Byrd And Airline Had A Possible Game Of The Year In A 3 OT Ending

Friday night was a perfect night for football as the Byrd Yellow Jackets hosted the Airline Vikings. Byrd (3-5) came in riding a three game win streak as Airline (6-2) came into this game folllowing a loss against Evangel Chrsitian. This game is has a huge impact on district 1 5A around the Shreveport/Bossier City area.

Airline recieved the ball to open the game and on the first play from scrimmage Viking running back Cameron Davis ran though the Yellow Jacket defense for seventy-eight yards all the way to the two yard line and the following play Davis ran in a two yard touchdown to take a early 7-0 lead. Byrd was forced to punt on their first drive but then got the ball back from Airline following a three and out. The Yellow Jackets offense lead by QB Carson Dunn ran down the field for seventy-five yards for a touchdown on fourth and goal by RB #2 Wilson to tie the game 7-7 with :40 left in the first quarter.

With 5:50 left in the second quarter the scored still stood at 7-7 with Airline pinned back at thier own two yard line when Byrd safety Clark sacked Viking quarterback Brad Fream for a safety to put the Yellow Jackets up 9-7. Byrd got the ball on the kick off and drove down the field to only fumble the ball to be recovered by the Viking defense on Airlines 32 yard line with 2:33 left in the first half. The first play of that drive Viking QB Brad Fream threw a 51 yard pass to #2 Micah Dunn to Byrds 14 yard line which set up for Airline to attempt a 31 yard field goal which got blocked by Byrd to go to halftime with a score of 9-7 Yellow Jackets leading.

After halftime both teams scored on the opening drives of the second half which keeps score tied at 15-15. At the beginning of the fourth quarter Byrd was facing a 3rd and 12, Jacket quarterback Carson Dunn drops back to pass but Vikings senior defensive lineman Drew Brewster gets a huge sack to force Byrd to punt early in the fourth quarter. With 3:42 left in the fourth the score is still tied 15-15, Airlines 23 yard field goal attempt was no good to keep score tied at 15-15 and eventully send the game into overtime.

In overtime both Airline and Byrd scored on thier first possessions. In the second overtime Byrd scored first but missed the extra point, Byrd went up 28-22,then Airline scored from a pass from Brad Fream to tie the game at 28-28 with the game winning extra point being blocked by mulitple Yellow Jackets to send the game into a third overtime. So, Airline scored with another Fream touchdown pass but the Vikings could not score the mandatory two-point conversion. The Yellow Jackets got the ball on the 25 yard line eventully got the ball down to the three yard line on fourth down and goal. Jakcets QB Carson Dunn went play action and rolled out to the left to look for open receivers but kept the ball and soared through the air while getting hit into the end zone to tie the game at 34-34. The Yellow Jackets converted on the 2 point converstion to win the game.

When asked about how his teams four game win streak Byrd head coach Mike Suggs said "We have gone through so much adversity this year and we have gotten better and we are competing and tonight is the best game we have played this year." When I asked Coach Suggs about what was going through his mind duiring the last touchdown run by Carson Dunn he replied "To be honest with you i was upset...becuase he missed his second read on his pass but he made a great effort to get it in the end zone." I talked to a few Yellow Jacket players to hear what they make of this huge win over Airline. Sophomore Linebacker Luke Slabaugh, who had five tackles and help on the rush for the safety, said "We just won in 3 overtime agianst Airline HIgh School, who is 6-2, so i think we can do anything if we dont quit like we did tonight. That is how Byrd football is played." Quarterback Carson Dunn said " Well, we started 0-5 and now won four in a row, we are playing better football but we have alot to get better on especially against Evangel who is a great football team." As I asked Dunn about his game winning touchdown run he laughed and said "It's funny becuase the only thing i noticed was i lost my shoe when i was in the air." "I just did not want to lose" Dunn also said.

FULL INTERVIEWS WITH COACH SUGGS, LUKE SLABAUGH, AND CARSON DUNN HERE.

Coach Suggs

Luke Slabaugh

Carson Dunn

This game between Airline and Byrd might be the best game all year in Northwest Louisiana. Both teams left blood,sweat,and tears on that field and I can guarantee you that both of these teams will be contenders for state championship in a year or two. Next week Airline goes to face Parkway and Byrd goes to Evangel.