The Times from Shreveport, Louisiana • Page 37

The Aric-La-Tex loader in high school sports coverage Qlhc dimes HIGH SCHOOL I She (Times slircucHori IT" iiiiUvliCCm Log on every week to talk about your team, answer poll questions, see scores and a lot more. X7 CTT3 CONTACT BRIAN MCCALLUM 459-3298 or sportsshreveporttimes.com SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2002 "2002 Football Standings District 1-5 A District Overall Online poll question: Which of these new coaches has done the best job? Answers: 1. Scott Abernalhy, Southwood; 2. Chuck Dupree, Northwood; 3. David Franklin, Haynesville; 4.

Ken Ivy, Captain Slireve; 5. Jim Gatlin, Parkway. Visit shreveporttimes.com and click on Prep Football to voice your opinion. 11 Players of the week: John David Booty, Evangel QB John David Booty passed for 408 yards in a 29-7 win over Natchitoches Central Friday at Evangel. It was the District 1-5A opener for both teams.

Booty completed 25 passes in 39 attempts with one interception and two touchdown passes, a 67-yarder to Connor Campbell and a 23-yarder to Denny Duron. fa Players receiving honorable mention this week are: 1. Bryon Young, Bossier running back 2. Jerry Casey, Homer running back 3. Zach Tricbell, St.

Mary 4. Donald Knight, Huntington running back 5. Doc Hewitt, Logansport running back 6. Tristen Ross, Evangel receiver 7. Ricky Scott, Mansfield running back 8.

Seth Holloway, Haughton quarterback i 'i 1 mi 1 -xlHwf'-1 My If'' ftf 'J k-'j i 'a: Former defensive player now a force for Eagles offense. By Tim Barnes The Times Since the start of this season, the cries of "freight train" have brought a whole new meaning to Evangel's Jacob Hester, and indeed the Eagles' coacliing staff. Willi an early season injury to senior wide receiver Tristen Ross, Hester has been moved permanently from nose guard to running back, and the numbers have been astonishing. He's bagged more than 200 yards in two of his last three games, including 205 in a key win over arch rival West Monroe. And just a -v MS handful of Hester games into the season, Hester is already looking to break his personal rushing record of 212 set just tlu'ee weeks ago against Byrd and also try to become the first Evangel player to lead the city in rushing.

"Every time I go through the hallways they yell 'Freight Train' at me. I think I'm stuck with it now," he joked. "I'm pretty surprised at myself, but I love the running back position because I can get the ball in my hands and can make a difference for the team." Coach Dennis Dunn is just as surprised, and still laughs when he thinks that a player with Hester's ability at the running back position was playing nose guard at the start of the season. "We were using him some in goal-line situations but he was so valuable on delense that we weren't going to use him that much. It's kind of a running joke among the coaches that we had what we think is now the best running back in town at nose guard." he said.

"It just shows you what kind of coaches we are." Having a player like Hester being able to run the ball, and the well-known abilities of John David Booty at quarterback, Dunn knows that he has more than one option when it comes to offense, and also knows that opposing teams will have their work cut out predicting just what the Eagles will do with the ball. "Having Jacob has revolutionized what we do with the ball," he said. "I think teams are having to make a choice now to either cover the pass or the run and that's what makes him so dangerous. If people choose to load up the box and slop the inn then it oix-ns up options for us to throw the ball." "It also takes a lot of pressure off John David to not have to make plays, and he's loving it because it gives him more lime to make his reads and make the right choices." Hester and Booty have al- High school notebook: Top-ranked Arkansas team beaten SPRINGDALE, Ark. Russellville quarterback Landon passed for 452 yards and three touchdowns as the Crimson Cyclones stunned top-ranked Springdale 48-33 Friday night in a AAAAA-West game.

Hie Cyclones (3-3, 2-1) jumped to a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter, capitalizing on early turnovers. Springdale battled back within 28-12 by halftime, fell behind 41-18 in the third quarter and eventually got within 41-33 with 1:49 left. Leach, who also scored on a 1-yard run, had scoring passes of 3 yards and 42 yards to Chris Weaver and 9 yards to Kevin Elliot. Che Jones scored on a 5-yard. run.

Tracey Stiger, who rushed for 82 yards, scored on runs of 16 and 6 yards. Springdale's Dusty Johnson rushed for 144 yards on 17 carries. Zack Butler rushed for 123 yards on nine totes for Springdale. New Mexico star player allowed to play following arrest over scuffle CIDV1S, N.M. Clovis High School football star Joey Garcia played in a game several hours after he and two teammates were arrested following a scuffle that sent a Cannon Air Force Base airman to the hospital.

Garcia, a senior, played in the Wildcats' 14-7 win last week overGoddard. One of the other players, Nick Garcia, Joey's cousin, was removed from the team and the third, Mathew Padilla, was suspended for the game, according to the Clovis News Journal. Garcia was arrested on suspicion of assault, accessory to aggravated battery and disorderly conduct, according to an affidavit from the children's division of Curry County District Court. According to a police report, Airman Steve Martin was knocked down and kicked in the head and side. He was treated at Plains Regional Medical Center and released.

Martin was "bleeding profusely from the forehead and mouth," according to a court document. Clovis High Athletic Director Randy Adrian told the Clovis News Journal Garcia was allowed to play against Goddard and no disciplinary action was taken by the school because it wasn't warranted. The three players were among five Clovis High School students arrested last week in connection with the fight that occurred Sept. 29 on a city street. Student Tony Johnson and Nick Garcia were arrested on suspicion of battery and accessory to aggravated battery.

Padilla was arrested on suspicion of aggravated battery and student Brian Toler was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct. After last season, Joey Garcia was named to the Associated Press All-State first team defense in Class 5A. The Times seeks basketball information The Times asks that area high school basketball coaches for boys and girls teams send 2002-03 schedules and rosters. Schedules should include games times and site, while rosters should include classification, jersey number and height. Please forward the information to the attention of Brian McCallum by e-mail to sportsshreveporttimes.com or by fax to 459-3301.

From wire reports 1 1 0 0 0 5 2 6 4 3 Evangel Ruston Huntington Southwood Natch. Central Thursday's result Huntington 34, Benton 7 Friday's results Ruston 49, Southwood 6 Evangel 29. Natchitoches Central 7 Next Thursday's game Evangel vs. Southwood (Independence Stadium) Friday's game Ruston vs. Huntington (Lee Hedges Stadium) Saturday's game Natchitoches Central at Rummel District 2-5A District Overall 1 1 1 0 0 0 6 4 4 3 2 1 Airline Byrd Ouachita West Monroe Capt.

Shreve Fair Park Friday's results Byrd 22, West Monroe 19 Ouachita 44, Capt. Shreve 0 Airline 40, Fair Park 0 Next Thursday's game Byrd vs. Captain Shreve (Hedges) Friday's games Airline at West Monroe Fair Park vs. Ouachita (Independence) District 1-4 A District Overall 1 1 1 0 0 0 6 5 4 5 2 1 Bastrop Neville Minden BTW Woodlawn Northwood Thursday's result Minden 21. Woodlawn 14 Friday's results Bastrop 47, BTW 0 Neville 49, Northwood 0 Next Friday's game BTW at Minden Woodlawn at Neville Northwood at Bastrop District 2-4A District Overall 1 5 1 2 2 4 5 Haughton Bossier West Ouachita Parkway Wossman Friday's results Bossier 26, Parkway 7 Haughton 50, Wossman 19 West Ouachita 21.

DeRidder 6 Next Friday's games Haughton at Bossier Parkway at West Ouachita District 1-3 A District Overall 0 0 0 0 4 3 2 0 Benton Manslield Green Oaks North Caddo Thursday's result Huntington 34, Benton 7 Friday's results McCall 28, Gieen Oaks 26 (OT) Jennings 40, North Caddo 22 Mansfield 16, Jonesboro-Hodge 14 Next Friday's games Red River at Benlon Ringgold at Mansfield District 1-2A District Overall 3 2 2 1 1 0 0 5 4 5 3 3 0 1 Spnnghill Homer Red River Lakeview Loyola North DeSoto Lakeside Friday's results Lakeview 20. North DoSoto 0 Spnnghill 21. Loyola 3 Red River 28, Lakeside 0 Homer 21. Havnesville 14 Next Friday's games Red River at Benton North DeSoto at Loyola Homer al Spnnghill Lakeview at Lakeside District 1-1 A District Overall Haynesville 2 0 3 3 Cedar Cioek 2 12 4 Saiepta 112 3 Arcadia 112 4 Plain Dealing 12 2 4 Ringgold 1114 Cotton Valley 0 2 0 6 Friday results Arcadia 12. Plain Dealing 6 Cedar Creek 21.

Saiepta 6 Ringgold 30. Cotton Valley 2 Homer 21, Haynebville 14 Next Friday's games Arcadia at Saiepfa Cedar Creek at Cotton Valley Haynesville at Plain Dealing Ringgold at Mansfield OTHERS District 4-2A Many 10 3 3 District 2-1 A Gt a milling 0 12 4 Bemice 0 10 6 District 3-1 A Lcxiansport 10 5 0 St Mdry 10 5 1 Montgomery 0 13 3 Friday results Manqham 41 Bemice 6 St Mary 28. Montgomery 22 18. Gambling 6 LcJ 42 Nurttiwood Lena 0 M.iny 33. Oe Ou.n 17 Next Friday games SV'Migion at La; it at ry Loi-rs-jiatR St Mr-yaf N.vh A Lena Sot) Beaureoard at Many Charlie Gesell 1 lie limes nose guard, running back where he has bulled his way to conversion to near the top of the city's rushing leaders.

I -a- i After starting the season at Evangel's Jacob Hester made a ready had that conversation, and with both players still only being juniors they know that whatever they produce this season will probably only get better into their senior year. "I may not get 200 yards every game but as long as we're up on the board I couldn't care less. It doesn't matter if it's me or John David putting up numbers so long as we get the win. And he's loving thai situation as much as I am," Hester said. "John David is just loving it," said Dunn.

"Jacob may only have 50 yards of running, but we know that if we don't run the ball we can get 400 yards of throwing, so we always have over? Is West Monroe that much worse than the 2001 squad? Reports are thai the Rebels have lost their speed. I never thought West Monroe was particularly superior in that area. After ihv Rebels manhandled Evangel last year at Independence Stadium, members of the Monroe media said tlie Eagles just couldn't compete with West Monroe's speed. I don't think so. Evangel showed in the Superdome whkii team had the suiK-rior sixrd.

The Rebels' big weajwus have tieen strength, experience and depth. While there is no indication that the strength program has dropx-d in quality. West Monroe did lose a lot of exjKTk'iice from tlie 2001 team. Although Don Shows did his usual poor mouthing in the preseason, lie may have been even more right than he knew at the time. After a loss to Byrd.

he mav not vet be g' p- 'S Ross Dunn "If we are clicking on all cylinders it is tough for anyone to beat us. We respect all of our opponents, but if we keep doing what we're doing we're tough to beat" Dennis Dunn, Evangel coach Booty 3 Classes 3A-2A-1A 1. Benton 2. Spnnghill 3. Red River 4.

Logansport 5. St. Mary 6. Homer 7. Mansfield 8.

Loyola 9. Haynesville 10. Montgomery 5-1 SI 5-1 50 SI 4-2 33 33 33 33 if. "We would love to play I.ongview again and have that one back but at the saint? time it may have been what we needed." Dunn said. "If we are clicking on all cylinders it is tough lor anyone to beat us.

We respect all of our opponents, but we know that if we keep doing what we're doing we're going to be tough to beat." Hester is just as confident in the way Evangel is playing right now. "Willi the way the offensive line is playing and the way John David is playing I think we can do it all tlie way to the Dome if we can just ktrp doing what we're doing," he said. Airline and Byrd decide the district championship. BTW may not have as much to say in 14A, but Neville and Bastrop should look over their shoulders for the improving lions. Not good enough to even play with the Rams Friday, BTW under Corey Parham is still far ahead of where anyone exixvted it to be at this xint.

Tlie District 2-4A race will almost certainly be different. Bossier and Haughton seem destined to decide the champion of that district Friday at Bossier. Wossman has already been thuni)e(l by the Bucs, and West Ouachita hasn't been anything sxvtacu1ar this year. II the Yankee can't be guaranteed of a champion-hip. things aren't so hot Monroe, either.

Brian McCallum is The Tunes' peD sports editor. North Louisiana football mirrors MLB in 2002 that option. It takes a lot of pressure off them." The season-opening loss at Longview may prove to have more than one silver lining for Evangel. Not only did it give the Eagles the kick they needed to jump start their season, but the injury to Ross as ironic as it may be has led to the emergence of another tremendous prosxvt for the Eagles. "I think we almost needed thai loss to o)K'ii our eyes," Hester said.

"Since then we've been looking real good and clicking extremely well and I don't know thai tin-re's anything that can stop us going to the Dome if we keep doing the things we're doing." ready to admit it. Not that the Rebels are dead They could be seeing the see(liest offense they've played this Friday when Airline visits, but West Monroe will be at home. Hie Vikings could see a chance at a district title dangling in front of their eyes, but champions die hard. Ouachita may be there to pick up the pieces if West Monroe does falter. If Airline can win this week, then the Week 9 matchup between the lions and Vikings in Bossier City will be a huge game.

But don't k'ave out the Yellow Jackets. If Byrd can handle its business with the feared Rebels, then the Jackets are a valid contender for the District 2-a title. So much tor the Monroe groupies who said the new districts in Class in North liwisiana would be a terrible setup for schools from this area. TheyU be surprised if This week's top ticket Teams battle for district control BEST BET: Now that most district races have begun, it's time to shake out the pretenders and get down to business. A number of area teams will face off this week in games which will set the scene for the race for first in those districts.

Huntington, which has started 6-0 for the first time in its history, will try to do what Southwood couldn't last week -beat 1-5A foe Ruston. The Raiders get their chance at Lee Hedges Stadium. Haughton is off to a fast 5-1 start, but the Bucs haven't been able to get past Bossier in a while. That annual showdown is Friday at Bossier. The Airline Vikings, another 6-0 team, get to find out what they can do against a tough opponent when they travel to West Monroe to face the ailing Rebels.

West Monroe has lost three games in a row following a 22-19 defeat at the hands of Byrd. The Yankees are sitting home for the rest of October, perhaps inviting their counterparts from Atlanta and Phoenix over to watch the rest of the baseball plavoffs. The Pittsburgh Stetk'rs and St. Ijouis Rams, two favorites to Brian McCallum Opinion appear in the 2003 Sujkt Bowl, are struggling to win games any games. All very surprising.

But those are small taters compared to the really big surprise in sports this fill. West Monroe High School's football team is 3-3. The Rebels have lost tlme games in a row. Two of tliose at lume. Now that 's surprising.

So what's going on here? Is the West Monroe dynasty Classes 5A-4A 1. Airline 6-0 2. Evangel 5-1 3. Huntington 6-0 4. Byrd 4-2 5.

Haughton SI 6. Bossier 4 2 7. BTW 5-1 8. Southwood 4 2 9. Natch.

Central 3-3 10. Minden 4-2.