Step away from NIL, the transfer portal, judges deciding college football rules and Congress unable to – what a shock.
High school football is upon us, and anything is possible.
Guarantee that second-year coach Jerry Byrd has Plain Dealing High practicing the victory formation. The Lions have the state’s longest high school skid, 44 games.
Look for 9/11 to be a memorable date for coach Byrd’s boys. That Friday night, they host Lakeview, which has dropped 27 in a row.
Also on Plain Dealing’s schedule this fall: Pine Prairie, loser of its last 17. Those outings appear to be the best chances, but not the only ones, for the Lions to roar.
We all should also root for Magnolia School of Excellence to break through after 18 consecutive defeats. In Year 2 under Kelly Yancey, Magnolia goes to Lakeview, a couple miles north of Campti and a couple south of Black Lake, for a Sept. 18 visit. (Local knowledge: recently reopened La Sea and Sirloin Restaurant is a mile away, and Lakewood Inn’s legendary catfish is another mile toward Saline. No excuses: eat well, Mariners’ fans.)
You can do that at the concession stand at Jerry Barker Stadium, home of the Calvary Cavaliers. Only drawback: the line to get to the counter. Concession stands don’t take reservations, dang it.
Some Calvary fans probably have reservations for New Orleans and a return to the Prep Classic on the weekend of Dec. 10-12. Understandable, since Rodney Guin’s gang was there when hardly anyone expected it last year, after they won it all in 2023 to go with a 2020 crown. Many of last year’s players are back this time around.
High expectations? Calvary coaches and players embrace them.
So do the Evangel Eagles and Parkway Panthers, the top teams last year in District 1-5A who look ready to maintain their status. Airline’s Vikings took both down to the last minute.
Haughton, Benton and Byrd absorbed some lumps last year with youthful lineups, but there’s seasoning, determination, talent and tight bonds that bode well for the Bucs, Tigers and Yellow Jackets.
Huntington has its footing in John Simon’s second season on the sideline. Captain Shreve has another outstanding running back, Gabe Lockett, and Jeremy Wilburn’s uncanny ability to design dynamic game plans that light up scoreboards.
This is the 50th anniversary of Loyola’s 1976 state championship season. The Flyers had a breakthrough run to the quarterfinals last fall and plenty of pieces are back for more this fall.
Northwood’s gonna Northwood. It sure was tough to see such a close-knit senior class depart, but Austin Brown’s Falcons aren’t about to fade from being a District 1-4A stalwart.
Don’t sleep on Booker T. Washington. The Lions have raised the bar in each of Gary Cooper’s seasons as head coach and won a road playoff game last year.
De’Aumante Johnson led the Southwood Cowboys away from the consecutive losses list last season and won the wardrobe division of last Tuesday’s Independence Bowl High School Media Day. That doesn’t do anything on a scoreboard but it does signal a winning approach.
No doubt Gary Smith’s defense will be solid, and with Montrevell Lewis mystifying opponents, the Bossier Bearkats are a weekly threat. Woodlawn has new leadership with coach Levelle Wilson Jr. stepping in for the rock solid Thed Harris, who instilled toughness that will serve the Knights well.
Green Oaks made a great run last winter to the LHSAA Top 28 basketball semifinals, and several of those hoops heroes are pulling on helmets now believing if that could happen in a gym, under Nick Peoples, it can happen under the Friday night lights.
North Caddo’s new head coach Dewaski Davis and his guys believe we’ll remember the Titans after this season.
There are 19 Caddo-Bossier football teams. What makes this season successful varies from school to school, and player to player.
Victories start with the kids strapping on the shoulder pads and aiming to get better day after day. That’s an attribute to carry forward past commencement.
Football, not only by its bigger-than-the-rest roster counts, provides every school with its greatest chance to coalesce. Participation expands to spirit groups and bands, and especially at the bigger schools, in energetic student sections.
Not everybody makes the playoffs. This fall, they can all make memories to treasure, not only on game nights, but on any step along the way.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com