In their short time so far at their respective schools, both Dustin Howard and Mark Dronet have put their basketball programs back on their winning ways. Howard’s Oakdale Warriors took home the parish tournament championship for the first time in 11 years, and Dronet’s Reeves Lady Raiders made it the tournament formally known as the Top 28 for the first time in 46 years. For their efforts, both coaches were named as Allen Parish Coaches of the Year. “It’s definitely an honor anytime you get recognized,” Howard said, “but Coach of the Year is a team award. You can’t be Coach of the Year unless your team performs.” Equally humbled by the honor was Dronet. “I couldn’t even tell you how many basketball games I’ve won during my coaching career,” he said. “That’s not why I coach. I don’t coach for any award or anything like that. I just coach for the satisfaction I get knowing I’m having an impact on the girls who I coach.” Dronet continued, “I guess it’s nice to be recognized as Coach

Much like their Lady Warrior counterparts, the Oakdale Warriors picked up valuable senior leadership on their way to accomplishing two of their preseason goals. Jacob Black, the only senior in the starting lineup, led his team to a RoyOMartin Allen Parish Tournament championship and a winning season. For his efforts, Black was named as the first Allen Parish Most Valuable Player in boys’ basketball. “I never expected this,” he said about being MVP. “It just shows you where hard work gets you.” The parish tournament title was the school’s first in a decade. “That was the highlight of our season,” said Black who was the leading scorer in the parish tournament. “We were really proud of that. Those were the games where we worked the hardest and played the hardest.” The Warrior season tapered off a bit after winning the parish tournament as the team moved into district play. Also tapering off a bit was Black’s point production. Even though his points dipped, his rebounding totals remained c

For any team or organization to be successful, it takes a person to rise up and be a leader while navigating the rest of the group through the good times and the bad. That was the case for the only senior on the court for the Oakdale Lady Warrior basketball team in the 2018-2019 season. Because of  her efforts on the court, Ke’Maesha St. Andre was named as the first All-Parish Most Valuable Player in girls’ basketball. For St. Andre, it feels good to be named MVP, but she knows all the recognition goes to her team. “It was rocky being that I was the only leader on the team,” she said. “I had help from Lauren (Holmes) coming around  and shooting more. It just took a while for us to come around, but we tied for district. Overall, I couldn’t ask for a better team to play on.” Being that she was the only senior on the team, St. Andre had her trepidations on the season at the beginning. “I didn’t think we would make it very far,” she said. “I didn’t even think we would go to the playoffs, b