Byrd vs. Southwood, Woodlawn vs. Northwood, set for doubleheader next week
The annual Battle on the Border High School Football Showcase may be gone, but Shreveport area high school football fans will still be treated to an interesting doubleheader next Friday night in Independence Stadium.
Byrd will entertain Southwood at 5 p.m. in the Jackets’ homecoming contest followed by Woodlawn hosting Northwood at 8 p.m. in the Knights’ homecoming tilt.
Byrd would have been hosting their homecoming game at Lee Hedges had the stadium not been closed for the season due to an asbestos discovery. The game was then slated for Northwood’s Jerry Burton Memorial Stadium, but it was then moved to Indy, where the Knights were already slated to play.
There was also consideration for playing one of the games on Thursday, since there isn’t a game scheduled for Indy that night.
“It was a good compromise considering the original plan of moving the game to Thursday,” Woodlawn principal Dr. Grady Smith said. “With keeping it on Friday, it minimized a lot of potential problems. Everyone was happy to have it moved back to the original date.”
The early start time will cause a busing issue for Byrd, since some drivers will not be available at 5 p.m. It normally takes up to nine busses to get the entire Jacket entourage to a contest.
“We plan to dismiss early so everyone will have time to get to the game,” Byrd principal Jerry Badgley said. “Buses will have to shuttle all our groups to the stadium by using three buses and returning and getting other groups.”
Parking close to the stadium could be an issue since the State Fair of Louisiana will open Thursday and be in full swing Friday night. Parking is free on the fairgrounds this year, however.
Friday lineup
Where: Independence Stadium
Who: Byrd vs. Southwood, 5 p.m.; Woodlawn vs. Northwood, 8 p.m.
Jimmy Watson covers Louisiana sports for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Here's why two Shreveport teams will play back-to-back next Friday at Indy
