Two Battle on the Border participants ranked in USA Today Top 25, five ranked by MaxPreps

SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA- Two participating teams in the 2016 Landers Dodge Battle on the Border High School Football Showcase were ranked in the USA Today’s Top 25 high school teams in the country on Monday, Aug. 8. The IMG Academy Ascenders(Bradenton, Fla.) are ranked fourth by the newspaper. IMG Academy finished the 2015 season with a perfect 9-0 record and an identical No. 4 ranking. The USA Today has the John Curtis Patriots (River Ridge, La.) ranked No. 16 in country. The Patriots finished the 2015 season with a 7-2 record.

Earlier this week, MaxPreps came out with its Class 5A preseason rankings for both the “select” and “non-select” divisions in Louisiana. Five teams participating in the 2016 Battle on the Border are ranked. On the “non-select” side, the Parkway Panthers (Bossier City, La.) garnered the preseason No. 1 ranking, while the West Monroe (La.) Rebels are ranked fourth. On the “select” side, the Evangel Eagles (Shreveport, La.) are ranked second, while John Curtis is sixth and the Byrd Yellow Jackets (Shreveport, La.) are seventh. The 2016 Landers Dodge Battle on the Border High School Football Showcase is scheduled for Sept. 8-10 at Shreveport Independence Stadium. The sixth annual showcase features regional and national power house high school football programs from Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Florida. The showcase will have a three-day, sixgame
format, providing a full slate of weekend games for area and regional high school football fans. Tickets for the Battle on the Border start at $10 for advanced general admission, and one ticket is good for all six games. Fans are encouraged to visit www.thebattleontheborder.com to learn more about the showcase and to
purchase tickets.

2016 Landers Dodge Battle on the Border High School Football Showcase Schedule:
Thursday, September 8, 2016
St. Thomas More Catholic HS Cougars (Lafayette, LA) vs. Byrd HS Yellow Jackets (Shreveport, LA) – 6 p.m.
The STM Cougars were the 2015 Division II State Runners-up and are coached by Jim Hightower, who is second only to J.T. Curtis for most wins in Louisiana football history. The Byrd Yellow Jackets are undefeated (5-0) in Battle on the Border games, and have averaged 10 wins over the last three seasons.
Friday, September 9, 2016
Evangel Christian Academy Eagles (Shreveport, LA) vs. Neville HS Tigers (Monroe, LA) – 6 p.m.
The Evangel Eagles are expected to be one of the top teams in Class 5A in 2016. The Eagles defense returns most of its starters from a year ago, including outstanding junior Davin Cotton. Coach Mickey McCarty’s Neville Tigers won the Class 4A State Championship with a 45-26 thrashing of the Edna Karr Cougars in the finals, making it
back-to-back titles for the Monroe school and its fourth in seven seasons.
John Curtis Christian School Patriots (River Ridge, LA) vs. West Monroe HS Rebels (Monroe, LA) – 8:30 p.m. This matchup features two of the most storied programs in Louisiana. John Curtis has won 26 state championships, while West Monroe has won eight titles. The Patriots are coached by J.T. Curtis, Jr., who is the all-time winningest
coach in Louisiana football history and a 2015 inductee into the National Federation of High Schools Hall of Fame. West Monroe Rebels went 10-0 during the 2015 regular season and were the No. 1 seed in the Class 5A playoffs before being upset in the second round.
Saturday, September 10, 2016
John Tyler HS Lions (Tyler, TX) vs. Warren Easton HS (New Orleans, LA) – Noon: John Tyler is coming off a 2015 season in which the Lions started 0-3 then won eight straight before falling in the second round of the playoffs. Warren Easton, the oldest public high school in the city of New Orleans, makes a return trip to Shreveport to
participate in the Battle on the Border. The Eagles reached the Class 4A semifinals last year before losing 44-36 to eventual champion Neville.
Parkway HS Panthers (Bossier City, LA) vs. Lufkin HS Panthers (Lufkin, TX) – 4 p.m. The Parkway Panthers own a 33-5 record over the last three seasons, and features one of the nation’s top wide receiver prospects for 2018 in junior Terrace Marshall. Perennial east Texas powerhouse Lufkin will be making its third appearance in the Battle on the Border. The Panthers, who were recently moved into the University Interscholastic League’s Class 6A, will be looking for their first win in the showcase.
Booker T. Washington HS Hornets (Tulsa, OK) vs. IMG Academy Ascenders (Bradenton, FL) – 7 p.m.
The BTW Hornets have won eight state championships in the school’s storied history. The Hornets have posted double-digit wins the last two seasons before losing in the Class 6AII semifinals each season. IMG Academy features 11 players in the 24-7Sports top 247 recruits for 2017, including the No. 4 overall prospect and Baton Rouge, La. native Dylan Moses (6-2, 220), who is an outside linebacker for the Ascenders. That list also includes
wide receiver Jhaman Ausbon (6-2, 217) and safety Grant Delpit (6-3, 181), both are committed to LSU.

All games are Central Standard Time