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2 Basketball, November 21, 2013

Basketball 2013

Hoops return to Livingston Parish

22-23 Holden girls

23 Maurepas girls

I Contents___

Pictured on the cover are 2012-2013 Livingston Parish MvPs tayLin underwood of doyLe and Justin LobeLL of french settLeMent, who are returning for their senior seasons.

credits:articLes — saM MuffoLetto, dave MoorManncover — PauL hattonPhotos — david norMand

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BOYS 4-5A

Jackets: Many weapons & questions PDenHAM sPRInGs — The Yellow Jack-ets may have ended last season with nowhere to go in the post-season, but Denham Springs head coach Wynn Wingate is banking on his team’s strong play down the stretch as carry over into a successful season this year.

“We came together and finished strong last year, finishing .500 in district,” said Wingate. “They’re a fun group to coach. I feel like they’re going to go all-out, so I’m excited to get this thing started.”

Wingate will have some shoes to fill, as he graduated three seniors,

including first-team all-district player Antonio Evans, who averaged 18 points per game.

Although this year’s roster in-cludes five seniors, an equal mix-ture of underclassmen will blend together to form what could well be a 10-man rotation.

“When you look at us on paper, we’re young, because the bulk of my players are underclassmen, with Rae’Kwan Turner the lone senior starter,” said Wingate. “I’ll have five seniors, but they will be in a rota-tion. We could be in as much as a 10-man rotation, because all of them can contribute in different ways.

“We have a lot of quickness, but not a lot of height,” said Wingate. “(Junior) Zach Davidson is probably one of my biggest guys at 6-foot-5. But he’s also one of my best outside shooters. But hopefully that will create problems for the other teams, since he is my best inside and out-

side shooter.”Other key players are junior

guards Elton “Nitro” Knight and Torez Kinchen, along with another junior in Tuwain Starks.

“He’s (Kinchen) is going to be one of those players that is going to be hard for anyone to stop,” said Wing-ate. “But overall, Davidson is my best overall player. He’s long. He’s my best shot-block. He’s my best shooter. He can put the ball on the floor somewhat, even being 6-5. He’ll be something that people will have to deal with.

“If we’re on like we should be each game, there’s no one guy that I would say we just can’t play without,” said Wingate. “But with Elton and Tuwain and Torez and Rae’Kwan, who is that x-factor, the one who gets down there on the floor, get the jump-baskets around the goal, as well as having improved his outside shooting.

“Tori Odum, a sophomore guard, but has two speeds, wide open and wide open. He also goes wide open. He gives me two games, since he plays on the jayvee team as well. He’s just another guy who can con-tribute.”

Seniors Calvin Curtis, Keston Du-gas, Chance Diez and Tyler Junius, along with junior Brandon Himel, Monterio Whitley and David Mor-gan, along with sophomore Caleb Roddy, round out the Yellow Jackets’ roster.

“We don’t have a lot of major weap-ons, but we have a lot of weapons,” said Wingate. “We just want to run our motion offense where every-body touches the ball. Everybody’s a point-guard at any given time. That’s the kind of team that we have.”

Defensively, Wingate’s teams have primarily been man-to-man.

“I’m excited about it,” said Wing-

2-4 Denham Springs boys

4-5 Live Oak boys

5-6 Walker boys

6-7 Albany boys

12-14 Maurepas boys

14-16 Denham Springs girls

16-17 Live Oak girls

17-18 Walker girls

9-10 Doyle boys

10 French Settlement boys

11 Springfield boys

11-12 Holden boys

18-19 Albany girls

19-20 Doyle girls

20-21 French Settlement girls

21-22 Springfield girls

Assessor Jeff Taylor, AT&T, Big Mike’s Sports Bar and Grill, Boyer-Hebert-Abels & Angelle, Dr. Tim Leach, Judge Jeff Oglesbee, Livingston Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau, North Oaks Orthopaedic Specialty Center, Our Lady of the Lake, Parish President Layton Ricks, Raisin’ Cane’s, Rep. Sherman Mack, Sen. Dale Erdey, Sport N Center, Walker Family Dentistry, Walker Pharmacy.

Basketball, November 21, 2013 3DAVID NORMAND |

THE NEWS

The 2013-14 Denham Springs High Yellow Jackets basketball team (front row, from left) are Keston Dugas, Tyler Junius, Tuwian Starks, Rae'Kwan Turner, Altoris Odom and Calvin Curtis. Standing are Elton Knight, Chance Diez, Zach Davidson, David Morgan, Caleb Roddy, Torez Kinchen, Monterio Whitney and Brandon Himel.


ate. “I think we’re going to be very competitive. I’m also proud of our facilities, with the newly installed air-condition-ing and the floor. Everything looks good, barring any injury.

“I think our district is wide open and I feel we’ll have the type of team that can compete for it,” said Wingate. “I’m ready to start playing.”

Last year, the Yellow Jackets finished 10-18 overall.

Wingate will again be as-sisted by Blake Zito and John Easterly.

BOYS 4-5A

Live Oak adaptsto new coach P

WAtson — Given that Cary Verges only became the Live Oak boys basketball coach in the summer and hasn’t prac-

DAVID NORMAND |

THE NEWS

The 2013-14 Live Oak High Eagles boys basketball team are (front row, from left) Mark Rudison, C.J. Etheridge, Jordan Sellers, Jacob Larroquette, David Johnson and Landon Faulkner. Standing are Dominque Jackson, Beau Bergeron, Austin Larroquette, James Sullivan, Antonio Williams, Dan Ricard and Andre Jackson.

Basketball, November 21, 2013 5ticed that long with a full comple-ment of players, he’s not quite sure what to expect from his team that began play at home Nov. 19 against Fontainbleau.

“We’ve got a lot of guys playing football so it’s up in the air,” he said of the players he anticipates relying upon this season. “I expect the se-niors to play the majority of time for us, but the juniors and sophomores will play, too.”

Preseason practice with 12 to 13 players has featured numerous freshmen with mixed results. It has allowed the younger players to mature more quickly than if they hadn’t been pressed into service, but it hasn’t allowed for conditions players will face once the season begins.

“Juniors and seniors have bodies that are more developed,” he said. “The physical nature and speed of practice is not where it needs to be.”

With senior football players Anto-nio Williams and Dan Ricard finally having joined the team, Verges figures the situation will improve.

“I expect to get leadership on and off the court from Antonio Williams and Austin Larroquette, Verges said.

Ricard, a 5-foot-9 point guard, will be joined in the backcourt by the 6-1 Larroquette, another senior. Additional help from the football team should come from sophomore Jordan Sellers, a hard-working run-ning back.

Returnees from last year’s 10-17 team that failed to reach the play-offs include seniors David Johnson and Chris Caplin, juniors Jacob Larroquette, CJ Etheridge, Beau Bergeron and James Sullivan and sophomore Landon Faulkner.

The strength in numbers may help to offset the loss of Jarrett Wil-liams, last year’s Livingston Parish Playmaker of the Year and an All-Parish second-team selection.

Also gone are 6-3 center Brooks Wilson and CJ Beaux, who sus-tained a broken wrist that limited his action.

“We’re going to be smart and ag-gressive and play as a team,” Verges said of the Eagles’ projected style of play. “We’re going to play half-court basketball. We’re not going to push the ball or press, but we’re not going to sit back….

“I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to build something. It’s

a process. What I want to see is us get better as the season goes on. I hope and think that will happen.”

After five years as an assistant coach at Woodlawn in Baton Rouge, Verges said he took the job to be in charge of his own program. Verges said his new position has increased his administrative duties, but the coaching aspect remains the same aside from the fact that he now has the final word on decisions made about the program’s direction.

What remains the same, too, are the very things that attracted Verges to Live Oak in the first place.

“It was a chance I had to coach at the 5-A level,” he said. “It’s a great school academically with great com-munity support and great adminis-trative support.”

With the school’s new facilities in place, Verges said, “Everybody’s starting fresh. I’m glad to be part of it.”

BOYS 4-5A

Walker rebuilds with small squad

WALKeR – Despite losing eight play-ers off last year’s roster, Walker head coach Anthony Schiro likes the core group he has returning despite the fact that the Wildcats’ roster numbers just nine players.

Walker graduated seven players off last year’s team, while its lead-ing scorer from a year ago, Bryce Brown, chose not to play basketball his senior year.

Brown, a first-team all-district player, averaged 11 points, two a half assists and nearly two steals per game.

Also gone is former starter Sam

Montgomery, who averaged nearly nine points and four rebounds his senior year.

Walker’s roster now consists of six seniors and three juniors, including 6-foot-7 returning center Shane Carpenter.

Also returning is first-team all-parish selection from a year ago, senior guard Brian Domingue (5-10), who averaged 8.2 points, 3.6 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game last season.

Another senior starter is 5-8 guard Kenny Thomas, along with 6-foot guard Matt Graham and 6-1 guard-forward Michael Scott.

“We have a little more size than we did a year ago,” said Schiro. “We have a 6-6 senior in L’Vontre’ Humphrey and we’re hoping to get both him and Carpenter at times on the court at the same time.

“But we’ve got try to slow the game down more than we’ve done in

DAVID NORMAND | THE NEWS

The 2013-14 Walker High Wildcats basketball team are (front row, from left) Brennan Anderson, Brian Domingue, Kenny Thomas, Shedrick Terrell and Tyler Dyess. Standing are Michael Scott, Shane Carpenter, L' Vontre' Humphery and Matt Graham.


the past,” said Schiro. “We feel like that might help us. That way, we can get more people involved together on the court.”

Rounding out the roster for the Wildcats are senior guard-forward Shedrick Terrell (5-9), junior guard Tyler Dyess 95-6) and 5-10 guard-for-ward Brennan Anderson.

“Kenny Thomas will likely run the point for us,” said Schiro. “He can hit the open shot. I feel like we have some good shooters on this team. Brian Domingue did a good job shooting the ball for us last year.

“But I feel like we need to get the big guys involved,” said Schiro. “So we’re going to try to get the ball inside to them. Then maybe we can kick it out to the open shooters.

“Defensively, we’ve always been man-to-man and we’ll stick to that,” said Schiro. “But I do seeing us play some match-up zone. That’s been a good defense for us as well.

“But if we get the lead, we’re going to shorten the game,” said Schiro. “Especially with the size and the length that we have.

“Overall, they just have buy into what we’re doing,” said Schiro. “I

feel they’ve done that and under-stand the situation. I think we’re going to play some real solid games, but we’re going to have to win some of those close games that we didn’t do last year.

“Last year, we got the lead and didn’t take care of the ball,” said Schiro. “We have to do a better job of that this season. Try not to give up those easy fast-break transition baskets.”

Last year, Walker finished 11-20 overall and did not make the play-offs.

BOYS 8-3A

Veteran coach takes reins at Albany P

ALBAnY – After 30 years of coach-ing, Frank Schneider has come to one conclusion.

“I like to win,” he said.That can be achieved in a va-

riety of ways, and it’s a good bet Schneider has tried many of them.

“You can play fast, or you can play slow,” he said. “I’ve had teams that played slow and won averaging 55 points a game. I’ve played teams that won averaging 82 points a game.

“Good teams have to be able to play fast and slow.”

And so in his first year as Alba-ny’s head coach, Schneider wants a team that can adapt to any situ-ation and play a style suited to its personnel.

The approach Schneider takes will depend to an extent on se-nior Josh McClain, who was late reporting to the basketball team because of his duties as a much-used running back for the football team.

“I heard he’s quick and has good moves,” Schneider said.

And so he does, which helps to explain why McClain won honor-able mention all-parish honors in basketball last season after aver-aging 7.0 points per game.

McClain will be joined by a host of other talented returnees, who

carried the Hornets to a 15-15 re-cord under Chris Goff.

Schneider replaced Goff, who originally left to coach the Albany girls before taking a job as an assistant coach with the South-eastern Louisiana women’s team shortly before the season began.

Albany has since hired Stacy Da-rouse to replace Goff. Darouse is the daughter of longtime Albany girls coach Joanne Smith.

With the talent he has on hand, Schneider has a chance to lead Al-bany to a playoff berth that eluded them last season.

“I like my team so far,” he said. “Right now I’m just trying to see what personnel I have. I’m feeling my way around to see what every-body does and what I can expect from them.

“We’re kind of playing it by ear. We’ll see what kind of product we put out.”

In addition to McClain, Albany returns three other all-parish honorable mention selections in senior guard Landon Morgan, senior center Ray McCarrol and sophomore forward Quincy Sykes.

Basketball, November 21, 2013 7McCarrol averaged 10 points

and seven rebounds per game, while Morgan contributed averages of nine points and three steals per game. The 6-foot-2 Sykes averaged 10 points, nine rebounds and two blocks per game.

“He’s not a bad player,” Schneider said of Sykes. “He has to learn to get more mentally tough.

“He breaks down easily when things don’t go his way. I think some of that can be attributed to his youth.”

In addition, junior Amari Johnson has “demonstrated that he’s a solid basketball player, Schneider said.

The returnees will be pivotal in helping Albany to overcome the departure of 6-2 forward Logan Link and guards Scott Hasson and Ryan Thompson.

They also will be relied upon to meet the challenges of a demanding district.

“I’d like to be one or two in dis-trict,” said Schneider, who figures such a finish would ensure a playoff spot. “You have to have a goal, some-thing to shoot for.”


The 2013-14 Albany Hornets basketball team are (from left, seated) Vincent Hart, Justin Thompson, Randy Ingram, Quincy Sykes, Sean Sykes, Tyus Moton and Cheyenne Labruzza. Standing are Amari Johnson, Danton Cunningham, Randolph Skinner, Ben Mc-Clain, Josh McClain, Dylan Hoyt, Landon Morgan and Andrew Harris.

Basketball, November 21, 2013 9BOYS 8-2A

Doyle: Small, quick, up tempo P

LIVInGston – Doyle was young last year and the Tigers will be young again this season, although second-year head coach Daniel Kennedy is looking for some of that game experi-ence to pay off in a big way.

“We lost two key players in Kody Sibley (first-team all-district/second all-parish) Cordez Bell (honorable mention all-parish), who were our leaders in scoring and rebounding,” said Kennedy. “That’s two big holes to fill, but I feel like we have enough coming back to have a very good ball club.

“We’re smaller than we were last year, but we’re quicker,” said Ken-nedy. “We’re going to have to do a couple of things different on offense and defense because of our size.

“We’ll be more up-tempo and guard-oriented,” said Kennedy.


The 2013-14 Doyle High boys basketball team are (front row, from left) Triston Jones, Dillon Blount, Tyler Dawsey, Cody Kleinpeter, Ryan Guillory, Clay Kleinpeter and Scott Lovett. Standing are Austin Tureaud, Brett Stewart, Landon Tureaud, Cordez Bell, manager, Kyle Lewis, Louis Duffy, Akeem Bell, Hunter Stovall and Kade Lewis. Not pictured is Ashton Tureaud.


“We’re going to have to shoot perim-eter shots and with a lot of motion to create easier baskets. Hopefully our defense will create some transition baskets for us.”

The Tigers finished 14-14 last year and unfortunately drew their league champion, St. Thomas Aquinas in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs. The Falcons defeated Doyle 64-46.

Doyle has a pair of senior return-ing starters , both of whom are All-Parish honorable mentions, 5-7 guard Cody Kleinpeter and 6-foot senior Brett Stewart.

Junior Kyle Lewis, who stands at nearly 6-4, will hold down the post, while 6-2 sophomore Akeem Bell, 5-7 junior Clay Kleinpeter and 5-11 Tyler Dawsey round out the top six players to start the season.

Rounding out the roster are senior Scott Lovett, juniors Aus-tin Tureaud and Ashton Tureaud, sophomores Dillon Blount, Ryan Guillory and Louis Duffy and three eighth-graders, Kade Lewis, Hunter Stovall and Triston Jones.

“We don’t set a number on wins and losses to start the year,” said Kennedy of the team’s goals. “We just want to get better every day. If we do that, we’ll have better results.

“Our goal is to get to playoffs and get past the first round,” said Ken-nedy. “But our first goal is district and I feel like it’s going to be a close race this year.”

Kennedy is assisted by Landon Dubois and Jason Smith.

BOYS 8-2A

Gautreau the Lion saves best for last P

FRenCH settLeMent – This year will be the “swan song” for longtime FSHS coach Kenny Gautreau, and the Lions are hoping to send him off on a high note.

Gautreau, who started his head coaching career at Doyle, left the parish for a dozen years to be the head coach at St. Amant, but re-turned and will complete his 13th season at helm of Lions.

“I’m finally getting to graduate,” quipped Gautreau. “But I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s all been fun.”

But before he moves on to a new career in real estate, Gautreau would like to sell his team on the belief that they have the capabil-ity of going a long way in Class 2A this season.

The Lions are coming off 22-9 overall record a year ago, but their presence in post-season was a short-lived one, losing to Dunham 52-49 inside the Gerald Keller Gym in the first round of the playoffs.

FSHS graduated three qual-ity players from last year’s club, second-team all-parish player Cody Sager and honorable men-tion all-parish Blake Cornett, who combined for 17 points, more than eight rebounds and six assists per game.

Also departing was Corey Cambre, who made his presence known around the rim.

The Lions return the District MVP, as well as the parish “Best Offensive” player in senior Justin Lobell, who averaged 24.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 steals and 3.4 as-sists per game. He was also named to the “All-Parish” first team.

“He’s really matured into an

all-around player,” said Gautreau of Lobell. “And now he’s more of a leader.”

Cody Cambre, the younger broth-er of Corey Cambre, will be just a junior this season, although he earned honorable mention among the all-parish selections.

Two more returning starters are back for their senior campaign, 5-11 guard Larry “L.J.” Webber and 6-4 forward Luke McMorris.

“Luke is getting stronger,” said Gautreau. “He can two-step and dunk. And he understands the game a lot better.

“L.J. has also grown up,” said Gautreau. “He has always had the moves, but now he has strength. He’s bigger now and can finish.

Junior Cody Cambre, who has grown to 6-4, is the Lions’ fourth starter, while 5-11 senior Cade Martin, 6-1 senior Jordan Martin and 5-7 sophomore Jarrett Lobell all battle for that fifth spot.

“A lot is going to depend on how well we play together,” said Gau-treau. “And how well we control the tempo.

“By far, this is the best offensive

group I’ve ever had,” said Gau-treau. “But we’re not deep. I’d love to press, but we may have to rely a little on our half-court.

“But the experience should help us,” said Gautreau. “We need to win the games that we should win. A couple more wins last year would have given us the power-points to be a higher seed and not have to draw someone like Dun-ham in the first round. We just have to take ’em one game at a time.”

Rounding out the Lions’ ros-ter are senior Gavyn Rusk (5-9), juniors Josh McAllister (5-10), Cannon Smithhart (6-2), Landon Thomassie (5-10) and Jacob Barber, along with sophomores Trevor Bal-lard (5-9) and freshman Jackson LeBourgeois (5-9).

“I think this is the most talented team that I’ve ever had at French Settlement,” said Gautreau. “I’m excited about this team. They have taken their lumps over the years, but this year could be special for them.”


The 2013-14 French Settlement High Lions boys basketball team are (from left, front row) Landon Thomassie, Cade Martin, Josh McAllister, Jarrett Lobell, Gavyn Rusk, Trevor Ballard and Jackson LeBourgois. Standing are Jordan Martin, Cody Cambre, Luke McMorris, Jacob Barber, Cannon Smithhart, Justin Lobell and Larry Weber.

Basketball, November 21, 2013 11BOYS 8-2A

New coach brings big plans to SHS P

sPRInGFIeLD – The quality of Spring-field’s education may actually have contributed to the welfare of its team.

When first-year coach Jason Wil-liams was researching areas in which to relocate his family, he was drawn to Springfield by the school’s academic achievement.

Upon further review, he decided to leave Laurel, Miss., where he had built a state powerhouse in a large-classifica-tion school and replace John Hill, who became Springfield’s volleyball and softball coach.

“I love the atmosphere of a 2A school,” Williams said of Springfield.

Now it remains for Williams to build the Bulldogs into a team that can compare favorably with Springfield’s educational quality that attracted him in the first place, and with the aura surrounding the feel of a small-town community.

Williams understands the concept of building a program and doesn’t harbor unrealistic expectations of having the Bulldogs, or himself, become overnight sensations.

Instead, he’s putting together a team much as he did in Laurel, Miss., where he learned all he could about his play-ers and their abilities, and in turn they learned what they could about the system he employs.

Williams said he was limited in who he saw play “in live actions this sum-mer.” Making an impression upon him, though, were senior Joseph Kemp and juniors Cole Amador and Milan Love.

Kemp, who earned all-parish honor-able mention last year, is among those on the basketball roster who must wait for the football season to end before rejoining the team. Springfield won its first round football playoff game, extending the outdoor season at least one more week.

Springfield features three other seniors in Thomas Armstrong, Hollis Bell and Charles Vicks. Armstrong was an all-district second-team choice last year.

Joining Amador and Love in the junior class are Jordan Carter, Joshua Taylor and Melvin Tillman.

Rounding out the roster are sopho-

mores Keenan Austin and JoJo Kirk-land.

With its experience, and Williams’ deft touch, Springfield is hopeful of overcoming the loss of four players, including a pair of all-parish honorable mentions.

Kimanae Claiborne and Jacob Savoy both received postseason honors last season. Also graduating from last year’s team were Shaquille Smith, Jer-maine Taylor and Tanner Wild.

Although limited in his assessment of the team before preseason practice be-gan, Williams is optimistic of a playoff appearance after last year’s 10-16 record left the Bulldogs out of the postseason.

Beyond the number of wins and loss-es, Williams said he wants his teams to show commitment and desire and play with intelligence and discipline.

“Offensively we’re always going to be aggressive,” he said. “The defense and offense are both going to play hard.”

BOYS 8-B

Lofty goals for new Holden coach P

HoLDen – The Rockets may have lost a decorated trio from last year’s team that dropped a first-round playoff game, but into that void will be stepping two brothers who may help to give first-year coach Jason Sessions what he’s looking for.

Andrew and Aaron Carlton, a se-nior and junior, respectively, have shown Sessions they can be among his major contributors this year.

The same goes for sophomore Grant Baronet and Riley Johnson, who hope to give Holden what it needs to improve upon last year’s

14-20 record that included an 87-74 first-round loss to Midland.

Holden’s style of play will vary with its opponent, Sessions said, but at the heart of everything is his desire “to control the tempo of the game.”

In accepting his first head coach-ing assignment, Sessions replaced Kevin Young, who moved across the parish to district rival Maurepas.

Sessions spent the last two years as an assistant coach at Natchi-toches Central, but said he wanted to move back closer to his home-town of Baton Rouge, where he played for Woodlawn.

“I’d like to run and pick up full court,” Sessions said of his op-timum method of play. Because Holden won’t have the ability to do that in every game, Sessions said Holden’s look will depend upon the situation.


The 2013-14 Springfield High School Bulldogs basketball team are (front row, from left) Cole Amador, Travon Brothern, Joshua Vicks, Keenan Austin, Charles Vicks, Joseph Anthony and William Barnett. Standing are Christian Austin, Milan Love, Cedric Lloyd, Louis Pesson, Reeves Blankenship, William Rogers, Joseph Kemp, Zacharias Jackson and Travis Tillman.


“We’re not the most athletic and deepest team,” he said. “It will depend on who we play.”

Whoever that might be, Sessions realizes the Carlton brothers, as well as Baronet and Johnson, can’t carry the load by them-selves.

That’s why Sessions will be looking for contributions from others on a roster that includes Luke Patterson, Diego Trevino, Zach Addison, Tyler Penalber, Tyler Hampton, Shawn Bertrand, Hunter Sullivan and Zack Burke.

Hampton may be counted on to provide senior leadership, while Penalber and Bertrand played as eighth graders last year. Addison returns as a 10th grader.

The strength in numbers may offset the loss of Matt Holden, Kendale Cooper and Brandon Collins. Cooper was an all-parish second-team selection last year, while Holden and Collins were all-parish honorable mention.

Despite their departure, Ses-sions has high aspirations for his team.

“My goal is for us to be in the top 16 at the end of the year,” he said. “I’d also like us to have a home playoff game.”

While Sessions admitted that he has set “a lofty goal” for his team, he said “it’s definitely a reason-able goal. We made the playoffs last year.”

Sessions expects to make a return appearance with a team he described as “young but (with) a lot of quality kids.”

BOYS 8-B

Maurepas goes 9 deep,

says new coach PMAURePAs – If Maurepas first-year coach Kevin Young is correct when he said that “every coach would love to play nine guys,” then Young must be the envy of every coach.

That’s because Young said he will have nine players on whom he can rely during his first season at Maurepas after three years at Holden.

DAVID NORMAND |

THE NEWS

The 2013-14 Holden High boys basketball team are (front row, from left) are Aaron Carlton, Tyler Penalber, Zach Addison, Andrew Carlton, Tyler Hampton and Hunter Sullivan. Standing are Diego Trevino, Riley Johnson, Grant Baronet, Shawn Bertrand, Zach Burke, Luke Patterson and Phillip Norred, manager.

DAVID NORMAND |

THE NEWS

The 2013-14 Maurepas High Wolves boys basketball team are (from left, front row) Laitin Gauley, Jason McLin, Tre' Lessard, Cade Duplessis and Mason Loup. Standing are Jace Berthelot, Darrian Bouquet, Donovan Thibodeaux, Wes Younger, Denver Delatte and Tristin Price. Not pictured are Justin Cooper, Hunter Easterling and Michael Vannapha.

Basketball, November 21, 2013 13


“This is the first time I’ve had a team with this much depth,” he said. “It should help out in the fourth quarter.”

It should prove beneficial in the first three quarters, as well, as the Wolves look to improve upon a 10-23 record that included a 65-60 first-round playoff loss to Eberb.

With an assortment of players at his disposal, it’s small wonder Young said the Wolves will “try to play an up tempo style and wear teams out.”

For that to happen, Young will be-gin by looking to senior leadership from Jace Berthelot, Justin Cooper and Denver Delatte.

Young will rely on four juniors to add to the production he can expect from his upperclassmen.

Wesley Younger and Donovan Thibodeaux will be joined by Dar-rian Bouquet and Tristin Price in providing Maurepas with a talented junior class.

Tre Lessard is Maurepas’ only sophomore, while Jason McLin heads up a five-player freshmen brigade.

Other freshmen on the roster in-clude Cade Duplessis, Hunter Easter-ling, Laitin Gauley and Mason Loup.

Gaining valuable experience for the years ahead will be eighth grader Michael Vannapha.

The lengthy list of returnees should be enough to compensate for the loss of three players in Aharon Johnson, Trey Delatte and Garrett Motichek.

“The goal this year is to win dis-trict,” said Young, who replaced Rod Williams.

The Wolves moved back to class B this year from Class C the last two years and compete in District 8B with Centerville, Holden, Hosanna Christian and Patrick Taylor.

“We want to make the playoffs and see where we go from there. It should be a fun year,” Young said.

Making it more enjoyable will be the improved record that Young believes his team can produce.

“I looked at our schedule,” he said, “and I don’t see any team that we don’t have a chance against.”

Maurepas already has gotten off to a fast start this season, but Young doesn’t have delusions of grandeur in thinking that the Wolves can emerge unscathed at the end of the year.

At the same time, he can’t help

but feel optimistic given the abil-ity of his players. Both the quality and quantity of them has Young enthused about what’s ahead if they perform as he anticipates.

“I expect them to get after it and go out and compete every game,” he said.

GIRLS 4-5A

LaPrairie primed for run at state P

DenHAM sPRInGs – Despite losing two players off last year’s state semifi-nal team, DSHS head coach Shelly LaPrarie has five seniors ready to leave their mark in Lady Jackets his-tory.

“We’re going to try to pick right up where we left off last season,” said LaPrarie. “We lost two start-ers, but we have two or three other players that were major contributors last year. And that’s a good starting point.”

DSHS is coming off a 26-6 season a year ago, losing to Southwood, 44-25, in the Class 5A semifinals.

The Lady Jackets graduated nine se-niors off last year’s squad, but return a pair of first-team all-district players in seniors Caletria Curtis (5-foot-9) and Carlisha Kinchen (5-8).

Curtis, who was also named to the first team on the All-Parish team, averaged 11 points and eight rebounds per game.

Kinchen, a second-team all-parish player, but the District 4-5A “Defen-sive MVP,” also averaged 11 points per contest.

Also back is 5-foot-3 guard Jena Mabile, a threat from outside the

circle, as well as running the offense, along with seniors Katie Brignac (5-2), Allie Crain (5-2) and Drew Norgress (5-6).

“Katie Brignac has stepped into the starting role as a senior and we’re looking for some leadership out of her and the others,” said LaPrarie. “Allie Crain played mostly jayvee for us last year, but she plays hard and will play a role.

The other senior player is 5-2 guard Jensen Firmin.

In an unusual roster look, those seven seniors will be joined by six freshmen, with no juniors or sopho-mores in-between.

“We’re going to need those freshmen to come in a gel, as well as contrib-ute,” said LaPrarie.

One person is very familiar with those freshmen and who is returning the Lady Jackets’ bench this season is former head coach Brenda Loe. Loe, who teaches at DSJH, will join Laura


The 2013-14 Denham Springs High Lady Jackets basketball team (front row, from left) are Christina Canale, Jena Mabile, Jensen Firmin, Allie Crain, Katie Brignac and Kamryn King. Standing are Caroline Taylor, Drew Norgress, Tremeeka Spikes, Payton Chustz, Caletria Curtis and Bailey Hughes. Not pictured is Carlisha Kinchen.

Basketball, November 21, 2013 15


King as LaPrarie’s two assistants. The Lady Jackets have a total of 18 freshmen in the program this year.

One of those freshman players that LaPrarie is hoping to grow up fast is 6-foot-2 Payton Chustz, the daughter of former Jackets football player and current assistant coach Joey Chustz. Her aunt, Jamie Chustz is a former Lady Jacket roundballer.

“She’s got a lot of growing to do, but she’s going to give us some size,” said LaPrarie.

Another freshman that could be an impact player this season as well is 5-6 Caroline Taylor.

The remaining freshmen on the var-sity roster are 5-2 Christina Canale, 5-6 Bailey Hughes, 5-8 Tremeeka Spikes and 5-2 Kamryn King.

“This freshmen group is going to be a big part of things to come,” said LaPrarie. “One, we need to get them experience and two, we need our se-nior to provide the leadership to them ready for the future.”

Last year, after winning the District 4-5A championship, the Lady Jackets defeated East Ascension (37-16) in the first round of the playoffs, Pineville (51-33) in the regional round and West Monroe (53-45) in the quarterfinals, before falling to Southwood.

“I think we have an excellent chance to get back into the playoffs and back to the state tournament,” said LaPrarie. “If we play like I feel like we’re capable of playing, we’re going to have some success.”

GIRLS 4-5A

Young Lady Eagles appear ready P

WAtson – Question: How can Live Oak be both “young and experienced” as Coach Eric France said.

Answer: Because they are.The Lady Eagles will feature three

sophomore starters, including two who started last season and a third who was one of the first players off the bench.

In addition, a true freshman will see plenty of action and a returning senior will start again.

So, in a nutshell, there’s your answer.“I’m pretty excited to see where we

are…,” France said. “I’d like to think our chances are as good as anybody of

making the playoffs, but we have a lot of work to do.”

France’s cause for optimism stems from last season when the Lady Eagles started 5-0 only to slump to a 12-16 record that left them short of the playoffs. Still, it was a vast improve-ment over the five-win season of his first year.

“There were a lot of growing pains,” he said. In turn, France said his play-ers will be better prepared to meet the challenges of hostile opponents because of what they went through a year ago.

“They’ll have seen it already,” he said. “They won’t be surprised.”

Fueling France’s anticipation are 5-foot-9 senior forward Brittany Che-draui, who started last season along

with sophomores Alexis Harrouch, a 5-8 forward, and Ally, a 5-5 guard.

They’ll be joined in the starting lineup by sophomore Paige Vacarro, who along with sophomore Ashley Davis often spelled the starters.

As the reigning state shot put cham-pion, Davis is expected to give France both the athleticism and strength he wants his team to exhibit.

France also is hoping Davis’ exam-ple, and that of Live Oak’s successful softball and volleyball teams, will rub off on his team that still hasn’t mas-tered “how to win games.”

After last year’s “very good ninth grade class” that was forced to play early, France has another ninth grader in guard Presley Wascom, who will follow the lead of those freshmen in

playing early and often.Unlike last season, Wascom will

have a group of battle-tested players surrounding her, including senior guard Erin Mitchell and sophomore post player Olivia Wilson.

The wealth of returning talent may be enough to compensate for the loss of 5-10 Valerie Wright, who averaged 11.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while making the All-District 4-5A first team and All-Livingston Parish second team.

France said the Lady Eagles’ “first goal is to compete in the parish tour-nament” because the field will be as strong as many of the Class 5A teams they’ll face during the season.

After that, France said the aim is “to do well” in a difficult district that


The 2013-14 Live Oak High Lady Eagles basketball team are (front row, from left) Avory Johnson, Erin Mitchell, Brittany Chedraui, Paige Vaccaro and Presley Wascom. Standing are Alexis Longmire, Olivia Wilson, Ashley Davis, Alexis Harrouch and Ally Howard.

Basketball, November 21, 2013 17features parish foes Denham Springs and Walker. Throw in Zachary, which France said is “just about as good as anybody,” and Live Oak is sure to have some difficult assign-ments ahead.

Even so, if Live Oak can “do well in district,” France said, “we have a shot at making the playoffs.”

For a team that France believes has come of age, that might not be too much to ask.

GIRLS 4-5A

Deep Walker raises expectations PWALKeR – Although Walker sports four seniors on this year’s roster, the LadyCats’ underclassmen have that senior-like experience, with at least nine players that second-year head coach Korey Arnold feels could step on the court as a starter.

The four seniors include 5-9

DAVID NORMAND |

THE NEWS

The 2013-14 Walker High Ladycats basketball team (front row, from left) are Tia Zachary, Amy Sanders, Bailey and Mia Zachary. Middle are Keeondra Brown, Lexi McMorris, Treasure Mansur, Meagan Sanders and Jo'Niesha Travis. Standing are Laura Smith, Keenoa Brown, Baylie Stears, Jamie Gibson, Ashlyn Donaldson, Shemeka Daigre and Abigail Sweatledge.


guard-forward Baylie Stears, 5-7 guard Bailey Armstrong and 5-6 twin sisters, Mia and Tia Zachary.

Junior point-guard Amy Sanders (5-7) and 5-9 junior forward-center Jamie Gibson are returning start-ers, while sophomore point-guard Lexi McMorris (5-5) saw a lot of minutes a year ago.

Sophomore backup center Shem-eka Daigre, who stands at 6-foot-1, will see a lot of action, as well as freshman guard Keeondra Brown (5-5).

“I think we’re going to be more dangerous and a whole lot bet-ter than we were last year,” said Arnold. “I’ve got nine kids who can play right now and that alone, will make if more difficult to play us.

“We put in 45 games this past summer and team chemistry came together,” said Arnold. “They’re a bunch of hard-nosed kids and they play hard basketball. Any one of them can score at any time. And that depth allows us to play my kind of game, full-court press and up tempo.”

The LadyCats graduated just two players off last year’s squad, one the district MVP in Mi’ca Lowe. A first-

team all-parish selection as well, Lowe averaged 21 points and eight rebounds per game.

Also gone is starting guard Megan Strange, a first-team all-district and second-team all-parish selection, who averaged nine and half points and four and a half rebounds per outing.

“The returning kids are more ex-perienced and more confident,” said Arnold. “They’ve all had a whole year in the system.

“Six out of the top nine are good 3-point shooters,” said Arnold. “But we’re going to be a lot more up tempo this year. We want to push the ball and get the lay-ups.”

Walker is coming off a 23-9 overall record last season, but lost to dis-trict foe Zachary, 48-40 in the first round of the playoffs.

“We remember that loss and that’s been our focus all off-season,” said Arnold. “But also, we lost a couple of games prior to that which we shouldn’t have. We just can’t af-ford to lose games to people we shouldn’t.

“But they’ve been working hard in practice,” said Arnold. “They’re hungry. They come to practice ev-

ery day hungry. And they practice with consistency. They’re ready for the season to begin.”

Rounding out the LadyCats’ roster are sophomores Laura Smith (5-9) and Jo’Niesha Travis (5-6), along with freshmen Treasure Mansur (5-6), Abigail Swetledge (5-9), Ashlyn Donaldson (5-9) and Meagan Land-ers (5-6).

Arnold will again be assisted by Shannon Lowe and Mark Monette.

GIRLS 8-3A

Back to the future for Albany P

ALBAnY – What better way to rebuild stability in its program than by keeping it all in the family?

That’s what Albany has done in hiring Stacy Darouse, the daughter of long-time girls coach and Loui-siana High School Sports Hall of Fame member JoAnn Smith.

Darouse played for her mother

as point guard on the best team in Albany history, going 39-0 on the way to a state title before joining the LSU Lady Tigers. A long-time coach in Albany at the junior high level, she now aims to invoke the tradition of achievements realized during the 28-year tenure of her mother, who won two state championships. Smith’s successor, Karen Hoyt, won three more titles during her 15 years on the bench.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to go back and play in her footsteps,” said Darouse, who graduated from Albany in 1992. “I was lucky enough to do it.”

Smith’s dream came true unex-pectedly when former boys coach Kris Goff took a job as an assistant coach with the Southeastern Loui-siana women’s team shortly before the season began. Goff had replaced Justin Adams, who in two years guided Albany to the Class 3A state semifinals and finals, respectively, and a combined record of 56-13, including 26-9 last season.

Top-seeded Albany walloped Loyola Prep in the quarterfinals last year, 77-46, to atone for its loss to Loyola Prep in the 2012 state championship

Basketball, November 21, 2013 19game. En route to a 16-game winning streak, Albany also enjoyed lopsided playoff victories over Donaldsonville (83-28) and Marksville (61-33).

But with another championship-game appearance on the horizon, Rayville surprised Albany in the semifinals, 78-56.

Not only must the Lady Hornets contend with that loss, but they graduated four starters from that team, including All-State selections Danielle Keith and Shelby Stewart. Keith was a first-team choice, while Stewart made the second team.

Both Keith and Stewart also were all-parish selections, with Stewart earning Playmaker of the Year hon-ors while averaging 12.4 points per game. Keith averaged 19.6 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.

Also gone from last year’s team are starters Amanda Fernandez and Nyeshia Harris.

Despite the losses, Darouse is no stranger to the team she has inher-ited. She coached all the returning players at Albany Middle School, where she spent 13 years as head coach after serving for four years in the same capacity at Family Chris-tian in Baton Rouge. Prior to that, she played for LSU.

“I’ve been around the block awhile,” she said.

Darouse’s experience and famil-iarity with her players should help her determine the talent she has on hand.

Darouse’s figures to build her team around senior and three-year starter Lauren Thompson, as well as junior Meme Sykes and 6-foot-2 junior post player Feretta Brown.

“I call them the three big ones,” Darouse said. Thompson was named All-Parish Defensive Player of the Year last season.

Because she “came in so late in the game,” Darouse said she will “mix all three styles together” in piecing together a method of attack that will borrow from her playbook as well as those of Adams and Goff.

“I think we can be very competitive this year if we’re efficient,” Darouse said.

As for the future, Darouse said, “This is all I ever wanted to do. I’m not going anywhere. I want to coach here until I retire.”

GIRLS 8-2A

Doyle seeks help for stellar senior P

LIVInGston – Doyle’s Taylin Un-derwood has been one of the most electrifying girls players in the parish, but head coach Guy Mc-Donald will be the first to say that his lone senior can’t do it all on her own.

The still youthful Lady Tigers are hoping to provide the support-ing cast for the reigning parish MVP to push Doyle even further down the playoff road this coming season.

Last year, the Lady Tigers made it to the quarterfinals, but fell on the road to a very talented Univer-sity High club, 75-47.

Doyle, which finished 27-7 overall, collected a pair of playoff wins over Sterlington (53-40) and Jonesboro-Hodge (68-49).

Underwood is the catalyst of the team, coming off a year where

she averaged 23.7 points and nine rebounds. She was not only named the district Most Valuable, but both the parish MVP and the par-ish’s “Best Offensive” player. Mon-day she signed a letter of intent to continue playing basketball at the next level for Southeastern Louisi-ana University.

“She really works hard and gives everything she has,” said McDon-ald. “It’s all you can ask out of any player.

“We’re not going to be a team that plays say 10 to 12 people, but I feel like we have six or seven that we can really count on,” said McDonald.

Underwood did have some of-fensive help a year ago down low from 6-1 center Belle Rayner, who will be a junior this season. She averaged 11.7 points and 10.1 re-bounds per game.

“She’s going to have to rebound a lot and get those interior points for us,” said McDonald.

Another returning junior starter is 5-5 guard Courtney Edwards.

“Courtney is someone we can

depend on to spread the f loor as one of our guards,” said McDon-ald. “She helps out a lot in a lot of ways.

“We also have (freshman) Mai-son Watts (5-6 guard), who will also be a big part of our success,” said McDonald. “She can handle the ball, get to the basket, as well as play good defense.

“Freshman Jessica Neson (5-5 forward) is one of better interior defenders and rebounders,” said McDonald. “She’s also someone we’re counting on for defensive work on the inside.”

McDonald also has another Watts, in 5-3 sophomore guard Darian Watts, who is expected to contribute some quality minutes off the bench.

Freshman Tiffany Stovall, who stands at 5-6, will come off the bench to lend help at the post posi-tion.

“We’re a year older and hopeful-ly that year of experience, espe-cially for the real younger ones, will help improve on their perfor-mances this season,” said McDon-


The 2013-14 Albany Lady Hornets basketball team are (from left, seated) Madison Peters, Hannah Vicknair, Jaimie Gallagher, Lauren Thompson, Darilyn Rodgers, T'Keyah Jarrett and Makayla Peters. Standing are Kiara Johnson, Meme Sykes, Danielle Brown, Eristie Jones, Alexis Aime and Bailee Gardnier. Not pictured is Erykah Wells.


ald. “We just need to improve on the things that we didn’t do all that well last year. But we’re hop-ing that year of physical matur-ing, along with the leadership from the older one will pay off.

“Everyone has room for im-provement,” said McDonald. “We know we can do better on defense and that’s something we’ve been focusing on. To be tougher on our opponents. We’re not that big, but we’re going to have to rebound better than we did a year ago.”

Rounding out the Lady Tigers’ roster are sophomores Karen Mix (5-5) and Arlaina Nordsworthy (5-6), along with freshmen Larra Hillhouse (5-6) and Grace Wolfe (5-5), along with eighth-graders Morgan Blaides (5-6), Joey Jacob (5-8) and Amber Smith (5-4).

GIRLS 8-2A

Lady Lions: New faces, different

style PFRenCH settLeMent – The nickname will once again be Lady Lions this season, but there may be an identity crises as French Settlement transi-tions from a departed quick senior point guard to the more deliberate style of sophomore Alyssa Wheat.

“She was a backup for us last year,” Coach Daniel Martin said, “but she played a lot of minutes.”

Besides Wheat’s intelligence, Mar-tin said, she “sees the floor well” and is equipped to run the Lady Lions’ motion offense.

With French Settlement no longer having veteran Baylie Kuhl at the controls, Martin said the Lady Lions will “change our identity” now that Wheat has taken over the position.

“We’re going to be a different team,” he said.

French Settlement may have a different look to it, but Martin certainly is hoping for results to at least match those of last season when the Lady Lions finished 13-12 with a 60-32 first-round playoff loss to North Caddo.

Giving Martin reason for opti-mism is the return of several play-


The 2013-14 Doyle High Lady Tigers basketball team are (front row, from left) Karen Mix, Arlaina Nordsworthy, Larra Hillhouse, Taylin Underwood, Courtney Edwards, Grace Wolfe and Darian Watts. Standing are Amber Smith, Tiffany Stovall, Madison Watts, Belle Rayner, Zoey Jacob, Jessica Nesom and Morgan Blades.

DAVID NORMAND |

THE NEWS

The 2013-14 French Settlement High School Lady Lions basketball team are (front row, from left) Mackenzie Dark, Jacquelyn Bodin, Alicia Dupree, Miranda Dunn and Alyssa Wheat. Standing are Angel Letulle, Ashton Gill, Triniti Martin, Savannah Reaser, Eden Case and Paige Matherne.

Basketball, November 21, 2013 21ers who already have seen plenty of action. In addition “for the first time in a long time” two players will provide French Settlement with size inside, Martin said.

At 5-foot-9, junior Triniti Martin is “not huge,” her coach said, “but that’s big for us.”

Sophomore Savannah Reaser is 2 inches taller and will give the Lady Eagles a second post player to complement the Lady Lions’ out-side attack that will include sopho-more Angel Letulle, who played a prominent role for the Lady Lions last season, Martin said.

Additional support should come from junior forward Eden Case, who averaged 8.9 points per game last season.

“If I had to make a comparison,” Martin said, “we’ll shoot the ball better than last year, but we won’t be as good defensively. We’ll have to work on that.”

Providing help in that regard should be senior Jacquelyn Bodin, who is “a solid defender,” Martin said. “She understands the game. We’re going to lean on her.”

Bodin’s experience, as well as that of the other returnees, could compensate for the loss of Meghan Wheat and Baylie Kuhl, with the latter having made the all-district first team. Kuhl also was an all-parish honorable mention selec-tion after having averaged 12.4 points per game.

At the same time, “the schedule is going to be tougher than last year,” Martin said, “and the parish as a whole is going to be better. We’re going to be better in a lot of areas, but others will be better, too.”

Giving Martin reason to believe that the Lady Lions will be up to the challenge is a lineup that will be eight to nine players deep, he said.

They may not all see an abun-dance of action, he said, but they will be able to provide French Settlement with critical minutes at opportune times.

“There are a lot of things I like about this team,” he said. “We’ll have more balance as a team pos-sibly than we did last year. We’re not just going to lean on one player. That’s always a good thing.”

GIRLS 8-2A

Lady Bulldogs ready to elevate P

sPRInGFIeLD – With four seniors and a talented sophomore, Springfield coach Lisa Thornton said the Lady Bulldogs have the ability to succeed this season.

Their fate, in large measure, de-pends on whether the players believe in themselves as much as their coach does.

“It can go either way,” Thornton said of the Lady Bulldogs’ future. “If they play to their potential and like they want to be there, they can be dominant. If they don’t show up, it might be another story.”

Giving Thornton confidence in her team is the presence of seniors Carly Shields, Caroline Abels, Sa-mara Scott and Chelsey Ellsworth.

Add sophomore Emily Simeon to the mix, and Thornton said Springfield can be competitive in a district where Doyle and St. Thomas Aquinas of Hammond provide the year-in, year-out major opposition.

“The district’s going to be tough again,” she said, “but we have the potential to play with anybody.”

Thornton spent her first year at Springfield last season trying to implement the system she found successful at Holden.

That approach includes executing the fundamentals correctly, perse-vering in the face of difficulty and an understanding of what it takes to be victorious.

Creating a culture of winning is the first step toward making it hap-pen, she said.

Despite an 11-15 record without a playoff appearance, Thornton said her players have improved their mindset.

“I think they were getting confident towards the end of last season,” she said. “I think that’s going to carry over.

“I feel pretty good about where we’re at. They have shown a lot of hard work, and they’re starting to buy into my program.”

“I’m trying to instill that feeling of what it takes to win. They’re starting to get it.”

Thornton also plans to call upon ju-nior Brittany Bennett and four more sophomores.

DAVID NORMAND |THE NEWS

The 2013-14 Springfield Lady Bulldogs basketball team are (from left, seated) Caitlyn Holder, Samara Scott, Brittany Bennett, Porscha Walker and Keely Delatte. Stand-ing are Samantha Sanders, Emily Simeon, Carly Shields, Chelsey Ellsworth and Bree Saxon. Not pictured Kayla Wheat.


Joining forces to provide the Lady Bulldogs with much-needed depth will be Taylor Prudhome, Meagan Hebert, Keely Delatte and Allie Dorsey.

With the “good leadership” she ex-pects from her seniors, Thornton is optimistic that her team has grown and matured from the one last year that lost only one player in Morgan Simmons.

Thornton said the players have indicated a willingness to put in the time it takes to succeed. With continued diligence and dedication, she said they can reach beyond their previous expectations.

Over time, and with the winning ways Thornton envisions, the Lady Bulldogs may well mirror the belief of their coach.

GIRLS 8-B

Not just another new coach at Holden P

HoLDen – They’rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre back!

The wife and husband coaching team of Pam and Greg Forbes are back in the cockpit for the Holden Lady Rockets, refreshed and ready to return the program to the state prominence it once had.

Pam Forbes, was at the helm of the Lady Rockets for 16 years, leading them to back-to-back state champion-ships in 1996 and 1997 and then again in 2006. Greg Forbes, who has always worked behind the scenes, was the head coach one year during one of Pam’s pregnancies and now takes a more prominent role with the program on the bench.

“Greg handles the x’s and o’s and I handle everything else,” said Pam Forbes.

The Forbes’ replace one of their former players, Trish (Phillips) Crnko, who moved to the southwestern part of the state. Holden is coming off one of the better years it has had in some time as the Lady Rockets finished 21-9 overall last year, won the district title, but lost to Midland, 61-45, in the first round of the playoffs.

The Lady Rockets graduated just two players off that squad, district MVP Kacey Lafleur and role-player Taylor Soape.

DAVID NORMAND |

THE NEWS

The 2013-14 Holden High Lady Rockets basketball team are (front row, from left) Victoria Richardson, Brooke Thomp-son, Kassie Cox, Montori We-ber, Kaitlyn Kropog, Deryn Hill, and Kelsey Overland. Standing are Kaylee Hughes, Amanda Fekete, Haley Johnson, Holli Bankston, Sydney Hayden, Erica Gibbs, Rylie Womack, Brianna Reason and Lauren Daniels, manager. Not pictured are Kadie Hodges, manager and Rebecca Wilkinson.

Basketball, November 21, 2013 23Now Holden returns three other

All-District players, seniors Haley Johnson (5-10 post), along with sopho-more Sydney Hayden, who were all first-team selections, while freshman Montori Weber was a second-team pick a year ago as an eighth-grader.

“We’re going to play a lot of kids,” said Pam Forbes. “Right now, we’re in that learning mode. Our biggest weakness is that the players have had so many coaches up to this point. Now they have to learn our system and buy into it.

“Also, we need to work on our fun-damentals,” said Forbes. “We’re weak offensively, defensively and rebound-ing. But our strength is that we have the players to be able to sub. And it’s good that the younger kids can push the older ones.

“I feel like as the season goes on, we’re going to be better and better,” said Forbes. “By the first of January, we’re going to see a lot of improve-ment.”

After Johnson, Forbes sees three sophomore and a freshmen as the starting five to begin the year. The three 10th-graders are Kassie Cox (5-5), Kelsey Overland (5-6) and Sydney Hayden, who at 5-foot-10, will occupy the high post.

“They’ve all done a very good job,” said Forbes. “They work hard and they read defenses well. We’re big and athletic. We can run the floor and take it to the hole.”

The freshman Weber, who stands at 5-2, is the Lady Rockets’ point guard.

“She’s works hard and has played against a lot of big-time opponents in AAU ball in the summer,” said Forbes of Weber.

Coming off the bench for Holden will be 5-11 junior Erica Gibbs, who Forbes is counting on as a strong rebounder, along 5-6 sophomore Brianna Rea-son, who can play guard or post and eighth-grader Kaylee Hughes, who has “plenty of quickness.”

Rounding out the Lady Rockets’ ros-ter are seniors Deryn Hill and Rebecca Wilkinson; junior Holli Bankston, freshman Brooke Thompson and eighth-graders Victoria Richardson, Kaitlyn Kropog and Amanda Fekete.

Although five seasons have come and gone since the Forbes’ stepped away to tend to their four children, three of them triplets, Pam Forbes is re-ener-gized to get started once again.

“It hasn’t been any problem,” said Forbes, who had remained at HHS after coaching as the school’s Athletic Director. “We’re a lot older now, but it’s

been a lot of fun. We love the energy. The team has worked hard all of off-season. Now we need to get out on the floor and make it happen.”

GIRLS 8-B

Reunion for girls, coach at Maurepas P

MAURePAs – It may be her first year as head coach at Maurepas, but it’s not as if Brittany Lauzervich is walking into an unfamiliar situation.

Not only does Lauzervich recognize the players she has, but she knows first hand about the quality of coaching they received while in middle school.

That’s because she was the one who coached them. Now that she has an opportunity to coach them again, she’s found that she must take a different approach.

“The big thing for me is that in mid-dle school it was mostly about teaching them fundamentals,” she said. “In high school you have to take it up a notch. You can expect more.”

Lauzervich takes over the program

with high expectations after Maurepas reached the playoffs last season, where a 48-42 first-round loss to Reeves left the Lady Wolves with a 10-18 record.

“I have to be able to push them to the next level,” she said. “From what I’ve seen so far, I’m very pleased.”

It’s not as if Lauzervich hasn’t been here before. Two years ago she also served as assistant high school coach but dropped those duties last year to have a baby.

“I’ve been coaching them since the sixth grade,” she said of her current players. “I know what to expect. I know what they can and can’t do.”

No stranger to a demanding schedule, the energetic Lauzervich will employ a method of attack that relies on “full court, man-to-man pressure,” she said.

After earning Most Valuable Player honors last season while averaging 8.0 points per game, sophomore guard Lacy Loupe will be entrusted to push the ball up the court.

When it goes inside, the ball more often than not may well end up in the possession of senior Chelsea Terral, the Lady Wolves’ only four-year player.

“We’re going to look to her to be our go-to girl down low,” Lauzervich said. “We expect her to provide us with leadership.”

Albany has one other senior in Kayla

Yarborough and two juniors in Adellia Motichek and Katie Lanoux.

Of Motichek, Lauzervich said, “Defensively we’d like her to stop the opponent’s main ballhandler. We’ll look to her to set the defensive tone for the game.”

Sophomores Kiah Barthelemy, Brailie Gautrerau and Hannah Maggio are being counted upon to play multiple roles for the Lady Wolves.

“They have to be able to come in…and jump into any position,” Lauzervich said.

Barthelemy earned all-district honor-able mention last season in a league that Lauzervich said will be tougher since Maurepas moves up from Class C to Class B. That puts the Lady Wolves back into a competition against parish rival Holden, the defending 8-B cham-pion, as well as Centerville, Hosanna Christian and Patrick Taylor.

“It’s going to be challenging,” she said, “but we’ll be ready for it.”

Providing Maurepas with additional support will be three eighth graders in Hannah Gautreau, Hannah Delatte and Laigen Loupe.

“I feel we can be pretty successful,” Lauzervich said. “We didn’t lose any-body from last year’s team. I look for everybody to give 100 percent no matter what.”

DAVID NORMAND | THE

NEWS

The 2013-14 Maurepas High Lady Wolves basketball team are (from left, front row) Adel-lia Motichek, Kayla Yarbor-ough, Chelsea Terral, Brailie Gauteau, and Katie Lanoux. Standing are Hannah Gau-treau, Laigen Loupe, Kiah Barthelemy, Hannah Maggio, Lacy Loupe and Hannah Delatte.

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