The Parkway Panthers opened District 1-5A play with a 54-46 victory over the Benton Tigers on Tuesday night at Benton.
It was Benton’s first district game as a member of Class 5A.
In another District 1-5A opener, Airline gave Natchitoches Central, one of the favorites to win the title, all it could handle before falling to the Chiefs 65-59 at Airline.
In non-district games, Bossier defeated former District 1-4A rival Woodlawn 71-51 at Woodlawn, and Plain Dealing downed North Webster 67-53 in Springhill.
At Benton, Parkway hit four 3-pointers in the first quarter, including two by Gabe Larry, and led 16-11. Benton cut one point off the lead in the second and trailed 30-26.
Bryce Roberts scored six of his 10 points in the third quarter and Parkway extended the lead to eight.
Larry led the Panthers (12-5) with 16 points.
Dylan Slaid and Brodie Romero scored 13 and 12 points, respectively, to lead Benton (8-10).
At Airline, the Vikings couldn’t quite overcome a 37-point output by Chiefs star Devonte Snow.
Airline trailed just 49-48 after three quarters. Snow scored eight in the fourth quarter and Nathan Robinson had six.
Snow scored 19 in the first half, including 13 in the second quarter.
Kendrick Crawford led Airline (11-7) with 19 points, including 12 in the second half. Brayden Thompson and Devin Bilbo added 10 each.
Natchitoches Central improved to 15-2.
At Woodlawn, Bossier pulled away in the third quarter with a 17-4 run.
Otis Smith, the Bossier Invitational MVP, led the Bearkats with 19 points, including four 3-pointers. Tim King added 14 and Cody Deen 11. Cinco Bryant and Joseph Manning scored 10 each.
The Bearkats (20-3) sank nine from behind the arc.
Delatrion Moton and Donavan Seamster led Woodlawn (9-6) with 15 points each.
At North Webster, Plain Dealing ended a five-game slide with the victory.
The Lions (5-7) scored 30 points in the fourth quarter. Darrien Perry tallied 16 of his game-high 22 in the fourth. Ladarious O’Neal hit two 3-pointers.
Tre Boyd added 11 points and Ken Gay nine in the game.
Plain Dealing won the JV game 26-13.
