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American Press
a day ago
- Sport
- American Press
All-Southwest La. Small Schools: Iguess, Fontenot named MVPs
K inder's Brianna Fontenot and Welsh's Dane Iguess closed out their high school softball and baseball careers with stellar seasons to lead their teams deep into the playoffs. They are the American Press All-Southwest Louisiana Small Schools MVPs. Softball Fontenot won her third All-Southwest MVP honor. She won her first as a freshman in 2022, and last season she was the Big Schools MVP when the Yellow Jackets were in Class 3A. 'From when the season started, till the end, she gave everything that she had even on her rough days,' Kinder head coach Sarah Chaney said. 'When some games were on the line, coaches, as well as her teammates, had trust in her to do whatever she needed to do.' Fontenot batted over .500 for a fourth time while striking out once in 87 plate appearances. The Purdue signee and prolific hitter had 24 extra-base hits, including seven home runs, and drove in 40 runs to push her career totals to 52 home runs and 204 RBIs. She led the Yellow Jackets to the quarterfinals for the second time in her career with 12 multi-hit games and 10 games with two or more RBI. In the circle, she was equally feared with a 15-1 record and a 2.33 earned run average in 102 1/3 innings. She struck out 119 batters and walked 17. She pitched two no-hitters, including one against Oakdale on March 19 with 12 strikeouts. She finished her high school career with 504 strikeouts and a 60-14 record in four seasons as a starter. 'Brianna has made such an impact on Kinder High softball since the beginning of her freshman year, coming in as a starter and learning and growing as a teammate, and also as a person and player,' Chaney said. 'I wish her the best at Purdue and can't wait to see what she accomplishes there.' Baseball Iguess headed up a strong senior class to lead the Greyhounds to the state tournament for the first time since 2019. The 6-foot-2 southpaw went 9-1 in 12 starts on the mound and pitched five complete games. In 72 2/3 innings, he struck out 93 batters with 18 walks and a 1.80 ERA. Opponents struggled against him, batting .197. 'He had a great year,' Welsh head coach Caleb Hayes said. 'I think it is going to go down as one of the best pitching years in school history. He is just a competitor.' Iguess hit .330 as the Greyhounds' leadoff batter with seven doubles, using speed to steal 20 of 21 bases and score 27 runs. At the top of the order, he didn't get many opportunities to drive in runs (8), but he came up big in the Non-select Division IV semifinals with a walk-off RBI hit in Welsh's 8-7 eight-inning win over DeQuincy. Iguess was a defensive asset with a .902 fielding percentage. In the postseason, Iguess went 2-0 with 25 strikeouts and seven walks in 18 innings and helped the Greyhounds get through the quarterfinals after losses in 2023 and '24. 'He actually started in a quarterfinal game as a sophomore and junior and both of those didn't go our way,' Hayes said. 'It was kind of fitting that we rolled with him in the quarters and we leaned on him in the semifinals, and we got to the state championship game.' Coaches In his sixth season as head coach, Hayes, a former Greyhound standout, took Welsh back to the final for the first time since 2018. Welsh won two of its first seven games but turned things around to earn the No. 2 seed in Non-select Division IV and finish 23-11. The Greyhound lost to the four-time defending state champion, Oak Grove, in the final. In her first season as head coach, Chaney helped her former high school break out of its regional round jinks and reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2022. The Yellow Jackets lost in the regional round in 2023 and '24 as a top-four seed. Kinder started the season 12-1 and finished 17-6. They bowed out of the playoffs to Non-select Division III runner-up Jena in the quarterfinals. Small Schools Baseball Pos. Player, School Cl. Statistics P Carson Rainwater, DeQuincy Sr. 9-4, 1.39 ERA, 116 Ks P Gage Guidry, Vinton Jr. 6-2, 1.67 ERA, 108 Ks P Cohen Cormier, Welsh Sr. 5-5, 2.50 ERA, 40 Ks P Riddick Meaux, Kinder Jr. 5-1, 1.60 ERA, 30 Ks C Andrew Dowden, DeQuincy Sr. .486 avg., 3 HR, 50 RBIs INF Cameron Bonin, Lake Arthur Jr. .458 avg., 17 RBIs, 19 runs INF Rylan Young, Grand Lake Sr. .455 avg., 38 RBIs/8-0, 55 Ks, 1.50 ERA INF Connor Courmier, Vinton Sr. .350 avg., 13 RBIs, 12 runs INF Gabriel McKee, Rosepine Sr. .379 avg., 24 RBIs, 35 runs OF Dane Iguess, Welsh Sr. .330 avg./9-1, 93 Ks, 1.80 ERA OF Blaze Brister, Merryville Jr. .395 avg., 12 RBIs, 15 runs OF Turner Rodriguez, DeQuincy Jr. .400 avg., 35 RBIs / 7-2, 74 Ks UT Layne Bageux, Lacassine Jr. .371 avg., 3 HR, 29 RBIs UT Law Faulk, Grand Lake Fr. .484 avg., 25 RBIs/ 5-0, 1.10 ERA UT Braeden Strother, Oakdale Sr. 5-3, 2.07 ERA, 45 Ks/ .273 avg. UT Hunter Broussard, Reeves So. .362 avg., 20 RBIs, 31 runs UT Madden Spicer, Hackberry Fr. .278 avg., 21 RBIs/4-3, 60k MVP — Dane Iguess, Welsh COACH OF THE YEAR — Caleb Hayes, Welsh Softball Pos. Player, School Cl. Statistics P Ainslie Willis, Oakdale Jr. 10-5, 3.12 ERA, 97 Ks P Brianna Fontenot, Kinder Sr. 15-1, 2.33 ERA, 119 Ks P Marli Jones, Rosepine So. 13-6, 3.60 ERA, 142 Ks P Maddie Vinatieri, DeQuincy So. 14-11, 3.80 ERA, 172 Ks C Aubrey May, Kinder Jr. .419 avg., 12 doubles, 22 RBIs INF Alaina Bearb, Grand Lake Jr. .352 avg., 37 runs, 16 SB INF Analeigh Roberts, Rosepine Jr. .378 avg., 8 HR, 26 RBIs INF Aubrie Richard, Bell City Jr. .364 avg., 6 doubles, 14 RBIs INF Shay Lott, Merryville Sr. .477 avg., 37 SB, 18 RBIs OF Layla Gauthier, Lake Arthur Sr. .529 avg., 13 RBIs OF Reesie Jinks, Fairview Sr. .646 avg., 25 runs, 32 SB OF Onnie Remedies, DeQuincy Fr. .411 avg., 34 RBIs, 12 SB UT Madelyn Nolen, Starks Sr. 12-6, 113 Ks/ .570 avg., 38 RBIs UT Jolie Gary, Vinton Sr. .551 avg., 6 HR, 33 RBIs/ 982/3 IP, 116 Ks UT Addison Hollier, Lacassine So. .490 avg., 22 RBIs, 20 runs UT Jolie West, Oakdale Sr. .565 avg., .643 OBP, 27 RBIs UT Maggie Johnson, Welsh Sr. .407 avg., 16 RBIs, 25 runs MVP — Brianna Fontenot, Kinder COACH OF THE YEAR — Sarah Chaney, Kinder
American Press
14-05-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Iguess gets walk off hit, Greyhounds advance to finals
Welsh's Dane Iguess got a walk off hit Tuesday to give the Greyounds a 7-6 win over DeQuincy in eight innings in the Non-select Division IV semifinals at McMurry Park in Sulphur. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) SULPHUR – Welsh senior Dane Iguess battled through illness on Tuesday in the Non-select Division IV semifinals, but he stayed in the game and got a walk-off hit to send the Greyhounds to the state championship game at the LHSAA state baseball tournament at McMurry Park. With one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Iguess hit a line drive to center field to bring home Grant Haydel, and the No. 2 Greyhounds (23-10) defeated No. 3 DeQuincy (24-12) 7-6. Iguess started the mound and pitched six innings before being relieved. He had to be checked out more than once. He finished with three strikeouts and two walks and allowed three earned runs on seven hits. 'People that were here saw him throwing up his stuff, and he battled through it,' Welsh head coach Caleb Hayes said. 'I think adrenaline, just the moment, and he battled through it. 'He could hardly walk after the game. He's just the ultimate competitor. Just so proud of him and the team for the fight tonight.' Iguess came up big in the seventh inning as well. The Greyhounds were down 5-4 with one out when Iguess singled. He moved to second on Casey Cormier's sacrifice bunt, stole third and scored the tying run on Brecken Haydel's hit to right field. 'I mean, it's never over,' Hayes said. 'I feel like when they took the lead in the seventh, we were kind of hanging our heads. But we got six seniors that kind of took the fight and said, it's not over.' Welsh sophomore Cohen Fontenot's single tied the game at 6-6 with no outs. Welsh will play four-time defending state champion No. 1 Oak Grove in the finals at 2 p.m. today. It is the Greyhounds' first final since falling to Loreauville 12-5 in 2018. 'We're playing the juggernauts, Oak Grove, who are looking to win their fifth straight,' Hayes said. 'It's going to be another freaking battle. We're going to go to war and see what happens.' Welsh looked in control after scoring twice in the fifth inning on a walk and an error to take a 4-1 lead, but Grand Lake rallied twice to take a one-run lead. Andrew Dowden hit a two-run double for a 5-4 lead with two outs in the top of the seventh inning. Dowden went 2 for 4 with two doubles and three RBI. DeQuincy out hit Welsh 11-7, but committed three errors and gave the Greyhounds six extra base runners on walks. Carson Rainwater started on the mound for the Tigers and pitched 6 2/3 innings before being relieved by Grant Rainwater, who ended up taking the loss, with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. Rainwater struck out six batters and walked four. DHS 000 012 21 – 6-11-3 WHS 020 020 12 – 7-7-2 PITCHING: W – Cohen Cormier (2ip, 4h, 3er, 0k, 2bb). L – Grant Rainwater (.1ip, 0h, 2er, 0k, 2bb). TOP HITTERS: DeQuincy – Noah Pettifield 2-4 (2 runs), Andrew Dowden 2-4 (3 RBI, 2 doubles). Welsh – Dane Iguess 2-5 (run, RBI), Brecken Haydel 1-3 (2 RBI). RECORDS: DeQuincy – 24-12. Welsh – 23-10. Baseball State tournament At McMurry Park in Sulphur Championship Best-of-3 series Non-select Division I No. 1 Live Oak (32-6) vs. No. 11 Sam Houston (35-7), Thursday 5:30 p.m., Friday 5:30 p.m., Saturday 5:30 p.m. (if necessary) Division II No. 1 Brusly (35-5) vs. No. 2 North DeSoto (27-13), 2 p.m. Thursday, 2 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday (if necessary) Division III No. 1 Sterlington (33-8) vs. No. 2 Erath (25-11), 11 a.m. Thursday, 11 a.m. Friday, 11 a.m. Saturday (if necessary) Select Division I No. 1 Catholic-Baton Rouge (35-5) vs No. 3 Brother Martin (31-7), 5:30 p.m. Thursday, 5:30 p.m. Friday, 5:30 p.m. Saturday (if necessary) Division II No. 1 Teurlings Catholic (32-4) vs. No. 7 E.D. White (23-18), 2 p.m. Thursday, 2 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday (if necessary) Division III No. 2 University Lab (27-9) vs. No. 4 Catholic-New Iberia (24-11), 11 a.m. Thursday, 11 a.m. Friday, 11 a.m. Saturday (if necessary) Single elimination Semifinals Non-select Division IV No. 1 Oak Grove 4, No. 4 Mangham 2 No. 2 Welsh 7, No. 3 DeQuincy 6, 8 inns. Select Division IV No. 12 Ouachita Christian 12, No. 1 Covenant Christian 7 No. 2 Vermilion Catholic 9, No. 11 Riverside Academy 8 Class B No. 1 Pitkin 4, No. 4 Hicks 1 No. 3 Family Community 6, No. 2 Weston 2 Class C No. 4 Ebarb 18, No. 1 Family Christian 8, 6 inns. No. 2 Harrisonburg 15, No. 3 Maurepas 10 Finals Non-select Division IV, No. 1 Oak Grove (17-12) vs. No. 2 Welsh (23-10), 2 p.m. Wednesday Select Division IV, No. 2 Vermilion Catholic (24-7) vs. No. 12 Ouachita Christian (18-15), 2 p.m. Wednesday Class B, No. 1 Pitkin (22-7) vs. No. 3 Family Community (23-12), 11 a.m. Wednesday Class C, No. 2 Harrisonburg (18-2) vs. No. 4 Ebarb (15-10), 11 a.m. Wednesday
American Press
08-05-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Welsh ends state tournament drought
Welsh's Dane Iguess struck out nine and walked four in six innings to lead the No. 2 Greyounds to a 6-3 win over No. 7 Grand Lake in the Non-select Division IV quarterfinals at Sportsman's Park. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) After coming up short the last two seasons, Welsh finally got over the hump Tuesday and ended its six-year Louisiana High School Athletic Association state tournament drought. No. 2 Welsh staked a claim to an early lead to beat No. 7 Grand Lake 6-3 at Sportsman's Park in the Non-select Division IV quarterfinals. Welsh (22-10) will play the winner out of No. 3 DeQuincy and No. 6 Vinton on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the semifinals at McMurry Park in Sulphur. The Greyhounds lost in the quarterfinals in 2023 and 2024. Welsh scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning with one out and never trailed. Wyatt Kershaw and Cohen Fontenot hit RBI singles, and Brecken Haydel scored on a bases-loaded walk. Dane Iguess won for the fourth time in five starts and held the Hornets (22-8) to three runs on seven hits, and Cohen Cormier pitched a scoreless seventh inning to pick up the save. Iguess had nine strikeouts and four walks. Iguess kept the Hornets scoreless until the sixth inning when Law Faulk hit a base-loaded double to left field with two outs. Faulk's big hit cut the Greyhounds' lead in half, but Iguess snuffed out the rally with a ground out. Grand Lake had a great scoring chance in the second inning after Iguess loaded the bases with two outs on three consecutive walks, but he bounced back with his third strikeout of the inning. Tuesday Quarterfinals Non-select Division IV Welsh 6 Grand Lake 3 GL 000 003 0 – 3-7-2 WHS 321 000 x – 6-6-1 PITCHING: W – Dane Iguess. L – Bransyn Mudd. Sv – Cohen Cormier. TOP HITTERS: Grand Lake – Jaxson Busby 2-2 (run), Law Faulk 1-3 (3 RBI, double). Welsh – Brecken Haydel 2-4 (run, 2 RBI). RECORDS: Grand Lake – 22-8. Welsh – 22-10.
