High school football will look a little different in 2019 as the Louisiana High School Athletic Association shuffled the cards with its reclassification for the next few seasons.
Leonard Sampson (76) squares off against an opposing defensive lineman. Sampson is an Academic All-State and earned first team selection to both the All-District and All-Parish squads. Sampson said he enjoyed facing larger opponents, using his speed and strength to neutralize the opponent's size advantage. {Photo courtesy of Golda Sampson}
Leonard Sampson (right) and Marksville Coach J.T. Dunbar proudly display Sampson’s Academic All-State Team award, which he received during the state championship game in the Superdome on Dec. 7.
{Photo courtesy of J.T. Dunbar}
Leonard Sampson
Once upon a time he was the target of bullies. He struggled with asthma. He was shy and withdrawn.
Among the several “teams” announced at the end of the season -- all-state, all-district, all-Cenla and all-parish -- the local one is the one many football fans look for.
Robert Lewis (right, in pre-game warm-ups) was an imposing force on the Avoyelles Mustangs' offensive and defensive lines during his high school football career. The 6-6, 295-pound senior plans to go to college and hopes football can still be a part of his life at that level. {Photo by Raymond L. Daye}
Brody Knott (shown passing as quarterback last year) enjoyed playing a number of positions, including a marauding linebacker that tackled opposing quarterbacks and running backs for losses on many occasions. The 5-8 senior started as the Mustang signal caller when he was a 5-6 8th grader. He spent most of his time on offense this year at halfback. {Photo by Connie Giovanetti}
Brody Knott: “I was pretty much always the smallest one on the field, but I didn’t think about that when I was blocking or on defense. I just hit them and whatever happened after that just happened.”
Robert Lewis: “I’m not worried about who gets the headlines and the credit. I’m just worried about protecting my quarterback and making a hole for the running back.”
If the Avoyelles Mustangs football team could be considered a “pod,” these two would definitely not be considered “two peas.”
Avoyelles Parish 4-H students (from left) Robert Hubbard and Abigail DeLoach, both of Effie and 8th graders at LaSAS, and Anna Gautreaux of Simmesport, an 8th grader at Avoyelles High, were selected for the state 4-H Educational Awards Trip over the Thanksgiving break. {Photo courtesy of Avoyelles Parish 4-H Facebook}
Three Avoyelles Parish 4-H members were selected to attend the annual 4-H Educational Awards Trip to sites in Baton Rouge and New Orleans on Nov. 18-20, during their Thanksgiving break.
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