RSS Feed

Vermilion Catholic turned in a complete performance Monday night, rolling to a 10–0 victory over Highland Baptist Christian behind a dominant outing on the mound from Will Simon.
Simon controlled the game from the start and never allowed Highland Baptist to generate any momentum. The right-hander tossed five hitless innings, striking out eight and issuing just one walk in an efficient performance that powered the Eagles to the run-rule victory.
Vermilion Catholic struck first in the opening inning. Matthew Mollere singled to center field and later scored when Cruz Hebert grounded out, giving the Eagles an early 1–0 lead.
The Eagles extended their advantage in the third inning. Jacob Dubois reached on a walk and courtesy runner Sam Wright promptly stole second. Dominic Gautreaux then moved the runner to third with a ground ball, setting up a well-executed sacrifice bunt by Mollere. Simon followed with a walk before Hebert delivered a double down the right-field line that scored courtesy runner Trevin Hebert, pushing the lead to 3–0.
Vermilion Catholic broke the game open in the fourth inning. Aidan Bertrand singled to center field and James Bradley was hit by a pitch before Dubois laid down a sacrifice to the pitcher, moving both runners into scoring position. Gautreaux then singled to center field to drive in two runs. After stealing second and third, Gautreaux later scored on a wild pitch. Mollere also walked and stole third before coming home on Hebert’s sacrifice fly, extending the Eagles’ lead to 7–0.
The Eagles closed out the game in the fifth inning. With two outs, Bradley reached on an error and Dubois drew a walk. Gautreaux was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. Mollere followed with an infield single to shortstop that scored Bradley. Simon then lined a single to shortstop, bringing home courtesy runner Sam Wright. Gautreaux slipped around third as the defense attempted a play at the plate, scoring the final run and securing the 10-run rule victory for Vermilion Catholic.
Mollere led the Eagles at the plate with two hits, while Bertrand, Cruz Hebert, Simon and Gautreaux each added one.
Gautreaux, Bradley and Mollere scored two runs apiece. Hebert drove in three runs to lead the team, followed by Gautreaux and Mollere with two RBIs each.
Vermilion Catholic’s aggressive base running also played a key role. The Eagles stole 10 bases in the contest, with Gautreaux, Mollere, Wright and Trevin Hebert each recording two steals.
With the win, Vermilion Catholic continues to build momentum as it prepares for its next matchup Tuesday in Alexandria 5A before opening district play Thursday at Ascension Episcopal in Youngsville. Both games are scheduled to start at 6 p.m.

The Abbeville Wildcats halted a six-game losing streak on Monday with an 8-3 victory over the Northwest Raiders at Roy Theriot Field.
The Wildcats (6-11) entered the contest fresh off a weekend sweep courtesy of Morgan City. The Tigers outscored Abbeville 42-14 in the three-game series.
Abbeville has a power ranking of No. 30 in Division II Non-Select. Northwest (5-12) has a power ranking of No. 28.
AHS head coach Jeff Stephens is proud of the way his team responded to the losing streak.
“We played the kind of baseball that we’re capable of playing,” Stephens said. “It was nice to see the guys play together and compete. We have a great group of kids who really enjoy playing baseball. When they do it the right way, it’s really fun.”
“Baseball is a hard sport. It’s hard to show up every day. But these guys continue to do it. Whether we win or lose, they continue to show up. They’re not going to fold, and that’s what it takes to be a good ball player.”
The Wildcats also finished a game against Northwest that had been suspended due to darkness on February 16th. Play resumed in the bottom of the seventh with one out and Abbeville ahead 15-13. They quickly recorded the final two outs to win the game.
Stephens sees his team getting better every day, and that quick ending was a testament to that improvement. By April, he expects the Wildcats to be a tough out.
“We’ve been talking a lot about cleaning up our game,” Stephens said. “I think the guys are finally starting to see it. They’re starting to understand the game within the game. We still have a lot of work to do and a lot of baseball to play, but I think we’re tracking in the right direction.”
Senior righty Braylon Himel started on the bump for Abbeville and went the distance. He took a shutout into the seventh before allowing one earned run on five hits and no walks while fanning eight.
Himel was also a force at the plate. The leadoff hitter had a double, an RBI, two walks, three runs, and three stolen bases to drive the Wildcat offense. He scored on an error in the first inning and on a wild pitch in the second to put the Wildcats ahead 2-0 early.
Himel led off the fourth inning with a double and later scored on an error to make it 3-0 before an Oatlon Smith RBI groundout scored Deylon Joseph and Nathan Daniels scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-0 after four.
Himel drove a sacrifice fly to centerfield in the fifth that scored Smith before Darrell Davis and Joseph scored on wild pitches to make it 8-0 after five.
The Raiders scored three times in the seventh before Himel shut the door. Dwight Pelican had a two-RBI double, and Ethan Jenkins had two hits to lead Northwest.
Abbeville hosted Beachman’s Academy on Tuesday. They finish the week at home against A.J. Ellender on Friday.

The Kaplan Lady Pirates have now won three straight, beating Cecilia 16-5 and Chalmette 7-2 on Saturday.
In the win over Chalmette, Gabrielle Braus hit two home runs and drove in four for Kaplan.
She homered in the third and fifth innings.
In the bottom of the second, Kadey Duhon tripled, scoring two runs.
Lexi Greene pitched five innings and allowed five hits and two runs for the win.
In the big win over Cecilia, Lexie Greene drove in six runs on four hits.
She hit a home run that scored three runs, a double in the second that scored two more runs, and a single in the first inning that scored a run.
Braus hit a solo home run. She has now hit three home runs in two games.
Kadey Duhon doubled, scoring two runs.
Kaplan (7-4) is No. 4 Division III Non-Select power rankings.

Vermilion Parish Sheriff Eddie Langlinais announces the consolidation and rebranding of the Sheriff’s Office Investigative Support Unit (ISU) and Information Technology (IT) divisions into the newly formed Technology Support Unit (TSU).
Sheriff Langlinais fulfilled a campaign promise by establishing the Investigative Support Unit (ISU) shortly after taking office in July 2024. Initially staffed by one deputy, the Unit supported investigations and monitored camera systems across Vermilion and surrounding parishes. With the addition of camera trailers and video-capable drones, the ISU
expanded its operations, grew its team, and was later restructured to combine with the Information Technology department, enhancing both investigative and technological capabilities.
Sheriff Langlinais stated that this restructuring reflects the evolving technological demands of modern law enforcement and unifies all technology-related operations under a single, coordinated command structure. The creation of the Technology Support Unit enhances operational efficiency, improves coordination across divisions, and ensures that the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office remains at the forefront of innovation in public safety.
The Technology Support Unit will oversee all technological operations for VPSO, including the administration of the Sheriff’s Office Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) program, which operates a fleet of four drones used for search and rescue operations, crime scene documentation, and tactical support. The TSU is responsible for UAS maintenance, pilot training, and compliance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations.
The Unit also manages VPSO’s mobile surveillance and traffic safety fleet, consisting of four mobile camera trailers used for crime deterrence and event monitoring, with additional units currently in production, as well as two speed trailers that support traffic enforcement and public safety initiatives. Responsibilities include equipment maintenance, deployment coordination, and data management.
Oversight of all video surveillance systems falls under the TSU, including security camera operations, system monitoring and maintenance, and the management and retrieval of video evidence. The unit further administers the agency’s communications infrastructure, including radio system maintenance, programming, and emergency communications support.
A significant function of the Technology Support Unit is in-house software development and maintenance. The Sheriff’s Office develops and manages numerous custom law enforcement applications that support accounting, financial management, evidence tracking, timesheet reporting, policy management, and other operational needs. The continued development of new, agency-specific applications eliminates costly recurring licensing, maintenance, and vendor support fees, allowing taxpayer dollars to be redirected toward additional public safety priorities.
In addition, the TSU oversees the agency’s network infrastructure, including fiber optic and ethernet network design, installation, maintenance, and security optimization. The Sheriff’s Office operates its own data center, with the TSU responsible for internal server administration, workstation deployment and lifecycle support, data backup systems, secure storage, and disaster recovery operations.
Sheriff Langlinais emphasized the importance of this transition, stating:
“The formation of the Technology Support Unit reflects our commitment to using technology to better serve and protect Vermilion Parish. By investing in mobile surveillance, drone capabilities, and a self-managed data center—and by developing our own software in-house—we improve efficiency, reduce taxpayer costs, and strengthen our ability to meet the demands of modern law enforcement.”
Sheriff Langlinais added that the establishment of the Technology Support Unit ensures the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office remains technologically advanced, fiscally responsible, and fully prepared to serve the citizens of Vermilion Parish.