Featured photo courtesy of Plain Dealing football
The streak is over.
The Plain Dealing Lions defeated the Pine Prairie Panthers 22-0 Friday night in Plain Dealing. The victory ended the state’s longest losing streak at 49 games. Plain Dealing’s last victory was against Ringgold 38-0 on Oct. 8, 2021.
The Lions improved to 1-5. The Panthers dropped to 0-6. Pine Prairie has lost 23 in a row.
“The monkey is off our back,” Plain Dealing Head Coach Jerry Byrd Jr. said.
After the game, the Lions chased down Byrd as he was heading to shake hands with Pine Prairie’s head coach. A few players grabbed him and held him as he was doused with a Gatorade shower.
“The win is the win, you know, but I’m just so grateful,” Byrd said. “I’m grateful every Friday night I get to go coach these guys.
“I get to put this Plain Dealing football polo on and represent this school and this community. And I’m grateful to (principal) Mr. Jason Edwards for giving me this opportunity at this stage in my career.
“I’m grateful for these coaches that did an amazing job this week of preparing for a shutout, 22 to nothing shutout victory. They did a phenomenal job, all of them, and our players. They had a great plan and we executed the plan.”
Plain Dealing dominated the first half. Sophomore Tyrone Davis scored the first touchdown on an 8-yard run after the Lions drove nearly the length of the field on their first possession. Davis also scored the two-point conversion.
Senior Jerry Harris capped a 62-yard drive in the second quarter with a 6-yard touchdown run on a sweep around left end. He scored the conversion on the same play and the Lions led 16-0 with 8:06 left in the second quarter.
Plain Dealing converted a third-and-20 on a pass from Davis to junior AJ Taylor, normally the quarterback.
“We called that play the AJ Special,” Byrd said. “We put that in this week. We basically get in an empty set and put Ja’marion Baker-Shepard to the far side to try to get some people over there and then man AJ up, get him in single man coverage and just toss it up and let him do what he does.
“He’s been wanting the ball thrown his way, but he’s our quarterback. So for him to have several chances during this game to do that, that was fun.”
Baker-Shepard, a senior, scored the final touchdown after eighth-grader Tanner Soelle intercepted a pass deep in Pine Prairie territory. It appeared Soelle was going to be tackled about the 5 but he was able to hand the ball to Baker-Shepard who took it in the end zone.
In the second half, the Lions had to fend off a couple of Pine Prairie scoring opportunities, including a goalline stand.
“It was a bend don’t break deal,” Byrd said. “When we needed a play made, there was always somebody stepping up to make the play.
“Colton Smith on the defensive line. He missed the last couple of weeks due to a concussion. This was his first game back. He had two or three sacks or tackles for a loss. Clyde Byrd, a kid who who recovered a fumble.”
Byrd also mentioned Soelle’s big play.
“It’s just an example of guys making plays all across the board, and I can’t say enough about AJ Taylor and just the job both at quarterback and safety tonight.”
Plain Dealing visits Rosepine Friday. The Eagles (6-0) defeated Pickering 54-0 Thursday night.
Plain Dealing’s historic victory was truly a team effort.
For the record, here are the names of the Mighty Lions on the roster not mentioned above:
Koda Ward (8th), Brenner Robinson (8th), Lamarius Adley (So.), Joshua Baker-Sheppard (8th), Cade Byrd (Jr.), Eli Pena (Fr.), Zayden Newton (Fr.), Rodney Dupree (So.), Trinton Thompson (Jr.), Xavier Wells-Braggs (Fr.), Tre’mane Harris (Jr.), Kentrell Manning (8th), Matthew Holden (Fr.), Hudson Budwah (8th), Lane Register (Fr.).
The members of Byrd’s coaching staff are Jared Picket, Caleb Stacey, Harrison Waxley, Michael Manno and David Hamm.
Team managers are Michael Roberts, Gus Dupree and Jaishon Lewis.