On Dec. 1, 1972, Neville High School of Monroe in northern Louisiana played a state semifinal game against Brother Martin High School of the renowned New Orleans Catholic League. These were the days before overtime was used. The playoff game ended 0-0. The first tiebreaker, first downs, ended even at 9-9. The second tiebreaker, penetrations of the opponent’s 20-yard line, also finished level, at 1-1. Beyond that, the Louisiana High School Athletic Association had no official way to resolve a game.
So four days later, on Dec. 5, the state semifinal was replayed in its entirety. This time, the rain sheeted and mud spackled the players’ numbers, and their uniforms glistened as if slathered in pudding. Neville won, 8-0. Three days after that, it played its third game in eight days without surrendering a point, winning, 6-0, over Airline High of Bossier City to take the Class AAAA state title for Louisiana’s largest schools at the time.
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