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KTBS 3 Sports and Jeff Harper present the #3Fever Point-After Podcast, a local show highlighting high school football in the ArkLaTex. Alex Anderson and Red River Head Coach Jeff Harper give you a weekly look at teams to watch, interviews with some of our area's top recruits, and all the information you need to be prepared for the Friday night lights . Join us every Thursday morning wherever you get podcasts for the KTBS #3Fever Point After Podcast.
Welcome
to the Three Fever Point
after podcast, the Halloween Edition.
Even though this will come out
in November,
we are recording it on Halloween.
When I say we, I mean me.
And in negative central offensive
coordinator Jeff Harper back in the house,
he told me today
he was dressing as a football coach.
But I think you nailed it.
Well, you know,
sometimes I feel like I'm pretending.
So it is what it is.
Yeah.
Well, Patrick Dennis, our weather
guy, he's been dressed as me all day.
So that's been an interesting
it's been an interesting day
in that in that regard.
So I didn't get the memo there
for costumes that work.
But yeah, Coach,
look, I know I feel like we got to start
with you guys again because, man,
it was another one of those games
that came down to the wire for the Chiefs.
Yeah.
You know, I'm getting tired of this.
Yeah, it's. It's.
I'm happy for our guys that they're,
you know,
they're pushing through their fighting.
I mean, those are things.
There's lots of moral victories
and all that.
But, you know, the wins and losses
is what you really compete for.
And so, you know, it's year one.
We easily could be seven and three.
We're sitting at two and seven,
you know, But I mean, six in three,
right, right now.
But, you know, we're two and seven.
And so, you know, it's it's the
the season has been defined by if
if we would have if we would have we're
trying to teach these guys, you know,
don't leave it in anyone else's hands
and make sure you take care of business.
And so they're fighting their butts off.
I mean, you know, we we never
but we had a bye practice today.
You know, we've lost a heartbreaker
three weeks in a row.
You're only four if you want to
You want to throw in
a, you know, beaten game and all that.
You know,
there's just is just a lot to be excited
about for the future.
But we're playing football right now.
And so they they're staying the course,
they're working hard
and we're getting ready for Bird.
And so probably the hardest offense
to get prepared for for our district
and one you don't see very often.
And so we have our work
cut out for us this week.
And you guys will actually will be in town
this week here in Shreveport facing bird
at Infinite Stadium.
We'll have a obviously
you can have a photographer out there
for that game, that game against Houghton
to just really not being a jerk.
Just giving our viewers
a little context there
in case they
didn't watch the show on Friday night.
Now, if we're talking about wins,
you again won
last weekend
because you had Logansport over St Mary's.
We talked about that really at length.
And it kind of seemed like the game
that that you said it was going to be
slow to start.
I believe they were tied at the half
and are maybe tied late in the second
quarter and Logansport came out in
that second half and I left little doubt
who the district champion is there.
Yeah, and it's one of those games
where, you know, St Mary's,
you know, played very well.
And Logansport,
I mean, they just won that game.
I mean, it's last year
they had an incredible season and
St Mary's put it on them
and in this year you know
and I haven't talked to anybody
from Logansport,
but I just know when Coach McGee
and how competitive he is and the goals
and the standards
that they have every year.
And that's one that
that they really wanted.
And so, I mean, I think bottom
was 20 to 30, you know, very,
very one sided affair when you look at it
just,
you know, defensively,
I thought Logansport played very well
and in St Mary's,
you know, hold Logansport 20 points.
I mean, you know, it
just a good football game
and as two really good football teams
and now they're getting ready
for the stretch run for the playoffs.
So now it doesn't really matter
what you did
You know once you get through week ten
it's a it's a fresh reset to start over.
That record doesn't
really matter at that point.
And so it's it's a one game week.
So I know both teams are looking forward
to that.
Another game
that you won was our game of the week
and it was really a bad look for me
because I thought
I had more information on our Texas games
here.
Tatum and Jefferson,
you know, Tatum started the year slow
three you know in district
play Jefferson's really been running past
everyone outside of Timpson
who is you know
more than likely going
to win a state championship
this year and Coach Keeling and Tatum
they go in there and get it done.
So impressive by the Eagles.
I don't think
you may have been one of the only people
that was picking him in this game.
And like I said,
I was kind of trying to get one,
you know, trying to try to weasel my way
to a victory.
But remember, the Tatum Eagles
unbelievable effort.
Really a fantastic game.
Cole Watson going to Louisiana
Tech quarterback for the Eagles
and he kind of put the team on his back
there in the second half
and really got it done.
Just an incredible game out there.
I don't know how much you
were able to watch, but yeah,
closing thoughts on
your correct pic of Tatum nugget.
It was luck.
No, there was no skill involved.
There was no preparation involved.
It had nothing to do with, you know,
firsthand knowledge of Texas football
or Tatum's program or what Jefferson does.
You know, I've had the pleasure
of working with the guy
from each one of those programs,
and I just remember, you know,
Jefferson was, you know, lost Josh Thomas,
who went on to Longview his senior year
and did really well there
and then turn around.
And now he is starting quarterback at
Tyler Junior College to do it really well.
And then Kendrick Malone,
who's playing quarterback at Lamar,
he was a quarterback at Tatum.
And so both of those guys were
in the studio with us, shot an episode
of Friday film session.
And so that's the only background I have,
I mean, to be honest with you.
And so I know that Tatum was further
along in the program at the time
than then than Jefferson
at that point in time.
And so it was just a a lucky guess,
no skill involved whatsoever.
And Coach Keeling was was quick
to remind me why I shouldn't doubt him.
I spent a lot of years when he was over.
It was obviously so
close to us here at the station. So
talking to him before the game,
he was like, well, look,
you know, when we win this game,
you need to bring your butt out to Tatum
and do a story with us because I
ain't seen you in a couple of years.
And it's like,
okay, well, we'll make that happen.
We'll make that happen at some point.
So Coach Keeling is the man.
Both of those teams
are going to be dangerous
for anyone
when they get to the postseason.
The only game that I got right,
I think it was probably the shocker
of the Arklatex Huntington over Evangel.
Huntington's
been close in a lot of these games.
I felt like even that North DeSoto game
just got away from them in a way
too early.
And then obviously it's tough to keep up
with that Griffin offense.
But they go to Evangel and when I mean
I assume
I assume you were probably
not as surprised as a lot of people
with your knowledge of these teams.
But man, what a what a win for. HUNTINGTON
Yeah, and I don't know if people paid
attention, but Coach Dennis has been doing
that, you know, year in and year out
since he took over there.
I think it was last year that they shot
they beat Northwood.
I think they shot Parkway,
you know,
you know,
played really well against Parkway there.
And then the 20,
I think was a 20, 20 season.
They came to beat and beat us.
So it is it's been surprising people
every year.
And I don't know why they're surprised.
They played really,
really good on defense and, you know,
they've got a lot of athletes and
they are
they're a team that's got the ability
to get the ball out in space on offense
and put points on the board.
So not surprised at all.
And I know that that is a game.
It's really developed into a rivalry
between between those two schools.
And so congratulations to Huntington.
That's a huge win. And here's the deal.
We get both these teams in Bob district
next year.
You know, if they leave everything
the same you're you're adding you know
losing one and two crazy to think that now
they're going to be district
rivals in five you know potentially
in the same side so pretty cool deal
and you know not not surprised
but definitely
people need to take note
that Huntington is the real deal
and they can really they can really play.
Yeah.
Huntington hasn't been an easy out for
what I mean, at least the last five years.
I mean they played with everybody and,
you know, they're going to go
to the select side of things
when it all shakes out after this week.
We'll see what happens there.
But yeah, really impressive
win win for the Raiders.
They'll be at Bosa on Thursday night, but
all eyes on Thursday night around here.
They're going to be in Blanchard.
It's the big one, you know, it's North
DeSoto, it's Northwood.
This rivalry,
the cliche, throw out the record books.
It does apply in this rivalry.
Seems like Northwood always, always seems
to figure it out against the Griffins.
And they're hot right now.
Both teams on big winning streaks.
Northwood have another chance
to not only play spoiler,
but split a district crown.
Yeah, and I think that has a lot to do
with how well they played defensively.
I mean, Coach Brown does a great job and
he could scheme up with the best of them
and they've got,
you know, talent to go around over there
on the defensive side of the ball.
And I know
that they've got some young cats.
They've been playing in different spots.
And you know,
when you hear them on the radio talking
about their games week in and week out,
you know, one thing strange, true.
They're going to play
four quarters of football,
they're going to play hard
and they're going to be prepared.
And so you get them in their backyard
and you get them on their terms.
They can beat anybody,
doesn't matter who who they are.
And so that one's going to be a really,
really good game.
And I know Northwood.
I know Northwood really wants that.
And I know that North DeSoto remembers
last year and it's one they want to.
And so, you know,
that is really turned out to be
a great rivalry and at one for a district
in really in northwest Louisiana.
I mean every year those two teams
are getting at it week ten.
So pretty cool.
Yeah, it's always one we have circled and
and like you said, Northwood,
they're always going to play tough.
And, you know, I still retain
some information from our film session
days about the quarterback position
and Hudson hair
And these past couple of weeks we've had
it's been at least three weeks in a row.
We've had one or two highlights from him
just doing all the stuff
that you tell quarterbacks to do.
I think a couple of weeks ago
he had one on the run,
you know, escapes, pressure, flip
the hips and just dropped a dime downfield
to his receiver for a touchdown.
He had a pass last Friday.
It was unbelievable
mean it's right on the money.
He's looked so good these past few weeks.
They've seemed to really get
the offense moving.
You know, the defense is tough
I think with DeSoto it's not going to be
I think maybe
at the beginning of the year,
I've seen some sound bites from them
where they were feeling pretty confident
about playing facing Northwood this year.
But I think this game, being in the last
game of the year, really does help
Northwood because the Falcons, you know,
few inexperienced players get in the mix.
They certainly seem to figure things out.
We'll pick that one later.
I figured that would be a good
one for one of our picks.
I'm so excited for that game.
It would have probably been game
of the week, but it's on a Thursday
and we have one of the oldest rivalries
around in our game of the week
the Claiborne Parish,
Super Bowl, Homer and Haynesville,
they're playing again for a district title
I, I honestly have no idea
who has the edge in this matchup.
Yeah. I don't either.
I'll say this.
I think that it's a it's a coin flip
regardless of record,
regardless of the games being played
because those two teams
think they played more than anybody
and it's always a really good ballgame.
And when you have one side that's lopsided
the next year, it's not.
So, you know, that's going to be a fun
game to see how it shakes out.
What are the district implications
with this one?
Is this one the district championship?
Yeah, this is a straight up
district championship.
Yeah.
So you're talking like where their seeding
is going to be in a playoff
and all that. And so, so much hangs on it.
Where is it As it hangs
more is at Homer. It is in Homer.
Oh, boy.
And that's going to be
that's going to be interesting, man.
That's going to be interesting in there.
They're picking that game tonight or.
Oh, yeah, that's definitely that's
that's our second one.
I mean, we can pick it now if you want.
I mean, I'll give you the first pick
because I like these.
I agree with you.
I think it's a coin flip.
Yeah.
I don't know if there's an advantage
to picking first or second in this deal,
to be honest with you.
I'm going to pick Homer
just because they're at home.
But shoot, I mean,
I've seen film on both teams,
and both teams are really good.
I told you we were breaking down film
for Loyal at the beginning of the year.
They were at scrimmage in Haynesville.
I was like, Dear God, I'm so glad
we're not having to play those guys.
I mean, they're big,
they're fast or physical.
They've got some
some really good young players.
They're even doing some stuff differently,
you know,
Now that was the beginning of the year.
You never know what they look like
12 weeks later.
But you know, they're scary good.
And I've seen Homer on film, too.
So minutes either way, I don't feel like
either one of us have an advantage
with who would pick this one, because it's
going to be it's going to be a good one.
Yeah, I got no problem
riding with the tornado on this one.
And and, you know,
I think a lot of times in this matchup,
it's like,
you know, the cycle of high school
football teams are going to be younger,
may be down a year or so whatever
whatever.
I feel like we've seen it so often
where, you know, one of them was was,
you know, at a peak
of one of those great eras for them.
The other one was kind of
at the beginning of one.
I feel like this is the year
that they're both right there.
This is the Haynesville team
that we're all that we always see.
You know, chase the state championship.
They've got that team again, Homer.
They're doing exactly what led them
to a state title a year ago.
I'm just I'm so excited for this game.
Our Daniel Brown
is the luckiest guy in the area.
I would say for the past five weeks
he's had a district championship game
and they've all really come down
to the last few minutes and I don't think
this one's any different.
But yeah, I'll I'll stick with the tours.
I know we got we got a Golden Tornado fan,
Jeffrey, that's always hitting us up.
He is fired up for this game.
I mean, we've been getting messages
on our little Facebook
lives about this game for like a month
and a half At this point.
They've just been looking ahead.
They've had such similar years.
The games that they've lost have been
I believe I want to say Haynesville
was against an out-of-state team as well.
I think they've both lost two out-of-state
teams,
but have looked,
you know, dominant and district.
Homer had a test against Glen Brook.
They passed it last week.
Man, just just an exciting game.
They've I don't know the exact number,
but I know it's well over 100 years
in this rivalry.
And so yeah, I'll go Haynesville
and since we're doing picks
you want to go ahead and do Northwood
north DeSoto I'll go first and I'll, I'll,
I'll go north. DeSoto
Yeah.
I mean if I, if I was a betting man,
that's where I put my money.
But at the same time
it is a home game for Northwood.
And what did Northwood do last year.
Right. Went up there
and beat them in that same North.
And so the team went to the dome,
you know,
So I can see
Northwood playing really solid
defense, ball control offense
and, you know, managing the offense,
making plays and they've got athletes.
And that's the one thing,
you know, both teams have.
And so any time you got athletes
and get them in space,
you create match ups,
you know that both sides of the ball
are going to be well coached.
So you were talking about,
you know, Hudson here
and some of the throws he's
making all that.
I mean, they've got they've got a really
good quarterback coach over there.
I mean, he's he's
been coaching guys up, you know,
working with Mason over the years.
We really try to
instill a lot of the coaching points
that they use with their offense,
with their footwork and stuff like that.
So, you know, he came well-prepared
when we were training in the offseason.
So I'm not surprised by,
you know, the success of the here in Kid
and how well they're playing
and the fact that they're
putting it together
with so many guys being replaced,
you know, from last year's team.
And some of those kids
started for three years,
you know,
you know, the same thing with Mason start.
Matt Long So Northwood,
you know, I'll definitely take them.
And I could see that
being the upset of the weekend.
Yeah, which it shouldn't be.
We'll be honest with you. It shouldn't.
It really shouldn't be, because they're
winning that game, you know?
You know, the last few years,
they really, you know, played
the north DeSoto very well
and it kind of shocked people.
And they people shouldn't be shocked.
I mean, they're really, really good and
they're consistent year in and year out.
And, you know, watching North DeSoto,
a lot of times, well,
they have a really high quality
stream of their game.
So we'll pick that up a lot
and I'll edit through that.
And you know, the connection between Luke
Delafield and Colt Corey is special.
And I mean, you're talking about quick
slants.
They're taking them 80 yards
regularly against good teams, not just,
you know, not just against the teams.
They should beat by 40 or whatever.
I tell you, I am so excited for this game.
To be on a Thursday night is really great.
Kind of have its own spotlight there.
But yeah, I don't know. I agree.
I think you put it perfectly
when you said it shouldn't be an upset,
but it just feels.
I don't know, man.
There's just something about this game
in particular and and, and, you know,
the Griffins know that as well.
I mean, they're familiar with the history.
Obviously, most of these teams,
most of these guys on that team
were there last year for this game.
And I believe it was a one point game
last year.
I think Northwood maybe held them late,
but in the red zone
maybe got like a turnover or
something like, Oh no, there was a fumble.
I think North DeSoto
fumbled in their own endzone
and oh man, I'm going to I'm going
to blank on the kid's name.
The defensive linemen
they had last year at Northwood.
That was so good.
Oh man, I'll never know.
He's the one that went and played
college ball. Right, right, right.
I can't remember his name,
but I know you're talking about.
Yeah, he he made that play.
I think it was our top
play of the night that night.
So yeah, I that's yeah, I got,
I got Griffin's, you got falcons
and I've got the tornado.
You've got the pelicans.
How about this one.
And since we're picking rivalry games
let's do another.
Yeah.
In Monroe, Ruston,
West Monroe, always a big one.
Yeah.
I'm going to tell you.
No, that's not a hard pick. And it's.
That's not a slap at West Monroe.
All right. I'm going to be honest.
You asked me that two years ago.
There's no way right now.
I mean, there's just no way.
But I will say this.
I have been impressed with
with what West Monroe has been able to do
with all the distractions
they have this off season,
new head coach and then all that junk
that they're going through.
And then, you know,
they give the interim tag to The O.C.
I think it's name
Coach Davis and I could be wrong,
but I'm pretty sure that Kyle Davis,
I think that he's done a fantastic job,
you know, rallying the troops
and putting together really
saving the season, to be honest with you.
And here they are,
you know, based off of what go preps
as the projections,
I mean, they're sitting right there
to where they got
pretty good shot
at getting to the quarters. Yeah.
And if you would have said
that at the beginning of the year
after what happened with with Garvin and
all that, that would be something else.
I wouldn't believe you,
but you got Garvin sitting over there
on the sidelines at Ruston
looking at his old team.
You got, you know,
you got a an unbelievable rest in defense.
And they're building
to go back to the dome.
And they were so close last year
and it's pretty cool.
I mean, you look at North Dakota
in the same boat, you know,
they were so close to being state champs
last year.
You got Ruston that so close
to being state champs last year.
And now you got two teams
that are making a push in here,
you know, at Ruston
going on the road at Western Road.
If they can win there,
yeah, they're going to be ready.
That's huge.
You know Western road and lose at home
and they don't lose at home week ten.
So I think that that is going to be
an incredible match up.
But I'm going to go with, I'm
going to go with Ruston and just because
their defense is unbelievable,
I mean they are unbelievable
in the type of offense that they play.
They can ball control West Monroe
as much as they want,
so the Brantley kid can sling it.
He's big kid.
They got lots of athletes.
The run game is good
run game and defense travel
and they travel late in the year and so
that that is going to be a it's
going to be a fun one
to just check the ticker
to see what the score is.
Yep and I'm fully
I fully expect Ruston win that one.
Yeah I mean
I'll obviously go with the rebels but yeah
I'm with you on Ruston in terms of
just how special they've been this year,
one of the only undefeated teams
left in the state of Louisiana
because of that Warren Easton forfeit
at the beginning of the year.
People do get a little confused about that
because we did have highlights of them
losing
that game,
but the game was forfeited resting.
It's the win. So they are undefeated.
And you know, again, another name
I'm going to blank on,
but I have a reason for it.
They've got a freshman wide
receiver over their arrest and he has made
two of the catches of the year
this year, both one handed
and Odell Beckham type.
And the reason that I never can remember
his name is because
I believe there's another player
listed on their roster with his number.
I don't know if they were expecting him
to be as good as he's been
later in the year.
So when our photographer sent us
this game,
they always put the wrong name in
because they're looking at the roster.
It's got that name,
so we're going to figure it out.
If he does make another play,
we'll make sure we get that right.
But yes, so that's a fun game.
I mean, what about these three rivalry
games last week as the regular season?
I mean, you can't ask for anything
better than this
to close out the regular season.
Yeah.
And on
top of that, I mean, you've got Parkway.
And Parkway is at BetMGM. Yep.
And that's that's become a week
ten rivalry.
And then you got Shreve and Holton. Yep.
And that one is, you know,
you never know how that one's going to go.
There's been games where you're like,
Oh man,
this team's going to run away with it,
and then boom, it's a, it's a shocker.
So you know that there's a lot of really
good football that's going on in the state
this weekend and everybody is, you know,
looking forward to how things shake out.
And a lot of teams are preparing
for their postseason against teams.
You know, this is their last game,
getting their seniors in
and sending them off in style, same time
trying to build momentum
for the spring and the following year. So,
hey, football week ten, you know,
weather's getting cold now.
I notice it's going to be like 70
something Friday night.
You got to be kidding me. Perfect.
I mean, we got
we got all of our hour long sleep.
You know, we got our hoodies and stuff
and it came in late.
Now we can't even wear them to the game
Friday.
You know, nothing's gone right for us
This year.
I'm coaching here, doesn't come in.
You know, I want to wear long sleeved
stuff on Friday nights in November.
Yeah, it's going to be I'm being short
sleeves, but, you know, it is what it is.
You know, it's just fun
time of the year, man.
I'm I'm I'm excited about it.
And I'm I'm going to be excited to be able
to watch other teams
play the following week.
So, you know, it is the best time
of the year, no question.
Well,
we got to talk about the following week,
getting you up here on a Friday night
to co-host the show with me.
I think that would be so fun.
First week of playoffs.
We did a lot, a lot
that we'd be able to talk about.
So we'll talk more about that off air.
But I would love to make that happen.
I did.
I did kind of want to talk about that
Shreveport Horton game
and I didn't want to pick it
because I feel like, you know,
Shareef is the overwhelming favorite
in that game.
But, you know, last week against beating
Shreve, it was a it was a disgusting game
in terms of weather.
I mean, that rain did not
start from the first snap.
Some some
I felt
there was a moment in that game for Shreve
when I was like,
not that I haven't thought this already,
but I was like, Yeah,
these guys are for real this year.
So Benton,
Jeffrey King hits his receiver, Shreve.
Guy falls down.
He's all the way for a touchdown
that made it a three point game.
Next play for Shreve. On offense.
They fumbled the snap again,
pouring down rain, but they fall on it.
Very next play.
Jamal on notice breaks a tackle,
you know, 60 plus yards down the field.
And that was the moment for me
where I was like,
you know the Shareef team,
they're they're not easily rattled.
That never seemed like a game.
That street that got away from the Gators
despite all the adversity, the weather
they're playing at home in Blanchard
they canceled senior night
because of the weather.
A lot of distractions
that could have been an issue
against a hungry, beaten team
that's playing better.
That would love nothing more than to spoil
the party there for the Gators.
And they didn't let it happen.
They broke another record
for point scored.
So I think, you know,
this is their final test.
I know this even hot matchup
has become a little bit of a rivalry,
some friendly trash talk back and forth.
You know, I hear a lot of that coming
from the Shareef side because of my,
you know, going to hot and stuff.
But yeah,
I just think I think that this is
looks like another moment
where Shreeve just, you know, plants
that flag in the ground says we're here
and they could take it
outright in district
one five which I mean I don't
I didn't have them picked
to win the district outright.
I knew they'd be in the mix.
But to be at this point in the year and
their one win away, it's just impressive.
I think Coach Kirby has done
a heck of a job this year.
He really has.
And I'm going to say this,
you know, I don't want to take away
from anything that Shreve has done.
We have played everybody in the district
except for
Bird.
And I'll tell you, I thought
Shreve offensively, they run the ball
as good as anybody in our district.
Yeah, they are big up front
and Otis is really, really good.
If you stop Otis, you have to stop Baker
And that's where everything changes
from them to, you know, to airlines
Parkway.
It's a bit and you take the best offenses
in our district.
That's the difference is their quarterback
run game does not
they don't lose anything when they call
the quarterback's number and he is
he is dynamic with the ball in his hands
he runs downhill They block really well.
Coach Kirby and them are really good
at scheming up what defenses
are trying to take away
or what they're doing schematically.
And so that's really where
they're making their money
and they're playing good defense.
I mean, Streep's defense is very athletic.
They're big, you know,
they can make plays in the secondary.
Here's the thing. Horton does
that nobody's talking about.
They're freaking quarterbacks legit. Yep.
All right.
I mean, you know, he may he may not be
he may not be the big six
two, £215 bruiser, but he is athletic.
He made some throws against us.
You're like, great,
in our quarterback's legit.
We have a sophomore
that is as good as anybody in the state.
And so when you
look out there and you see,
you know, Alton's going to hang around,
and if they hang around, it's close.
Like Jason Brooks is one of the best head
coaches and in close games
there is in our district,
he was pulling out trick plays.
And I mean, I've lost two games to the gap
in, you know, 21 week one he had yet to go
deep in his bag to beat it.
Yeah he did Red River.
We jumped all over him.
All over him
and we lost a heartbreaker late.
And then last week we lost it.
You know, he went for two.
He was like,
I'm not playing for no overtime.
He lined up and he frigging went for two
and they got it.
He can three can
coach and those kids can play
that game.
Is it regardless of what it looks like
on paper
for anybody that wants to say
teams have quit this late in the season
because their season at Goldman
isn't going well.
I didn't see that with,
you know,
I haven't seen that with with southward.
When you turn on the film South
Wood plays hard they play
they played bird hard last week, man.
They haven't won a game all year.
One five is a it's just a
it's a it's a beatdown every week.
It doesn't matter what is on the record.
It doesn't matter who wins and losses.
They're going to show up and they're
going to play. They're well-coached.
So there is no you know,
there's no off week in our district.
And that's the one thing Coach
Kirby is going to make sure his guys know
that this is going to be a tough game.
Walton is going to come ready to play.
You better be ready and special teams
because Robertson's got his guys
coached up in special teams.
You better have an answer for number ten
because he can play
and he pull it down
and they're going to run the Holton Trap.
And it doesn't matter how
well you scheme it up.
They are excellent
at adjusting to their base play,
which they've been running
for 30 years. Yep.
And so at the end of the day,
that game is going to be
it's going to be a walk in, I'm sure
and sure he wants to get in there
and put them away.
And Houghton's not going to go away
unless they just lay down.
And I don't think
that they're going to do that
because there were times in our game
where they could have laid down
and they did. Yep.
And so, you know, that that would be a fun
game to pick just because I know you're
not going to pick against your hallmark.
But I will tell you right now,
I will tell you right now,
Bitton
played three great in the first half
bit and turned the ball over
and three capitalized on it
and then they just didn't stop scoring
and they run the ball really well.
If you take away what Bitton does,
they can, you know, they, they,
they want to push the ball down the field.
Geoffrey King's a playmaker.
I'm not surprised that they were trying
to make plays to keep,
you know, keep them in them,
keep them in that ball game
and that's how it got away from them.
Same thing with airline.
When airline got behind, you know,
they were they were down and out.
The trick plays and turn the ball over,
which they don't normally do in
what a tree do. They made them pay.
So at the end of the day,
Horton doesn't turn the ball over
and they stay ahead of the sticks
and they can get into situations
where they can call the quarterback's
number four quarterback run. And in six
there was one of their receivers
I think is the Louis kid.
He can really play
if they can do that, man,
they can make it a ballgame
and they can win it.
So don't be surprised
if you see Horton and Shreve in a dogfight
in the second half of that ballgame,
if not the fourth quarter, because
you know, you can string it out,
make it hard on you,
They slow the game down
or they speed it up.
You know, they they are very versatile
in what they do offensively.
So I hope people
are paying attention to that game
and not thinking it's just going to be
one sided.
Default shows up, want to play,
they can play with them
and they can beat them.
And so, you know, I don't think trades in
a go in there, lay down for them.
Not at all.
They have way too much on the line.
A clear district title.
And, you know,
I think they're the one seed right now
projected one seed in select Division
one select.
So they have a lot on the line.
So that's why
I think that's going to be a big game.
And, you know, look, we're not naive.
I mean, you don't think Coach Brotherton
and all and a lot of players in that
roster are talking about this week
how much they would love to spoil
the party for their district rivals?
Yeah, you know it.
And who knows what happens
with the playoffs.
I mean I know we said last week
in an interview Coach Brotherton
he didn't think they'd make the playoffs
even if they won the last two.
Well, you you beat a team that's,
you know, eight and one
and you get all their wins
and you look at all the people they play.
They didn't play a soft schedule.
So you're going to gallery wins week
ten and union wins and all that that's
you just never know And in this
this crazy thing with PowerPoints
and all that, things swing so quick
and so there's a lot to play
for on both sides, for both teams.
That's going to be a fun one to see.
You know how it shakes out.
You know, it's crazy
how the schedule worked out somehow.
I'm I'm going to film that game.
I don't know who who assigns those
who make these assignments,
but yeah, the sports director
I'll be Between the Pines on Friday night
should be a ton of fun.
I just want to is
I think like you said, I agree with you.
I think it's going to be awesome.
So I want to to get a little bit of that.
I had a couple of duds last week,
so, you know,
I wanted to try to get myself a good game
to get out there.
To our viewers, I was at believe
it was a minute and Booker
T Washington, I shot a whole half
and it was a it was six nothing.
Booker T had a touchdown run.
The only resistance
the runner had was his own team.
He flattened his own teammate on the way.
So that was an interesting man.
It was an interesting play
to have to have.
On the on the highlight.
Okay, so it's Tuesday.
I haven't really done my full research yet
in terms of what I'm going to do
for playoffs, nerds, whatever.
But I'm sure you've at least looked
at the power ratings.
I know you guys do all the time.
Is there anything like any interesting
matchups in terms of seedings,
maybe some teams that are on the outside
looking in,
anything that kind of caught your eyes,
something that our viewers can pay
attention to this Friday night?
No, I would I would say that
teams like Captain Shreve,
bird teams that are
that are on the select
side are playing for a lot this week
just because the Catholic League
down there
and those schools south about ten
you know they're so competitive
and so things can swing back and forth
pretty quickly with certain teams
drop into, you know, these rivalry games.
So that's one of them.
I know that Parkway they need a win
to guarantee a home playoff game
and they've had a great year
and the last thing they want to do is
go up to Benton and drop one.
And Benton sitting at 28 right now
on the projections.
They need a win so they can,
you know, guarantee their spot.
And so, you know, Reynolds, in company
being so close last year with that stupid,
you know, official situation,
whatever it happened,
I'm not calling the official state
by any means.
I'm just saying that whole situation was
not that thing was nuts.
I was at the ball game and, you know,
I've heard the interviews and all that.
And it just
I know that Reynolds wants that.
He wants that.
He wants that decision back.
So he's got an opportunity
to secure a playoff spot.
So that's a big game for them.
And so I know that they need a win.
And then, of course,
I mean, you look at home or Haynesville
that, you know, that's huge for playoff
implications or who's going to be
where how far they're going
to, you know, how how they're going to be.
And then,
you know, Calvary's sitting right there.
I mean, they could be top two.
So there is that.
I would say those are your main weekends.
People got to take care of business to
lock in their spot and log in their seed.
That is the main thing that
that I would say people watching
this weekend need to pay attention to
is because some of those, you know,
some of those teams drop one.
You know
they could go from hosting to on the road
and on the road playing a team
that may not have the best record.
I mean, may not may not have,
you know, a whole lot,
you know, to show for for a,
you know, their season and boom, you know,
they they they get that that, you know,
that that one win that they needed.
And now they're hosting a team
and you know or now you're you're bringing
in a team
that you know is coming to play you
and you know
they're better than their record shows.
And so it's just it's crazy, man.
I mean I'm in the last two years
at Red River, we were stuck with Rose
Pine in the second round, and we were
stuck with Rose part of the first round.
Yeah.
And they were good, both freaking years.
And it's like, man,
you got to take care
of business in what you do
in on your schedule matters and what your,
what your opponents
in your non-district schedule do matters
because those power points
add up at the end of the year.
So that's, that's the main thing.
Just looking at the projections
there, there's so many
there's so many different scenarios.
It's hard for me to just lay out
what is what.
But rust in Western Rose Huge
implications, big, big time implications.
Homer Haynesville
Big implications. Parkway.
Benton It's big and then it's big
for Shreve, it's big and important
as a chance to back in.
I know they are saying they don't,
but there are people out there
that you know, that are mathematicians
that could look at every stinkin scenario
and come up with one,
you know, So that's it's just it's fun.
It's what's fun about high school
football.
It's what's fun with the way
that our playoff system works.
And, you know, I would much
rather be very rigid and linear
and you're taking these teams
and these teams are making it
and this is where the seedings
going to fall based off your record.
And you know, would make sense
to, you know, simple minded people like me
that we just would rather go
with the best records
and take your top three or whatever
it is at the power points, man.
It makes games matter.
It just makes games that
you don't think matter. So
it's going to be fun, man.
I look forward to seeing
how everything shakes out.
And are you going to be able
to remember your picks?
Because I mean, you forget them picks
every week, You know, I don't.
I got it.
I got it this way because this is easy.
This is easy.
I mean, we got all three
big rivalry games, so not a problem.
I got West Monroe, North DeSoto
and Haynesville
and you know, yeah, already off
to a good start also.
It's also going to be a very big week
for our friend Hunter Bower
at Go Preps on that Saturday morning
when everyone's
just hungry
to figure out what's going on their feet.
That side's going
to go perhaps is going to be
just some just help the server up.
This is this is the crazy thing man.
Hunter is so good at this.
I know that the last few years,
I don't know if he's even had a mistake.
Yeah.
Now I'm talking about two way
when I was in Do It, you know,
I was paying attention to a no body. It.
I think they were almost perfect.
And so I know there was a couple spots
that flipped because of,
you know, a forfeit or something.
Things that are outside
of the mathematical control of Hunter.
Hunter and his crew know
how to put all that together.
And so what he's doing for the the fan
and the coach alike is is incredible.
And the fact that he keeps up
with the stats and,
you know, gives tidbits
every week of things to pay attention to.
I mean, everything
Hunter and his crew do is it's impressive
and I'm grateful for it.
I mean, I it's fun to it's fun
to just peruse and look at every
every time he puts a new article out
about something with projections and,
you know, stats
and all that. It's just it's awesome.
It's awesome for the kids, it's
awesome for coaches and parents alike.
And I can speak for TV people across
Louisiana.
We are very thankful for him as well
because he
that information's
nice and easy. It's easy to find.
And yeah, I references
power ratings more than anything
when I'm looking at scenarios
as we get ready for the show on Friday.
Well, it is Halloween.
I know it
will be after Halloween when it releases,
but I want to give you
I'm first tell a story,
then I'm going to ask you the question.
So, you know, you've probably seen our
I think Eli's been on it, our Halloween
or holiday pieces
that we put our Yes, the kids
on the questions or whatever, whatever.
My first
one of my first ever high school
football preview stories that I shot
was Bird back
when Mike Suggs was the head coach.
Paul Crane was our sports director.
Then it was his idea
to ask these holiday questions.
So he told me when I went out
and you do interviews, ask him,
give me a list of these holiday questions,
whatever, whatever, whatever.
So I interview the players first,
ask them the holiday questions.
Oh, we're having a great time.
I interview Mike Suggs
and I ask him what his favorite
Halloween costume ever was.
And the look he gave me was
it was something.
Needless to say,
we didn't do a holiday question.
So a lesson for everyone out there.
But hey, I'll ask you favorite
Halloween costume you've ever had
and favorite candy on holiday.
Oh, this is these are great.
I had a michael Myers mask and in fact,
I have it in my classroom at school.
It's the one you pull down.
It fits tight, get the hair and all that.
I had one of those with a flight suit
that a friend of mine gave me.
Old flight suit, green flight suit.
So back in college,
I'd walk around the neighborhood,
scare people and stuff in it.
But I don't do that anymore
because now you're liable to get
yourself hurt doing that. So
Michael Myers mask and then
I'd say my top candies, you know, my go to
I like the Tootsie
Pops suckers with the Tootsie Rolls.
And I love those.
I like the Tootsie Rolls, the long ones
I enjoy.
I enjoy a good Kit-Kat and Reese's
peanut butter Cups like fight for that.
Yeah, those are things that I will throw
hands over if you reach down on my bag
and grab stuff.
I mean, don't play around
with that kind of stuff.
Those are my favorite.
Well, good. That.
Well, maybe
we'll have a little care package for you
when you come up here for this show
in a couple of weeks.
You know, for me, obviously,
my wife and I do the Star Wars
cosplay, so I have plenty of Star Wars
costumes that we like.
But it's not really Halloween.
When I think back Halloween,
I believe I was like five or six years
old and I had the Red Power Ranger
get up the mask and everything.
I don't necessarily remember it that well
being that young, but I love the picture
because the look on my face,
the pride that I have,
is very similar to how
I still am with the Star Wars outfits.
It was like I was just that same
a lot of ways on that same kid
in the Power Ranger outfit
that I've always been.
So I love.
That's my that's
definitely my go to Halloween costume.
When I'm asked Candy Look, I'm all about
the starburst Gobstopper is gummy bears.
I'm not a big chocolate guy. I don't know.
I Could go with those too, man.
I could go with those, too.
All those are winners, man.
I take every one of those.
But you go to my go tos
if I'm reaching down in somebody's bag,
that's what I'm looking
for. Love it. Love it.
Well, Coach, I really appreciate you
being here, as always, man.
We're about to wrap this thing up, but
any closing thoughts before we head off
into another week of high school football?
Now, I've enjoyed every week talking ball
and I'm excited to see how everything
shakes out here at the end of the year.
It's been a lot of fun, you know,
just seeing crazy games and crazy
statistics and, you know, just watching
kids go out and play really well,
you know, just being around
a lot of these kids in our off season,
you know, I'm just proud of the kids
that I get to work with, proud of my guys.
You know, Mack Central and and rooting for
you know, rooting for my buddies
and the coach and coach and industry
that are trying to,
you know, make a playoff run.
So a lot of fun and I enjoy doing this
every single week with you.
Same here.
And next week we'll be back to our roots
coach who could forget
first year,
the film session at the church.
We had the little TV monitor up
and put the playoff brackets
and we went through all the games.
I mean, we won't do it exactly like that
next week, but it'll be pretty similar.
So I'm excited for that.
They find it hard to believe that, Wow,
what year is this for us working together?
It's it's been four or five.
Yeah, it's four or five, but,
you know, somewhere in there for about
I believe I'll tell you,
I've enjoyed every second of it
and we still have much more to come.
Coach Harper, thank you so much
for being with us as always.
And of course, thanks to our listeners
here on the three favorite point
after podcast.
It's the final week of the regular season.
Why are you not watching Friday Football
Fever 1030 on every Friday night
and we're here every Wednesday
to get you geared up for another hour.
Excuse me, every Thursday.
Wow. Alex, come on to get you get for a
another week of high school football.
We'll be talking playoffs
next week. We'll see you then.