There’s an old saying in football that you can’t win a game in the first quarter but you can lose one in the first quarter.

Friday night, Many proved that wrong, scoring 30 unanswered points in the first 4 minutes and 29 seconds of the first quarter that basically decided the outcome of a Class 2A quarterfinal with visiting Rosepine.

The defending state champions (12-1) cruised home for a 50-12 victory over the Eagles, posting their eighth quarterfinal win in the last nine seasons.

The Tigers move on to the semifinal round next week in Many at John W. Curtis Stadium at 7:00. Many will face district rival Avoyelles, coming off a 46-28 victory at North Caddo and making its first semifinal appearance.

Rosepine made the 51-mile drive up U.S. 171 riding the crest of a double overtime 43-42 victory last Friday over Red River. The idea that the Eagles would extend  momentum of that thrilling win into their matchup with Many was blown up in slightly more time than it took for the pregame fireworks show.

Jeremiah James got the onslaught started with a quick 47-yard sprint up the middle for the first Tiger touchdown. The Tigers covered 63 yards in three plays that only took 1 minute and 37 seconds off the clock.

A quick Rosepine three-and-out was followed by a bad snap on the punt attempt. Tylen Singleton recovered at  the 5-yard line. Two plays later James scored from the 2 and with Tackett Curtis’s two-point conversion the score was 14-0 with 9:26 left in the first.

Rosepine’s next possession also ended rather quickly, as Jayvion Smart stepped in front of an intended receiver and returned the interception 31 yards for another Many score just 53 seconds later. London Williams added the two-pointer for a 22-0 lead.

On their first play from scrimmage on the ensuing possession, the Eagles fumbled an option pitch and Curtis recovered it. The Tigers scored on the very next play on a Curtis pass to Jack Deville over the middle that covered 23 yards. Williams added the conversion to make the score 30-0 with 7:31 left in the first quarter.

Some fans were just arriving as Many already had 30 points.

Rosepine finally answered on the next possession, a six-play drive covering 57 yards, the last 33 coming on an Ethan Frey pass to Braden Trull down the sideline. The extra point kick was blocked by Swayze Carheel, leaving the margin at 30-6.

Rosepine kept fighting, and shortly before halftime covered 40 yards on seven plays, the last 11 yards coming on a Frey pass to Isaiah Stinson. The conversion failed, but the lead was trimmed to 30-12 with 2:21 left in the half.

The Tigers were not content going into halftime with an 18-point lead. After the kickoff, Many worked its way 65 yards in less than two minutes. The six-play drive, all runs, ended with a Williams 20-yard touchdown run. The conversion was missed, but the Tigers led 36-12 with 28 seconds to go in the half.

On Rosepine’s second play of the third quarter, Smart picked off another Frey pass — Smart’s second of the night and fifth in the last two games. Williams ended the Tigers’ eight-play drive with a 4-yard touchdown run. James added the conversion to push the spread to 44-12 with 7:42 left in the third quarter.

The next Rosepine possession featured arguably the best players from both teams in a collision that could be heard all around the stadium. Curtis and Frey met on a run up the middle that ended with Curtis making a spectacular hit on Frey.

Rosepine turned the ball over on downs after running 10 plays on that drive.

Many’s last touchdown came at the 7:42 mark of the fourth quarter, on a James 5-yard run.

The Tigers ran 53 plays for 314 yards, 253 yards rushing and 61 passing. The Tigers amassed 16 first downs. The referees flagged the Tigers eight times for 88 yards.

Rosepine’s 56 plays netted 173 yards, 155 passing and 18 rushing. The Eagles gained 12 first downs and were flagged six times for 45 yards.

Rosepine’s first trip ever to the quarterfinals ended with a loss to the top-seeded Tigers but the Eagles showed a lot of grit and determination, led by a great player in Frey. Their season ended with an 11-2 record and nothing to hang their heads about.

For Many, it’s business as usual, with another semifinal berth, although this time, it’s a rematch of a down-to-the-wire 34-30 win over Avoyelles last month in Many.

The bickering back and forth from friends and opposing head coaches Andy Boone and Jess Curtis will surely highlight the week leading up to the game. On the line will be a trip to the Superdome, with Many attempting to go back to back with state championships in Class 2A.  The teams in the other semifinal game will be Jonesboro-Hodge and Amite.

Scoring Summary

First Quarter:

10:23 M – Jeremiah James 47-yard run, conversion failed, 6-0

9:26 M – James 2-yard run, two-point conversion by Tackett Curtis, 14-0

8:33 M – Jayvion Smart 31-yard interception return, two-point conversion by London Williams, 22-0

7:39 M – Curtis 23-yard pass to Jack Deville, two-point conversion by Williams, 30-0

5:14 R – Ethan Frey 33-yard pass to Braden Trull, conversion failed, 30-6

Second Quarter:

2:21 R – Frey 11-yard pass to Isaiah Stinson, conversion failed, 30-12

0:28 M – Williams 20-yard run, conversion failed, 36-12

Third Quarter:

7:42 M – Williams 4-yard run, James two-point conversion,44-12

Fourth Quarter:

7:42 M = James 5-yard run, conversion failed, 50-12

Individual Stats

Passing: M – Curtis 3-7, 61 yards, 1 TD

         R – Frey 7-21, 155 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs

Rushing: M – Williams 20-121, 2 TD’s; James 13-107, 3 TD’s; Curtis 3-12,

McLendon 3-11, Maxie 1-1, Aldredge 1-1

          R – 28-18

Receiving M – Deville 2-40, 1 TD, Leach 1-21

          R – 7-155, 2 TD’s

Tackles M – Singleton 4 unassisted, Curtis and Montgomery 6 total, Matkin 5 total, Carheel 4   

Check out this week’s basketball scores in Sabine Parish along with the Power Rankings! 

Monday November 22

GIRLS

Florien Lady Blackcats 64 (11-1)
Converse Lady Wildcats 40 (1-6)

Zwolle Lady Hawks 59 (6-3)
Ebarb Lady Rebels 31 (3-6)

BOYS

Converse Wildcats 51 (3-5)
Florien Blackcats 49 (5-7)

Zwolle Hawks 83 (7-3)
Ebarb Rebels 48 (4-6)

Ringgold Redskins 53 (2-2)
Pleasant Hill Eagles 51 (5-3)

Tuesday November 23

GIRLS

Ebarb Lady Rebels 55 (4-6)
Many Lady Tigers 29 (1-1)

Negreet Lady Indians 51 (6-6)
Pleasant Hill Lady Eagles 33 (1-6)

BOYS

Pleasant Hill Eagles 49 (6-3)
Negreet Indians 45 (3-9)

MANY, La – The Town of Many will have a Toy Drive for the holiday season. To be able to donate toys to children in need, citizens of Many may drop toys off at Foy Motors or to Crystal Hable at Lafitte’s Home Furnishings.

Everyone is asked to have toys either in bags or boxed prior to being dropped at donation spots. 

Check back with the Sabine Parish Journal all month for more holiday events and schedules. 

Buying tickets from individuals for any Natchitoches Christmas Festival of Lights event puts you at risk of being deceived by online scammers.

BUY FROM PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Anyone that wants a ticket to the Festival can get one on our official website or at a Festival ticket booth. Tickets to events such as “Cookies With Santa” are LIMITED and ONLY available on our website.

The Nov. 27 “Cookies With Santa” event is SOLD OUT! The next “Cookies With Santa” event is Dec. 11.

Please take this precaution to avoid Festival ticket scammers. Only official Natchitoches Christmas Festival of Lights tickets will be honored.

PRICE
Armbands are $10. Children 6 and under are free and do not require an armband. Anyone who wants a ticket should be able to purchase one.

WHERE TO BUY
Visitors can purchase tickets (armbands) online ahead of their chosen Festival event date, or purchase tickets (armbands) when they arrive.

Tickets (armbands) are only valid for the selected date purchased at checkout online, or at a Ticket Booth on the date of the Festival selected by the attendee.

The Festival will have multiple, visible Ticket Booths available near the Festival area (Front Street / Riverfront).

The 95th Natchitoches Christmas Festival of Lights is not under the same restrictions as last season, so there will be plenty of armbands (tickets) for anyone that wants to attend.

Festival tickets (armbands) can be purchased at the ticket booths with cash or credit cards. Card purchases can be made using visitors’ smartphones. There will be special Scan Codes available and visible at the ticket booths for a smartphone user to make their ticket (armband purchases).

BUYING TICKETS ONLINE
All who have purchased tickets (armbands) ahead of time online will need to visit a Festival Ticket Booth and present proof-of-purchase (printed or on their device) to retrieve their armbands before entry to the Festival area.

BUYING TICKETS AT THE FESTIVAL
Visitors that would like to purchase their tickets (armbands) when they arrive will need to visit a Festival Ticket Booth to make their purchase before entry to the Festival area.

NOTE: Ticket Booths open at 1pm on Ticketed Event Dates. Visitors can enjoy the Riverfront area before that time, but will require a ticket (armband) to remain in the area once Ticket Booths open.

CASH, CARDS, & SMARTPHONES
Festival tickets (armbands) can be purchased at the ticket booths with cash or credit cards. Card purchases can be made using visitors’ smartphones. There will be special Scan Codes available and visible at the ticket booths for smartphone users to make their ticket (armband purchases).

CONVENIENCE
Buying tickets online ahead of time is more convenient and will save visitors time when acquiring tickets (armbands) at the ticket booths when they arrive.

HAVE YOUR RECEIPT WITH YOU
Whether purchasing online or at the Festival ticket booths when they arrive, it is important for all visitors to retain copies (digital or physical) of their purchases on their person to eliminate any errors or confusion.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
You can find a full schedule of events here — https://www.natchitocheschristmas.com/schedule

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum, in cooperation with Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, will examine water as an environmental necessity and an important cultural element as it hosts “Water/Ways,” a traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street (MoMS) program. “Water/Ways” will be on view December 4 through January 15, 2021.

The exhibition opens with a free reception on Friday, Dec. 3 from 5-7 pm. Light refreshments will be served and Dr. Shane Rasmussen, Northwestern State University Professor of English and Director of the Louisiana Folklife Center, will be on hand to take oral histories from people on how water affects and enhances their lives as part of the Smithsonian project “Stories from Main Street”.

State regulations regarding masks and physical distancing will be followed.

Please visit our website or call (318) 357-2492 for more information.

Free and open to the public.

This Smithsonian Institution Museum on Main Street (MoMS) Water/Ways tour is part of the BHP-funded project, Coastal Impacts: An Integrated Approach for Community Adaptation, Understanding, and Planning, which assists local communities to build intergenerational coastal literacy through community conversations around books, film, and exhibitions, fostering greater understanding of and support for coastal restoration projects.

The Gordon Peters Post, Unit 10, of the American Legion Auxiliary in Natchitoches encourages you to visit our Post located at the corner of Fourth and Saint Denis Streets (the old Tin House location) for gumbo, chili, hot dogs, drinks, etc. for sale at reasonable prices. Our Post will be open for food sales on Saturday, Dec. 4, Christmas Festival Day, from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Parking is available on both dates at reasonable rates as well.

All proceeds will benefit our local Veterans.

The World Health Organization (WHO) classified a new variant on Nov. 26, B.1.1.529, as a Variant of Concern and named it Omicron. No cases of this variant have been identified in the U.S. to date. CDC is following the details of this new variant, first reported to the WHO by South Africa. We are grateful to the South African government and its scientists who have openly communicated with the global scientific community and continue to share information about this variant with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and CDC. We are working with other U.S. and global public health and industry partners to learn more about this variant, as we continue to monitor its path.

CDC is continuously monitoring variants and the U.S. variant surveillance system has reliably detected new variants in this country. We expect Omicron to be identified quickly, if it emerges in the U.S.

We know what it takes to prevent the spread of COVID-19. CDC recommends people follow prevention strategies such as wearing a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high community transmission, washing your hands frequently, and physically distancing yourself from others. CDC also recommends that everyone 5 years and older protect themselves from COVID-19 by getting fully vaccinated. CDC encourages a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose for those who are eligible.

Travelers to the U.S. should continue to follow CDC recommendations for traveling.

CDC will provide updates as more information becomes available.

Ilene Francine Kay
September 22, 1960 – November 26, 2021

Around the town of Many, Thanksgiving features three things: turkey, dressing, and state playoff quarterfinal football games.

It has become an annual tradition for the Many High School Tigers to have their walk-through practice Thanksgiving night under the lights before the game the next evening.

The No. 1-ranked Tigers, the defending state Class 2A champions, are set to host the eighth-seeded Rosepine Eagles Friday night at 7 at John W. Curtis Stadium.

This will be the Eagles’ first visit to the quarterfinals. Both teams come into the contest with 11-1 records.

The Eagles were double overtime winners in their second round game, 43-42 over visiting Red River. Rosepine quarterback Ethan Frey dominated the game scoring five  touchdowns and the do-or-die two-point conversion to seal the deal.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder is committed to play baseball at LSU. Frey rushed for 162 yards and accounted for 116 more on 13 of 18 passing. Grant Ducote added 68 yards on 19 carries, while Isaiah Stinson had eight catches for 67 yards.

The Eagles play hard, smart, and are well coached by Brad Ducote. A lot of the team was on the 2A state champion baseball team last spring.

Many smothered East Feliciana in the second round 51-22 on the road last Friday. In a game that was close throughout the first three quarters, the Tigers dominated the final seven minutes to pull away.

The Tigers are led on offense by running backs London Williams and Jeremiah James. Williams had 167 yards while James accounted for 161 last week. Both running backs scored three touchdowns.

The entire offensive line has had a great season leading the charge.

The Tiger defense will be led by Tackett Curtis, Keaton Montgomery, Swayze Carheel, and a host of others. Jayvion Smart had a three-interception game last week including a touchdown on one return to ignite the fourth-quarter surge by Many.

That made Smart an easy pick for the Foy Motors’ Game Ball winner. Tylen Singleton won the Tigers’ Sledgehammer Award and Cole Pickett earned the Hard Hat Award for their performances in the win at East Feliciana.

This one looks to be quite a battle in the making, pitting an upstart that’s very excited to be in the third round against a playoff stalwart that prides itself on getting to this point every season.

With a victory, Many would host a semifinal game next week against the winner of Avoyelles at North Caddo.

Cool weather, tailgating, and a fireworks show, followed by an intense high school football game — where else would anyone want to be? Two schools, 51 miles apart, fighting for a spot in the state semifinals and a chance at a state championship.

Get there early as the stands should fill up, and don’t miss the show Friday night in the Jungle at Many.

MANY, La – Many will hold a Town Hall event on Monday to welcome Congressman Mike Johnson. This event will provide an opportunity for people of Sabine Parish to hear the Congressman speak as well as have the chance to ask some questions. 

Mayor of Many, Robert Hable, has been vocal on social media encouraging everyone to show up for a great turnout for Congressman Johnson. “Please make plans to come hear your Congressman Mike Johnson on Monday November the 29th! The Town of Many is excited that Congressman Johnson has chosen our Town to hold this Town Hall Meeting! See you all Monday!”

The Town Hall will be held on Monday, November 29th from 1:30 to 2:30 PM at the CDC Conference Center located at 470 Church Street in Many. 

NATCHITOCHES – Shreveport native Jay Cicero, the longtime President and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, is the 2022 winner of the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award presented by the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

Next summer during the Hall of Fame’s 2022 Induction Ceremony in Natchitoches, he will become the 22nd recipient of the Dixon Award since its inception in 2005, and will be enshrined in the Hall.

The Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award has been presented annually by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s 40-member Hall of Fame selection committee to an individual who has played a decisive role as a sports leader or administrator benefiting Louisiana and/or bringing credit to Louisiana on the national and international level.

It is named in honor of the 1999 LSHOF inductee, an entrepreneur and innovator who is credited as the key figure in bringing an NFL franchise to New Orleans, and the development of the Caesars Superdome, highlighting an array of sports-related endeavors.

Cicero’s selection was announced Wednesday morning by LSWA president Raymond Partsch III and Doug Ireland, the longtime chairman of the Hall of Fame. Cicero emerged from a ballot showcasing 23 noteworthy nominees for the Dixon Award.

With more than 35 years of sports management experience in Louisiana, including 24 years as president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, Cicero has led efforts in the Crescent City to not only bring dozens of major sporting events to New Orleans, but to serve as the head of the local organizing efforts for those events.

He will be inducted 30 years after the GNOSF made its first big national splash as the organizing entity for the 1992 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials hosted at Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans.

Cicero began his career in sports in group sales and marketing in his hometown for the Class AA Shreveport Captains in 1986. He first joined the Sports Foundation in 1990 as Director of Special Projects and Director of Sales for the 1992 Olympic Trials.

In February 1993, Cicero was named the first general manager of the Class AAA New Orleans Zephyrs, who had just moved to town from Denver. In 1995, he returned to the Sports Foundation as Vice President of Operations and was named President/CEO in June 1997.

As the President/CEO of the Sports Foundation, Cicero has served in numerous senior leadership roles, including as the executive director of the 2002, 2013 and 2025 New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committees and the 2008, 2014 and 2017 NBA All-Star Game Host Committees, as well as serving on the executive committees for Super Bowls, several NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Fours, the annual R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, two WrestleManias and the College Football Playoff championship game.

Cicero grew up in a sports family. His father was a teacher and coached football and baseball at Shreveport’s Loyola Prep, formerly St. John’s and Jesuit, for more than four decades.

Cicero will be among the 2022 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Class headlined by nine “competitive ballot” inductees announced in September.

A pair of six-time Pro Bowl NFL linemen, New Orleans Saints’ offensive guard Jahri Evans and Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams, join the late Tony Robichaux, No. 1 on the wins list for state college baseball coaches, among a star-studded group of nine 2022 competitive ballot inductees.

The LSHOF Class of 2022 also includes two of the greatest women athletes in LSU history, three-time national champion gymnast Susan Jackson and two-time first-team All-America softball pitcher Britni Sneed Newman. Williams, who helped the Tigers’ football team win the 2003 national championship, is joined by another of LSU’s all-time great linemen, the late Eric Andolsek, and pro rodeo great Steve Duhon among the 2022 inductees.

Baton Rouge-Episcopal High School track and field/cross country coach Claney Duplechin enters the Hall next summer still active, with his teams capturing an astounding 64 LHSAA crowns in his career. Rounding out the Class of 2022 is the late Dr. Eddie Flynn, who as a Loyola-New Orleans student won the 1932 Olympic welterweight boxing gold medal for the USA, the last gold medal for an American boxer for 20 years.

Inducted next summer as winners of the LSWA’s Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism will be acclaimed north Louisiana writer, author and broadcaster Teddy Allen and central Louisiana writer, editor and publisher Garland Forman.

The 2022 Induction Class will be showcased in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Museum, operated by the Louisiana State Museum system in a partnership with the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. The striking $23 million, two-story, 27,500-square foot structure faces Cane River Lake in the National Historic Landmark District of Natchitoches and has garnered worldwide architectural acclaim and rave reviews for its contents since its grand opening during the 2013 Hall of Fame induction weekend.

The 2021 Dixon Award winner was retired NFL referee Terry McAulay, a Hammond native and LSU graduate. McAulay, now the rules analyst for NBC’s Sunday Night Football, is one of a handful of referees to work three Super Bowls.

The 2020 recipient was Joan Cronan, an Opelousas native and LSU graduate who became one of the most respected administrators in collegiate athletics as women’s athletics director, and then overall athletics director, at the University of Tennessee.

Other past Dixon Award recipients include the 2018 winner, Steve Gleason, the former New Orleans Saints player who has become globally acknowledged as one of the world’s leading advocates for people diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

In 2008, the Dixon Award went to world-renowned orthopedic Dr. James Andrews, a Homer native, LSU graduate and SEC champion pole vaulter.

Paul Hoolahan, executive director and chief executive officer of the Allstate Sugar Bowl Classic for 23 years, was presented the 2015 Dixon Award.

The 2016 winner was world-renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Julian Bailes, a Natchitoches native and LSU graduate who has become a leading figure in the field of sports-related concussion research and treatment.

Sue Donohoe, who served as the NCAA’s vice president for women’s basketball for 12 years, and also directed the men’s basketball NCAA Division I championship, was the 2017 recipient.

The 2022 LSHOF Induction Celebration is slated to kick off Thursday, June 23, with a press conference and reception. The three-day festivities include two receptions, a youth sports clinic, a bowling party, and a Friday night riverbank concert in Natchitoches. Tickets for the Saturday night, June 25 Induction Ceremony, along with congratulatory advertising and sponsorship opportunities, are available through the LaSportsHall.com website.

Adding to the 366 sports competitors currently enshrined, 21 winners of the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership award and 69 recipients of the Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism, there are 455 current members of the Hall of Fame.

The Induction Celebration weekend will be hosted by the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, the support organization for the Hall of Fame. The LSHOF Foundation was established as a 501 c 3 non-profit entity in 1975 and is governed by a statewide board of directors. For information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Foundation President/CEO Ronnie Rantz at 225-802-6040.

When we think of Thanksgiving, we mostly think of the pilgrims at the first colonies in the Americas dining with the Native Americans they met when they landed. However, this was just the beginning. It was a long road to travel before Thanksgiving became an official holiday.

George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation in 1789, calling on Americans to express gratitude for the happy conclusion of the American Revolution and the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

The National Holiday as we know it is thanks to magazine editor and prolific writer Sarah Josepha Hale, who launched a campaign in 1827. According to History.com, “Abraham Lincoln finally heeded her request in 1863, at the height of the Civil War, in a proclamation entreating all Americans to ask God to ‘commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife’ and to ‘heal the wounds of the nation.’”

Lincoln scheduled Thanksgiving for the final Thursday in November. Later on, Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday up a week in an attempt to spur retail sales during the Great Depression. His plan was met with passionate opposition, and in 1941 he reluctantly signed a bill making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November.

According to a blog by the Indianapolis Public Library, “Indigenous Peoples in America recognize Thanksgiving as a day of mourning. It is a time to remember ancestral history as well as a day to acknowledge and protest the racism and oppression which they continue to experience today. It is important to learn and remember the full history of colonization and the reality that it included centuries of genocide, the theft of land, and oppression.”

Way before the likes of Ebay, Facebook Marketplace and Craig’s list there was a relic that was distributed once a week called the classified ads. My parents were the type of humans who pounced on the paper as soon as it was printed just to see what was for sale. I distinctly remember it being separated into categories. Some of the notables were: cars, guns, furniture, clothes and homes for rent or sale.

If you have ever met my father then you are aware he was probably looking at the gun selections and my mother was consistently looking at furniture. Having to raise three children on meager salaries left very little money for the luxury of paying full price for anything. It wasn’t out of character for us to come home to a new-to-us piece of furniture or something that was purchased second hand.
On one particular day after I had already moved out of the house, I stopped by my parents’ house for a quick visit. When I walked in I noticed that my father, with a polishing rag in hand, was carefully making his was around a new-to-us table and chairs. He was methodically moving around and wiping as my mom directed.

“George, you missed a spot,” I can still hear her saying this in her soft but almost panicked and firm tone. And, then he would circle back until it met her approval.
I couldn’t help but notice the sparkle in her eye as she stared at this table. It was as if she wanted me to ask questions. So, I did.

She went on to tell me that it was a solid maple table made by the company, “Tell City”. She had wanted one of these tables ever since she got married and that everyone, she knew had this kind of table while growing up. She also explained that it was owned by the parents of one of the owners of a furniture store in Natchitoches so it had to have been well taken care of.

She was completely smitten and mesmerized by this table and I was so tickled to see the pure joy in her eyes as she explained how to tell if it was Tell City or not. As of today, I still have an eye for this distinct style of furniture. I never will forget our holidays gathered around that second hand table.

Many years after my mother passed away, I answered a call from a cousin to assist in the packing up of my aunt’s home while she made the transition to assisted living. That day many cousins showed up and helped pack and liquidate decades of memories. While she knew she could not bring all of her belongings with her, she wanted to make sure that everyone who purchased something from her home, knew where it came from and how well it had been cared for. It was possibly the sweetest estate sale of the century.

Over a two-day period almost everything had sold as she planned except for her dining room table and chairs. My cousin had mentioned that she did not want to part with it because it was solid maple and well crafted.

Uh oh, I knew exactly what this meant. I told my cousin that it was probably Tell City, and once she climbed out from under the table she looked at me with an affirmative nod. At the time I did not need a dining room table but I told her I would try to help them sell it. To no avail, a few days went by and I received a call from my aunt. I was tasked with telling her that I could not find anyone to purchase the valuable table so she asked if I decided if I needed one and If I did she would make me a really nice deal. I was silent for a moment as I was thoroughly thinking about it, then she quietly said, “Reeber, your mom always liked this table.” She has always called me,

“Reeber”, and I have always loved the way she says it. I could hear the sparkle in her voicewhen she offered me this treasure.

With those few words spoken all I could say was, “Sold, when can I pick it up?”

I couldn’t stand the thought of this second-hand-solid maple block-once loved by my mom-table going to another home other than my own.

This Thanksgiving It doesn’t matter if you gathered around a second-hand table that has held decades of memories in the past or celebrated around a new table with new memories to come.  As long as you were thankful and grateful. Breaking bread with family can happen in the best of times or the worst of times but there is nothing more precious than family.

“They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts praising God.”Acts 2:46

The Gordon Peters Post, Unit 10, of the American Legion Auxiliary in Natchitoches encourages you to visit our Post located at the corner of Fourth and Saint Denis Streets (the old Tin House location) for gumbo, chili, hot dogs, drinks, etc. for sale at reasonable prices. Our Post will also be open for food sales on Saturday, Dec. 4, Christmas Festival Day, from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Parking is available on both dates at reasonable rates as well. All proceeds will benefit our local Veterans.

Now that we have carved the turkey and taken a nap while watching the Dallas Cowboys traditional Thanksgiving Day game, we can now turn our attention to Christmas. But before we begin to think about jolly Ole St. Nick, let’s take a look at why I’m so thankful. No one appreciates more than me the opportunities I’ve had over the years to pursue and chase largemouth bass all across the southern United States. As a bass fisherman, I am truly blessed in so many ways. While I’m sure I’ll probably leave something out, here’s my list of what I’m thankful for.

1.    My health… At the age of 60, and still in decent shape, I’m able to get in and out of my boat without busting my butt. I can still make that giant leap onto the front deck and drop the trolling motor in the water. I can fish all day and still feel pretty good the next day, as long as I’m taking my joint supplements and Aleve!

2.    My boat… As a young man growing up, I looked forward to the day I would be launching my 20-foot Ranger bass boat with a 250 HP Yamaha engine on the back and the best Minn Kota trolling motor (Ultrex)… that with the push of a button will lock you down on a brush pile in the middle of the lake.  It is a boat fully carpeted with awesome seats that rides like a luxury car and the best state of the art electronics that could probably help navigate your way to the moon and back.

3.    The best rods and reels…. Another blessing is being a part of an awesome company like Daiwa. They have a tremendous line of rods and reels that I have used for the last six years, that just might be the best on the planet.

4.    My relationships with certain companies…. Over the years, I’ve forged relationships with companies like Ranger Boats, Daiwa, SPRO, Gamakatsu, V&M,  Seaguar fishing line and Santone Lures. Great companies that are staples in the bass fishing industry. What a blessing!

5.    Great tournament organizations … I love competition and today anglers have a multitude of options to choose from. Organizations like B.A.S.S. and Major League Fishing (MLF) offer a wide range of tournaments for all skill levels from high school to college to professional. At no time in history has there been so many bass fishing opportunities that allow anglers to compete.

6.    The best lakes in the country….Take a pen and draw a 150-mile radius around Natchitoches, Louisiana, and you will have circled three of top 10 lakes in the country. Located right here in our own back yard are legendary lakes like Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn and Caddo. But just outside that radius in East Texas sit Lake Fork, Lake of the Pines, Lake Monticello, and I’ll even throw in the Red River, just because of its history of hosting the Bassmaster Classic twice and a place I love to fish.

7.    Friends and fellow competitors…. This is what makes tournament bass fishing special. The friendships and connections I have made through bass fishing is insane. While all of us want to win every time we launch our boats, there’s something special about the relationships you form with fellow anglers that cannot be explained. Just like any other sport, there are “clicks” or groups of guys that will help each other during an event like maybe sharing a technique they’re using or sharing information about a bait they’re getting bites on. Within each of these clicks though, is a word called trust. Bass anglers are a funny bunch when it comes to sharing info and before they will share, trust must be established. Just like a marriage, if trust is broken, that bond is severed forever.

One more thing, as an outdoorsman I’ve had the joy of watching some of the best sunrises and sunsets ever seen. God paints an awesome display each and every day on a giant blue canvas. There’s something special in the air on a tournament morning just before take-off with the sun rising in the east and anglers sitting on the water. It’s an indescribable feeling of how good God is and what a privilege it is to get to do what I do. I’m truly thankful for all of this, and so much more, that I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy during my long bass fishing career. Till next week, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget to set the hook! Make sure to check out the Hook’N Up & Track’N Down Show for the latest news and information related to the great outdoors every Wednesday at 11:00 and Saturday mornings at 6:00 on AM 1130 The Tiger or go to hutdshow.com

to see our latest episode.

Steve Graf

The Mrs. H.D. Dear Sr. and Alice E. Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts at Northwestern State University will present the 33rd annual Christmas Gala Dec. 1-3 in the A.A. Fredericks Auditorium. Performance times are 7 p.m. each evening with a 9 p.m. performance on Dec. 3.

This will be the first time in three years a live Christmas Gala will be performed in the renovated A.A. Fredericks Auditorium. The 2019 Gala was moved off campus due to construction in the auditorium. Last year’s performance was virtual due to the pandemic.

Tickets are $15. NSU, BPCC@NSU and Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts students are admitted free with a current student I.D.

“The Christmas Gala is eagerly anticipated by both local audiences and our students who perform and work behind the scenes,” said Gala Director Brett Alan Garfinkel. “The School of Creative and Performing Arts works on the Gala year-round to be sure we provide a memorable event for the community.”

The Gala will feature performances by the NSU Jazz Orchestra, “Out on a Limb Improv” Troupe, the NSU Dance Company, NSU Percussion Ensemble, Demon Dazzlers, Demon Heat Colorguard, NSU Brass Choir, NSU Chamber Choir and the Natchitoches-Northwestern-Symphony Orchestra,

The Gala story was written by NSU students Olivia Hancock of Dubach, Mekayla Jenkins of Jennings, Mikiah Odom of Marshall. Texas, and Kaylon Willoughby of Hammond. Ensemble directors and conductors are Galindo Rodriguez, Robert Richoux, Kenneth Green, David Steele, Jena Elfer, Dr. Grace Edgar, Dr. Nicholaus B. Cummins, Dr. Douglas Bakenhus and Garfinkel. Choreographers are Pia Wyatt, Kirstin Riehl, Rebecca Morgan and Michael Lomeka.

More than 400 Northwestern State students, faculty and staff in the School of Creative and Performing Arts combine their talents to present the Gala as a kickoff to the Natchitoches Christmas Festival. Large crowds attend the Gala each year which is based on the long-running Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular.

Garfinkel said the Gala will combine popular parts from past shows along with new elements that are added this year. He said this year’s Christmas Gala will be a version of a Louisiana Nutcracker.

“A Fais-do-do will take the place of the usual Christmas Party,” said Garfinkel. “Instead of the Land of the Sweets in Act II the show will take a journey through the Land of Spices. The music and performance acts will have a Louisiana flare.”

WINN:
Carolyn Jeanette Maggio
January 13, 1950 – November 21, 2021
Service: Friday, November 26 at 1 pm at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church

Linda Marchand
October 03, 1943 – November 22, 2021
Service: Saturday, November 27 at 11 am at Southern Funeral Home

To read the full press release click here. https://dra.gov/newsroom/press-release/delta-regional-authority-announces-2022-delta-leadership-institute-executiv/

As a health system, NRMC reinvests profits into our campus and technology to bring the latest advances to our community. Imaging plays an important role in a patient’s overall health as it is often an important first step in diagnosing an illness, injury or health condition. It can also be used to monitor a patient’s recovery or ongoing health condition. At NRMC, we are committed to bringing excellent imaging capabilities to our community.

The Multispecialty Clinic, located on the NRMC campus, is equipped with some of the most recent advances in imaging technology including the Siemens Go.Top, 64-slice CT scanner with 3D capability. This donut shaped scanner has many advantages including the ability of imaging grouping. This means that the scanner can view, for example, the head, neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis in one scan instead of relying on multiple scans and scanning sessions. For people with metal prosthetics, the scanner is able to capture clear pictures without distortion unlike older technology which often had a scatter effect near the metal site. The dose of radiation is lower with this scanner, and technologists can view and talk with patients at all times. The scanner quickly constructs images eliminating the need for patients to wait on the table for extended periods of time.

NATCHITOCHES – Acclaimed north Louisiana writer Teddy Allen and influential central Louisiana reporter, editor and publisher Garland Forman Jr. have been selected for the 2022 Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

The duo will be inducted in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame next June, LSWA president Raymond Partsch III and Hall of Fame chairman Doug Ireland announced Tuesday.

Allen, who has been north Louisiana’s preeminent feature columnist for over 30 years, has been nationally recognized for his writing while working in Shreveport, New Orleans and Ruston. Author of three books, Allen has been a focal figure for the university communications department at his alma mater, Louisiana Tech, since 2008, and has been part of the Hall of Fame selection committee for two decades-plus.

Forman is the only person to serve as president of both the Louisiana Press Association and the LSWA. While winning hundreds of state writing and editing awards including news, sports and outdoors coverage from both organizations, the Pineville native and Louisiana Christian University alumnus has been a pivotal leader for the LSWA and for over 25 years has been on the Hall of Fame selection committee.

The DSA honor, to be made official next summer in Natchitoches, means Allen and Forman will be among an elite 12-person Class of 2022 being inducted in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. They were selected from a 29-person pool of outstanding nominees for the state’s top sports journalism honor.

The Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism recipients are chosen by the 40-member Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame selection committee based on nominees’ professional accomplishments in local, state, regional and even national circles, with leadership in the LSWA as a beneficial factor and three decades of work in the profession as a requirement.

Distinguished Service Award winners are enshrined in the Hall of Fame along with the 455 current athletes, sports journalists, coaches and administrators chosen since 1959. Just 69 leading figures in the state’s sports media have been honored with the Distinguished Service Award since its inception 39 years ago in 1982.

Allen and Forman will be among the 2022 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Class to be spotlighted in the annual Induction Ceremony on Saturday evening, June 25, at the Natchitoches Events Center. The Induction Ceremony culminates the 2022 Induction Celebration beginning Thursday afternoon, June 23, with press conference at the Hall of Fame museum at 800 Front Street in Natchitoches.

A pair of six-time Pro Bowl NFL linemen, New Orleans Saints’ offensive guard Jahri Evans and Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams, join the late Tony Robichaux, No. 1 on the wins list for state college baseball coaches, among a star-studded group of nine 2022 competitive ballot inductees.

The LSHOF Class of 2022 also includes two of the greatest women athletes in LSU history, three-time national champion gymnast Susan Jackson and two-time first-team All-America softball pitcher Britni Sneed Newman. Williams, who helped the Tigers’ football team win the 2003 national championship, is joined by another of LSU’s all-time great linemen, the late Eric Andolsek, and pro rodeo great Steve Duhon among the 2022 inductees.

Baton Rouge-Episcopal High School track and field/cross country coach Claney Duplechin enters the Hall next summer still active, with his teams capturing an astounding 64 LHSAA crowns in his career. Rounding out the Class of 2022 is the late Dr. Eddie Flynn, who as a Loyola-New Orleans student won the 1932 Olympic welterweight boxing gold medal for the USA, the last gold medal for an American boxer for 20 years.

Also honored with enshrinement in the Class of 2022 will be the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award winner, to be announced Wednesday.

The 2022 inductees will be showcased in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Museum, operated by the Louisiana State Museum system in a partnership with the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. The striking $23 million, two-story, 27,500-square foot structure faces Cane River Lake in the National Historic Landmark District of Natchitoches and has garnered worldwide architectural acclaim and rave reviews for its contents since its grand opening during the 2013 Hall of Fame induction weekend.

The selection of Allen and Forman was announced Tuesday by LSWA president Raymond Partsch III.

“We could probably fill a wing of the Hall of Fame with the amount of hardware that Teddy and Garland have won in their storied careers, which is saying something. But for me, what stands out about this year’s DSA honorees is how they are truly two of the most unselfish individuals that you will be blessed to encounter in our business,” said Partsch.

“From Teddy stepping up to serve as master of ceremonies for the LHSOF Induction year after year to Garland’s tireless work with both the LSWA and LPA, their sacrifices and behind-the-scenes efforts have been immensely valuable to both the LSWA and the LSHOF. We have been truly blessed to have both Teddy and Garland to be a part of our state’s storied sports history and there is no better way to honor them than having them inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.”

One of Louisiana’s more beloved writers, of sports and other things, Allen has piled up awards from the LSWA and many other entities since the mid-1980s. He worked for the Shreveport Journal and The Times in Shreveport, then for the Times-Picayune in New Orleans, first covering LSU and then expanding his role to step into the slot as primary columnist as the iconic Peter Finney gradually downshifted his contributions. Recently joining the Online Journals group of 10 northwest Louisiana parish publications, headlined by the Lincoln Parish Journal and the Natchitoches Parish Journal, Allen was previously a featured columnist for Gannett’s north Louisiana papers over the last three decades.

After returning to Shreveport with The Times in the early ‘90s, Allen moved east to his beloved alma mater, Louisiana Tech (bachelor’s 1982, master’s 1984), in 2008 as a writer and editor in the university communications department. Over the last decade, he has done radio broadcasting for Tech sports (football color analyst, and recently, some baseball play-by-play) and serving as a master of ceremonies for many events at the university and for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for the better part of the last two decades.

He has multiple times won prestigious honors including the Associated Press Sports Editors national feature writing award and the LSWA Story of the Year, Columnist of the Year, and Sportswriter of the Year awards. For his general interest columns, he has earned both the Ernie Pyle Award as the top columnist in Mississippi and Louisiana and been named Columnist of the Year in the LPA.

Allen’s work has been featured in the Poynter Institute’s annual “Best Newspaper Writing.”

He is co-founder of DesignatedWriters.com, an online publication including columns, features and video segments.

For four-plus decades, Forman has developed a reputation for being one of the most honored, well-respected sports journalists in not only Central Louisiana but the entire state.

Forman started reporting while a student at then-Louisiana College in the late 1970s. That led to freelance work for both the Eunice News and Ville Platte Gazette in 1980. Seven years later, Forman was named managing editor of the Bunkie Record and remained there until the fall of 2018 when he was named publisher of the Ville Platte Gazette and six other papers.

During his 31 years at The Bunkie Record in Avoyelles Parish, Forman served as the primary reporter for high school athletics and outdoors. In addition to his duties covering news as the managing editor, he was the parish high schools’ beat reporter, an outdoors writer, and photographer. Forman also covered the LSU Tigers and other college programs throughout the state.

While at the Bunkie Record he received over 400 Louisiana Press Association (LPA) awards for his writing including over an estimated 150 awards in sports writing, sports photography and layout.

In addition to his prolific work as a journalist or as some have called him, a “country journalist,” the affable Forman is known for his tireless service with the LPA and LSWA. Forman served on numerous LSWA All-State selection boards. In 2005, he was awarded the prestigious Mac Russo Award for his contributions to the progress and ideals of the LSWA. Forman has also served for 25 years and counting on the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame selection committee.

Now based in Ville Platte, he currently oversees 13 weekly newspapers as publisher for the Louisiana State Newspapers group across north and central Louisiana.

The 2022 Induction Celebration will kick off Thursday, June 23, with a press conference and reception. The three-day festivities include two receptions, a youth sports clinic, a bowling party, and a Friday night riverbank concert in Natchitoches. Tickets for the Saturday night, June 25 Induction Ceremony, along with congratulatory advertising and sponsorship opportunities, are available through the LaSportsHall.com website.

Anyone can receive quarterly e-mails about the 2022 Induction Celebration and other Hall of Fame news by signing up on the LaSportsHall.com website.

The Induction Celebration weekend will be hosted by the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, the support organization for the Hall of Fame. The LSHOF Foundation was established as a 501 c 3 non-profit entity in 1975 and is governed by a statewide board of directors. For information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Foundation President/CEO Ronnie Rantz at 225-802-6040.