By MATT VINES, Journal Sports
No district championship trophies will be handed out this week, but one district and arguably two could be all but decided by this week’s games.
District 1-3A’s opening week features a Loyola College Prep (3-2) trip to Sterlington (3-2) in what is surely the defacto district title game tonight.
Both the Flyers (No. 10 in the LSWA’s Top 10) and the Panthers (No. 4) are among the best in the state in Class 3A, and the rest of the district is looking for midseason answers and turnarounds (Bastrop and North Webster with other member Carroll suspended for the regular season).
One week after facing a Calvary Baptist squad that pressured the Flyers out of rhythm, Loyola will see a Sterlington bunch who lifted the Division III Non-Select state championship trophy each of the past two seasons.
It’s not been all smooth sailing for the Panthers in losses to Jena (repeat of last December’s title game) and reigning Non-Select Division I champ Ouachita Parish, but Sterlington still has great wins over Franklin Parish and Oak Grove.
Loyola has dominating offensive performances against Captain Shreve and Northwood with a near miss against Parkway, but Sterlington will stretch and test the Flyers defense.
District 1-4A features an undefeated clash between North DeSoto (5-0, 2-0) and Minden (5-0, 2-0) Friday night in Stonewall.
The Crimson Tide nearly stumbled to Woodlawn (0-5) in Independence Stadium, dodging an upset that would have demolished the matchup of unbeatens, but Minden’s defense held the Knights on the goal line in the final minutes before a failed snap pushed Woodlawn out of the red zone.
Minden also has one-score wins against North Webster (1-4) and Homer (1-4).
North DeSoto has had no such trouble.
Freshman quarterback Mason Smith appears to be another four-year starter after the graduation of four-year starter Luke Delafield, and the Griffins have won four of five games by at least 30 points. North DeSoto’s closest game was a 38-20 decision to Byrd (0-5).
The Griffins hammered Woodlawn (55-0), Northwood (56-13), Natchitoches Central (56-21) and Union Parish (52-7).
Booker T. Washington (4-1) is looking like a factor in the district title race. North DeSoto could at least plant itself firmly in the driver seat by topping Minden.
BTW-Northwood part of busy Thursday night
You might notice school busses galore this evening as the area has a jam-packed five games on the docket.
It’s the busiest Thursday of the local 2026 football schedule. After tonight, local teams are scheduled to play just five games combined on the four remaining Thursdays.
Arguably the local headliner tonight is a BTW team looking to climb the traditional District 1-4A pecking order as the Lions (4-1, 1-0) head to Northwood (1-4, 0-1).
The Falcons are rebuilding after heavy graduation by a group that garnered two straight top-10 playoff seeds in Division I Select, while the Lions are rising fast and might just be the top challenger to favorite North DeSoto.
BTW is a two-point conversion away from possibly being undefeated this year in an emotional last-minute 20-18 loss to Green Oaks (still undefeated at 5-0) in the Soul Bowl in Week 3.
A win can help keep the Lions (No. 9 in Division II Select) in line for a second straight home playoff game while the Falcons (No. 35) are likely in must-win territory to continue their postseason standard.
Haughton (5-0) shouldn’t have much trouble heading east to a St. Frederick squad (2-3) that lost to West Ouachita by 40 points and Cedar Creek by 22. But Monroe-area teams have held an edge over Shreveport-Bossier this season, and anything can happen on the road.
Huntington (0-5, 0-1) and Byrd (0-5, 0-1) square off tonight at Lee Hedges Stadium in a matchup of teams looking for their first wins and who are also better than their records. Both fell in the final minute last week on the road.
The Yellow Jackets got their running back room intact with the return last week at Benton of fullback Collin Deere, who rushed for 178 yards to add to Christian Maxie’s 134. Maxie’s fourth 100-yard rushing output of the season leaves him needing just 214 yards to become the school’s all-time leading rusher.
The Yellow Jackets couldn’t hold off Benton in the final minutes and lost a two-touchdown second-half lead in a 31-28 loss.
Huntington nearly scored a huge upset in a 38-36 loss to Franklin Parish, ranked No. 5 in the LSWA Class 4A poll.
The Raiders got back on track offensively after scoring just 28 points combined in their first two games.
Despite the 0-5 records, No. 23 Byrd and No. 24 Huntington would still be in the Division I Select playoffs if they ended today. Tonight’s loser may just be on the outside looking in come the end of the regular season.
Bossier (3-2) at North Webster (1-4) has intrigue after the Bearkats got their first win without stud quarterback Montrevell Lewis in a 34-12 win over Southwood this past week. Lewis has been out since Week 2 with a season-ending knee injury.
The Knights are dangerous with three losses by one score, including losing a lead late to Cedar Creek in a 22-21 affair. Add undefeated Minden and St. Frederick to that mix, and the Knights have some juice once they experience winning close games.
Plain Dealing with another chance to end state’s longest losing streak
Plain Dealing has a chance to end the state’s longest losing streak when Pine Prairie visits Friday.
The Lions and their 49-game slide collide with the state’s second-longest streak among active programs in Pine Prairie’s 22 straight losses. Bolton Academy, which has 32 straight losses, isn’t playing football this season.
Plain Dealing, relying on several eighth-graders, has been shut out in four of five games while Pine Prairie did tally 42 of its 54 points scored this season in a shootout loss to Gueydan last week.
Southwood, Woodlawn battle in search of first wins
Friday also has a matchup of winless teams when Southwood and Woodlawn lock horns in Independence Stadium.
Woodlawn (0-5) very nearly knocked Minden from the ranks of the unbeaten, building a late third quarter lead in a 21-14 loss.
It was Woodlawn’s second one-score loss (Week 1 to Carroll).
Southwood hasn’t been as close with every loss coming by 20 points or more.
But after being shutout in the first three games, the Cowboys have scored 20 points total in their last two.
While No. 38 Woodlawn seems buried in the playoff conversation, No. 25 Southwood is just spot out of the race in Division II Select.
Contact Matt at matt.vines@lsus.edu