2 weeks Ago
Byrd will kick off a doubleheader at Independence Stadium on Friday. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Semifinals week of the LHSAA football playoffs is here and Calvary is the only school from the area (Shreveport-Bossier City) still competing for a coveted state championship. The Cavaliers will not have a chance to play someone from the area if they win to go on to the championship game.
It has never happened but there have been four previous situations it nearly came about, and the Cavs are one of the schools that came close at playing in an all-Shreveport final. Going back to 1965, Woodlawn led by Terry Bradshaw and Fair Park by John Miller both played in Class AAA semifinals with a shot at the first all-Shreveport final. The Knights defeated highly favored and undefeated Lafayette 28-13 the night before the Indians fell to Sulphur 29-7.
Miller was intercepted three times and the Tribe turned the ball over on a fumble. The turnovers coupled with Fair Park’s inability to stop the Tor rushing attack ended its season. Bradshaw tossed a pair of touchdown passes and scored from the 1 after setting up the short plunge with a 60-yard strike to split-end Tommy Spinks.
Fair Park played in its last semifinal in 1974, advancing to the finals against Tara of Baton Rouge with a 7-0 defeat of Rummel of New Orleans. It was the Indians fourth shutout of the playoffs. Two years later Woodlawn and Airline were in the 1967 Triple-A semifinals.
The Knights, led by junior quarterback Joe Ferguson, had a similar fate as Fair Park. Ferguson suffered three interceptions that led to three Holy Cross scores in a 25-13 loss at State Fair Stadium. Airline, behind running back Erick Kilpatrick (104 rushing yards) and a stingy defense, defeated West Jefferson 9-0 to advance to its first state championship.
Fast forward to 1973 and Southwood’s only semifinal appearance came in the Class AAAA playoffs. Captain Shreve was the No. 1 ranked team and on the other side of the bracket.
The Cowboys couldn’t put together any offense in gaining 78 total yards and fell to Glen Oaks 13-7 in Baton Rouge. The Gators also on the road down south, trailed in the fourth quarter for the first time all season, scored twice and defeated Baker 27-15. Jesuit (now Loyola) didn't have a chance at facing a local team in the state finals the three times it was in its first semifinals during the mid 60s.
The Flyers had some memorable games though. Their first trip was in 1965 when Morgan City made the trip north to play at State Fair Stadium. The game ended in a tie (19-19) with Morgan City gaining the edge in first downs 15-13 in the final quarter to advance.
Jesuit would advance to its first state title game the next season with a 7-0 win at Hahnville. The Flyers scored the only points on a fumble recovery in the endzone by Joe Lowery. A third consecutive trip to the semis was a trip to Denham Springs and the defense was again the stalwart along with a big night from Louis Cascio.
The defense held the Yellow Jackets minus-22 yards total offense and Cascio ran for 190 yards and two scores in a 21-0 win. Evangel and Calvary are the last two Shreveport schools that had a shot at playing each other for a title. Both were in the 2008 Class 2A semifinals.
The Cavaliers lost to John Curtis 48-0 while Evangel advanced to the title game with a 31-7 defeat of St. James. The Eagles have played in more semifinals (21) than anyone in the area, Byrd is next with 16 and Fair Park 12.
One might think that the two oldest schools in Shreveport, might have had a chance since the Yellow Jackets were in the semifinals 10 times from 1930 to 1956 and the Indians seven times 1939 to 1958. In those years there was usually a pair of north teams playing with the winner moving on to play someone from the south. Recently the Shreveport-area has had at least one school make the semifinals every year since 2001, with North DeSoto filling the void of no school from Shreveport-Bossier in 2022.
Calvary has played in the semifinals in four of the last five seasons. Here is a list of state semifinal appearances by local schools. Evangel (21) – 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001; 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010; 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.
Byrd (16) – 1928, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1943, 1949, 1953, 1956, 1962, 1964, 2011, 2013, 2020 Fair Park (12) – 1939, 1940, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1957, 1958, 1965, 1974 Calvary (9) – 2007 2008, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024 Bossier (8) – 1942, 1945, 1946, 1948, 1950, 1959. 1960, 1972 Jesuit/Loyola (7) – 1965, 1966, 1967, 1976, 1978, 1994, 1998 Woodlawn (6) – 1965, 1967, 1968, 1976, 1978, 1979 Benton (5) – 1968, 1990, 1999, 2005, 2007 Haughton (5) – 1977, 1978, 1981, 1990, 2019 Minden (5) – 1938, 1954, 1956, 1963, 1980 Plain Dealing (4) –1938, 1947, 1960, 1961 Captain Shreve (3) – 1971, 1973, 1983 Airline (2) – 1967, 1972 Parkway (2) – 2013, 2015 North DeSoto (2) – 2022, 2023 Southwood (1) – 1973.
