By T. Scott Boatright
Lincoln Preparatory School has faced three of Louisiana’s top high school aerial attacks this season in Calvary Baptist, Glenbrook and Homer.
Now Panthers head coach Glen Hall hopes that experience can pay off for his team as Lincoln Prep plays host to Delhi in Class 1A playoff action.
The game kicks off at 7 p.m. at Joe Aillet Stadium on the Louisiana Tech University campus.
Lincoln Prep went 6-4 on the season and is the No. 11 seed while Delhi went 2-7 and is seeded 22nd.
“Delhi has a great quarterback and some good receivers,” Hall said. “They throw almost every play. Those guys are really talented. “They have two or three good defensive linemen. They played a really tough schedule and their record is not indicative of who they truly are.
“But we’ve gone against some of the better teams in the state this season as far as passing. That experience will help us. Delhi is doing some of the things the other teams did against us. They’re not as intense as those District 1-1A passing teams, but they still do some great things. We’re going to have to be on our toes to try and beat those guys.”
After not reaching the playoffs last season and in 2018, Hall is hoping that winning playoff openers in 2016 and 2017 will rub off on this season’s group of Panthers.
“It feels great to be back in the playoffs, and maybe even better than we had to earn our way into them playing in such a tough district like we do,” Hall said. “The fact that we fought and got into the Top 12 and earned a home playoff opener is great.
“This team has been practicing hard and has been focused.”
Hall said Panthers like quarterback Ta’Rell Simmons and all-everything return specialist Dmitry Payne, Jamarion and Jarmarius Buggs, Emamuel Bryant, Chauncy Harper and Braylin Mayfield could be asked to play even more multiple roles than each played during the regular season.
“We have some things planned for the playoffs that could elevate us to the next level,” Hall said. “All I can say is players like Ta’Rell Simmons, Dmitry Payne, Emanuel Bryant – you’re talking about some guys who can really play some football. We’re going to move them around in different areas and show how good they really can be.”
Hall said that because Lincoln Preparatory School is operating this academic year at multiple sites while a new school building is being built, advance tickets won’t be sold but will be available at the gate for $10.
“I want the fans to understand that there is a clear-bag policy at the stadium just like at a college game,” Hall said. “So everyone who comes with a bag needs to make sure that it’s clear, even if it’s a female and the bag contains a purse.”
Hall also said he wanted to thank Louisiana Tech officials for opening the stadium up to the Panthers and their fans.
“Playing at Tech is going to be greatness,” Hall said. “It’s such a tremendous facility. Being invited to play there and having the opportunity to go in there as a coach is amazing. There’s nothing but greatness behind it. This just goes to show you that Ruston and Grambling — we’re all one. We appreciate being invited to play there and thank everybody involved in it. We’re going in there to try and bring home a win for Lincoln Parish.”
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