Louisiana

Monroe-area high school football schedules for the 2024 season

Published

2 years 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

Louisiana considers opening recreational alligator hunting season

Published

2 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Louisiana considers opening recreational alligator hunting season

Louisiana lawmakers are considering a bill to create a recreational alligator hunting season.
The proposed season would be open to 5,000 lottery-selected hunters annually, with a two-gator limit.
Louisiana’s wild alligator population has grown to over 2 million, a significant conservation success.
Recreational hunters would be limited to using a hook and line from land.

Louisiana may expand its wild alligator harvesting opportunities to recreational hunters if the Legislature passes a bill that secured unanimous approval in a committee hearing March 11.

Franklin state Sen. Robert Allain’s Senate Bill 244 would authorize the Louisiana Wildlife Commission to create a recreational season that would be open to 5,000 hunters annually, each with a two-gator limit.

The state already has a commercial hunting season for alligators, which is chronicled in the popular “Swamp People” TV reality series.

“We think the time is right,” Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Tyler Bosworth testified during the Senate Natural Resources Committee hearing. “We want to provide a recreational opportunity for the common folk of Louisiana.”

Louisiana’s alligator population has exploded in the past 50 years from fewer than 100,000 to more than 3 million today. Of those, about 2 million are wild with another 1 million farmed.

That’s at least twice the population in Florida, the state with the second most number of alligators.

And their Louisiana numbers have grown throughout the state where they can be commonly spotted from Lake Martin in Breaux Bridge to Caddo and Cross lakes in Shreveport to Caldwell Parish in northeastern Louisiana.

“This is a conservation success story on the highest level,” LDWF general counsel Garrett Cole said during the hearing. “This would create a true recreational opportunity outside our commercial season.”

Garrett said hunters would compete for hunting tags through a lottery will statewide opportunities. Recreational hunters would be limited to hook and line harvesting from land. No gators could be taken by boat as commercial hunters are allowed to do.

If approved, the first season could take place beginning Oct. 1.

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

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Louisiana

How a sinkhole caused a whirlpool and formed Louisiana’s deepest lake

Published

14 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

How a sinkhole caused a whirlpool and formed Louisiana’s deepest lake

While Louisiana’s largest lake, the Toledo Bend Reservoir, spans 1,200 miles of shoreline, the state’s deepest lake only spans 1,125 acres.

Lake Peigneur is the deepest lake in Louisiana, with a depth measuring approximately 200 feet.

Lake Peigneur is a brackish lake, meaning it contains saltwater but has less salinity than seawater, located in New Iberia Parish in South Louisiana.

How did Lake Peigneur become the deepest lake in Louisiana?

Lake Peigneur was not always considered the deepest lake in Louisiana, as it was only a 10-foot-deep freshwater lake 40 years ago.

On Nov. 20, 1980, an oil rig crew was attempting to free a 14-inch drill bit when they heard popping noises and the rig began to tilt. Shortly after the crew abandoned the rig and headed for shore, the crew watched the 150-foot oil rig disappear into the 10-foot-deep lake.

Soon, a whirlpool formed in place of the oil rig. The whirlpool grew rapidly until it was able to suck up nearby boats, barges, trees, a house and half an island.

At the same location of the oil drilling site, there was also a salt mine, and when the whirlpool formed after the oil rig collapsed, the mine began to fill with water. As the whirlpool grew, water was able to enter the mine at such a force that it caused a geyser to spew out of the mine’s opening for hours until the lake was drained.

After the lake was emptied, the Delcambre Canal began to flow backward, marking the only time in history that the Gulf of Mexico flowed into the continental U.S. This backflow continued until the entire mine and lake were filled with water, except now the lake was filled with saltwater, according to an article published on Louisiana Tech Digital Commons.

Can you swim in Lake Peigneur?

Before the oil rig and salt mine accident, Lake Peigneur was a popular spot for fishing and recreational activities. However, since the lake is almost entirely surrounded by private property, visitors will have to enter the nearby Rip Van Winkle Gardens in order to get a closer look, according to Atlas Obscura.

While there are no reports indicating the lake is unsafe, the lake is not exactly developed for public access. However, there are things to do around Lake Peigneur, like visiting Rip Van Winkle Gardens on Jefferson Island, or visiting Avery Island to tour the Tabasco Factory.

Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com

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Officials confirm Pensacola Beach residue is algae, not oil from Louisiana spill

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Officials confirm Pensacola Beach residue is algae, not oil from Louisiana spill

PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. — A local fisherman raised concerns about the substance now coating Opal Beach, citing a recent oil spill off the coast of Louisiana.

WEAR News went to officials with the Gulf Islands National Seashore and Escambia County to find out the cause.

They say it’s not related to an oil spill, but is in fact algae.

The Marine Resources Division says they can understand beachgoers’ concerns, and hope to raise awareness.

“You don’t even want to get near it because it’s so gooey and sticky,” local fisherman Larry Grossman said. “It was accumulating on my beach cart wheels yesterday, and it felt like an oil product.”

Grossman messaged WEAR News on Monday after noticing something brown and oozy in the sand. He says it started showing up by Fort Pickens and stretched down to Opal Beach.

Grossman said a park service employee told him it could be oil from a recent spill in Louisiana. So he took a message to social media, sparking some reactions and raising questions.

“it certainly didn’t seem like an algae bloom because I was in the water, I caught a fish and I put some water in the cooler to keep my fish cool and it almost looked like oil in it,” Grossman said. “I know some people think it’s an algae bloom, but it certainly smelled and felt and looked like oil.”

A Gulf Islands National Seashore spokesperson confirmed to WEAR News on Tuesday that the substance is algae.

WEAR News crews were at the beach as officials with the Escambia County Marines Resources Division came out take samples.

“What I found here washed up on the beach is some algae — filamentous algae, single celled algae — that washed ashore in some onshore winds,” said Robert Turpin, Escambia County Marines Resources Division manager. “This is the spring season, so with additional sunlight, our plants, they grow in warmer waters, with plenty of sunlight.”

Turpin says this algae is not harmful.

He also addressed the concerns that this could be oil, saying he’s familiar with what oil spills look like.

He says he appreciates when people like Grossman raise the concerns.

“The last thing in the world we want is something to gain traction on social media that is faults in nature that could harm our tourism,” Turpin said. “Our tourism is very important to our economy, and we want to give the right information out to the public so we all enjoy the beaches and enjoy them safely.”

Turpin says if you see something or suspect something may be harmful on the beach, avoid it and contact Escambia County Marine Resources.

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