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Mason Hebert has always dreamed of playing football on the collegiate level. On Feb. 5, National Signing Day, his dream came true.
On Wednesday, Hebert signed a letter of intent to play for the Louisiana  Christian University Wildcats in Pineville, La. Enrollment is just under 900 students. Hebert has started for the Erath Bobcats for four years, where he played running back and linebacker.
He is one of two Vermilion Parish athletes to sign a letter of intent on Feb. 5. VC’s Jonathan Dartez signed with Nicholls State in Thibodaux.
On Wednesday, Hebert took photos with family, friends, coaches and the Erath football team.
“The process has been long and tiring,” said Hebert. “Playing at the next level is something I have wanted to do since I was a kid. I am very excited to continue my dream of playing college football at the next level.”
Louisiana Christian University (LCU), a Baptist college, signed a handful of players from the Acadiana area. The school is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and competes in the Sooner Athletic Conference, which is Division III of the NCAA. 
They play in Wildcat Field, which can hold 7,000 spectators.
Last year’s team went 4-7 overall. The Wildcats will play teams from Florida, Texas, and Arkansas.
Last week, Mason and his father, Waylon, visited LCU and were impressed with the school’s academics and athletic facilities. One major benefit of signing with the school is that it is less than two hours from Erath.
“I am big on family. Knowing my family can drive to each home game means a lot. I looked into schools in Arkansas and drove and visited one. That was a long drive.”
Hebert played four years at Erath, with his senior year being both his best and the Bobcats’ best year. The team finished the regular season with an impressive record of 8-1 and advanced to the Class 3A playoffs. Hebert was voted the district’s MVP. Throughout the season, he recorded 71 solo tackles, 42 assisted tackles, two sacks, five quarterback hurries, and one interception.
He rushed for more than 550 yards as a running back this year. 
EHS head football coach Eric LeBlanc, a successful walk-on football player at McNeese State, said Hebert has put in the time and effort to earn a scholarship to LCU.
“To see a kid’s effort that he put in four years and having the opportunity to continue to play football is awesome,” said LeBlanc. “Mason is a great kid, and you look at what he has been able to do in four years; it is amazing.  He loves football and can continue to play it. That is something we want to see as a coach.”
Hebert, a 4.0 student, plans to major in biology to work in medicine. When college begins, Hebert has already accumulated 17 college credit hours at Erath High School.

Vermilion Parish is now the proud home of two National Champion Dance Teams.
Over the weekend, North Vermilion’s Dream Team Dance Team and the Erath Extreme Dance Team won their Varsity Game Day National Championship in Orlando, FL.
Erath is the Medium Varsity Division II Game Day National Champions. 
North Vermilion is the Small Varsity Division II Game Day National Champions.
It is the second year in a row that the Dream Team has won the championship in Game Day.
North Vermilion Dance Team coaches Vandie Davidson and Shamayne Istre said there was some pressure.
“Returning from nationals in 2024 as title winners was an amazing feeling, but it did come with some expectations,” said the NV coaches.
“There is pressure to prove yourself again and that your program is consistent. Our returning girls felt pressure to prove that they could lead their team back to a championship without their graduating seniors and our first year girls felt the pressure of meeting expectation of a champion from day one.”
The coaches said throughout the season, the girls reminded themselves that they are good enough to do it again, and that they needed each other to make it happen.
Davidson said, “I read this quote recently that states, ‘You simply aren’t considered a real champion until you have defended your title successfully…winning it twice proves that you are the best!’
“Those words are what we set out to prove. After earning that title again this year, I think the pressure will lessen a little, but it won’t go away! Dreams are just built differently, they thrive on challenges and they have a drive that will keep them focused on earning that title again,” added Davidson.
However, this was the first time the Erath Extreme Dance Team had won a title. Last year, they finished second in the same event.
Also, the Lady Bobcats finished seventh in the Hip Hop category.
North Vermilion finished ninth in the Small Varsity Division II Hip Hop category.
In the Game Day Division, Erath finished in first place during the first round, allowing them to advance to the second round in front of new judges. However, being in first place after the first round does not guarantee a victory. Last year, although they finished in first place after the first round, they ultimately did not win. In contrast, a team that started in sixth place after the first round moved up to first place and claimed victory last year.
The EHS Extreme Dance team only has two seniors - Mary Grace White and Regan Granger.
“We tried not to expect anything after the first round,” said Granger. “We wanted to go into the second round and perform and make ourselves proud.”
After the second-round performance, White said she got chills when she walked off the stage.
“I felt we did enough to us to be proud,” added White. 
Eleven teams advanced to the finals. The announcer counted down the top eleven finishers, and when they reached the final three, things got intense for Erath. 
It got really intense when there were two teams—Erath and Teurlings. Teurlings had beaten Erath in the regional finals.
“We knew we had to bring it if we wanted to beat Teurlings,” said White. “They were our biggest competition.”
When the announcer said Teurlings finished second, the Lady Bobcat dancers began yelling and jumping for joy.
“It was surreal,” said Granger. “We all began crying. It was the best feeling.”
Erath’s Dance Team has come far in the last four years.
When White and Granger were freshmen, the EHS Extreme Dance Team did not make it to the second round. They advanced to the second round their sophomore year and finished 13th place.
Last year, in their junior year, they finished second, and this year, in their senior year, they brought home the first-place trophy.
“All of the hard work paid off,” said White.