Primeaux holds tenuous lead with 18 holes left
Gage Primeaux stormed back from a four-stroke deficit and is the leader heading into the final round of the 46th annual Lake Charles City Championship at Mallard Golf Club.
Primeaux shot a 3-under 69 Saturday and is 2-under for the tournament.
The 2017 champion leads 5-time champ Matt Nicholas by one stroke.
Primeaux made his move on the par-5 No. 13 with an eagle to take a one-stroke lead. He dropped back into a tie after a bogey on No. 15 but birdied No. 16 for the second consecutive round.
Nicholas, the first-round leader, couldn't reproduce the same magic he had in the first round when he made the turn at 5-under. He shot a 73 after a 69 on Friday.
Charles Spencer had a great front nine and briefly took the tournament lead at 3-under after his third birdie on the front nine on No. 8. But he got tripped up on the back nine with four bogeys and a double-bogey from the 10th to the 15th.
Garrett Trahan sits in third, two shots behind Primeaux after a one-under 71 on Saturday.
Championship Fight
First round scores
Gage Primeaux 73-69—142
Matt Nicholas 69-74—143
Garrett Trahan 73-71—144
Charles Spence 72-74—146
Landen East 74-73—147
Kye Hanks 74-74—148
John Morrissey 73-75—148
Jacob Lejeune 73-75—148
Blake DeReese 76-73—149
President's Flight
Thad Gaspard 78-74—152
Cameron Langley 74-79—153
Zachary Robertson 75-78—153
Collin Jones 76-78—154
Billy Gabbert 78-78—156
Blake Marceaux 81-76—157
Chris Hood 80-80—160
Harry Shaheen 80-81—161
Alex Augustine 82-80—162
Christian McCleon 81-86—167
Jacobo Santacoloma WD
First flight
Kane Hanks 72
Cody Small 73
Paul Hensley 73
Corey Theriot 74
David Martin 76
Cristian Gette 77
Cody Lewis 78
Tyler Istre 80
Dustin Bertrand 71
Cody Stroud 82
Kolby Trosclair 84
Second Flight
Grant LaRocca 73
Patrick Osborne 76
Jaxson Caldwell 77
Chance Curlee 79
Cole Bergeron 80
Evan Comeaux 81
Jason Katchur 82
Noah Hinton 84
Austin Creel 85
Josh Trucke 85
Dustin Ratliff 87
Garrison Connell 90
Third Flight
Bill Hamrick 77
James Karam 78
Travis Furs 83
Mark Ledoux 84
Samuel Lepage 86
Zachary Nicholas 86
Cory Breaux 87
Brandon Nowlin 90
Matt Stewart 95
Dustin Perron 96
Kolby Delino 102
Fourth Flight
Marshall Alexander 84
Andrew Hebert 85
Wesley Littleton 85
Blake Reynolds 93
Drew Beard 95
Anthony Hampton 96
Ryan Benoit 96
Sam Wade 96
Jason James 98
George Wilkerson 99
Trey Quinn 102
Fifth Flight
Cody Oliver 88
Ryan Ardoin 88
David Poole 91
Trent Manuel 95
Jeff Spears 96
Derrick Fendley 107
Chase Parmentier 110
Gabriel LaLand 112
Senior A
Bryron Martin 73
Charles Manuel 74
Doug Quienalty 76
Brian LaRocca 76
Donnie Abshire 79
David Huber 82
Troy Higgonbotham 84
Kevin Primeaux 88
Walt Dulany 88
Senior B
Mike Beglis 80
Doyle Carter 81
Billy Creel 83
Jonathan Courville 84
Mike Farley 85
Joseph Bourgeois 86
Kevin Snyder 87
Ricky Menard 92
Carl Cole 93
Super Senior A
Sid Bradley 76
Charlie Buller 80
Lloyd Guillory 84
Kurt Hamilton 84
Pap Williams 84
Wendell Christian 86
Marcus Leonard 89
William Wiese 95
Super Senior B
Kevin Broussard 83
Val East 86
Gene Loar 88
Karl Bertrand 90
Michael Carter 91
Michael Rousseau 91
Barry Hood 92
Sam Marsigia 97
Lindsay Barnes 99
Samuel Baynes 100
Ricky Anderson 106
Time
Players
8:00 AM
Pap Williams
Wendell Christian
Marcus Leonard
William Wiese
8:08 AM
Sid Bradley
Charlie Buller
Lloyd Guillory
Kurt Hamilton
8:16 AM
Lindsay Barnes
Samuel Baynes
Ricky Anderson
8:24 AM
Michael Carter
Sam Marsiglia
Karl Bertrand
8:32 AM
Kevin Broussard
Val East
Gene Loar
8:40 AM
Robert Cameron
Greg Comeaux
Barry Hood
8:48 AM
Scott Landreneau
Brent Soileau
Todd Fontenot
Mike Holland
8:56 AM
Joseph Adaway
Chad Langley
Chris Fontenot
Trent Trahan
9:04 AM
Kevin Snyder
Ricky Menard
Carl Cole
9:12 AM
Jonathan Courville
Mike Farley
Joseph Bourgeois
9:20 AM
Mike Beglis
Doyle Carter
Billy Creel
9:28 AM
Troy Higgonbotham
Kevin Primeaux
Walt Dulany
9:36 AM
Doug Quienalty
Donnie Abshire
David Huber
9:44 AM
Byron Martin
Charles Manuel
Brian LaRocca
9:52 AM
Jeff Spears
Derrick Fendley
Chase Parmentier
Gabriel LaLande
10:00 AM
Cody Oliver
Ryan Ardoin
David Poole
Trent Manuel
10:08 AM
Jason James
George Wilkerson
Trey Quinn
10:16 AM
Drew Beard
Anthony Hampton
Ryan Benoit
Sam Wade
10:24 AM
Marshall Alexander
Andrew Hebert
Wesley Littleton
Blake Reynolds
10:32 AM
Matt Stewart
Dustin Perron
Kolby Delino
10:40 AM
Samuel Lepage
Zachary Nicholas
Cory Breaux
Brandon Nowlin
10:48 AM
Bill Hamrick
James Karam
Travis Furs
Mark Ledoux
10:56 AM
Austin Creel
Josh Trucke
Dustin Ratliff
Garrison Connell
11:04 AM
Cole Bergeron
Evan Comeaux
Jason Katchur
Noah Hinton
11:12 AM
Grant LaRocca
Patrick Osborne
Jaxson Caldwell
Chance Curlee
11:20 AM
Dustin Bertrand
Cody Stroud
Kolby Trosclair
11:28 AM
Cristian Gette
David Martin
Cody Lewis
Tyler Istre
11:36 AM
Kane Hanks
Cody Small
Paul Henslee
Corey Theriot
1:00 PM
Bear Shaheen
Alex Augustine
Christian McCleon
1:08 PM
Chris Hood
Blake Marceaux
Billy Gabbert
1:16 PM
Zachary Robertson
Collin Jones
Cameron Langley
Thad Gaspard
1:24 PM
Blake DeReese
Kye Hanks
John Morrissey
1:32 PM
Jacob Lejeune
Landen East
Charles Spence
1:40 PM
Garrett Trahan
Matt Nicholas
Gage Primeaux
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
American Press
11-07-2025
- American Press
His own man
Bill Armstrong promises to be true to himself as he takes over the Cowboys. (Roderick Anderson/American Press) B ill Armstrong isn't Will Wade. He isn't the complete opposite of him either. In many ways, the new McNeese State men's basketball coach is nothing like his predecessor. Wade was a two-year wild ride through the raging rapids. Armstrong is more like a pleasure cruise over calm seas. But in a few key areas, they're very much alike. 'Will is like a brother to me,' Armstrong said. 'He is one of my best friends in the world. We just go about things differently.' That is apparent just by watching the two go through film sessions with their players. Armstrong's voice stayed smooth while Wade's could peel the paint off the walls of the Legacy Center. Armstrong is your chemistry professor, trying to get you to understand a toxic formula that could be used in the high school lab. Wade, the gym teacher, is attempting to get you to do 10 more push-ups. Both have the same goal: to teach, but they approach it in very unique ways. However, don't be confused by the easy-going demeanor of Armstrong; he has just as big a fire inside him, roaring to win. 'We are both very, very competitive,' said Armstrong. 'I want to win just like he does. That's why I came here. I want to build on what he started.' And when his players mess up in practice, Armstrong is more than capable of getting them back on track, but he does it his way. Wade took McNeese to two straight Southland Conference championships and their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory last spring when they beat Clemson. Despite it all, Armstrong isn't worried about filling any shoes. Armstrong takes over for Wade, whom he worked for at LSU, after two historic seasons. The Cowboys went 58-11, including 41-2 against the Southland, with postseason results included. That only made the job more attractive to Armstrong, who is getting his first chance at being a college head coach. 'Not many people get the opportunity to take over a program that's doing so well,' Armstrong said. 'Usually, you have to take over a bad team and build it. This is special because we're ready to keep on winning.' One fan Armstrong doesn't have to win over? Will Wade. He fully endorses his friend's hiring and is behind him 100 percent. 'He is going to make you guys forget all about me,' said Wade. 'There is no bigger fan of Bill Armstrong or McNeese basketball than me. 'Bill is the most consistent person I have been around. You know what to expect and what you are going to get from him every day.' Armstrong took over the program just days after Wade accepted his new gig at North Carolina State, taking a good portion of his staff with him. The transition to Armstrong, who came over after spending one season as an assistant at Baylor, could not have gone smoother. 'Bill has done a fantastic job since being hired,' said McNeese Athletic Director Heath Schroyer. 'I could not have asked for more from him and his staff. 'He's his own man and has his own personality, but the nuts and bolts of the program and how it's run on a day-to-day basis? It's the same.' And the standards are the same, too. 'Our expectations for this program remain just as high,' said Schroyer. 'I do not doubt at all that Coach Armstrong will continue to move this program forward.' Armstrong and Wade are connected through their LSU hardships. Both were let go over recruiting allegations that rocked the Tiger program at the time. Armstrong wondered if he'd ever get a shot at the head coach's gig. 'You think about that, and it was a low point,' said Armstrong. 'You wonder if you will ever get to tell your story and if anybody will ever take a chance on you.' Armstrong ended up in the head coach's chair at Link Academy, a nationally elite high school basketball program in Missouri. He won a national title and went to another Final Four in his two seasons before Baylor. Armstrong understands what it means to get a second chance; he just doesn't talk about it as openly as Wade does. 'I use that chip on my shoulder a little differently than Will,' Armstrong said. 'But I am just as appreciative of McNeese and this community for embracing me, my family and my staff. They have been great to all of us. 'I could not have drawn things up moving here any better. Now we want to just keep winning and take this program to an even higher level.' With that, he sounds (at least a little) like… You know who.
American Press
05-07-2025
- American Press
American Press Female Scholar Athlete of the Year: Baumgarten eager to lend helping hand
2025 South Beauregard High School graduate Jolie Baumgarten is this year's American Press Female Scholar Athlete. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) A desire to help others was the force for recent South Beauregard graduate Jolie Baumgarten. And it's that same drive that pushed her to go all in the classroom, on the court and in her community. 'One thing that was very important to me was making sure that I was well-versed,' Baumgarten said. 'Throughout my high school career, I wanted to do everything possible. I also wanted to do that while I maintained good academics because that was always the most important thing. I just wanted to make sure that I really got the high school experience.' And she did just that. With a 4.23 grade point average, 35 college credits, and a 28 on the American College Testing exam while earning all-district first team and American Press All-Southwest Louisiana Big Schools second-team honors, Baumgarten is the American Press Female Scholar Athlete of the Year. She was also an active member of Student Council and BETA Club, preferring to stay busy more often than relaxing. To keep it all together, she said she kept a detailed calendar that seldom had a blank space. 'I love to stay busy,' Baumgarten said. 'I'm not a homebody. 'I really just have that passion and drive to just do everything I can to help others. Pretty much every day, I'm doing something. 'My calendar really does help me stay organized, but I always make sure I get my priorities first. My top priorities are always family and God. Everything else falls in place after that. That's something my parents (Angela Harrison and Chad Baumgarten) always told me. Just to keep my faith and be confident in what I do. That if I work hard and stay grounded, I'll be successful.' Baumgarten said she plans to attend LSU in the fall and pursue a marketing degree, not to promote herself but to use it to continue to serve others. 'I love helping others,' Baumgarten said. 'So marketing, I really do believe that I can get into the right company that will really do good for America and our people and not just push the wrong agenda over them. 'I want to be very truthful and open and honest with my marketing strategies and just make the world a better place by serving others. I think it helps to know what our community is lacking, like world hunger and climate issues. I think that's very important to know what exactly we need to be giving back, because if we aren't really catering to the most desperate need, then I feel like we aren't really solving the biggest issue at hand.' As a student council member, Baumgarten participated in community events like the homecoming parade and a Thanksgiving food drive. She also made regular visits to local nursing homes. The activity that had the most profound impact on her, she said, was Bright Days, hosted by the student council. 'It was like a field day for special education students, and I believe that it taught not just me but pretty much everybody in our school that it's not just about us,' Baumgarten said. 'That we need to include them too. 'I know that they do not have a normal high school experience, and maybe they feel excluded from things. I know that really had an impact on them, and it really did have an impact on me too. It was very fun and I enjoyed making them happy over myself.' Baumgarten said several teachers helped push her to success and see the broader world around her, especially Jeff Lejeune and counselor Jessica Hungerford. 'I really do feel like I am very well prepared because of the dedication and sincerity that our teachers put into us,' Baumgarten said. 'They really do care for us. We are not the smallest school, but we are a smaller school. 'So it really does help with personal relationships. I've had amazing teachers like Mr. Lejeune, who opened my eyes to the real world and where my values need to lie. Ms. Hungerford, my counselor, has always pushed us to go beyond our limits.' On the court, Baumgarten, a guard who averaged 11.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.0 assists a game, helped lead the Lady K's to the Non-select Division II quarterfinals in her final season and the state championship game as a junior. 'I knew basketball would teach me many life lessons that just school would not teach me,' Baumgarten said. 'It would prepare me for the real world.'
American Press
05-07-2025
- American Press
American Press Male Scholar Athlete of the Year: Need to know why drives VanMetre
Sulphur High School graduate Paxton VanMetre is the 2025 American Press Male Scholar Athlete of the Year. (Trish Leger / Special to the American Press) A basic understanding of the world around him isn't enough for Paxton VanMetre. His pursuit of knowledge — from academics to sports, band and beyond — requires a deeper understanding. 'That's everything for me,' VanMetre said. 'Knowledge for me is not just knowing where things are or what things are. 'Another big lesson I learned throughout sports is you got to have a why for everything. Why you do something and to have that knowledge of why I would do something or why a thing is, why rules are in place, why sports are a certain way.' With a healthy dose of advanced classes, VanMetre ranked 18th out of 404 with a 4.14 grade point average in his graduating class, scored a 32 on the American College Testing exam, played multiple sports and found time for band and various clubs. He is the American Press Male Scholar Athlete of the Year. The Sulphur High School Student of the Year made sure every minute counted. 'You have to handle business,' VanMetre said. 'You find out that in class, 'All right, I got a few minutes, maybe I can knock out some math problems.' 'Or maybe, I can knock out some biology or whatever. You start finding stuff to do, so that way when you get home after a long day, you don't have to deal with a whole lot. A lot of late nights, but those are definitely worth it.' He played four seasons as a kicking specialist for the Tors football team and defense and midfield for the soccer team. With sports and playing the tenor saxophone in the band, early mornings and long days were the norm for VanMetre. He was also a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the BETA Club, and the Quiz Bowl team. He is fluent in Spanish and was a TOR Guide, translating for fellow students who were learning English. 'You're tired,' VanMetre said. 'Every day you're tired, but there's an aspect of it where you have to almost force yourself some days, especially those summer workouts. 'Then, after summer workouts, now it's band camp. All right, now it's soccer practice. So, all of that would be one day. You have to be mentally strong to get through football at 6:15 in the morning. Then after football, you would go to school like normal. You're a student-athlete, student first. So you'd go to school, you'd take a test.' As a son of educators, Calcasieu Parish School Board Superintendent Jason VanMetre and Sulphur High Assistant Principal Amanda VanMetre, Paxton gained a greater appreciation for his teachers and what they do. 'They were such a help,' Paxton said. 'Just being able to say, 'All right, we've been in a classroom. We're going to tell you how teachers think. We're going to tell you how some teachers are.' And it was just a little bit of an insight into education and teachers. I was able to look into teachers' lives, and it truly gave me an appreciation for what teachers do.' With a love of math and science, VanMetre said he will pursue a degree in mechanical engineering starting this fall at Louisiana Tech. 'I always enjoyed being in those classes, whether it was my senior year with Ms. (Whitney) Bass and Ms. (Mary) Billedeaux or freshman year with Mr. (Darian) Roberson and Ms. (Georgia) Broussard,' Paxton said. 'I took physics in my junior year, and that kind of exposed me to the more science engineering aspect. I was in an engineering class my junior year as well, so that really showed me. 'I was like, 'OK, I'm loving what we're doing here. Is there any way I could do this further?' I love this. Come to find out, Louisiana Tech has a very good engineering program. It's a very hands-on experience. When I saw that in Louisiana Tech, I was like, 'All right, I'm sold.'
