Shreveport-Bossier high school football midseason review: 5 storylines, 5 big games & more

We’ve reached the midpoint in the 2024 Louisiana high school football season.

The Times takes a look at the Shreveport-Bossier City area football teams through the first five weeks and looks ahead to the second half.

5 Hot Takes

∎ It’s taken five weeks for undefeated Airline to become the only District 1-5A team to make the LSWA statewide poll. The Vikings and fellow undefeated Parkway should be in there, although one will lose this week.

∎ Captain Shreve’s Jamarcea Plater , who has more than 1,200 rushing yards in five games, wins the Northwest Louisiana rushing title with a record-setting effort.

∎ Byrd rebounds from a disappointing loss to Parkway last week to remain in the hunt for the District 1-5A title through the bitter end of the 2024 season.

∎ Evangel and Huntington are two teams nobody wants on their schedule the remainder of the season as both are capable of defeating anyone on a given night.

∎ The Calvary defense allowed 115 points in the first three games, but has given up just 7 points in the last two. That defense will need to come primed against Union Parish and Huntington.

FIRST START: Airline outlasts Captain Shreve in 4-hour slugfest with records set; Northwood edges BTW

BEST OF LAST WEEK: Top football performers in the Shreveport-Bossier City area for the week of Oct. 3-4

SLUGFEST: Airline outlasts Captain Shreve in 4-hour slugfest with records set; Northwood edges BTW

5 Storylines

∎ Airline’s offense has been the best in the area for three games, but if the Vikings want to win a state title, their defense needs to hit its stride over the next five weeks.

∎ Most of the big-name recruits in the area are committed, but it remains to be seen where the Parkway duo of Devon Oliver and Carmaro Mayo end up.

∎ North DeSoto has been a difficult team to gauge through five games, and the loss of talented Cole Cory is a big reason for that. Quarterback Luke Delafield should get rolling once he finds another go-to guy and the Griffins will be favored over the next five weeks.

∎ The LHSAA forced North Caddo to forfeit two games due to a miscalculation of credit hours. Doesn’t seem fair to penalize a team for a minor clerical error.

∎ The BTW Lions are playing well for former Shreveport-Bossier Battle Wings quarterback Gary Cooper, nearly upsetting North DeSoto last week. The Lions could win any, or all, of their five remaining contests.

6 games to determine LHSAA playoff seeding

∎ Parkway at Airline, Friday: The undefeated titans of District 1-5A offer a great setting for high school football in Northwest Louisiana.

∎ Calvary at Union Parish, Oct. 18: It’s not often two reigning state champions meet this late in the season with so much on the line.

∎ Byrd at Benton, Oct. 25: This could be a trap game for the Jackets as the Tigers will be primed to knock Byrd out of the Top 10 in the LHSAA Power Ratings.

∎ Northwood at Minden, Nov. 1: Currently with one loss between them, this game shapes up to be a doozy. And the winner gets the higher playoff seed.

∎ Captain Shreve vs. Byrd, Nov. 7: This contest requires very little buildup and it won’t take much hype this season to spur folks into attending.

∎ Haynesville at Glenbrook, Nov. 8: Glenbrook got dominated by the Tors last season, but expect this one to be closer with a lot on the line.

Best coaching jobs

∎ Coy Brotherton, Parkway (5-0): With his big brother, Jason, moving into administration we’re deprived of the Brotherton Bowl, but Coy has constructed a formidable squad of athletes in SOBO.

∎ Spencer Heard, Minden (5-0): Granted the Crimson Tide hasn’t played the toughest of schedules, but Heard’s herd could go into the postseason 9-1.

∎ Justin Scogin, Airline (5-0): The guy just keeps putting up wins even in games the Vikings seem destined to be their own worst enemy. He’s 22-6 in three seasons.

∎ David Franklin, Haynesville (5-0): It’s never surprising when the Tors are undefeated, but this season Franklin is doing it without a lot of big stars.

∎ John Ware, Lakeside (5-0): The Warriors haven’t started the season 5-0 in over a decade, but Ware has turned the once downtrodden team (lost 23 straight from 2014-16) into a winner.

Best moment

Miles of smiles: Seeing the relentless joy and relief on the face of Parkway’s Gavin Ferrington , who hadn’t played football in two years, after he rejoined the team last week and played a near perfect game to upend Byrd in District 1-5A play.

Scary moment

An unnamed game official was caught in a collision with players on the sidelines of the Airline-Captain Shreve game last Friday and lay prone on the turf for 20-25 minutes before being taken away by ambulance.

“The official hit his head on the turf and was taken to the hospital to follow concussion protocol,” director of officials Trey Giglio said. “He was checked out and released. He did suffer a concussion and will not be able to officiate this week."

5 frontrunners for Caddo/Bossier Offensive Player of the Year

∎ Jamarcea Plater, Captain Shreve, Jr. – Once this young man gets to the outside, there’s nothing capable of keeping him out of the end zone. He has 1,223 yards and 15 TDs in five games.

∎ Ben Taylor, Airline, Sr. – The Northwestern State commit has passed for 2,013 yard and 20 TDs in the first half of the 2024 campaign.

∎ James Simon, Calvary, Sr. – The Texas commit may have only 568 yards and 7 TDs, but he is arguably the best running back in the state.

∎ Peyton Houston, Evangel, So. – Houston has thrown for 1,781 yards in his debut season with the Eagles. His second half could be amazing.

∎ Abram Wardell, Calvary, Sr. – The veteran has amassed 1,556 yards and 25 TDs in five contests

∎ Keep an eye on: CJ Dudley, Parkway; Christian Maxie, Byrd; Nyles Hullaby, Huntington; Kenny Darby and Jarvis Davis Jr., Airline; Kolby Thomas, Calvary.

8 frontrunners for Caddo/Bossier defensive Player of the Year

Damari Drake, Evangel; Carmaro Mayo, Parkway; LJ Prudhomme, Captain Shreve; Joemiah Robinson, Huntington; Carter Ward, Loyola; Brandon Henderson, Woodlawn; Deon Oliver, Parkway; Tre Fuller, Captain Shreve

Jimmy Watson covers Shreveport-Bossier area sports. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Shreveport-Bossier high school football midseason review: 5 storylines, 5 big games & more