The Natchitoches Central football team began its season against Woodlawn of Shreveport in early September, and now the Chiefs will step into postseason play for the first time since 2015 against Woodlawn of Baton Rouge.
NCHS kicks off in the Class 5A playoffs Friday night at 7. The game will be broadcast on 95.9 Kix Classic Country and will be televised to some Cox Communications subscribers, especially in south Louisiana, on YurView (see yurview.com/Louisiana for more information).
It will be the first playoff appearance since 2015 for NCHS, which was winless in its last 11 games dating back to 2019 until the dawn of this season brought a six-game winning streak. The Chiefs entered the final two games tied for the lead in District 2-5A.
The game will be played at Woodlawn’s campus. Tickets are $12 and are only available online at secure.payk12.com according to Woodlawn officials.
NCHS is the 20th seed in the 32-team playoff bracket. Woodlawn is No. 13. The winner of the contest will advance to face the survivor of No. 4 Destrehan and 29th-seeded West Jefferson.
The Chiefs are 7-3 and will try to win for the first time in three weeks. They were 7-1 before losing their last two contests at Haughton and to Benton. Starting quarterback Brian Young did not play at Haughton, then was lost early last Friday with a broken arm.
Woodlawn’s 5-4 record includes one of the biggest upsets of the season in state high school football. The Panthers toppled No. 1 Catholic High 35-28 two weeks ago. They played the current No. 1 Class 5A team, Zachary, to a 35-28 score on Oct. 1 on the road. Catholic is the top seed in the Division I bracket.
The Panthers’ junior quarterback, Rickie Collins, is emerging as potentially one of the state’s top Class of 2023 recruits due to his dynamic play this fall. The Chiefs’ defense has caused havoc in each of the team’s wins.
