Sports

The Lake Charles Gumbeaux Gators announce the hiring of Barry Manuel as head coach for the upcoming 2025 season.(Submitted photo)

The Lake Charles Gumbeaux Gators announce the hiring of Barry Manuel as head coach for the upcoming 2025 season.(Submitted photo)

Barry Manuel named head coach of Gumbeaux Gators

LAKE CHARLES — The Lake Charles Gumbeaux Gators are excited to announce the hiring of Barry Manuel as the team’s head coach for the 2025 season. A native of Mamou, Manuel’s baseball career began at Mamou High School before continuing at Louisiana State University under the legendary Skip Bertman.
LSUE’s Simone Clay sets up a shot. (LSUE photo)

LSUE’s Simone Clay sets up a shot. (LSUE photo)

Bengals cruise past Centenary to start homestand

LSU Eunice Women’s Basketball started fast and never looked back, taking an emphatic 97-38 decision over Centenary College JV on Monday at the HPRE Center. The Bengals’ (5-4) 59-point win was the program’s largest margin of victory since a 67-point blowout of Lone Star-Cy Fair on January 20, 2018.

Lady Bengals off to losing start

The LSU Eunice women’s basketball team is off to a so-so start under first-year head coach Rob Beckmann. The Lady Bengals, who play in Division I in Region 23 of the National Junior College Athletic Association, are off to a 4-4 start.

ELTL Team Pitre takes the lead in 11th week of play

After 11 weeks of play, Team Pitre is at 208 points and Team R&B is standing at 158 points. On Court 1, There were no matches played. On Court 2, Team Pitre won by a forfeit.
St. Edmund’s Caroline Lavergne sets up a play in the game with Eunice High on Tuesday. In the background is Lady Jay Aubrie LeJeune and Lady Cat Simone Lewis. (Photo by Rhett Manuel)

St. Edmund’s Caroline Lavergne sets up a play in the game with Eunice High on Tuesday. In the background is Lady Jay Aubrie LeJeune and Lady Cat Simone Lewis. (Photo by Rhett Manuel)

Lady Jays pour on points in basketball season starts

With a team laden with upperclassmen, the St. Ed’s Lady Jays basketball team has kicked off their 2024-2025 season with a perfect start.
Basile Bearcats stop an Elton runner in a playoff game Friday. Elton won 22-18. (Photo by Rhett Manuel)

Basile Bearcats stop an Elton runner in a playoff game Friday. Elton won 22-18. (Photo by Rhett Manuel)

Elton ends Basile season

By Rhett Manuel Sports Editor The old sports adage is that it’s extremely difficult to beat a team twice in the same season.
Akeviona Monday, a junior, dropped in 22 points for the Lady Cats in a winning effort against Pine Prairie.

Akeviona Monday, a junior, dropped in 22 points for the Lady Cats in a winning effort against Pine Prairie.

Lady Cats break scoring pause; Bobcats purr big in win

By Rhett Manuel Sports Editor It’s very hard to take too much from a season-opener. Teams are never fully formed in the first game of the season, especially in basketball. There are rotations to be worked out and fine-tuned as the season goes on.

Athletic Association’s fumble fouled up playoff season

By Rhett Manuel Sports Editor It’s no secret that in the sports world, for everyone that is doing things with integrity and with best interests in mind there is also a schemester, scoundrel or scheister who is trying to pull the wool over people’s eyes. For every Nick Saban there’s a Bobby Petrino.

Bobcats emerge from a 2-8 season with some strengths

The adage goes that it’s always darkest before the dawn. For the Eunice Bobcats, an abnormally down season where the team finished 2-8 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2003 will hopefully represent the last time the program is talking about this type of dip for the next 20 years.