Two old codgers

"Two old codgers" was the photo caption suggested by another veteran of Southland Conference track and field competition, McNeese sports information director/senior associate AD Louis Bonnette, who kindly passed along this picture from the chilly March 14 Cowboy Relays in Lake Charles.

On the left is former McNeese track coach and athletics director Bob Hayes, and of course our hero on the right, our track coach since 1982, Leon Johnson.

Although retired, Hayes makes it to a lot of track meets, not just those at McNeese, and makes a point to come say hello at football and basketball games in Lake Charles.

Scenes like this remind us that while we're competitors with our rival schools, we can also be really good friends.

Volleyball, past and present, beating the sun up

After the Tuesday Daily Demon post describing some of the early morning (before sunrise) activities around the NSU athletic complex, it was good-naturedly pointed out that the Lady Demon volleyball team gets up before the chickens much of the year for practices and spring workouts.

Their former coach was up even earlier for a great reason last Friday. At 2:06 a.m EST, former Lady Demon head coach Leigh Mullins gave birth to her second daughter, Bailey Marie, who was 7 pounds, 13 ounces and 20 inches long upon arrival.

Greeting her were big sister Avery and her dad, Ty, a helicopter pilot. The family lives in North Carolina.

Avery's babysitter in Natchitoches in her infancy was current Lady Demon head coach Brittany Uffelman, who was hired by Mullins as her assistant coach. You can see in the above photo that Avery is really focused on her little sis.

BTW - the extra effort award for Tuesday goes to venerable athletic trainer Ed Evans. It was one thing to be at the office at 4:15 a.m. to begin taping football players for the early morning scrimmage. It was to the other extreme to pinch-hit for his usual baseball trainer and work that night's home baseball game against Centenary. Ed headed home after 9:30 that night.

That's another example of why Ed is usually at the top of the list of people to see when former athletes return to campus to visit.

Great story in today's Town Talk

Bob Tompkins shows why he has won more than one state sportswriter of the year award with a wonderful story looking back at the pioneers of women's athletics at NSU.

http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20090324/SPORTS/903240310&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

Early risers

Plenty of NSU athletes were working before sunup today.

The football team hit the soon-to-be-replaced turf at Turpin at 6, and after 45 minutes of practice, went through a 40-minute, 42-play scrimmage that wrapped up at 7:20.

Over in Prather Coliseum, there was a Demon basketball workout. On the soccer field, the Lady Demons had one of their standard early morning sessions.

And as coach Bradley Dale Peveto told his football players after practice, "you've gotten more done already today than a lot of people will all day today. Now get some breakfast, get to class and keep it moving!"

Check back about lunchtime for a full scrimmage report. The defensive coaches will be supplying tackle totals. Offensively, the only touchdown was a 46-yard screen to flanker Spencer Harrell from quarterback Adam Fayard. Last year's starter at QB, John Hundley, was 6 for 7 for 44 yards, and walk-on tailback Terrence George was the top runner with 38 yards on 7 carries.

The first offensive unit was crisp and versatile, moving the ball well in its 18 plays, including 6 against the No. 1 defense.

Kasey Brown had an interception that would probably have gone for a touchdown. Blake Delcambre and Gary Riggs recovered fumbles. The intensity was high and the tackling good.

We'll also have .mp3 (sound) files of post-scrimmage interviews with Coach Peveto and offensive coordinator Todd Cooley along with the story, with photos by Gary Hardamon.

How's the offense coming along in spring?

More good coverage in Saturday's Alexandria Town Talk from veteran writer Jeff Matthews:

http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20090321/SPORTS10/903210370/1006/SPORTS