By LEE BRECHEEN, Louisiana Football Magazine
How many cities do you know where every Class 5A program has the talent to make the playoffs in 2022? I don’t know many, but today we will talk about the Class 5A programs around Shreveport and Bossier, and all the programs that have the talent to get to the playoffs. Teams like Airline, Benton, C.E Byrd, Captain Shreve, Haughton, Parkway and Southwood.
District 1 in Class 5A is so incredibly tough that, as is the case in a lot of other Class 5A districts in Louisiana, if you see a team in the playoffs with a 5-6 record or 6-5 record, that team from this district would have a great chance to win a first-round playoff game.
Let’s start with Byrd, which is on a roll with so much success in the last five years and ready to, I believe, make another deep playoff run, led by three-year starting quarterback Lake Lambert. Lambert was behind center as a sophomore in 2020 when the Yellow Jackets made it to the state championship game. Now he is the type of player that could lead many teams deep in the playoffs with his experience and athletic talent. This program right now has the stuff to be district champion and compete for a state title.
You have a Captain Shreve team that also has the talent to win the district and the talent to compete for a state title. The Gators are led by quarterback Kenyon Terrell, receiver Marquez Stevenson and one of the best defensive lines in Louisiana; this defense has a really good chance to be strong in late season.
Haughton, led by head coach Jason Brotherton, just seems to keep winning. I predict they will get to the playoffs again with a very good offense led by quarterback Collin Rains and a defense that is young but led by tough linebacker Connor Blank. If they grow up fast as a team, they might shock some people in 2022.
Parkway has a lot of talent back on both sides of the football and will rely on a great season from transfer quarterback Ashton Martin (6-4, 190). The Panthers also return one of the best playmakers in Bossier in senior Jaylan White, and one of the top wide receiver groups in the state along with one of the best offensive lines in Louisiana. This program, if things come together right, also has the talent to compete for a district and state title in 2022.
Benton is the sleeper team with a lot of talent. The offense has one of the best-kept secrets in the state in quarterback Gray Walters, and one of the big sleepers in Louisiana in wide receiver Pearce Russell. The key is the young defense, led by defensive back Sawyer Simmons, holding up and getting stronger as the season goes along.
Even after last year’s struggles, Airline has the talent to go deep in the playoffs; the Vikings just need to put it all together as a team in 2022. This team has star power led by wide receivers Daxton Chavez and Cameron Jefferson, linebacker Justin Epps, defensive back Chris Montgomery and a few more potential all-state players.
A team people might be sleeping on that returns a ton of talent and a coach (Jesse Esters) who brings a lot of energy is Southwood. The Cowboys return one of their biggest offensive lines in quite a few years and one of their strongest teams, led by defensive end/linebacker/running back Melvin Coleman and all-state linebacker/defensive back Corinthian Walters.
Also remember another playoff team is in this district but not in the Shreveport/Bossier area; Natchitoches Central might field its most talented team in years. The Chiefs were in the district driver’s seat last season under coach James Wilkerson until an injury to their talented QB was too much to overcome.
I would not want to play any of these teams come playoff time in 2022, and it would be a shame if any team in this district doesn’t make the playoffs. One thing is for sure: all the 1-5A teams will be battled-tested and ready to play anyone in November and December.
Contact Lee at lbrecheen@aol.com