RHS to host Sharks Friday at Hoss Garrett Stadium

Ruston High’s quest to repeat as Division I Non- select champions in Louisiana resumes Friday night at James Field at LJ “Hoss” Garrett Stadium when the Southside Sharks come to town.

The Bearcats ( 9- 2) host the Sharks (9-2) in the quarterfinal round after impressive wins in the regionals.

Fans who haven’t purchased a general admission ticket to the game Friday can do so through the GoFan app by searching Ruston High School. Tickets are $15 each, and your smart phone can serve as a ticket to enter the stadium.

This will be the seventh consecutive trip to the quarterfinals for Ruston High, who won the championship in 2023 and finished as runner-up in 2022.

Southside is making its second-ever appearance in the quarterfinals, but its first under new head coach Jess Curtis. Familiar with playoff football, Curtis is a veteran coach with three state championships under his belt at Many High School.

This will mark the first time the two programs meet on the gridiron. The Sharks play in District 3-5A, where they finished as runner-up in district play to Acadiana, a team Ruston defeated earlier this season.

Jerrod Baugh enters Friday night’s contest with a 17-6 record in the postseason as Ruston’s head coach. The Bearcats are also riding a five-game playoff winning streak.

The Bearcats enter the game with a very experienced senior class that has played a total of 39 football games in the past three seasons. In those games, RHS has come out victorious 35 times.

Game time is set for 7 p.m. For those unable to attend the game, a live stream will be available by Bearcat Nation Network online at bearcatnationnetwork. com or on YouTube by searching for the Bearcat Nation Network channel.