JOURNAL STAFF
Players from Byrd and Benton know how each guy from the other team feels heading into their District 1-5A football contest tonight at Independence Stadium.
Not enough has gone right for either team this season.
The Yellow Jackets have been close to a 2-2 record but sustained down-to-the-wire losses to Huntington and Captain Shreve – both at the I-Bowl – and they’re 0-4, 0-1 in the district after last Thursday’s 35-28 heartbreaker to the Gators.
The Tigers are 1-3, dropping their last three after an opening 28-26 triumph at Northwood.
Both teams were walloped in trips to Texarkana, Byrd falling in Week 1 at Pleasant Grove and Benton getting blown out a week later at Texas High.
Fighting frustration entering the Week 5 game is a precarious position. One team moves forward from tonight with some positive momentum and confidence. After Benton blasted Byrd last year, the Tigers were unbeaten until the postseason, and then, just a couple seconds away from a quarterfinal round appearance.
Tonight’s meeting carries undertones of a developing rivalry. Flames were fanned by Benton’s 63-28 romp last season, and a contentious baseball contest in the spring.
The matchup showcases two of the most explosive backs in Shreveport-Bossier – Benton’s touchdown machine, Greg Manning, and Malachi Johnson of Byrd.
BENTON (1-3, 0-1) vs. BYRD (0-4, 0-1) at Independence Stadium
Series: Byrd 2-1
Last year: Benton 63-28
Last week: Byrd lost to Captain Shreve 35-28; Benton lost to Airline 60-35
Rankings: Benton is No. 9 in SBJ Top 10 poll
Power rankings: Benton Non-Select Div. I No. 26; Byrd Select Div. I No. 26
Radio: Byrd on (The Tiger 1130 AM, 103.3 FM); Benton streamed on the Benton Tiger Sports Network (network1sports.com)
Notable: Byrd has lost its first four games of the year for the first time since 2019 and last lost its first five in 2016 … The Yellow Jackets have lost fullback Dixon Poirier for the season due to an arm injury. He was second on the team with 214 rushing yards … Malachi Johnson leads Byrd in rushing with 399 yards and eight touchdowns … The Jackets have attempted just one pass the last two games and 11 on the season … Benton running back Greg Manning is second in the area with 546 yards rushing on 100 carries and seven touchdowns … QB Jeff King has passed for 514 yards and four touchdowns and run for 205 yards and two scores … Cole Austin leads the defense with 38 tackles, three for loss. Miller Malley is one tackle behind with 37 and has a team-leading 13 solo stops. Brayden Jackson has 11 solo tackles, 30 total tacklers and a team high four for a loss.