By Matt Vines, The DeSoto Parish Journal
North DeSoto girls soccer continues winning streak into break
The North DeSoto girls (11-2-3) continues their hot streak by winning its final three December matches in convincing fashion.
The Lady Griffins, who have won five matches in a row, disposed of Airline (2-0), Haughton (2-0) and Tioga (3-1) – all on the road.
NDHS will face West Monroe and Episcopal on Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, respectively, before opening Division II-District 1 play with Parkway on Jan. 9.
The North DeSoto boys (4-7-1) enter the break on a five-match skid after losses to Leesville (2-0), Alexandria Senior High (7-0) and Walker (3-1).
The final two matches were part of the Rapides Tournament.
The Griffins return to the pitch by hosting Airline on Jan. 4 before starting Division II-District 1 play on Jan. 6 against Parkway.
BOYS BASKETBALL
North DeSoto boys remain undefeated headed into Christmas break as the Griffins snatched three wins in the final week of competition.
NDHS (5-0) plucked a pair of wins from Palin Dealing (54-23 and 66-39) before dominated Glenbrook, 65-18, on the road Tuesday.
After North DeSoto opened its season with a one-point win against Class 2A Lakeside on Dec. 11, the Griffins logged a win against Converse.
All five of NDHS’ opponents have been Class 2A or smaller, something that will change in the new year when the Griffins eventually head into District 1-4A competition with the likes of Bossier, Huntington and Evangel Christian.
Logansport (3-3) compiled a 2-1 record in a busy final stretch before Christmas break. The Tigers dropped a decision to Class 2A power North Caddo (59-48) before picking up wins against Stanley (44-43) and Converse (62-28).
The Mansfield (3-11) took a positive step in their last game of 2023, falling to Class 4A Northwood 58-53. Earlier in the season, Mansfield lost by 27 points to Northwood. The Wolverines wrapped up the Minden Tournament this past week with a loss to Ringgold.
Ever since Stanley (6-16) pieced together a three-game winning streak that included victories against Northwood-Lena and Logansport, the Panthers have been in a December slump. Stanley has dropped eight contests in a row with just one of those games (a one-point loss to Logansport) being closer than one point. The latest three losses came in the Logansport Tournament with defeats at the hands of Benton (65-39), Logansport (44-43) and Byrd (53-22).
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Logansport (6-5) had its four-game winning streak snapped with a one-point loss to Converse on Monday, the third time the Lady Tigers have fallen to the Class B opponent.
But Logansport did log four big wins during the streak, including three in the Logansport Tournament.
The Lady Tigers whooped Stanley (66-32), Byrd (63-36) and Evangel (48-10).
Mansfield’s (7-6) five-game winning streak ended in a loss to Arcadia in the final game of the Minden Tournament, but the Lady Wolverines ended December on a high note with a three-point win against Northwood.
Mansfield is 7-2 since an 0-4 start to the season, including recent wins against Booker T. Washington (47-37), Green Oaks (48-1) and Gibsland-Coleman (54-31). The Lady Wolverines held Green Oaks without a field goal for the entire game.
Since North DeSoto’s (9-4) five-game win streak was stopped earlier this month, the Griffins have won two of their last three contests. NDHS picked up a pair of wins against Plain Dealing (by an average of 30 points) before falling to Calvin, 60-36.
Stanley (5-13) notched its most impressive win of the season Saturday when the Panthers knocked off Class 5A Byrd in the Logansport Tournament finale, 61-27.
Stanley has won three of its last five games, sidestepping losses to Logansport and Benton, after a 2-11 beginning.