, Publisher
08-30-2009
Despite a little resistance from Mother Nature, Lincoln Parish and the surrounding region scored a touchdown Friday night.
Let’s hope that’s just the start of a long scoring streak.
Thousands packed into Joe Aillet Stadium for the first of is what is planned to be an annual “Jam at the Joe” high school football jamboree.
Six teams — Ruston, Minden, Cedar Creek, Farmerville, Calvary Baptist and Caldwell — brought in fans from all over northern part of the state to cheer on their boys in the final tune-up game before the regular season begins next week.
A thunderstorm brought the opener between Calvary Baptist and Caldwell to an hour-long standstill minutes before the first half ended and sent fans scurrying for the inner confines of Joe Aillet Stadium.
But when the play finally resumed, more fans than were there before the rain started flowed back into the stadium seats, with the crowd continuing to grow until the finale between Ruston and Minden began.
Organized by Kyle Edmiston and the Ruston-Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau, the “Jam” included three teams who were ranked in the Top 15 of the final Louisiana Sports Writers Association state poll last year in Ruston, Farmerville and Calvary Baptist.
And the feelings of those organizers after Friday’s event was just as high.
Edmiston deemed the jamboree a definite success, especially in light of the rain delay and added that he hopes for an even bigger “Jam” next season.
That’s good to hear, because “The Jam at the Joe” is good for Lincoln Parish.
Not only did they pay to come to the game, hopefully some of those fans who came to cheer their teams on stopped at some of our area restaurants before or after the games, helping to benefit Ruston and the surrounding area.
“The Jam” won its opening contest — here’s hoping we see many more wins to come.
Other Top Stories
