By Jacob McCoy
It certainly has been an interesting year of high school sports in Cameron Parish. A lot of whoas and wows from football to basketball to baseball to softball to track and everything else in between. It’s safe to say that Cameron Parish athletes have really shined this year!
Starting in football season the Grand Lake Hornets’ 2nd year of Class 2A football did not disappoint going 6-5 including a first round playoff appearance and finishing 3-2 in district play. The Hornets will be dropping back down to Class 1A but they will definitely be a force to be reckoned with in District 4-1A over the next two years.
In boys basketball Grand Lake didn’t have the season they had hoped for going 5-21 and winless in district play. But the future looks bright in Hornet country next season!
South Cameron didn’t have the season they were hoping for going 3-21. However two of those wins came against parish rival Johnson Bayou so the Tarpons have some bragging rights. The Tarpons and Rebels played each other 4 times during the season and they split 2-2. They also split 1-1 in district play with the other two meetings being tournament play earlier in the season.
Hackberry had a great season going 23-13 and making the first round of the playoffs. Things are looking really good in the near future for the Mustangs!
Johnson Bayou didn’t have the season they we’re hoping for going 3-22. However two of those wins came again parish rival South Cameron so the Rebels definitely have some bragging rights splitting with the Tarpons.
In girls basketball, Grand Lake went 10-15. They missed the playoffs but still had some impressive wins over parish rivals Hackberry, Johnson Bayou, and South Cameron as well as big district wins over Vinton and Welsh.
Hackberry had a solid season with a 15-16 record although they did not make the playoffs. They still have a lot of positive momentum going into next season. So perhaps the Lady Mustangs could make some noise in class C this November.
South Cameron didn’t have the ideal season but still managed to pick up a few wins along the way. The Lady Tarpons are young and growing pains are expected with a young group but the future is bright in Tarpon country!
Johnson Bayou had a solid season but missed the playoffs. They still ended up winning 14 games and have plenty of momentum to build off of going into next season!
In softball the Grand Lake Lady Hornets had a heck of a season in district 5-2A beating some really good teams along the way. They made it to the 2nd round of the playoffs. Things are looking really good for Lady Hornet softball!
South Cameron had 6 wins including a big tournament win over Ascension Episcopal in the Acadiana tournament. These young ladies are slowly getting better and will look to improve next season and compete for a district title and beyond.
Johnson Bayou had their first softball season in a long time only playing 11 games and did not win any of those games. However a new program takes time and patience to build and improve so the best is yet to come for the Lady Rebels!
Hackberry had a solid 11 win season even though they did not make the playoffs. There is still plenty of momentum to build off of heading into the 2025 season so the Lady Mustangs should be a team to look out for.
In baseball the Grand Lake Hornets had a stellar season and played a tough schedule. They also made it to the first round of the playoffs. These guys are young right now but they’ll definitely be making a lot of noise next year as they will try to reach their goal of getting back to Sulphur in May!
South Cameron only collected 4 wins on the season but lost some close games to some tough opponents. The Tarpons are young but not inexperienced so look for those young men to have a stronger season next spring!
The Hackberry Mustangs exceeded expectations and is probably the most improved baseball team in the parish with a 12-11 regular season record. They made the first round of the Division 5 Non-Select playoffs. They’ve had a few big wins along the way including a 3-2 win over parish rival Grand Lake back on Mar. 1.
The expectations seem to now be higher in Mustang country so expect Hackberry to have another strong season in 2025 and perhaps make a deep playoff run to Sulphur.
Lastly, we cannot forget about track and field, this entire parish has shown the rest of the state how strong they are in this particular sport. The fact that all four Cameron Parish teams were represented in the State Meet at LSU just speaks volumes of how much hard work these young men and young ladies put into perfecting their craft. It also speaks volumes of how hard these coaches work to prepare these kids to compete at an elite level!
Whether you’re a Tarpon, Hornet, Mustang, or Rebel, this entire parish as a whole, should be extremely proud of these young athletes and in every sport for that matter!
No matter how good or bad of a record your school or team has, always support these kids no matter what. Your support means a lot more them than you may think!
#CameronParishProud