JOURNAL SPORTS 

For all the local high school football teams except for Southwood, the season is underway.

Mike Green’s Cowboys make their debut this week. “Make room,” he calmly and firmly stated a couple weeks ago today, at a Caddo Parish School Board media event showcasing the system’s prep football programs. 

He was expressing confidence his players would redefine the perception of the Southwood program, which has been mired in a seasons-long skid. It was impressive bravado. Best of luck to the Cowboys!

Meanwhile, the other local teams have a game under their belts and it’s Week 2. We asked head coaches to share thoughts on things they took away from the season opener – not necessarily football impressions. 

What were their takeaways from Week 1? 

AUSTIN BROWN, Northwood: “Just being back out there. Pageantry of a Friday night. Tailgate walk, band, cheer/dance, fireworks. It was great to be back.”

MATTHEW SEWELL, Haughton:  “We had two seniors (Jakobe Delaney and Preston Peters) that had suffered multiple injuries in the past and had never started a game before this season, catch touchdown passes and play big roles in our win. It was awesome watching them break through and see how excited they were to help their team win a game. It stood out to me as a testament to hard work and love of the game.”

STACY BALLEW, Byrd:  “Any win on the road in south Louisiana is a good win.” (The Yellow Jackets were impressive at St. Amant, posting a 26-10 victory.)

CLINT WALKER, Plain Dealing: “Hard to believe another season is here. Seems to go faster and faster every year the older you get.”

STEPHEN DENNIS, Huntington: “Seeing my players not be fazed by the atmosphere of West Monroe. We didn’t play well (in a 40-7 defeat), but it wasn’t because of the atmosphere, we didn’t execute at an elite level.”

JEREMY WILBURN, Captain Shreve:  “I noticed that our band plays a terrific rendition of the Star Spangled Banner and we have a well-trained color guard that raises our flag perfectly pregame.”

By LEE BRECHEEN, Louisiana Football Magazine

TJ Grider from Evangel Christian has bounced into focus as a player to watch this fall.

Grider is a newcomer to the Eagles’ football program, best known as a basketball standout, and has a chance to become one of the best in his role in Louisiana high school football before the season is over.

He is a pass rusher, an outside linebacker/defensive end for Evangel. Grider stands 6-3 and weighs 235 pounds with legit 4.6 speed in the 40-yard dash. He already had offers from Centenary and Ouachita Baptist before even playing in a varsity football game for Evangel Christian.

Here’s another attribute: he owns a 3.9 GPA.

“TJ is a freakish athlete. This is the strongest basketball player I’ve ever come across at the high school level, said Fabian Carter, head strength coach and assistant head football coach for Evangel.

“The spring of 2024 was his first time coming out to football and athletically he was farther ahead than I thought. He is strong and quick,” said Carter. “There could be some improvement in his football workout agility but that is understandable for a guy who sat out of football almost his entire high school career. With his speed and quickness, TJ will live in the offensive backfield in 2024.”

Grider is the ultimate diamond in the rough as far as Class of 2025 football recruiting is concerned. He is a raw talent in the sport, very teachable and a quick study, and has the respect of his Eagles’ coaches.

Defensive coordinator Josh Alexander said all the X-factors point toward Grider becoming a rising prospect as the season goes on.

“First of all he is a great kid, as good an individual as he can be as a football player,” said Alexander. “The thing about TJ is that he is still learning how to play the game so he is only going to get better. He has tremendous upside when you talk about athletic ability.

“He actually did some things in the spring that reminded me and our defensive line coach of one of the best to pull on shoulder pads here, Gabe Reliford, who is now at LSU as a freshman. Gabe played for us in 2023 and was awesome.

“TJ just doesn’t have the experience yet but will only get better,” said Alexander. “The sky is the limit for him.”

Evangel has moved up to Class 5A and is in the tough 1-5A district. The Eagles have scheduled aggressively in recent years to prepare for the postseason – this year they opened with a slugfest at home against Neville, and they begin an eight-game district schedule this Friday at Natchitoches Central.

The Chiefs play their home games at Turpin Stadium, homefield of the Northwestern Demons. I wouldn’t be surprised if by season’s end, Grider is getting some long looks not only from coach Blaine McCorkle and the Demons, but other Division I FCS programs and maybe even all of the programs in north Louisiana. He’s an intriguing prospect with incredible upside.

Contact Lee at lbrecheen@aol.com 

Lee Brecheen has been covering high school football and recruiting in Louisiana since the early ‘90s. He is owner of Louisiana Football Magazine and can be followed on X @LeeBrecheen. He hosts a YouTube show, The Sports Scouting Report with Lee Brecheen. Previews of all state high schools are available on lafootballmagazine.com.

JOURNAL SPORTS 

The first week of prep football featured the 1-2 battle between Calvary Baptist and Oak Grove atop Class 2A. The Cavs’ 62-41 win kept them at No. 1 and didn’t drop the Tigers very far. 

Airline’s exciting road win at Barbe kept the Vikings in contention to break into the Class 5A rankings soon if they can enhance their stock. Rival Benton visits Airline Friday night hoping to sour those hopes. 

Voting in the Louisiana Sports Writers Association polls are done by 12 media members from around the state. 

Class 5A 

School, 1^st place votes, record, total voting points, previous ranking 

1. Ruston (12)                 1-0, 144, 1 

2. Karr                             1-0, 132, 2 

3. Catholic-BR                1-0, 119, 4 

4. Acadiana                     0-1, 101, 3 

5. Zachary                       1-0, 100, 6 

6. Destrehan                    0-1, 77, 5 

7. Neville                        1-0, 71, 8 

8. John Curtis                  0-1, 45, 7 

9. St. Augustine               1-0, 43, 10 

10. West Monroe             1-0, 20, NR 

(tie) Carencro                   0-1, 20, 9 

Others receiving votes: Alexandria 15, Airline 10, Brother Martin 7, Holy Cross 7, Mandeville 6, Dutchtown 6, Central 4, Archbishop Rummel 4, Warren Easton 2, Barbe 1, Evangel Christian 1, Sam Houston 1, Terrebonne 1, Walker 1. 

Class 4A

School, 1^st place votes, record, total voting points, previous ranking 

1. North DeSoto              (8)   1-0, 139, 2 

2. St. Thomas More        (4)   1-0, 101, 4 

3. Opelousas                           0-1, 99, 1 

4. Cecilia                                 1-0, 97, 5 

5. E.D. White                          1-0, 94, 6 

6. Westgate                              1-0, 92, 7 

7. Archbishop Shaw                0-1, 75, 3

8. Teurlings Catholic              1-0, 65, NR 

9. Lutcher                                1-0, 56, 9 

10. St. Charles                         0-1, 31, 8 

Others receiving votes: Assumption 23, Franklin Parish 13, Wossman 6, Leesville 2, Franklinton 1, Iowa 1, McDonogh 35 1.  

Class 3A 

School, 1^st place votes, record, total voting points, previous ranking 

1. University (11)                    1-0, 143, 1 

2. St. James (1)                       1-0, 130, 2 

3. Northwest                           1-0, 119, 3 

4. Sterlington                          1-0, 107, 4 

5. John F. Kennedy                 1-0, 97, 7 

6. Bunkie                                 1-0, 73, 8 

7. Jena                                     1-0, 62, 10 

8. Madison Prep                      0-1, 60, 5 

9. Amite                                  0-1, 58, 6 

10. De La Salle                       0-1, 36, 9 

Others receiving votes: Bastrop 28, Parkview Baptist 11, Lake Charles College Prep 9, Jennings 5, Donaldsonville 1, Marksville 1. 

Class 2A 

School, 1^st place votes, record, total voting points, previous ranking 

1. Calvary Baptist (12)            1-0, 144, 1 

2. Newman                              1-0, 122, 4 

3. Oak Grove                           0-1, 116, 2 

4. Lafayette Christian              0-1, 111, 3 

5. Notre Dame                         1-0, 92, 6 

6. Dunham                               1-0, 86, 7 

7. Union Parish                        0-1, 75, 5 

8. Ouachita Christian               1-0, 69, 8 

9. Episcopal-Baton Rouge       1-0, 45, 10 

10. Catholic-New Iberia         0-1, 26, 9  

Others receiving votes: Mangham 10, Ferriday 8, Homer 8, Northlake Christian 8, South Plaquemines 5, Pope John Paul II 1. 

Class 1A 

School, 1^st place votes, record, total voting points, previous ranking  

1. Southern Lab (11)                1-0,143, 1 

2. Vermilion Catholic (1)        1-0, 133, 2 

3. Haynesville                          1-0, 115, 4 

4. Kentwood                            1-0,101, 5 

5. Riverside                               0-1, 95, 3 

6. Logansport                            1-0, 83, 6 

7. St. Martin’s                           1-0, 70, 7

8. Ascension Catholic               1-0, 65, 8 

9. Opelousas Catholic               1-0, 45, 9 

10. Central Catholic                   1-0, 25, NR 

Others receiving votes: Catholic-Point Coupee 22, Covenant Christian 18, White Castle 7, Jeanerette 5, St. Frederick 4.

By LEE HILLER, Journal Sports

This week, District 1-5A games kick into gear early in the 2024 high school football season with the district enlarged by one school, now including nine teams.

Four district games, three locally, will start 1-5A competition with Benton (0-1) playing at Airline (1-0) and Haughton (1-0) facing Byrd (1-0) at Lee Hedges Stadium while Captain Shreve (1-0) and Huntington (0-1) vie at Independence Stadium. Evangel (0-1) is on the road at Natchitoches Central (1-0).

Parkway (1-0) plays a non-district game at home against Woodlawn (0-1).

After having last week off, Southwood opens its season with a non-district battle against Arcadia (0-1) at Booker T. Washington’s Leonard C. Barnes Stadium. It will be the first time the schools have met on a football field.

Booker T. Washington (1-0) travels to play at Bastrop (1-0). The Rams have won the last four, the last time in 2002.

Bossier (0-1) opens its home slate with Glenbrook (1-0) and Loyola (0-1) hosts Logansport (1-0) for its home opener.

Northwood (1-0) and Calvary (1-0) are both at home for a second consecutive week to start the season. The Falcons welcome Peabody (0-1) to Jerry Burton Stadium. It will be the first time to play the Warhorses since 1984. Calvary hosts Westgate (1-0) after playing them for the first time last year at home, a hard-fought win for the Cavs, 32-22.

North Webster (0-1) will make the trek from Springhill to face North Caddo (1-0) at Sanders-Prudhomme Stadium in Vivian. The Knights lead the series with the Titans 5-2 but the schools met up 50 times before Springhill was merged with other Webster Parish schools to form North Webster.

Green Oaks (1-0) will take to the road to face Mansfield (0-1). The Wolverines lead the series 15-8, last played in 2021.

Plain Dealing (0-1) is on the road to District 1-1A foe Ringgold (0-1). The game will not count as a district game as the Redskins chose not to play for district honors this year and next year and are not eligible for the postseason.

In the only Thursday game of the week, Magnolia Charter (0-1) is on the road for a non-district game in Grambling at Lincoln Prep (0-1).

All other games will be played on Friday, Sept. 13. If anticipated rain arrives in midweek, it could be an unlucky night for conditions on grassy surfaces.

Week 2 local prep football games 

DISTRICT 1-5A

Benton at Airline

Haughton at Byrd, Lee Hedges

Captain Shreve at Huntington, Independence Stadium

Evangel at Natchitoches Central 

NON-DISTRICT

Woodlawn at Parkway, Preston Crownover Stadium

Arcadia at Southwood, Leonard C. Barnes Stadium, BTW

BTW at Bastrop

Glenbrook at Bossier

Peabody at Northwood, Jerry Burton Stadium

Logansport at Loyola, Messmer Stadium

Westgate at Calvary, Jerry Barker Stadium

Green Oaks at Mansfield

North Webster at North Caddo, Sanders-Prudhomme Stadium

Plain Dealing at Ringgold

Magnolia at Lincoln Prep (Thursday)

Contact Lee at leeh051@hotmail.com

You see it, so you believe it. There it is — shoehorned in among neighborhood homes, a restaurant and what used to be a medical building — just a block off East Kings Highway.

There’s a football stadium there now. The bleachers are only on one side, but the structure is larger than you might have thought.

It sits there as if it is waiting on you. As if to say See, this is really happening.

Centenary College is about to play a football game. Just how long it has been since that happened depends on how deep you want to go to classify what it means to play college football. There was club football in the 1960s; the last varsity football goes back to the ‘40s.

Atkins Field, which won’t even become Atkins Field until about 20 minutes before gametime on Saturday, is symbolic of all that has gone on during the last three years since Centenary announced. Just keep doing whatever it is that seems like the right thing.

Give Centenary credit: A plan was put in place and they didn’t tip-toe its way along. Turn a grass soccer field into a synthetic turf football stadium? Done. Tear down tennis courts and build another half-field for practice purposes? You got it.

Might as well change the name of the facility previously known as Mayo Field while you’re at it.

It’s hard to get a read on just what is about to go on here. It’s either the most exciting thing or the scariest thing the Gents’ athletic program has ever undertaken. Probably both. Dropping down from Division I to Division III in 2011 was child’s play compared to this.

It’s a school in which the greatest football moment came when it was part of a game that set a national record for total punts (77). That was in 1939, three years before Centenary punted the actual program itself.

This is a school that has an undergraduate enrollment number that not only wouldn’t be in Class 5A high school football, it wouldn’t even be in Class 4A.

Hasn’t mattered. Doesn’t matter.

Especially to head coach Byron Dawson.

When he was hired in March 2022, he basically had to sell air. He travelled the state on recruiting trips, but what was he recruiting for? You try selling a product that doesn’t exist and let us know how that works out.

“It’s been a challenge, but it’s also been a great joy,” Dawson says. “It’s been an adventure to not even know what is out there, but to go for it anyway.”

Oh, they are definitely going for it. If you haven’t even thought about Centenary football since that first grand announcement, you are probably going to be more than a little surprised at what has happened.

There’s nothing makeshift about what has been done to get it off the ground.

But let’s not forget that this is still Division III. Do yourself a favor and don’t draw any comparisons to what you see on television on Saturday afternoons. Take this simply for what it is and don’t look for any games against Texas or Oklahoma on the schedule any time soon.

There are some curious things that have gone on, especially for those who thought the rebirth of Centenary football would be brought forth with trumpets blaring. It’s almost as if they didn’t want to metaphorically wake the neighbors (who, in actuality, do live across the street).

There wasn’t even a roster on the website until a week ago. (Florida State had already lost two games by then.)

But it’s here and it’s happening. The Gents will take on Hendrix Saturday at 7 p.m.

“I’m just ready for the game,” Dawson said. “I’m excited for the players and the coaches but also for the community. This is a great moment.” 

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

JOURNAL SPORTS 

Thursday scores

Northwood 24, Benton 21

St. Frederick 8, Loyola 6

Friday games

Airline at Barbe

Byrd at St. Amant (Broadcast at 1130AM The Tiger)

Ouachita at Captain Shreve, Lee Hedges Stadium (Broadcast at The River, 95.7 FM)

Neville at Evangel

Homer vs. Haughton, at Airline High School

Huntington at West Monroe

Carroll at Parkway

Lakeview at BTW

Bossier at North Caddo (Broadcast at KNCB 1320 AM, K104 FM)

Oak Grove at Calvary (broadcast at Promise 90.7 FM)

Woodlawn vs. Green Oaks, at Northwood

Glenbrook at Magnolia

Tensas at Plain Dealing

JOURNAL SPORTS

The fourth annual National Football Foundation McNaughton Chapter Preseason Scholar-Athlete Watch List just announced includes 21 competitors from Bossier or Caddo parishes among the 37 remarkable high school seniors in North Louisiana who have been nominated by their coaches.

These young men, from all around the 318 area code in north and central Louisiana, have at least a 3.2 grade point average, have won all-district honors, and are involved in extracurricular activities.

Annually, after each season, the NFF’s S.M. McNaughton Chapter solicits nominations for its scholarship program, and as many as eight senior scholar-athletes are honored in the spring with $1,000 college scholarship awards at a banquet in Shreveport. This Watch List is designed to provide recognition for not just the ultimate scholarship winners, but all of the young men in the Ark-La-Tex who are high achieving senior football players.

Additionally, KTBS Channel 3 in Shreveport continues to honor the memory and legacy of former NFF Board member Bob Griffin, the iconic sportscaster at KSLA and then KTBS for over 50 years, by weekly Tuesday evening profiles of one of the players on the NFF Scholar-Athlete Watch List. The winners will will be eligible for a separate Griffin’s Scholar-Athlete Scholarship at the close of the season, presented by KTBS and Southern Classic Chicken.

Griffin, a 2009 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame inductee as a sports journalist, covered Ark-La-Tex high school football in an incredible six decades before he passed away early in 2020. Because of Griffin’s commitment to the NFF Scholar-Athlete program, the S.M. McNaughton Chapter of the NFF and KTBS have created this partnership to celebrate these outstanding seniors.

The initial group of high school seniors nominated for the Scholar-Athlete Watch List:

Josh Allen, OL, Airline

Cole Austin, LB, Benton

Jaxon Bentzler, QB/P, Northwood

Christian Blackmon, RB/TE/DE/LB/LS, Northwood

Gavin Borland, HB/LB, Grant

Jackson Bradley, QB, Oak Grove

Jack Budziszewski, OL/DL, Loyola

Montrevion Chatman, DL, Booker T. Washington

Cole Corey, WR, North DeSoto

Darrell Cottonham, DE, Byrd

Aaron Dillard, RB, Booker T. Washington

Carter Doyal, TE/LB, Loyola

Caleb Duncan, OL/DL, Evangel

Aiden Eldridge, DB, Ouachita Christian

Jamey Fisher, H-Back/LB, D’Arbonne Woods

Thad Franklin, WR/CB, D’Arbonne Woods

Landon Fredieu, RB/LB, Grant

Jayden Gladney, OLB, Airline

Sam Greer, LB, Byrd

Josh Isaac, RB, Evangel

Isaiah Jones, DL, Oak Grove

Makin Lenard, RB, Ouachita Christian

Evan Lirette, FS/K, Loyola

Christian McGuire, WR/DB/KR, Jonesboro-Hodge

Miller Malley, S, Benton

Isaiah Mckinney, WR/CB, Grant

Devon Oliver, DT, Parkway

Jaylen Oneal, SS, Booker T. Washington

Ethan Plunkett, OG, Parkway

Quan Scott, QB, Bossier

Desmond Simmons, FB, Byrd

Xavier Simmons, C/DT, Magnolia School of Excellence

Raidon Smith, DB, North DeSoto

Ben Taylor, QB, Airline

Brody Towns, C, D’Arbonne Woods

John Turner, OL, Ouachita Christian

Abram Wardell, QB, Calvary

This Watch List will be updated entering the fifth week of the season. Additional nominees may be submitted by text to NFF board member Doug Ireland at 318-471-2086.

By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports

They’d like to think that at 6:59 p.m., they’ll take a moment to let it all sink in. But in reality, that’s probably not going to happen.

This is the career moment that three Caddo-Bossier coaches have been waiting for all through their careers. After years of being an assistant and wondering if this day would ever come, it finally has.

“It’s exciting to be sure,” Captain Shreve’s Jeremy Wilburn said. “But I’m so caught up in the moment worried about all the other things I’m not sure I’ll notice.”

“You treat it like any other week, because that’s the only way you know how to,” said Haughton’s Matthew Sewell. “But it is definitely going to be special for me in a lot of different ways.”

“I’ll be a little nervous when that time comes,” Sella said. “Hopefully when we kick off it all comes naturally.”

The other 16 coaches in the area have more than 100 years of head coaching experience. These three have none.

Sella will have that moment tonight when the Flyers travel to Monroe to play St. Frederick. Wilburn’s Gators will be at home against Ouachita on Friday. 

Sewell would have loved to be at home (he’s a Haughton graduate) when his team plays Homer, but the Bucs’ game had to be moved to Airline Stadium because the turf installation at Harold Harlan Stadium has not been completed.

At 28, Sewell, by far, is the puppy of the group. (Sella and Wilburn are both 38).

It’s almost as if he just finished playing for the Bucs a couple of weeks ago. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be the head coach at Haughton,” he said. “It means a lot to me because it’s my home community.”

Sella has been an assistant at Loyola for eight years and spent the last five as offensive coordinator. “The preparation hasn’t been any different because I’m still calling the offense,” he said. “I guess I’m paying a little more attention to the defense now.”

Sella has been the interim coach on two occasions “so it’s not totally unfamiliar ground.” But he’s hoping it doesn’t turn out like the last time he was calling the shots. “One time when I was the interim, I told one of our coaches to run a fake punt,” Sella says. “But I didn’t realize there has been a penalty on the play before and it was still third down.”

Sometimes the confusion of being a head coach extends off the field as well.

“My girls were at dance lessons last night and I had no idea,” Wilburn said. “My wife had to let me know that. I’m glad she can take care of all that stuff because I’d have no clue.”

All three know that with the title of head coach also comes a different sort of pressure than before. But Wilburn, who was a graduate assistant at Northwestern State in 2010-11, says that his experience at that level puts things in a different perspective.

“I’ve seen what the pressure does at the college level,” he said. “You are coaching for your job almost weekly (in college). Obviously, there are a lot of eyes on you in a 5A spot that’s been successful. But I’ve coached at Death Valley (LSU’s Tiger Stadium) on the visiting sideline, so we aren’t overdoing the stress and anxiety levels. We are just trying to do the best job we can to give our kids a chance for success.”

Sewell already got a message from Jason Brotherton, who Sewell succeeded as Haughton head coach.

“Don’t forget to take a moment to take it all in,” he told Sewell.

That’s at 6:59 p.m. One minute later, there will be no time for that. 

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

JOURNAL SPORTS

The 2024 high school football season is nearly here – two games start the local schedule Thursday night, with Benton going to Northwood and Loyola traveling to Monroe to face St. Frederick.

It’s Friday night excitement for the rest of the Caddo-Bossier squads as Week 1 unfolds.

Lots of preparation has taken place as coaches and their staffs developed the teams since last winter. The process intensified with spring practice for nearly every team; but everybody honed in after the 2023-24 school year ended, and since then coaches have focused on tapping into what will make their teams most successful this season.

The third annual Shreveport-Bossier Journal Coaches’ Roundtable begins with a simple question:  from the start of summer until now, what have you learned about your team that stands out?

STEPHEN DENNIS, Huntington: “How mentally tough they are, we have challenged them every step of the way this offseason, rather in coaching circuit outside in the cold and mud, or during the summer spent in a metal building with no AC. They have answered the call every-time!! I’m incredibly excited to see how they answer the challenge of the season ahead!!!”

JAMES BRADFORD JR., Green Oaks: “The best thing I’ve learned over the last few months is we have a hungry group of players. They’ve been motivated to compete and take the program to the next level.”

AUSTIN BROWN, Northwood: “We practice better and have a little more depth than I previously thought.”

JOHN SELLA, Loyola: “One of the best things I’ve noticed about this group from end of school, last spring to now is that they’ve started to take ownership of the team and are becoming leaders. It’s not just the coaches having to do everything and hold everyone accountable. The players have taken ownership of that, the locker room, laundry, etc. I’ve also learned they understand sarcasm which is good because it’s like a second language to me.”

REYNOLDS MOORE, Benton: “These guys really care about each other and get along with each other. It’s been really fun to watch them bond and grow as a team.”

GARY COOPER, Booker T. Washington: “The best thing I’ve learned over the last few months is we have a hungry group of players. They’ve been motivated to compete and take the program to the next level.”

STACY BALLEW, Byrd: “Since the spring, we’ve moved a couple kids from one position to another in the secondary. I think we have the kids in the right positions now. I think we’ve learned where our strengths and weaknesses are, and we’re trying to get better. We learned who our starters are – not that it won’t change!”

JEREMY WILBURN, Captain Shreve: “Our kids are resilient and have shown their ability to meet the standards we have within our program. We have been working on these aspects of our team throughout the summer and fall camp.”

COY BROTHERTON, Parkway: “I learned that we have a group of seniors on our football team that are willing to put in the extra work that’s required to be great!” 

THEDRICK HARRIS, Woodlawn: “The biggest thing I’ve learned is that they are truly a great group of young men that wants to be a better football team, but more importantly better people. They are finally starting to see that there is a lot more to this world. In terms of Football, I think we’re better up front on both sides and finally have a little depth.”

CLINT WALKER, Plain Dealing: “Our core of players has grown. More of them attended summer workouts and have invested.”

MIKE GREEN, Southwood: “The Southwood kids are building confidence in themselves and what we’re trying to do with our program.  Our numbers are up and spring football gave us a chance to teach and get kids to understand that it’s going to be a process., and they’ll have to make room for Southwood, if our kids trust the process.”

ANTHONY JOHNSON, Magnolia Charter: “The best thing that I’ve learned about the team is that they realize that there is no substitute for hard work.” 

CHASE THOMPSON, North Caddo: “I learned that we have a group of seniors on our football team that are willing to put in the extra work that’s required to be great!”

JOURNAL SPORTS 

Defending state champion Calvary Baptist is top-ranked in Class 2A statewide at the start of the 2024 high school football season. 

A Louisiana Sports Writers Association panel of 12 media members from all regions of the state votes each weekend to rank the top teams in all five LHSAA football classifications. 

Here are the preseason poll results: 

Class 5A 

Team (1^st place votes), voting point total

1. Ruston (9) 140 

2. Karr (1) 125 

3. Acadiana (2) 122 

4. Catholic-Baton Rouge 105 

5. Destrehan 93 

6. Zachary 82 

7. John Curtis 72 

8. Neville 31 

9. Carencro 25 

10. St. Augustine 22 

Others receiving votes: West Monroe 20, Airline 20, Alexandria 15, Archbishop Rummel 15, Holy Cross 8, Mandeville 8, Central 7, Brother Martin 7, Dutchtown 5, Southside 5, Evangel Christian 4, Terrebonne 1, Walker 1. 

Class 4A 

Team (1^st place votes), voting point total

1. Opelousas (10) 141 

2. North DeSoto 119 

3. Archbishop Shaw 116 

4. St. Thomas More (2) 101 

5. Cecilia 95 

6. E.D. White 88 

7. Westgate 74 

8. St. Charles 44 

9. Lutcher 42 

10. Wossman 37 

Others receiving votes: Assumption 27, Teurlings Catholic 20, Franklin Parish 12, Leesville 10, Plaquemine 7, McDonogh 35 2, West Feliciana 1. 

Class 3A 

Team (1^st place votes), voting point total 

1. University (12) 144 

2. St. James 120 

3. Northwest 113 

4. Sterlington 104

5. Madison Prep 97 

6. Amite 82 

7. John F. Kennedy 58 

8. Bunkie 54 

9. De La Salle 52 

10. Jena 40 

Others receiving votes: Parkview Baptist 26, Bastrop 22, Lake Charles College Prep 10, Jennings 4, Abbeville 3, Bogalusa 2. 

Class 2A 

Team (1^st place votes), voting point total 

1. Calvary Baptist (10) 144 

2. Oak Grove (2) 128 

3. Lafayette Christian 121 

4. Newman 98 

5. Union Parish 87 

6. Notre Dame 84 

7. Dunham 74 

8. Ouachita Christian 68 

9. Catholic-New Iberia 40 

10. Episcopal-Baton Rouge 37 

Others receiving votes: Mangham 12, Many 11, Northlake Christian 10, Ferriday 7, Homer 7, Loreauville 7, South Plaquemines 2, Welsh 1. 

Class 1A 

Team (1^st place votes), voting point total 

1. Southern Lab (7) 137 

2. Vermilion Catholic (3) 127 

3. Riverside (2) 120 

4. Haynesville 116 

5. Kentwood 98 

6. Logansport 77 

7. St. Martin’s 69 

8. Ascension Catholic 60 

9. Opelousas Catholic 50 

10. White Castle 26 

Others receiving votes: Catholic-Pointe Coupee 20, Covenant Christian 18, Central Catholic-Morgan City 15, Jeanerette 2, St. Frederick 1.

JOURNAL SPORTS 

Local results from jamboree competition in high school football Thursday, Friday and Saturday. 

Thursday 

North Caddo 12, Green Oaks 0

Friday

Caddo Parish 

At Jerry Burton Stadium – Northwood

Huntington 20, Northwood 19 

At Leonard Barnes Stadium – BTW

Woodlawn 6, Booker T. Washington 2 

Woodlawn 6, Southwood 0

Booker T. Washington 6, Southwood 0

Bossier Parish 

At Airline 

Bossier Lions Club

Parkway 22, Airline 13

Bossier 38, Plain Dealing 0 

Benton 21, Haughton 7

OTHER

Loyola 14, Glenbrook 0 

Union Parish 28, Calvary 27  

Block 22, Magnolia School 0

Bayou Jamb – Malone Stadium, ULM

Ouachita 6, Natchitoches Central 0

Saturday 

At Lee Hedges Stadium

Captain Shreve 20, Byrd 13 

Bayou Jamb – Malone Stadium, ULM

Evangel 25, West Monroe 22

By LEE HILLER, Journal Sports

Plenty of top-tier matchups bring in the 2024 high school football season this week.

The season kicks Thursday as two former 1-4A rivals collide when Northwood hosts Benton. The two schools have stayed on each others’ schedule despite Benton moving up to 1-5A in 2019.

Also Thursday, Loyola travels to Monroe to face St. Frederick in a battle of private schools with playoff pedigrees. The Flyers have won the last five outings.

Friday’s attractive slate is topped locally by a battle of 2023 state champions with Oak Grove coming to Calvary. The Tigers’ 12-2 season netted a Non-Select Division IV title. Calvary owns a 14-game win streak after taking the Select Division III championship.

A pair of Monroe powers come to Shreveport with Ouachita playing Captain Shreve at Lee Hedges Stadium and Evangel hosting Neville.

The Gators and Lions last played in 2012 but have faced each other 23 times with Ouachita winning 14.

Evangel has won the third-most state championships in Louisiana prep circles with 14 and Neville is next with 12. The Tigers edged past the Eagles 30-29 last year on a two-point conversion stop, and have won four of five meetings.

Airline and Byrd will have hands full with road games to south Louisiana.

The Vikings travel to Lake Charles to visit Barbe. The Bucs were 6-5 last season in a tough District 3-5A. The Yellow Jackets play at St. Amant who finished last season 10-2.

Huntington is also on the road to face longtime powerhouse West Monroe. The Rebels were 9-3 last year after being upset in the first round of the playoffs, and their fans are already wound up after losing to Evangel in the Bayou Jamb.

Other games involving local squads have Parkway hosting Monroe’s Carroll High, Homer meeting Haughton at Airline’s Viking Stadium, while Booker T. Washington entertains Lakeview, Plain Dealing is at home against Tensas and Magnolia plays one of its two home games against Glenbrook.

Local teams playing each other are Woodlawn facing Green Oaks at Northwood’s Jerry Burton Stadium and Bossier going to Vivian to play North Caddo.

Local Week 1 high school football schedule

Thursday

Benton at Northwood, Jerry Burton Stadium

Loyola at St. Frederick

Friday

Airline at Barbe

Byrd at St. Amant

Ouachita at Captain Shreve, Lee Hedges Stadium

Neville at Evangel

Homer vs. Haughton, at Airline High School

Huntington at West Monroe

Carroll at Parkway

Lakeview at BTW

Bossier at North Caddo

Oak Grove at Calvary

Woodlawn vs. Green Oaks, at Northwood

Glenbrook at Magnolia

Tensas at Plain Dealing

Contact Lee at leeh051@hotmail.com

Shreveport never figured out Bernie Glieberman.

Bernie Glieberman never figured out Shreveport.

It was 30 years ago when he brought an expansion Canadian Football League team to town, a two-year marriage that was the troubled from the start and ended with both parties pretty much blaming the other.

But when you write the history of sports in Shreveport, there should be a chapter devoted to the Shreveport Pirates.

Bernie Glieberman died earlier this week at age 85 and that news was hardly even a footnote in this area. For those who were around in the mid-1990s, he was as significant – and somewhat mysterious — as they come.

Glieberman was a real estate mogul in the Detroit area who was the financier of putting a CFL team in Shreveport. But it was his son Lonie who ran the day-to-day operations.

Bernie was the exact opposite of Lonie, who was always exuberant and positive and determined to make this venture work. Lonie was the face of the franchise, but he was basically a kid in his mid-20s; certainly not the savvy businessman that his father was.

The Gliebermans tried to save the Ottawa CFL franchise, but when that didn’t work out, they decided to be a part of the CFL expansion into the United States and settled on Shreveport.

Looking back on it, it still seems a little surreal in how Shreveport got a CFL franchise to come to town. Suddenly, everything around here was changing. Before, the Class AA baseball Captains had basically been the only game in town and had been hugely successful. Now, here came professional football, with professional basketball (Shreveport Storm/Crawdads of the CBA) to follow.

Not only that, but the entertainment dollar was being stretched with the arrival of multiple casinos. Maybe the time was right for all of these things to happen.

Or maybe not.

The run-up to the ’94 season for the Pirates has not gone as smoothly as many – including the Gliebermans – would have wanted. There wasn’t exactly a red carpet being rolled out. Sports fans loved the idea, but the community as a whole cast a wary eye at these “carpetbaggers” from Michigan.

But there was the thought that once football was actually being played, all of that would die down.

There are a lot of milestone markers in the history of the Shreveport Pirates – first home game, first win, biggest crowd — but there is one that hardly anybody remembers that basically told that story of what was to come.

On June 11, 1994, the Pirates had their first “public showing” at an in-house scrimmage at what was then known as Caddo Parish Stadium. It would be Shreveport’s first opportunity to see what this CFL football thing was all about.

My brother Ben and I had been selected as the radio announcers for the CFL team – it was obviously a shallow pool of applicants – and I was unable to go to the scrimmage. But Ben did attend and when I got a chance later that night, I called to ask how it went.

“Lonie was fired up,” my brother said, “but I got a bad feeling about Bernie. He didn’t seem too pleased.”

It was a hot night in the summer and the scrimmage had to be postponed for almost an hour because of a late afternoon thunderstorm. Not exactly a recipe for an overflow crowd.

Lonie was as excited about the proceedings as he always was. Bernie, who looked around and saw only about 1,000 people, was not.

I have always thought the clock started ticking that night.

We were the broadcast crew for two years and I can’t remember a single conversation I ever had with Bernie. He just seemed more and more disinterested as time went on.

Granted, the product wasn’t great – the Pirates lost their first 14 games, but did win three of the last four and had more than 30,000 at the season finale. The team was better in the ’95 season but the attendance was not.

Lonie was always Mr. Positive, but you just knew that Bernie was going to hit the gong at some point. He was a businessman and this was not his idea of good business.

The Gliebermans tried to move the franchise to Virginia, but there were lawsuits filed over non-payment of bills in Shreveport and he had an antique automobile impounded over non-payment for the scoreboard at Independence Stadium.

They tried to go back to Ottawa and even were part of a planned start-up league in 1997 that never worked out.

Lonie, as you might expect, still has fond memories of 30 years ago. “It was fun to go into schools and communities in Shreveport and talk with people to build a fan base from the ground up, creating 11,000 season ticket holders,” he told an Ottawa online publication. “That first game in the stadium is a night I’ll never forget.”

As for Bernie, he probably wanted to forget it ever happened. 

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

By LEE HILLER, Journal Sports

Thunderstorms postponed two of Caddo Parish’s three high school football  jamborees scheduled for Thursday night and shortened the third. 

Huntington at Northwood has been rescheduled for today at 4 p.m. and Captain Shreve and Byrd will now play at 10 a.m. Saturday at Lee Hedges Stadium.

In Vivian, North Caddo topped Green Oaks 12-0 in action the was shortened to just two series and four minutes of clock time because of lightning.

The Giants’ junior varsity did get in a full-length jamboree triumph, 6-0, before the weather got gnarly.

Thursday

Byrd vs. Captain Shreve, ppd., rescheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m. 

North Caddo 12, Green Oaks 0

Green Oaks JV 6, North Caddo 0 

Huntington vs. Northwood, ppd., rescheduled for today at 4 p.m.

Today

Caddo Parish 

At Jerry Burton Stadium – Northwood

Huntington at Northwood, 4 p.m. 

At Leonard Barnes Stadium – BTW

Booker T. Washington vs Woodlawn, 6 p.m.

Woodlawn vs. Southwood

Southwood vs. Booker T. Washington

Bossier Parish 

At Airline 

Bossier Lions Club

Parkway vs. Airline, 5:45 p.m.

Plain Dealing vs. Bossier, 7:15 p.m.

Haughton vs. Benton, 8:45 p.m.

OTHER

Loyola at Glenbrook (Minden)

Magnolia Charter vs. Block at Delhi Charter

Union Parish at Calvary, Jerry Barker Stadium 

Bayou Jamb – Malone Stadium, ULM

Natchitoches Central vs. Ouachita, 8 p.m.

Saturday 

At Lee Hedges Stadium

Byrd vs. Captain Shreve, 10 a.m. 

Bayou Jamb – Malone Stadium, ULM

Evangel vs. West Monroe, 8 p.m.

By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL, Journal Sports

The result of last year’s Calvary jamboree? Don’t bother asking head coach Rodney Guin.

The score of Parkway’s jamboree against Benton? No clue, says head coach Coy Brotherton. “What I do know we won the jamboree game (against Benton) and lost to them in the regular season,” he said.

Remember, coaches are wired to remember every missed block on a trap play in the third quarter. They never seem to forget when a defensive back played Cover 1 while everyone else played Cover 2 in a blowout win.

But a jamboree is a different animal.

It’s a faux game. The lights come on, the new uniforms come out and there’s simply no telling when it might end.

But as soon as it does, that’s it. Next!

“We don’t work a bunch on the jamboree,” Guin says. “To be honest, we are already working for Week 1.”

There are, however, those subtle story lines that add a little spice to jamborees. You can start with tonight, when storied rivals Byrd and Captain Shreve will tee it up at Lee Hedges Stadium to open jamboree season. Because they play again in Week 7, this might be a “battle” to find out which team can show the other one the least.

Across the Red River at Airline, the Bossier Lions Jamboree has a Junior Homecoming feel to it – Jamboree Queens, dance line performances and even a little football thrown in there as well.

Once again, Parkway vs. Airline will offer another example of two teams who will play for real six weeks from now.

“The best thing is that we all like competition and want to play a game,” Brotherton said. “But the worst thing is that we play somebody we will face in the regular season. So nobody is going to show a lot.”

At least that one kicks off at 5:45 p.m.; if you draw the late matchup in the Bossier Jamboree, keep a sleeping bag nearby. It’s one of the few football events in which TV people can have a live shot for the 6 o’clock and the 10 o’clock news.

Bossier and Plain Dealing are “scheduled” to play at 7:15 and Benton and Haughton at 8:45. If history holds, don’t count on it.

Jamborees in Caddo Parish change year-to-year. Gone are the days in which six or so teams would alternate quarters against a different opponent. (You never wanted to be that team that had to play first and last.)

Now, many of them are just two teams that play sub-varsity and varsity “games.”

Friday night, Calvary plays host to Union Parish at Jerry Barker Stadium, with the middle school playing at 6 p.m., junior varsity at 7 and varsity at 8. “It’s a long night, but it’s a good night,” Guin said. “Every kid gets to play.”

Teams have been through controlled scrimmages, so the benefit of the jamborees is that it more closely simulates a game.

“What a jamboree means is that I want to see all of our special teams go live,” Guin said. “That’s the most important thing to me. We don’t want to see any injuries and we want to see live special teams. That’s the whole key for us.”

“There’s a lot of things that kids get to experience in a game that doesn’t matter,” Brotherton said. “They get their feet wet under the bright lights.”

The Parkway coach said his starting spots are set, so no one is going to make a quick jump on the depth chart based on a jamboree performance. “But there are some rotational guys who might be some more playing time,” he said.

Still, Guin has been around enough to know that though it might not count on the scoreboard, but there can still be a benefit.

“We keep things close to the vest in the jamboree,” Guin said. “I was at Haughton for 16 years and I think we won the jamboree three times. But we are going to try to win because they are in our district and I’d like to get that edge on them.” 

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

Tonight

Caddo Parish 

At Lee Hedges Stadium

Byrd vs. Captain Shreve, 5 p.m. (freshman, JV, varsity) 

At Sanders Prudhomme Stadium – North Caddo

Green Oaks vs. North Caddo, 7 p.m. 

At Jerry Burton Stadium – Northwood

Huntington vs. Northwood, 6 p.m. (freshman, JV, varsity)

Friday 

Caddo Parish 

At Leonard Barnes Stadium – BTW

Booker T. Washington vs Woodlawn, 6 p.m.

Woodlawn vs. Southwood

Southwood vs. Booker T. Washington

Bossier Parish 

At Airline 

Bossier Lions Club

Parkway vs. Airline, 5:45 p.m.

Plain Dealing vs. Bossier, 7:15 p.m.

Haughton vs. Benton, 8:45 p.m.

Loyola at Glenbrook (Minden)

Magnolia Charter vs. Block at Delhi Charter

Union Parish at Calvary, Jerry Barker Stadium

Bayou Jamb 

Malone Stadium, ULM

Natchitoches Central vs. Ouachita, 8 p.m. 

Saturday  

Bayou Jamb

Malone Stadium, ULM 

Evangel vs. West Monroe, 8 p.m.

By LEE BRECHEEN, Louisiana Football Magazine

One of the biggest recruiting sleepers in North Louisiana is a receiver with one of the local area’s most noteworthy surnames – Captain Shreve senior JT Hester.

He is the youngest brother of Jacob Hester, the running back who was the Class 5A Offensive MVP for Evangel Christian, then became an LSU legend as a member of the 2007 national champion team, and played five seasons in the NFL, the first four with the San Diego Chargers.

I am getting old. I remember watching Jacob Hester in person when he played for Evangel Christian, long before he became a Tiger hero in Baton Rouge.

Like big brother, JT has a high skill level that should attract colleges, and has the speed needed to succeed at the next level — 4.43 in the 40-yard dash. Hester has good size for the WR position coming in at 6-0, 190.

He plays slot/WR for Captain Shreve and is one of the Gators’ top playmakers. He has the stuff to fit on an FBS roster, and I believe he will get several opportunities by the time December rolls around.

“Growing up with a pro football player in your household, there’s a lot of expectations to live up to,” he said. “I learned how college life will be and how much dedication this sport takes to be great. Also getting to see how the hard work can pay off, seeing everything my brother gets to do because of the time, dedication and hard work he put in to become who he is.

“You learn a lot, but it also could be overwhelming trying to live up to the name,” said JT. “I try to balance that as I am trying to make my own name for myself. I was about 1 when my brother Jacob signed with LSU and I am the youngest in my family.”

Gators’ receivers coach Nicholas Smith said Hester is the kind of person and player teams crave.

“JT is the type of player I think most young coaches believe they are getting as a routine matter of fact, season after season. The sad reality is not all kids work hard, pay attention to detail, and play this game with a selfless heart like JT does.

“He works his tail off whether he is feeling great that day or he’s at a low ebb. He executes his assignment no matter whose hands the ball is headed.

“JT has a great feel for spacing on the field in the slot and understands play calls holistically. He puts his body on the line to make tough catches that most would give up on.

“Any college coach would be lucky to have JT, although it isn’t why he plays or what drives him to be the best teammate he can be,” said Smith, “and I believe he will soon find a home for the next four years.”

With new Gators’ head coach Jeremy Wilburn and senior QB Brody Savage back after an injury-interrupted 2023 season, expect to see a much more balanced Shreve offense – one that will rely on Hester to blossom past sleeper status. He’s ready.

Contact Lee at lbrecheen@aol.com 

Lee Brecheen has been covering high school football and recruiting in Louisiana since the early ‘90s. He is owner of Louisiana Football Magazine and can be followed on X @LeeBrecheen. He hosts a YouTube show, The Sports Scouting Report with Lee Brecheen. Previews of all state high schools are available on lafootballmagazine.com.

Contact Lee at leeh051@hotmail.com

He walks through the Airline High field house with his colorful-but-undersized Marvel backpack, stops by the coaches’ office to turn in some paperwork that he kept forgetting to drop off and then heads out after another day of football practice.

His truck is backed into his personalized painted parking spot. As if he needed more identification, “#11” is shoe-polished onto the back window.

Everything about this scene just screams “high school senior.”

But Ben Taylor isn’t just any ordinary high school senior. There aren’t many seniors walking around any high school with more than 8,000 yards and 88 touchdown passes already on their resume.

“He has far exceeded my expectations,” third-year Airline coach Justin Scogin says. “I thought he was going to be a good quarterback and a kid I thought we could win big with. But I never expected him to have the success that he has had.”

To be honest, Taylor is actually a little surprised by it as well.

“I had hoped to have a great high school career, but God has blessed me in tremendous ways,” he says. “We had Coach Scogin come after my freshman year and then all the tremendous athletes we have around me. There’s definitely a lot of work I’ve put it, but I’ve been blessed by those around me to get to this point.”

There are a lot of gaudy numbers to try to work though. After all, he’s only a couple of out-routes away from being in the Top 10 for career passing in Shreveport-Bossier history – and that’s without even playing a down in his senior year. 

Taylor is still trying to figure out how he got here so quickly. 

“Everybody tells you it’s going to go by fast, but you don’t really think it will.” Taylor says. “But then when you actually get there, you realize you only have one season left.”

Doesn’t it seem as though it was only a few weeks ago that he was tossed into a game as a freshman to play quarterback against Haughton? No matter how long ago it actually was, he still remembers the feeling that came over him that night.

“Panic,” he says.

It was the sixth week of the 2021 season and the Airline season was headed nowhere. Down 10-0 to Haughton in a District 1-5A, Taylor was put into the game in a what-the-heck situation. And promptly threw an interception.

Panic.

Next drive, another interception.

More panic.

On the third drive, things began to click for the freshman as he led the Vikings to a touchdown. Even though Airline recovered the onside kick, they fell short and lost 10-7. Airline went on to finish 1-9. Taylor threw four times as many interceptions as touchdowns that season.

Hard to believe that it’s gone from that to this: A sophomore season of 3,098 yards and 37 touchdowns, then a junior year of 4,189 yards and 49 touchdowns, plus a completion percentage of 73.8. In the last two years, he’s now thrown four times as many touchdowns as interceptions.

“He’s at the point now where I really think he could call the game on Friday nights,” Scogin says. “He knows what to do and what to look for and he’s gotten even better at it this summer. He does things that I don’t think the other quarterbacks I’ve even coached have retained. He’s so sharp.”

“I always want to improve on knowing the right plays and the right reads,” Taylor says. “I want to get better at knowing coverages and defenses and what’s going to be open.”

After making a run to the state quarterfinals a year ago, the Vikings are certainly one of the favorites in District 1-5A this year.

“The goal is always the same – to go to the ‘Dome,” Taylor says. “But Coach Scogin always tells us to take it step by step. The next game is the most important one of the year. It’s the same goal every week.”

Even with significant graduation losses, the Vikings do not lack for weapons in 2024. But it all starts with Taylor and Scogin loves how his quarterback handles success as well as adversity.

“His personality and his work ethic are the two things that jump out and his ability under pressure,” Scogin says. “He doesn’t fold up. He plays his best when he’s under pressure. He wasn’t always like that in the beginning, but the relationship we have had has been great so he knows if he makes a bad throw, he just moves on to the next one. That helps his ability to just have fun and go out there and play and take chances.”

“Obviously it has a whole lot to do with the line and the receivers and the coaches, but I definitely have grown as a leader,” Taylor says. “I stopped worrying about little things and grow into the quarterback/leader role on the team. I just tried to do the right thing with that.”

The Vikings will be in Lake Charles to take on Barbe in the season opener on Sept. 6.

As his final high school season closes in (he’s a Northwestern State commit), Taylor is just taking in all there is to being a senior. There was a beach trip this summer. He’s played more than a few rounds of golf. There was a never-ending series of lifting, running and throwing at the practice field during June and July.

“It’s a great feeling to be a senior,” Taylor says. “I used to look up to the seniors and think about how that would be me one day. Now the freshmen and sophomores are looking up to me and making sure I’m doing the right thing. That thought holds me accountable.”

“The players love him,” Scogin says. “He treats everybody the right way. He’s still humble about everything. My six-year-old just thinks he’s the greatest.”

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

We only need 11.

If the Beatles can adjust to have “Eight Days a Week,” then we are perfectly within our rights to scale it down to 11 months a year, because one thing is becoming increasing obvious.

August is a waste.

Unless you have a birthday, name something good that happens in August. There are no holidays, unless you consider “Find Your Inner Nerd Day” as some kind of cause for celebration. (That’s today, by the way.) 

Golf hated this month so much that it took the PGA Championship out of August and moved it to May.

Plus, it’s too damned hot and school has no business cranking up in August.

Even with that, there are things that make August even more miserable, if possible.

And it has everything to do with sports.

Everybody talks/writes and nobody says anything that means anything. He’s got a pre-season Top 25, they’ve got a pre-season Top 25. This self-important hack has a prediction on who is going to make the College Football Playoff. That one has run it through the computer simulation 10,000 times and has it all figured out.

Basically, all they are predicting is air because nothing has happened. But we are so desperate that we actually give it more than a casual glance.

Even more ridiculous are college football practice reports. “The defense dominated today” or “the wide receiver corps looks unguardable” is what you’ll see on countless message boards.

Exactly who did the defense dominate? The scout team, which is full of non-scholarship players?

And if the first string defense can’t guard the wide receiver corps, doesn’t that say more about the defensive backs than it does the receivers?

Doesn’t matter. All college football fans need is an iota of positive news and they’ll eat it up. 

High schools wouldn’t mind skipping August as well. After two weeks of drill after drill, both players and coaches are tired of seeing the same helmets. This is scrimmage weekend, with its goofy 10 straight plays on offense and 10 straight plays on defense format that doesn’t seem to make any sense, but at least there is someone else on the other side of the line of scrimmage.

Sadly, someone will try to keep score in a high school scrimmage and act like it means something. And if that’s the case, I guess that makes next week’s jamborees on the same level as the Super Bowl.

All you need is one NFL pre-season (read: exhibition) game to decide that Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos is (a.) going to be the starting quarterback and (b.) will soon be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Who’s holding out? Who’s holding in? What coaches are on the hot seat?

All of these things that we are supposed to think that matter and none of it does. That’s August for you. It has nothing going for it, but we just can’t seem to ignore it even though we know we’d all be better off if we did.

Can’t we just skip August and go straight to September? Let’s just act like August has a temporary green and head to September’s tee box.

We’d all be better off if August would just leave us alone.

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com

By LEE BRECHEEN, Louisiana Football Magazine

I’ve watched high school football since 1991 looking for sleeper prospects for colleges. Back in the day, colleges did not have analysts or big staffs so I got a lot of calls, and even today, I still do consult for a bunch of colleges. No matter how much video the college personnel watch, they often value an outside perspective.

I want to stand on top of the Independence Bowl press box roof and shout about this one.

I can name a small group of skill players through the decades projecting for the WR/DB positions that I thought would be special in college. Brandon Henderson, a spectacular athlete and competitor at Woodlawn High School is deserving of that that special, elite group of skill players.

Some of the best I’ve seen who fit this mold, versatile skill players from Shreveport-Bossier, guys who all played WR/DB and in most cases were below the radar are some names you’ll recognize: Morris (Mo) Claiborne, Fair Park (LSU), Phillip Geiggar, Evangel Christian (Texas), Greedy Williams, Calvary Baptist (LSU), Ronnie Prude, Fair Park (LSU), Troy Edwards, Huntington (Louisiana Tech), Reginald Robinson, Fair Park (LSU), Donovan Wilson, Woodlawn (Texas A&M), and  Tre’Davious White, Green Oaks (LSU).

Most of those played in the NFL. Some were high draft picks. All were very productive in college.

I don’t mean to put pressure on Brandon Henderson, but I believe he can handle it. And I know he deserves the attention.

Brandon will go into his senior season as a four-year starter in Class 4A. At safety in 2023, the Knights’ standout had 48 tackles, 9 interceptions with 2 for touchdowns and on offense as a WR, he made 38 catches for 700 yards.

Brandon also is the team’s backup QB because he’s such a good athlete, so versatile and smart. Here’s an unusual accomplishment: since his freshman season he’s had at least one game every year with two interceptions.

What makes this kid so elite, fitting alongside the star players I mentioned above, is that wherever you put him on the field, he can play the game at a level most can’t. He has special speed and as a football player, possesses what I call smooth polished skills. He competes at a higher level than nearly anyone else on any field.

I like to tout sleeper prospects. Henderson isn’t one of those.

He comes by his talent naturally, he told me.

“My mom inspires me to be the best and I love her for that. My mom was also very good in sports,” he said.

Under the radar? Not hardly.

“I have been offered early by Louisiana Tech, Grambling, Northwestern State, South Florida and many others,” said Henderson. “One of the highlights to my day this year was when LSU defensive backs coach Corey Raymond stopped by to see me and talked to me, which I thought was awesome.”

Henderson has a head coach I really respect. Thedrick Harris was a heck of a player himself in high school and at Louisiana Tech. He knows what it takes and he’s a very good football coach. Here’s his thoughts on his senior star:

“Brandon has been a joy to coach since Day 1. He is all business on and off the field, and always brings his A-game every day. Wherever he’s out there, on offense, defense or special teams, he is the guy everyone on both sidelines looks to make a big play.

“I think one of the most special things about Brandon is the relationship he has with his mother, April. She is relentless in her motivation and unyielding in her love and support of Brandon. I have no doubt that his relationship with his mom is reflected in his personality and how he plays the game,” said Harris.

This is a player you want to be able to say you saw play. Get out to see the Knights and you will quickly notice him, like recruiters and analysts like me did long ago.

Contact Lee at lbrecheen@aol.com 

Lee Brecheen has been covering high school football and recruiting in Louisiana since the early ‘90s. He is owner of Louisiana Football Magazine and can be followed on Twitter @LeeBrecheen. He hosts a YouTube show, The Sports Scouting Report with Lee Brecheen. Previews of all state high schools are available on lafootballmagazine.com.

By LEE HILLER, Journal Sports

The second half of the District 1-5A schedule begins for six of the nine teams the seventh week of high school games in the area.

Haughton hosts Airline in the 42nd meeting in a series the Vikings lead 28-13. Byrd will host Natchitoches Central for its homecoming at Lee Hedges Stadium. The Yellow Jackets have won five of the last six and 29 of the 39 played in the series. Evangel will entertain Benton for the first time since the two last played each other from 1995-99.

District 1-4A has the only Thursday game of the week with Southwood the host to North DeSoto at Independence Stadium. It is the sixth meeting for the two schools since 2014. The Griffins lead the series 4-2.

Friday’s games in 1-4A have Booker T. Washington celebrating homecoming against Minden. The Tide have won eight of the 10 games in the series with BTW’s last win coming in 2002. Northwood will also have homecoming versus Bossier.

Loyola plays Woodlawn at Independence Stadium for the first time since 2013 and for the fifth time in the six meetings of the schools. The first four of the series occurred from 1960-63 at then State Fair Stadium.

All three 1-2A games are on the road for local schools. Calvary is at Union Parish in a battle of defending state champions. Both won Division III titles with the Cavaliers coming in Select and the Farmers in Non-Select. Green Oaks travels to Homer and North Caddo to D’Arbonne Woods.

Plain Dealing is on the road to Arcadia in a 1-1A game. It will be the 64th time the schools have played.

Non-District games have Captain Shreve on the road to Destrehan and Magnolia Charter goes to Ringgold. Four of the Mariners’ six wins in school history have come at the expense of the Redskins.

Week 7 schedule of area high school football games

Thursday, Oct. 17 

DISTRICT 1-4A

North DeSoto vs. Southwood, Independence Stadium 

Friday, Oct. 18 

DISTRICT 1-5A

Airline at Haughton

Benton at Evangel

Natchitoches Central vs. Byrd, Lee Hedges Stadium

Huntington at Parkway, Preston Crownover Stadium 

DISTRICT 1-4A

Minden at Booker T. Washington, Leonard C. Barnes Stadium

Bossier at Northwood, Jerry Burton Stadium

Loyola at Woodlawn, Independence Stadium 

DISTRICT 1-2A

Calvary at Union Parish

Green Oaks at Homer

North Caddo at D’Arbonne Woods 

DISTRICT 1-1A

Plain Dealing at Arcadia 

NON- DISTRICT

Captain Shreve at Destrehan

Magnolia Charter at Ringgold

Contact Lee at leeh051@hotmail.com