2017 Battle on the Border Preview Featuring Top Regional Showdowns
Written by Charlie Beuttel
Twitter: @charlie_cds3
One of the biggest weekends in high school football is just around the corner as the annual Battle on the Border event will held this weekend at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana. Teams from six different states will come together to play 10 games and showcase their talents in front of thousands of fans making this a must-see event.
The action will kick off Friday, Sept. 8, as Booker T. Washington (Tulsa) will take on the Rebels from West Monroe and, in the nightcap, Pearl High School (MS) will battle the Parkway Panthers (Bossier City).
The first game on Sept. 9, Brentwood Academy (TN) will face Bishop Dunne Catholic (Dallas) and, in the afternoon, Grayson High School (GA) will clash with John Curtis (River Ridge). The nightcap will be between Moss Point High (MS) and C.E. Byrd (Shreveport).
Friday, September 8
Booker T. Washington Hornets (OK) vs West Monroe Rebels (LA) – 6 pm
The Hornets are led on offense by senior quarterback Phillip Wheatley and junior wide receiver Dewayne Cooks Jr. Wheatley threw for 244 yards and two touchdowns in their first game on Aug. 25 against Santa Fe and came up with big plays in the air and on the ground in last week’s 27-24 win over Midwest City. Cooks snagged 10 passes for 150 receiving and two touchdowns against Santa Fe; already has an offer from Northeastern State University. One of the stars on this Hornets defense is junior defensive back Dax Hill, who has offers from Colorado and Arkansas.
West Monroe’s offensive star is senior Slade Bolden. Bolden, an Alabama commit, threw for 232 yards, ran for 121 yards, and accounted for five total touchdowns last week in the Rebels’ season opener against John Ehret (47-32). The playmaker on defense is senior linebacker John Bailey Gullatt. Gullatt had several sacks last week and set a single-season tackle record for West Monroe last year.
Pearl Pirates (MS) vs Parkway Panthers (LA) – 8:30 pm
The Pearl Pirates are led on offense by Jake Smitthart who threw for 123 yards and a touchdown in last week’s win against Northwest Rankin (17-7). Another weapon on offense is senior wide receiver Johnquarise Patterson, a Mississippi State commit. A player to watch on the defensive side of the ball is junior linebacker Willie Brown who had a fumble recovery and an interception last week.
Parkway is led by senior wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. Marshall, a five-star recruit, is one of the top ranked wide receivers in the whole country and has always performed well at the Battle on the Border event. On defense the Panthers are led by senior safety Israel Mukuamu, a four-star recruit, who is currently committed to Florida State.
Saturday, September 9
Brentwood Academy Eagles (TN) vs Bishop Dunne Falcons (TX) – 11 am
The Eagles leader is senior quarterback Gavin Schoenwald. Schoenwald completed 11-of-19 passes for 175 and two touchdowns in his team’s 43-7 blowout win last week. Other players to watch from Brentwood Academy include wide receiver Camron Johnson and linebacker Jackson Sirmon, who are both ranked among the top prospects in Tennessee.
Bishop Dunne had their season opener last week cancelled due to Hurricane Harvey and are anxious to get their season underway. The playmaker on the Falcons’ offense is junior wide receiver Marquez Beason, who currently holds 32 college offers from programs which include LSU, Texas and Oklahoma. Two players to watch on the defensive side include junior safety Brian Williams and senior Calvin Avery. Avery is currently committed to Illinois and Williams currently has over 30 college offers including Alabama, Michigan, and Notre Dame.
Grayson Rams (GA) vs John Curtis Patriots (LA) – 3 pm
This is a very highly anticipated matchup between the best team in Georgia and one of the best teams in Louisiana. Grayson is led by senior quarterback DJ Irons who has thrown for 302 yards, rushed for 94 yards and has two total touchdowns in two games this year. Another weapon is senior wide Jaquavius Lane, who is currently committed to Kansas State. The playmaker on the Rams defense is defensive tackle Ryan Taylor, an Arkansas State commit.
John Curtis is led by senior tight Glenn Beal who is one of the top ranked prospects out of Louisiana and currently holds offers from LSU and Alabama. A player to watch on the Patriots defense is senior linebacker Cade Beloso who had nine tackles, two sacks, and one fumble recovery in last week’s win.
Moss Point Tigers (MS) vs C.E. Byrd Yellow Jackets (LA) – 7 pm
All eyes will be on Moss Point’s freshman quarterback Ruben Lee who is 5’10”, 170 pounds. However, Lee’s favorite targets are experienced senior wide receiver Kobie Ruffin and junior wide receiver Deovion Robinson. Two players to watch on the defensive side of the ball is senior defensive back Anthony Kirkland and senior linebacker Devin Simpson.
C.E. Byrd won their season opener last 42-32 by using their rushing attack to control the time of possession. Junior running Charlie Barham led the way with 148 rushing yards and a touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Cameron Felt threw for 41 yards then ran for 67 yards and had two rushing touchdowns. Junior defensive back Adam Wilson is one of the several players to watch in the Yellow Jackets purple swarm defense. Wilson had six total tackles including one for a loss and one sacks last week.
Which game are you most looking forward to at Independence Stadium this weekend?
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Photo credit: thenewsstar.com; No. 10 West Monroe QB Slade Bolden