COVID Causes More Changes to This Week’s High School Football Schedule

UPDATE: 12:58 pm - Thursday, October 29. Byrd has finally secured an opponent for their cancelled game with Benton and will now face East Ascension at Lee Hedges Stadium on Friday, October 30 with kick off set for 7:00 pm.

Original Story - The great logistical nightmare that is high school football scheduling this year has gotten another wrinkle. In case you haven't been following the world of local high school football this year, it's certainly been a roller coaster ride.

Let me catch you up on the most recent developments. Early last week we learned that due to an outbreak of COVID, Southwood High School's team would have to cancel their games last Friday, October 23 and this week's game on Friday October 30. Additionally, because they had just played Airline High School the week prior to the COVID diagnosis, Airline would be forced to sit out those same two Friday nights.

Scheduling shifts were made and we managed to get through the week. Then, yesterday, Tuesday, October 27, we received another notice from the Bossier Parish School Board stating that the next two Benton High School football games are canceled. These cancelations come out of an abundance of caution due to possible COVID exposure that is not related to the athletic program.  The home game scheduled for Friday, October 30, against Byrd, and the Friday, November 6, away game against Southwood will not be played.

We then learn on the Byrd Athletics website that they had scheduled an alternate game with West Monroe for this week in lieu of the canceled Benton game, but West Monroe was forced to cancel as well.

Obviously Byrd is doing what they can to find an opponent for this week, but as of this writing they've been unsuccessful in the effort. We'll be sure to update if/when they do find a team willing to pit themselves against the undefeated Yellow Jackets.

So, as it stands now, here's an overview of Week #5's District 1 High School Football Schedule for our teams here in Northwest Louisiana.