By DAVID ERSOFF, Journal Sports
The LHSAA uses power rankings to seed teams in state playoffs, and each sport has its own rules that frame these rankings. In soccer the rules are simple and straight forward, at least compared to other sports. The biggest difference is, soccer does not have adjustments for playing teams in higher divisions.
When a team wins, it receives five points plus a point for every win, and a half a point for every tie the opponents has. When a team ties a game, it gets 2.5 points and .75 per those opponents wins and .375 of the ties. A loss means no points upfront, but 0.5 points for every win and 0.25 per every tie that opponents have.
The points awarded are a fluid number. As the opponents add wins and ties, those extra points are awarded to the teams they have played, basically encouraging teams to root for their opponents to win other games to help their power ranking. When the regular season ends, the final PRs dictate seedings in the playoff brackets – and chances to host playoff games.
On the boys side Division-II Caddo Magnet has the highest PR among the local teams. Magnet is seeded 12th in D-II, with a PR of 8.40. The Mustangs are currently tied for second in the Shreveport-Bossier Journal coaches’ poll, which has no bearing on LHSAA rankings.
Bossier, tied with Magnet in the SBJ’s coaches poll, has the highest seed of the local teams, fourth in D-III with a PR of 8.13. At the top of the SBJ coaches poll, Loyola is seeded 6th in D-III with a 7.84 PR.
Calvary is inside the top 10 in D-IV, sitting in the eighth spot with a 7.10 PR.
Shreveport-Bossier’s Division I teams are closely bunched, with Byrd having the highest seed at 23 and best local PR of 7.05. Benton is just one seed behind at 24th with a 6.98 PR. Airline is seeded 29th with a 6.59 PR, followed by Captain Shreve, who holds the last playoff spot at the moment, the No. 32 seed. The Gators’ PR is 6.33
There will be a lot of movement in these teams’ PR’s and seeding for playoffs, but this midseason look gives a glimpse of where these teams are, and gives our local coaches some clue where they are compared to statewide competition.
Captain Shreve will play the last game of 2025 tonight at 5:30, when they host Neville at Lee Hedges. Bossier travels to Alexandria on Saturday to face the Trojans.
Loyola, Byrd, Magnet and Shreve are all traveling to the EIL tournament, hosted by Teurlings Catholic in Lafayette. The schedule has not yet been publicly posted.
Contact David at dersoff@bellsouth.net