By William Weathers
Written for the LSWA
When a re-organization of LaSalle’s athletic department brought about sweeping changes in four sports that included athletic director Derek White, it was expected the Tigers’ softball team would have a new leader in 2025.
White, though, was still in the dugout and the Tigers were the beneficiaries.
White was the lone survivor in LaSalle’s extreme athletics makeover, guiding the Olla-based school to the Division IV nonselect state championship with a 1-0 victory over Oak Grove in nine innings.
The Louisiana Sports Writers Association rewarded White, who won his third state title at the school, with the Class 1A Coach of the Year award this season.
Senior pitcher Ashley Little of Opelousas Catholic was selected Outstanding Player. The two-time Class 1A All-State selection was 20-5 with a 1.89 earned run average and 250 strikeouts in 158 innings.
Little helped the 2024 select state champion Lady Vikings back to the Division IV title game where they fell to Menard, 4-1.
White guided LaSalle to a 34-3 record with its only three losses coming against teams that reached the state tournament. The Tigers, 8-0 against teams from Classes 4A-5A, finished the season on a 20-game winning streak with 12 run-rule wins and four shutouts.
Vermilion Catholic was a glowing example of perseverance, dealing with the loss of two players to season-ending injuries, and three others to setbacks during the year, to capture the school’s first state championship.
Coach Ben Harrington pushed all the right buttons, shifting personnel over the course of the regular season, until the Screaming Eagles (25-7) resembled a state championship team with a 4-1 victory over Ouachita Christian in the Division IV select title game.
Top-seeded Covenant Christian, the state’s lone undefeated team through the regular season that finished 36-1 with a loss in the state semifinals, boasted the state’s Outstanding Player in senior Owen Trosclair.
Trosclair, the team’s All-State selection at utility and district MVP, was 8-1with a 1.12 ERA and 60 strikeouts on the mound. He also batted .464 with two homers, 40 RBIs and 22 stolen bases.
LSWA CLASS 1A ALL-STATE CHARTS
SOFTBALL
Player school Cl avg.
P Abigail Creighton St. Frederick Sr. 15-6
P Morgan Landry Catholic-PC Sr.
P Landry Long LaSalle Fr. 16-1
P Ashley Little Opelousas Catholic Sr. 20-5
C Allie Murphrey LaSalle Sr. .629
IF Zoey Fitts Montgomery Sr. 506
IF Olivia St. Pierre Riverside Jr. .506
IF Kennedi Smith Logansport Sr. .519
IF Bella Trosclair Covenant Christian Jr. .569
OF Avery Houser St. Frederick Sr. .542
OF Jade Oliney Central Catholic Sr. .511
OF Lilli St. Germain Catholic-PC Sr. .333
UT Taylor Gongre Montgomery Sr. 479
UT Ava Gauthe Ascension Catholic So. .451
UT Ainsley Morvan Logansport Fr. .625
UT Charli Neumann St. John Jr. .523
UT Mattie Parham LaSalle Sr. .405
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: ASHLEY LITTLE, OPELOUSAS CATHOLIC
COACH OF THE YEAR: DEREK WHITE, LASALLE
Honorable mention
Hydi Boyd, Cedar Creek; Tyonnah Burton, St. Mary’s; Camryn Cancienne, Riverside; Addie Clampit, St. Frederick; Megan Day, St. Frederick’ Anna Claire Fitzgerald, Cedar Creek; Madison Gussman, Opelousas Catholic; Jenna Beth Hagle, Vermilion Catholic; Abby Henry, Covenant Christian; Isabelle Hernandez, Central Catholic; Rheese Martin, LaSalle; Haley Melancon, Catholic-PC; Ainsley Pinder, Montgomery; Mia Sisco, Westminster-Lafayette; Jenna Sklar, St. Mary’s; Mallory Smith, Cedar Creek; Presley Wall, Cedar Creek; Grace Wren, St. Mary’s; Addisen Yates, Highland Baptist.
BASEBALL
Pos. PLayer School Cl Avg.
P Cole Albert Vermilion Catholic Fr. 8-1
P Brennan Champagne Covenant Christian Sr. 9-0
P Aiden Melna St. Frederick Sr. 9-3
P Jayce Ruiz Riverside Academy Jr. 7-2
C Peyton Trosclair Covenant Christian Jr. .399
IF Mason Canter Covenant Christian Sr. 462
INF William Patrick St. Frederick Sr. 488
IF Preston Peebles Ascension Episcopal Jr. .425
IF Jackson Trahan, Vermilion Catholic Sr. .421
OF Carsen Hebert Covenant Christian Sr. .381
OF Bryce Lege Vermilion Catholic Sr. .359
OF Conor Jordan St. Mary’s Sr. .429
UT Ayden Bullock Riverside Academy Jr. .379
UT Wyatt Buratt Ascension Christian Sr. 8-1
UT Kade Luker, Cedar Creek So. .349
UT Owen Trosclair Covenant Christian Jr. .464
UT Rylan Young Grand Lake Sr. .455
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: OWEN TROSCLAIR, COVENANT CHRISTIAN
COACH OF THE YEAR: BEN HARRINGTON, VERMILION CATHOLIC
Honorable Mention
Rowen Bergeron, Opelousas Catholic; Blaze Brister, Merryville; Myles Collins, Opelousas Catholic; Jackson Devey, Ascension Episcopal; Jaxon Frederick, Centerville; Ayden Gongre, Montgomery; Mason Jordan, Montgomery; Mason LeBlanc, Ascension Christian;Tino Lopez, Centerville; Braylon Normand, St. Mary; Jaxon Frederick, Centerville; Owen O’Neill, St. Frederick, Kason Perry, Covenant Christian; Alex Scheurmann, St. Martin’s, Trey Scarbrough, St. Mary; Canaan Stowe, LaSalle; Luke Vosburg, Catholic-PC.
