The annual Soul Bowl, a Shreveport tradition more than a half-century old, brought out alumni and community members once again Saturday for the on-field football rivalry and all-around celebration.
This year, bragging rights are headed north as Green Oaks (1-2) handled business and fended off a late surge by Booker T. Washington-Shreveport (2-1) to win, 38-16, and give first-year head coach Nick Peoples his first win at the helm of the Giants.
Neither offense could find the end zone until just before halftime as defenses dominated the early going with an interception by Booker T. Washington senior Zarvea Frazier as an early highlight.
But Green Oaks sophomore quarterback Javontaye Dean showed poise, orchestrating the offense and keeping the Giants moving to break through for the game’s first touchdown.
Junior wide receiver Tony Johnson Jr. broke a reverse for 23 yards, then followed up with a catch on a slant from Dean across the middle where ran untouched for a 6-0 lead.
An aggressive Green Oaks continued to open up a lead with a pair of touchdowns from Dean to Jamarcus Hooper — a 45-yarder across the middle of the field, then later finding him on a scramble for a walk-in score after a tough drive.
And a hungry Giants defense continued to not only contain the Lions with Keshawn Williams and Brandon Jackson controlling the line and Jadarius Barfield making bruising stops, but even extending the lead to 24-0 as Williams corralled a tipped pass and raced to the end zone.
Booker T. Washington finally broke through with a long special teams return and a pair of physical runs by senior Vincent Blake, then two-play play from sophomore quarterback Devion Stewart to senior Tray Moore.
Green Oaks answered with another Johnson Jr. score on a jet sweep to cap the ensuing drive and extend the gap to 30-8.
Stewart and Moore connected again late for a 35-yarder to cut the lead to 30-14, and Layton Brown and DK Mitchell made plays behind the line as the Lions’ defense kept battling.
But, while each band claimed its own set of bragging rights, Dean officially iced the football victory for the Giants with a late 20-yard keeper to the end zone.
The sophomore’s five-touchdown performance earned Soul Bowl MVP honors.