by Malcolm Butler
Eight wins and zero losses.
Just two years removed from a one-win season.
Regardless of what happens tonight in Haynesville, the Cedar Creek Cougars have already authored one of the better turnaround stories in north Louisiana high school football this fall.
But now comes the biggest test.
When ninth-ranked Cedar Creek (8-0, 2-0) travels to face fourth-ranked Haynesville (6-1, 3-0), the Cougars will encounter something they haven’t seen during the first eight weeks of the season: a perennial state championship contender.
And while the outcome won’t define Cedar Creek’s season, it should provide a pretty good indication of just how far this program has come under second-year head coach Jacob Angevine.
Make no mistake. What Angevine and his players have accomplished through eight games deserves recognition and praise and should not be diminished if the Cougars finish second on the scoreboard tonight.
Winning eight straight football games isn’t easy, regardless of the competition. The Cougars have taken care of business each week, and that’s exactly what good football teams are supposed to do.
But there is another side to the equation.
The combined record of Cedar Creek’s eight opponents is 19-43. Only one of those teams — Beekman Charter at 5-3 — currently owns a winning record. Four of the Cougars’ eight victories have come against programs that wouldn’t qualify for the playoffs if the season ended today.
North Webster and Beekman Charter represent Cedar Creek’s two most impressive wins to date.
None of that is intended to diminish what the Cougars have accomplished. You play the teams on your schedule and four of those teams were 2A and one was 3A. You don’t get to choose their records.
But it does raise a legitimate question. Just how good is this Cedar Creek football team? Are they good enough to make a deep run in the upcoming Select School Division IV playoffs? Friday night should provide some answers.
Haynesville is one of the most tradition-rich small-school programs in Louisiana. The Golden Tornado are perennial championship contenders and currently sit seventh in the Division IV Non-Select power ratings. They will unquestionably be the best team Cedar Creek has faced during the regular season.
And that makes this matchup so intriguing.
Can the Cougars establish their running game against a Haynesville defense that has shown some vulnerability this season?
Payton Harris and Brett Bell have been outstanding behind Cedar Creek’s offensive line. Last week against Arcadia, Harris rushed for 208 yards on just 14 carries, while Bell added 108 yards on four attempts. Harris is one of the top running backs in Class A if not the state and ran past the 1,000-yard rushing mark a few games back.
At times the duo has put up video game numbers.
But Haynesville isn’t Arcadia. Nor Delhi Charter. Nor Glenbrook. The Golden Tors are the “team to beat” in the district and tonight, the Cougars will get their opportunity to do so.
Despite their perennial pedigree, the Golden Tornado haven’t exactly been impenetrable defensively. Four of their seven opponents have scored at least 26 points. That suggests opportunities could exist for Harris, Bell and company.
On the other side of the football, can Cedar Creek’s defense continue its impressive play? The Cougars have allowed 20 or more points just once this season. That’s an outstanding statistic, regardless of the competition.
But can that defense limit explosive plays against a Haynesville team accustomed to playing meaningful football games deep into November and December? Can the Cougars force turnovers? Can they get off the field on third down? Can they withstand the physicality that comes with facing a legitimate championship contender?
Those are questions that need answering before the postseason arrives.
And speaking of the postseason, there’s plenty at stake beyond bragging rights. Cedar Creek currently sits eighth in the Division IV Select power ratings. The top 24 teams qualify for the playoffs, with the top eight seeds earning a valuable first-round bye.
There’s a significant difference between finishing eighth and ninth. A win tonight against a highly rated opponent would prove important as the Cougars attempt to secure that coveted bye.
But I keep coming back to the bigger picture.
Two years ago, Cedar Creek won one football game.
Today, the Cougars are undefeated entering the final stretch of the regular season and preparing for a showdown against one of Louisiana’s most respected small-school programs. That’s a remarkable accomplishment.
And Friday night’s result won’t erase any of it.
A win would certainly make a statement. It would remove any uncertainty surrounding Cedar Creek’s strength of schedule and whether the Cougars are deep playoff run legit. It would establish the Cougars as a team capable of making some noise in November.
A loss wouldn’t necessarily mean the opposite.
Regardless of what the scoreboard reads when the final horn sounds tonight, the test should help Cedar Creek better understand what it will take to make a postseason run and where the Cougars stand.
The most important games of this season are still ahead.
