Latest news with #DeQuincyHighSchool
American Press
29-05-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Brotherly support: Lavergne duo set sights on National High School Finals Rodeo
Brothers Wyatt and Ty Lavergne have their sights set on a common goal: leave the Louisiana High School Finals Rodeo this week with championship hardware and earn a chance to compete for a national championship. 'It would be something I'd never forget,' Wyatt Lavergne said. 'It would be something that I'm sure hasn't been done very often, and it's definitely a dream. 'We can always say that we've done that before, and to be able to go do that and then compete and have a chance to win two national high school finals titles, that would be even better.' Wyatt, a senior, is the three-time defending saddle bronc riding state champion, while Ty, a sophomore, looks to win his first high school bull riding state title. The last time siblings won state titles at the LHSFR in the same season was two years ago when Lane and Lydia Touchet swept the cutting titles. Grace Dubois (breakaway roping) and Luke Dubois (team roping) did it in 2021. The brothers are always there to support each other in their battles in the arena. 'We help each other out every rodeo,' Wyatt said. 'We're behind the chutes for each other. 'The animals are out there to get you on the ground, and it takes a lot of mental strength to be able to really know with full confidence that you're there to win, and you expect nothing less but to put out the best effort you can. It's just a mental game. So if we could help each other with anything mental like that or mindset, then we're there for each other at least.' Just like on the football field where they play on both sides of the ball for DeQuincy High School, the Lavergne brothers have no fear taking on a 1,200-2,000 bull or 1,000- to 1,300-pound horse. 'I like the adrenaline most,' Ty said. 'I'm an adrenaline junkie. I like to fight against me and the animal. Nothing better than it.' The first-go round starts today with two performances at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. The second-go will follow the same schedule on Friday. The top 15 in each event advance to the short-go at 5 p.m. Saturday. The top four in each event qualify for the National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyoming, July 13-19. Wyatt hasn't lost a round at the state rodeo since his freshman season and has won all three titles by 23 or more points. He leads Zach Reeves by 24 points, 89-64, and won eight of nine rodeos in the regular season. 'I feel like I have no other choice but to let it all hangout and go have fun,' Wyatt said. 'Being my last one, I want to make it as memorable as possible. 'I'm blessed to be where I am right now with the possibility to win all four state titles. That would be a goal of mine.' Ty missed out on a trip to Rocks Springs last year by 1.1 points and turned that disappointment into a dominant season. 'I'm just doing a mental game,' Ty said. 'That's what I was dealing with last year. 'I was just in my head and kind of just threw that out the door and started to just kind of go after it with all I can. I've been on top all year long pretty much, and it's just been nice.' Ty won five of the last seven rodeos to close out the regular season and leads defending champion Brennan Polito 91-79. 'It's great to see him be able to climb the ropes this year,' Wyatt said. 'Man, he's been on a hot streak. 'I'm proud of him. He's been nothing but dominant this season for the high school rodeo, and I think he's going to stick it out.'
American Press
17-05-2025
- General
- American Press
Graduation times two: DeQuincy student earns high school, college degrees same year
DeQuincy High School student Alli Richard will grace two graduation stages this May. She is graduating from DeQuincy High School after her senior year with the rest of her peers. She has also earned an associate of general studies from Sowela Technical Community College. During her junior and senior years, Richard took college courses through Calcasieu Parish School Board's Virtual Instruction Program. VIP offers dual enrollment courses taught virtually from the Region 5 STEM Center. The classes stream to each of the district's 11 high schools. The program is a boon for smaller campuses like DeQuincy, which has a total enrollment of 376. Her junior year, she took criminal justice, inter-criminal law, statistics, and English composition I and II through VIP, in addition to college courses through McNeese State University. Her senior year she took trigonometry, calculus, fiction, mythology, introduction to environmental science, introduction to theater, introduction to acting and psychology. Including Sowela and McNeese courses, advanced placement classes and CLEP, Richard has earned 70 hours of college credit, and that wasn't all she did. She was the class president in her junior and senior years and student council vice president. Richard also participated in 'basically every extracurricular,' including the library club and National Beta Club. All of this was done while maintaining a 4.52 GPA. 'It was definitely a lot of work, but it was so worth it to be able to continue my high school experience,' she said. 'It was especially tough for finals week and everything when I have four or five finals a semester, and I'm also balancing normal high school things.' The trick to bearing the weight of the coursework is to start off slow, she said. 'I wouldn't take on too much to start with because you need to get used to the course load before you build on it. … My senior year I picked up a lot more courses because I knew I could handle it.' Aside from the obvious benefit of earning college credit in high school, she said the VIP program also helped her boost her GPA and granted her wider access to scholarships and resources that will help support her while she is completing college. Richard plans to earn a law degree from Louisiana State University. LSU Law's 3 + 3 program allows students to complete their bachelor's degree in three years. After their junior year, students apply for admission to LSU Law Center. If accepted, the students' final year at LSU is simultaneously the final year of their undergraduate degree and the first year of their law degree. 'If my schedule aligns perfectly, I will be able to graduate from law school in four years,' she explained. 'I am so excited that it will allow me to get so far ahead and that I will be able to go into my career so much sooner than I expected. 'I have always enjoyed debating and research and those kinds of topics, and I really think that law will be a good fit for me.' She intends to specialize in corporate law and business. Sowela's 61st Commencement ceremony is at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20, at the Lake Charles Event Center. There, Richard will graduate alongside 374 other students. Phillips 66 Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex General Manager Scot Tyler will give the commencement address.
