Airline’s Jarvis Davis Jr. gets into the end zone for a two-point conversion against Mandeville at Airline High School in Bossier City, La., Friday, Nov. 24, 2023.
Airline’s Ben Taylor throws a pass during a game against Captain Shreve at Lee Hedges Stadium in Shreveport, La., Friday, Oct. 4, 2024.
Calvary’s Abram Wardell throws a pass to teammate Kolby Thomas during the Cavaliers’ game against Oak Grove at Calvary Baptist Academy in Shreveport, La., Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.
Evangel’s Peyton Houston evades Neville defenders during the game at Evangel Christian Academy in Shreveport, La., Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.
Calvary’s James Simon finds room to run against Neville during the game at Calvary Baptist Academy in Shreveport, La., Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.
Captain Shreve’s Jamarcea Plater gains ground during a game against Evangel on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, at Lee Hedges Stadium in Shreveport, La.
Airline’s Kenny Darby catches a pass during a game against Captain Shreve at Lee Hedges Stadium in Shreveport, La., Friday, Oct. 4, 2024.
Calvary’s Kolby Thomas catches a pass during a game against Huntington at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La., Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.
Airline’s Jarvis Davis Jr. gets into the end zone for a two-point conversion against Mandeville at Airline High School in Bossier City, La., Friday, Nov. 24, 2023.
Calvary’s James Simon finds room to run against Neville during the game at Calvary Baptist Academy in Shreveport, La., Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.
No matter what happens in the final week of the regular season or the postseason, this has been a wild statistical prep football season in the Shreveport-Bossier City area.
The crown jewel (so far) was a Week 6 matchup where Evangel and Captain Shreve combined for the most total yards (1,816) in a game in the history of high school football, according to the NFHS record book.
Today, we look at some of the local individual superstars – what they’ve done and what they can do. One thing is certain, several schools are rewriting their record books. And the NFHS record keepers will certainly be familiar with local athletes after the 2024 campaign.
(in alphabetical order, by school)
Airline’s Ben Taylor throws a pass during a game against Captain Shreve at Lee Hedges Stadium in Shreveport, La., Friday, Oct. 4, 2024.
The senior ranks fourth in Louisiana history with 11,308 passing yards. Former Evangel stars occupied the top three spots. Taylor is just 16 yards behind Phillip Deas and 392 yards behind second-place Josh Booty. All-time leader Brock Berlin (13,902) is well out of reach.
Tayor, a Northwestern State commit, has obviously obliterated every school record. He also posted the third-highest Shreveport-Bossier City mark for passing yards in a game (573) against Captain Shreve in Week 5.
With 3,291 passing yards and 36 TDs, Taylor is on pace to challenge his 2023 marks of 4,189 yards and 49 TDs.
With 8,659 passing yards, the senior has passed John David Booty for eighth on the all-time Shreveport-Bossier City list. He’s just 17 yards behind Garrett Hable (Benton) for seventh, but Keith Baker (Green Oaks) is nearly 1,200 yards away.
Calvary’s Abram Wardell throws a pass to teammate Kolby Thomas during the Cavaliers’ game against Oak Grove at Calvary Baptist Academy in Shreveport, La., Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.
Cade Hart is the Cavaliers’ all-time leader in passing yards (10,473) and touchdowns (120). Wardell has 108 career TDs with just nine interceptions.
Wardell’s career TD/Int ratio (12-1) is set to be the best in local history. Former Calvary star Shea Patterson finished at 10.4-1 (104 TDs, 10 INTs).
Wardell is on pace to be the first local quarterback with a career completion percentage over 70 percent. In fact his current 76.1 rate (551-of-724) would break the national record (per the NFHS) – 74.5, set by Charlie High (Knoxville, Tenn., from 2010-12).
He’s matched (or exceeded) the hype. In just his sixth high school start, the sophomore set a national record with 817 passing yards in a 77-76 overtime thriller against Captain Shreve.
Evangel’s Peyton Houston evades Neville defenders during the game at Evangel Christian Academy in Shreveport, La., Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.
His eight touchdowns passes in that game tied the local record (held by four other players – Gray Walters, Benton vs. Byrd, 2022; Deaumante Johnson, Plain Dealing vs. Delhi, 2012; Dez Duron, Evangel vs. Springhill, 2008; Josh Booty, Evangel vs. Northwood-Lena, 1993.
With 833 yards on 83 carries, he is stalking the single-season yards-per-carry mark set 72 years ago — Tommy Davis, Fair Park, 10.22 yards per carry on 134 attempts).
Captain Shreve’s Jamarcea Plater gains ground during a game against Evangel on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, at Lee Hedges Stadium in Shreveport, La.
This junior hadn’t taken a single handoff until 2024. Nine games into his career on offense, he’s already broken the Gators’ single-season rushing record.
He has 1,979 yards (Jamarlon Otis had 1,790 last season).
Plater broke a single-game school record with 352 rushing yards against Evangel.
Plater already has the third-best regular-season rushing total in local history. He’s 108 yards behind Jeremy Jefferson’s (BTW) 2,087-yard regular season in 2005. Jefferson also has the top spot with a ridiculous 2,644 during the 2005 regular season.
Most assuredly, Plater is set to become just the fourth player (Jefferson did it twice) to record a 2,000-yard rushing season.
Depending on the length of Captain Shreve’s postseason push, Plater has a real chance to become the all-time single-season rushing lead. Jefferson has the mark with 2,695 (on 405 attempts) in 2005.
If the season ended today, Plater would smash Davis’ 72-year-old mark for yards per carry (10.22). Plater has averaged 10.93 yards on his 181 attempts this season.
Has broken the Panthers’ school record with 21 rushing scores in a season.
Has 76 catches for 949 yards this season. He’s set to become the 12th player in local history with 3,000 receiving yards in a career. The senior has 208 career catches for 2,955 yards.
He’s just 525 yards behind Thomas Bachman (Evangel) for No. 5 on the all-time list.
Airline’s Kenny Darby catches a pass during a game against Captain Shreve at Lee Hedges Stadium in Shreveport, La., Friday, Oct. 4, 2024.
Davis has already moved into the top five in career receptions locally. He’s six grabs behind Backman in fourth and 28 back of Steve Parker (Evangel) in second.
With 1,330 receiving yards this season, the junior has an outside chance to become Shreveport-Bossier City’s leader for most receiving yards in season. Abram Booty (2,084 yards) set the mark in 1996.
Darby, a Mississippi State commit, set the local record for catches and yards in a game (17 for 315 vs. Barbe in the season opener.
Calvary’s Kolby Thomas catches a pass during a game against Huntington at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La., Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.
With 195 catches and 3,149 yards, he’s already in the top 10 on Shreveport-Bossier City’s all-time lists for career catches and receiving yards.
Calvary’s all-time leader Aubrey Hermes (No. 4 overall, 3,775 career yards) is within reach. In order to take a place in the top five for career catches, he’s likely going to have to reach Bachman at 214.
Email Roy Lang III at Roy.Lang@TheAdvocate.com or follow him on Twitter, @RoyLangIII.
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