Karr closing in on rare 3-peat but Neville in the way once again

The goal is in reach.

In the history of Louisiana prep football, only 15 teams have ever won three consecutive state championships on the field since state championships were awarded, beginning 98 years ago in 1921. Two of those 15 titles were later forfeited.

The 15 championships were accumulated by only eight schools.

The last program to win three straight titles on the field was Bastrop, in Class 4A, from 2005-07, but the Rams had to forfeit the first title.

As a result, the most recent 3-peat was turned in by Evangel Christian from 2004-06.

Evangel also won four straight state championships from 1996-99. Istrouma won three straight titles from 1955-57.

John Curtis Christian won five straight state titles from 2004-08 and won four straight state titles from 1996-99. The Patriots also won three straight from 1979-81 and from 1983-85. Curtis also won three straight on the field from 2011-13 but later forfeited the 2013 title.

Ferriday won four straight from 1953-56 and Haynesville also won four straight championships from 1993-96.

West Monroe won three straight state titles from 1996-98.

Jonesboro-Hodge won three consecutive titles from 1987-89. Tallulah won three straight championships from 1932-34.

There is your list.

Then, there is Karr.

The Cougars are in search of a third consecutive Class 4A state championship and have a good shot at the accomplishment.

Karr (13-0) is the No. 1 seed and the Cougars will host long-time rival and fourth-seeded Neville (10-2) Friday night at 7 p.m. at Behrman Stadium with a chance to return to the state championship game for the eighth time in nine seasons, an amazing run.

Karr beat Neville 34-21 in the 2016 championship game and the Cougars beat the Tigers 29-22 in the 2012 title game.

Previously, the Tigers defeated the Cougars 45-26 in the 2015 title contest and Neville beat Karr 27-6 in the 2011 championship game. Neville also downed Karr 34-7 in the 2014 state quarterfinals so the Tigers still have a 3-2 edge, all in big playoff games.

The Tigers have lost only to 5A powers West Monroe and Ruston. The Rebels are the No. 1 seed in 5A and remain unbeaten in the semifinals, hosting John Ehret Friday night. West Monroe eliminated Ruston last Friday night in the quarterfinals.

Neville is one of the elite programs in Louisiana prep football history with 12 state championships, trailing only John Curtis Christian (25), Haynesville (17) and Evangel Christian (14) in that hierarchy.

Karr coach and former Cougar player Brice Brown understands the legacy he is building and understands what Neville is all about.

“It’s another chapter. It should be interesting,” Brown said. “We saw this coming when the brackets came out. They play two quarterbacks with different skills and they are good defensively. They know how to win. That has been taught and handed down through decades. We will have a tough task Friday. Mickey McCarty always does a good job with his team.”

Neville has playoff wins over Opelousas (55-28), Pearl River (31-9) and previously unbeaten Lakeshore (21-0). The latter avenged a playoff loss to the Titans a year ago.

Karr downed Minden (34-10), Tioga (49-13) and Bastrop (48-19) to advance. The Cougars have not played their best yet in the playoffs.

Perhaps the arrival of Neville in Algiers will inspire the Cougars to play at a higher level.

“We have been a little sluggish for the last couple of weeks,” Brown said. “Neville beat us at Behrman Stadium in 2014. Our kids and coaches are aware of this. They were the last team to beat us at home. We beat them in the last title game they were in. Both schools have ammunition. We had to reach their level and overcome them in 2016. Now, they are in that position and we know they will want to beat us. You can bet your bottom dollar they will come out inspired.”

The Cougar offense has balance, led by quarterback Leonard Kelly, along with running backs Ronnie Jackson and Ahmad Antoine and wide receivers Dalyn Hill and Kalfani Simmons.

Kelly has completed 164-of-245 (66%) passes for 2,411 yards with 35 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He has 70 carries for 285 yards and a touchdown. Jackson has rushed 122 times for 1,001 yards (8.2 avg.) and 10 touchdowns. Antoine has 71 carries for 417 yards and eight touchdowns. Hill has 38 catches for 552 yards and eight touchdowns while Simmons has 33 catches for 486 yards and five touchdowns.

“Our offense is playing well. Kelly is managing the game well and throwing it well. We ran it a lot last week. This week, we hope the weather is good so we can pass it well and run it well. We have to pass it well and run it well. It will be about third-down efficiency in this game.

The Cougar defense has been stout, allowing just 10.6 points per game.

“We only allowed more than 20 points once and that was in our season opener at St. Paul’s,” Brown said. “That side of the ball has improved as the season has progressed.”

In Neville’s win over Lakeshore, the Tigers got a 258 yards and three touchdowns rushing from senior quarterback Jordan Thomas while the Tiger defense got key stops in the red zone to pitch a shutout, a year after the Titans scored 55 points on Neville.

Being the two-time defending champions carries a burden which Karr has handled quite well.

“It’s been more difficult then we thought to be the target of everyone,” Brown said. “Everyone is motivated to face us and gives us their best effort. We understand this. To have just 13 teams in nearly 100 years win three in a row tells you how tough it is. Our kids do what they are taught to do. They play with discipline and pride. Being in this position is a testament to the coaches and the players. It is not supposed to be easy. Greatness is difficult, hard to achieve. We know how tough it is to win it all.

With so much at stake, has Brown spoken with his team much about the significance of winning a third straight state title?

“We have talked about it but not that much,” Brown said. “This senior class knows nothing other than going to the state championship game. That is the expectation here. You have to strive for excellence daily, weekly, monthly, yearly. It would be very special for our student body, our teachers and administrators and our alumni. These kids have represented Karr in the right way. Winning is very important to us but doing things the right way, representing your school with class and preparing young men to be successful in life is what is most important to us.”