St. Mary’s, Lakeview collide in long-awaited battle tonight at Turpin

By LORI LYONS, Journal Sports

Throughout this 2024 football season, St. Mary's coach Kedrin Seastrunk and Lakeview coach Lawrence Seawood Jr. have leaned on one another.

The two were teammates together at Northwestern State, then assistant coaches at a couple of high schools, and both also serve the Natchitoches community as youth mentors. When both became first-year head coaches earlier this year, they knew they had a friend they could call on for advice or help in the tough times.

"That's my guy," Seawood said about his former Demon teammate. "We know each other well. We've been helping each other out all the time."

But all that is about to pause.

Once Seawood and Seastrunk walk onto the field at Turpin Stadium for tonight's 7 p.m. District 3-1A finale between Lakeview and St. Mary's, all bets are off.

"We're friends until we walk inside those white lines," Seawood said. "Until the whistle blows."

That's because it means something to both teams. Tonight's game might be a measuring stick of sorts. The two squared off in a jamboree game back in August, which ended up in a 0-0 tie. Both coaches are anxious to see (and to show) their team's improvement over the past three months.

St. Mary's is playing for a playoff spot. According to the most up-to-date power rankings, St. Mary's, with a record of 5-5 overall and 2-2 in district play, is hovering at No. 25 – one spot outside the top 24 teams who will make the playoffs in Select Division IV. The Tigers need a win and some help to move up.

"One, we have to secure the win and we need a team or two to lose," Seastrunk said. "We're just going to prepare. It all goes back to just those moments we should have closed out. We've got to handle business early so we're not scrambling at the end. It's a good learning experience for all of us."

For the Gators, tonight's game might be more about pride. Lakeview goes into the game 0-9 with no foreseeable path to a playoff berth. But Seawood has seen great improvement over the past nine weeks. The Gators went from five straight scoreless efforts to open the season to scoring double digits in three of their last four games.

"We're a totally different team now," Seawood said. "As far as motivating the kids, I don't think we'll have any problem getting them up for this one. We're looking forward to getting better against our cross-town rivals."

Both coaches are hoping the community comes out to support the two local teams.

"These games allow us to have some positive lights, to come together as Natchitoches," Seastrunk said.