If you have no allegiance to a local team, and you’re willing and able to take in a nearby high school football game this weekend, there’s an interesting collection of matchups to consider.
Tonight’s Haughton at Parkway contest, a District 1-5A battle, is the friendliest neighborhood rivalry you can find with close bonds between the coaching staffs, friendships among the players, and a short jaunt from the country (Haughton) to the (Bossier) City.
Friday night, the No. 1 team in Class 4A, Franklin Parish, visits one of Class 2A’s elite, Calvary Baptist. It was a four-point final last year in Winnsboro, and although the Cavs had some major graduation losses, they are tough to top at home (where the concession stand alone is reason to visit).
At Independence Stadium, there’s a different kind of hungry. Benton and Huntington meet, both 0-2. Benton’s coach is Stephen Dennis, who for the last few seasons was the successful head man on Rasberry Lane. A win will be extra sweet for the survivor.
Down the road in Logansport, the Bossier Bearkats roll in with a 2-0 record, having scored 122 points. The host Tigers are a perennial Class A power, but have some key injuries and are out to a 0-2 start with not-close losses to Many and Loyola.
Mansfield is 2-0, thanks to erasing a 35-0 deficit in Week 1 to stun Minden. The Wolverines come to 2-0 Northwood, who looks primed to give North DeSoto a serious challenge for the 1-4A crown.
Another 2-0 vs. 2-0 matchup takes place at Messmer Stadium when Class A Cedar Creek rolls in from Ruston to visit Loyola. The Flyers have handled two smaller schools easily and this should be no different, but they’ll aim for a sharper performance than last week at Logansport.
Having escaped the state’s longest losing streak by holding off Class A Arcadia, Southwood (1-0) goes to 0-2 North Caddo. Somebody who needs a win goes home happy. This could be as entertaining as any game this weekend.
That’s saying a lot considering it’s Soul Bowl Saturday. For the 52nd time, Booker T. Washington and Green Oaks square off with year-long bragging rights at stake. You know it’s a biggie when they name a game MVP, and some Lion or Giant will have that claim to fame Saturday evening. The game even rates a special kickoff time, 5 o’clock, will have a sensational pregame tailgating scene and a high-octane halftime.
Those are your best options, but not the only ones, if you stay local in Week 3. Evangel-Byrd at Lee Hedges Stadium and Lakeside at Plain Dealing have some merit – plenty of college prospects headed by this week’s Class of 2027 LSU commitment Pop Houston for the Eagles; rugged fullback Collin Deere and kicker Asher Murray of Byrd; and the noble efforts of the Plain Dealing Lions, now saddled with the state’s longest skid (36 straight) but home again, hopeful always.
Not a shabby slate to choose from, not in Week 3, when anything seems possible.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com