Three local senior high school football players received college athletic scholarships and will be able to continue their careers next year. Each of them signed letters of intent Wednesday officially committing to the universities they agreed to attend.

South Beauregard Golden Knights defensive lineman (6-4, 260) Ivan Robinson will be playing at defensive end for the Texas A&M Aggies.

Robinson said he felt “very good, very overwhelming” about playing college football at a Division I school.

“The facilities make me feel at home — the players and the coaches [make me feel at home],” Robinson said.

DeRidder Dragons running back Stephen Richmond (5-10, 180) will be playing for the Nicholls State Colonels in Thibodaux.

“It’s one of my dreams since I was a little boy to go play college football,” Richmond said.

“I went up there and visited and I liked the program and all the coaches. I see they’ve got a good program going up there.”

DeRidder Dragons defensive lineman Daniel Lyles (6-0, 250) will be at the defensive tackle spot for the Henderson State Reddies in Arkadelphia, Ark.

“I feel great about it,” Lyles said. “Not many kids this year had a chance to, so I’m glad I’m one of them.

“That’s just the one (school) that offered me [an athletic scholarship]. I was going to go to any one that offered me a full ride. They did and I took it.”

The coaches were proud of their players’ accomplishments.

“It’s an outstanding day for Ivan, his family, the program and the community,” Golden Knights head coach Shawn Demeritt said. “We all benefit from Ivan signing a college scholarship. It’s something all of us should be proud of.

“I’m just very proud of him today.”

“It’s very exciting anytime they get a chance to further their playing career and get a college education,” Dragons head coach Eric Parmley said.

“Just very, very proud of these two guys (Richmond and Lyles), proud of their accomplishments and excited for them.”

All three have a long list of achievements and awards in high school.

In Robinson’s senior season with the Golden Knights, he had 38 solo tackles, 31 assisted tackles, one sack, two caused fumbles and was double teamed much of the time.

Robinson made the All-BDN team from 2007-09, he was on the All-SWLA (Southwest Louisiana) team in 2008 and 2009 and he made the All-District team in 2008 and 2009. The Golden Knights are in the 4-2A District.

Being injured caused Richmond to only play five games his senior season, but he still managed to rush for 437-yards and score six touchdowns.

In Richmond’s junior and senior seasons, he made the All-District first team for running backs. The Dragons are in the 5-4A District.

Lyles had 32 solo tackles, 24 assisted tackles, he caused and recovered one fumble and he had nine sacks.

Lyles made the All-BDN team in 2007 and 2009, he was on the second team All-State in 2009, he made the All-SWLA team in 2009 and he was on the All-District team in 2009.

Each player was able to reflect on the team accomplishments and how he made a difference.

The Golden Knights were 9-2 in 2009, which was a record number of wins for the South Beauregard football team and they earned a share of the 4-2A District Championship in 2008 with an 8-3 record.

Robinson said his career highlights were “winning a district championship and hosting a home playoff game.”

The Golden Knights played their first home playoff game in school history in 2009.
“Helping the team win,” Robinson said was his role.

Richmond said one of his biggest games came when he came back from an injury and rushed for 121-yards and two touchdowns in a 42-12 victory at Washington-Marion.

“Whenever I come off getting hurt, I really wanted to have a big game,” Richmond said. “We made the playoffs, that was a big goal for everybody. Playoffs was a big one.”

The Dragons, who went 8-3 on the season, hosted a playoff game against the Bastrop Rams.

“Home game was big time,” Richmond said.

“That was a big goal of mine, too.”

Richmond said he was also happy with how the Dragons nearly won the 5-4A District. They had a chance to win the district going into the final game of the regular season.

Lyles shared many of the same sentiments.

“I would say it would be 8-2 [on the regular season] and winning the Hooper (Hooper Trophy at Leesville) and making the playoffs,” Lyles said. “That was a first for me. I know there was other teams and players that didn’t have a chance to do that in their high school career.”

The Dragons beat Leesville in the Hooper Trophy game 37-18.

When asked how he felt about being part of the Golden Knights improving and becoming winning program, he said he was “a fun ride.”

He sees a bright future at South Beauregard.

“I think we’ll keep accelerating,” Robinson said.

His brother Irvin Robinson was also on the Golden Knights and a senior last year. Robinson said being able to play on the same team with Irvin Robinson in high school had him “excited, very excited.”

DeRidder went from two wins in 2008 to eight wins in 2009.

“It was great,” Richmond said. “The community had been waiting on that forever. Everywhere you go somebody knows you. We hadn’t had many wins in a long time at DeRidder. Just being a part of that was great.”

The New Orleans Saints, who will be facing the Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl Sunday, is Richmond’s favorite team. It was fitting for Richmond to sign his letter of intent just four days before the Saints played in the Super Bowl.

“It’s crazy especially down there in Thibodaux,” Richmond said. “It’s an hour from New Orleans. It’s just like in DeRidder having all of these bad seasons and then having a good one. That’s awesome. You can’t beat it.”

“It was great (being part of the Dragons winning),” Lyles said. “I know I had fun all through it.”

Lyles said he made it through the practices, tough times, good games and bad games.

“I know if I didn’t have football, I probably wouldn’t be going to college right now,” Lyles said. “It (being a Dragon) was great. I’ve been a Dragon for about six years. It was a great time.”
Demeritt and Parmley both felt their players being able to play college football showed their programs were headed in the right direction.

“Without a doubt it shows this program is established,” Demeritt said. “It shows what can happen with a lot of hard work.”

“It shows the younger guys we’ve got two fine examples going on,” Parmley said. “It shows the younger guys if they want to continue to play they will be able to do that.”

Robinson, Richmond and Lyles talked about the challenges ahead of them.

At South Beauregard, Robinson played on a 4-3 defense, but the Aggies run a 3-4 defense.

“We’ve run a 3-4 before [at South Beauregard],” Robinson said.

Robinson said being able to play in different defensive systems would help him with football.

The 3-4 defense is also the defense of the LSU Tigers.

“What we ran this year at DeRidder the spread out of the shotgun we will run at Nicholls,” Richmond said.

“It’s going to be a different defense,” Lyles said. “I know they’re going to have a different scheme.”

The Dragons run a 4-3 defense and Henderson state runs a 3-3-5 defense.

But Lyles is not a stranger to the 3-3-5 defense.

“It’s something I’ve done before,” Lyles said. “It’s just learning the way they want it done.”

While all three players hope to see a lot of action, they know they will have to earn their time.

“I will probably be working my way into a starter position,” Robinson said.

Richmond said he did not know if he would have to red shirt his freshman year or if he would have playing time from the start.

“Right now a new coach he says he has no connections with anybody,” Richmond said. “Pretty much I’ve got to go in there and work hard and show them what I can do.”

Charlie Stubbs is in his first season as the Nicholls State head coach and Richmond was recruited by coach Dustin Gisclair.

“I’m wanting to red shirt my freshman year and play if I get a chance to,” Lyles said, adding he hopes his role increases throughout his college career.

When it is all said and done, all three hope to come out on top.

“Win a championship, Big 12 Championship,” Robinson said was something he would like to have happen while playing for the Aggies.

“At least one of the years I’m in there, I’d like to be an All-Conference player,” Richmond said, noting he would be playing in the Southland Conference and in Division I-AA.

“I guess everybody’s got pretty much the same goal,” Richmond said. “We all want a ring.”

“Team goals would be able to play on the next level,” Lyles said.

“Championship would be great. Win our division conference and all that. That’s what I would look for.”

Henderson State is a Division II school in the Southwest Conference.

College football will be a tougher challenge for Robinson, Richmond and Lyles.

“Definitely the speed [will be faster in college],” Robinson said. “It will be harder workouts, much faster workouts anyway.”

Robinson said he would have to devote “a whole lot more time than I put in in high school — much more time.”

“Football from what everybody’s told me when I went up there, they said it’s a speed difference,” Richmond said, noting he would be playing the “best of the best.”

Richmond said Parmley’s off season workout program has been good. But he will have to practice at another level.

“When you get to college, it’s just like a job,” Richmond said. “You’ve got to be totally dedicated and you’ve got to love it.”

“I think it’s going to be a lot harder,” Lyles said. “They’ve got bigger guys. I’m going to have to work twice as hard as I did in high school to be able to play in college.”

Lyles said he would have to put a lot more time into football and it would be more difficult at this level.

“I know the routine is different,” Lyles said.

Lyles said in college there would be two-a-days practices to see who could make it physically and mentally.

Robinson, Richmond and Lyles are hoping their football career does not end with college.

“I would like to play in the NFL,” Robinson said.

Robinson plans to major in Coaching and if the NFL does not work out, he would like to be a coach for the Golden Knights.

“Pros—that would be awesome,” Richmond said. “That’s another dream as a little boy. Everybody dreams of that one. I’m going to go in there and work hard to the best of my ability and see where it goes from there.”

Lyles also hopes to play in the NFL.

“I want to continue my football career,” Lyles said.

Lyles will be majoring in Criminal Justice. If he cannot play football after college, he hopes to do something in the law enforcement profession.

The players discussed their football history and what prepared them for the next step in their lives and athletic careers.

Robinson said his mom Gracie Robinson and Demeritt helped make him a better football player.
Robinson started playing football at age 11 or 12.

At first, Gracie Robinson would not allow Ivan Robinson to play.

“Coach Deason (junior high coach Jack Deason) had to get her to let me play,” Robinson said.
Robinson played recreational football, junior high football and high school football.

Robinson earned a starting position for the high school team as a sophomore. He said the playing time he received freshman year helped prepare him to start.

He said his time at South Beauregard prepared him to play college football.

“Coach Parmley prepared me a lot, especially Coach Parmley’s workouts,” Richmond said. “It was demanding. All summer long it was demanding to be there.”

Richmond grew up watching the Saints and he said his dad, Wayne Richmond, who was mostly a baseball player, told him he would play for the Saints one day.

Richmond said he would play for any NFL team. His favorite player is Detroit Lions Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders.

At age 7, Richmond started playing football. His coaches included his dad and Raymond White in the peewee league at Rosepine.

Richmond played junior high football and as a freshman for the Rosepine Eagles. Then he moved to DeRidder and played for the Dragons the past three seasons.

Richmond has always been a starter, but he never took his spot for granted.

“You’ve got to work,” Richmond said. “There’s always someone who can beat you out. Ever since I was little I always started.”

Lyles credited all of the coaches at DeRidder for making him into the player he is today. He said DeRidder prepared him to play college football.

He started playing football in DeRidder in seventh grade. He was a starter in junior high and as a sophomore through senior in high school.

“I’m not really sure [how I started football],” Lyles said. “I just moved into town.”

In seventh grade, Lyles went up to the coaches and asked if he could play. His brother Allen Lyles played defensive line for the Dragons for two seasons and was a senior during the 2008 football year.

Before moving to DeRidder, Lyles lived in Rosepine for a year. He has moved to different places because his dad, Larry Lyles, is in the military.

Robinson, Richmond and Lyles are all well-rounded individuals.

Robinson plays for the Golden Knights basketball team and runs track. He said track helps him with speed and basketball helps him be a better football player.

But football is his favorite sport.

“It allows me to be physical,” Robinson said.

Robinson is also in the Governor’s Program on Abstinence and the Spanish Club. His favorite subject is World History. His favorite football team is the New England Patriots and his favorite player is Patriots defensive end Ty Warren. Warren also played for Texas A&M.

Robinson said he manages to balance his time with football and everything else because his mom and Demeritt stay on him.

Richmond has played baseball since he was a little kid. He also runs track. He is in the Key Club and History is his favorite subject. He also balances his time well.

“I was just trying to stay focused doing the right things I guess,” Richmond said.

Lyles is a member of FCA and Spanish Club. His favorite subject is P.E. His favorite team is the DeRidder Dragons and his favorite player is Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre.
Lyles has his priorities in line.

“Just keeping my grades up. Have to be able to do that first,” Lyles said.

Robinson works out in his spare time.

Richmond hunts and fishes in his spare time. He expressed his appreciation.

“I guess I’d have to say thank you to all of my family, my mom and dad, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles for their support out there,” Richmond said. “They always pushed me to get the best.”

In addition to Richmond getting out and doing drills with his dad, he said he lifted weights during the summer. He said in high school he was able to do what he loved.

“It’s a lot of work, but if you love it, it’s all fun,” Richmond said.

Lyles works as a bus boy at Cecil’s restaurant. He looked back at everything fondly.

“It’s been great. I’ve enjoyed every year of it,” Lyles said.

“Thanks to all the coaches and parents that helped me through this.”

Robinson is the son of Ivan, Sr., and Grace Robinson and the brother of Irvin Robinson, Ivana Robinson and Iverson Robinson.

Richmond is the son of Wayne and Tina Richmond and brother of Tina Richmond and Leah Richmond.

Lyles is the son of Larry Lyles and Ann Stuhlman.