JOURNAL SPORTS
Two of the leaders in District 1-5A collide Thursday night and two 1-4A contenders battle Friday night to highlight the Week 5 local high school football schedule.
Parkway’s rugged defense will try to contain Byrd’s productive Wing-T running game Thursday night in Bossier City as the 4-0 teams square off.
Friday’s 1-4A headliner has Loyola traveling to The Pit to take on Minden. The Flyers and Crimson Tide started district play with dominant victories Friday. The Flyers and Tide last played in 2014 with the Tide holding a 29-11-2 series lead.
Undefeated Airline playing at explosive Captain Shreve is another 1-5A matchup with sizzle. So is the battle for west Shreveport superiority as Huntington, unbeaten in league action, visits explosive Evangel. Scoreboards, beware.
Defense will probably set the tone when Byrd and Parkway tee it up. Both scored convincing road wins Friday to stay perfect. The Yellow Jackets went south to metro New Orleans and dispatched John Ehret 35-14 and the Panthers pounded 1-5A foe Natchitoches Central 40-12. The Jackets have a 23-14 advantage in the series with Parkway and have won five of the last seven.
The reigning 1-5A champ Gators and the Vikings have won or tied for the district crown each of the last three years and tied for the 2019 title. Airline has a 30-23-1 lead in the series that has always been a district game. The game is a Friday matchup at Lee Hedges Stadium.
Captain Shreve has the most 1-5A wins in the past five years with a 26-9 record, Byrd is second at 24-10 and Airline is 23-10 over that period.
Haughton hosts Natchitoches Central in the other 1-5A game Friday, with both squads desperately seeking success after 1-3 starts including no wins in the league. The Bucs have won all five games with the Chiefs over the last five years. The Raiders and Eagles face each other in a 1-5A game for the first time since 2004.
In the week’s only non-district contest, Benton hosts Leesville for the Tigers’ homecoming. The Benton defense faces the challenge of containing Wampus Cats’ senior Xavier Ford, who is approaching 7,000 career rushing yards and has two 400-yard games this season for the unbeaten Vernon Parish squad.
District 1-4A has a full slate. Along with the Loyola-Minden battle, the slate includes Woodlawn hosting Northwood at Independence Stadium, North DeSoto playing at Booker T. Washington, Southwood at Bossier. The Falcons have won the last seven and lead their series with the Knights 19-8. The Griffins have won eight of 11 meetings with the Lions. The Cowboys hold a slim 11-9 advantage with the Bearkats.
Calvary has a home date with 1-2A newcomer Magnolia Charter. Green Oaks and North Caddo are both on the road with the Giants taking on D’Arbonne Woods and the Titans go to Mansfield.
Plain Dealing welcomes powerful Glenbrook for a District 1-1A game.
Week 5 local prep football schedule
Thursday
DISTRICT 1-5A
Byrd at Parkway, Preston Crownover Stadium
Friday
DISTRICT 1-5A
Airline vs. Captain Shreve, Lee Hedges Stadium
Huntington at Evangel, Rodney Duron Field
Natchitoches Central at Haughton, Harold Harlan Stadium
NON-DISTRICT
Leesville at Benton
DISTRICT 1-4A
Northwood vs. Woodlawn, Independence Stadium
North DeSoto at Booker T. Washington, Leonard Barnes Stadium
Southwood at Bossier
Loyola at Minden, The Pit
DISTRICT 1-2A
Magnolia Charter at Calvary, Jerry Barker Stadium
Green Oaks at D’Arbonne Woods
North Caddo at Mansfield
DISTRICT 1-1A
Glenbrook at Plain Dealing