The Parkway Panthers are ranked No. 3 in the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 5A preseason poll.
Parkway is the only Bossier Parish school that received votes in any of the five classifications. The Panthers open the season Thursday at Class 2A No. 1 Calvary Baptist, the defending Division III state champion.
Acadiana, which defeated Parkway 77-41 in the 5A state championship game last year, is ranked No. 1. Rummel, the defending Division I state champion, is No. 2. Acadiana received eight of 11 first-place votes. Rummel received the other three.
Byrd, which lost to Rummel 23-22 in last year’s Division I championship game, is No. 7 in 5A. The Yellow Jackets are back in 5A this season for playoff purposes.
Other No. 1 teams are Warren Easton (4A), John Curtis (2A) and Mangham (1A).
Evangel is No. 3 in 3A and North Webster is No. 10. Defending state champion Haynesville is No. 2 in 1A.
–Russell Hedges, rhedges@bossierpress.com
