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A Byrd player peeks through the Yellow Jackets’ breakaway banner before the team takes the field against Benton Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Byrd High School won seven LHSAA state football championships from 1926 to 1949 and was considered the dominant team during those early years of the championship games.
The Yellow Jackets last won a state title on the gridiron in 1949. That came after taking the very first one played in 1926 and followed that with five more in the 30s (1930, ‘31, ‘34, ‘35, ‘37). Their five in the 30s was the most during that decade.
Byrd’s most common opponent was Jesuit of New Orleans a team it played four times in the 30s and 40s with the Jackets winning two of three in the 30s. The Yellow Jackets won 14-0 in 1931 and 19-0 in ’35. The teams tied 0-0 in 1933 with Jesuit declared the winner by penetrations.
Jesuit claimed a 25-7 win in 1943 and won another in 1946 to give them five through 1949, one behind Byrd during that time frame. Byrd defeated Holy Cross of New Orleans 34-13 for the last title in 1949. Quarterback Edgar Galloway and backs Dan Barr and Willard Rachal headed up the championship group of players.
Bossier High won its two football state titles in the 40s in Class A. It defeated DeQuincy 27-12 in 1942 and Reserve 21-0 in 1948. Fair Park won its only championship in 1952 but the dominant team of the 50s Istrouma, beat them three other times.
The Indians of Istrouma won in 1950 and 1951 by identical 19-7 scores in Class AA title games. With the expansion to Class AAA in 1954, Istrouma defeated Fair Park in 1955 (40-6) and knocked off Byrd in 1956 (14-7). The Indians from the Baton Rouge area won six of their nine titles during the 50s.
Byrd was the victim of the Indians last title in 1962. The Jackets trailed 21-0 with less than two minutes left as the Indians were on their way to a sixth straight shutout when Byrd struck for two scores. Quarterback Sam Nader hit on a 74-yard pass to get the Jackets on the board in the last minute.
After an onside kick failed, Nader who also starred on defense, picked up a fumble and scored. It was all Byrd had left in falling 21-14. Nader would go on to play quarterback at Auburn University 1963-67 and later work on the staff at LSU for 46 years from 1975 to 2021.
No teams dominated in the 60s and 70s. John Curtis started its run to 28 titles with seven in the 80s, the most for any school in a 10-year period. Evangel began its run of 14 titles with six in the 90s.
Curtis and Haynesville also had six in that timeframe. Curtis matched its record of seven in the 2000s with Evangel claiming six. Edna Karr won five in the 2010s and Ouachita Christian four.
Here is a list of local schools with state championships won and state runners-up. Evangel (14-3) – 1993, 1994 (A); 1996, 1997, 1998 (3A); 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004 (5A); 2005, 2006 (A); 2016 (Division I); 2009, 2010 (2A). Runner-up, 2003 (5A); 2008, 2012 (2A) Byrd (7-7) – 1926, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1935 (1A); 1937, 1949 (2A).
Runner-up, 1933 (1A); 1943, 1953 (2A); 1956, 1962 (3A); 2013, 2020 * (Division I); * later forfeited to Byrd. Calvary (4-0) – 2013, 2014 (Div. III); 2020 (Div.
IV); 2023 (Sel Div III). Bossier (2-2) – 1942, 1948 (1A); Runner-up: 1946, 1950 (1A). Loyola, Jesuit, St.
John’s (2-2) – 1967 (2); 1976 (3A); Runner-up: 1966 (2A); 1994 (2A) Airline (1-1) – 1967 (3A); Runner-up: 1972 (4A). Haughton (1-1) – 1977 (3A); Runner-up: 1978 (3A). Woodlawn (1-1) – 1968 (3A); Runner-up: 1965 (3A).
Captain Shreve (1-0) – 1973 (4A). Parkway (0-1) – Runner-up: 2013 (5A) Plain Dealing (0-1) – Runner-up: 1938 (B). Fair Park (1-6) – 1952 (2A); Runner-up: 1939, 1945, 1950, 1951 (2A); 1955 (3A); 1974 (4A).
Minden (5-1) – 1938 (1A); 1954, 1956, 1963 (2A);1980 (3A). Runner-up: 1921 (top class) North DeSoto (0-1) – 2022 (NS Div. II).
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