Louisiana

Monroe-area high school football schedules for the 2024 season

Published

1 year ago

August 13, 2024

Monroe-area high school football schedules for the 2024 season

Expect a number of feisty contests when the 2024 Louisiana High School Athletic Association football season kicks off Sept. 6 across Northeast Louisiana.

The Monroe area boasted three state champions last fall and two additional semifinalists with at last that many expecting the same finish this fall.

Ruston High, which completed an undefeated season (14-0), returns a bundle of talent for coach Jerrod Baugh, which has a team seeking a third consecutive trip to the Louisiana Superdome. Tulane commitment Josh Brantley, uncommitted Power 5 recruit Aidan Anding and Louisiana Tech commit Zheric Hill give Bearcat fans plenty to smile about.

Union Parish (10-4) also won a state title in Non-Select Division III and Oak Grove compiled an 12-2 record to win Non-Select Division IV. Semifinal finishes came from Sterlington (11-2) in Non-Select Division III and Ouachita Christian (11-2) in Select Division IV.

OAK GROVE WINS: VIDEO: Oak Grove 62 Haynesville 36: Tigers win fourth state championship in five seasons

ALL-AREA FOOTBALL: Meet The News-Star’s All-Area high school football team for 2023

UNION PARISH WINS: Highlights from Union Parish’s 36-35 win over St. James for the Non-select D-3 state title

Jimmy covers Louisiana sports him for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.

Here’s a look at the 2024 schedules for Monroe area football teams:

Class 5A

West Monroe

Sept. 6 vs. Huntington

Sept. 13 Open

Sept. 20 at North DeSoto

Sept. 27 at Catholic B.R.

Oct. 4 vs. Scotlandville

Oct. 11 at Alexandria

Oct. 18 at Ouachita Parish

Oct. 25 vs. Pineville

Nov. 1 at Neville

Nov. 8 vs. Ruston

Ruston

Sept. 6 vs. Acadiana

Sept. 13 vs. Cabot, AR

Sept. 20 at Longview

Sept. 28 vs. Midland Legacy

Oct. 5 vs. Stephenville

Oct. 11 at Ouachita Parish

Oct. 18 vs. Neville

Oct. 25 at Alexandria

Nov. 1 vs. Pineville

Nov. 8 at West Monroe

Ouachita Parish

Sept. 6 at Captain Shreve

Sept. 13 at Wossman

Sept. 20 vs. Sterlington

Sept. 27 Open

Oct. 4 vs. Franklin Parish

Oct. 11 vs. Ruston

Oct. 18 vs. West Monroe

Oct. 25 at Neville

Nov. 1 vs. Alexandria

Nov. 8 at Pineville

West Ouachita

Sept. 6 vs. Richwood

Sept. 13 vs. Jonesboro-Hodge

Sept. 20 at Winnfield

Sept. 27 at Sterlington

Oct. 4 vs. Caldwell Parish

Oct. 11 at Franklin Parish

Oct. 18 vs. Tioga

Oct. 25 at Wossman

Nov. 1 at Peabody

Nov. 8 vs. Grant

Class 4A

Neville

Sept. 6 at Evangel Christian

Sept. 13 at Southside

Sept. 20 vs. Holmes County Central

Sept. 27 vs. St. Thomas More

Oct. 4 at Sterlington

Oct. 11 vs. Pineville

Oct. 18 at Ruston

Oct. 25 vs. Ouachita Parish

Nov. 1 vs. West Monroe

Nov. 8 at Alexandria

Bastrop

Sept. 6 vs. Wossman

Sept. 13 vs. Booker T. Washington

Sept. 20 at Rayville

Sept. 27 vs. Frederick

Oct. 4 vs. General Trass

Oct. 11 at Green Oaks

Oct. 18 at Carroll

Oct. 25 vs. Sterlington

Nov. 1 at Richwood

Nov. 8 vs. North Webster

Franklin Parish

Sept. 6 at West Jefferson

Sept. 13 vs. St. Frederick

Sept. 20 vs. Calvary Baptist

Sept. 26 at Caldwell Parish

Oct. 4 at Ouachita Parish

Oct. 11 vs. West Ouachita

Oct. 18 at Peabody

Oct. 25 vs. Grant

Nov. 1 vs. Wossman

Nov. 8 at Tioga

Class 3A

Sterlington

Sept. 6 vs. Tioga

Sept. 13 at Rayville

Sept. 20 at Ouachita Parish

Sept. 27 vs. West Ouachita

Oct. 4 vs. Neville

Oct. 11 at Richwood

Oct. 18 vs. North Webster

Oct. 25 at Bastrop

Nov. 1 vs. Carroll

Nov. 7 at Union Parish

Union Parish

Sept. 6 at Union Parish

Sept. 13 vs. Alexandria

Sept. 20 at Airline

Sept. 27 at Green Oaks

Oct. 4 vs. Homer

Oct. 11 at North Caddo

Oct. 18 vs. Calvary Baptist

Oct. 25 at D’Arbonne Woods Charter

Nov. 1 vs. Magnolia School of Excellence

Nov. 7 vs. Sterlington

Carroll

Sept. 6 at Parkway

Sept. 13 Open

Sept. 20 vs. Arcadia

Sept. 27 at General Trass

Oct. 4 at Wossman

Oct. 11 at North Webster

Oct. 18 vs. Bastrop

Oct. 25 Open

Nov. 1 at Sterlington

Nov. 8 vs. Richwood

Richwood

Aug. 30 vs. Oak Grove

Sept. 6 at West Ouachita

Sept. 13 vs. Mangham

Sept. 20 vs. Wossman

Sept. 27 at Tioga

Oct. 4 Open

Oct. 11 vs. Sterlington

Oct. 18 at Lake Arthur

Oct. 25 at North Webster

Nov. 1 vs. Bastrop

Nov. 8 at Carroll

Wossman

Sept. 6 at Bastrop

Sept. 13 vs. Ouachita Parish

Sept. 20 at Richwood

Sept. 27 at Iowa

Oct. 4 vs. Carroll

Oct. 11 vs. Tioga

Oct. 18 at Grant

Oct. 25 vs. West Ouachita

Nov. 1 at Franklin Parish

Nov. 8 vs. Peabody

Class 2A

Mangham

Sept. 6 at Jena

Sept. 13 at Richwood

Sept. 20 vs. Caldwell Parish

Sept. 27 vs. Beekman Charter

Oct. 4 at Madison

Oct. 11 vs. Ferriday

Oct. 18 vs. Oak Grove

Oct. 25 at Ouachita Christian

Nov. 1 vs. Rayville

Nov. 8 at Delhi Charter

Ferriday

Sept. 6 at Vidalia

Sept. 13 at Block

Sept. 20 vs. Delta Charter

Sept. 27 vs. Delhi Charter

Oct. 4 at Beekman Charter

Oct. 11 at Mangham

Oct. 18 vs. Madison

Oct. 24 at Oak Grove

Nov. 1 vs. Ouachita Christian

Nov. 8 at Rayville

General Trass

Sept. 6 vs. Rayville

Sept. 13 vs. Ouachita Christian

Sept. 20 at Madison

Sept. 27 vs. Carroll

Oct. 4 at Bastrop

Oct. 10 at Tensas

Oct. 18 vs. Block

Oct. 25 at Delta Charter

Nov. 1 vs. St. Frederick

Nov. 8 at Delhi

Rayville

Sept. 6 at General Trass

Sept. 13 vs. Sterlington

Sept. 20 vs. Bastrop

Sept. 27 at Oak Grove

Oct. 4 at Ouachita Christian

Oct. 11 vs. Madison

Oct. 17 vs. Delhi Charter

Oct. 25 vs. Beekman Charter

Nov. 1 at Mangham

Nov. 8 vs. Ferriday

Delhi Charter

Sept. 6 Cedar Creek

Sept. 13 at Lakeview

Sept. 20 vs. Jonesboro-Hodge

Sept. 27 at Ferriday

Oct. 4 vs. Oak Grove

Oct. 11 at Ouachita Christian

Oct. 17 at Rayville

Oct. 24 Open

Nov. 1 at Beekman Charter

Nov. 8 vs. Mangham

Vidalia

Aug. 30 at West Ouachita

Sept. 6 vs. Ferriday

Sept. 13 at Delta Charter

Sept. 20 at Block

Sept. 27 at Grant

Oct. 4 vs. Delhi

Oct. 11 at Buckeye

Oct. 18 vs. Jena

Oct. 25 vs. Marksville

Nov. 1 at Bunkie

Nov. 8 vs. Caldwell Parish

Beekman Charter

Aug. 30 at Bastrop

Sept. 6 at Delhi

Sept. 13 vs. Tensas

Sept. 19 vs. Lincoln Preparatory School

Sept. 27 at Mangham

Oct. 4 vs. Ferriday

Oct. 11 at Oak Grove

Oct. 18 vs. Ouachita Christian

Oct. 25 at Rayville

Nov. 1 vs. Delhi Charter

Nov. 8 at Madison

Madison Parish

Sept. 6 at Ringgold

Sept. 13 at Fontainebleau

Sept. 20 vs. General Trass

Sept. 26 vs. Ouachita Christian

Oct. 4 vs. Mangham

Oct. 11 at Rayville

Oct. 18 at Ferriday

Oct. 24 Open

Nov. 1 vs. Oak Grove

Nov. 8 vs. Beekman Charter

D’Arbonne Woods Charter

Sept. 6 vs. Lincoln Preparatory School

Sept. 13 vs. Bearden, AR

Sept. 20 at Grant

Sept. 27 at Calvary Baptist

Oct. 4 vs. Green Oaks

Oct. 11 at Magnolia School of Excellence

Oct. 18 vs. North Caddo

Oct. 25 vs. Union Parish

Nov. 1 Open TBA

Nov. 8 at Homer

Class 1A

Ouachita Christian

Aug. 30 at Cedar Creek

Sept. 6 at Caldwell Parish

Sept. 13 at General Trass

Sept. 20 vs. Delhi

Sept. 26 at Madison

Oct. 4 vs. Rayville

Oct. 11 vs. Delhi Charter

Oct. 18 at Beekman Charter

Oct. 25 vs. Mangham

Nov. 1 at Ferriday

Nov. 7 vs. Oak Grove

Oak Grove

Aug. 30 at Richwood

Sept. 6 at Calvary Baptist

Sept. 13 vs. Crossett

Sept. 20 vs. Red River

Sept. 27 vs. Rayville

Oct. 4 at Delhi Charter

Oct. 11 vs. Beekman Charter

Oct. 18 at Mangham

Oct. 24 vs. Ferriday

Nov. 1 at Madison

Nov. 7 at Ouachita Christian

St. Frederick

Sept. 5 vs. Loyola College Prep

Sept. 13 at Franklin Parish

Sept. 20 vs. Jena

Sept. 27 at Bastrop

Oct. 4 vs. St. Mary’s

Oct. 11 vs. Block

Oct. 18 at Delhi

Oct. 25 vs. Tensas

Nov. 1 at General Trass

Nov. 7 vs. Delta Charter

Cedar Creek

Aug. 30 vs. Ouachita Christian

Sept. 6 at Delhi Charter

Sept. 13 vs. Delhi

Sept. 20 vs. Loyola Prep

Sept. 27 at Glenbrook

Oct. 11 at Plain Dealing

Oct. 18 vs. Haynesville

Oct. 25 at Lincoln Prep

Nov. 1 vs. Arcadia

Nov. 8 vs. Jonesboro-Hodge

Delhi

Sept. 6 vs. Beekman Charter

Sept. 13 at Cedar Creek

Sept. 20 at Ouachita Christian

Sept. 27 at Southern Lab

Oct. 4 at Vidalia

Oct. 11 at Delta Charter

Oct. 18 vs. St. Frederick

Oct. 26 at Block

Nov. 1 vs. Tensas

Nov. 8 vs. General Trass

River Oaks

Aug. 16 at Porter’s Chapel Academy

Aug. 23 vs. Magnolia

Aug. 30 at Tensas

Sept. 6 vs. Claiborne Academy

Sept. 13 vs. Franklin Academy

Sept. 20 at Prairie View Academy

Sept. 27 vs. Riverdale Academy

Oct. 4 vs Union Christian Academy

Oct. 11 at Briarfield Academy

Oct. 18 at Tallulah Academy

Tensas Parish

Sept. 6 at Plain Dealing

Sept. 13 at Beekman Charter

Sept. 20 vs. Ringgold

Sept. 27 vs. Montgomery

Oct. 4 at Northwood-Lena

Oct. 10 vs. General Trass

Oct. 18 vs. Delta Charter

Oct. 25 at St. Frederick

Nov. 1 vs. Delhi

Nov. 8 at Block

Delta Charter

Sept. 6 at LaSalle

Sept. 13 vs. Vidalia

Sept. 20 at Ferriday

Sept. 27 TBD

Oct. 3 vs. Cedar Creek

Oct. 11 vs. Delhi

Oct. 18 at Tensas

Oct. 25 vs. General Trass

Nov. 1 vs. Block

Nov. 7 at St. Frederick

Lincoln Prep

Sept. 6 at D’Arbonne Woods Charter

Sept. 13 vs. Magnolia School of Excellence

Sept. 19 at Beekman Charter

Sept. 26 at Jonesboro-Hodge

Oct. 4 at Haynesville

Oct. 11 vs. Ringgold

Oct. 18 vs. Glenbrook

Oct. 25 vs. Cedar Creek

Nov. 1 at Plain Dealing

Nov. 8 vs. Arcadia

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Louisiana sees reentry housing results but struggles to meet demand

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2 hours ago

November 30, 2025

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Louisiana sees reentry housing results but struggles to meet demand

Linda McLain reached the end of her two-year sentence at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women in July, but it would be another month before she could leave. It took those 30 extra days for her to find a residential facility that met the terms of her supervised release. Her wait time is an indication […]

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Louisiana prison

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20 hours ago

November 29, 2025

Press Room

Leslie Harris has missed most milestones in his daughter’s life while serving a decades-long sentence in Louisiana for armed robbery and is unlikely to get out before her prom, her graduation and maybe even her wedding.

But for one night at Louisiana’s largest maximum-security prison, Harris made his own moment with his 17-year-old daughter while donning a custom tux and clutching a bouquet of roses: reuniting at the prison’s first father-daughter dance, where they embraced to Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely” at a pink-heavy party this month that was widely shared on social media.

“Seeing her in a dress, crying and running to me just broke me down,” said Harris, who has nine years left on his sentence, in a phone interview from the Louisiana State Penitentiary. “It made me think of all the years I missed out on in her life.”

This photo provided by God Behind Bars shows a prisoner at the Louisiana State Penitentiary embracing a loved one before a father-daughter dance held inside the lockup in Angola, La., on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025.

God Behind Bars via AP

The lockup is the latest in the U.S. to hold a daddy-daughter dance, including one in Washington D.C. that was featured in the Netflix documentary “Daughters” last year. In Louisiana, prison officials say the dance could become another tradition at the rural lockup in Angola, which every October hosts the country’s last remaining prison rodeo. It has more than 6,300 prisoners, including dozens of people on death row, and is on the same grounds where a notorious lockup was converted into an immigration detention facility in September.

Assistant Warden Anne-Marie Easley said she hoped the dance would bring a sense of hope that can be elusive in a prison where many are serving decades-long or life sentences. For some men, it was a chance to reunite with their daughters for the first time in months or even years – an opportunity to rebuild relationships and heal wounds. For others, it meant a night where they wouldn’t be seen as an inmate but rather a dad.

The prison picked nearly 30 inmates to participate due to good behavior, among other factors. Videos posted from the event showed fathers in tuxedos – complete with pink boutonnieres – breaking down in tears as their daughters ran up to them in sparkly dresses, shrieking with excitement. They reunited in the middle of a pink carpet overlayed with petals, with breezy drapes hanging overhead. A dance space was setup in the prison’s Bible college.

Prison Father Daughter Dance — This photo provided by God Behind Bars shows prisoners at the Louisiana State Penitentiary before a father-daughter dance held inside the lockup in Angola, La., on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025.

God Behind Bars via AP

The dance was put on by God Behind Bars, which hosts other reunification events and religious services in prisons nationwide. In videos the group posted before the dance, some prisoners said they wanted to apologize for all the years they missed. Others called the dance the most important prison visit of their lives.

The night included the men surprising their daughters with a line dance after weeks of practice. For Harris, the best part was when he and his daughter slow danced to ‘Butterfly Kisses,’ a song about a dad’s unconditional love for his daughter.

In that moment, Harris said memories rushed back of life before prison, when his daughter was just 2 years old. How she would sleep on his chest, play with his hair and how he would buy her little dresses. Before the night was over, he gave her a Bible with passages he highlighted.

“That’s really the heart of it at the end of the day,” said Jake Bodine, founder of God Behind Bars. “Show these individuals who is counting on them and once they realize the weight of that, they will hold themselves accountable for change.”

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Louisiana man on death row for 27 years released on bail after conviction is overturned

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2 days ago

November 28, 2025

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Louisiana man on death row for 27 years released on bail after conviction is overturned

A Louisiana man who spent 27 years on death row was released on bail after his murder conviction was overturned earlier this year in the 1993 death of his girlfriend’s toddler, his lawyers said.

The release Wednesday of Jimmie Duncan, 57, marked a “significant step forward in his long fight for justice,” one of his attorneys, Chris Fabricant, said in a statement.

Fabricant noted the role of what he called “fraudulent forensics” in Duncan’s conviction and described his incarceration as “a gross miscarriage of justice.”

“His execution would have been a moral outrage,” Fabricant added.

Duncan, who was convicted of first-degree murder in 1998 and had been incarcerated at Angola state prison, was released on $150,000 bond, The Associated Press reported.

The Innocence Project, whose attorneys have represented Duncan, said in a news release that 4th Judicial District Judge Alvin Sharp’s ruling finding Duncan “factually innocent” of the murder was appealed to the state’s high court and is set for oral arguments early next year.

The district attorney’s office that prosecuted Duncan could not be reached for comment Friday. In a statement cited by NBC affiliate KTVE of West Monroe, Louisiana, 4th District Attorney Steve Tew said his office is preparing to challenge the ruling.

Twenty three-month-old Haley Oliveaux died on Dec. 18, 1993, after Duncan briefly stepped away from the bathtub, according to the Innocence Project. When Duncan found her unconscious, he tried to perform CPR and sought help from neighbors who called 911.

She died shortly afterward at a hospital.

Duncan was convicted of the killing in part through forensic evidence. Experts for the prosecution linked what they described as bite marks found on the girl’s body to Duncan’s teeth, according to the Innocence Project.

In an April ruling, Sharp cited an expert for Duncan who rejected that conclusion and described bite mark analysis as “junk science” that is “not scientifically defensible.” Two experts who testified for Duncan said the toddler appeared to have died by accidental drowning and not homicide, according to the ruling.

The ruling from Sharp also found that Duncan’s trial attorney provided ineffective assistance of counsel.

According to the Innocence Project, at least 39 wrongful convictions and indictments across the United States have been attributed to the forensic techniques used in Duncan’s case. The group said that of the nearly 3,800 cases that have been documented by the National Registry of Exonerations since 1989, false or misleading forensic evidence has played a role in a quarter of them.

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