The 2009 Louisiana High School Athletic Assn. football playoffs get under way tonight for five Bossier Parish high school teams.

One of tonight’s games is an all-Bossier matchup, as Parkway plays host to Benton at Crownover Stadium in a District 1-4A rematch of a game that Parkway won, 10-7, six weeks ago.

Haughton, which came from behind in the last seven seconds to beat Parkway 41-38 for the District 1-4A championship last week, will also be playing at home tonight. The Bucs play host to Glen Oaks of Baton Rouge.

Airline and Bossier High will be on the road tonight, as the Vikings travel to New Orleans to play Jesuit in the first round of Class 5A playoffs and the Bearkats make their 20th straight trip to the playoffs with a trip to Lafayette to play Northside.

All games start at 7 p.m.

Bossier High’s 20-year streak is a record for Caddo-Bossier schools, but Benton (14 years) and Haughton (13 years) have also made a habit of qualifying for the state playoffs.

Parkway (8-2) has the best regular-season record and top seeding position (No. 8 in 4A) among the Bossier Parish teams entering the playoffs.

Parkway was No. 12 in the final Louisiana Sports Writers’ Assn. Class 4A poll after breaking into the Top Ten at No. 9 the previous week, dropping three spots with the loss to Haughton.

Coach Jim Gatlin’s Panthers are in the playoffs for the fifth year in a row, a school record at a school that had made a total of four playoff appearances before Gatlin took over the coaching reins in 2002.

Benton (6-4) has a new head coach this year, as Mitch Downey dropped out of coaching before the season started and Caleb Guidry, who had been on the staff for 12 years and had served as defensive coordinator in recent years, moved into the top position.

Airline takes a 7-3 record into the Class 5A playoffs, while Jesuit’s Blue Jays are 6-4.

Both played in districts that produced the top two seeds in the playoffs and the top two teams in the final writers’ poll. Archbishop Rummel and West Monroe were the only Class 5A teams in the state to post perfect records this season.

The Airline-Jesuit winner is expected to play Rummel next week, as Rummel is favored over Captain Shreve in another first round game at New Orleans tonight. If Airline wins tonight, next week’s game will be played at Airline.

The Parkway-Benton winner will play host to No. 9 seed Alexandria Senior High (9-1) if the Trojans defeat No. 24 seed Cecilia tonight.

The Haughton-Glen Oaks winner will play the winner of a game between No. 6 seed Ruston and Huntington.
The Bossier High-Northside winner will play the winner of a game between No. 7 seed Jennings and defending state champion Belle Chasse.

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