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Lexi Greene struck out four in two innings of works against Erath. In six starts this season, Greene has recorded 63 strikeouts.

Kaplan Lady Pirates off to impressive start in 2025

KAPLAN – The Kaplan Lady Pirates’ softball team is off to a hot start in 2025, posting a 6-1 record.
While Lady Pirates’ head coach Brittany LeBeouf is replacing the production and leadership of current Alabama freshman Kennedy Marceaux and current BRCC freshman Briley LeBeouf, her team has already defeated powerhouses Iowa, John Curtis, and Lutcher this season.
“We have a young team, starting four freshmen,” LeBeouf said.  “Our seniors do a good job of keeping them always composed.  We make a mistake; it’s the next ball.”
The four freshmen starters are  Liberty Greene (second base), Gabby Braus (centerfield),  Emma Sherman (designated player) and Cheyanne Breaux (third base).
LeBeouf likes what she sees thus far.
“I think we showed that this weekend against some great competition.  We still have a lot of work to do, but I’m happy with what I’m seeing early. We have to keep working and getting better every day.” LeBeouf credits her team’s work during the off-season for their crispness in the Spring.  She believes discipline is the key. 
“Our workout regimen in the Fall, all preseason, was military-type stuff to be mentally tough and disciplined,” she explained.  “Waking up at 6 a.m. all summer long shows discipline, and we’re very disciplined when we play.
“That’s how we run this program.  We preach discipline.  Good things come with discipline.”
Another bright spot for LeBeouf has been Lexi Greene’s pitching. The sophomore southpaw has 63 strikeouts and 16 walks in 36 innings. 
“Lexi works really hard,” LeBeouf said.  “She’s day in and day out putting in extra work.  She leaves practice and goes to pitch more.  Her preparation shows.  She’s composed on the mound.  She keeps our team calm.”      
Kaplan played six games in seven days to begin the season.  On Tuesday, February 25, they kicked off the 2025 regular season with a 23-0 shellacking of Rayne.   Then they beat Iowa 5-0 on consecutive days, Denham Springs 10-0, John Curtis 4-1, and Lutcher 3-1 before taking Sunday off.
The Lady Pirates kicked off District 5-3A play on Monday, defeating the Erath Lady Bobcats 16-0.
“For the last couple of years, we’ve been starting district earlier,” LeBeouf said.  “We like to play district early so we can prepare for the playoffs late in the season.”
Greene started in the circle and pitched two innings, allowing no runs on no hits and one walk while striking out four.  Emma Sherman pitched the final inning, striking out all three batters she faced.
Abbigale Ford drove in five runs on three doubles to lead Kaplan at the plate.  Greene had a double and two RBI, while Addyson Hebert and Jenna Duhon each had a double and one RBI.  Drew Kass had a single and one RBI.

Southside...7
Kaplan..,,....6

In Thursday’s game against Southside, the Lady Pirates lost the lead late in a 7-6 defeat. 
The game was tied at six in the top of the seventh when Kobi Lam grounded out, scoring one run.
Kaplan was the first to get on the board in the second when Liberty Greene grounded out, scoring one run.
KHS added one run in the third inning. Baleigh Landry grounded out, making the score 2-0.
Southside took the lead in the top of the sixth. Briley Lovell homered to center field, scoring three runs, to give Southside a 6-4 lead.
Lexi Greene homered to left field, which helped the Lady Pirates tie the game at six in the bottom of the sixth.
Lexi Greene began the game for  KHS on the hill.
The pitcher surrendered 10 hits and seven runs (six earned) over seven innings, striking out nine and walking six. 
Leadoff hitter  Liberty Greene KHS had two hits in three at-bats. Greene also stole three bases.

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Kristina Strong, co-owner of Stronghold Collectibles, showcases the most expensive comic book in her store, X-Men, priced at $1,100. Stronghold Collectibles has over 30,000 comic books available for sale.

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The Strongs displayed their comic books in the Abbeville library.

Comic Book World comes to Abbeville

Comic books have been a part of popular culture for nearly a hundred years. Collecting and selling comic books is a way of life for one family. The Strong family, consisting of two brothers and their wives, set up a booth at the Comic-Con event at the Abbeville library.
Stronghold Collectibles of Acadiana was one of 14 booths set up in the library last Saturday.
Close to 1,000 comic books were on display, only a tiny part of their collection.
Stronghold Collectibles has around 30,000 comic books for sale at their Lafayette store off Johnson Street.
The business comprises of Chris, Kristina Strong, and John and Stephanie Strong.
The four sat behind a table full of boxed comic books, hoping to either introduce someone to the comic book world or possibly have a five-minute conversation with someone about why they like or dislike a certain comic book or character. They also gave free comic books away to introduce new readers to the comic book world.
“We love comic books,” said Kristina. “We love talking about comic books and sharing them with the community. There are so many great reads and great artwork.
“Not everyone buys a comic book to read. Many love the artwork and will study each page.”

What are comic books?

A comic book is a type of entertainment that combines words and pictures to tell a story. Comic books can be about superheroes, science fiction, horror, romance, and many other genres. They are typically published in a magazine format, usually around 20-30 pages long.
The average price of a book today ranges from $3 to $8, depending on page count. In 1980, the average price of a comic book printed on newsprint paper was 40 cents. Nowadays, they are printed on magazine paper.
Kristina explained there are different reasons why someone is into comic books.

The love of the art in the books

The art in today’s comic books is superior. The artists who create comic books are talented and can bring the stories to life with their drawings. Strong said the art can be just as important as the words.

Great stories

She said comic books are a unique form of storytelling that combines words and pictures to create a truly immersive experience. Comic books, like other books, can transport people to another world.
Comics now cater to different age groups, genders, and cultural backgrounds, making the medium more inclusive and diverse than ever before.

Love for Superheroes

One of the most popular genres in comic books is the superhero genre. Superheroes like Superman, Spider-Man, and Batman have become cultural icons and have captured people’s hearts worldwide. Their stories often involve themes of justice, morality, and heroism, which can inspire readers.

New releases each week

Kristina said every Wednesday is Comic Book Day, which is when new comic books are released.
“The comic industry in Acadiana is excellent,” she said.  “We have young and old customers that come in.  We have young customers who come in with their parents. We also have people in their 60s and 70s buying comic books. They have been buying comic books their entire life, and they are still buying them.”
Strong said their store’s most popular comic books are “Absolute Batman” or “Ultimate Spider-Man.”
“Both are from virtual universes,” she said.  “You have your main Spider-man and Batman, who has been loved for decades. These are the new twists on the stories where they focus now and do not have the characters’ back history. The new Batman does not have a mansion and is not a millionaire. It is a different take on Bruce Wayne. Spider-man is married and has kids.”

Comic books are still collectible

Strong said comic books are still desirable, and many collect them.
The most expensive comic book, “Action Comics #1,” which introduced Superman, was sold for $6 million in 2024. In 2022, the second most expensive comic book, “Superman #1,” was sold for $5.3 million.
The most expensive comic book in the Stronghold store’s collection is a 1964  “X-Man” comic book that is on sale for $1,100.
She said there are also comic books as low as $1 and $2 for sale. 

Comic books have a purpose

“Everyone needs an outlet of some kind,” said Kristina. “Comic books can put you in a fantasy world with a superhero or in a romantic world.  A comic book can do that with its words and the fantastic art.”

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Darian Duhon

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Tyson LeBlanc

Vermilion Parish players doing well at the next level

Darian Duhon

Darian Duhon, a North Vermilion graduate, is off to a good start as a senior at Washburn University in Kansas.
Duhon has played in all 16 games and has a batting average of .367. He has 22 hits, two doubles, two triples, and two home runs and knocked in 11 runs.

Tyson LeBlanc

Tyson LeBlanc, a North Vermilion graduate, is on fire at the plate for the LSU-Eunice Bengals.
During the weekend matchup against Murray State College, LeBlanc went five for nine at the plate and knocked in six runs.
During the season, he has a .347 batting average of 72 at-bats. 
He has 25 hits, six doubles, one triple, four home runs, and 16 RBI.
LeBlanc is the starting shortstop for LSU-E.

Lane Patin

Lane Patin is the starting shortstop for the LSU-A baseball team. 
The North Vermilion graduate has a .273 batting average, including 17 hits, 1 HR and he knocked in six runs.

Cody Breaux

Cody Breaux is a Coastal Alabama Community College freshman and managed to start in five games.
He has a .182 batting average with two hits, and he scored twice.

Aiden Leonard

Aiden Leonard is a sophomore pitcher at Northeast Texas Community College.
He has appeared in five games and has a pitching record of 2-2 with an ERA of  2.95.
The North Vermilion graduate has appeared in 21 innings.

Camden Breaux

NV grad Camden Breaux is an Aiden Leonard teammate at Northeast Texas Community College.
Breaux, a freshman, has a batting average of .192, and he has five hits.

SOFTBALL

Kennedy Marceaux

Kaplan High grad Kennedy Marceaux is a freshman at the University of Alabama. 
She has gotten 22 at-bats and has eight hits for a .363 batting average.
She has batted in eight runs, two doubles and two home runs.
In 22 at-bats, she has struck out only twice.

Lexi Broussard

Lexi Broussard, an NVHS graduate, is doing well at Louisiana Christian University in Pineville, La. She has a .347 batting average, 17 hits, five doubles, and eight runs scored.

Mia Broussard

Pitcher Mia Broussard is a grad student at Louisiana Christian University. 
The right-hand pitcher from NVHS is sporting a 4-2 record and her .3.28 ERA. She has struck out 20 batters. She also bats and has a .188 batting average.

Briley LeBeouf

Kaplan High graduate Briley LeBeouf is off to a 4-1 start on the mound for Baton Rouge Community College.
She has pitched in 23 innings, struck out eight, and sports an ERA of 4.26.

Kennedy Kelly

A North Vermilion graduate, Kennedy Kelly plays shortstop for Baton Rouge Community College. She has played in 21 innings and is batting .250. She has scored three runs and stolen three bases.

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Kallie Gibson had a great day on the hill for North Vermilion.

Gibson fans 13 in North Vermilion win over Cecilia

Kallie Gibson struck out 13 batters as the pitcher led the North Vermilion Lady Patriots past the Cecilia Lady Bulldogs 4-2 on Wednesday.
The game was moved to Abbeville’s Luquette Field because NV’s field was too wet.
Gibson surrendered four hits and two runs over seven innings while walking none.
Gibson had a cushion 4-0 lead after the first inning.
North Vermilion opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning thanks to two singles and a walk.
Kyla Landry, the first batter, led off the game with a walk. The second batter, Emmerson Kelly singled, moving Kyla Landry to second base.
Zoe Harrington walked and loaded the bases to set up Madalynn Landry’s at baat.
Madalynn ripped a hard grounder to center field, scoring two runs to make it a 2-0 game.
Gibson, the fourth batter, singled and Taylor Marceaux, the fifth batter, singled home two runs for a 4-0 lead.
Marceaux went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Lady Patriots in hits.
Nylah Harrison also had a hit and she stole two bases.
The Lady Patriots out-hit Cecilia six hits to four.

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Cole Albert pitched five solid innings for VC to earn the win against North Vermilion.

VC baseball nips North Vermilion

LEROY – In a game with all the makings of a classic, the Vermilion Catholic Eagles outdueled the North Vermilion Patriots, 4-3, on Monday night in a back-and-forth showdown that came down to the wire.
The Eagles wasted no time flexing their muscles, as Bryce Lege sent a home run to dead center in the top of the second, putting VC on the board first.  Lege used a new baseball bat he had just purchased the day of the NVHS game. His regular bat broke during practice the morning of the game.
The Patriots answered right back in the bottom half, taking advantage of a defensive miscue to tie the game at 1-1.
The long ball continued to be a weapon for the Eagles, with Will Simon launching a solo shot to left in the fourth, giving VC a 2-1 lead.
The insurance runs came in the top of the sixth when Cole Albert laced a double into the left-center gap, setting the table for Cayden DeHart, who put the ball in play and brought in courtesy runner Matthew Mollere on a fielder’s choice. Dominic Gautreaux delivered a clutch RBI-single with two outs, plating DeHart and giving the Eagles a much-needed cushion at 4-1.
North Vermilion wasn’t going down quietly, though. The Patriots scratched across two runs late to cut the deficit to one, but the Eagles’ bullpen slammed the door to seal the victory.
Albert got the nod on the mound for VC, going five strong innings while allowing just one unearned run on five hits. He struck out three and worked around three walks before handing the ball over to Cruz Hebert, who locked down the final outs.
For North Vermilion, Isaac Russell battled on the hill, tossing 5 2/3 innings while surrendering four runs (three earned) on nine hits. He fanned five and walked just one before turning it over to the bullpen.
The Eagles’ bats were locked in all night, racking up 12 hits. 
Lege, Jackson Trahan, Ross Dartez, and Jacob Dubois each notched two hits, while Lege, Simon, Gautreaux, and DeHart chipped in an RBI.
The Patriots saw some bright spots at the plate, with Devin Blanchard driving in a run and Jansen Deangelo showing off his wheels with three stolen bases and a pair of hits.
With the win, the Eagles keep their momentum rolling as they gear up to host Beau Chene for a doubleheader on Friday.

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Keith Edward Meaux

July 18, 1953 — March 2, 2025

A funeral service officiated by Deacon Bryan Istre for Keith Edward Meaux will be held at Vincent Funeral Home of Kaplan at 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, 2025. A visitation will take place at Vincent Funeral Home of Kaplan on Thursday from 9 a.m. until the time of service. A rosary will be prayed at 10:30 a.m.
Keith, 71, of Kaplan, Louisiana, passed away on March 2, 2025, while gardening at home. Keith was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend. Keith was a man of many passions. He loved to talk to anyone and everyone - from the grocery store cashier to a stranger on vacation - making friends wherever he went. His kind spirit and easygoing nature left a lasting impression on everyone he met.
Born and raised in Kaplan, Keith spent his entire life in the community he loved. He attended Kaplan High School before going on to study at USL and Xavier University in New Orleans, where he earned his degree in pharmacy. He dedicated many years to helping others through his work as a pharmacist, including 21 years at Meaux's Pharmacy working alongside his father and grandfather. After retirement, he continued to care for those around him, always offering a helping hand to family and friends.
He was an avid traveler, always planning his next adventure. Keith spent countless hours on his beloved Harley Davidson, journeying from coast to coast and taking in the beauty of the open road. He and his wife, Helen, had upcoming family trips planned to Japan, Las Vegas, and Florida. Whether near or far, Keith's love for exploring the world was matched only by his love for coming home to his garden and yard, where he took pride in every flower and plant he nurtured.
Keith's love of music filled his home, with the sounds of The Beatles, CCR, and The Beach Boys playing often. He found joy in cooking Cajun food for his family, always making sure everyone was fed and cared for. His dedication to his family was unwavering - he was always there to lend a hand, offer advice, or simply listen.
A lifelong fan of the New Orleans Saints, Keith never missed a game, cheering on his team with passion even when the fans wore paper bags on their heads. His motto in life was simple but profound: "Just do your best and have fun with it."
Pallbearers will be Kyle Edward Meaux, Thomas Keith Meaux, James Ashley Meaux, Stephen Douglas Meaux, Craig Meaux, and Reynold Meaux.
Honorary pallbearer will be Brody Thomas Meaux.
Keith is survived by his beloved wife of 46 years, Helen; his sons, Kyle and his significate other Celeste of Kaplan, Thomas and his wife Krystle of Kaplan, James and his wife Angelita of Dallas, TX, and Stephen of Baton Rouge; his grandchildren, Brody Thomas Meaux, Marigny Marie Meaux, and Madeline Grace Meaux; his brothers, Reynold Meaux of Lafayette, Craig Meaux of Lafayette, and Patrick Meaux of Lafayette; and his sisters, Janice Romero of Kaplan, Gerette Hebert of Fayetteville, AR, Sheila Hebert of Perry, and Tracy Chiasson of Abbeville.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Mahlen and Goldie Meaux.
Keith's generous spirit, warm smile, and unwavering love will be deeply missed by all who knew him. His legacy of kindness and dedication to his family will live on in the hearts of those he leaves behind.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home - Kaplan (337) 643-7276.

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