By LEE BRECHEEN, Louisiana Football Magazine
The Shreveport-Bossier area has finished an exciting regular season and as always, will be well represented in the LHSAA football playoffs with nine teams, six playing Friday night in the first round.
I’m here to share my views on what will happen. Let’s get started!
Select Division I
No. 20 Captain Shreve (6-4) will take a long trip to visit a very athletic 13th seeded Hammond team. I’ve seen both Hammond (7-3) and Shreve both play. This is a contest of speed against speed. I think Hammond has the edge in a close game.
The Tornadoes have a really good defense and can slow down many high powered offenses with their front seven. Captain Shreve senior RB Jamarcea Plater will have a big game because that’s what he does — he is one of the best in the state at his position.
Evangel Christian (8-2) earned a No. 8 seed and a bye. The Eagles will play at home next Friday against the winner of St. Paul’s and Pineville, which should be St. Paul’s out of Covington.
Select Division II
Booker T. Washington has earned the right to host the Lions’ first home playoff game since 2008. This will be the third year in a row BTW has made the playoffs under Gary Cooper and this is his best team yet. The 13th-seeded Lions (6-4) will meet 20th seed Istrouma out of Baton Rouge.
These teams are equal in talent. I have to give the edge to BTW with their talented WR DK Mitchell and young QB Davion Stewart. This tandem will be tough for Istrouma to contain.
Loyola Prep has had a great season with a 9-1 record, a tremendous offense, and is the No. 2 seed. That earned the Flyers a bye Friday. Loyola will play host to the winner of Belaire and Patrick Taylor of New Orleans.
As usual, in Division III Calvary Baptist (9-1) has a bye and will play the winner of Metairie Park Country Day or Pope John Paul II out of Slidell.
Non-Select Division I
Parkway (9-1) slipped to a No. 6 seed after last week’s loss at Evangel will be home against a really talented 27th seeded Covington team that I had a chance to see in person. This will be a close game.
Covington (6-4) has a lot of team speed and played a tough schedule. Parkway will need a big game from the defense again in what is a difficult matchup for Parkway. Edge to the Panthers based on homefield advantage at Preston Crownover Stadium. I have Parkway winning in a close game.
In a rematch of a second-round game last year, the roles are flipped when No. 17 Airline (7-3) will travel to New Iberia to play 16th seeded Westgate (6-4). The Vikings will need a big game from the defense as happened in 2024 in a 42-16 victory over the Tigers.
Westgate is a young team like Airline. Both are strong on offense. I can see a 45-42 game here with a close win by Westgate because the defense they have gives them the edge, and this time they are at home. But the Vikings have WR Kenny Darby and he makes magic happen. The LSU commit needs to have a career game for Airline to ride home happy.
Northwood, the seventh seed as the Class 4A school plays up in Division I, will be home against 26th seed (a better team than the seed) Barbe from Lake Charles. Airline handled Barbe in Week 1, 56-27, but that was a long time ago.
This is a game where both teams are even in talent and youth. Northwood has an awesome senior class, but there’s also a core of underclassmen making plays for coach Austin Brown.
Expect a lot of points. I think Northwood should pull this out because of strong special teams with two really good kickers and a bend-but-don’t-break defense. I am impressed with the Falcons’ QB, Nathan Cervantes, who is just a dadgum gamer, and think he will be the difference in this game.
Non-Select Division II
Bossier is back in the postseason. Coach Gary Smith and staff are building it the right way and the Bearkats have earned the opportunity as a 22nd seed.
The Bearkats will travel to 11th-seed West Feliciana, right outside of Baton Rouge. This will be the first playoff game for Bossier since 2021
Montrevell Lewis didn’t want to play quarterback. He wanted to be a receiver, but it became obvious early in the season that he was something special. I’d say – the sophomore has 2,750 yards total offense and has scored 33 touchdowns. running and throwing the football.
Special teams get overlooked, but not unappreciated by coaches, teammate and savvy fans. One of the big reasons they are in the playoffs is kicker Bryan Tuyizere, who is having a great year.
Bossier is much improved but I see a West Feliciana win here because of their depth, experience and overall team speed and they have some pretty good lineman in the trenches.
Nearby teams of note
Undefeated North DeSoto is top-seeded in Division II Non Select with a bye this week. I like the Griffins’ chances to go a long way and possibly win it all.
North Webster, a really talented team that Christopher Wilson has developed in his second season, goes on the road to Church Point. The Bears are another talented offensive team so this should be a close Non-Select Division II game.
Homer will be at home against a really good Franklin squad in a Non-Select Division IV 16-17 matchup and it will be a tough one to for the Pels to survive.
Haynesville (10-0) has a bye in Non-Select Division IV and looks ready to roll to the Superdome. Logansport (7-3) will host Varnado and I give Logansport the win. Kevin Magee’s Tigers have weathered early injuries and are peaking at the right time.
In Non-Select Division III, Mansfield (8-2) hosts Winnfield (3-7) and the Wolverines look good to me. Minden hosts a talented Wossman in Non-Select Division II and the edge to goes to Wossman in a great game.
Contact Lee at lbrecheen@aol.com
(Lee Brecheen is the longtime publisher of Louisiana Football Magazine, covering all of the state’s high school teams each year since 1997. He’s been tracking high school recruits since 1992. Free content can be found at the website lafootballmagazine.com. Lee hosts a podcast with guests from around the state — The Sports Scouting Report with Lee Brecheen, available on YouTube).