By Matt Vines, DeSoto Parish Journal 

While Logansport football hoped to be playing for a state championship this week, not all is lost in the Logansport athletics world as those football players transitioned to the basketball court. 

The Tigers (1-2) knocked off defending state Division IV Select champion Northwood-Lena, 35-32, in the Converse Tournament. 

The win vastly differs from Logansport’s earlier results – a pair of 30-point losses to Byrd and Stanley. 

Stanley also scored a win against Northwood-Lena, edging the Gators, 42-39, before ripping through Logansport (64-34) and tournament host Converse (47-41). 

Stanley (6-10) did drop contests to Negreet (47-38) and Doyline in an action-packed week. 

Mansfield’s difficult early-season schedule continued as the Wolverines fell to Carroll and Benton this week. 

The Wolverines (1-5) play Caddo Parish members Northwood and Booker T. Washington in the coming days. 

North DeSoto will finally gets its basketball season underway Monday, starting a five-game stretch in 10 days. The Griffins open with Lakeside at home on Monday before heading to Converse on Tuesday and hosting Plain Dealing on Friday to cap its first week of action. 

GIRLS BASKETBALL 

North DeSoto’s stifling defense continued as the Lady Griffins extended their winning streak to four games. 

NDHS (6-2) controlled Bossier in a 39-21 win before dominating Byrd (43-15) and Haynesville (52-4). The Lady Griffins have allowed just two opponents to score more than 30 points this season. 

Mansfield (2-5) split with a pair of Class 5A teams, falling to Southwood 39-27 before knocking off Benton 43-37. The Lady Wolverines have won two of their last three games after an 0-4 start. 

Stanley (3-10) stopped a three-game skid with a 48-35 win against Doyline after suffering losses to Zwolle and St. Mary’s earlier in the week. 

SOCCER 

The North DeSoto girls experienced an offensive explosion in three Bossier Tournament wins. 

The Lady Griffins blanked Haughton (5-0), Huntington (9-0) and Wossman (8-0) to finish the tournament unscathed. 

NDHS split its next two matches, a 1-0 loss to Division III power South Beauregard and a 1-1 tie with Grace Christian. 

After a tussle with Ruston, NDHS (6-2-3) will open district play with Natchitoches Central on Monday before catching Haughton on Friday. 

The North DeSoto boys lit up the scoreboard at its own tournament with wins against North Caddo (9-0) and Union Parish (7-0). 

After a date with Ruston, the Griffins (4-2-1) catch Natchitoches Central on Monday and Leesville on Thursday.