By LEE HILLER, Journal Sports

Woodlawn football begins its 63rd season with two of its four home games on the season, the first against Natchitoches Central at Leonard C. Barnes Stadium on the campus of Booker T. Washington before playing old rival Southwood at Independence Stadium on the state fairgrounds.

Thedrick Harris guides the Knights into the season opener with the Chiefs and their new NCHS head coach, Jess Curtis, who moved over from small school powerhouse Many. Woodlawn won the first 11 games in the series but the Knights haven’t won since 1992. The Chiefs have taken the last eight in a series that was resumed in 2021 after not playing each other since 1998.

Woodlawn and Southwood both use Independence Stadium as its home venue and pretty much all of the 33 games played in the series have been held there. The Cowboys lead the series 20-12-1.

Road games follow the next four weeks of the season. A trip to Coushatta to face Red River ends the non-district slate for the Knights’ third contest of the year. The Bulldogs won the only time the schools have faced each other, last season, 39-6.

Games at Booker T. Washington, Evangel and North DeSoto start the District 1-4A season.

The Lions and Knights have faced off against each other 47 times with the Knights winning 30 of those. They have played in each of the past 10 seasons.

Evangel has won three of the four times it has played the Knights. Woodlawn’s only win came in 2020 when the Eagles failed to win a game.

A trip to Stonewall to play the Griffins will mark the 11th straight year the schools have played. Woodlawn’s only two wins in the series came in back-to-back years – 2016, 2017. North DeSoto played for a state title last December.

Woodlawn’s first 1-4A home game is with Huntington at Independence Stadium before crossing the river to play at Bossier.

The Knights and Raiders have played 38 times with Woodlawn holding a 22-16 series edge. The Knights have beaten the Bearkats the last five times and 19 of the 34 games in the series.

The team’s last home game at Independence Stadium comes against Northwood. The Falcons have an 18-8 record in the series having won the last six.

A trip to Minden will finish the regular season. The Crimson Tide leads the series, winning 18 of the 27 meetings.

2023 Woodlawn football schedule

Sept. 1 Natchitoches Central (at BTW)

Sept. 8 Southwood (Indy)

Sept. 15 at Red River

Sept. 22 at BTW

Sept. 29 at Evangel

Oct. 6 at North DeSoto

Oct. 13 Huntington (Indy)

Oct. 20 at Bossier

Oct. 27 Northwood (Indy)

Nov. 3 at Minden (Indy) – Independence Stadium

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