Coach of the Year: Steven Fitzhugh, OCS 

From the outside looking in, quarterback appeared to be an area of concern for Ouachita Christian last spring.

Coach long enough and you’ll experience the joys of a mostly injury-free season and the tribulations of being snake-bit. Neville head coach Mickey McCarty experienced the latter in 2019. 

The Northeast Louisiana football community continues to mourn the loss of Carroll assistant coach Osaro Kyles, who was found unresponsive by his wife, LaWanda Kyles, at their home on Sunday.

Steven Fitzhugh would prefer to remain under the radar, but it just wasn’t meant for Ouachita Christian’s veteran head coach to escape the spotlight in 2019.

Teshadi Talton, who was a member of West Monroe’s 2009 Class 5A State Championship team before joining River Oaks’ 2010 MAIS-AA State Championship squad, lost a battle to cancer on Dec. 23 at the age of 28.

The fourth I-20 Bowl held at Ruston High School drew elite participation from schools across Northeast Louisiana, so it didn’t shock anyone on the East sidelines to see a 42-21 victory in the All-Star matchup against Northwest Louisiana.

Sterlington senior catcher/designated hitter Braden Hough has verbally committed to accept a baseball scholarship offer from the University of New Orleans.

Reaping the rewards of its third straight conference championship, state quarterfinalist Sterlington swept the individual awards on the All-District 2-3A team.

Ouachita Christian and Oak Grove headline the All-District 2-1A football team, and rightfully so.

River Oaks placed nine players on the MSAIS All-District 4-4A football squad, including four first-team selections.

Carroll cornerback Cedric Woods was among Louisiana Tech’s 19 signees as the early signing period kicked off Wednesday morning.

Sterlington quarterback Hayes Crockett made it official Wednesday morning, signing a national letter of intent with ULM on the first day of the early signing period.

Off to a 4-1 start, the Sterlington Lady Panthers play four matches over the next five days.

Notes and quotes from Ouachita Christian’s 67-22 victory over Catholic-Pointe Coupee in the Division IV state championship game:

NEW ORLEANS — For the 2019 Ouachita Christian Eagles, “Finish Strong” was more than a theme. It was a way of life.

Catholic-Pointe Coupee vs. Ouachita Christian for the Div. IV State Championship in the Superdome. This feed will have live updates of the contest. 

New Roads Catholic-Pointe Coupee and Ouachita Christian kickoff the LHSAA/Allstate Sugar Bowl Classic in the Mercedes-Benz Louisiana Superdome. Starting time for the Division IV state championship game is set for noon Friday.

Twenty-one football players from Ouachita Parish schools have been selected to play in the I-20 Bowl all-star game. Ruston High School will host the fourth annual game, which pits area seniors from northeast Louisiana against seniors from the Shreveport area.

Ethan Hogan vividly remembers the excitement of Ouachita Christian’s run, which produced three state championships in four years (2011, 2012, 2014). 

The tales of Bill Ruple Stadium read like a ghost story for Neville’s postseason opponents.

Jill Peacock and Alyssa Parker combined for 32 points as the West Ouachita Lady Chiefs improved to 7-0 with a 59-36 victory over Sterlington on Tuesday night.

The Ouachita Christian Eagles are heading to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome after all.

Grant Mashaw has never been one to complain about a lack of playing time. As a two-way starter for the better part of three years, the senior offensive lineman/linebacker has been a constant in the Ouachita Christian lineup.

Talk to any West Monroe fan leading up to last Friday’s road contest against No. 7 Destrehan, the feeling was mostly mutual. As if they were reading a script from Star Wars, the phrase, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this” might’ve come up a time or two.

Hunter Herring has earned his share of player of the week awards from various media outlets over the past few weeks. More accolades are certain to follow for the Ouachita Christian junior quarterback, who ran for five touchdowns in the second half of the Eagles 56-41 Division IV semifinal tr…

A week after pulling off dramatic quarterfinal upsets on the road, Metairie Park Country Day and Ouachita Christian collide in the Division IV semifinals Friday night at Steven Fitzhugh Field. Kickoff time is set for 6 p.m., an hour earlier than normal.

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year for some, but Thanksgiving holds a special place in the heart of Dorian Eddins. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Sterlington’s senior free safety is practicing football over the Thanksgiving break for the fourth straight year.

Finish Strong is more than just a feel good catchphrase for the Ouachita Christian Eagles. It’s a commitment.

With Christmas vastly approaching, the No. 18 DeRidder Dragons got nearly everything it could have asked for heading into a second round matchup with No. 2 Neville.

Football practice will be part of the Sterlington Panthers’ Thanksgiving Day plans for the fourth consecutive year.

On a night where West Monroe’s scoreboard failed to power on, the Rebels offensive line put on a display of raw, natural power in the trenches to generate another West Monroe playoff victory.  

Ouachita Christian built a 41-0 halftime lead Friday night on its way to a 54-0 Division IV first round playoff victory over Sacred Heart-Ville Platte.

Isaiah Brown scored three touchdowns in the first quarter as Calvary Baptist jumped on St. Frederick early en route to 52-12 Division IV first round playoff victory Friday night in Shreveport.

On paper, Friday night’s first round Class 3A playoff game between No. 2 Sterlington and No. 31 Crowley was supposed to be a rout.

Sacred Heart-Ville Platte visits Ouachita Christian for a Division IV first round matchup Friday night.

In many ways you could say Ashlyn Roach was born to be a “bomber.”

Hosting their first playoff game since 2016, the No. 10 seed Carroll Bulldogs take on the No. 23 Jennings Bulldogs in a first round Class 3A matchup Friday night.

St. Frederick is tasked with doing something no one has yet to do this season — slowing down the Calvary Baptist juggernaut. Starting time for the Division IV first round playoff game is 7 p.m. Friday in Shreveport. St. Fred (6-4) is the No. 13 seed while the 10-0 Cavaliers come in at No. 4.