, Brother Martin; Cam Riley, Neville; Davekio Ruffin, Zachary; Braxton Scriber, Acadiana; Ramon Singleton, Southside; Calvin Smith, Hahnville; Daejawn Smith, Edna Karr; Drew Talley, St. Paul’s; Norman Taylor, Rummel; Keeman Thibodeaux, Acadiana; Parker Todd, West Monroe; JQ Turner, West Monroe; Witten Van Hoy, Benton; Thomas Vaughn, Warren Easton; Brennan Villa, St. Paul’s; Darius Washington, Alexandria; Jamarion Washington, Huntington; Jadon Weber, Brother Martin; Tyler Welch, Huntington; Zane Wyss, Captain Shreve.
Buckeye running back Jim Burlew was one of three Panthers recognized as honorable mention All-State selections by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. (Journal photo by LAMAR GAFFORD)
Eighth Rapides Parish football players received honorable mention recognition on the 2024 Class All-State teams for Classes 4A, 3A and 2A, chosen by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
Recognized on the 4A honorable mention list were Tioga’s Travis Adams and Jayden Hagger, along with TJ Hullaby and Jordan Veal of Peabody.
Three Buckeye standouts received 3A honorable mention: Haidyn Boone, Jim Burlew and Ryan Desselle.
On the Class 2A honorable mention list was Menard’s Sam Brocato.
No locals were picked for the first team in those classifications. The Class 5A team will be announced over the weekend and is expected to include some Alexandria Senior High stars.
An LSWA committee of 12 high school sports journalists selected the all-state rosters.
December 30 marks National Resolution Planning Day, encouraging people to reflect on the past year and set goals for the future. Experts recommend focusing on achievable resolutions, like starting small and building habits gradually.
From fitness goals to financial planning, meaningful resolutions can lead to personal growth and a fulfilling year ahead. Celebrate the potential of a fresh start by crafting resolutions that inspire action and change.
The Police Jury projects a relatively conservative growth in sales taxes revenue in 2025.
Its overall budget adopted this month forecasts sales tax income at $186.1 million, about 3 percent above the 2024 projection.
Sales tax revenue combines with dedicated property taxes and fees and a hotel/motel tax to form the parish revenue base.
A host of approved millages are dedicated to specific uses.
The General Fund, which constitutes the Police Jury’s discretionary spending account, is expected to have $12.69 million earmarked to it, with expenses forecast at $11.4 million.
The current year budget was $12.1 million in and $11.5 million out.
The Public Works Fund income will be about $7.2 million, compared to an expected $8.5 million this year. Forecast expenses are $7.04 million.
Alexandria Senior High swept the 2024 All-Parish Football Team individual awards as senior running back JT Lindsey earned Offensive MVP, junior linebacker Xzavier White received Defensive MVP, and Thomas Bachman was named Coach of the Year. (Photo illustration by BRET H. MCCORMICK, Journal Sports)
By BRET H. MCCORMICK, Journal Sports
With Alexandria Senior High’s unbeaten regular season and historic run to the Caesars Superdome, where the Trojans finished as the Division I Select runner-up, the 2024 version of the Rapides Parish Journal’s All-Parish Football Team has a distinctive Trojan feel to it.
ASH landed 11 players on the all-parish team along with all three major award winners.
Senior running back JT Lindsey was selected as the Offensive MVP after rushing for a school-record 2,476 yards with 33 rushing touchdowns and 37 total touchdowns on the season.
The LSU signee was joined by junior teammate Xzavier White as the Defensive MVP. The Trojans’ middle linebacker piled up an astonishing 188 tackles with 15 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and 13 QB hurries.
ASH’s ninth-year head coach, Thomas Bachman, repeated as the parish Coach of the Year after leading the Trojans to a school-record 13 wins along with their first District 2-5A championship, their first trip to the Superdome and their second state runner-up finish in the past five seasons.
Below are the players selected for the all-parish team on both sides of the football based on nominations by parish football coaches and consultation with local sports media members.
OFFENSE
Quarterback: Karsen Sellers, So., ASH (6-2, 170) – The Trojans’ first-year signal-caller earned District 2-5A first-team all-district honors after completing 64% of his passes on the season for 1,714 yards with 27 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Running Back: Travis Adams, Sr., Tioga (5-10, 170) – The Indians’ workhorse running back was the brightest spot in a difficult season, carrying the ball 204 times for 1,556 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Running Back: JT Lindsey, Sr., ASH (5-11, 185) – One of the best running backs in the country, Lindsey was the Offensive MVP of District 2-5A and carried the Trojans to the Division I Select state title game, rushing for 2,476 yards on 324 carries. Lindsey averaged 7.6 yards per carry, scored 33 rushing touchdowns and ran for over 200 yards six times on the season. He rushed for 100 or more yards in 13 of 14 games.
Receiver: TJ Hullaby, Sr., Peabody (6-0, 165) – Arguably the top receiver in all of Central Louisiana, Hullaby was Peabody’s most explosive offensive weapon. One of just two returning players from last year’s all-parish offense, the McNeese State commit caught 54 passes for 856 yards with 16 receiving touchdowns and 21 total TDs.
Receiver: Kervin Johnson, Jr., Tioga (6-3, 200) – The Indians’ big-play threat showed flashes of the superstar he might become, catching 49 passes on the season for 733 yards and seven touchdowns.
Receiver: Darius Washington, Sr., ASH (5-6, 135) – Last year’s all-parish return specialist, Washington continued his late-season surge from a year ago and was the Trojans’ leading receiver in 2024 with 59 receptions for 826 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Offensive Line: Malik Armstead, Sr., Peabody (6-2, 230) – The Warhorses’ center earned first-team all-district in District 2-4A after not allowing a sack all season.
Offensive Line: Elias Brazell-Sellers, Sr., Pineville (6-2, 297) – A unanimous selection to the District 2-5A first team, Brazell-Sellers was the Rebels’ best lineman and a powerful run blocker who helped paved the way for Ayden Tate’s 1,000-yard season.
Offensive Line: Jayden Hagger, Sr., Tioga (6-3, 235 lbs) – The best offensive lineman for the Indians, Hagger helped open holes for Travis Adams, Kenny Ponthier and Cace Malone to rush for more than 2,000 yards combined.
Offensive Line: Jakobi Morris, Sr., ASH (6-3, 310) – The Trojans’ right guard was a powerful run blocker for JT Lindsey and was selected to the District 2-5A all-district first team.
Offensive Line: Caleb Purl, Sr., ASH (5-10, 215) – The Trojans’ center was the leader on the offensive line and played much bigger than his size for a unit that was dominant for most of the season.
Athlete: Ayden Tate, Jr., Pineville (5-11, 200) – Tate was the Rebels’ offensive workhorse, playing both tailback and quarterback, and becoming the first Pineville player in more than a decade to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. Tate set a school record with 400 rushing yards in the Rebels’ win over Tioga, ran for 100-plus yards in five straight games, and finished the season with 1,075 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.
DEFENSE
Defensive Line: Ben Good, Sr., Menard (6-1, 240) – The senior defensive end was one of the most productive players on the Eagles’ defense, finishing the season with 59 tackles, eight tackles for loss, five sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Defensive Line: Jordan Mason, Sr., ASH (5-11, 250) – The Trojans’ top defensive lineman and coaches’ all-state selection was a space-eater at nose tackle, taking on double teams and creating lanes for the linebackers to make tackles. Mason finished the season with 59 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.
Defensive Line: Grayson Thibodeaux, Jr., ASH (6-1, 230) – The junior defensive end was a disruptive force for the Trojans, making 76 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks on the season.
Linebacker: Sam Brocato, So., Menard (5-9, 185) – The Eagles’ star rarely left the field, playing both linebacker and running back. It was on the defensive side of the ball where he excelled, making 93 tackles with three sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions.
Linebacker: Lamarcus Thirs, Sr., Pineville (5-9, 205) – A first-team all-district selection in District 2-5A, Thirs led the Rebels with 125 tackles on the season, making 15 or more tackles in five games.
Linebacker: Jordan Veal, Sr., Peabody (6-0, 160) – The undersized senior moved from the secondary to linebacker and earned first-team all-district honors in District 2-4A after leading the Warhorses with 106 tackles, including 89 solo, with 10 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and three interceptions.
Linebacker: Xzavier White, Jr., ASH (6-1, 215) – A first-team all-district selection in District 2-5A, White was a tackling machine for the Trojans in 2024. White was selected to the Class 5A coaches’ all-state team after leading ASH with 188 tackles, including 114 solo, with 15 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, adding one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and 13 QB hurries on his way to being named all-parish Defensive MVP.
Safety: Jacob Miranda, Sr., Pineville (6-1, 190) – For the second straight year, Miranda was the Rebels’ best defensive player from his free safety position, making double-digit tackles in each of the team’s final nine games and finishing the year with 120 tackles.
Safety: Kartez Simon, Sr., ASH (5-7, 145) – One of the smallest players on the field for the Trojans may have played with the biggest heart. The senior earned a role as an in-the-box safety and made big play after big play, finishing the season with 79 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two fumbles recoveries and an interception.
Cornerback: Jaden Lewis, Sr., ASH (5-11, 165) – Lewis started the year as the Trojans’ top cornerback before moving around between corner and free safety, making 68 tackles with two forced fumbles and a team-high five interceptions on his way to being selected to the coaches’ all-state team.
Cornerback: Ja’Kyrin Griffin, So., ASH (5-8, 165) – The most versatile member of the Trojans’ defensive backfield, Griffin moved all over the field from cornerback to free safety to strong safety. He finished third on the team with 96 tackles, two tackles for loss, three interceptions, one fumble recovery and a team-high nine pass breakups.
SPECIALISTS
Kicker/Punter: Ethan Bridges, So., Tioga (6-2, 175) – Bridges was a weapon for the Indians on punts, kickoffs and field goals. He kicked 20 touchbacks on the season and had 11 kicks inside the 5-yard line while making seven field goals, including a long of 36 yards, and 45 PATs.
Kick Returner: TJ Hullaby, Sr., Peabody (6-0, 165) – Not only was the McNeese State commitment the Warhorses’ star at receiver, he was also dynamic in the return game, taking two kickoffs back for touchdowns along with one punt.
December 27 is National Fruitcake Day, a time to appreciate the dense, fruit-filled dessert that has sparked humor and tradition alike. With origins in ancient Rome, fruitcake’s longevity as a holiday staple owes to its ability to be preserved for months, making it a practical and celebratory gift.
Love it or laugh at it, the fruitcake remains a symbol of holiday cheer, blending nostalgia with a taste of the past.
When Tyler Jordan shot a huge buck on December 7, 2020, he made a prediction that fortunately didn’t hold true.
“I may never shoot another 190-inch buck. I’m in the woods a lot and I have never seen a buck that size,” Tyler told me when I wrote the story for LA Sportsman about a huge buck he had taken, a buck that scored 190 4/8 inches of mass. Because one of the buck’s hooves was infected by foot rot, leaving a stub in its place, the buck earned the name of “Stomper.”
Jordan was hunting in Catahoula Parish on the 20,000-acre Honey Brake property when he took the buck. Fast forward four years when Jordan, now age 32 encountered a buck that has earned the name of Stomper, Jr. because of similar genetics as Stomper.
The son of Bill Jordan, founder and CEO of Real Tree, the leading licensor of camouflage patterns in the world, Tyler works in the marketing department of the company. He lives in Columbus, Georgia.
“We became interested in Honey Brake in 2018 and would bring business guests down to duck hunt. We had no idea at first that the property was capable of producing quality deer but as we learned what the folks at Honey Brake were doing our interest was piqued,” said Jordan.
Putting out trail cameras this past September, plenty of quality bucks began showing up but it was not until November 1 that Stomper Jr. started showing up on cameras.
“We purchased a ground blind to set up on the food plot where we felt was the best chance to see the deer. One afternoon, two minutes after legal shooting hours had ended, Stomper Jr. showed up at 20 yards. A cameraman and I were in the blind and apparently the buck saw the camera light and he spooked and took off. We didn’t see any more evidence of him for 2 ½ weeks,” Jordan recalled.
A couple of days prior to Thanksgiving, the buck was showing up fairly consistently on a different field half a mile away. It became an issue of looking for favorable weather when deer would more likely to be active.
“On December 2, I checked the weather forecast and it looked like things would be pretty decent and I felt that if deer would move at all, it might be then. We had the north wind we needed and on the morning of December 3, he showed up four minutes before legal shooting time,” he said. Setting up a ground blind in the area where this photo was taken, Jordan got in the blind around 2:30 the afternoon of December 5.
“There was plenty of action as does and smaller bucks were displaying rutting activity and then at 5:10, I looked up and there stood Stomper Jr. I shoot a Franchi .308 and got on him. When I hit the trigger, he dropped on the spot,” Jordan continued.
The rack the 250-pound buck carried was mind boggling. There were 14 points, evenly distributed on each side and the inside spread was 19 5/8 inches. Main beams were 26 ½ inches each with bases measuring 5 2/8 and 5 1/8. The buck was determined to be 6 ½ years old.
The tale of the tape measured a gross score of 203 inches with the net score being 192 3/8 inches.
The current Louisiana state record for typical whitetail bucks is a record that has held since 1939 when Marshall McKay downed a massive buck in Madison Parish that measured 186 6/8 inches. After a drying time of 60 days, it is very likely that Tyler Jordan can lay claim to a new Louisiana state record for typical bucks.
Well Tyler, you won’t ever be able to say what you told me in 2020 that you may never shoot another 190-inch deer. You just did.
