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The No. 15-ranked Abbeville Wildcats won their fifth-consecutive game Friday and avenged their last loss with a 45-40 victory over the No. 27 St. Martinville Tigers.
While head coach Trevor Eaton thought his team played well, he thanked the Abbeville Lady Cats for inspiring them.
“The girls set the tone for the day by putting themselves in prime position to be the champions of District 5-3A,” Eaton said. “Our guys said if they can do it, we can do it too. And that’s exactly what they did. They came out and executed the game plan. The whole team stepped up and played a great game.”
Abbeville (16-12, 4-1) built a 19-14 second-quarter lead behind Trentin Cormier’s third three of the first half. They expanded it to 22-14 before the Tigers closed the half on a 4-0 run to make it 22-18 at the break.

The Wildcats started the second half on an 8-2 run to claim a 30-20 lead with 2:52 left in the third. Cormier’s fourth three of the game made it 33-24 heading into the fourth.
St. Martinville (11-14, 4-1) began the fourth quarter on an 8-2 run to get within 35-32 with five minutes left on the clock. The Wildcats answered with a 6-2 run to push the lead back to 41-34 with 3:12 to play.
The Tigers battled back, getting as close as 43-40 with a minute to play. Chayson Gray made two free throws with 11.1 seconds remaining to provide the final margin.
“That snow break benefitted us more than anyone in the state,” Eaton said. “We had plateaued. That break gave us a refresher. It let the kids know they can’t take this for granted because at any moment it can be taken from them. They came out this week and really showed how much they love the game of basketball.”

Cormier and Gray led the Wildcats with 12 points each. Cameron Samuels tossed in eight while Roderick Cunningham and Kobe Vital each dropped four. Jacolby Campbell added three points while Nigel Baudoin scored two.

Abbeville traveled to Erath on Tuesday. They will host ARCA on Friday.

LAKE CHARLES - North Vermilion Lady Patriots head coach Jack LeBlanc is always looking for ways to improve the girls’ basketball team. 
In mid-January, he saw a way. He added the Class 5A Barbe Lady Buccaneers (24-3) to the schedule. Barbe is off to a great start and is ranked in the top five of the Division I Power rankings. 
On Monday, the Lady Patriots, on a 21-game winning streak and ranked No. 3 in the Division II power rankings,  traveled to Barbe High to battle the Lady Buccaneers in preparation for what is about to be the most challenging part of their schedule.
The Lady Patriots’ (21-2) next three opponents have a combined record of 46-20. They travel to Teurlings Catholic (16-7) on  Friday, entertain St. Thomas More (14-7) on Tuesday and end the regular season on the road against Rayne (16-6).
The odds are the Lady Patriots’ next three opponents are not going to be as good as Barbe. North Vermilion’s 21-game winning streak came to an end, falling to Barbe 58-25. It was NV’s first loss since Nov. 19, when Oberlin won 61-57 to open the season.
“This is why I scheduled Barbe,” said LeBlanc. “Once we got to the point where we were winning so many games before we played Teurlings and St. Thomas More, they (NV) needed a test. Do I think Barbe is 33 points better than us? Probably not, but when you make eight three-pointers in the first half, their confidence was sky high, and our confidence was done.”
Barbe put the game away in the first quarter, nailing eight six 3-pointers and only two- 2-pointers to take a 24-8 lead.
The closest the Lady Patriots got to Barbe was 90 seconds into the game when Kenzie Marceaux made a jumper to make it an 8-4 game. 
Three minutes later, Barbe led 19-5.  Ava Denais ended Barbe’s 11-0 run with a three-pointer at the 2:42 mark in the first period. She finished the game with seven points.
Barbe led 40-17 at halftime.
The second half was not much better for the Lady Patriots. In fact, they did not make a bucket in the third period. The only two points they scored were two free throws by Reagan Semien. 
North Vermilion’s first bucket of the second half happened with three minutes left in the game.   Chloe LeBlanc made a layup. Lady Patriots’ Ashanté Rose and Emme Kelly also made baskets in the fourth quarter. 
Coach LeBlanc said playing a team like Barbe was a good experience for his squad. “We have not had to struggle for a while. That struggle now will help us in the long run of what we are trying to do.”

In a display of unity and purpose, Vermilion Catholic senior students and parents embarked on an unforgettable journey to Washington, D.C., to participate in the annual March for Life National march.
This meaningful trip, led by retired principal Mike Guilbeaux and his wife, Anne, has been a cherished tradition for the past 14 years.
Highlighting the trip was a poignant moment at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where four distinguished seniors had the honor of laying a wreath.
These students, Jonathan Dartez, Marley Moore, Ryan Shelton, and Hudson Hebert, were chosen to represent their school in this solemn ceremony.
Each student brought a unique connection to service and leadership, underscoring the values of their community. Jonathan Dartez, whose father served in the National Guard, and Marley Moore, the daughter of police officer Trevon Moore, carried forward their family legacies of dedication. Hudson Hebert, the senior class president, and Ryan Shelton added to the tribute of respect and remembrance.
The journey began in the vibrant city of New York, where the group paid their respects at the 9/11 Museum and enjoyed the cultural richness of a Broadway play.
From there, they traveled through the historic streets of Philadelphia and Maryland, absorbing the rich tapestry of American history and visiting historical Catholic churches, before reaching their final destination in Washington, D.C.

July 16, 1954 - January 27, 2025

ABBEVILLE — Funeral Services for Mr. Francis Roger Trahan, 70, will be held at Frioux-David Funeral Home of Abbeville on Saturday, February 1, 2025 at 11 a.m. with Pastor Ryan Johnson officiating. Burial will follow at Graceland Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at Frioux-David Funeral Home of Abbeville on Friday, January 31, 2025 from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. Visitation will resume on Saturday, February 1, 2025 from 8 a.m. until the time of services.
A native of Abbeville, Mr. Francis passed away on Monday, January 27, 2025. He liked being outdoors and going fishing. He enjoyed all sports and had a special place in his heart for LSU football. Above all, he loved spending time with his family.
He is survived by his children, Daphne Broussard and her husband David, Brian Baudoin, Candy Sanders, Celeste Meche and her husband Scotty, Francis Trahan, and Laramie Trahan; his grandchildren, Roland Campbell, Dillon Sonnier, Scotty Meche, Jr. and his wife Andrea, Bradley Meche, Katelynn Zamora and her husband Gael, Brenden Meche, Sophie Trahan, Emily Clary and her husband Hays, Bailey Baudoin, Chloe Primeaux and her wife Madison, Jillian Baudoin, and Gavin Trahan and his wife Allie; his great grandchildren, Cohen Trahan, Carsen Trahan, Wyatt Meche, and Liliana Campbell; and his siblings, Michael Trahan, Malcom Trahan and his wife Sendie, Riley Trahan and his wife Bonnie, and Jimmy Trahan.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Mouton Trahan; his parents, Francis Trahan and Elodie Frederick Trahan; and his siblings, Wilbert Trahan, Steve Trahan, Rickey Trahan, Judy Robicheaux, and Patsy Roche.
Serving as pallbearers will be Michael Trahan, Bradly Meche, Malcom Trahan, Laramie Trahan, Natasha Trahan, and Scotty Meche, Jr.
Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Riley Trahan, Brenden Meche, David Roche, and Gael Zamora.
You may sign the guest register book and express condolences online at www.davidfunealhome.org
Frioux-David Funeral Home of Abbeville 2600 Charity St. (337)893-3777 will be handling the arrang