By LEE BRECHEEN, Louisiana Football Magazine/YouTube TV
Alexandria Senior High nearly pulled off the comeback of the playoffs last Friday night against Edna Karr, but with the Trojans’ narrow 40-34 loss, the last Rapides Parish team was eliminated from the LHSAA football postseason.
But there’s still plenty of reason to track the semifinal round Friday night. Root for nearby Jena, a top seed that looks the part. From my seat in Baton Rouge, I am giving you previews of the best games statewide this week in the semis.
My best game of the week is Edna Karr hosting the Acadiana Wreckin’ Rams.
Select Division I — Edna Karr goes into the game 10-1 against 10-2 Acadiana. The game will be played in New Orleans hosted by Karr. It’s tough for ASH to swallow, considering they could have been going to Lafayette to meet the Wreckin’ Rams.
The game between ASH and Edna Karr was worth the popcorn and admission and this one will be too, but my prediction is for a much lower scoring game this week compared to Karr’s shootout with ASH, and here’s why.
Acadiana usually has at least a 9-minute drive in every game this season. The Wreckin’ Rams are methodical. That is the perfect medicine to beat a team like Karr, who has a faster team on paper than most college teams in Louisiana. I am going with Acadiana 21, Edna Karr 14 in an upset.
My second favorite best playoff game of the week is the Division IV Select matchup of Southern Lab of Baton Rouge facing Ouachita Christian from Monroe. This will be a battle of the trenches. Both Class 1A programs have offensive lines averaging over 260 pounds per player! I am going with the speed of the Kittens from Lab, 28-20.
Division II Select – I like the matchup of Archbishop Shaw taking on St. Thomas More in Lafayette. Shaw will try for its first crosstown trip to the Dome in nearly 20 years. The Shaw defense taking on the STM offense – which is averaging over 500 yards a game – is a battle royale. I like Shaw and that defense, 21-17 for the win.
Division III Non-Select – Here’s the game Cenla will be watching. I love this game between No. 1 Jena and Union Parish. There’s no Trey Holly for Union — he’s now at LSU – and the Giants have had a fantastic season. I believe the Cinderella team will make its first trip to the Dome. Jena, 17-14.
Select Division III gives us Calvary Baptist hosting the Newman Greenies. This game will be decided in the trenches. Calvary has the best offensive line in the state, in all classes, and beat up on some Class 5A teams early. The Cavs also have the best skill talent in Division III. Newman has a great QB (Eli Friend, stepping in for Arch Manning) and a top-notch offensive Line. I will go with Calvary Baptist wearing down Newman 31-21.
Division IV Non Select offers an appealing 318 AC matchup of Class A powers Haynesville and Logansport. I think the coaching job of the year should go to David Franklin at Haynesville, who has followed in his dad’s footsteps (Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer Red Franklin) but I think the win in this game will go to Logansport and the Tigers’ savvy head coach, former NSU Demon quarterback and LHS alumnus Kevin Magee by 35-21, at home on the Texas border.
Non-Select Division I — The best defensive game of the week will be Dutchtown against Zachary, two Baton Rouge metro schools that on the average only give up 14 points a game. Dutchtown has never played for a state title, but Zachary has won four. I am going with Dutchtown in a upset. They have a good team and finally will make it to a title game, prevailing 21-17.
Finally, I have to talk about the Opelousas-North DeSoto contest in Division II Non-Select. Opelousas has never made a Dome appearance and North DeSoto made its first appearance last year, with a near-miss for the 2022 state title.
Many assume this is all North DeSoto, especially played in Stonewall, but I have seen Opelousas play. The Tigers look like a college football team in talent, and oh by the way, they have the best Class of 2025 RB in the USA in D’Shaun Ford (6-1, 215), and a 285-pound offensive line blocking for him. I’m going to stand with the homestanding Griffins, but it might be closer than you think. In a close call, North DeSoto and former Louisiana Christian coach Dennis Dunn moves on, 35-28.
Contact Lee at lbrecheen@aol.com