By DAVID ERSOFF, Journal Sports
After last Monday’s dramatic, last-minute game-winning goal to prevail in the epic matchup against Bossier, the Loyola Flyers soccer team could’ve had a letdown in a busy stretch that followed.
It certainly was a hope of Calvary, Airline and Byrd, who faced the Flyers late last week.
But Loyola is hardly a one-hit wonder.
The Flyers topped the Cavaliers 5-2 less than 24 hours after their emotional win. Thursday, 48 hours later with a more reasonable amount of recovery time, Loyola blanked Airline 5-0. The Flyers’ toughest test came on Saturday when they hosted Byrd. They kept their winning streak alive with a narrow 3-2 victory over the Yellow Jackets.
The run continued Monday night Loyola as took on a reloaded Caddo Magnet team, winning 6-3. Not all 6-3 scorelines tell the tale of the game, and certainly not in this game. With three minutes left to play, the score was 4-3.
Magnet coach Nick Flowers, not willing to sit back, sent numbers forward, hoping to pressure strongly enough that the Mustangs could get the equalizer. But the Flyers were able to take advantage of the alignment and Hollis Brown doubled the lead to 5-3. As time was expiring, they were awarded a penalty kick, Whit Sample converted, for the three-goal margin. Loyola got three goals from Sample, two from Holt Hamilton, and the goal from Brown. Magnet picked up goals from John Wooden, Ben Wooden and Seth Vale.
The Flyers’ game with Haughton has been cancelled. Loyola will face Minden on Saturday hoping to finish undefeated in district play.
Bossier’s Bearkats bounced back from the bitter loss to Loyola and topped Haughton 8-0 last Thursday, before their game with Parkway was cancelled due to weather. The Bearkats have a light week, traveling to Calvary on Thursday for a non-district matchup.
Byrd’s Yellow Jackets jumped back into third in this week’s Shreveport-Bossier Journal coaches poll. The jump is no doubt due to the 1-0 victory over West Monroe and their close loss to Loyola, both games last week.
The Yellow Jackets have set up their own gauntlet of competition with their last five regular-season games, the first two in the books (West Monroe and Loyola last week). They face Captain Shreve on Wednesday, then host Division II perennial power St. Thomas More. They finish the season next Monday at Bossier.
The Benton Tigers won two very close games last week, both by a 1-0 score, edging Shreve, and following up with a win over Ouachita Parish. Benton faces Airline tonight in a pivotal district game, needing it to keep its district championship hopes alive. The Tigers finish the week facing Magnet on Saturday.
The Mustangs have two days off before their game against Northwood, a matchup which last year ended in a 0-0 tie. Magnet’s meeting with Benton Saturday should end the discussion on who holds down the fourth and fifth spots in the final coaches poll.
The Week 8 SBJ boys’ soccer poll listing school (followed by W-L-T record) and points (followed by first place votes):
1, Loyola (11-5-2), 25 (5)
2, Bossier (8-7-2), 14
3, Byrd (8-6-6), 13
4, Benton (9-6-3), 10
5, Caddo Magnet (11-5-2), 9
Also receiving votes; Captain Shreve (4)
Contact David at dersoff@bellsouth.net