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NEW ORLEANS - What an epic way to wrap up your last high school football game! You’re out there on Louisiana’s biggest stage, showcasing your skills in front of thousands of fans and on TV, and it all pays off in the end.
That was the case for Jonathan “Jon Jon” Dartez.
Dartez, the quarterback for VC for the past four years, rushed a record-high 47 times during the LHSAA Prep Classic, the most in its 44-year history. These carries were crucial as he led VC to its third state title, achieving a 33-21 victory over Ouachita Christian on Thursday. 
“Forty-seven carries,” Ouachita Christian head coach Steven Fitzhugh said. “He ought to sleep well tonight.”
Dartez finished with 253 yards, scored two touchdowns, and threw two more touchdowns to finish his history-making career with 177 touchdowns - now the state’s all-time TD record holder.
He was also named the Division IV Select Finals’ Outstanding Player.
Dartez ended his final season with 2,761 yards rushing and 44 touchdowns, 1,638 passing yards, and another 23 scores.
During the press conference following the game, Dartez reflected on his roots.
“I just want to give a shout out to the Abbeville and Vermilion Parish,” said Dartez. “I want to thank everyone, including my parents. I know they sacrificed a lot for me to be a VC. “
Carrying the pigskin 40 or more times is nothing new to Dartez. He has carried the ball 40 times three times this year, however. Forty-seven is the most this year.
His longest run of the night was a 44-yard touchdown run with 10 seconds to play in the first quarter. He also had a three-yard TD run at the 8:04 mark in the first quarter.   In the first quarter, he had 113 yards on 16 carries and scored two touchdowns.
He also threw two touchdown passes. He completed a 12-yard TD pass to Allen McLain III in the second period and a 20-yard TD pass to Jyrin Bessard in the third quarter.  
Two years ago, Dartez was a sophomore, and VC head coach Broc Prejean was a third-year head coach when VC lost 28-14 to OCS in the Superdome.
Now, Prejean has his first state championship as a coach, 21 years after being a part of the school’s first title as a player.
“Super special memory back in ‘03,” Prejean said, “but if I’m being upfront and honest, there’s an amount of emotion and reward far greater than that.”
This season, Dartez set specific goals at the beginning. One goal was to help VC win a Division IV state title. 
On Thursday, in front of at least 15 reporters, including 7 TV reporters after the game, Dartez explained to the media one of the things that fueled him all year.
“In August, one reporter asked me where I see myself at the end of the year,” Dartez said in the press conference at the end of the game.  “I told him I see myself winning the state championship.  The reporter responded by telling me to be more realistic. That response by the reporter  really frustrated me all season.”
 Dartez should no longer be frustrated because he accomplished his goal of helping the VC Eagles win a state title.

June 11, 1931 – December 2, 2024

Retired Major Robert Androes Weekly, 93, passed away on December 2, 2024.
Born on June 11, 1931 in Abbeville, Louisiana. He was a longtime resident of Parkland, PA.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Patricia M. Kutger Weekly, his parents, Alvin and Cecelia and his brother Kilburn.
Bob is survived by his three children, Mary (Marty) Lisan, Robert (Diane) Weekly, and Penny (Tom) Ebinger. His seven grandchildren, Nicole (Sean), Jason, Stephanie (Chris), Patricia, Michelle, Matthew, and Christopher. Nine Great Grandchildren, Allan, Shayne, Angela, Nathan, Lydia, Brandon, Joshua, Luke and Harry, and One Great Great Grandson, Allan Androes. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Retired Major Weekly served in the U.S. Army from 1947 to 1991. Having many different assignments, from an M-4 Tractor Driver, Draftsman, to Platoon Sgt., He attended Officer Candidate School as well as Engineer School and Command General & Staff College - spending the majority of his service in the Corp of Engineers. He was very proud and honored to have served his country.
Retired from PennDOT (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation) with over 25 years as an Engineer Manager of Permits and Construction Engineer with District 60.
Mr. Weekly was also a certified freelance graphoanalyst. It is the art of judging a person’s character, disposition and aptitude from handwriting.
In his youth in Louisiana, he DJ’d at a local radio station, ushered at a movie theater, and when he learned to play guitar - he would perform live at different local radio stations.
Robert was a member of the Knights of Columbus, and he was a parishioner of Our Lady of Grace Church since his marriage in 1952 to Patricia. He was a Free and Accepted Mason with Newtown Lodge 427, Sojourner Ben Franklin 16. Bob was also a lifelong member of the Military Officers Association of America, The Retired Officers Association; National Rifle Association, American Legion Post 945 and 148; Reserve Officers Association of the US and the US Army Engineer Association.
Bob gave back to his community by volunteering for many years at St. Mary's Medical Center, Habitat for Humanity Restore, USO (Philadelphia Airport) and Willow Grove Naval Base Thrift Store.
He received the Four Chaplin's Legion of Honor Bronze Medallion for his extraordinary contribution to the well-being of others at the national or world level, to world peace, and to inter-faith and inter-ethnic understanding.
Mr. Weekly and his wife were world travelers. Having visited all 50 states and many countries. This was documented by their world map with 100s of push pins indicated the places they visited.
Bob's hobbies over the years included painting, drawing, playing the guitar, camping (having just camped with his family in August), square dancing, and a ham radio operator. He was an avid reader, bird watcher, played electronic games, and did puzzles. Bob loved nothing more than the thrill of treasure hunting for that special item to add to his collections.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend his visitation on Friday, December 13, 2024 at Lamb Funeral Home, 101 Byberry Road, Huntington Valley, PA 19006, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Followed by the funeral service at 11 a.m. and the burial at Forest Hills Cemetery at 12 p.m.

Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. for Mary Alice Mouton Henderson, at St. Mary Magdalen Roman Catholic Church in Abbeville. Services will be officiated by Rev. Buddy Breaux, pastor at Our Lady of the Lake and St. Martin de Pores, Delcambre, LA. She transitioned from her earthly life at 11:18 p.m. on Friday, December 6.
Mary, who was affectionately known as 'Aunt Me-yay' by her family, was born to the union of her parents, Dennis Mouton Sr. and Mabel Cola Mouton, in Kaplan, LA on August 1, 1941.
She was the second oldest of 7 siblings. Her journey began with her early education at James A. Herod High School in Abbeville. She got married at 16 years old to Eddie (Boy) Henderson, Jr. and began her first job at the local laundry. She later began working at Heritage Manor Nursing Home in the dietary department. This would lead to a position she held for 34 years until her retirement in 2003. In retirement, she enjoyed many moments with family and friends, playing bingo locally; watching her favorite game shows, soap operas, and sports; and her favorite pastime of cooking for family and friends. For more than 20 years she would host a spectacular New Year's Eve gathering that brought so much joy to her and her family and friends. She was a devout Catholic throughout her life, attending daily masses at both St. Mary Magdalen and St. Theresa churches. She was a devoted member to the Knights of St. Peter Klaver Ladies Auxiliary Court 77 for 67 years!
She leaves to cherish her memory, her son: Eric Henderson, Richmond TX; two sisters: Elder Roy, Delcambre, and Connie Huntsberry, Abbeville; nieces: Mabel Denise Julien Taylor, Metairie, LA; Melanie Bell, Abbeville; Thomasita Vallery, Bastrop, LA; Charmaine
Roy Campbell, Delcambre; Jennifer Roy, Houston, TX; Pertannica Huntsberry, Abbeville; nephews: Conrad Mouton, Portland, OR; Lawrence Dalton Julien, Kaplan; Cyril Cleo Julien, Kaplan; Dennis Mouton III, Orange TX; Jason Roy, Delcambre; Michael Vallery, Jr., Kaplan; Fabian Vallery, Crowley; Andrew Huntsberry, Abbeville; Joseph Charles Mouton, Jr., Abbeville.
She was preceded in death by her parents: Dennis Mouton, Sr. and Mabel Cola Mouton; her husband: Eddie Henderson, Jr.; her grandparents: paternal - Eraste Mouton, Mary Parson Mouton; maternal - Alphonse Cola, Laura Norman Cola; her siblings: Dennis Mouton, Jr., Pearl Vallery, Joseph Charles Mouton, Sr., and Laura Robinson; her nieces and nephews: Marcus Julien, William Robinson Jr., Anastasia Shaunte Vallery Williams, Mica Zsa Zsa Vallery, Iajohma Vallery; other family, and her life-long friends: Flora Jordan, Mabel Myles, and Adele Nolan.
A short visitation service along with the Rosary will be held at Kinchen Funeral Home located at 218 North St. Valerie Street, Abbeville, LA 70510, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Following the Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary Magdalen Church, internment will be in St. Paul mausoleum.
Additionally, condolences to the family may be expressed via Kinchen Funeral Home's website: www.kinchenfuneralhome.com.

VC quarterback Jonathan “Jon Jon” Dartez received two football scholarship offers within 12 hours after previously having none.
After VC blanked Kentwood 33-0 in the semifinal game on Friday, Dartez said no college or university offered him anything to play football.  The 5-foot-9 senior quarterback  said that motivated him all season.
He will finish high school as the state’s overall touchdown leader in all classifications with 173 touchdowns. That big record-breaking performance may have caught the eye of at least two football programs, as two NAIA football programs reached out to Dartez on Saturday morning.
According to Dartez’s Twitter Account, he received the first offer from Graceland University in Iowa. The school has 900 students.
Graceland posted a 7-4 record in 2024.
"Blessed to receive my first offer from Graceland," Dartez posted on Twitter.
Not long after Dartez announced his first football offer on Twitter, another offer came his way. 
Louisiana Christian University in Pineville, Louisiana, also offered Dartez a football scholarship.
LCU has an enrollment of 1,100 students, and in the last 10 years, a handful of Vermilion Parish athletes have played sports at LCU.
Two Vermilion Parish young men played football for LCU within the last eight years.
Gueydan High’s Spencer Broussard played from 2018 to 2021. Also, Kaplan’s Julius Johnson had a stellar career at LCU.
Today, Abbeville High graduate Brian Gordon is a freshman wide receiver on the LCU roster.
Graceland University is 894 miles (14 hour drive) from Abbeville, while LCU is 111 miles or two hours away from Abbeville.