2026 Jackson Parish Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
NOTE: This is the second in a series recognizing Joey Pender (JHHS), Steve Treadway (JHHS), Cynthia Loyd (JHHS), Lowell Mize (JHHS), and Shelby Green (QHS), who were selected to be inducted in the Jackson Parish Sports Hall of Fame as the Class of 2026, along with Bill DeCou (Rundell Jr. High), who will receive the prestigious Meritorious Service Award. The induction banquet is scheduled for October 3rd in the Family Life Center at First Baptist Church in Jonesboro. This week: Steve Treadway
It is only fitting that the picture of Steve Treadway on the banner above shows him smiling. When remembering the days that “Tread” walked the halls of Jonesboro-Hodge High School fifty years ago, anyone who knew him will tell you he always had a smile on his face. Standing 6’4″ tall and weighing around 280 pounds, he was considered to be somewhat of a “gentle giant.”
That is, until he suited up!
When Treadway stepped on the gridiron or baseball field, his whole demeanor changed. Instead of a warm smile, you would see a fierce look of determination. It was as if his whole personality had changed in a “flip of a switch.”
Neither his off-field nor on-field demeanor was fake. Both were perfect personifications of the 1978 JHHS graduate. Off the field, he was as friendly a person as you would ever want to meet. On the field, he was a warrior, focused only on leading his team to a victory.
Very few athletic programs in the state can claim a greater legacy of excellence than the Jonesboro-Hodge High School football team. The Tigers have won five state championships, including the “three-peat” in 1987-89. Three times JHHS has finished as state runner-up, seven more times played in the state semifinals, and 21 times have won a district championship. Additionally, the Tigers have made the playoffs 52 times, which ranks 10th-most in Louisiana High School Athletic Association history.
Yet there was a 30-year period when Jonesboro-Hodge did not enjoy much success. That was from 1946-76. There were a few brief moments, like the district championship years of 1950,1963, 1964, and 1970, but only in 1964 did JHHS make it past the first round of the playoffs.
In 1976, when Steve Treadway was a junior, Jonesboro-Hodge suffered through one of its worst seasons in school history, as the Tigers won their first game and then lost 9 straight. One bright spot was Treadway’s play, which earned him second-team All-District honors at defensive end and the Most Improved Player Award at the annual JHHS Football Banquet.
You didn’t see the recognizable Treadway smile much after that season. That was because the determined focus he used to save for game days became a way of life. Everyday! Determined to lead his team to better results, Treadway dedicated himself to improving over the following summer. He worked hard every day, lifting weights in the morning and running in the afternoon.
His attitude became infectious among the juniors and seniors on the team who, up until their high school days, had never lost a game in junior high competition. The result is still an LHSAA record for the best turnaround from one season to the next: in Treadway’s senior season, JHHS waltzed through an undefeated regular season and won 13 consecutive games before falling in the Class 2A state championship game. The streak is still tied today with the 1945 edition of Tigers for the longest winning streak in JHHS history.
Treadway’s contribution to the Tigers’ success that season did not go unnoticed, as he was voted first-team All-District on both the offensive and defensive lines, one of the few in JHHS history to have achieved such acclaim. He also earned Honorable Mention on the 1977-78 Class AA All-State team and was a News Star World “Super 11” selection, being hailed by many as the best end in the state.
His athletic prowess wasn’t limited to the gridiron. Treadway also earned first-team All-District honors in both his junior and senior seasons and was a key contributor to JHHS’s one of its best seasons in school history in 1977.
Treadway’s determination to win not only helped JHHS to one of its best football seasons in school history in 1977 but inspired future Tigers to leave an incredible legacy of success. In a 17-year period (1978-1993), the Tigers’ success on the gridiron was unequaled except for a very few teams across the state as JHHS compiled a 146-55 record, won 35 of 46 playoff games, gained three state championships, became state runner-up twice, and reached the quarterfinals or better three more times.
His determination to succeed continued after he graduated from JHHS in 1978, when, as a four-year scholarship football player for Louisiana Tech University (1979-82), Treadway became a starter on the offensive line for two years and was voted the team’s Outstanding Lineman his senior year.
Steve Treadway always had a smile on his face when he was not on the playing field. When he was, he brought smiles to everyone who was a part of JHHS football, either as a player, coach, or fan. On October 3rd, everyone in attendance will also be sporting a big smile as one of the best who ever played sports at Jonesboro-Hodge High School will be getting a just reward – Induction into the Jackson Parish Sports Hall of Fame.