Aaron Dietrich
KNOE Sports Director
Monroe, La.
Aaron Dietrich has been KNOE's Sports Director for two decades.
Aaron joined the KNOE 8 News team in September of 2000 as sports director as he previously worked at KTAL in Shreveport, LA and KTEN in Denison, TX.
Aaron attended Southwest Texas State in San Marcos, Texas where he majored in Broadcast Journalism.
During his free time, Aaron can be found working out, golfing or exploring NELA with his wife Kim.
As KNOE's sports director, Aaron has been in charge of the most watched and honored sports team in Louisiana. He has been honored with the following: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2016 and 2015 Louisiana Association of Broadcasters Best Sports Show (all markets); Louisiana Associated Press Top Sportscast in 2018, 2017, 2009, 2005, 2004, 2003 and 2002; top sports story in 2019, 2017, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006 and 2003; 2017, 2012 feature of the year. The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Mid-America chapter also nominated Aaron for a 2020, 2019 and 2018 Emmy. The Louisiana Sportswriters Association has also recognized Aaron with the best TV sportscast in 2020 and 2019. Aaron's daily morning show on KMLB with Ouachita Citizen sports editor Jake Martin also was named the best "duo radio show" in 2019 and 2020.
Aaron has been honoring the top high school athletes in NELA with ace awards for the past 21 years. The prestigious club continues to grow on a weekly basis with nearly two thousand athletes being recognized as Aaron’s Aces. If you would like to nominate an ace, Aaron would love to hear from you. Email him at aaron.dietrich@gray.tv.
Oak Grove defeats Kentwood in its ninth straight semifinals appearance, 49-28. Haynesville takes down top seed Logansport, 31-14. The Tigers and Golden Tornado will meet for a rivalry State Championship matchup. OCS’s season ends in the semifinals to Southern Lab, 38-34. The Eagles gave up 19 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
Sterlington falls short to St. James in its twelfth semifinal game in school history, 28-17. The Panthers lose a home playoff game for the first time since 2017 and snap an 11-game winning streak.
Union defeated previously unbeaten Jena, 24-16. The Farmers are headed back to the Superdome for the fourth straight season. Top seeded Ruston handled business against Mandeville, 28-7. The Bearcats advance to the State Championship for the second straight season.
The Northeast Louisiana community celebrates the life of one of the most feared and respected educators, Roosevelt Rankins.
Northeast Louisiana fans payed their final respects to high school basketball coach Sidney Smith. The legendary coach amassed 837 career wins in a span of three decades at West Monroe, Wossman, Sterlington and St. Frederick. Smith was 84 years old.
The Jena Giants are having their best season in school history with a perfect record heading into the semi-finals. A big reason behind the Giants success is senior running back Zerrick Jones, who has over 2,000 yards and 35 touchdowns. Jones dynamic play style earned him this week’s Aaron’s Ace honors.
ULM Athletic Director John Hartwell announced on Sunday that the Warhawks would be moving on from Terry Bowden after three seasons. In that span, Bowden finished with a 10-26 overall record and 5-19 in conference play. Hartwell hosted a press conference on Monday to answer questions about the head coaching search.
OCS had no problems with St. Marys as they had negative 31 yards in the first half. The Eagles soar past St. Marys, 56 to nothing, OCS now looks forward to a huge game against Southern Lab. Ever since Haynesville lost to Oak Grove, the Golden Tornadoes have not lost a game and they kept that streak alive with a convincing win over Jeanerette, 36 to 6.
Northeast Louisiana is packed in non-select division three with three teams advancing to the semi-finals. Sterlington went toe-to-toe with Pine but the Panthers pulled ahead with their lethal rushing attack, winning 33 to 20, next they will play St. James. Union Parish is again one game away from heading back to the Dome after sneaking past Bogalusa, 28-22. Jena is the Giant in non-select division three as they are still undefeated after rolling past powerhouse Amite, 30-7. Union will travel to Jena next Friday, winner goes to New Orleans for a shot at a state title.
The Ruston Bearcats are one win away from punching their second straight ticket to the Dome. Ruston was neck and neck with Walker early on but the Bearcats offense woke up and never looked back, blowing out Walker 56-17. Now Ruston looks ahead to a huge semi-final showdown with #21 Mandeville next Friday.
Mangham came into Oak Grove with a chip on their shoulder as the Dragons jumped to a 16 to 3 in the second quarter. Right before the half, the Tigers found their grove and scored two touchdowns to make it 17-16 at half. From there it was back and a fourth but a late red zone interception by the Tigers proved to be the difference. Oak Grove beat Mangham by running out the clock on their final drive, 31 to 30. The Tigers now switch their focus to #2 Kentwood.
Two OCS players made history last Friday against Westminster Christian as quarterback Luke Vidrine hit wide receiver Jett Hudnall for a 98-yard touchdown. Oddly enough, that ties the OCS school record that was set back in 1998 when Luke’s father hit Jett’s dad for a 98-yard touchdown. 25 years later, the father-son duo reminisce and take in the record they can share together.
Running backs Jay Freeman and Trammell Colvin led their teams to second round playoff victories. Freeman scored three touchdowns, including a 98-yard kickoff return touchdown, in Oak Grove’s 49-20 win over Lake Arthur. The wide receiver turned running back has rushed for 978 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. Sterlington’s Colvin rushed for a career-high four touchdowns in the Panthers’ 35-15 win over Mansfield. Colvin’s season stats include 845 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
In the Division I Non-Select regional playoffs, No. 2 Neville suffered an upset loss at the hands of No. 18 Central, 17-16. The Tigers pounced on the Wildcats early, taking a 16-0 lead in the opening seven minutes of the game. However, Central scored 17 unanswered points to advance to the quarterfinals. For the first time since 2008, Neville will not practice during Thanksgiving week.
In the first ever meeting between programs, (3) OCS dominates (19) Westminster Christian, 56-7. The Eagles improve to 47-14 all-time in home playoff games and will host (6) St. Mary’s in the Division IV Select quarterfinals. In a defensive battle, (7) St. Frederick falls to (10) Central Catholic, 6-2. Even though the Warriors outgained the Eagles in total yards, St. Frederick’s season comes to an end. Delhi Charter’s season ends at the hands of top seeded Vermilion Catholic.
D’arbonne Woods is still looking for their first playoff win in program history after falling to Notre Dame at home, 49-7. Wossman’s impressive season comes to an end after being upsetted by #14 Northwest on the road, 24-14. Union returns to the quarterfinals after a huge win against Port Allen, 35-6. Jena continues their undefeated run after rolling past Caldwell, 46-7. Oak Grove showed no rust after their bye week by putting on a performance against Lake Arthur, 49-20. Mangham is red-hot after blowing out Centerville on the road, 53-14.
Top seeded Ruston avoided a huge upset at home against Westgate behind huge defensive stops, winning 20-18. The Bearcats relied on their offensive weapons as Josh Brantley ran and passed for two touchdowns, while Jordan “Jet” Hayes ran free as well. Ruston now switches their focus to a home showdown against #9 Walker next week, winner advances to the semi-finals.
The Sterlington Panthers showed no rust after the bye week and extended their win streak to 10 after beating Mansfield at home, 35 to 15. The Panthers now look forward to the quarterfinals as they will play the winner of Pine and Avoyelles.
Louisiana Tech improves to 2-1 after beating the ULM Warhawks, 73-63. Isiah Crawford put on a show for Louisiana Tech, putting up 24 points and nine rebounds. The Bulldogs now head back to the friendly confines of the Thomas Assembly Center on Tuesday to take on Southern Utah. ULM looks to rebound against Ecclesia at home next Monday.
West Monroe High School removed the interim tag from Kevin Davis, officially naming his as head football coach. The Rebels went 7-3 after Davis took over for Todd Garvin in week two of the season. Davis’s resume includes 40 years of high school football coaching experience.
Delhi Charter running back Deandra Young rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns in the Gators first round playoff win over Slaughter Community Charter. Young finished the regular season as the fourteenth leader rushing in Louisiana with 1,539 yards, 9.68 yards per carry and ten touchdowns.
Ferriday shows out at home with a huge win over Jonesboro-Hodge, 34-6. The Trojans now switch their focus to #2 Kentwood. Delta Charter’s historic season comes to an end after falling short to Covenant Christian, 35-6. Kirk Academy beat Riverfield, 27-0. Briarfield’s season comes to end by Sharkey Issaquena Academy, 22 to 14.
For the second straight season, Franklin Parish falls in the first round at home, dropping to Northwest, 42-20. West Ouachita put up a fight on the road, but ultimately lost to Salmen, 20-17. In a rematch from last season’s first round game, Caldwell got revenge against Richwood, 13-6. Delhi dropped to Homer on the road, 28-8.
Ouachita sneaked into the playoffs as the last seed with a 3-7 record. The Lions’ traveled to fifth seeded St. Amant looking for an upset but the Gators held on to end Ouachita’s season, 21-0. Wossman hosted their first playoff game since 2016 and they put on a show as the Wildcats clawed past Brusly to advance to the second round, 26-7.
The West Monroe Rebels’ season shockingly ended in the first round of the playoffs to #25 Northshore. The ending was controversial as West Monroe was trying to put together a game winning drive, Northshore stopped the Rebels on fourth down but the spotting of the ball being short was questioned by fans. Northshore still squeaks past West Monroe, 9-7. This marks the first ever 1st round loss at home for West Monroe.
The Delta Charter Storm brought home their first district title in school history with a huge win over Delhi Charter, 60-42. Quarterback Juvari Singleton put the team on his back and scored eight total touchdowns against the Gators. Singleton’s backfield partner, Otis Bates Jr. accounted for three touchdowns. This dynamic duo lead their school to new heights, which earned them this week’s Aaron’s Aces honors.
Riverfield Academy ended their season on a three-game losing streak, but the Raiders turned it around when it mattered the most. Now Riverfield finds themselves one win away from heading to the MAIS state championship game. Northeast Louisiana noticed the Raiders’ huge win over Carroll Academy (22-13), and have elected them the Little Caesars Team of the Week.
Northeast Louisiana is known for their high level of play in high school athletics. These 11 local stars signed their name on the dotted line to continue their athletic career at the next level.
In her first game as Grambling women’s basketball head coach, Courtney Simmons earned her first head coaching victory. The Tigers dominated Champion Christian College, 93-48. Kaci Chairs led the way with a game-high 17 points, six rebounds and four assists.
The defending SWAC regular season champion Grambling Tigers opened the 2023-24 season with an 82-67 win over UNT-Dallas. Jalen Johnson led the Tigers with a double-double (18 points and 10 rebounds).
In the 50th season opener of Lady Techsters basketball, Louisiana Tech dominated LSU-Alexandria, 93-37. Four Lady Techsters finished in double figures. Robyn Lee led the way with a game and career-high 21 points. Salma Bates put up a career-high 18 points and six 3-pointers.
In the final week of the regular season, two running backs put on showstopping performances. Ruston’s Jordan Hayes rushed for 247 yards on 14 carries and three touchdowns. St. Frederick’s MJ Dade rushed for 179 yards and three scores.
West Ouachita finishes an injury plagued regular season 6-4, falling to ASH 49-7. Ouachita dominates Pineville, 49-7, to finish the regular season 3-7. Union bounces back from its loss to Wossman, rolling over Carroll 40-6. Jena completes the perfect 10-0 regular season, beating Buckeye 74-38.
Jonesboro-Hodge holds off Winnfield’s second half comeback to win 30-20. Richwood pitches a home shutout against Bastrop, 18-0. Franklin Parish wins a low scoring affair over Peabody, 15-6. Haynesville captures the District 1-1A title over Homer, 23-0. D’Arbonne Woods finishes the regular season 8-1 with a 42-36 victory at North Caddo. In the MAIS playoffs, Riverfield, Tallulah and Briarfield all advance, while River Oaks and Riverdale’s seasons come to an end.
Ruston snapped the 33-game losing streak to West Monroe last season. Now the Bearcats have snapped another streak to the Rebels, winning their first game in Rebel Stadium since 1989, 35-28. Bearcats’ running back Jordan Hayes finished with 243 yards and two touchdowns. Ruston and West Monroe both switch their focus to the playoffs where it is a possibility both teams can meet again.
In a District 2-1A battle, St. Frederick scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to beat Cedar Creek, 30-14. On Senior Night, OCS dominated Lincoln Prep, 51-14. Oak Grove ended the regular season on a seven-game winning streak, beating Vidalia, 56-14.
Wossman and Sterlington are the powerhouses in district 1-3A this season but the Panthers proved they were the top dogs. Sterlington came out firing from the opening kickoff with a pick six and a 24-point lead at half. The Wildcats were able to put up 15 in the second half but it was too late. The Panthers take home their 5th district title since 2017, 38 to 15.
Neville has won 55 straight District games on the way to its fifteen District championship. Robert Graves and J’chion White have been major contributors to the Tigers’ success this season. Graves has five fumble recoveries with three touchdowns, while White scored three touchdowns on just four carries against Franklin Parish.
OCS improves to 8-1 with a shutout 56-0 win over Grant. Coming off its first loss of the season, D’Arbonne Woods gets back in the win column against Green Oaks, 42-16. Delta Charter captures the District 4-1A title, beating Delhi Charter, 60-42. Mangham improves to 4-1 in District 2-2A with a 40-6 win over Rayville.
Ruston improves to 9-0 on the season and wins its ninth straight game against Ouachita, 49-7. West Monroe also remains unbeaten is District 2-5A with a big road win against ASH, 28-23. The Bearcats and Rebels meet in next week’s regular season finale for the District 2-5A title.
Neville continues their dominance over Franklin Parish with their 19th straight win over the Patriots, 58 to 14. West Ouachita started off the season strong but fell off once district play started, but the Chiefs bounced back with a big win over Pineville, 21 to 7. Carroll struggles continue against Richwood, 44 to 8. Jena’s path to an undefeated season is still ahead of them with a big win over Caldwell, 60 to 7.
The Wossman Wildcats are ranked for the first time since 2019 and they proved against Union that they are no fluke. The Wildcats clawed past the Farmers in a hard fought battle, 12 to 7. That sets up a huge matchup against Sterlington for the district 1-3A championship.
In this edition of “What’s Your Story?”, KNOE’s Aaron Dietrich profiles the life and legacy of a NELA resident who never backed down from a challenge. This is Stuart Scurria’s story.
In a battle of 6-1 teams, Neville dominated Tioga 44-13 to win Little Caesars Team of the Week. The Tigers are 3-0 in 4A District 2.
Louisiana Tech led by as much as 13 points in the first half, but ultimately fell to New Mexico State, 27-24. In his first start since suffering a right throwing shoulder injury September 16, quarterback Hank Bachmeier went 20-of-27 for 238 yards and accounted for all three of Louisiana Tech’s touchdowns. The Bulldogs had two chances late in the fourth quarter to tie or take the lead, but a Bachmeier fumble and incompletion to Smoke Harris led to LA Tech’s third straight loss of the season.
Wossman’s seniors Jayden Williams and Eric Griffin led the Wildcats to a 31-0 win against Bastrop. Williams highlights Wossman’s defense that has five shutouts and hasn’t allowed an opponent to score in all three District games. Griffin has rushed for 800 yards and 12 touchdowns, including 121 rushing yards and a score against Bastrop.
The Benjy Lewis era at Ouachita has got off to a rough start with a 2-4 record but you can throw out records when the Lions and Rebels meet up ever year. Ouachita fought to the very end, cutting the deficit to just 7 points late in the game. West Monroe didn’t flinch as Hunter Fox drilled a 37-yard field goal to give the Rebels the two possession lead and the win, 31 to 28 the final.
In a highly anticipated battle of unbeatens in 2A District 1, D’Arbonne Woods dropped its first game of the season to Calvary, 35-0.
Emotions were running high at Delhi Charter as former player, Stuart Scurria, tragically passed away in a plane crash in July. The Gators honored Stuart by renaming the sports complex after him. Delhi Charter showed out for Stuart putting up 74 points against Block, 74-32. St. Frederick showed out for homecoming beating John Paul, 40-3.
Sterlington wins its seventh straight game with a shutout against North Webster, 28-0. In a battle of unbeatens, Jena beats Bunkie, 38-22. Coming off its first loss of the season, OCS responds against Cedar Creek, 35-0. Wossman improves to 7-1 for the first time since 2005 with a dominating victory over Bastrop, 31-0.
