RSS Feed

BERWICK -- Berwick High's softball and baseball seasons are months away. But the Panthers celebrated a triple-header Wednesday.

Three Berwick athletes signed letters of intent to play in college. Ella Hover signed her letter to attend and play softball for LSU-Eunice. Two pitchers for Berwick's 2022 state runner-up baseball team, Mason Johnston and Hayden Robinson, signed letters to attend and play baseball for Nicholls State.

"We're extremely, extremely proud of these young people," Athletic Director Mike Walker told the four-deep audience at the BHS gym, "not so much for the good athletes they are, but even better human beings. That's what we strive for here."

Hover, recruited by LSU-E as an outfielder, was drafted into other duty last spring, outgoing Berwick coach Joe Russo said Wednesday.

"We had to use her as a pitcher," Russo said. "She's the type of player who will play where you need her to play. That's the kind of unselfish player she is. ... She's a natural athlete on both sides of the ball."

Incoming coach Liane Albert doesn't know whether Hover will be on the mound during her senior season this spring.

"We'll have to see how it goes," Albert said.

No matter where she plays in the field, Hover's offensive punch isn't in question. She hit .560 last season and was recruited by LSU-E as an outfielder.

"She's just an outstanding person, and an even better person than athlete," Albert said.

LSU-E is coming off its 10th National Junior College Athletic Association playoff appearance and is led by NJCAA All-American Chloe Bennett.

"The ability to win a championship really opened my eyes," Hover said. "When I got there, it felt like home."

The two baseball signees made the pitching mound their primary residence last spring, when the Panthers came within a run of winning the state 3A baseball title. Through the playoffs, Berwick combined stingy pitching and defense with a big-hitting attack.

"We got hot, but in the championship game, it didn't go the way we wanted," Berwick coach Seth Henry said.

Still, Johnston went 8-1.

"His command got better throughout the year," Henry said.

Johnston said he signed with Nicholls State because "it's pretty close to home and I've got a lot of family and friends who went there. I feel like I can make an impact on the team."

Robinson, who went 12-1, is the coach's stepson and numbers former Patterson and Central Catholic coach Tommy Minton, former Morgan City High coach Gayle Robinson and former Berwick coach Lud Henry among this relatives.

Robinson posted a 12-1 record for Berwick last year as a junior.

"He took a tremendous leap from his sophomore year to his junior year," Seth Henry said. "I think this year you could see a bigger jump. He put some size on him."

Robinson credited his sophomore-to-junior improvement on weight training.

"I really starting taking the weight room seriously," Robinson said. "I started to gain some more confidence in myself. I started pushing harder."

As for Nicholls, "I've always loved the place, and it's only 30 miles down the road."

Central Catholic's volleyball team beat Ascension Catholic 31-29, 26-24, 25-23 Thursday morning in the LHSAA Division V quarterfinals at Lafayette' Cajundome.

The Eagles now move into an 11:50 a.m. Friday state semifinal game with Westminster Christian, which beat Riverside Academy 25-11, 25-15, 25-11 in another quarterfinal Thursday.

Central Catholic is seeded third in the playoffs. Westminster is seeded second.

The following are the radio dispatch logs from the Morgan City Police Department. To report unlawful or suspicious activity, call the Police Department at 985-380-4605.
Tuesday, Nov. 8
8:02 a.m. Maple/Onstead streets; Reckless operation.
8:10 a.m. 200 block of Glenwood Street; Medical.
8:24 a.m. 700 block of Fourth Street; Com-plaint.
8:38 a.m. 1300 block of Federal Avenue; Medical.
9:11 a.m. 8900 block of La. 182; Fire.
9:55 a.m. Bowling Al-ley/Auditorium; Complaint.
10:17 a.m. 700 block of Justa Street; Fire alarm.
10:35 a.m. 2600 block of Maple Street; Animal complaint.
11 a.m. 300 block of Terrebonne Street; Disturbance.
1:24 p.m. 900 block of Hilda Street; Medical.
1:36 p.m. 600 block of Fifth Street; Warrant.
2:24 p.m. 3000 block of Roderick Street; Criminal damage.
2:47 p.m. 1000 block of Walnut Drive; Trespassing.
3:52 p.m. 2400 block of Pecan Street; Traffic complaint.
3:56 p.m. 300 block of Egle Street; Harassment.
4:12 p.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Complaint.
4:42 p.m. 1400 block of Front Street; Trespassing.
4:36 p.m. 700 block of Freret Street; Harassment.
5:04 p.m. 1300 block of Victor II Boulevard; Patrol request.
5:50 p.m. 100 block of Chennault Street; Fire alarm.
6 p.m. Orange Street and Federal Avenue; Disturbance.
6:24 p.m. Arenz and Sixth streets; Suspicious subject.
6:26 p.m. 1600 block of Cottonwood Street; Criminal damage to property.
6:32 p.m. 700 block of Freret Street; Complaint.
6:37 p.m. 1100 block of Fourth Street; Complaint.
7:08 p.m. 6400 block of La. 182; Disturbance.
7:50 p.m. Garber and Acorn streets; Five arrests.
7:57 p.m. Orange Street and Federal Avenue; Disturbance.
9:40 p.m. 6400 block of La. 182; Suspicious subject.
10:34 p.m. 500 block of Roderick Street; Medical.
10:57 p.m. 300 block of Barrow Street; 911 hang up.
Wednesday, Nov. 9
1:06 a.m. 600 block of Kentucky Street; Com-plaint.
3:21 a.m. 1000 block of Federal Avenue; 911 hang up.
3:49 a.m. 600 block of Freret Street; Complaint.
3:50 a.m. 7500 block of La. 182; Suspicious subject.
3:56 a.m. Fourth and Freret streets; Suspicious subject.
4:02 a.m. 1500 block of North First Street; Arrest.
4:32 a.m. 8400 block of La. 182; Alarm.

Bollinger Shipyards has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire VT Halter Marine, Inc. and ST Engineering Halter Marine Offshore, a leader in the design, engineering, construction, and repair of complex, state-of-the-art vessels for government and commercial customers, from parent company ST Engineering North America.

The transaction expands Bollinger’s new construction and repair capacity and capabilities to better serve its key defense and commercial customers, Bollnger said in a press release.

“For over 75 years, my family has been dedicated to providing our government and commercial customers with the highest levels of quality, support and service in the U.S. shipbuilding industry,” said Ben Bordelon, CEO and president of Bollinger
Shipyards.

“The addition of VT Halter Marine and STEHMO in Pascagoula, Mississippi, is strategic as it further strengthens our position in the industry and U.S. defense industrial base by allowing Bollinger to expand our footprint, capabilities and suite of innovative solutions that we can provide to our customers.

"From Day One, the Bollinger team will leverage our proven and best-in-class management team, operational excellence and existing capability to ongoing commercial and government programs, especially the Polar Security Cutter program.”

This acquisition creates expanded opportunities for Bollinger to better serve and deepen its relationships with its key defense and commercial customers with an increased capacity and footprint, improved efficiencies, enhanced economies of scale, and access to a large skilled workforce, including increased engineering capacity, the company said.

Bollinger’s acquisition increases the shipyard’s growing new construction and repair portfolio. All ongoing programs are to be conveyed with the transaction. Notably, the Polar Security Cutter program for the U.S. Coast Guard and the Auxiliary Personnel Lighter-Small program for the U.S. Navy. Given the proximity to Bollinger’s existing facilities, Bollinger will be able to support further efficiencies and resolution of any potential capacity constraints.

In addition to construction of the U.S. Coast Guard Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter program, Bollinger builds the Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vessel (MCM USV) and the Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ships (T-ATS) programs for the U.S. Navy, as well as the Regional Class Research Vessel for the National Science Foundation and Oregon State University.

Bollinger also has two active contracts with General Dynamics Electric Boat to build a 618-by-418-foot, state-of-the-art floating dry dock and a 496-by-95-foot pontoon launcher, both of which will support the construction and launching of the U.S. Navy’s Columbia class ballistic missile Submarines.

In addition, Bollinger is participating in industry studies for two government programs, including the U.S. Navy’s Large Unmanned Surface Vehicle (LUSV) program and the U.S. Navy’s Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) program.
Bordelon continued, “Bollinger takes great pride in being a major job creator in Louisiana. Today, we’re excited to grow and expand that legacy to Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. We have always said that our greatest strength has and continues to be our

people. By combining our skilled workforces, we’ll ensure coastal Mississippi remains synonymous with defense shipbuilding and remains a major part of our industrial base.”

The acquisition includes 378 acres comprising two shipyards in Pascagoula and two dormant yards north of Pascagoula. The newly acquired yards will be renamed Bollinger Mississippi Shipbuilding and Bollinger Mississippi Repair. The Pascagoula facilities are strategically located with direct, deep-water access to the Gulf of Mexico and houses corporate office space, engineering, fabrication, warehousing and a foreign trade zone. The shipyard consists of 225,000 square feet of covered production area in the main fabrication assembly buildings. The facility is capable of producing Panamax-sized vessels up to 50,000 DWT and features an expanded 225.6m (740ft) tilt-beam launch system.