SHREVEPORT- As kickoff nears for the 2018 Landers Dodge Battle on the Border High School Football Showcase it is nearly time for the 12 participating teams to get their “Game On!” Battle on the Border VIII is a six-game, three-day format, providing a full slate of games for area and regional high school football fans starting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 6 at Independence Stadium.
The eighth annual showcase continues to feature regional and national power house high school football programs from Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Fans who can’t make it to Shreveport for the showcase can watch all of the exciting action live on FloSports. FloSports will live stream the five Battle on the Border games at https://www.flofootball.com/live/3023-battle-on-the-border-hs-football/.
Tickets for the Battle on the Border start at $10 for advanced general admission, and one ticket is good for all five games. For more information, visit www.thebattleontheborder.com.
2018 Landers Dodge Battle on the Border High School Football Showcase Schedule:
Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018
John Curtis Patriots (River Ridge, LA) vs. Bishop Lynch Friars (Dallas, TX) – 6 p.m.
The John Curtis Patriots have captured a record 25 state championships, and are coached by J.T. Curtis, Jr., who is the winningest active coach in the country. Curtis is also a member of the National Federation of High Schools’ Hall of Fame. The Patriots lost to Grayson, Ga. in last year’s Battle on the Border but didn’t lose again until the LHSAA Division I State Championship game, falling 20-14 to Catholic of Baton Rouge. The Bishop Lynch Friars posted a 12-1 record in 2017. The Friars only blemish was a 34-15 loss to St. Pius X of Houston in the semifinals of the TAPPS Division I Playoffs. Coach Chuck Faucette has won 21 games and a state title in his two seasons at the Dallas Catholic school.
Friday, Sept. 7, 2018
McGill-Toolen Yellow Jackets (Mobile, AL) vs. West Monroe Rebels (West Monroe, LA) – 6 p.m.
The McGill-Toolen Yellow Jackets won 13 of the 14 games it played in 2017. Unfortunately for the Yellow Jackets, their lone setback was a 48-20 loss to the Hoover Buccaneers in the Alabama Class 7A State Championship. McGill-Toolen has won 39 games over the last three seasons, and the Jackets have posted double-digit win seasons in six of the last seven years. The West Monroe Rebels went 13-1 in 2017 and were the top seed in the LHSAA’s Class 5A playoffs. The Rebels only defeat, 29-27, came at the hands of the eventual state champion Zachary Broncos in the semifinals. West Monroe has captured eight state titles in its storied history.
North Little Rock Charging Wildcats (Little Rock, AR) vs. Evangel Eagles (Shreveport, LA) – 8:30 p.m.
The North Little Rock Charging Wildcats, who are the defending Class 7A Arkansas State Champions, will be making their first appearance in the Battle on the Border. North Little Rock edged Bentonville 44-37 in a nail-biter at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. It was the Charging Wildcats first title since 1972. The Evangel Eagles return to the Battle on the Border after a year hiatus. Last year, Evangel lost in the LHSAA Division I semifinals to eventual champion Catholic High of Baton Rouge.
Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018
Booker T. Washington Hornets (Tulsa, OK) vs. Horn Lake Eagles (Horn Lake, MS) – 11 a.m.
The BTW Hornets will be making their third straight appearance in the Battle on the Border. The Hornets lost to West Monroe in last year’s Battle on the Border, and it turned out to be the only blemish on their schedule. BTW would win 10 straight games and capture the Class 6A-II State Championship with a 28-21 win over Bixby. It was the ninth state championships in BTW’s storied history. The Horn Lake Eagles are coming off a 9-3 season from a year ago. Horn Lake lost to Starkville in the second round of the Mississippi High School Athletic Association’s Class 6A playoffs.
Bentonville Tigers (Bentonville, AR) vs. Aledo Bearcats (Aledo, TX) – 3 p.m.
This matchup features two teams that will be making their debuts in the Battle on the Border. The Bentonville Tigers have won nine conference titles and five state championships since 2001. Bentonville lost, 44-37, to North Little Rock in last year’s thrilling Class 7A Arkansas State Championship. Aledo’s only loss of the 2017 season came in heartbreaking fashion as the College Station Cougars edged the Bearcats 20-19 in the UIL 5A Division II state championship game. It was not only the first loss of the season for the Bearcats (15-1) but their first defeat in 32 games. Aledo, which was vying for its second consecutive state title and seventh in nine seasons, had not lost a state championship game since 1974.
Bishop Dunne Falcons (Dallas, TX) vs. C.E. Byrd Yellow Jackets (Shreveport, LA) – 7 p.m.
In 2017, Bishop Dunne not only made its debut in the Battle on the Border, but the Falcons made their season debut as well. The Falcons were supposed to play in Houston the first week of the season but the flooding from Hurricane Harvey cancelled the game. It was a tough start as the Falcons lost 21-14 to Brentwood Academy in their inaugural appearance. The Falcons finished the season with a 6-5 record losing 35-28 in the second round of the TAPPS Division I playoffs to St. Pius X of Houston. The 2017 season for the Byrd Yellow Jackets can best be described as average. The Yellow Jackets won their first two games, lost the next two, won three straight games, lost three straight to finish with a 5-5 record. Byrd coach Mike Suggs, the dean of area coaches, will be in his 21st season as the Yellow Jackets’ head man.
NOTE: All games are Central Standard Time
2018 Landers Dodge Battle on the Border High School Football Showcase Top Recruits:
| School | Player | Pos. | Stars | Rankings | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aledo | Colt Ellison | DE | 4 | 247Sports #47 in TX, Rivals #36 in TX | TCU |
| Aledo | Jase McClellan | RB | 4 | 247Sports #2 in TX, #18 Nationally | Oklahoma |
| Bentonville | Donte Jones | S | 3 | 247Sports #25 in AR | Undecided |
| Bishop Dunne | Chans Jones | OG | 3 | 247Sports #242 in TX | Undecided |
| Bishop Dunne | Jabari Khepera | WR | 3 | 247Sports #237 in TX | Undecided |
| Bishop Dunne | Brian Williams | S | 5/4 | 247Sports #13, Rivals #30 | Texas A&M |
| Bishop Dunne | Logan Wilson | CB | 3 | 247Sports #152 in TX | Undecided |
| Bishop Lynch | Gabriel Murphy | OLB | 3 | 247Sports #137 in TX | North Texas |
| Bishop Lynch | Grayson Murphy | OLB | 3 | 247Sports #165 in TX | North Texas |
| B.T. Washington | Thomas Grayson | RB | 3 | 247Sports #13 in OK | Nebraska |
| B.T. Washington | Daxton Hill | S | 5/4 | 247Sports #27, Rivals #21 | Undecided |
| B.T. Washington | Demarco Jones | CB | 3 | 247Sports #10 in OK | Oklahoma State |
| Evangel | Elijah Chatman | DL | 3 | 247Sports #76 in LA | SMU |
| Evangel | Na'Drian Dizadare | ILB | 3 | 247Sports #55 in LA, Rivals #44 in LA | Oklahoma State |
| Horn Lake | Nakobe Dean | LB | 5/4 | 247Sports #25, Rivals #24 | Undecided |
| Horn Lake | Raydarious Jones | ATH | 3 | 247Sports #20 in MS, Rivals #18 in MS | Undecided |
| John Curtis | Donald Clay | CB | 3 | 247Sports #31, Rivals #34 in LA | SMU |
| McGill-Toolen | LeDarrius Cox | DT | 3 | 247Sports #16 in AL, Rivals #11 in AL | Tennessee |
| McGill-Toolen | Sheldon Layman | QB | 3 | 247Sports #51 in AL, Rivals #50 in AL | Memphis |
| North Little Rock | Oscar Adaway III | RB | 3 | 247Sports #13 in AR | Undecided |
| North Little Rock | Drew Martin | TE | 3 | 247Sports #10 in AR, Rivals #8 in AR | Memphis |
| West Monroe | Dalvin Hutchinson | DT | 3 | 247Sports #66 in LA | Louisiana |