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The Lady Wolves, who entered post-season as the No. 25-ranked team during the 2018 softball season, fell in the opening round of the 4-A State Playoffs.
The Lady Wolves faced the No. 10-ranked Grant High School on Monday, but fell 10-0 in the bi-district contest.
“Our girls played a pretty good season,” stated Rayne Head Coach Natalie Travasos of the 2018 softball season following the first-round loss.
“We had some ups and downs throughout the season, but they improved as we saw more action. I’m just proud of the way our girls conducted themselves, showed improvement and never gave up.”
Wolves
The Wolves have seen very little change in their district slate as they have experienced hills and valleys.
Rayne opened play with a 6-1 district win over Westgate, but fell 1-3 to Westgate in their second round.
In a non-district contest, the Wolves fell 1-9 to the Pios of Notre Dame and suffered a 3-15 district loss to state-ranked St. Thomas More.
The Wolves will face St. Thomas More today (Thursday), followed by their last scheduled game on Saturday when they host host Loreauville during the annual “Senior Game” at 1 p.m. at Gossen Memorial Park in Rayne.
RAYNE - With the approaching Frog Festival and other Chamber events on the horizon, the April meeting of the Rayne Chamber of Commerce was filled with reports and updates during the noon gathering.
“Everything’s lined up and ready to go” stated Chamber President Nikki Link as she read a memo from Frog Festival Chairman Jeremy Lavergne during the committee reports. “We are looking forward to another fun and successful festival.”
Link also reminded members to continue collecting sponsorships for the Frog Festival and Frog Festival Grand Parade.
With the opening Farmer’s Market in March cancelled due to weather, the new year will hopefully begin on April 14 at the Depot Square as announced by Chairman Blaine Dupont. It was noted that over 40 vendors are in place for the anticipated event.
Concerning the OST Conference, Dr. Eddie Palmer stated an OST Networking Conference is planned for June 8-9 at the Rayne Civic Center mural room. He and the committee is expecting 75-100 people in attendance where visitors will learn the benefits of becoming an OST City. Save the date flyers have been mailed out with additional cities yet to be contacted.
Palmer also gave a brief report of a meeting he attended for the Crowley Classic Car and Antique Tractor Show slated Saturday, April 14, in downtown Crowley. Of special interest will be vehicles built between 1915 and 1929, the timeline of when the Old Spanish Trail was built along the southern coast of the United States.
Tiffany Thibodeaux gave a report of the new landscaping recently completed at the Chamber office. She and her husband speaheaded the landscaping of the front lawn flowerbeds including new flowers, shrubs and irrigation system all within the alotted budget.
Chamber Executive Director Fran Bihm gave a report of the successful CPR class and insurance forum recently held at the Chamber office for Chamber members. Plans are in the works for additional classes.
Bihm also reported of 98 paid Chamber memberships which exceeds last year’s number of this time.
Tiffany Thibodeaux gave the treasurer’s report, followed by the director’s report by Bihm who attended a number of events since the March Chamber meeting.
Under new business, approval was given by the board for membership renewal of the Chamber to One Acadia and One Acadiana, in addition to a budget addition to the Frog Festival souvenir committee for additional purchases for next month’s souvenir booth purchases.
Approval was also given for the replacement of the plexiglass for the Chamber’s ticket booth, which is also used throughout the year for other events and organizations.
A reminder was given to the scholarship committee to meet soon to discuss the Chamber Scholarship for Rayne High and Notre Dame students.
Announcement was made of the Cleanest City District Contest on April 5th and the Frog Festival Queen’s Pageant on April 14 at the Civic Center.
RAYNE - Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 21, 2018, at 11 a.m. at Starlight Baptist Church for Georgia Mae Nixon St. Julian, 82, who died Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at St. Martin Hospital in Breaux Bridge.
Services will be conducted by Rev. Nathan T. Stevens.
Interment will be in Community Garden Cemetery.
Mrs. Georgia Mae Nixon St. Julian was born August 8, 1935, to Isaac Sr. and Beatrice Harmon Nixon. She was called to her heavenly home on Wednesday, April 11, 2018.
She was a faithful member of Starlight Missionary Baptist Church where she was a member of the Adult Choir and Mission Department.
She was a loving mother, wonderful grandmother, caring mother-in-law, sister, aunt and friend. She was one of God’s servants who never complained because she believed that you should trust in the Lord with all your heart. Her love and friendship were unconditional and from her heart. Her humbling spirit, gratitude for others and loving heart will forever live in all of the lives she has touched. Yes, God sent us a very precious gift when he gave us his sweet angel.
She is survived by her daughter, Kathalyn St. Julian Syrie; son-in-law, Willie Syrie; grandson, Tyler James Syrie; granddaughter, Taylor JaNae Syrie; husband, James Allen St. Julian; brothers, Sam Nixon, Leroy Nixon and LJ Nixon; sisters, Ora Lee Young and Georgia Marie Cooper; aunts, Annie Nickson and Lillie Mae Wilridge; and godchildren, Geneen White, Bridgette Logan, Mary Ann Hill, Sandy Sinegal and Ferrin Roy.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Isaac Nixon Sr. and Beatrice Harmon Nixon; three sisters, Delia Mae Price, Mary Eva Nixon and Bonnie Nixon; two brothers, Isaac Nixon Jr. and Edgar Nixon; and a godchild, Merlin Nixon.
Visitation will be held Saturday, April 21, at Starlight Baptist Church from 8 a.m. until time of service.
Sign the guestbook online at www.syriefh.com
Arrangements have been entrusted to Syrie Funeral Home, Inc. of Lafayette.
RAYNE - The count down is on as the 46th Annual Frog Festival is less than three weeks away.
During four-day schedule of events (May 9-12), country music recording artist Doug Stone will headline the wide selection of musical entertainment for festival goers.
Stone, who has charted 22 singles on Hot Country Songs, with his greatest chart success coming between 1990 and 1995, will perform from 9:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday.
Saturday will see an expanded list of musical attractions, beginning just after noon and continuing non-stop until midnight.
The popular New Orleans-based tribute/show band The Chee-Weez will follow Stone to close out the festival entertainment at 1 a.m.
Musical entertainment will begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday with local talent Temporary Fix followed by Ronnie Matthews and Throwdown from 7:30 to 9 p.m.
The Frog Festival Jitter Bug Dance Contest will be held during Matthews’ performance
Louisiana Red will take the stage at 6 p.m., following the official opening ceremonies on Friday, May 11, with Country Roundup providing entertainment from 8 to 9:30 p.m.
Jamie Bergeron and the Kickin’ Cajuns will shut down the festival’s Friday activities with a performance from 10 p.m. until midnight
On Saturday, May 12, music from the main stage will kick off at 12:30 p.m. with Colby Latiolais and Ambush. The Festival Waltz Contest will be held during Latiolais’ performance.
Leroy Thomas, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., will precede Johnny Allen and Travis Matte from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Gyth Rigdon of DeRidder will perform from 7:30 to 9 p.m. with Stone taking the stage at 9:30 p.m.
The Chee-Weez will perform from 11:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. to close down the 46th annual festival.
RAYNE - A full slate of new Frog Festival royalty was named Saturday, each receiving their crowns and banners as they will represent Rayne during the upcoming 2018-2019 year.
The day’s pageantry began earlier Saturday morning at the Civic Center with the crowning of the new Frog Festival Junior Queen, followed by the evening contests when the Teen, Miss and Ms. Queens were selected.
Selected to reign over the 46th Annual Rayne Frog Festival on May 9-12 were:
Miss Queen Fallyn Olivia Gonsoulin;
Teen Queen Kailey Blair Hollier;
Ms. Queen Brittney Celeste Reed; and
Junior Queen Alyssa Rae’ Theriot.
Also introduced during the evening program were the 2018-2019 Golden King and Queen, Mike and Myrna Constantin.
Frog Festival Queen
Fallyn Olivia Gonsoulin, 18-year-old daughter of Chris and Jeanette Gonsoulin of New Iberia, will reign as queen of the 46th Annual Rayne Frog Festival.
Crowning her successor was Victoria Richard, last year’s honoree, and was sponsored for the event by her parents.
Fallyn, a former Teen Frog Festival Queen, is a freshman at LSU in Baton Rouge where majoring in animal science with a double minor in marine biology and Spanish while employed as assistant to Head of Graduate Affairs in the School of Nutrition and Food Science alongside an animal science internship.
Upon graduation, she plans to attend vet school with a concentration in large exotic animals and rehabilitation.
Named First Maid was Blair Elizabeth Bergeron, 19-year-old daughter of Eddie and Sarah Bergeron of Rayne and a sophomore at University of Louisiana at Lafayette where she is majoring in secondary math education.
Blair was sponsored for the pageant by her grandparents, Nona and Herman Bergeron. She will represent Rayne at the Louisiana Fur and Wildlife Festival.
Catherine Elise Castille was named Second Maid. She represented the City of Rayne as last year’s Miss Rayne.
Catherine is a junior at Louisiana State University at Eunice where she is majoring in radiologic technology. She was sponsored for the pageant by the City of Rayne.
Miss Castille was also awarded the gold tray as Miss Congeniality, an honor chosen by her fellow contestants.
Named Third Maid was Distiny Thompson, 22-year-old daughter of Michelin Jackson of Mansura. Distiny is a senior majoring in child and family studies at Northwestern State University.
Frog Festival Teen Queen
Kailey Blair Hollier was crowned the 2018 Frog Festival Teen Queen by last year’s honoree, Sydney Bertrand.
The 15-year-old daughter of Sammy and Paula Hollier is a freshman at Rayne High School where she is a member of the varsity cheerleading squad, vice president of her freshman class and Student Council member, all while maintaining a 4.0 grade point average.
Kailey is a five-year member of Project Dance and was sponsored for the event by Spray Tans by Allyson.
Named First Maid and Miss Congeniality during the Frog Festival Teen Pageant was Payton Broussard, 16-year-old daughter of Stuart and Angie Broussard of Rayne. Payton is a sophomore at Comeaux High School and is a very talented in singing, dancing, guitar and piano. She is a member of the Performing Art Academy, Piano Leadership, Talented Program and Comeaux High School cheerleader. She was sponsored for the pageant by her parents.
Frog Festival Ms. Queen
Brittney Celeste Reed of Erath was named the 2018 Frog Festival Ms. Queen. She was sponsored for the event by State Rep. Blake Miguez and was crowned by last year’s honoree, Karen Dupont.
Brittney is the 28-year-old daughter of Todd and Kelly Reed and represented Vermilion/Iberia Parishes during the pageant.
She is employed as a legislative assistant to Rep. Miguez and a campaign/fundraising specialist at Integrated Resources and Relations.
Brittney is a member of FUEL Vermilion, Vermilion Leadership, Abbeville Ducks Unlimited, Casting for a Cause, and enjoys event planning and marketing. The clubs/organizations she is a member of are all an active part of the amazing community in which she resides. She puts her all into these organizations to give back to her community in every way possible.
Summer Parker Blanchard was named First Maid to the Frog Festival Ms Queen. The 40-year-old stay-at-home mother of two boys is married to Ben Blanchard. They make their home in Breaux Bridge.
Summer, who was sponsored for the event by her boys, enjoys gardening, cooking and watching her son play ball, while also volunteering for Lake Arthur Regatta, Lake Arthur Christmas Celebration and at the Louisiana Christian School.
Named Second Maid was Falon Jackson, a 27-year-old child welfare specialist for the Rapides Department of Children and Family Services. She is the daughter of Beverly Jackson and represented Mansura during the pageant. Falon enjoys dancing, competing in pageants, and spending time with family and friends while she volunteers with Relay for Life and mentoring the young.
Third Maid Amber Thibodeaux Hargrave was also named Miss Congeniality during the Frog Festival Ms. Queen’s Pageant. The 31-year-old cosmetologist is the daughter of Alvin and Kathleen Thibodeaux of Crowley. She loves spending time with her husband Blair and her sons Flynn and Rhen, in addition to reading, Cajun dancing and operating her salon, LaBelle Vie Salon in Crowley.
Frog Festival Junior Queen
Alyssa Rae’ Theriot, 12-year-old daughter of Avery and Angela Theriot of St.Martinville, will serve as the 2018-2019 Frog Festival Junior Queen and will reign over the 46th annual Frog Festival. She was crowned by outgoing Junior Queen Andee-Kate Bullock during ceremonies held Saturday morning at the Rayne Civic Center.
Miss Theriot is a sixth grade student at St. Bernard Catholic School where she was named the Fifth Grade Student of the Year among other honors during her school career thus far.
Named First Maid to the new Junior Queen was Klarisse Renay Thibodeaux, 11-year-old daughter of Heather Touchet of Rayne.
Klarisse is a sixth grade student at Rayne Catholic Elementary and is also a member of the Project Dance Studio.
The Frog Festival Junior Queen’s Pageant is sponsored annually by the ladies of Preceptor Alpha Chi Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority.
Frog Festival Golden
King & Queen
Mike and Myrna Constantin were presented as the 2018-2019 Frog Festival Golden King and Queen by the Cajun Hospitality Charter Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association during ceremonies held just prior to the introduction of queen’s pageant contestants.
The Constantins will be celebrating 50 years of marriage in May, are the parents of a son, David, married to Dineen, and a daughter, Danielle, married to Paul Gossen. They are also the proud grandparents of five grandchildren.
Mike is a retired Rayne Police officer of 28 years, having also worked for the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office and the City of Scott. He served his country as a member of the Louisiana National Guard for eight years and is the head usher for St. Joseph Catholic Church, where he is very active in church parish activities.
Mike often volunteers with the local Boys Scout Troop 61, which includes his grandsons. He also volunteers and helps with sorority functions as asked by his wife, Myrna. In his spare time, Mike enjoys woodworking and projects on his honey-do list.
Myrna is happily retired from Walmart after 33 years of service. During her time there, served as chairman of the Children’s Miracle Network fundraiser for many years and also served as the chairman of the annual blood drive sponsored by Walmart through United Blood Services.
She has been a very active member of her sorority, Preceptor Alpha Chi Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, for 40 years, holding many offices over that four-decade span. She worked as “pageant mom” for the Frog Festival Queen’s Ball when her sorority sponsored that event, while also working as a “pageant mom” for Festival Ray*La*Ne for many years.
Myrna is also very involved with “Project Pink” hosted by Preceptor Alpha Chi, where she serves as silent auction chairman. Her hobbies include gardening, reading, antiquing and meeting new people as an independent Lipsense consultant. She and Mike enjoy spending time with their family.
Mike and Myrna said they are humbled and honored to have been chosen to serve as Rayne Frog Festival Golden King and Queen. They plan to attend as many functions as possible to promote the city they love, ABWA and the Rayne Chamber of Commerce.
The new “Golden” honorees were crowned by last year’s royalty, Edward and Marlene Habetz, and received their flowers and golden tray from Fran Bihm, ABWA president and executive director of the Rayne Chamber of Commerce.
Frog Festival Poster Contest
The unveiling of the 2018 Frog Festival poster was also held during the evening. Festival Chairman Jeremy Lavergne and Poster Chairman Cordelia Pizzalotto announced that 26 entries were submitted for this year’s contest.
Introduced as the 2018 poster winner was George Leger as his winning poster was unveiled.
Parade Grand Marshal
Rayne’s Lewis Cook Jr., better known for his role on the football sidelines for the past 44 years, was named the 2018 Parade Grand Marshal for the 46th annual Frog Festival.
Cook was nominated by Louis “Bedoo” Meche Jr. for the award. He was presented the Grand Marshal plaque by Festival Chairman Jeremy Lavergne and Parade Chairman Brian Mouton.
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