By LORI LYONS, Journal Sports
As a young boy growing up in Shreveport, Hayden Horton was always a baseball guy.
The son of Tracey and Rodney Horton, Hayden may not have had much of a choice.
“He was a pretty good player ,” Hayden said of his dad, Rodney, who pitched and played third base for Airline where he was a teammate of former LSU great Todd Walker and played on many solid squads, including a state runner-up..
So baseball it was for young Hayden, including travel ball, which took him, his parents and his younger brother Chase all over the country for tournaments and such.
“I loved it,” said Hayden, who became a fine pitcher, first baseman and catcher. “I like being behind the plate. I love the contact. I love leading the team as the catcher every play.”
Hayden was looking forward to playing baseball at Loyola College Prep and showing everyone what he could do. But then he found a new love. — football.
“It’s a funny story, actually,” said Hayden.
Other than neighborhood pickup games, Hayden hadn’t played much football. But just before his freshman year, he and his buddy, Jake Black, got an idea.
“I knew I wanted to play baseball,” Hayden said. “But one day I said to my buddy, Jake, ‘I kind of want to try this football thing.’ He said, ‘Well, if you do it, I’ll do it.’ Now he’s one of the top wide receivers.”
And Hayden, a 5-foot-10, 160-pound linebacker, is one of 37 Shreveport-Bossier seniors who have been named to the fifth annual National Football Foundation McNaughton Chapter Preseason Scholar-Athlete Watch List. Nominees must have at least a 3.2 grade point average, have won all-district honors or have remarkable team impact, and be involved in extracurricular activities.
“I thought it was a great honor,” Hayden said of his selection. When he learned he was on the list, he immediately texted former teammate, Carter Doyal, with whom he had a weekly competition over the number of tackles each would get last season, with queso on the line. Doyel made the preseason list last season and earned one of the NFF chapter’s postseason $1,000 scholarship awards.
“He was really proud of me,” Hayden said.
Playing with Doyel, Horton started 21 games in the past two seasons and racked up 176 tackles, including a team-best 109 last season as he earned first-team All-District 1-4A honors. The Flyers’ middle backer has collected 17 tackles for loss heading into his senior season kickoff tonight.
Hayden said he fell in love with football, even as a lowly freshman learning the new game.
“I played baseball longer, but I really do like football,” he said. “I don’t get burned out because I just started playing in high school. Everything’s new. It’s awesome. I liked to tackle and I kind of liked to feel the hit. It just went that way and I fell in love with it ever since.”
He was second-team all-district as a sophomore, once he got the hang of football. He’s a three-year starter in baseball and will be back for more next spring.
Hayden actually likes anything with action – football, baseball, basketball, hunting, fishing, cruising the lake in his boat, even helping out some friends on their ranch.
“I worked at a lumberyard one time,” he said. “I’ve learned all kinds of life skills I can be using.”
But Hayden also loves helping people. He enjoys being a part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, but he most enjoys Loyola’s annual Flyers Flyers Aiding the Hungry (F.Ai.T.H.) program which helps disadvantaged local families with food baskets and Christmas gifts.
“It makes my winter,” Hayden said. “I enjoy it so much. Last year Carter dressed up as Santa and I got to help bring the little kids around to meet Santa.”
Hayden is crossing his fingers that he might get a chance to wear that red suit this year.
“I just love helping people,” he said.
Which is why it should come as no surprise that Hayden is considering a career as a first responder – either as a firefighter or a paramedic.
“Over the last couple of years I just looked at it and it sparked my interest,” he said.
But right now Hayden’s mind is on Friday night’s season opener against St. Frederick’s in the annual Bishop Bowl. St. Frederick’s took last year’s season-opener, 8-6.
“Last year it was the Mud Bowl,” Hayden said. “I wake up every morning thinking about this game. They beat us by two points last year. I can’t wait to play this game. We want to start 1-0.”
Contact Lori at sportslyons@gmail.com