JOURNAL SPORTS
Victories are to be savored. Some memories fade, but there are those games that will never be forgotten.
Lots of those keepers in the memory box result from great comebacks. Today’s Shreveport-Bossier Journal Coaches Roundtable question asked about coaches’ favorite comeback memories.
Some went all the way back to their playing days. For others, it was almost yesterday.
RODNEY GUIN, Calvary: “That one is easy! Nine points down with four minutes to go in the Superdome last December, and we came back and won the state title with 20 seconds left over the two-time defending champ.”
AUSTIN BROWN, Northwood: “Week 1 this season, at home against Benton, down 21-10, with eight minutes left. We get some penalties and we are first-and-45 from our own 10. We were able to climb out of that hole, and scored two touchdowns to win the game. We got the go-ahead score in the final 90 seconds.”
STEPHEN DENNIS, Huntington: “The biggest comeback of my career came in 2021. We were down, I believe 21 points, to Evangel at Evangel midway through the third quarter.
“We had shot ourselves in the foot all night, and then boom! Zyion Claville makes a catch and score from 70+ and we force two turnovers to get the game into overtime. We won in double OT.”
REYNOLDS MOORE, Benton: “Hahnville in the first round of the playoffs in 2021. It was our first playoff win in 5A and at home!
“We went down 14-0 pretty quick, but then got a kickoff return for a TD from Pearce Russell that finally sparked our offense. The game went back and forth and was tied up with a few minutes left. They kicked off and Ethan Johnson returned another KO for a TD. The defense held them out on fourth down, and we were able to take a knee and finish it off.
“In that game we recovered two surprise onside kicks, had 2 kickoff returns for touchdowns, and a 40-yard field goal. It was also my son’s last game at home. Extra special!”
JUSTIN SCOGIN, Airline: “Leesville vs. St. Martinville, 2018 quarterfinals. (Scogin coached at Leesville). We were down 48-39 with around 1:50 left.
“They kicked off to us after everyone thought they sealed the win. We got a long return by Duwon Tolbert down to the 30 and scored about 3-4 plays later. D’Ante Gallashaw ran for two and made it 48-46. With an onside obviously coming, we were still able to recover it.
“We ran the ball three times and converted a fourth-and-1 with about 50 seconds left. After they spotted the ball, Jacob Mount hit Noah Allain for about a 40-yard TD pass. We held them and on fourth down, time expired.
“Crazy game. Rained the majority of the night. Caleb Gallashaw had about 4 TDs. Our O-line was really good and we finished 13-1 that year.”
ANTHONY JOHNSON, Magnolia School of Excellence: “My senior year in high school at Plain Dealing, we came back and beat Homer on a field goal. We made a 27-yard field goal with eight seconds remaining in the game. Final: 15-14, Plain Dealing over Homer.
“A wild night. Nothing like it!”
MATTHEW SEWELL, Haughton: “When I was playing here, in 2019 we made the 5A semifinals before losing to Destrehan. We almost didn’t make it there.
“We played at Comeaux in the second round. They had Trey Harris and Malik Nabors. They ran the veer and kept the ball the entire game. They were up 21-14 with about six minutes left. We had a fourth-and-12 on their end and drew a pass interference call. It was only half the distance to the goal so we had fourth-and-3. We got converted and scored a few plays later to tie it.
“We traded possessions after that and ended up pinning them inside the 3. They tried to throw and BJ Feaster sacked Trey Harris for a safety and we won 23-21. It was our first road playoff win in 27 years.”
JOHN SELLA, Loyola: In 2022 we were down 30-0 to Logansport at halftime and a bunch of people left the game and I’m sure were shocked to see the final score. We recovered multiple onside kicks and had a chance to recover the last one at the end that would’ve given us a shot for the win.
“We lost by 2, but it was still crazy to come back from down 30. I was proud of the players for just staying the course and not giving up.”