Only Seven Remain: Louisiana’s Undefeated Teams March to the Semifinals
by: Vincent Cacioppo // GeauxPreps.com Managing Editor
Only seven Louisiana high school football teams completed the regular season undefeated and are now moving to the semifinals. Below is a look into their quarterfinal-round wins and their upcoming semifinal matchups.
#2 Alexandria
The #2 Alexandria Trojans continued their unbeaten season with a hard-fought win over #10 C.E. Byrd, pulling away late to secure a semifinal spot and improve to 12-0. JT Lindsey was once again unstoppable, racking up 166 yards and five total touchdowns—four on the ground and one on a 47-yard pass from quarterback Max Gassiott. The Trojans will host #19 John Curtis next week for a chance at the Dome.
#5 Bunkie
The #5-seeded Bunkie Panthers are headed to the semifinals for the first time in 35 years after a gritty 14-12 victory over #4 Jewel Sumner. In a defensive battle, quarterback Dillon Compton put the Panthers on the board in the third quarter, giving them an 8-6 lead. The game’s turning point came when Ron Patterson came through an 89-yard pick-six, shifting the momentum and the Panthers’ season. The Panthers now prepare for a tough semifinal matchup in Baton Rouge against the top-seeded Dunham Tigers.
#4 Catholic-BR
The #4-seeded Catholic High Bears survived a tough and gritty playoff battle, edging #5 Rummel 14-7 in a low-scoring thriller. The game’s decisive moment came on a perfectly executed trick play late in the game. What appeared to be a quick screen to Cohen LeBlanc turned into a game-sealing 44-yard touchdown when the baseball standout launched a pass to teammate Amari Clayton. The Bears move on to play #1 seed Edna Karr.
#1 Dunham
The top-seeded Dunham Tigers kept their perfect season alive with a 34-30 comeback victory over #9 Lafayette Christian, improving to 12-0. Trailing 30-13 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Tigers leaned quarterback Elijah Haven, the nation’s top-ranked QB in the 2027 class according to On3, who delivered three fourth-quarter touchdown passes to rally his team. He finished the night with 276 passing yards, 93 rushing yards, and two total touchdowns. Dunham’s defense, as they’ve done all season, came through, holding Lafayette Christian’s offense under 5 rushing yards in the fourth quarter. The Tigers will host #5 Bunkie on Friday night.
#1 Edna Karr
#1 Edna Karr overcame a 14-0 deficit in the second quarter to dominate #8 St. Thomas More, scoring 42 unanswered points to secure a 42-14 victory and a spot in the semifinals. Cougar Quarterback John Johnson was the catalyst for the comeback, rushing for 106 yards and three touchdowns, and throwing for another score. Karr’s explosive second-half performance proved too much for St. Thomas More, and the Cougars will now host the #4 Catholic High Bears in what promises to be a high-stakes semifinal showdown.
#1 Haynesville
#1 Haynesville Golden Tornado continued their playoff run with a 30-15 victory over #9 Welsh. Fullback Yasin Meadors set the tone early with a touchdown run to open the scoring. Haynesville’s defense stepped up once again, forcing a turnover and quickly capitalizing as Donnie Critton found the endzone with a red-zone touchdown run. The Golden Tornado proved too strong throughout, advancing to the semifinals. Haynesville will host #12 General Trass next week, with a trip to the Dome on the line.
#1 Vermilion Catholic
The #1 seed Vermilion Catholic Eagles cruised to a 60-20 victory over #8 St. Edmund to advance to the Division IV Select semifinals. St. Edmund struck first, but Jonathan Dartez and the Eagles quickly responded with 41 unanswered points to take control by halftime. Dartez was the star of the night, accounting for four rushing touchdowns and two passing touchdowns. Vermilion Catholic’s performance sets up a semifinal matchup at home against #12 Kentwood, with a trip to the state championship game in the Caesars Superdome on the line.
Featured Image Courtesy of Alexandria Football