Q&A with Joel Rodgers: Previewing Shreveport-Bossier Football Landscape for 2024
by: Vincent Cacioppo // GeauxPreps.com Managing Editor
We had the pleasure of catching up with Joel Rodgers of 318 Sports to dive into the 2024 high school football season in the Shreveport-Bossier area. Our discussion spans Byrd’s determined squad, Calvary’s drive to repeat as state champions, and Captain Shreve’s new leadership under head coach Jeremy Wilburn. We also spotlight Evangel’s emerging emerging star quarterback, new coaching dynamics at Haughton and Loyola, and Huntington’s roster brimming with over 30 seniors. Additionally, we explore North DeSoto’s ambitions for another deep playoff run and highlight Northwood and Parkway’s experienced upperclassmen poised to make a significant impact this season.
Airline
- Looking ahead to the 2024 season, what are your thoughts on Airline’s overall outlook and the impact of their playmakers on the outside? Additionally, with Ben Taylor returning as quarterback after leading the team to a 10-2 record in 2023, how do you see his progression this year, and what are your expectations for how far he can take Airline in what looks to be a promising season?
The Airline Vikings are coming off two incredible seasons and the expectations for 2024 are sky high.
In their last 20 games, Airline has won 17 — they’ve also won the last 13 of 14 district games.
The 2024 team doesn’t just return playmakers, but rather the best receiving duo in the state.
Receivers Jarvis Davis Jr. and Kenny “D1Kenny” Darby lit it up last season – and look to take it to another level in 2024.
A year ago, Jarvis Davis Jr. caught 94 balls for 1,276 yards to go along with 14 touchdowns. He was 1st team All-State. In the off-season, Davis Jr. spent time with former Parkway receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. and Marshall’s teammate from LSU, Ja’Marr Chase. Jarvis Davis Jr. also won the best receiver at the NWLA 7on7 tournament.
Mississippi State commit Kenny Darby only played in 4 games last season —due to injury—
but had 35 receptions, 561 receiving yards, and 9 touchdowns. Again, in only 4 games!
Airline plays in a tough district 1-5A that recently added Evangel and Huntington to go along with Captain Shreve, Parkway, Benton, C.E. Byrd, Haughton, and Natchitoches Central.
All eyes will be on North Bossier in week 4 when Evangel rolls into Airline’s M.D. Ray field. The winner of that game should be favored to win the district.
Head Coach Justin Scogin has done a tremendous job in his two years at Airline. Scogin won a district title in 2022 and only had 1 district loss last season. The players love him and he’s quickly becoming one of the best coaches in north Louisiana.
Your season outlook on Ben Taylor at quarterback and how far he can take airline after a 10-2 2023? Northwestern State commit Ben Taylor can take Airline all the way in 2024.
Last season, Taylor led the state in both passing yards (4,189) and passing touchdowns (49) In two seasons, Taylor has 8,017 yards and 88 touchdowns. He’s a special talent with a strong work ethic and he’s surrounded by playmakers and great coaching. Ben Taylor is accurate and often delivers his spiral before the receiver makes his final break.
Look for Airline to compete for a district title and state championship this season.
C.E. BYRD
- Given Byrd’s 4-7 season last year, but with a solid 4-3 district record, how do you see them bouncing back in 2024, especially with some tough away games at Evangel, Benton, and John Ehret? Are there any specific players on the roster who you believe could step up and make a significant impact this season, helping to turn things around for the team?
Joel: Every so often Byrd will have a down year, it happens — 2023 was one of those years for the Yellow Jackets. The team only returned 3 starters but still played close against district opponents Airline and Captain Shreve. They started the year slow, but quickly gained some momentum as the season developed. Those juniors are now seniors, and this year will be different for the Byrd Yellow Jackets.
Loaded with seniors on both sides of the ball, Byrd will be much better this year. Their offense is Wing-T, and it’s tough to stop, especially when run by a group of seniors. Over the summer, the Yellow Jackets placed 4th at the NWLA 7on7 tournament. You read that correctly, a Wing-T offense balled out at a 7on7 tournament. It was cool to witness, you just had to see it.
This year Byrd will have their hands full with a couple of teams on the 2024 schedule. Evangel will be tough, especially if Byrd falls behind early. If Byrd can win the turnover battle vs John Ehret and Benton, both games will be wins for the Yellow Jackets. Matchups against Airline and Parkway will be be worth the price of admission. Then a week 10 matchup against rival Captain Shreve awaits Byrd on senior night – that game will be close – it always is.
C.E. Byrd is a blue-collar hardworking team that plays for the front of the jersey, not the back. They’re coached hard by head coach Stacy Ballew. I believe Byrd will shake back this season because of senior leadership, good coaching, and an offense —that at times— can seem impossible to stop.
Cornerback Kaidan Abraham-Miller is a shutdown defensive back who hauled in 6 interceptions last season. This summer, he won best defensive back at the NWLA 7on7 tournament. “I’m going for 10 picks this year, double digits, I dropped a lot last year, that’s not happening this year, says Abraham-Miller.
Quarterback Harrison Ayres is built like a tank and he loves the style of football Byrd plays. “I think it’s a lot of fun. It’s a physical game, we play a physical style of offense, we play a tough offense. I think it’s fun to pound it all game and just kind of break a defense with it”, says Ayres.
Running back Quinton Hilliard is a hard-working ball player with a good nose for the end zone. “It’s a really tough district, we know we have no off week. Our coaches have told us the ceiling is 10-0, the floor is 0-10”, says Hilliard.
CALVARY
- As the defending state champions in Division III Select, what is your outlook on Calvary Baptist’s upcoming season, especially with a returning starter at quarterback? How crucial will key players like Texas commit James Simon and LSU offensive line commit Devin Harper be in leading Calvary Baptist back to the Dome and potentially securing another state title?
Joel: Calvary Baptist will have the best offense in the state and should be favored to repeat as state champions.
QB Abram Wardell returns; last season he threw 45 TDs with only 2 interceptions. As a starter, he has an eye-popping 78/6 td/int ratio. He completed nearly 80% of his passes last season and returns surrounded by weapons on all sides. Calvary returns Texas commit James Simon at running back, Air Force commit Julius Moss — an offensive and defensive athlete, Kolby Thomas, a track guy with serious ball skills at receiver (caught game-winning touchdown in the state championship game against St. Charles). Calvary has added LSU commit Devin Harper (transfer from Captain Shreve) and WR Kaleb Tucker (transfer from Huntington).
Calvary opens the season against Oak Grove and Westgate. A matchup with 5A Huntington awaits them later in the season. The Calvary defense is led by linebacker Cole Miller, cornerback Braylun Huglon, and athlete Julius Moss. The defense is extremely well coached, they’re smart, and they practice against the best (if not one-of-the-best, ok) offenses in the state.
Local 5A coaches in Shreveport/Bossier are probably thankful Calvary plays in 2A.
It’s scary because Calvary won state last year without Devin Harper. They also didn’t fully unleash James Simon until the playoffs. Can Calvary can go 10-0 in the regular season without the duo? Maybe. Do they need them to get back to the dome? Yes.
James Simon running behind Devin Harper is like like a 99 overall player running behind another 99 overall player. Simon had over 700 yards during the playoffs last season, and that wasn’t running behind an LSU commit, like Harper. It’s going to be brutal for teams looking to contain this run game. The two have become good friends off the field and should have a strong connection on the field as well.
CAPTAIN SHREVE
- After a strong 2023 season with a 9-2 overall record and an impressive 7-0 district run, Shreve is aiming to build on that success under first-year head coach Jeremy Wilburn. What are your thoughts on Coach Wilburn and his potential to take Shreve to new heights? Additionally, how do you see Shreve’s prospects this season, particularly with standout talents like safety Tre Fuller and Arkansas commit Lionel Prudhomme leading the charge?
Joel: Becoming the new head coach for the biggest school in Shreveport/Bossier is pretty sweet gig to have — and it’s an interesting story-line because Jeremy Wilburn is a former quarterback of Captain Shreve’s biggest rival, C.E. Byrd.
Wilburn takes over a stacked roster that’s looking to win another district 1-5A title. Last season the Gators were able to run the ball and play defense, on their way to a perfect 7-0 district championship — this season the Gators will try to do the same. Shreve’s Dynamic running back Jamarcea Plater will see plenty of daylight behind a huge offensive line that’s anchored by Arkansas commit Lionel Prudhomme.
Captain Shreve spent their summer at Shreveport’s D1 training facility preparing for the upcoming season. This year the Gators (along with C.E. Byrd) will return to their home field at Lee Hedges Stadium — last season Lee Hedges was shut down for the year after asbestos was found during stadium renovations.
Captain Shreve’s defense will be fast and physical. Led by Tre Fuller and Peyton Houston, the Gators will have several tough matchups against district foes Airline, Evangel, Parkway, and C.E. Byrd — the Gators will be very competitive against everyone on their schedule this season on their quest for another district title.
EVANGEL
- With Evangel moving up to 5A for the upcoming season, how do you think this change will impact their competitiveness and overall season outlook? Peyton “Pop” Houston has already shown great potential; what are your thoughts on his development and the role he might play in Evangel’s success this year as they adjust to the new level of competition?
Joel: You know when people text “IYKYK” —
Well this year’s Evangel team is kind of like that, if you know you know. Evangel looks great, with around 80 players, the Eagles are fielding a much larger team than in recent years.
When area coaches talk about district 1-5A, it’s not long before they mention Evangel. They say things like, “we know Evangel is back” and “we know they’re coming”.
Well, let me tell you, they are, and they are.
The Eagles are back in district 1-5A and have one of the toughest schedules in the state. They open the season against Neville and host Lafayette Christian later in the season. Those are their two non-district games. Everything else will be trying to run the 1-5A gauntlet. Coach Denny Duron says this receiving group is the best they’ve ever had, “we’ve had some good ones in the past, but normally we just have one or two (receivers) at a time. We have 10 receivers on this team – that can all play.”
With district games against Captain Shreve, Airline, and Parkway — winning district 1-5A won’t be “easy”, but I do see Evangel doing it. How do I put this humbly.. “Peyton Houston will be the best quarterback in the state, and Evangel will compete for a state championship in 2024.”
Now that I have your attention,
Peyton “Pop” Houston is for real — or as the kids say— “he’s frfr (for real for real). Although he’s just 15, Pop puts in work like he’s already a collegiate athlete. Follow him on Instagram, and you’ll see, he’s at the gym at 5 a.m., he’s working on his craft before and after practice. He’s always working and it will show this season.
He’s not only surrounded by playmakers but great coaching as well. Evangel’s Denny Duron who knows a thing or two about developing quarterbacks, says Houston is as advertised, “He really is all that and a bag of chips”, says Duron. Along with Duron; Pop’s dad Shawn Houston, offensive coordinator Kramer Hagan, and former Evangel quarterback Brock Berlin have all been pouring into Peyton Houston.
He had a great spring game against North DeSoto, and a fantastic 7 on 7 season, winning several tournaments and being awarded player on the tournament.
He’s very mature for his age, passes every eye test, throws a great ball, reads defenses, and understands passing windows, and he’s already a leader on the team. Fun times and lots of wins are coming soon at Evangel.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun on the sidelines watching Pop light it up for the next three years”, says former NFL and Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame quarterback, Brock Berlin.
HAUGHTON
- With Matthew Sewell stepping in as the new head coach, what impact do you think his leadership will have on the Buccaneers this season as they aim to turn things around? After a 4-6 season, how do you see Haughton bouncing back this year, and what is your outlook on their schedule and potential for improvement?
Joel: Matthew Sewell is a good coach and will bring a dynamic offense to Haughton. He did a great job running Parkway’s offense and should be able to hit the ground running (and passing) at Haughton. The players seem to be really buying in, and the future will be bright. Haughton’s team and coach are both young, but it won’t be for long.
New turf, who dis? Haughton installed a new turf field this year, but will still have several real challenges in district 1-5A.
The Haughton Buccaneers enjoy a home-field advantage between the pines at Harold Harlan Field. Haughton’s student section “The Crew” is always -as the kids say- “LIVE”, and the stands are packed everytime the Bucs play at home.
The Buccaneers are gaining two solid district opponents in Evangel and Huntington, and they’re also still in a district with Airline’s air-raid offense, Parkway’s stingy defense, plus no more homecoming games vs Southwood (moved down to 4A). Haughton’s non-district schedule should lead to a couple of wins vs 2A Homer and 3A St. Louis Catholic, but outside of a win (maybe) against Natchitoches Central or Benton — Haughton will have a hard time matching the 4-6 record from last season.
Haughton’s home district games come against Parkway, Natchitoches Central, Airline, and Captain Shreve. Winning two of those games would be huge for H-town.
HUNTINGTON:
- With over 30 seniors on their roster, how do you see Huntington channeling their experience and motivation as they return to 1-5A this season? What is your outlook on their overall season, and how do you think they will navigate the challenges of competing in such a tough district?
Joel: “Every year our seniors leave it better than they found it”, says Huntington head coach Stephen Dennis. The Raiders are all set to raid with over 140 players on this years team. This summer they’ve been working hard. Huntington was one of several Caddo parish schools forced off campus due to renovations, but they didn’t let that stop them for getting better.
Huntington loaded up their weight room in a U-Haul and moved to Coach Prude’s ‘Hard but Fair’ gym in Shreveport. They’ve been working in the heat and preparing for the tough schedule ahead. They’re big, they’re fast, and I believe they’ll be ready to compete in the district 1-5A.
The Huntington Raiders enter 1-5A with a tough non-district schedule to go along with the task of competing in a tough district. The raiders will play West Monroe and Calvary as its non- district games. Head Coach Stephen Dennis and his coaching staff have done a tremendous job in recent years turning the program around, and this should be their best team yet.
They have the depth, the athletes, and the right preparation to compete with anyone they line up against in 2024.
LOYOLA
- John Sella has been elevated to head coach after years on staff; how do you see this continuity benefiting Loyola as they step up to 1-4A this season? Your thoughts on the quarterback position for the Flyers in 2024?
Joel: The players at Loyola love John Sella. He’s served at an assistant for the past 8 years and the players all know him and seem very excited to play for Sella this fall. The players I spoke with also seem very excited about the jump to 1-4A. John Sella says his new role has changed some, but it sounds like the players are really embracing it. “I don’t get to be the fun assistant anymore as I’m transitioning into more of a disciplinarian role, but the players all seem to be taking to me”, says Sella.
Loyola’s team, its student section, and the school are all full of fun traditions. It will be fun seeing them move to 1-4A.
John Sella has been a head coach at Loyola before, serving as the school’s head lacrosse coach for several years. “Coaching lacrosse has definitely help prepare me for the transition into head football coach”, Sella says.
I’m excited for them. Loyola moves to a top-heavy district 1-4A with a couple of extremely talented teams in North DeSoto and Northwood. The flyers should be able to compete with other schools in district very soon. Loyola will start sophomore Bryce Restovich at quarterback. Restovich has good size and a good work ethic. He’s a special kind of player, and he’ll be lining up behind center for the next 3 seasons.
NORTH DESOTO
- North DeSoto had an excellent 2023 season, finishing with an impressive 11-2 record and a perfect 7-0 mark in district play. After a close loss to Opelousas in the semi-finals, do you see them making another deep playoff run this year? North DeSoto consistently boasts elite talent—who are the up-and-coming players on this team that could step up and contribute to another strong postseason push?
Joel: Yes, and I believe North DeSoto is coming for the big trophy this year. Quarterback Luke Delafield enters his junior season with a record of 23-4 as a starter. He’s the real deal.
Over the past two years, North DeSoto has been very close – having made it to the dome in 2022 (loss to Lutcher) and then to the semi-finals in 2023 (loss to Opelousas).
The Griffins have been knocking on the door and believe this is the year they finally kick it down, and bring a title to Stonewall. They run a high-tempo offense that’s very hard on opposing defenses. Senior Cole Cory has been one the states top receivers over the last two years and should continue his dominance this fall. (Interesting fact: Luke Delafield and Cole Cory have a lawn business called ‘Fast and Wide’)
Dennis Dunn enters his 6th season as Griffin’s head coach. He will have his team ready for another deep run as North DeSoto attempts to ‘kick down the door’ and bring a state championship to Stonewall, Louisiana. In district 1-4A , a week 4 matchup against rival Northwood will be the marquee game on the Griffins district schedule. It’s always a close game – and one of the best local rivalry games in north Louisiana.
Besides the QB/WR duo of Luke Delafield and Cole Cory, look for Griffins to run the ball with junior running back Kenny Thomas. This past June, Thomas ran a 4.42 laser-timed 40 at the LSU camp. Also, look out for wideouts Chaz Martinez and Miller Warren to put up good numbers on this fast-paced offense. This offense is going to continue to score lots of points.
NORTHWOOD
- Northwood is looking to improve on their 5-6 overall record from 2023, and with some tough away games on the schedule, what are your thoughts on their 2024 outlook? Despite their overall record, Northwood managed a strong 5-2 mark in district play last season—how do you see their chances in the district this year, and what factors could influence their success?
Joel: Last year Northwood played a lot of sophomores and juniors and went 5-5 in the regular season. The majority of those losses came by less than 7 points.
Fast forward to 2024, and all those sophomores and juniors are now juniors and seniors.
The Falcons defense is going to be tough for everyone on their schedule. They’re coached well by head coach Austin Brown, this group enjoys hitting people. They’re also fast. The Falcons defensive backs won the 4×100 relay state championship in May (shout out to Desmond Harris, Justin Thomas, Jeremiah Johnson, and James Hollingsworth)
Northwood opens the season against 5A Benton. Head Coach Austin Brown says he’ll never stop trying to beat the tigers, “we need to get them off our back, they put it on us, and we haven’t been able to beat them — and I’m going to keep scheduling them until we beat them — and I hope (Benton) Coach (Reynolds) Moore will allow that to happen”, says Austin Brown.
Last season Northwood lost to North DeSoto and Evangel in district 1-4A. This season I can all but promise they won’t lose 2 district 1-4A games again (Evangel and Huntington have moved up to 1-5A, as Southwood and Loyola enter 1-4A)
Northwood travels to North DeSoto in week 4.
Players from both schools are already calling it the district championship game. No lies detected.
PARKWAY
- After a 7-4 season that ended with a bi-district playoff loss, what are your thoughts on Parkway’s potential for this year? How significant will the contributions of standout defensive linemen Devon Oliver and Louisiana Tech commit Carmaro Mayo be in shaping Parkway’s success this season?
Joel: Parkway might have the toughest defense in the district, and the Panther offense ain’t bad either. Running back Antonio Gladney enters his junior year, and he’s the real deal. A super gifted athlete and one of the best football players in the area.
Last season Gladney looked like a senior running back about to head off to college, but then you realize this guy still has two years of high school left.
Parkway will compete for a district 1-5A title and will have some huge matchups against Airline and Evangel. It’s going to be a good season in South Bossier (SOBO). They make it tough for opposing teams.
You really can’t run up the middle because of Devon Oliver, and you can’t throw to one side of the field due to Carmaro Mayo. Parkway’s defense is their strength and points will be scarce for opposing offenses.
As we move closer to the 2024 Louisiana high school football season, be on the lookout for more area previews including our Baton Rouge-Area preview with Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Famer, Robin Fambrough.