By LEE HILLER, Journal Sports
Captain Shreve and Loyola kick off the 2023 season tonight with a 7 p.m. contest at Independence Stadium and there isn’t any rough weather on the radar to delay this year’s contest.
Last season the two neighborhood rivals tried to open 2022 at Lee Hedges Stadium on a Thursday night, only to get one series of plays into the game and have it suspended because of lightning. It finished the following afternoon. The Flyers scored on that first possession Thursday night, but were not able to hold on to that lead the next day in falling to the Gators 38-7.
Both teams went on to have similar seasons with Class 5A Shreve finishing 6-6 overall and 2A Loyola going 6-5. Both schools made the playoffs and were 1-1 in the postseason.
Although the Gators have a much bigger student body, the Flyers’ student section is noted for its enthusiasm so this matchup should be enjoyable regardless of what happens between the goalposts.
Here are the capsules for the opening night games involving local teams.
LOYOLA (0-0) vs. CAPTAIN SHREVE (0-0), at Independence Stadium
Series: Tied 3-3
Last year: Captain Shreve 38-7
Last years records: Captain Shreve 6-6 overall, 2-5 in 1-5A; Loyola 6-5, 4-1 in 1-2A
Rankings: Captain Shreve is #5 in SBJ poll
Radio: Captain Shreve (The River, 95.7 FM, www.KLKL.fm)
Notes: Loyola won the first meeting of the two back in 1967 when it was Jesuit, 34-0 … Shreve defeated Byrd last week in the jamboree 23-21 and Loyola fell to Natchitoches Central 14-0.
SOUTHWOOD (0-0) vs. GREEN OAKS (0-0), at Jerry Burton Stadium
Series: Southwood leads 2-1
Last year: Southwood 14-12 (later forfeited)
Last years records: Southwood 0-10 overall, 0-7 in 1-5A; Green Oaks 2-8, 0-5 in 1-2A
Rankings: none
Radio: none
Notes: Southwood enters the game with a 27-game losing skid after having to forfeit wins its first two games last year … its last win was in 2019 against Parkway 18-16 … The Cowboys won the first two games in the series in 1989 and 1990 … Green Oaks won both of its jamboree games defeating North Caddo and BTW by identical 6-0 scores … Southwood dropped its jamboree to Huntington 14-8.
EVANGEL (0-0) vs. NEVILLE (0-0), at Bill Ruple Stadium
Series: Neville leads 4-1
Last year: Neville 8-0
Last years records: Evangel 7-5 overall, 5-2 in 1-4A; Neville 8-3, 4-0 in 2-4A
Rankings: Evangel tied #2 in SBJ poll; Neville #3 in LSWA 4A poll
Radio: Neville (Sunny, 98.3 FM) www.NevilleTigerNetwork.com
Notes: The series between the two schools began in 1995 with the Tigers taking the season opener 23-18 … Evangel’s only win in the series came the next season 45-12 as the Eagles started their first undefeated season in school history and won their third state championship, first in Class 3A … Evangel defeated Ouachita 21-14 in the Bayou Jamb, Neville knocked off Sterlington 21-14 in its own jamboree.