By DAVID ERSOFF, Journal Sports
Thirteen local girls teams entered the LHSAA soccer playoffs last week and after the opening round, seven remain — all teams that comprised this season’s final Shreveport-Bossier Journal Coaches Poll, showing that the local coaches had a bead on the top teams in the area.
It also reflected the higher seeds each team earned in the LHSAA’s power points system that sets the postseason brackets. In the second round early this week, the matchups get tighter.
Division I’s No. 2-seed Byrd (18-3-5) took care of No. 31 Acadiana (6-12-5) Friday evening, dominating 8-0. The Lady Jackets will host No. 15 Dutchtown (7-7-3) on Thursday afternoon.
Third seeded in Division I, Benton (19-3-3) cruised in the first round, topping No. 30 Woodlawn of Baton Rouge (8-10-2) 6-0. The Lady Tigers will host West Monroe (17-6-3) Tuesday night at 6 at Airline High School. Benton beat West Monroe 2-0 on the first day of the soccer season, Nov. 12.
Division I’s No. 8 seed Captain Shreve (18-5-4) had a tougher than expected opener with No. 25 Destrehan (7-11-2), winning 3-1. The Lady Gators will host No. 9 Fontainbleau (12-3-8) at Caddo Field Thursday at 5:30.
In Division II, No. 10 North DeSoto (13-7-4) beat No. 23 Pineville (9-9-3) 4-0 Friday night. The Lady Griffins will head south, visiting No. 7 Lutcher (14-5) on Tuesday at 4:30.
Caddo Magnet (10-4-3), seeded 12th in Division II, easily dispatched No. 21 Archbishop Chapelle (8-15) by 6-0 in Round 1. The Lady Mustangs have a much steeper challenge in Round 2, going to No.5 Central Lafourche (17-5-4) on Wednesday at 4.
Division IV’s top seed, Loyola (18-5-3), moved into the second round via a bye, the only bye in the whole state playoffs, boys or girls. The Lady Flyers will face former district foe Ouachita Christian (7-5-4) at 6 Wednesday evening at Messmer Stadium.
No. 5 in Division IV, Calvary (14-4-3) cruised through an 8-0 first-round win over district opponent No. 28 Evangel (1-17) Friday at Calvary. The Lady Cavaliers will host No. 12 Pope John Paul II (7-5-5) on Thursday at 5. These teams played to a 2-2 draw on Nov. 23.
In addition to Evangel’s loss to Calvary, five other local teams’ seasons ended on the road in the first round of the playoffs:
D-I – No. 28 Airline (8-9) fell 8-0 to No. 5 Hahnville (17-3-2).
D- II – No. 22 Parkway (11-6-5) lost 7-1 at No. 11 New Iberia (13-7-1).
D- II – No. 27 Northwood (7-12-3) lost 8-0 to No. 6, last year’s state finalist Ben Franklin (14-9).
D-III – No. 27 Bossier (6-14-1) fell 8-0 to No. 6 Vandebilt (11-6-1) This is the second year in a row the Lady Bearkats have fallen to Vandebilt in Round 1.
D-IV – No. 28 North Caddo (2-18) lost 8-0 to No 4. St Charles (14-5-4).
Contact David at dersoff@bellsouth.net