Latest news with #SamHoustonHighSchool
American Press
6 days ago
- Sport
- American Press
First line of attack: Area's best at run blocking, pass protection
Southwest Louisiana high school football teams had a big year offensively in 2024 with 11 teams scoring more than 30 points a game. And this season could be more of the same with several top linemen returning to push around opponents. Leading the group is 6-foot-4, 300-pound Sam Houston High School junior Albert Simien. He earned 3-5A all-district first team and American Press All-Southwest Louisiana Big School honors as a sophomore for a Broncos offense that averaged 35.1 points and 402.7 yards per game. He has bulked up since last season, gaining 25 pounds. 'He had an unbelievable offseason,' Sam Houston head coach Chad Davis said. 'He has gotten strong as an ox. He played at 275 pounds last year and is 300 now. He has gotten more technical in his run game and pass protection. His wingspan is unbelievable.' Other key offensive linemen to watch include Hadley Hardesty, Keilynn Tanner, Kohl Fulton, Myles Joseph, Tylon Jackson and Marques Brothers. Albert Simien Davis said Simien has offers from LSU, Texas A&M, Alabama, Nebraska, Florida and Michigan, as well as several other Division I schools. He is rated as a four-star prospect by 'It is his motor and physicality,' Davis said. 'He is already big and strong, but his smartness for the game is there. Once he does his job, he is looking for more jobs. That is what everyone likes about him. Once he takes care of his job as a lineman, he is looking for work down the field. 'As long as he shows up every day and sets the tone, everyone follows him. When you have the spotlight on you like that, there is no time to take off. He has done a great job.' Davis said Simien will play on both sides of the ball, but he is familiar with the defensive side. He earned second-team all-district honors as a freshman defensive lineman in 2023. Hadley Hardesty Hardesty, a 6-6, 265-pound senior, looks to protect 2,000-yard passer Brody Anderson for a third consecutive season. Westlake averaged nearly 400 yards a game in their run to the regional round last year. The Rams will be strong up front again with four returning linemen. The two-sport star helped lead the Rams to the Non-select Division III baseball semifinals in May as part of their pitching rotation. Keilynn Tanner Tanner is set to start on the line for the Gators for a fourth consecutive season and is one of 25 seniors looking to lead the team to their first playoff win since 2014. 'He is going to be a force to be reckoned with,' LaGrange head coach Idaibi Ogbanga said. 'Tanner is very serious. 'He got a lot stronger in the offseason. He is just one of those kids that you are blessed to have. He is aggressive and strong as an ox. He moves well. He moves like he is 250 pounds. He has some good footwork.' Kohl Fulton Fulton, a 6-3, 290-pound senior, will carry a heavy load as Iowa's lone returning offensive lineman and keep the program's recent success rolling. In the last three seasons, Iowa has advanced to the semifinals twice and the quarterfinals, compiling a 32-8 record. The three-year starter will be charged with protecting new starting quarterback, Lawston Broussard. Myles Joseph At 6-4, 320 pounds, Joseph can clear a big path for Lake Charles College Prep's high-powered offense that averaged more than 35 points a game last season. He has offers from Central Arkansas, Louisiana-Lafayette and Texas-San Antonio. After an anterior cruciate ligament injury in Week 1 against Westgate sidelined him for the rest of the season, Joseph looks to help anchor the line from left tackle that boasts four returning starters. 'He can play every position on the offensive line, and he is very smart,' LCCP head coach Erick Franklin Sr. said. Tylon Jackson Jackson is a two-way all-district first-team lineman at 5-11 and 265 pounds and is picking up the skills needed to handle Oakdale's move towards a spread offense quickly. The senior is one of four returning starters on the offensive line for the Warriors as they try to bounce back from a 3-8 season. 'He is just a hard-nosed kid that embraces being a lineman,' Oakdale head coach Kevin Bertrand said. 'He loves his job and is a hard worker. He is a leader.' Marques Brothers Brothers, a 6-3, 255-pound senior, will be the leader on Grand Lake's inexperienced offensive line as the lone returning full-time starter. He earned District 4-1A first-team honors last year. 'He is as talented as we have had,' Grand Lake head coach Jeff Wainwright said. 'Bryant (Williams) and Brett (King) have been my best two since I have been at Grand Lake. He has that kind of talent to take over a game, and we can run behind him.'
American Press
08-05-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Another high-stakes game, district rivals Barbe, Sam Houston meet in semis
Sam Houston shortstop Haden Peshoff sets up to tag a Grand Lake base runner on April 9, 2025, at Sam Houston High School. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) State powerhouses Barbe and Sam Houston have played many high-stakes baseball games against each other throughout the years. There have been games with district title implications, plus an 11-inning semifinal and a state championship game that produced some of the most-attended games in state tournament history. Today's game will be the start of something different. Instead of a one-off game, the No. 2 Bucs (34-4) and No. 11 Broncos (30-7) will meet for the first time in a best-of-three playoff series for the right to play in next week's Non-select Division I championship series in Sulphur. 'I am so excited,' Barbe head coach Glenn Cecchini said. 'It is the first time you have a two-out-of-three in the semifinals. 'I am excited that we are getting to play at home. I have the utmost respect for Sam Houston. They are one of the top programs in the state, year in and year out. They have been good for a long time. It is going to be a great series. I love it. It is going to be epic.' Game one starts at 6 p.m. today and Game 2 on at 6 p.m. Friday. The third game, if necessary, will be played at 1 p.m. Saturday. Cecchini said hundreds of seats have been added to the Bucs' stadium in anticipation of a large crowd. Gates will open at 4 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. Tickets can only be purchased online at In 2019, Barbe beat Sam Houston 8-2 in the Class 5A state championship game, then won a 1-0 extra-inning thriller in the semifinals in 2021. The teams split every regular-season game since 2017, until the Bucs won both this season, 1-0 and 5-1. 'I thought both games were competitive,' Sam Houston head coach Chad Hebert said. 'I definitely feel like we missed opportunities in the first game in the regular season, and they just beat us in the second game. 'So I think we'll be fine. We're playing good baseball right now, so I think it'll be a good competitive series.' Hebert said his team will have to take advantage of every hit and baserunner against Bucs' lefties, Jairus Miller and Lawton Little. In the postseason, the pair have been stellar with no runs allowed in 28 innings. Both have more than 100 strikeouts. Miller is 13-0, while Littleton is 10-1 and hasn't given up an earned run in his last five starts. 'We've got to lay off the fastball up,' Hebert said. 'Lawton Littleton really got us on that early in the game at Barbe. 'And then, just against Jairus, we just had some mishaps in that game that kept us off the scoreboard, so just clean those kinds of things up.' Sam Houston left 11 runners stranded against Barbe in the regular season. 'What I stress to our guys, just keep getting in the batter's box, just keep competing,' Hebert said. 'It's not how many hits you get, it's how many times you get the first. And if we can put our foot on first and our foot on the plate, we'll be fine.'
American Press
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- American Press
Brent Lewis Evans II
Brent Lewis Evans II passed away on April 15, 2025, at the age of 45. Brent was known for his sharp, dry sense of humor — a trait proudly inherited from his dad's side of the family. He had a special fondness for Calvin and Hobbes, even gifting his father the complete collection. He also enjoyed the wit of The Far Side comic strip's offbeat humor, bizarre situations and unconventional take on everyday life. He found peace and joy in cooking, especially meals rich with hearty gravies, which he loved to share with friends and family. For Brent, cooking was more than a skill — it was a way to relax, connect, and show love. Brent had a deep and loyal bond with his dogs, Lulu and Izzy, who were his constant companions and cherished friends. Above all, Brent had a generous heart. He never hesitated to help anyone in need, always offering his time, strength, or support without expecting anything in return. At the age of 13, Brent faced a life-threatening medical condition that affected his left leg and required multiple surgeries and long hospital stays. Though the experience left its mark, it never defined him or slowed his spirit. A proud graduate of Sam Houston High School, Class of 1998, Brent worked a variety of jobs over the years — welder, bartender, truck driver, and security guard. He had a passion for hands-on work, especially building and fabricating projects around the house. He loved spending time with friends, his dogs, and at the beach. Brent also had a deep interest in history, especially military history, and he had an incredible memory for details that most people would forget. Brent is survived by his mother, Margaret Rabert Evans; his father, Brent Lewis Evans; his stepmother, Thresea Evans; his sister, Kimberly Shelton; his uncles, Russell Evans and Bruce Evans; his stepsiblings, Blake Thibodeaux and Brandi Mathews; as well as multiple cousins niece and nephews; and his fiancée, Sarahbeth Schexneider. A graveside service will be held at Magnolia Cemetery of Westlake Wednesday, April 23, 2025 at 2 p.m.
