History making Calvary Lady Cavs seek more history to open the LHSAA playoffs

The history making Calvary girls basketball team will extend their run of chart-topping streaks Thursday night when it tips off a 2024 LHSAA Select Division III contest at 5:30 p.m. in the Cavalier gym.

The No. 14 Lady Cavs (11-9) are hosting a playoff game for the first time in school history and a win against No. 19 Fisher (6-11) would be their inaugural home playoff victory for coach Chan Hearron’s amazingly youthful club.

“The girls are well aware of it and we’re pretty excited,” Hearron said.

Calvary is one of 35 teams in the Shreveport-Bossier City area opening playoffs Thursday. Four of 11 Caddo-Bossier parish teams (Haughton, Parkway, Northwood and Calvary) in the postseason open at home. No. 1 seeded Huntington (24-2) was awarded a bye in Select Division I.

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One of the top local games will feature District 1-5A foes Airline (17-14) and Haughton (27-6) facing off in Haughton. Benton (18-15) also plays at District 1-5A opponent Natchitoches Central (22-10) in a replay of a game played last Friday night in Benton. Parkway’s Lady Panthers (21-4) begin defense of their 2023 state title at home against East St. John (16-12).

The Lady Cavs became history makers last year when they won their inaugural road playoff game then went 5-0 in District 1-2A this season to capture a district title for the first time.

Hearron is doing it with arguably the youngest team in the state. Who needs upper classmen when you can win with babies who still remember what it’s like to have lunch from a bottle. Hearron said it’s hard to define what has caused the turnaround in a Calvary program that had long been a league doormat.

“We are very young team — we only have four high school players,” Hearron said. “The rest are middle schoolers They’re very coachable. They grind and they are a tight group, and they listen to what I teach them.”

The Lady Cavs are built around players such as sophomore Addison Stevenson, who was forced to take over as the team’s leading scorer this season after the 2023 leader, junior Lauren Waldron, went down with a torn ACL.

Junior Sofia Barton has dominated on the boards offensively and defensively for the Lady Cavs, averaging approximately 10 rebounds per game.

When it comes to youngsters, seventh-grader Grace Googe has contributed some valuable minutes while helping the team with ball handling and scoring.

“Eighth-grader Caroline Bowman has come on the scene and scored some points for us and played some really good defense,” Hearron said.

Jimmy Watson covers Louisiana sports for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.

NW Louisiana girls basketball playoff matchups

Non-Select Division I

25 Airline (17-14) at 8 Haughton (27-6)

28 East St. John (16-12) at 5 Parkway (21-4)

26 West Monroe (16-10) at 7 Ruston (22-7)

23 Benton (18-15) at 10 Natchitoches Central (22-10)

Non-Select Division II

17 North DeSoto (19-7) at 16 North Vermilion (13-12)

18 Minden (13-11) at 15 Leesville (20-10)

Non-Select Division III

17 St. Helena Academy (8-9) at 16 North Webster (11-8)

22 Union Parish (9-12) at 11 West St. Mary (17-5)

23 Berwick (19-10) at 10 Mansfield (19-8)

Non-Select Division IV

1 Arcadia (28-3), bye

17 Logansport (10-11) at 16 Kentwood (11-9)

24 Plain Dealing (9-18) at 9 Oberlin (22-11)

28 West St. John (8-17) at 5 Lakeview (23-3)

26 Ringgold (7-16) at 7 East Beauregard (19-11)

18 Delhi (10-13) at 15 Homer (13-12)

Non-Select Division V

25 Zwolle (14-18) at 8 Pitkin (23-16)

28 Lacassine (14-20) at 5 Gibsland-Coleman (10-12)

20 Converse (23-12) at 13 Negreet (26-10)

19 Florien (18-12) at 14 Quitman (21-10)

22 Maurepas (15-10) at 11 Summerfield (18-8)

27 Elizabeth (10-19) at 6 Castor (22-4)

Select Division I

1 Huntington (24-2), bye

21 Alexandria (15-17) at 12 Northwood-Shrev. (21-11)

22 Captain Shreve (12-14) at 11 Warren Easton (16-9)

18 Southwood (19-13) at 15 Scotlandville (14-16)

Select Division II

17 BTW-Shrev. (12-15) at 16 The Willow School (9-11)

Select Division III

21 Loyola Prep (10-16) at 12 Northlake Christian (12-12)

19 Fisher (6-11) at 14 Calvary Baptist (11-9)

Select Division IV

17 Vermilion Catholic (12-12) at 16 St. Mary’s (12-18)

24 Slaughter Community (6-13) at 9 Cedar Creek (16-11)

21 Glenbrook (4-12) at 12 St. John (17-13)

20 Lincoln Prep 9-18) at 13 Catholic-P.C. (18-10)

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: LHSAA playoffs: Calvary hosts inaugural girls state playoff game