When the Captain Shreve Lady Gators gather around to watch game film of their Thursday night fracas with Natchitoches Central in the LHSAA Class 5A Marsh Madness semifinal, it’s not going to look very pretty.
While the experience of the Lady Chiefs on this stage had a lot to do with it, the Lady Gators played probably their worst game of the season on the biggest stage and ended their historical 2017-18 run with a 49-41 loss.
“It was definitely a grind,” Shreve coach Keith Greene said. “We could get to the basket, but we couldn’t make a layup – and we couldn’t make free throws. But I’m proud of where this program has moved to.”
An 18-point fourth quarter lead nearly evaporated during an emotional Thursday evening at The Swamp, but the Captain Shreve girls survived Sam Houston to earn a 71-70 victory and a berth in the LHSAA Class 5A state tournament.
It seems like Gators and Marsh Madness would be a perfect fit, but this will mark the first time in program history they have reached the semifinals.
“It’s still amazing,” a near-speechless Kennedi Heard of Captain Shreve said. “We’re in the final four, bro. We’ve never done this before.”
It certainly wasn’t easy. Sam Houston hit 16 3-pointers, including a half-court heave at the final buzzer. However, 4 seconds prior, Heard hit a clutch free throw to secure a date with Natchitoches Central in the semifinals on Thursday (6:15 p.m.) in Alexandria.
This re-writing history business is getting to be a regular thing with the Captain Shreve Lady Gators.
Maybe they should consider putting out their own book – a who’s who of girls’ high school basketball, because it seems every night there’s a new chapter written by a different author on the court.
In Monday’s 66-59 victory over scrappy Ruston, it was little Jalia Redd who stepped up to move her team into the uncharted waters of the LHSAA Class 5A state quarterfinals. Never been there before – no big deal for a Lady Gators squad that had never won a district title or a playoff game until last season – then made it consecutive district titles for the first time this year.
Heading into his senior season, Captain Shreve’s Demond Hill cared about one thing: playing on the Gators basketball team for one more season. That was until a health condition benched the 18-year-old. Unlike many who may look at the negatives of their situation, Demond decided to dwell on the positives.
“It breaks my heart because I just want to play. I just love to play basketball,” explained Hill.
“I try to put the football in his hand, he would throw that down and pick up the basketball. I said no, get the football, he would throw it down and get the basketball,” added Demond’s mother Brenda Hill.
Last year, the Captain Shreve girls basketball team was one of the feel-good stories in the area. The Lady Gators won a district championship and the first playoff game in program history.
This season, Captain Shreve again topped District 1-5A and garnered the No. 6 seed in the Class 5A playoffs. However, the mindset around the Swamp isn’t the same.
Kennedi Heard was bouncing along quite nicely in her high school basketball career playing third fiddle to team leaders Dezyre Black and Aaliyah Stevenson when the unexpected happened.
Two of the key cogs in Captain Shreve’s historic run to the District 1-5A title last season, the first for the Lady Gators, Black and Stevenson went down with knee injuries and sat on the sidelines most of this season. Heard got a call to visit coach Keith Greene to talk about stepping up her play.
She wasn’t necessarily ready for that, but what’s a girl to do.
On February 7, five Gator football players signed with their respective colleges, ensuring their place on the college football teams. The signing was filled with people eager to see the players sign the papers that would continue their athletic career and take them to a whole new level of athletics. Family members stood behind them, smiles on their faces, as each player stood up and gave a short statement before uncapping the blue pen that would determine their future in athletics. Friends, coaches, and fellow football players were also there, surrounding the green and gold signing table to watch, support, and celebrate with the recruits.
Three student council members, Javin Bowman, Maddie Young, and Georgia Hilburn, received an award at this year’s Louisiana Association of Student Council Convention, also known as LASC.
“If you’re asking what LASC is, it’s indescribable, it’s something you have to just come be a part of but if I could sum it up in one word, it would be family,” Javin Bowman said.
Georgia Hilburn, a junior and a member of the student council, was chosen to be BESE Student Advisor after going through an application, essay, and interview process.
“It’s the same position Javin held last year,” Georgia Hilburn said. “But it’s the first time one school has ever held it for two consecutive years.”
To be able to receive this opportunity, Hilburn had to reach certain requirements like, being a member of the student council, attending student council workshop and convention, etc, and the position comes with a responsibility.
“Basically, though I do not hold a vote, I attend BESE meetings in Baton Rouge and represent all public school elementary through high school students in LA. 4,” Hilburn said.
Javin Bowman and Maddie Young also received the Dale Hawley Leadership award at the LASC Convention.
“It is the highest award given for student council leadership in the nation,” Bowman said.
To receive this award certain requirements also had to take place.
“Our state executive director picks us and it is who he thinks leads not just in their schools but also in their communities and state,” Maddie Young said. “Our award also has to be signed off on by the national association of student councils executive director.”
The person who decided who received the award is Mr. Phil, the Louisiana Student Council Executive Director, Young said.
“Mr. Phil, our Executive Director, chooses who he thinks embodies a model leader, like Dale Hawley whom the award is named after,” Young said.
To each of these three students, LASC plays a very important role in their growth as a leader and their lives.
“LASC has shown me what genuine people look like because nobody judges anyone else at LASC,” Young said. “We’ve all come from somewhere different and each and every story is beautiful. On top of that, it has helped bring me out of my shell. The person I am at LASC and other student Council conferences and activities is different than the person I am at school. It’s the truest version of myself and LASC has helped me discover that.”
This year Captain Shreve hosted the Convention. The last time Shreve hosted was when the seniors now were freshman, which made this LASC more significant to them.
“I absolutely love hosting,” Bowman said. “I did it as a freshman and what better way to end it all by doing [it] again my senior year. That was a joy. I would do it all over again if I could.”
A lot of things take place at a Convention, but the election of the state officers is the most important thing. Hilburn talked about how LASC has played a part in her life.
“I have never been with a more inclusive, empowering, and encouraging group of kids,” Hilburn said. “There was not a single person at my first conference who didn’t want to be there.”
Leadership is a key component of the Convention.
“It gives the power to the next generation,” Bowman said. “And teaches them how to lead and lead effectively. This organization is so helpful in all fields and realms and student council is the backbone of many schools. It’s how the student boy is heard, it’s how the leaders are made.”
Bowman, Marsalone, and Young stand with their Dale Howley Leadership award – Photo courtesy of Javin Bowman
Georgia Hilburn poses with her BESE opponent Hannah Berry from Byrd – Photo courtesy of Georgia Hilburn
Three student council members, Javin Bowman, Maddie Young, and Georgia Hilburn, received an award at this year’s Louisiana Association of Student Council Convention, also known as LASC.
“If you’re asking what LASC is, it’s indescribable, it’s something you have to just come be a part of but if I could sum it up in one word, it would be family,” Javin Bowman said.
Georgia Hilburn, a junior and a member of the student council, was chosen to be BESE Student Advisor after going through an application, essay, and interview process.
“It’s the same position Javin held last year,” Georgia Hilburn said. “But it’s the first time one school has ever held it for two consecutive years.”
To be able to receive this opportunity, Hilburn had to reach certain requirements like, being a member of the student council, attending student council workshop and convention, etc, and the position comes with a responsibility.
“Basically, though I do not hold a vote, I attend BESE meetings in Baton Rouge and represent all public school elementary through high school students in LA. 4,” Hilburn said.
Javin Bowman and Maddie Young also received the Dale Hawley Leadership award at the LASC Convention.
“It is the highest award given for student council leadership in the nation,” Bowman said.
To receive this award certain requirements also had to take place.
“Our state executive director picks us and it is who he thinks leads not just in their schools but also in their communities and state,” Maddie Young said. “Our award also has to be signed off on by the national association of student councils executive director.”
The person who decided who received the award is Mr. Phil, the Louisiana Student Council Executive Director, Young said.
“Mr. Phil, our Executive Director, chooses who he thinks embodies a model leader, like Dale Hawley whom the award is named after,” Young said.
To each of these three students, LASC plays a very important role in their growth as a leader and their lives.
“LASC has shown me what genuine people look like because nobody judges anyone else at LASC,” Young said. “We’ve all come from somewhere different and each and every story is beautiful. On top of that, it has helped bring me out of my shell. The person I am at LASC and other student Council conferences and activities is different than the person I am at school. It’s the truest version of myself and LASC has helped me discover that.”
This year Captain Shreve hosted the Convention. The last time Shreve hosted was when the seniors now were freshman, which made this LASC more significant to them.
“I absolutely love hosting,” Bowman said. “I did it as a freshman and what better way to end it all by doing [it] again my senior year. That was a joy. I would do it all over again if I could.”
A lot of things take place at a Convention, but the election of the state officers is the most important thing. Hilburn talked about how LASC has played a part in her life.
“I have never been with a more inclusive, empowering, and encouraging group of kids,” Hilburn said. “There was not a single person at my first conference who didn’t want to be there.”
Leadership is a key component of the Convention.
“It gives the power to the next generation,” Bowman said. “And teaches them how to lead and lead effectively. This organization is so helpful in all fields and realms and student council is the backbone of many schools. It’s how the student boy is heard, it’s how the leaders are made.”
Bowman, Marsalone, and Young stand with their Dale Howley Leadership award – Photo courtesy of Javin Bowman
Georgia Hilburn poses with her BESE opponent Hannah Berry from Byrd – Photo courtesy of Georgia Hilburn
Will Adcock hasn’t met many sports he doesn’t like. That fact, along with a pretty impressive GPA and ACT score, make the Captain Shreve senior the kind of student-athlete any school in the state would love to have.
Outstanding kicker on the football team, center defensive midfielder on the perennial championship Gator soccer team and regional qualifier in doubles tennis with Parker Smith – all that describes Adcock, who plans to major in pre-med at LSU this fall.
