Teammates have made us aware of the recent untimely passing of Curtis Wilkins, a four-year letterwinner (1990-93) as an offensive lineman on the Demons' football team.
There will be a service for him Friday, Jan. 29 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Tyler, Texas, beginning at 10.00 a.m., reported teammates Bax Kegans and Carlos Treadway.
The church address and website follow. As we get more information, we will let you know.
423 South Broadway
Tyler, TX 75702
http://www.thecathedral.info/
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Signing Day luncheon being set
As always, there will be a National Signing Day event on campus to celebrate new additions to the football, soccer and track programs.
More than 150 supporters attended last year's event featuring new football coach Bradley Dale Peveto and what turned out to be, according to Rivals.com rankings, the No. 1 recruiting class in the FCS.
All I know is that 14 of those true freshmen played, and 7 started, last fall. That's immediate impact.
Signs point toward another strong signing class.
Expect arrangements for this year's Signing Day event to be announced in the next few days.
More than 150 supporters attended last year's event featuring new football coach Bradley Dale Peveto and what turned out to be, according to Rivals.com rankings, the No. 1 recruiting class in the FCS.
All I know is that 14 of those true freshmen played, and 7 started, last fall. That's immediate impact.
Signs point toward another strong signing class.
Expect arrangements for this year's Signing Day event to be announced in the next few days.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Almost Another Unbelievable Comeback
I admit it.
When the Lady Demons fell behind Texas A&M Corpus Christi by 21 points with under nine minutes left in Saturday afternoon's game at Prather Coliseum, I resigned myself to the fact that Northwestern was headed toward their first Southland Conference loss of the season. I feel certain you could hear it in my voice as I called the action on 100.7 KZBL-FM in Natchitoches, and on nsudemons.com.
I should have known better.
Yes, the Lady Demons went down to defeat, 75-66. However, three days after coming from 16 points down in the second half to win at Southeastern Louisiana, NSU rallied to cut the Islanders' lead to five points--on two occasions.
The Lady Demons did not shoot the ball well, especially from behind the three-point line. However, in her post-game radio interview, Head Coach Jennifer Graf focused on her team's defensive play. Coach Graf's philosophy is if you're not getting it done on offense, that's all the more reason to play tighter defense.
One thing is clear--this Lady Demons team will never be out of a ball game, no matter how big the margin. They don't know the meaning of the word "quit".
That's something their radio play-by-play man needs to keep in mind!
Tony Taglavore
Voice of the Lady Demons
When the Lady Demons fell behind Texas A&M Corpus Christi by 21 points with under nine minutes left in Saturday afternoon's game at Prather Coliseum, I resigned myself to the fact that Northwestern was headed toward their first Southland Conference loss of the season. I feel certain you could hear it in my voice as I called the action on 100.7 KZBL-FM in Natchitoches, and on nsudemons.com.
I should have known better.
Yes, the Lady Demons went down to defeat, 75-66. However, three days after coming from 16 points down in the second half to win at Southeastern Louisiana, NSU rallied to cut the Islanders' lead to five points--on two occasions.
The Lady Demons did not shoot the ball well, especially from behind the three-point line. However, in her post-game radio interview, Head Coach Jennifer Graf focused on her team's defensive play. Coach Graf's philosophy is if you're not getting it done on offense, that's all the more reason to play tighter defense.
One thing is clear--this Lady Demons team will never be out of a ball game, no matter how big the margin. They don't know the meaning of the word "quit".
That's something their radio play-by-play man needs to keep in mind!
Tony Taglavore
Voice of the Lady Demons
Down on the Gulf, or is this south Louisiana?
No, those weren't crawfish ponds we drove through Friday in south Texas on the way to Corpus Christi, but it looked that way.
Up to eight inches of rain fell in these parts over the last 60+ hours, although the skies cleared today and we had Chamber of Commerce-looking weather, if a little windy.
The Demons' basketball road trip began Thursday night with a run to Humble, Texas, around the airport, with the idea to carve in half the longest league road trip of the season. The team practiced at Houston Baptist, where we had the chance to visit with NSU alumnus Barbara Tolar, wife of the late Demon football great Charlie Tolar. Barbara works in the HBU athletic department after nearly 30 years working at Rice.
She went to great effort to help us get the team bus pulled up right to the back door of the gym so the team wouldn't have to walk through rain about 100 yards out to the parking lot at HBU.
Now that we're here at the American Bank Center in Corpus, another big name from NSU history comes front and center. The Demons' basketball scoring king, Billy Reynolds, is here to watch his son, Justin, a junior forward for the host Islanders.
This is their first home game in 52 days, a scheduling mistake that they don't want to repeat.
Billy and Demons coach Mike McConathy had a nice visit about an hour before tipoff. They were darlings of the Louisiana basketball scene 33 years ago as both ended their playing days with over 2,000 points.
Billy wanted us to pass along special greetings to his NSU coaches, Tynes Hildebrand and Derwood Duke. Reynolds lives in Houston and had a great visit with Dr. Duke, now Natchitoches Parish superintendent of schools, at the TAMCC game in Prather Coliseum last year. Sure bet that Billy will make the four-hour trip to Natchitoches for the meeting of the Demons and Islanders next season.
Up to eight inches of rain fell in these parts over the last 60+ hours, although the skies cleared today and we had Chamber of Commerce-looking weather, if a little windy.
The Demons' basketball road trip began Thursday night with a run to Humble, Texas, around the airport, with the idea to carve in half the longest league road trip of the season. The team practiced at Houston Baptist, where we had the chance to visit with NSU alumnus Barbara Tolar, wife of the late Demon football great Charlie Tolar. Barbara works in the HBU athletic department after nearly 30 years working at Rice.
She went to great effort to help us get the team bus pulled up right to the back door of the gym so the team wouldn't have to walk through rain about 100 yards out to the parking lot at HBU.
Now that we're here at the American Bank Center in Corpus, another big name from NSU history comes front and center. The Demons' basketball scoring king, Billy Reynolds, is here to watch his son, Justin, a junior forward for the host Islanders.
This is their first home game in 52 days, a scheduling mistake that they don't want to repeat.
Billy and Demons coach Mike McConathy had a nice visit about an hour before tipoff. They were darlings of the Louisiana basketball scene 33 years ago as both ended their playing days with over 2,000 points.
Billy wanted us to pass along special greetings to his NSU coaches, Tynes Hildebrand and Derwood Duke. Reynolds lives in Houston and had a great visit with Dr. Duke, now Natchitoches Parish superintendent of schools, at the TAMCC game in Prather Coliseum last year. Sure bet that Billy will make the four-hour trip to Natchitoches for the meeting of the Demons and Islanders next season.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
A Win to Remember
There are wins, and then there are wins.
The Lady Demons' 79-74 come-from-behind victory over Southeastern Louisiana University Wednesday night in Hammond was definately a win.
In the first half, NSU looked like they were stuck in mud, watching SLU blow past them en route to a 11-point lead at intermission--and it could have been worse.
It did get worse in the second half, as the Lady Demons found themselves trailing by 16 points.
But while NSU has many things, one thing it does not have is "quit".
The Lady Demons chipped away, refusing to give up. Brittany Houston scored 27 points to lead five players in double figures. Anna Cate Williams--the reigning Louisiana Sports Writers Association's Player of the Week, finished with 15 points (all in the second half). In the final 6:45, NSU went 7 of 7 from the field and 8 of 8 from the free throw line. And by the time the clock showed 00:00, NSU had rallied to go 2-0 in the Southland Conference--both wins coming on the road.
In many ways, this victory was more impresive that Saturday's 30-point romp past Nicholls. The Lady Demons were completely outplayed in the first half and, frankly, showed no signs they would make a game of it in the second half.
But credit Head Coach Jennifer Graf for pulling together her squad at intermission. I wasn't in the lockerroom to listen, but whatever she said worked. Now, no matter what situation NSU finds themselves in the rest of the season--playing with the lead or playing from behind--they have the confidence to know they can handle it.
When you broadcast some 30 games during the season, most of them tend to run together.
Not this one. Color Analyst Matt Bonnette and I agree--we will remember this one for a long time. And I have a feeling so will the Lady Demons. Congratulations to the players and coaching staff on a job well done!
Tony Taglavore
Voice of the Lady Demons
The Lady Demons' 79-74 come-from-behind victory over Southeastern Louisiana University Wednesday night in Hammond was definately a win.
In the first half, NSU looked like they were stuck in mud, watching SLU blow past them en route to a 11-point lead at intermission--and it could have been worse.
It did get worse in the second half, as the Lady Demons found themselves trailing by 16 points.
But while NSU has many things, one thing it does not have is "quit".
The Lady Demons chipped away, refusing to give up. Brittany Houston scored 27 points to lead five players in double figures. Anna Cate Williams--the reigning Louisiana Sports Writers Association's Player of the Week, finished with 15 points (all in the second half). In the final 6:45, NSU went 7 of 7 from the field and 8 of 8 from the free throw line. And by the time the clock showed 00:00, NSU had rallied to go 2-0 in the Southland Conference--both wins coming on the road.
In many ways, this victory was more impresive that Saturday's 30-point romp past Nicholls. The Lady Demons were completely outplayed in the first half and, frankly, showed no signs they would make a game of it in the second half.
But credit Head Coach Jennifer Graf for pulling together her squad at intermission. I wasn't in the lockerroom to listen, but whatever she said worked. Now, no matter what situation NSU finds themselves in the rest of the season--playing with the lead or playing from behind--they have the confidence to know they can handle it.
When you broadcast some 30 games during the season, most of them tend to run together.
Not this one. Color Analyst Matt Bonnette and I agree--we will remember this one for a long time. And I have a feeling so will the Lady Demons. Congratulations to the players and coaching staff on a job well done!
Tony Taglavore
Voice of the Lady Demons
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