By DAVID ERSOFF, Journal Sports
Thanksgiving week is traditionally slow in high school soccer, but this year was almost like a mandate to not play. Thanks to bad weather last Monday and an already light holiday schedule, only two games were played involving local teams last week.
Last Tuesday, the Bossier boys team travelled to Blanchard to take on the Northwood Falcons. The Bearkats used a dominant possession game to post a 3-0 victory, with the goals scored by senior Bryan Tuyuzire.
The Falcons used a defensive strategy, commonly referred to as “parking the bus.” It’s when a team keeps 10 or 11 players behind the ball and makes next to no effort to move forward. With this play, the Falcons were looking to score on a counterattack or to keep the Bearkats from being able to score at all. Bossier did break down the Falcons many times, while Falcons keeper Joseph Barron made some amazing saves to keep the score close.
The Benton girls were the only other local team in action last week, meeting Lafayette High School halfway, in Alexandria, this past Saturday. The Lady Tigers secured two goals from Eden Whiteman for the win. Whiteman’s goals were assisted by Payton Beloso and Emerie Tanner. The fact that keeper Jules Cliffton was not called upon to make a save shows the dominant play by the Tigers.
The rain washed out all but one local game Monday night. The Airline boys topped Parkway 6-1.
The feature game tonight will be the Bossier Bearkats heading north to meet the Benton Tigers at 5:30. The Bearkats then will travel to face three top-10 ranked Division I schools at the Hannan tournament in Covington. Those opponents will be Brother Martin, Northshore, and Mandeville.
The Loyola Flyers will also head to the Hannan tournament, where they are scheduled to play Fontainebleau, The Willow School, and Archbishop Hannan.
The tournament will provide a true early-season test for Shreveport-Bossier’s top two teams.
The Byrd Yellow Jackets play host to Neville tonight and then visit Ruston on Thursday. The Caddo Magnet Mustangs game against Providence Classical was rained out last night, leaving the Mustangs with just their Thursday home game at Cargill Park against Minden for this week.
Calvary travels to Farmerville to meet D’Arbonne Woods Charter tonight, then is back home against Parkway on Thursday. Captain Shreve goes to West Monroe tonight before the Gators’ first district game against Huntington on Thursday at Lee Hedges Stadium.
On the girls’ side, Benton’s game against Neville was rained out last night. The Lady Tigers will compete in the Gator Cup this weekend. Matchups have not yet been published.
Byrd’s Lady Jackets are heading down to the E.D. White tournament in Thibodaux on Thursday. The schedule has not yet been posted. Look for the Lady Jackets to get some strong matchups as the teams participating in the tournament are some of the best in the state.
Loyola’s Lady Flyers host Evangel tonight, before heading to Lafayette to face D-IV state champion Isidore Newman and D-I state champion Mt. Carmel on neutral ground.
The Captain Shreve Lady Gators host West Monroe tonight before preparing for their signature tournament this weekend. Calvary entertains Magnet tonight and then will be participating in the Gator Cup. The Lady Mustangs will be off for the rest of the week.
The Shreveport-Bossier Journal coaches’ polls will resume next week.
Contact David at dersoff@bellsouth.net