BOGALUSA, La. — The Bogalusa Lumberjack Football team was treated to a pizza lunch on Friday, hosted by the city’s mayor and police department.
The Bogalusa Police Department said the lunch was to celebrate the district champions and to offer encouragement to the team as they head into the playoffs in two weeks.
The celebration comes after a week-long back and forth between Bogalusa and Albany High School as to where their final football game of the season - which had been scheduled for Friday night - should take place. Albany expressed concern about sending its players to Bogalusa after a deadly shooting claimed the life of a 15-year-old boy at Bogalusa High School’s homecoming game. Bogalusa wanted to keep the game at home for Senior Night.
The principals first decided to move the game to a “neutral site” in Amite. But that led to pleas by some in Bogalusa for the Louisiana High School Athletic Association to let the game return to Bogalusa. Ultimately, Albany elected to forfeit the game.
Bogalusa Mayor Wendy O’Quin Perrette said she “did not want the unsettling events of the last few weeks to overshadow the amazing season our Lumberjacks have had.”
Authorities have issued arrest warrants for three men in connection with the homecoming game shooting. An 18-year-old from Baton Rouge faces multiple charges, including second-degree murder. Two others face obstruction of justice charges.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.