Captain Shreve's Gabe Smith had a goal and assist in the Gators' 3-2 win over Loyola Shawn White/Special to The Times
Byrd may be the only school in the state with two goalkeepers both of whom have scored in a regulation game this season.
Scottie Roblow and Reid Robinson have both found the net for the Jackets, despite spending most of their time keeping others out of their net, and the two standouts will lead Byrd into the LHSAA Division I boys’ soccer playoffs next week.
The Jackets (22-2) earned a No. 3 seed, the highest seed garnered by a northwest Louisiana boys team, and it comes in soccer’s highest division. Byrd finds itself with a first-round bye and will play the winner between No. 14 Sulphur and No. 19 New Iberia.
“I don’t think we could have gotten a better bracket,” said Byrd coach Craig Marcotte. “I’m glad we stayed No. 3 and I think our chances of advancing are very good. We have played a number of the teams on the bracket.”
Captain Shreve picked up a No. 6 seed in Division I and will play the winner between No. 11 Acadiana and No. 32 Covington in the second round. In D-II, Ruston (No. 4), Caddo Magnet (No. 5) and Benton (No. 8) all picked up first-round byes and will host in the second round. No. 12 Parkway will host No. 21 Carencro in the Panthers’ opener, while Natchitoches Central will travel to Terrebonne.
Loyola’s Flyers picked up a No. 4 seed in Division III and will play the winner between No. 13 Erath and No. 20 Bossier in the second round. No. 22 North DeSoto will travel to No. 11 DeRidder.
Division IV will see No. 14 Evangel hosting No. 19 Houma Christian, while No. 23 Calvary will visit No. 10 Sterlington at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
The championships are slated for Feb. 21-24 in Lafayette at the UL Lafayette soccer fields.
Marcotte said his Jackets have the “best record Byrd has ever had.”
“We’ve had a fantastic year with the guys jelling and their morale is incredible,” Marcotte said. “We have some talent and we have 24 boys who know their position and are committed to winning.”
Among the top offensive threats are junior Isaac Morris and freshman Jack Walker, son of former MLB standout Todd Walker.
“We’ve had 17 different players score goals this season,” Marcotte said. “But the big thing is we’ve only had eight goals scored against us in 24 games.”
Among the top Byrd defenders are Gabe Miciotto, Hank Elmajian, Carson Jones and Nick Whitton.
Twitter: @JimmyWatson6
2018 LHSAA Boys Soccer Playoff Parings
Division I
(3) Byrd, first-round bye
(6) Captain Shreve, first-round bye
Division II
(4) Ruston, first-round bye
(5) Caddo Magnet, first-round bye
(8) Benton, first-round bye
(12) Parkway hosts (21) Carencro
(10 Terrebonne hosts (23) NCHS
Division III
(4) Loyola, first-round bye
(13) Erath hosts (20) Bossier
(11) DeRidder hosts (22) North DeSoto
Division IV
(14) Evangel hosts (19) Houma Christian
(10) Sterlington hosts (23) Calvary Baptist, 6:30 p.m. Thursday