BAYOU CRIME
January 5, 2018
Lafourche Booking Log – Jan. 6, 2018
January 8, 2018
Editor’s Note:
The past 12 months marked one of the most difficult years of my life. Because of some medical problems, I struggled through a lack of energy, which limited how I felt for the backend of the year.
But every time I felt down about the situation, my labor of love pulled me through it and lifted my spirits.
The local sports scene was absolutely amazing in 2017. I can honestly say that of the eight years I’ve been doing this job, this has been probably the most fun and eventful ride of my career.
There were some good stories, some bad stories and a few tales of triumph that local fans will be talking about for decades to come.
Keep on keeping on, local athletes!
You guys rock!
Top 10 sports stories of 2017
No. 10 – Justin Williams continues his surge
Local professional baseball player Justin Williams continues to climb the charts on his road to the show. Playing at the AA-level for the Tampa Bay Rays’ organization, Williams soared in 2017, posting his most impressive professional season to date. Playing for the Montgomery Biscuits, Williams hit .301 with 14 home runs and 72 RBI in 96 games, while posting a .364 on-base percentage and a .489 slugging percentage. Williams, still just 22, is ranked as Tampa’s No. 11 prospect. In November, he got his largest professional victory to date when the Rays promoted him to their 40-man roster, which means he’s now within striking range of the major leagues – his ultimate goal.
No. 9 – Vandebilt girls go back-to-back
The Vandebilt Catholic girls’ soccer team did it again in 2017. Fresh off a State Championship victory in 2016, the Lady Terriers went back-to-back this year, cruising through the Division III bracket and scoring another State Championship. The final game of the season was a bear – one of the most dramatic moments of the season. No. 1 Vandebilt played No. 2 Loyola Prep to a 1-all tie in regulation, which sent the game to overtime. In the final stages of overtime, senior striker Grace Champagne broke through the defense and put her powerful foot into a ball, which soared through the defense and into the back of the net to clinch a 2-1 win and the championship. At press-time, Vandebilt is roaring toward three-straight. They’re 13-1-2 with wins over some of the top teams in Louisiana.
No. 8 – Kathy Luke returns to Houma
After a few years away, legendary girls’ basketball coach Kathy Luke returned home to Houma this year. The longtime Vandebilt Catholic girls’ basketball coach spent a few seasons in the River Parishes after leaving the Lady Terriers’ program, coaching Riverside Academy, then St. Charles Catholic. But this past spring, she accepted a job at Houma Christian – a move which allowed Luke to return to Houma, where she and her family still reside. The move has been good for everyone involved. The Christian Warriors started the season 12-2 in their first 14 games, including victories over Terrebonne, Vandebilt and Riverside Academy.
No. 7 – Orgeron continues LSU football progressing
Larose native Ed Orgeron’s first season at LSU had its peaks and valleys at first. But now, things seem to be moving on a much more even keel. In Orgeron’s first month in Baton Rouge, the Tigers dropped all the way out of the Top 25 after a blowout loss at Mississippi State and a stunning home loss against Troy. But since that time, LSU has played awfully good football, posting wins against Auburn, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Florida
and other conference rivals to secure a New Years Day bowl against Notre Dame. No score for that game was available at press-time, but win, lose or draw, LSU has an amazing recruiting class lined up, which will make Orgeron’s future even brighter.
No. 6 – Prep fight leads to playoff shakeup
A fight during the last game of the 2017 prep basketball season affected several local teams in the boys’ basketball playoffs. During halftime of the Central Lafourche and East St. John game, players on both sides were involved in a skirmish, which led to the cancellation of the game and the Louisiana High School Athletic Association’s decision to suspend all varsity players on both teams for the opening round of the Class 5A State Playoffs. Because Central Lafourche had just a small JV roster, they opted to forfeit their opening-round game with Terrebonne, which pushed the Tigers through to the next round. East St. John played, but got beaten soundly by H.L. Bourgeois. They were then upset by Helen Cox in the Round of 16, and coach Andrew Caillouet said not having to play a competitive opening-round game contributed to his team’s defeat.
No. 5 – College standouts soar
A couple locals made huge impacts as true freshmen on the college football landscape. Ellender graduate Davontavean Martin signed with Washington State after a decorated career as a wide receiver for the Patriots. At the college level, Martin started slow, but has since soared, posting four or more catches in four of his final five games for the Cougars, including a two-touchdown game against Arizona and a five-catch, 70-yard showing in the finale against rival Washington. Also dominant was Thibodaux graduate and Louisiana Tech true freshman Amik Robertson, who just about set the world on fire in Ruston in his first collegiate season. Robertson picked the Bulldogs, despite having a late offer from LSU during his recruitment. With Louisiana Tech, Robertson has been an instant-impact performer and big-play weapon for the Bulldogs’ defense, leading the team in interceptions and earning a spot on the All-Conference USA Freshman Team. In Louisiana Tech’s bowl game, Robertson took it a step farther and recorded a pick-six, while winning the game’s defensive MVP honors. For 2018, he’s expected to be one of the top overall players in the Conference USA – a guy performing so well that he’s even starting to hit on a few NFL boards. While some freshmen flourished, an old hat found his place in the sun, as well. Northwestern State redshirt senior and South Lafourche High School graduate Peyton Guidry ended his collegiate career with a bang, posting several double-digit tackle games for the Demons, earning Southland Defensive Player of the Week and National Player of the Week honors along the way.
No. 4 – Ellender girls’ lead the way as locals dominate the Top 28
A lot of folks from the Houma-Thibodaux area traveled first to Hammond and then next to Lake Charles last spring. Several local teams made the State Semifinals this year – both on the girls’ and boys’ side. With the girls’, Ellender won the Class 4A State Championship, thanks to their amazing depth and remarkable defensive prowess, besting Salmen in the Championship Game. Also making it to the Top 28 was Houma Christian, which advanced to the State Championship Game, but lost a close, hard-fought game. On the boys’ side, two local teams made it to Lake Charles and one of the two missed winning the State Championship by just a matter of seconds. The Ellender boys’ basketball team played one of the best games of 2017 against Washington Marion – a back and forth thriller which kept a sold-out crowd on the edges of their seats throughout the game. Ellender led late in the game after a deep 3-pointer by Marquie Mosley. But Washington Marion took back the lead on a 3-pointer of their own with less than a minute to play. The Patriots had chances late, but turned over the ball on consecutive possessions, which led Washington Marion clinch the title. In 2018, there’s a good chance that locals will dominate the Top 28 again, as several teams are currently projected to be highly seeded in the basketball playoffs. On the girls’ side, Ellender, South Lafourche, South Terrebonne, Houma Christian and Thibodaux would all be comfortably in postseason if it started today. For the boys, H.L. Bourgeois, Central Lafourche, Thibodaux, South Lafourche, Ellender, Houma Christian, Covenant Christian and even upstart South Terrebonne are among many chasing playoff dreams.
No. 3 – Out from the 7-9 blues, the Saints soar
Pick up those brown paper bags for another few years, Saints fans. The Black and Gold are on a roll. New Orleans posted three-straight 7-9 seasons from 2014-16, which had some fans a bit on edge about the team’s hopes in the new season. It didn’t start good. The Saints lost two-straight games to begin the year – at Minnesota, then at home against New England. But since that time, New Orleans has been on a roll, clinching a spot in the NFC Playoffs and maybe even the NFC South Division Championship. If New Orleans beat Tampa Bay this past Sunday, they were guaranteed to be home in the opening-round of the NFC Playoffs this weekend, but no score was available for that game at press-time on Friday afternoon. Either way, the resurgent season has given fans optimism and hope that bright days are ahead – even as Drew Brees ages toward the final few seasons of his career. The Saints drafted masterfully in 2017, picking cornerback Marshon Lattimore in the first-round of the draft and he proceeded to emerge as one of the top cover-corners in the entire NFL as a rookie – a Pro Bowl selection. In the middle rounds, the Saints hit again, securing halfback Alvin Kamara, who has since become one of the most explosive offensive players in the entire NFL. Teamed with Mark Ingram, New Orleans landed two of the three NFC Pro Bowlers at the halfback position.
No. 2 – Elijah McGuire gets drafted to the New York Jets
Millions of sports fans watch the NFL Draft every year. That’s nothing new. But for folks in the Houma-Thibodaux area this past year, the draft had a little bit of extra meaning as one of our own got his name called to mark the beginning of his NFL journey. Houma native and Vandebilt Catholic graduate Elijah McGuire was selected in the sixth-round (No. 188 overall) by the New York Jets – a dream come true moment for the elusive halfback, who has long been a successful playmaker on the gridiron. Before getting to the pros, McGuire was a sensation at UL-Lafayette – arguably the best player in the history of the program, the school’s all-time leader in career all-purpose yards. With the New York Jets, McGuire has taken a little while to get adjusted to the speed of the NFL. He’s also been part of a timeshare, which also features Matt Forte and Bilal Powell. But he’s had his moments, as well, posting 84 carries for 321 yards and a touchdown through 15 games with 14 catches for 161 yards and a score as a receiver. McGuire has shown enough promise that many in the Jets organization think he has a chance to be an every-down back in the future. He said being an NFL player is as amazing as he imagined it would be, but has added that he’s not content and will keep working in the future to become bigger, faster and stronger to make his career as long and prosperous as possible.
No. 1 – Nicholls football makes the Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs
It sure didn’t take coach Tim Rebowe long to renovate the Nicholls State University football program, did it? After two building-block seasons, the Colonels soared in 2017, making it all the way to the Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs in a storied season. The Colonels took the community by storm in 2017, posting several huge victories, including a last-second win against McNeese State and also victories over rivals Northwestern State and others along the way. Nicholls also nearly shocked the world for a second-straight season in 2017, taking Texas A&M down to the wire – just a year after nearly beating Georgia early in 2016. The Colonels’ season ended in disappointment, as the team lost a home game against South Dakota, a game which will be defined by several missed opportunities and turnovers along the way. But Nicholls was super young in 2017 and several of the team’s top playmakers will be back in 2018, which has Rebowe thinking that the team’s playoff berth will be a sign of things to come.
Oh, what a year 2017 ended up being in the world of sports. From the triumphs of Elijah McGuire to the Vandebilt girls’ soccer team going back-to-back at state.
we had nothing but headlines that kept us on our toes
Ellender Memorial graduate Davontavean Martin looks up the field after catching a pass this season. Martin had a big freshman year, which he capped with two touchdowns in a bowl game this past week. He and others made headlines throughout the past year.
After a few seasons out of contention, the New Orleans Saints made waves in 2017, thanks in large part to rookie Alvin Kamara, who made the Pro Bowl in his first season in the NFL.
