Scholarship honors legacy of former Bastrop football star

BASTROP, Texas -- A family in Bastrop is honoring the legacy of a former Bastrop High School football star with a scholarship.

The L.B. Evans, III Memorial Football Scholarship was awarded to Damari Monroe of Bastrop High School, and he will attend Mary Hardin-Baylor University in the Fall.

Evan's wife, and former KXAN reporter Sonta Henderson, said the scholarship is a way to continue the legacy of Evans, who was a 1988 graduate and a football star on the Bastrop Bears team.

Evans was known for his leadership and uplifting his teammates, Henderson said. She said his passion for the game caught the eye of Hollywood, and he was cast in the blockbuster movie, "Any Given Sunday." He worked alongside Oscar winners, like Jamie Foxx, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and the great Hall of Famer Johnny Unidas, Al Pacino, Super Bowl winner Ricky Waters, NFL player Terrell Owens and more, Henderson said.

Evans passed away in July 2022 after suffering from diabetes and heart disease, Henderson said. He was 53 when he died.

Evans' daughter, Yasmin, said the scholarship is a way to support fellow Bastrop Bears as they pursue their dreams, just as her father did. She said she knows it's what he would have wanted.