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By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor
WEST MONROE – Losing one’s star quarterback at any time in the season can be problematic. Losing one in a semifinal win can be demoralizing.
When All-State quarterback Noah Navarro broke his tibia in two places on the first drive of the game, Northeast Baptist School in West Monroe not only lost a proven field general but the team’s top offensive playmaker.
Before going down, the junior had combined for 2,709 yards in total offense – 945 yards rushing and 1,764 yards passing, 298 points, and had the Knights in the semifinals of the 8-man Association of Christian Educators of Louisiana football conference playoffs.
“Losing Noah was tough,” Northeast Coach Tyler Albritton, a ULM graduate, said. “He was not only a big part of our offense, but he was a big part of our team. I really felt bad for him because he is just a super kid.”
Eighth grader T.J. Roberts, the team’s second leading receiver, was forced into action.
“We had practiced T.J. at quarterback in a couple of our offensive schemes,” Albritton said, “but he really hadn’t gotten many snaps. It was great to see him step in knowing Navarro wouldn’t be able to return. T.J. really did a tremendous job coming in on short notice. You wouldn’t have known he was only an eighth grader.”
Roberts, who threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more, took charge and led the Knights’ to a lopsided 42-6 victory over Southwest Louisiana Home School.
Roberts’ biggest test, though, would come the following week against Pope John Paul II Academy, a team the Knights had lost to four weeks earlier on Oct. 11 44-42.
“Eight-man football is basically the same as 11-man football except you have only three down linemen instead of five and two wide receivers. We moved some people around but our team was pretty much set and ready for the challenge. Our theme coming into the season was don’t give up and finish strong,” Albritton said.
Before the championship game, Albritton had friend Chris Trombatore, First West middle school pastor, come speak to the team.
“He read several verses from the Bible and then spoke to the team. He told them to give it their best,” Albritton said. “He said they couldn’t control what the other team did. And let their actions on and off the field give God the glory.”
Led by Roberts and running back Cooper Randall, the Knights played the game of their lives and beat Pope John Paul 12-8 to capture the ACEL state championship. It was the first in the school’s history.
Northeast, though, wasn’t the only Baptist school to win a state title.
Calvary Baptist High School in Shreveport beat Hannan 62-7 to also win the school’s first state championship.
After a rough 1-4 start in which they were outscored 181-111, Coach John Bachman’s Cavaliers won their final eight games of the season by an average score of 50-8 (399-69).
Running back Orlando Bradford, the game’s Most Outstanding Player, scored four touchdowns and rushed for 227 yards on 16 carries and sophomore quarterback Shea Patterson was 13 of 19 for 285 yards in leading the Cavaliers to the Division III select state championship.
“One of the great things about being 1-4 is you get a taught a lot of lessons,” Bachman said.
While Northeast Baptist and Calvary Baptist won state championships, four more Louisiana Baptist High Schools did well in the playoffs.
Parkview Baptist High School in Baton Rouge and Cenla Christian Academy in Pineville – reached the state semifinals and two more – Highland Baptist in New Iberia and Covenant Christian in Houma – advance to the second round of the playoffs.
A year after going 15-0 for the first time and winning the LHSAA Class 3A State title (it’s second), Parkview Baptist lost to University High 58-23 in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Division II semi-finals to wrap up a 10-3 season.
Like Parkview Baptist, Cenla Christian (9-4) also fell in the state semifinals. Competing in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools, the Lions, under former Louisiana College standout Vic Williams, won the District 5A championship and advanced to the semis before falling to Trinity Episcopal of Natchez, Miss 48-8.
Highland Baptist in New Iberia lost to St. Frederick 42-0 in the second round of the LHSAA Division IV playoffs while Covenant Christian in Houma fell to St. Mary’s 34-13 in the second round of the Division IV playoffs.
While all six encountered and overcame adversity throughout the season, Covenant Christian may have faced the biggest test of all. On Nov. 1, sophomore Caleb Allridge collapsed in his home and died from an undetected blood clot.
The team, despite the heartache, came together. P.J. Allridge, Caleb’s older brother, spoke to the team before the game and asked them to keep their faith and to play for his brother. The Lions beat Ridgewood 53-0.
The following week, after the entire team went to Allridge’s funeral and served as pallbearers that morning, they beat St. Martin’s Episcopal 54-22 later that evening in the regular season finale. At Allridge’s funeral, the team didn’t mourn but instead celebrated his life with his family and each other.
Coach Blyght Wunstell told his team during the funeral, “I believe that one day we will see Caleb again in heaven.”
Covenant Christian dedicated the remainder of the season to their fallen teammate. In their first LHSAA playoff game, Covenant beat Madison Prep 39-7. Their season, though, came to an end the following week as they fell to St. Mary’s.