Sports

Cade Doughty (4) gets a helmet salute from teammate Eric Berry (14) after both runners scored on Doughty’s two-run home run in the top of the first inning in LSU’s 8-4 loss to Southern Miss on Sunday, June 5. (Gazette photo by Tony Marks)

Cade Doughty (4) gets a helmet salute from teammate Eric Berry (14) after both runners scored on Doughty’s two-run home run in the top of the first inning in LSU’s 8-4 loss to Southern Miss on Sunday, June 5. (Gazette photo by Tony Marks)

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Wrecked regional

News Staff
Thursday, June 9, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor HATTIESBURG, Miss. — It was all there for LSU to take advantage of in the Hattiesburg Regional. After winning its first two games, LSU simply had to dispose of top-seeded Southern Miss in one of two games to advance and host a Super Regional at Alex Box Stadium.
Sports Headline

Sports Headline

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LT, SELU drop regionals to end year

News Staff
Thursday, June 9, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor Luck wasn’t on the side of either the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs or Southeastern Louisiana Lions this past weekend in their respective Regional brackets.
The 2022 Ville Platte Gazette’s Most Valuable Player, Ville Platte’s Leslie Foreman, is pictured above. He helped lead the Bulldogs to a playoff berth for the first time in 25 years. (Photo by Nick Jagneaux)

The 2022 Ville Platte Gazette’s Most Valuable Player, Ville Platte’s Leslie Foreman, is pictured above. He helped lead the Bulldogs to a playoff berth for the first time in 25 years. (Photo by Nick Jagneaux)

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Baseball MVP Foreman used hardship as spark for growth

News Staff
Monday, June 6, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor VILLE PLATTE – No one hates an underdog story. It’s ingrained in all of us to root for the ones who struggle. We’re wired to see people rise up and give their best and rock the boat.
The 2022 Ville Platte Gazette’s Coach of the Year for baseball hails from Pine Prairie High School. Panther head coach Colton Chaddrick (left) led his team to another strong season in his first year as coach. (Photo submitted)

The 2022 Ville Platte Gazette’s Coach of the Year for baseball hails from Pine Prairie High School. Panther head coach Colton Chaddrick (left) led his team to another strong season in his first year as coach. (Photo submitted)

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Chaddrick’s vision begins with assistants, learning on fly

News Staff
Monday, June 6, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor PINE PRAIRIE – Colton Chaddrick made the decision to step right into the fire. With no prior experience as a head coach at the high school level, Chaddrick stepped up last summer to lead the Pine Prairie baseball program.
The 2022 Ville Platte Gazette’s Most Valuable Player, Mamou’s Taylor Douget, is pictured above. She helped lead the Lady Green Demons to a first round playoff win in Class 3A. (Photo courtesy of Claudia Bateman)

The 2022 Ville Platte Gazette’s Most Valuable Player, Mamou’s Taylor Douget, is pictured above. She helped lead the Lady Green Demons to a first round playoff win in Class 3A. (Photo courtesy of Claudia Bateman)

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Parish MVP Douget reflects on team success in final year

News Staff
Thursday, June 2, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor MAMOU – In a lot of ways, the story of the Parish MVP in softball is one that runs parallel with that of five other girls.
The 2022 Ville Platte Gazette’s Coach of the Year for softball hails from Mamou High School. Lady Green Demon head coach Kim Manuel led her team to another postseason appearance. (Gazette file photo)

The 2022 Ville Platte Gazette’s Coach of the Year for softball hails from Mamou High School. Lady Green Demon head coach Kim Manuel led her team to another postseason appearance. (Gazette file photo)

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Softball COY Manuel sees game on higher level

News Staff
Thursday, June 2, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor MAMOU – One thing is clear when speaking to softball Coach of the Year Kim Manuel, softball is much more than a sport to her. It’s a microcosm of life. An opportunity to teach the bigger picture and help kids see it through something they love.
Manuel

Manuel

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Verlander’s world

News Staff
Tuesday, May 31, 2022
With the way people were talking heading into this season, you would’ve sworn that Astros veteran pitcher Justin Verlander was destined for a fate similar to that of an old Boyz II Men song.
Sacred Heart pitcher Briggs Ardoin will represent the Trojans as a member of the West All-Star team in games played at Southeastern. (Photo courtesy of Sacred Heart High School of Ville Platte Trojans Baseball Facebook page)

Sacred Heart pitcher Briggs Ardoin will represent the Trojans as a member of the West All-Star team in games played at Southeastern. (Photo courtesy of Sacred Heart High School of Ville Platte Trojans Baseball Facebook page)

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All-Star Trojan

News Staff
Thursday, May 26, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor VILLE PLATTE – After a standout junior season, Sacred Heart pitcher/outfielder Briggs Ardoin will have the opportunity to prove himself among the best underclass baseball players in the state.
Manuel

Manuel

It’s hard not to love Louisiana

News Staff
Thursday, May 26, 2022
Whether you’ve lived here or visited here, it’s impossible to not fall in love with at least some aspects of the state. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow used it as a setting for his epic poem Evangeline (partially my daughter’s namesake.) It’s been the setting for many films over the years, as well.
The Cubs won the city championship in the Majors division of Ville Platte Dixie Youth. Pictured with their coaches Nicholas Fontenot and Tibby Figueiredo are team members Jax Fontenot, Brecken Figueiredo, Liam Vidrine, Landon Fontenot, Gage Berard, Dietrich Lavan Jr., Andre Morein, Brant Lejeune, Rhett Guillory, Noah Nicks, Nicholas Soileau, and Brayden McClaskey. (Photo courtesy of Nicholas Fontenot)

The Cubs won the city championship in the Majors division of Ville Platte Dixie Youth. Pictured with their coaches Nicholas Fontenot and Tibby Figueiredo are team members Jax Fontenot, Brecken Figueiredo, Liam Vidrine, Landon Fontenot, Gage Berard, Dietrich Lavan Jr., Andre Morein, Brant Lejeune, Rhett Guillory, Noah Nicks, Nicholas Soileau, and Brayden McClaskey. (Photo courtesy of Nicholas Fontenot)

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All-Star season gears up for Ville Platte teams

News Staff
Monday, May 23, 2022
By: RHETT MANUEL Sports Editor VILLE PLATTE – It’s a time of year where young children of all ages get a taste of the fruits of hard work in Evangeline Parish. Baseball and softball season.
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