High School Sports

Mamou senior Andre Tate throws a pitch in relief of starter Matt Fontenot. Fontenot went 5.1 innings on the mound and was touched up for seven earned runs on 11 hits. Tate threw the final 1.2 innings and only allowed three unearned runs, three hits, and three walks. (Gazette photo by Tony Marks)

Mamou senior Andre Tate throws a pitch in relief of starter Matt Fontenot. Fontenot went 5.1 innings on the mound and was touched up for seven earned runs on 11 hits. Tate threw the final 1.2 innings and only allowed three unearned runs, three hits, and three walks. (Gazette photo by Tony Marks)

Foreman, Veillon propel VPHS baseball in win

News Staff
Thursday, April 21, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor Ville Platte 5, Avoyelles 2 The two-headed pitching monster of Leslie Foreman and Bastian Veillon continued to provide crucial stability to the Bulldogs on Monday. Foreman collected the win in five innings of work and Veillon worked the final two innings.
Manuel

Manuel

LHSAA’s new NIL stance is a slippery slope

News Staff
Thursday, April 14, 2022
One of my favorite sports books of all-time is Bruce Feldman’s 2007 release Meat Market. Meat Market gave the reader, at the time, an in-depth look at the “smash-mouth world of college football recruiting.
Ville Platte High baseball player Robert Anderson (17) waits for a pitch from Sacred Heart starting pitcher Jackson Bruney (8) in the diamond version of the Tee Cotton Bowl on Friday, April 8. (Gazette photo by Rhett Manuel)

Ville Platte High baseball player Robert Anderson (17) waits for a pitch from Sacred Heart starting pitcher Jackson Bruney (8) in the diamond version of the Tee Cotton Bowl on Friday, April 8. (Gazette photo by Rhett Manuel)

World Series of Cotton

News Staff
Thursday, April 14, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor VILLE PLATTE – Things appeared to be going well for the Bulldogs through the first half of last Friday’s Tee Cotton matchup between Ville Platte and Sacred Heart. Eventually, control from the mound cost Ville Platte dearly.
Catherine Larson (12) sets her eyes on Sacred Heart head softball coach Todd Ardoin, who coaches third base, as she rounds the second base bag in a 15-0 win over Westgate. (Gazette photo by Tony Marks)

Catherine Larson (12) sets her eyes on Sacred Heart head softball coach Todd Ardoin, who coaches third base, as she rounds the second base bag in a 15-0 win over Westgate. (Gazette photo by Tony Marks)

How the West(gate) was won

News Staff
Monday, April 11, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor VILLE PLATTE —On a day where Sacred Heart School honored its two senior softball players, Jenna McFarlain and Jenna Estilette, and statistician, Kali Fontenot, it was almost poetic that the torch was passed in the way it was.
Ville Platte’s Sam Walker (10) stands tall in the batters’ box. (Gazette photo by Rhett Manuel)

Ville Platte’s Sam Walker (10) stands tall in the batters’ box. (Gazette photo by Rhett Manuel)

Early burst leads VPHS to district upset of PPHS

News Staff
Monday, April 11, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor PINE PRAIRIE — They certainly didn’t make it easy on themselves in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Ville Platte Bulldogs used seven runs scored in the first three innings to hold on to a 10-8 road upset of the Pine Prairie Panthers on Thursday night.
Sports Headline

Sports Headline

Arnold, Ashworth representing SHS at all-star game

News Staff
Monday, April 11, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor VILLE PLATTE – It’s been a difficult journey for Sacred Heart’s Zeph Arnold in his high school career. But when the smoke cleared after it all, Arnold will be honored among the best players in Louisiana.
VP Track

VP Track

Champions of the track

News Staff
Thursday, April 7, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor BASILE – It was business as usual for both the Ville Platte boys and girls track programs last Friday at Basile High. The Bulldogs swept the festivities and were crowned Evangeline Parish champions in both meets held at Hanson Field.
Panther pitcher Colin Ardoin (13) finishes his follow through motions after delivering a pitch earlier this season. (Gazette photo by Tony Marks)

Panther pitcher Colin Ardoin (13) finishes his follow through motions after delivering a pitch earlier this season. (Gazette photo by Tony Marks)

Iota sweeps district games over Panthers of Pine Prairie

News Staff
Thursday, April 7, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor PINE PRAIRIE – In District 5-3A, two teams had set themselves apart throughout the year heading into a crucial two-game swing that could ultimately determine the district championship.
Kenzie Stevens (11) takes a swing at the plate in recent action for her Ville Platte Lady Bulldog softball team. (Gazette photo by Rhett Manuel)

Kenzie Stevens (11) takes a swing at the plate in recent action for her Ville Platte Lady Bulldog softball team. (Gazette photo by Rhett Manuel)

Pine Prairie softball highlights parish action with split against Mamou

News Staff
Thursday, April 7, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor Pine Prairie 7, Mamou 5 Alaina Boutte’s fifth inning homer provided the spark the Lady Panthers needed to push past Mamou in district play. That homer proved pivotal despite Pine Prairie giving up three runs in the fifth inning to Mamou.
Sacred Heart’s Austin Darbonne has been named the 2022 Ville Platte Gazette’s Most Valuable Player for boys’ basketball in Evangeline Parish. Roberts was also the co-MVP for District 5-1A the season in which he scored the 1,000th point of his career. (Gazette photo by Tony Marks)

Sacred Heart’s Austin Darbonne has been named the 2022 Ville Platte Gazette’s Most Valuable Player for boys’ basketball in Evangeline Parish. Roberts was also the co-MVP for District 5-1A the season in which he scored the 1,000th point of his career. (Gazette photo by Tony Marks)

Hard work plus 1,000 points spurs Darbonne to MVP

News Staff
Monday, April 4, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor VILLE PLATTE – Every coach likes to think they have the hardest-working kid in their program. Their kid is busting their hump to finish first in wind sprints. Their guy is grinding hardest in the weight room. They’ve got the guy who studies film the hardest.
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