Featured photo by Robert Summerlin
The Bossier Bearkats were the only parish team to survive the second round of the state playoffs Tuesday night.
Bossier, the No. 6 seed, defeated No. 11 Plaquemine 48-39 in a non-select Division II game at Bossier. The Bearkats are in the quarterfinals for the seventh straight year and ninth time in the last 10.
Bossier (20-11), which has won 13 in a row, will visit host No. 14 A.J. Ellender Friday at 7 p.m. with a trip to Lake Charles and the state tournament on the line. The Patriots upset No. 3 Opelousas 49-46 in the second round.
The Parkway Panthers and Airline Vikings battled to the end against their much higher seeded opponents before hostile crowds in packed gyms before falling.
District 1-5A runner-up Parkway, the No. 15 seed, lost to No. 2 Central 68-62 in Baton Rouge. Airline, the No. 28 seed, fell to No. 12 Covington 65-60 at Covington.
At Bossier, 6-foot-7 senior Kerel Dean led the Bearkats with 17 points. But he was far from the only player to contribute to the team’s success.
Dean was one of seven players who scored. Kam Davenport had eight points. Javonte Small added six. Jatravion Bunnery and David Thomas chipped in five each. Tycoreian Williams had three.
And, of course, all contributed with their defense.
Bossier led 13-9 after the first quarter and 25-18 at the half. Dean hit two 3-pointers in the second quarter and scored 10 points.
Dean sank another 3 in the third and the Bearkats led 36-26 going into the fourth. Plaquemine got within three with just over two minutes to play but Bossier pulled away down the stretch.
JaKyris Jenkins led Plaquemine (18-9) with 22 points.
At Central, Parkway trailed 19-12 after the first quarter in the jam-packed Central gym. The Panthers rallied in the second quarter and took a four-point lead. But the Wildcats finished the quarter strong and led 29-27 at the half.
Central got some separation in the third quarter, but Parkway trailed by only five, 44-39, going into the fourth.
The Panthers got within 62-59 on a 3-pointer by Jake Gaskins with 1:48 left. But Central was perfect from the free throw line not only in the last two minutes but the entire fourth quarter.
Collin Verrett, who hit three 3-pointers and led the Wildcats (23-4) with 25 points, was 8-of-8 from the line in the fourth. Central was 10-of-10.
Caleb Evans led four Panthers in double figures with 17 points. He sank three 3-pointers.
KB Williams had 14 points. Gaskins scored eight of his 11 points in the fourth quarter. Tristan Sedberry added nine and Antonio Gladney eight.
Parkway finished 20-12.
At Covington, Airline fell behind by double digits in both halves but the Vikings kept battling back.
Leading 15-14, Covington (21-10) started the second quarter with a 10-0 run and led 25-15. A 3-pointer by Kevin White Jr. ended the run, but the Lions extended the lead to 28-17 with 4:25 to play in the half.
Airline cut the lead to five on a 3-pointer by Jaydan Gladness. A layup by White got the Vikings within 31-28. But Covington extended the lead to 36-30 at the half.
The Lions started the third quarter with a 3-pointer and led 47-37 with 2:25 left.
The Vikings fought back again, cutting the lead to 52-47 at the end of the quarter
Covington opened its biggest lead at 59-47 with 4:39 to play. Airline got within six with 3:35 left.
Covington pushed the lead back to nine. A technical foul on the Lions helped Airline close the gap to six.
The Lions went up 63-56 with 22.1 seconds left. Jaden Davis was fouled while making a layup. He missed the free throw but a putback got the Vikings within 63-60 with 9.8 seconds left. Airline was forced to foul and the Lions made both free throws with 7.4 seconds left for the final margin.
Airline, which played most of the season without All-Parish standout White (injury), finished 11-21.