JOURNAL SPORTS
Last week’s kickoff to the 2025 high school football season provided a wide range of memories made by veteran players and coaches, newcomers to the game, and high energy and excitement in stadiums and on sidelines everywhere a scoreboard was turned on.
For this fall’s first edition of the Shreveport-Bossier Journal Coaches’ Roundtable, four veteran local coaches shared their reflections on Opening Night. This week, two more local teams, Plain Dealing and Southwood, get to kick off their seasons, hungry for success and happy to have the opportunity.
GARY COOPER, Booker T. Washington: “Over my years of coaching, the big eyes of freshmen and newcomers are always a heck of a sight. They are so excited but yet so nervous. In one moment they want to play, but in the same moment they don’t any parts of what’s going on out there.
“Then you get to watch them over the years grow into pretty good high school football players and you always have that moment to joke about with them.”
STEPHEN DENNIS, Benton (who moved over from Huntington to take over the Tigers this season): “Probably running out of the tunnel to the Benton High School sideline for the first time. To see what seemed like the entire community of Benton there to cheer their athletes on, was a small glimpse of what makes this community truly special!! Add in the band and all the spirit groups and it made for truly an electric atmosphere, one I won’t soon forget!!!”
JUSTIN SCOGIN, Airline: “My first opening game at Airline was one I can’t forget for all the wrong reasons. Since then, our players and coaches have handled business pretty well in Week 1. It hasn’t been easy but that makes it more satisfying.
“2022 – we were an absolute disaster. Couldn’t line up, couldn’t execute plays and didn’t handle adversity well.
“2023 – Got down early to a great North DeSoto team, fixed some stuff at halftime, handled adversity well and came out on top.
“2024 – Went four hours on the road, in rough conditions and found a way to kick a field goal to win a tough game against a tough
“2025 – Played 47 of the 48 minutes like we know how to, and got a great start for this season (last Friday’s 56-27 victory over visiting Barbe).”
“The exciting thing is the progression that the kids and our staff has made to prepare these guys for an opening game. There are a lot of nerves and I think we have gotten better over the years.”
AUSTIN BROWN, Northwood (whose offensive line coach, Cody Malone, was an inspirational presence at Benton Friday night hours after he laid his father to rest): “Coach Malone buried his dad (William Malone) and one of our biggest Falcon friends that day. He still showed up and his OL performed very well (the Falcons ran for 247 yards and 4 touchdowns, and had 189 more passing yards, in a 49-13 win).”