The Times from Shreveport, Louisiana • Page 24

High School Football: Week 6 THE TIMES shreveporttimes.com SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2004 5C WEST OUACHITA 27, BOSSIER 14 Neville shuts out Northwood an Yngir Bastrop crushes Fair Park fir. ft I) 1 i A 4:1 V.l'f'V West Ouachita fullback Tiger Waller V'-r Dayton Guillory during the opening of MM (left) slips past Bossier cornerback kats was their six fumbles, four of which they lost. "(The conditions) took our perimeter game away, but they had to play in it to," Bossier head coach Billy Don McHalffey said. "It's tough to beat a good team that controls the ball like they do when you turn the ball over like we did." The biggest turnover came late in the third quarter, just as the Bearkats were mounting a long drive trailing 21-14. As Bossier running back Ste-varrio Hogan saw daylight down the left sideline, he fumbled after being hit by a Chiefs defender.

However, Hogan's teammate, Lafayette Warren picked up the loose ball. Unfortunately for the Bearkats, he also lost the ball and West Ouachita recovered at its own 15. "We talk about falling on the ball, but the kid was trying to make a play and you can't blame him," McHalffey said. From there, the Chiefs put together a masterful 14-play, 85-yard drive that ate up eight long minutes. Waller ended the scoring for the evening with a 1-yard plunge with 6:58 remaining in the game.

"We just tried to keep the defense off the field and our offense on," said Waller, who can't remember the last time he scored four times. "This is real big, especially after two losses." Bossier plays at Benton next week while West Ouachita hosts district foe Haughton. "This game is behind us," McHalffey said. "It's only one game, we've got to strap it on and get ready to play the No. 3-ranked team in triple-A next week.

We have to forget about this." Tilings started out well for Brown and the Bearkats, as they opened up the scoring on the first drive of the game. On a handoff -v narsk Bearkats upended by West Ouachita for first loss of year By Chip Layton Special to The Times Hoping a wet, slow, sloppy track would be the great equalizer and rolling the dice with a spread offense, Northwood head coach Daniel Turnbow's innovative schemes couldn't dent the defense of fourth-ranked Neville as the talented Tigers from Monroe sloshed past and shut out the Falcons 41-0 at muddy Falcon Field on Friday night. The Neville defense shut down the Northwood offense, holding the Falcons to 41 rushing yards on 25 attempts and 4-of-20 passing for 9 yards and four first downs. Neville head coach Micky McCar-ty said, "Our whole defense played well. We played a physical game tonight.

There were some really big hits out there tonight." Turnbow said, "We came out with some intensity, but they took a little of our intensity away. They have a really good team. They have a chance to play for the state championship." Neville's Darrel McNeal tossed three touchdown passes while playing quarterback, ran for one score from the running back position, and also caught a pass to lead the Tigers to their fifth victory of the year. Tony White added 80 yards on 17 carries, and kicker Walt Smith's booming kickoffs kept the Falcons in their own back yard all night. Smith was also true on all five PATs.

Neville's McCarty added, "We're pleased with our guys' effort. We were able to handle the weather and the trip over here. We scored enough points to win our first distinct ball game." The only negatives for Neville were 10 penalties for 90 yards, two lost fumbles and faking a punt in the fourth quarter leading 41-0 when up back McNeal took the snap and ran 30 yards for the first down. Having nothing to lose, the underdog Falcons tried and successfully converted an onsides kick to start the game but went three-and-out, and the Tigers' size and speed immediately began to take its toll. Rebels stomp Griffins, 25-8 By Mike Plzzolato Special to The Times VIVIAN North Caddo scored two touchdowns by land and two touchdowns by air in a sea of rainy weather to take a 25-8 homecoming victory from winless North Desoto in the district opener at Sanders-Prudomme Stadium in Vivian on Friday night.

The Rebels (4-2, 1-0, 1-2A) put the game away in the first half, blasting the Griffins defense for four first-half touchdowns and a 25-0 halftime lead that turned out to be all the scoring they needed. "It was the most consistent we've played all year," North Caddo head coach Jerry Byrd said. "I'm more happy with this win than probably with any other win we've had this year." Byrd said the distractions of homecoming week had him concerned and added that his team did not have a good week in practice. He said the team got better with its performance against the Griffins, with key games coming up in the weeks ahead. The North Caddo offensive attack (V Byrd sliced up the North Desoto defense throughout the night, rolling upl65 yards rushing and 1 06 yards passing on the sloppy field.

Jeremy Moore ran for 96 yards on eight carries and scored twice, including a 51-yard pass connection from Ricky White on the opening drive. Moore's 8-yard run in the second quarter gave the Rebels a 19-0 lead moments after he ripped through the North Desoto defense for gains of 34 yards and 17 yards on the drive. Devin Washington ran in for a touchdown from 4 yards out as the first quarter was winding down. He caught a 45-yard strike from Dexter Long to cap the scoring for the Rebels before the first half ended. Jeremy Thomas rushed for 64 yards for North Desoto and scored on a 2-yard run at the end of the game to put his team on the board.

The Griffins (0-5, 0-1, 1-2A) added a touchdown and a 2-point conversion as time was running out in the game. "I tink it's going to get us ready," North Caddo defensive tackle Chris Rainey said of his team's effort. "I think it's going to give us a wake-up call that we need to play harder and tackle harder. We've got to be ready next week. We can't underestimate them." The Rebels travel to Homer next week, while the Griffins will host lakeside.

By Des McGinn Special to The Times It was the Marcus Green show at Independence Stadium as the Bastrop running back ran all over Fair Park, scoring four touchdowns on the way to a 40-0 blanking of the hapless Indians. Green scored on runs of 96, 27, 6 yards and an 87-yard punt return as the Rams dominated in all aspects of the game. He also had two other punt returns for touchdowns called back on penalties. He finished the game with 206 yards rushing on only nine carries and 143 punt return yards. The Rams defense was equally as impressive, allowing Fair Park to drive deep into its territory only once during the game.

The Bastrop pass rush harassed Fair Park quarterback Antonio Seamster the entire game. Seamster was often forced to scramble for his life from the shotgun, seemingly under pressure from the time he got the snap. The soggy conditions did little to slow Bastrop's undefeated roll this season. The Rams are 6-0 and ranked second statewide in Class 4A They were not threatened by Fair Park (0-6) at any point in the game. Bastrop's penchant for penalties and turnovers held the score down.

The Rams were penalised for 135, mostly personal fouls, and lost the ball two times on six fumbles. Bastrop scored on its first possession when Curtis Fort ran die ball in from the 2 for a 7-0 Rams lead. Fair Park then drove down the field to the Bastrop 4-yard line aided by several Bastrop defensive penalties. But the Indians could not score even after choosing to go for it on fourth-and-four when Seamster's pass was just over die receiver's head in the end zone. At least Fair Park had pinned Bastrop at its own 4-yard line.

But, Bastrop would have nothing of it. Green broke through the middle of the Indian line on the first play from scrimmage and ran it 96 yards for the score, and the Rams led 14-0. The Indians could do little on offense after that. The Bastrop defense was stifling, sacking Seamster repeatedly, usually for losses of 10 yards or more. Parkway rallies to beat BTW By Pesky Hill Special to The Times Wesley Morris raced 72 yards for the tying touchdown as Parkway roared from behind for a 13-6 homecoming non-district victory over Booker T.

Washington Friday night at Parkway Stadium. Morris finished the night with 216 yards on 21 carries but it was his sprint early in the third quarter that brought Parkway back from a 6-0 halftime deficit. "This is really the first year for both of our backs to run with the football," Parkway coach Jim Gatlin said. "If it had been 75 degrees and dry we still would have run the ball tonight." It was anything but dry as both teams sloshed through a steady rain most of the game. While Morris' touchdown got the Panthers even on the second play after halftime, Gatlin felt the Panthers didn't really gain the momentum until the game-winning touchdown by Bryce McGuffee.

The winning Gatlin drive was set up when the Parkway defense smothered BTWs attempt to punt from the Lions' 42-yard line. Parkway had great field position at the BTW 35. Morris got the drive going with a 6-yard run, but it was his 16-yard scamper to the right tliat gave Parkway a first-and-goal at the BTW 5. After a facemask penalty, McGuffee burst through the middle for the 2-yard touchdown. Ben Barcelona's extra point gave Parkway a 13-6 lead early in the fourth quarter.

"We schemed a little differently in the second half and ran the ball better," Gatlin admitted. He also praised the play of linebacker Josh Garrett. The win improved Parkway's tough pre-district record to 2-4 while the 3A Lions open league play next week with a 3-3 slate. Parkway is 4A. Defense was the story in the first half for both teams especially BTWs Danny Bright.

The BTW linebacker grabbed a tipped pass and raced untouched down the sideline for a 74-yard interception return late in the second quarter. That was one of two interceptions for Blight. By Roy Lang III rflanggannett.com He's built like an ox but goes by Tiger. And Friday night, while his opposition's highly touted tandem floundered in the quagmire at Memorial Stadium in Bossier City, he splashed through the mud and the muck with much success. Tiger Waller, a redheaded fullback for West Ouachita, recovered from an early fumble to rush for 160 yards and four touchdowns as the Chiefs (4-2) handed the Bossier Bearkats a District 2-4A foe and No.

8 team in the state their first loss of the season, 27-14. "Tiger's a pretty good mudder," West Ouachita head coach Brian Fine said. The last couple weeks, everybody's been squeezing the dive and the option game. Tonight we were able to get the dive off it's probably the simplest thing we do." While Waller, who said he "loved the rain," reveled in the adverse conditions, obliterating his road-white jersey with 25 carries, one of the best running back McHalffey i II Kfe Shane BevelThe Times West Ouachita quarterback ID. Tumey (right) tries to outrun Bossier linebacker Donny McGee in the first half.

Shane Bevel Tne Times District 24A play. .1 George fumble, scampering 35 yards for a score on the first play of the second quarter. Waller broke free down the sideline, and only his blockers could slow him down but not enough to prevent him from reaching the end zone to give the Chiefs a 14-7 lead. Despite facing a third-and-21. Bossier responded to tie the game later in the second quarter.

After relying on the run all year, the Bearkats found success through the air as Brown took a swing pass 41 yards to tie the game at 14. West Ouachita took the lead before the half ended, cashing in on a fourth-and-13 when Waller took a screen pass from Tumey and scored from 28 yards out. Brandon Hamburg's 33-yard run to Haughton's 17-yard line on the following possession was Wossman's only threat into Haughton territory in the first half, but the Wildcats were eventually turned away on downs. Wossman (0-6, 0-1) only gained 51 total yards in the first 24 minutes, while Wilson rushed for 42 yards and threw for 43 more to pace Haughton. The Wildcats forced two Haughton fumbles in the second half deep in Buccaneer territory, but couldn't capitalize on either.

Lawerence Jenkins recovered Daniel Nobles' fumble at laughton 30-yard line with 6:35 showing in the third quarter, but Wossman's offense turned the ball over on downs again. duos in the state was staggered. Weldon Brown, Louisiana's No. 2 rusher, went over 1,000 for the season but was held to 79 yards on nine carries Friday. Bossier (5-1) teammate Corey George, also in the top 10 in the state, managed only 61 yards on nine runs.

"I didn't know if we could stop them," Fine said of the offense that had averaged more than 50 points per game heading into Friday. "Everybody they played, they ran up and down the field, hanging 50 on them. One thing we wanted to do was run the 25-second clock down deep, which we did. Snap the ball late, try to shorten the game. Not just at the end, we were trying to run the clock the whole night." Even more devastating than the lack of yards compiled by the Bear- Haughton Buccaneers defeat Wossman 6-0 after a long delay because of lights.

By Mark Barnard Special to The Times HAUGHTON Haughton's District 2-4A opener against Wossman could have been dubbed the AEF-SWEPCO Bowl here Friday night. The ninth-ranked Buccaneers did escape with a 6-0 victory, but they had to wait a little while. The game was delayed for more than an hour after the stadium lights on the Buccaneers sideline went out with 11:01 left in the game and Haughton holding on to a 60 lead. Prior to the outage, the Wildcats had to the right side, it appeared the Chiefs defense had Brown pinned against the right sideline for a loss. However, Brown cut back to his left, juked out several West Ouachita defenders and broke through the middle of the field for a 29-yard score less than two minutes into the game.

Bossier gained four first downs on its five carries on that opening 65-yard drive. After losing an early fumble, Waller got rolling and amassed a spectacular first half. A 65-yard run by West Ouachita quarterback T.D. Tumey set up a 1-yard TD his first of three in the half. Waller took advantage of a wait," Haughton head coach Rodney Guin said.

"The offense was sluggish tonight, but the weather had a lot to do with it. We put our defense in a bind, but they came through during the whole game." Wossman had the last possession at its own 15-yard line with time running out, but on fourth down quarterback Derrick Wilhite was confused on what the proper down was and grounded the ball to end the game. Haughton (5-1, 1-0) scored when Nick Wilson hit Cody Causey for a 17-yard touchdown pass that gave the Buccaneers a 6-0 advantage with 9:53 showing in the second quarter. Wossman's 15-yard face mask penalty on third-and-three from the Bucs 47 set up the score. not electric, but gets victory possession and faced second-and-10 at the Buccaneers 32-yard line after taking advantage of Haughton's fourth fumble in the game.

AEP-SWEPCO technicians were called in and were able to restore the lights on the south end of the field, where the game eventually resumed. While the power outage temporarily halted Wossman's Guin drive, the Buccaneers defense ended it when Deve-rick Gater was stopped inches short of the first down at the Haughton 11-yard line. "Getting the win was worth the.