There are only 26 high school football teams in all classifications around the state, and only nine in Class 5A, that are unbeaten entering the seventh week of the season.
Two collide tonight in Shreveport in a battle for control of the District 1-5A race when upstart Natchitoches Central visits Captain Shreve.
The Chiefs snapped an 11-game skid with their first win this season. The Gators opened the season ranked in the Louisiana Sports Writers Association state Class 5A top 10 poll and stand sixth this week.
Captain Shreve is No. 1 in the LHSAA’s Class 5A power points rankings. NCHS stands eighth.
MATCHUP: Natchitoches Central Chiefs vs. Captain Shreve Gators
WHERE/WHEN: Tonight, 7 p.m., Lee Hedges Stadium, Shreveport
RADIO BROADCAST: 95.9 Kix Classic Country, Steve Graf calling the game. Pregame show at 6:45.
LISTEN LIVE: 95.9 Kix Classic Country
RECORDS: NCHS 6-0 overall, 3-0 in District 1-5A. Captain Shreve 6-0, 3-0
LAST GAME: Natchitoches Central defeated Southwood 37-6; Captain Shreve beat Benton 48-35.
NOTES: NCHS travels to Shreve’s Lee Hedges Stadium, where the Chiefs were victorious in their last visit, beating C.E. Byrd 23-0 two weeks ago. The Chiefs will look to match the best start in school history by going 7-0. The only other time NCHS did that was 25 years ago, in 1996. The Chiefs-Gators matchup is 318Sports’ Game of the Week and the KTAL TV Game of the Week, and is GeauxPreps.com’s pick for the top game in northwest Louisiana.
The NCHS dynamic duo of running back Caylin Demars and quarterback B.J. Young will be the focal point for the Chiefs. The talented tandem has combined to account for 20 touchdowns. Demars has run for 10, while Young has 7 on the ground and 3 in the air. The tandem has rushed for 1,035 yards as Demars has 755 yards and Young has 280 behind a big and physical offensive line.
The Chiefs’ defense has given up no more than two touchdowns in any game this fall. Fred Jackson Jr., Justin Aaron, and Logan Saucier lead the team in tackles as Jackson has 57, Aaron has 51 and Saucier has 50. The Chiefs defense has accounted for 16 sacks, and forced 15 turnovers.
Testing the NCHS defense will be highly-ranked Captain Shreve senior receiver and kick returner Kendrick Law, ranked as the No. 1 athlete in Louisiana by one recruiting service with 4.4 speed (10.48 in the 100 meter dash). He has scholarship offers from top programs around the country.
COACH JAMES WILKERSON SAYS: “Shreve is one of the top teams in the state for a reason. They are very well coached and have athletes all over the field. This will be our toughest test this year. We have to be at our very best in every aspect of the game.”
