By DAVID ERSOFF, Journal Sports
Caddo Magnet senior midfielder Isabella Baltov scored her 150th career goal this past weekend as the Lady Mustangs went 3-0 at the EIL tournament in Lafayette.
Baltov has been a starter for Magnet since she arrived at the school. She has been the one player that every team game plans against when the Lady Mustangs appear on their schedule.
Baltov has committed to play Division I soccer at McNeese this fall. She will join 2025 Captain Shreve graduate Ella Grace Davis in Lake Charles, going from competitors to Cowgirl teammates.
The Lady Mustangs gave up only one goal at the EIL, while scoring 12, beating Southside 3-0, Acadiana 6-1 and finishing with another 3-0 victory over Catholic New Iberia. Magnet moved into fourth in this week’s Shreveport-Bossier Journal coaches poll.
Tuesday night Baltov added three goals to her career total when the Lady Mustangs topped district rival Parkway 7-1. Baltov’s total is up to 154, which is just seven behind the parish record by 2024 Magnet graduate Aubrey Jordan.
Benton’s Lady Tigers kept their stranglehold on the top spot in the SBJ’s coaches poll, garnering four of the five first-place votes this week. Benton also traveled to the EIL tournament, splitting its games, beating Hahnville 1-0 before falling to state power Mandeville 3-1.
Following Tuesday’s 5-0 victory over Texas High, the Lady Tigers host Airline Thursday and Evangel Friday to complete their first week back at school. Benton will have to avoid looking past these winnable games as they face Byrd next Tuesday in a district battle that will go a long way in determining who takes home the championship.
Loyola received the remaining first-place vote behind a strong 2-0-1 showing at the EIL. The Lady Flyers sandwiches their 1-1 tie with Central Lafourche with a 3-1 win over St. Charles and 2-0 victory over Sulphur. Loyola heads to New Orleans this weekend to face Sacred Heart of New Orleans and Ursuline Academy.
Every Christmas break Byrd travels west to play in Arlington High School’s Texas season-opening tournament. This year the Lady Jackets played well, but the results did not come through. They dropped three games by a single goal each. L.D. Bell won 1-0, Arlington 2-1 and finally another 1-0 loss, to South Grand Prairie.
Byrd goes to Caddo Field this evening to meet Captain Shreve in the first of three games between the Division I local powers. Expect a heated battle, with rowdy crowds on both sides of this rivalry. The Lady Jackets finish the week against Huntington and Calvary.
Shreve’s Lady Gators took their yearly trip to Mississippi last weekend. They came home winless, first falling 4-1 to DeSoto (Miss.) 4-1, then falling in a heartbreaking 3-2 final against St, Patrick.
Shreve has been resting up until its matchup tonight against Byrd. The Lady Gators travel to Neville on Saturday.
Out of state games do not figure into LHSAA’s power rankings system for playoff seedings.
The Week 8 SBJ girls’ soccer poll listing school (W-L-T record), points (first place votes):
1, Benton (14-3-0), 24 (4)
2, Loyola (7-3-2), 20 (1)
3, Byrd (7-6-3), 15
4, Magnet (10-3-0), 8
5, Captain Shreve (12-5-1) 7
Others receiving votes: Calvary (1)
Contact David at dersoff@bellsouth.net