The Bossier Bearkats turned in an outstanding defensive effort in the semifinals of the Division III playoffs Saturday afternoon but it wasn’t quite enough.
Bossier, the No. 4 seed, fell to No. 1 The Willow School 1-0 at Willow’s Brees Family Field in New Orleans.
Bossier finished 18-4-1. The Willow School (22-0-4) will play No. 3 University Lab for the championship Thursday in Hammond.
Saturday’s match was a rematch of last year’s state championship contest. Willow won that one 4-1.
The rematch went much differently. Bossier was in the game the whole way.
Willow scored the game’s only goal with a few minutes left in the first half.
The Lions had a free kick from about midfield. The kick sailed directly in front of the goal. Several Bearkats converged on it and one headed it out about 10 yards.
But Willow’s Maddox Maillho was there and headed it back into the goal.
Bossier didn’t have any good scoring opportunities in the first half as the Lions also played good defense.
Willow had a few before scoring its goal. With about 15 minutes left in the half, the Lions had a shot from almost point-blank range. But Bossier goalkeeper Logan Bamburg dove to his right and stopped it.
It was one of several saves Bamburg made in the game.
The Bearkats pressured the Lions offensively more in the second half, especially in the final 20 minutes.
Bossier had a free kick about five yards in front of the goal but it was blocked by Willow’s line of defenders. Less than a minute later, a shot from about 25 yards out sailed just over the goal.
The 2024 season continued a remarkable string of success for the Bearkats under Head Coach Orlando Medellin. Bossier reached at least the semifinals for the third straight year.