Baton Rouge Area Weekly Notebook Presented By Trade Construction • June 14

by Jerit Roser // Capital Area High School Correspondent

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Port Allen didn’t have to take long or look far to check all their boxes to succeed Derrick Jones as head boys basketball coach.

Just two weeks after Jones’ move to his alma mater, Catholic (Baton Rouge), the Pelicans found another former area standout to take the reins of the program.

Dimario Jackson Sr. returned to the westside after serving as an assistant on Zachary’s state championship team.

The former Brusly standout, at the time a district rival of Port Allen, was a two-time all-state selection before playing collegiately at Northeast Mississippi Community College and North Alabama.

LSWA releases final baseball, softball all-state teams

A few more Baton Rouge area athletes earned all-state honors last week in the three final classifications released by the LSWA.

A trio of Parkview Baptist baseball players — Ryan Harland, Brennan Holt and Caleb Stelly — earned Class 3A recognition.

Nearby Lutcher pitchers Kyle St. Pierre and Allie Bland of the Bulldogs’ baseball and softball teams, respectively, also represented the 225 area code. 

Sophomore St. Amant slugger Addison Jackson and junior Walker pitcher Lainee Bailey were recognized on the Class 5A softball team.

And Live Oak senior Blaise Priester and Walker junior Caleb Webb were named to the Class 5A baseball team.

Woodlawn QB Rickie Collins earns Louisiana Tech, LSU offers

Rickie Collins impressed hometown LSU coaches for a second straight weekend to earn a scholarship offer.

The Woodlawn (Baton Rouge) quarterback’s recruiting star has risen quickly the past few months, including consistent conversations with the Tigers since March and finally the long-awaited in-person opportunities to confirm their interest.

Collins, who also added Louisiana Tech late last week, joins the conversation with Newman’s Arch Manning and Zachary’s Eli Holstein among the top quarterback targets in a loaded 2023 recruiting class being prioritized by Ed Orgeron and his staff in Baton Rouge.

Other notable scholarship offers

Holstein secured an Alabama offer this weekend to add another noteworthy option to his recruitment.

The younger brother of Louisiana Tech signee Caleb Holstein received an early LSU offer last year before exploding on the recruiting trail this spring, including Ohio State and the Crimson Tide as the two latest programs to enter the conversation.

One of Holstein’s up-and-coming targets, rising sophomore wide receiver Luke Wisham, earned his first scholarship offer from in-state Tulane.

And rising junior athlete Jaiden Ausberry of University Lab and rising junior running back Kaleb Jackson picked up