Gloria Joyce Pearson Wiley born to George and Myrtle Pearson in Bryceland, La. She attended Minden High School graduating in 1953. She worked for the Bell Telephone Company and was a seamstress at Singer Sewing Service before retiring then owned and operated Webster Sewing Service in Minden for 10 years but went back to work years later in Minden’s 1st Walmart and worked at all 3 of the locations in Minden until 2018. She loved to travel, traveling to Israel, Alaska, several cruises and to Nicaragua and New Mexico on several mission trip. Serving the Lord was her passion. She was a Sunday school teacher in the 60’s-70’s and helped every year at VBS at Antioch Baptist Church in Dixie Inn, La but later joined First Baptist Church in Minden, La. If you ever asked her how she was doing she would tell you “I’m doing good just feisty and mean as ever” when everyone would tell her she was just a sweetheart.
She is proceeded in death by her parents George and Myrtle Pearson, Brothers: Ira, Joe, Bill and Ralph Pearson, Sister: Georgia-Anne Campbell.
Those left to cherish her memories are her sons Jack Welch lll (Nancy) of Brandon, Ms, George (Deedee) Welch of Minden and Joseph Welch (Cindy) of Center, Tx, grandchildren: Hollie Crawford (Kevin), Joseph Welch (Nicole), Sean Welch, Ashley Arnold (Shad) and Morgan Youngblood (Chad). Great grandchildren: Gracie Cummings (Jackson), Sara Crawford, Cannan and Caeson Youngblood, Riley and Kinsley Arnold, Wylie and Kacey Welch, Benjamin and Jovie Welch and Great Great Granddaughter Lila Cummings and a slew of adopted grandkids because everyone called her “Mamaw” and Sisters: Effie (Bunch) Cox of Cotton Valley and Sybil Gonzales (Manual) of Lufkin, Tx and an abundance of nephews and nieces as well as great nieces and nephews.
Services will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday October 3, 2025, at Whispering Pines Missionary Baptist Church with Bor. Bill Crider officiating. Burial to follow at Whispering Pine Church Cemetery in Minden, LA. The family will receive friends Thursday, October 2, 2025, from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. at Rose Neath Funeral Home in Minden, Louisiana.
Pallbearers being: Wade Butcher, Chad Youngblood, Kevin Crawford, Jon Conway, John Triplet and Cannan Youngblood and Honorary Pallbearers will be Caeson Youngblood and Wylie Welch.
The family would like to thank Passages Hospice as well as a special Thank you to Renita Killough for taking such great care of her in the last year.
Tommy Kemp Jr. receives a specially designed gift from Sheriff Jason Parker.
By Pat Culverhouse
After more than 21 years in law enforcement, Capt. Tommy Kemp Jr. is hanging up his badge.
Kemp, a detective in the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division, officially retired Friday. He served 17 years in the Sheriff’s Office, beginning as a patrol officer and worked his way through the ranks to become a detective.
“It’s been my pleasure to have served with you for the past five and a half years,” Sheriff Jason Parker said during Kemp’s retirement celebration. “You have served this office and the people of Webster Parish with dedication and distinction. We’re going to miss you.”
Kemp and his cohorts shared stories of his time with the office, including occasions that proved there’s sometimes a dangerous side of law enforcement.
“There’s not a thing I would change about my time working with all of you,” Kemp said. “I’ve made friendships here that will last forever. Now, it’s time to turn off my phone at night and not turn it back on until morning.”
22 Hands Up 2nd Annual Food Fest Saturday was a good reason to eat your fill and support an organization.
22 Hands Up is an organization dedicated to empowering youth in three parishes of Northwest Louisiana.
According to 22 Hands Up founders Darrell and Sandra Hampton, “We focus on preparation for generational wealth and wellness through comprehensive financial literacy education, leadership development, and community engagement programs” for ages 11 through 18 in Webster Claiborne and Bienville parishes. Programs include fan and bicycle drives, as well as baseball camps and other community events.
Food was made and donated by 22 Hands Up board members and enjoyed by a full Minden Community House, along with music and raffles.
“TACO TIPSis all about bringing families together for a fun, high-energy afternoon where kids can get hands-on with real world skills they can use every day – things like problem-solving, healthy routines, and making positive choices.”
That what happened at the American Legion Hall on Pine Street in Minden on Saturday, Sept. 27 from 2-4 p.m. AND, attendees got FREE tacos, pizza and sno-cones, according to Patrick White, founder of the non-profit registered 501(c)(3) organization, “We’re Here.”
Speakers at TACO TIPS talked to young persons about social media and other current issues that can take away their identity.
There were tacos, gift bags for every child, and even a raffle for a girl’s bicycle and a tablet.
President Trump never changes or equivocates and “political speak” remains foreign to him. He plows ahead and did so again this past week when he addressed the United Nations in New York City.
He endured audio problems, a teleprompter malfunction, and an escalator mishap before he delivered his speech, irregularities that are under FBI investigation. Undaunted, he gave one of the most impactful and historic speeches ever delivered in the United Nations.
One topic Trump hammered repeatedly as a threat to every nation was illegal immigration. Illegal immigration “is destroying your country, and you have to do something about it!” “Uncontrolled migration” is a great danger and “your countries are being ruined.”
He directly criticized the UN stating, “not only was the UN not solving problems it was (actually) funding an assault on Western countries and their borders.” He noted “in 2024, the UN budgeted $372 million in cash assistance to support an estimated 624,000 people illegally coming into the United States.” He pointedly stated that the “mass trafficking of children is evil but that’s exactly what the globalist migration agenda has done.”
Trump continued, “the UN is supposed to stop invasions, not create them or finance them.” In America, “we reject the idea that mass numbers of people from foreign lands can be permitted to travel halfway around the world to trample our borders, violate our sovereignty and cause unmitigated crime while depleting our social safety net.”
He asserted that “just as America belongs to the American people, I encourage all countries to take their own stand in defense of their citizens as well.” He blamed the illegal invasion on “political correctness” and, pointing to London, said “your migrants now want to go to Sharia law.” Rather, he urged, every nation is “unique,” and you have “the right to control your own borders” and should do so!
One of my favorite parts of the speech was when Trump looked out at the huge assembly of leaders from across the world and, after enumerating the seven wars he has recently ended worldwide, said, “… it’s too bad I had to do these things instead of the United Nations doing them … and sadly in all cases the United Nations did not even try to help in any of them.” And then he eyed that weak and sterile body and stated, “I never even received a phone call from the United Nations offering to help.”
He concluded his scathing critique by asserting “all the UN does is write really strongly worded letters and then never follows up on those letters. They’re only empty words and empty words don’t solve war.”
He emphasized the need for unity against the greatest threat—the “nuclear” threat—and recalled his destruction of Iran’s nuclear capability. “The world’s number one sponsor of terror (Iran) can never be allowed to possess the most dangerous weapon.” Trump explained he attempted to negotiate with the Supreme Leader of Iran to halt that country’s nuclear program but was ignored. He then ordered seven American B-2 bombers to drop fourteen bombs on Iran’s key nuclear facilities, “totally obliterating” all of them.
He then powerfully recalled the slaughter of Oct 7th in Israel and addressed the issue of a ceasefire in Gaza, chastising the nations present who, “as if to encourage continued conflict, some of this body are seeking to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state” which would “only reward the horrible atrocities of Hamas, which has repeatedly rejected reasonable offers to make peace.” He then demanded that Hamas “release the hostages now!”
He also explained he is using the American military to destroy drug cartels he has designated as terrorist organizations, indicating we are “blowing drug boats out of the water.”
He also mocked Green energy as “windmills that don’t work” and UN participation decades before in climate hysteria that has never come to pass. “Climate change is the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world.”
He concluded by observing America’s 250th anniversary next year and invited the world to come for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics as “great celebrations of liberty and human achievement.” He then defended Christianity and encouraged each nation to treasure and protect its own heritage and citizens, and closed with “God bless the nations of the world.”
Trump is a rare and historic leader, and we should pray for his health and safety.
(Shreveport attorney, Royal Alexander, worked in D.C. in the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly 8 years for two different Members of Congress from Louisiana. He has witnessed up close several Speaker races. He can be reached at RoyalAlexanderlawfirm@gmail.com .)
We debate often about what makes our country the greatest country on Earth. Most other countries have all of the amenities that we do. A ton of other countries even have better cost of living with comparable wages and free healthcare. Some even have free colleges. And yet people from all around the world dream of coming to our country. What is it about America that makes us so different from other countries?
Here, we have the ability to criticize our government, our president, have any wild opinions, and even peddle whatever conspiracy theories we want. We can log into Facebook or X and see an onslaught of the best and worst takes on anything we’ve ever seen. We have true freedom of speech. This is both a blessing and a curse, but it’s the foundation of our country, and it’s our duty to defend it.
Even when people are saying awful things about someone who recently died. Even when people are posting incredibly racist/sexist things online. Even when politicians are straight-up lying to the public. They can all be fired, of course, but never jailed. And that’s what sets us apart.
This brings me to my main point. I never thought that I would need to have an opinion of Jimmy Kimmel, but here we are. After hearing the news of his show’s cancelling, I immediately went to the internet to hear what he said. I have to admit that I was confused, because I was expecting what he said to be bad enough to justify the network’s reaction. But it really wasn’t. So what caused all of this?
Late night hosts have satirized politicians and current events for years. This is nothing new, and it certainly wasn’t anywhere near as bad as other things we’ve seen aired. But his show is also run by a private company, who does have the right to fire him for whatever reason they want. Also, late night talk show ratings have been trending down for the past several years, to the point where most are barely profitable. So cancelling it under normal circumstances is understandable.
My problem with this is that it doesn’t truly feel like it was the company’s decision because our president is attempting to strong-arm journalism and media companies into submission. Any time he is criticized (which is a normal part of being in politics, I have to add), he goes on rants online threatening to sue. As of the time this article was written, Trump has sued ABC News, Paramount Global (CBS News), the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times. There might be more big names in there, but he has filed over a thousand lawsuits and I just don’t have that kind of time.
With that kind of record, it’s hard not to take him seriously when he threatens to sue ABC over their decision to bring Jimmy Kimmel back. It is a major conflict of interest for the sitting President to threaten to sue the broadcasters of anyone who makes comments opposing him. In fact, any legislation passed that limits what we are allowed to talk about is a direct infringement of our First Amendment rights. This is about more than Right vs Left, this is about our freedom of speech. If we lose our right to speak out against our government, what do we have left?
If you’re still on Trump’s side and believe he should have the right to get the liberal voices removed from the air, think about what kind of precedent that sets. Imagine next time we have a Democratic president, and imagine if they did the same to the conservative voices in the crowd.
Without the contributions of the Republican Party, we wouldn’t have National Parks, our Interstates, or NASA. But without the contributions of the Democratic Party, we wouldn’t have Social Security, The Civil Rights Act, or most of the worker protection laws we have today. We needed each other’s ideas to become the country we are today, and silencing half of us will hurt all of us. We are far stronger united than we will ever be separated, and it’s time we remembered that.
In my last article, I spoke out condemning those who said hateful things about Charlie Kirk’s death. I’d like to make myself clear that I still condemn it, but I’ll defend their right to speak it. Because there will come a day where I’ll have to speak up for something controversial, and I pray I’ll still have the right to say it. I hope that’s something we can all agree on.
Taryn Ogletree is a local small business owner and author with previous experience of several years in finance.
Week 5 of the 2025 season begins with all four of our high school teams playing Friday. Our Webster Parish Journal Pick ‘em Contest continues this week with our high school teams as well as college and pros for you to scroll through and choose the ones you think will win.
Week 3’s winner has already been selected by computer software. Watch for his photo in Wednesday’s WPJ.
Good luck and remember, you must be 18 or older to play.
Clothing: men’s shoes and boots. (We cannot accept any other clothing right now until we catch up.)
Thanks to all for supporting UCAP! A special thanks to all who came to our rescue last week with food items!!
UCAP is open from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at 204 Miller Street, Minden, for food, utility and rent assistance. Clothing is dispersed on Wednesdays only.
6 p.m. Lumberjack Festival Pageant, Sarepta Community Center.
Oct. 4
9 a.m. until? Sarepta Celebration Of Friends, former students, teachers and workers of Sarepta High School, Sarepta Community Center, 210 Vines Street off of Hwy. 2, behind Post Office,
lunch $17 plus $1 for community room clean up. RSVP: 318-847-4270, by September 30.
6:30 p.m., 15 Under 40 awards, Minden Civic Center.
Oct. 8
8 a.m. until 1 p.m., Bayou Dorcheat Fall Paddle, 160 Dorcheat Street, Minden.
Oct. 9
9 a.m. Special class with LA Trust for Historic Preservation meeting for building owners and landlords in the Main Street District, homeowner in residential historic district, realtor, property developer or manager or small business entrepreneur. RSVP at soverall@mindenusa.com .
5:30 until 9 p.m., Seeds Banquet, Minden Civic Center.
Oct. 10
Community starts voting on SKELETOUR skeleton in downtown Minden businesses.
Oct. 11
9 a.m. Festivities begin for Lumberjack Festival in Springhill.
11 a.m., Lumberjack Festival Parade, downtown Springhill.
Oct. 13
6 p.m., Night at the Museum with Brad Dison. The untold story of Sheriff Henderson Jordan and the final pursuit of Bonnie and Clyde. Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, 116 Pearl Street, Minden. Potluck snacks and desserts. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; seating is limited.
Oct. 17
CHANGE OF VENUE 5 until 8 p.m. BIG YEET, in concert, Springhill RV Park on Church Street, Springhill. Free admission to event.
Oct. 18
8 a.m. Registration for Baby Fun Run, Miller Quarters Park, Minden. 9 a.m. run begins.
Oct. 23
5:30 until 7:30 p.m. Trunk or Treat, Minden Library Branch, Webster Parish Libraries. East & West Street. (Rain date: October 27.)
Oct. 25
3:30 until 10:30 p.m., Witches Ride of Minden parade, followed by party in Miller Quarters Park., downtown Minden.
6 p.m. Haunted Hotel Homicide murder mystery, The Oak Cottage, 406 3rd St. WN, Springhill. Registration Required, text 318-272-6093.
Oct. 30
5 until 7 p.m. Trunk or Treat Springhill Library Branch. (Rain date: Oct. 31.)
Jamie R. Johansen, 48, Pelican Dr., Lebanon, Missouri: arrested Sept. 25 by Sibley PD for disturbing the peace. No bond set.
Brittany Lovitt Edgett, 40, 100 block Hickory St., Springhill: arrested Sept. 25 by Springhill PD on warrants for distribution of CDS Sch. II (two counts), distribution of CDS Sch.I, possession of CDS Sch.II, possession of CDS Sch. I. Bond set $55,100.
Clayton Bennett, 28, 1700 block Ted Riser Rd., Heflin: arrested Sept. 29 by WPSO on warrants. Bond set $2,750.
Jessica D. Williams, 23, 2400 block Wayne St., Jonesboro: arrested Sept. 27 by WPSO on warrant. Bond set $250.
Mary A. Woodall, 33, 600 blok Constable St., Minden: arrested Sept. 28 by Minden PD for disturbing the peace, criminal trespass, criminal damage to property. No bond set.
Artie Lee Brown, 54, 1000 block Webster St., Minden: arrested Sept. 28 by Minden PD for criminal trespassing. No bond set.
Michael Wayne Moffett, 40, 600 block Lewisville Rd., Minden: arrested Sept. 27 by Minden PD on warrant for misdemeanor theft. No bond set.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Gloria Joyce Pearson Wiley November 15, 1932 – September 26, 2025 Minden Visitation: 4 until 7 p.m. Thursday, October 2, 2025, Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Minden. Funeral service: 10 a.m. Friday, October 3, 2025, Whispering Pines Missionary Baptist Church. Burial: Whispering Pines Church Cemetery, Minden.
Stephen Micheal “Steve” Kaylor June 2, 1953 – September 25, 2025 Springhill Bailey Funeral Home, Springhill. 318-539-3555
Sammy Joe Green, Jr. September 16, 1966 — September 21, 2025 Elm Grove Graveside service: 10 a.m. Tuesday, September 30, 2025, Centuries memorial Funeral Home & Park.
Connie Ann Wilson February 5, 1933 — September 26, 2025 Bossier City Visitation: 10 a.m. until noon, Thursday, October 2, 2025, Airline Baptist Church, Bossier City. Funeral service: Noon until 1 p.m. immediately following visitation. Burial: Hill Crest Memorial Park Cemetery.
Kathy Irene Lyles July 21, 1954 – September 25, 2025 Plain Dealing Visitation: 9 until 11 a.m. Saturday, October 4, 2025, Bailey Funeral Home, Plain Dealing. Graveside: 11:30 a.m., Saturday, Pleasant Hill Cemetery.
Webster Parish Journal publishes paid complete obituaries – unlimited words and a photo, as well as unlimited access – $80. Contact your funeral provider or wpjnewsla@gmail.com . Must be paid in advance of publication. (Above death notices are no charge.)
Minden’s Crimson Tide took a comfortable lead into the fourth quarter, then exploded for 27 points in the final 12 minutes to roll past Woodlawn 51-6 in Friday’s District 1-4Aopener for both teams.
Minden’s fourth quarter romp began with Kaiden Shine’s 32-yard run on the first play after the Tide recovered a Knights’ fumble with 11:03 remaining in the game. Less than a minute later, Javen Calloway returned an interception 45 yards for a score and a 37-6 Minden lead.
Other fourth quarter scores came on Jardon Carey’s 14-yard run with 7:44 remaining, followed by an Ian Clark 16-yard scamper to finish the Tide’s scoring.
Minden jumped off to a quick 7-0 lead with Hudson Brown found Caylien Aubrey with a 10-yard TD pass to cap a four minute drive with the opening kickoff. Braxton Glover kicked his first of six PATs with 7:42 left in the first quarter.
Woodlawn answered with its only score of the evening on a six-yard scoring run by Alvis Gilbert at the 10:06 mark of the second quarter, but a failed two-point try left the Knights trailing 7-6.
From there it was all Minden. Shine scored the first of his two touchdowns of the game on a twisting 23-yard run to cap an eight-play, 68-yard scoring drive with 6:12 left before half to put the Tide up 14-6. With just five seconds remaining in the half, Glover nailed a 29-yard field goal for a Tide 17-6 lead.
Aubrey picked up his second touchdown of the evening with 7:20 left in the third quarter when he powered into the end zone from five yards out to end a five-play drive covering 49 yards. That drive began when the Tide defense held Woodlawn on a fourth down try.
Minden put on a power running display in the win, picking up 301 total yards on the ground. Shine led Tide rushers with 101 yards on just eight carries and two Cds, followed by Aubrey who had 11 rushes for 90 yards and two scores.
Adding to the Tide totals were Lucas Owens, Jr. with 59 yards on 10 carries, Ian Clark with 21 yards on two attempts and one touchdown and Jardon Carey with one run for 14 yards and one TD.
Woodlawn’s Kameron Jenkins led all rushers in the game, picking up 105 yards in 15 attempts. Alvis Golbert carried 19 times for a total of 71 yards.
Brown and sophomore quarterback Jaden Johnson combined for 36 yards passing on four completions in 11 attempts. Receivers for the Tide were Aubrey with two catches for 23 yards and Shine with 13 yards on two catches.
Friday’s win evened the Tide’s record at 2-2 for the season and 1-0 in District 1-4A play. Woodlawn dropped to 2-2 on the year, 0-1 in district play.
Minden will travel to Shreveport to take on Loyola Friday in another 1-4A contest against the unbeaten, high scoring Flyers (4-0). After a 56-0 drubbing of Southwood last Thursday, Loyola has outscored its first four opponents 222-46.
In a commanding performance Friday night, the Lakeside Warriors delivered a dominating blowout against the Northwood Gators, cruising to a 42-6 victory on their home turf. From start to finish, the Warriors showcased superior execution, relentless energy, and a balanced attack that left no doubt about the outcome.
The game’s highlight came early in the first quarter when Lakeside’s quarterback, Brock Case, muffed a punt, giving Northwood a chance to capitalize. However, Case redeemed himself with remarkable resilience, recovering the fumble and turning it into an electrifying 60-yard touchdown run. His quick burst and evasive moves electrified the home crowd and set the tone for the night.
Despite the early mistake, the Warriors stormed back with intensity, demonstrating why they are a force to be reckoned with this season. As the onslaught continued, Jaden Clark showed some trickery and burst through the blockers on his way for a 63 yard TD. However, the Gators weren’t ready to go down without a fight. They found a good rhythm and marched 75 yards down the field for a rather easy quarterback sneak to close the lead to 13-6, Warriors.
Throughout the game, Lakeside’s offensive line opened up consistent running lanes, and their passing game was sharp and efficient. Meanwhile, the defense swarmed Northwood, forcing multiple three and outs and holding the Gators to just a single touchdown. The Warriors’ team speed and discipline overwhelmed their opponents, and their special teams played a key role with explosive plays and solid coverage.
Some of the notable plays included a Brock Case to Brennan Hubbard 35-yard connection for a score. A big run by Kentravion Miller and another beautiful deep-ball from Case to Eric Jones for a 50-yard touchdown. Jace Waller capped off the night with a slam up the middle for a goal-line score.
This game was a showcase of the Warriors’ all-around dominance, and the scoreboard reflected that superiority. With a final score of 42-6, Lakeside solidified their position as a top contender, while Northwood struggled to find their rhythm against the rugged Warriors defense. Fans left thestadium energized, excited about the team’s continued momentum, and eager to see them carry this winning streak forward in upcoming matchups.
Next week, the Warriors travel to Montgomery, LA to face the (1-3) Tigers.
Homecoming Queen Kyleigh Mason. Photo by Kylie Smith.
By Gray Haynes
The North Webster Knights welcomed the Homer Pelicans to Baucum-Farrar Stadium for the 2025 Homecoming Game. Homer won the coin toss and elected to defer their option to the 2nd half. The Knights took the opening kickoff and marched the ball right down the field. The Knights converted several key third downs on the drive, but came away with no points due to a fumble at the Pelicans’ five yard line. The Knights’ defense were, however, stingy as usual and forced the visitors to punt from their own end zone. The Knights took over at the Homer 40 yard line, and their ground attack took them down to the Homer 14. From there, quarterback, Justin Stewart, bounced a pass off of a defender’s hands right into the waiting arms of Jameson Harden for the first score of the night. The extra point by Christian Whitlock was true to make the score 7-0 Knights.
North Webster kicked off to Homer and allowed one first down before forcing the Pelicans to punt to the 25 yard line. The Knights picked up some yards on the ground before unleashing the air attack again. A 50 yard pass from Stewart to Ja’Kayden Jackson took the ball down the Homer 8. From there, Jackson let his brother take over to score on the second of two runs. Whitlock’s extra point was again good to make the score 14-0. Homer took the kickoff and drove down to the Knights’ ten yard line before failing to convert on a 4th down and 1. The Knights ran out the clock content with a 14-0 halftime lead.
Homer received the opening kickoff of the second half and moved the ball a bit before failing to convert on a 4th down and 8 from the North Webster 45. However, the Knights could not take advantage and were forced to punt. Homer, then, gave the ball right back to the Knights on a fumble deep in their own territory. Stewart completed a 13 yard pass to Hayden Nance who just managed to drag his toes in bounds before falling over the sideline. This pitch and catch set up a 21 yard field goal by Whitlock to make the score 17-0.
The Knights, again, kicked off to Homer. The Pelicans, again, began marching down the field, but the bend but don’t break Knights’ defense forced a fumble on the North Webster 45 yard line. On the first play after the fumble, Stewart, once again, connected with Jackson for a 53 yard catch and run for a touchdown. That made the score 24-0 in favor of the home team. The next Homer position was stopped by an interception by Chandler McKenzie on the Knights’ 20 yard line. North Webster moved down the field on the ground but was once again bitten by the fumble bug. The Knights turned the ball over to Homer on the 7 yard line.
Homer was able to move the ball out of the shadow of their own goalpost until Donte Owens found a Homer pass and intercepted it at the 48 yard line and returned it for a 52 yard pick six. Whitlock’s kick made the score 31-0 with about 2:30 left in the game. Stewart finished the game with 6 completions on 9 attempts for 149 yards and 2 touchdowns. Ja’Kayden Jackson had two receptions for 102 yards and one touchdown. His brother, Ja’Myrion Jackson, had 10 carries for 48 yards and one touchdown. Braylon Washington was the workhorse for the Knights on this night with 18 carries for 119 yards. The Knights are now 3-1 on the season and host Garrison, Texas next Friday night at Baucum-Farrar Stadium.
Friday night lights took the Apaches down the road to Ruston in a huge 1-1A rivalry game where the Apaches fell to the Cedar Creek Cougars for the first time since joining the LHSAA by a score of 31-8.
The Cougars won the toss and started with the ball at the 35. Sugar Slade Lollar and Davis Powell made huge tackles for loss after the Cougar running back made a big gain. The Apaches faced a 4th and goal from the one. The Cougars’ back dove over the line for the opening drive touchdown and never looked back. The extra point was broken up by the Apaches. The Cougars led 6-0 with 7:47 left in the first.
The Apaches took over on the 34 from a great return from Ace Rollen. Huddy Glasscock nabbed a middle screen from Rowdy Reagan for huge gain of 36. Ryder Malone showcased his sticky hands with a big catch to put the Apaches in the red zone. With one-on-one coverage to the 2-guard, Carson Powell, who can jump out of the gym, a flat pass delivered to the corner of the end zone by Reagan allowed the out of position corner back to get back into the play and come down with the football for a turnover in the end zone. On the ensuing defensive set, Sugar Slade Lollar kept showing his dominance on the field and was in on nearly every tackle in the game. The Cougars picked up big yardage into the Apaches’ territory. On a pivotal 4th down, Dub-Weston Duck, blew through and made a great tackle as the Apaches forced a turnover on downs.
The Apache offense took over on the 31 to try and answer the Cougars as the first quarter closed with the Apaches trailing 6-0. After moving the football a little bit, the Cougars came down with another interception. The Cougars quickly drove it down the field and scored right up the middle and converted the 2pt conversion, 14-0 with 7:50 remaining in the half.
The Apache offense took over on the 29 after the kick-off. The Cougars’ defensive ends continued to gain pressure as Reagan was sacked for a third time which brought up a 3rd and cab ride from the Aapche 16. A great play call was dialed up to throw off the Cougar defensive front. Rowdy Reagan found Darron-The Dime-Hollingsworth and picked up huge first down on a perfectly executed wide receiver screen. But the Apaches’ drive stalled around mid-field and they were forced to punt.
Hollingsworth was back to punt, but the ball was snapped way over his head and out of the back of the end zone for a safety. Cougars led 16-0 with 4:20 left in the first half. The Cougars took over on the Apache 48. The Apaches backed the cougars up and forced a long 4th down and Cougar punt. Apaches took over on the 25. The Apaches struggled to execute and were forced to punt as again with 1:18 remaining in the half. The Apaches’ defense stood firm as Sugar Slade Lollar and Huddy Glasscock team tackled and forced the end of the half. Apaches trailed, 16-0.
Apaches’ opening possession was forced to punt after some miscues.On the next possession the Cougars executed perfectly and scurried in from 60 yards for another touchdown. With the 2-point try, the Apaches trailed 24-0 late in the third. The Apaches moved the ball with a running attack of Connor Williams, Carson Whitehead and Ryan Reagan to inside of the 30-yard line of the Cougars.The Cougars stepped in front of a slant pass and came down with its third interception of the night. The Apaches’ defense backed them up and forced a second and 20. The Apaches forced a turnover after a poor field goal attempt from the Cougars. The Apaches took over on the 20-yard line. The Apaches faced 4th and long after moving the chains twice. Golden Gage White released from the TE position and picked up 15 yards for the first down. Golden Gage continued to pick up great yardage with great hands as they moved into Cougar territory. A great pass from Rowdy Ryan to The Dime gashed the Cougars and set up the Apaches on the 3-yard line. Reagan punched it in for the lone Apache touchdown for the night. Colt-Man on Fire-Jellum (who was drastically held on defense most of the night) rumbled into the end zone for the 2-point conversion. The Cougars still led, 24-8. Apache defense needed a quick stop but was unable to complete the stop where the Cougars worked up a few wrinkle plays to score and make the lead insurmountable late in the 4th quarter.
Your Apaches were stunned, 31-8 as Cedar Creek celebrated as if they had won the Super Bowl. In the tough loss, the young Apaches will bounce back better than ever. I hope this awakens a fire within them to work, train and have an unwavering focus to get better each week of the season. The Apaches are not out of it and will have a chip on their shoulders going forward to execute greatness!!
Next week the fun festivities of homecoming bring on the great memories to be made for the seniors of 2025. Be sure to get to Apache stadium early as the Homecoming festivities will be a great ceremony to watch and support. Lets show up and show out for our Apaches as they look to dominate a district win against the Plain Dealing Lions with kick off set at 7 p.m.
Tuesday night this week, your elementary Apaches travelled across the state to the big-time rivals of the OCS Eagles where your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade Apaches beat the Eagles in a WILD overtime thriller, 13-12. While the 5th and 6th grade Apaches played a great game but fell 16-0.
Fully expecting to be in a dog fight and playing against ‘home cooking” as normal, your “Little” Apaches started with the ball on offense. This game marked the first time all season that QB, Awesome Austin Ramsey, did not take a 70-yard sprint to the house on the opening play, but Ramsey took the oblong ball around the end for a gain of 15 yards, but was only tackled by a shoestring. Two plays later the chains moved again with great blocking by the Apaches as Wild Man, Wilder Butler ran hard on a counter trap. On 4th and short, the Apaches paved a brand-new strip of asphalt down the middle of the Eagles field for Awesome Austin as he blew into the endzone from 30 yards out for a touchdown. The 2pt try failed. The Apaches led early 6-0 with 1:10 left in first.
On defense, the Apaches had the quick Eagle running back bottled up behind the line, but he broke 2 tackles and scurried for 40 yards where BK Ingles and Awesome Austin Ramsey made the tackle. The next play the giant 4th grade back that “apparently made weight”, ran over everyone who tried to tackle him and trounced in for the Eagle score. But the Apache defense stopped the extra point. The game was locked at 6’s to end the first quarter. The Apaches offense found a great pass play to flip the field quickly, but an illegal procedure backed the Apaches up and turned the ball over on downs. On the ensuing defensive set the Apaches defense stepped up and forced a 4th down. Big Mack, Brooks McCullough made two great tackles to turn the ball over on downs for the Eagles with HUGE tackles for loss. On the first play on offense, Zaine The Knight Train picked up a huge first down. Then Liam Hulk Hurley knabbed a perfect pass from Ramsey to pick up 25 yards with 1 minute left in the half. Big Mack McCullough took the direct snap and picked up big blocks from Nasty Nate Mosely and Wrecking Will Abshire. The Apaches moved the chains for a huge first down. The Apaches marched the ball down the field but ran out of time at half time with the score knotted at 6.
The Apaches stellar defense started the second half. The Apaches forced a fumble right off the bat but an errant facemask flag thrown from across the field gave the Eagles a new set of downs. Big Mack continued his dominance on defense and made a great tackle for no gain. Early into the third quarter, that tackle marked his 7th of the night. The Apaches defensive line, led by Joltin Jett Jones and Nasty Nate Mosley busted up a play in the backfield, but the Eagle QB found a lucky 15 yards and moved the chains. The Apaches pushed the Eagles back for a 4th and long. Hulk Hurley made a great move and met the oversized Eagle back behind the line of scrimmage and stripped the ball right out of his arms and picked up the fumble with 1:07 left in the third. The Eagles defense were not to be outdone and forced a punt to start the 4th quarter, still tied 6’s.
The Apaches defense forced its second fumble of the night that Hulk Hurley picked up in plus territory. But offensive miscues and yellow laundry backed the Apaches up for a third and very long. The Apaches picked up big yards but faced a 4th down. On the 4th down play a tipped pass and big hit from the Eagle linebacker on Awesome Austin gave the Eagles the ball and nearly knocked the Apache Star QB out of the game, but he bucked up and accepted the challenge and fought for his War Party Apaches. The Apache defense came out with their hair on fire and forced a huge fourth down with 1:30 left in the contest. The Apaches held the Eagles and took the ball over on the 50. The field General, Ramsey returned to the field and made an exceptional pitch with blitzing linebackers in his face and found Zaine The Knight Train for a big gain of 15 yards to move the chains. But a strange turn of 2 penalties in a row after consecutive huge gains……..(insert eye roll here) backed the Apaches way up with the clock winding down. Quick play calls by Coach Alex kept the Eagles defense on their heels and Awesome Austin picked up a huge gain with 14 sec left. The Apaches threatened after picking up the lost yardage. Ramsey called for the ball and launched a big pass down the sideline and found BK Ingles on a streak inside the 15-yard line of the Eagles. The Apaches hurried and spiked the ball to stop the clock with 2 seconds left. Coach Alex called a QB run all the way. The Apaches faithful that filled the stands were on their feet as Ramsey made one man miss, the clock buzzed at zero’s, made another man miss, picked up a few yards, was hit hard, bounced off the tackle, the roars of the crowd got louder and louder as the stellar QB fought closer to the goal line, but a stretched out Awesome Austin was tackled inside the 3-yard line to end regulation. WHAT A BATTLE!!
With overtime we found the Apaches on defense from their own 25. The Apaches defense made a great tackle on the giant running back. Nasty Nate continued to have himself a day and blew up the Eagle play backwards. The oversized back broke several tackles and scored for the Eagles, 12-6 in OT.
The Apache offense settled in and needed to score to keep the game going with the possession. The Zebra’s lost their laundry a few times again at crucial moments just like they had at the end of regulation, and it forced the Apaches into a long uphill climb. Coach Alex dialed up another great play call where Awesome Austin called for the ball, sprinted out to his left and uncorked bomb down the side line that went over the out stretched fingers of the Eagle safety and into the hands of Big Time, Big Prime, Big Mack, Brooks McCullough who sprinted in for an Apache TD from 27 yards out. The OCS field staff is probably still repairing the crater in the field that was left from Big Mack’s ENOURMOUS spike in the endzone. The Apaches needed to punch in the extra point for the win. Ramsey had picked up a minimum of 3-4 yards around the outside all night. On the ensuing play, the Apaches lined up in their normal package where Ramsey had carried the ball multiple times. Mega Martin Smith made a perfect snap to Ramsey, The Knight Train and Hulk Hurley led the charge to the right, the Eagle defense sold out on the outside run that Ramsey nearly scored on at the end of regulation, but in the words of Admiral Ackbar from Star Wars, “IT’S A TRAP!!!!”. Awesome Austin made one step to his left and found a giant hole behind Will Abshire, Big Bad Brooks Boyd and Joltin Jett Jones and could’ve moon walked like a Smooth Criminal into the endzone for the extra point and the walk offAPACHE WIN!! The underclassman of the elementary sports program remained undefeated after a hard fought gutted out win in hostile territory. This marked the first time the Elementary Apaches won on the home cooked OCS field since 2022.
In the 5th and 6th grade contest, the Eagles won the toss but deferred to the second half. Your Apaches started with the ball. After some good runs by Action Jackson Shipp, the Apaches faced a long third down but a QB keeper by Ryder Hollywood Hollingsworth picked a first down and a gain of 14 yards. On the next play the Apaches executed a great sold option play had Shipp blazing down the sidelines and picked up 15 yards. Hollywood found stride with another great run. Hollywood spun the most beautifully spiraled pass down field that fell outside of the fingertips of the Blonde Bullet, Brant Bridges that was nearly a touchdown for the Apache offense. The Apaches were forced to punt after driving the length of the field. The Apaches defense held the GIANT OCS Eagles but a deep pass down the field found the 6ft tall 6th grade Eagle receiver for a touchdown after he slipped off the Apache tackle. The Eagles led at the end of the first 8-0. The Apaches offense moved the ball well but faced a third down. The Blonde Bullet nearly picked up a first down, but the Apaches were forced to punt. On the next defensive possession King Cade made a huge tackle on the giant Eagle running back and forced a big 4th down in plus territory. Captain “Oh My” Captain Powell was at the point of contact with the Eagle running back for no gain but was pulled down from behind by the man he just beat that sprung the Eagles to a first down. Folks, this happened all night and was never called after the same officiating crew called the 3rd and 4th grade game like it was the NFC Championship….. But our outstanding Apaches showed their resolve and character and fought through it. The Apache defense stood tall and Hammering Hank Rowton who showed his toughness, made a huge tackle for a loss of 5 and the Eagles turned it over on downs to close the first half with OCS up 8-0.
In the second half, the Apaches defense stiffened up early as Hollywood Hollingsworth showed his defensive prowess and made a Sportscenter highlight reel, complete de-cleating hit on the Eagle running back. The Apaches held the Eagles after a few first downs to a big fourth down. Big G-Grayson Avery and Hammering Hank collapsed on the Eagles to turn the ball over on downs with 2:08 left in the third. On the first play for the Apaches offensive drive, the Eagle cornerback made a great break on a perfectly thrown pass and came down with the INT to close the third quarter. The Eagles milked the clock on the next possession and punched it in late to go up 16-0 with 4:17 left in the contest.
The Apaches offense moved the ball well but couldn’t punch it in to draw the game closer. The second team, Apaches got some great playing time against a slough of athletic and giant Eagles before the clock hit zero. The 5th and 6th grade Apaches fought hard but fell short against the biggest 6th graders in the state of Louisiana. This kind of battle will serve our Apaches well as they grow and learn the game, as well as learning what they are capable of through seemingly overwhelming odds. Our coaching staff is unbelievably proud of our Apaches. We’re proud that they play football the right way, with grit, toughness, resolve, and INTEGRITY!
The Apaches have one more game of the 2025 season where we will travel all the way over to the river delta of Rayville, LA next Tuesday, 9/29 to face the Riverfield Raiders. As always, IT’S A GREAT DAY TO BE AN APACHE!!
It’s Monday morning and the beginning of Week 5 of Webster Parish Journal’s Pick’em Contest.
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