LHSAA Football Playoff First-Round Recap & Tidbits
by Hunter Bower // GeauxPreps.com Owner
LHSAA FOOTBALL FIRST-ROUND PLAYOFF STATS
| 2022 First Round | Games | Winner Avg Points | Loser Avg Points | Difference | Shutouts | Upsets |
| Non-Select I | 12 | 38.3 | 13.3 | 25.0 | 1 | 2 |
| Non-Select II | 12 | 34.2 | 19.3 | 14.9 | 1 | 4 |
| Non-Select III | 12 | 36.4 | 10.5 | 25.9 | 4 | 4 |
| Non-Select IV | 12 | 42.1 | 13.9 | 28.2 | 2 | 1 |
| Select I | 8 | 42.0 | 13.6 | 28.4 | 2 | 3 |
| Select II* | 7 | 31.4 | 12.4 | 19.0 | 2 | 2 |
| Select III | 8 | 38.8 | 7.6 | 31.2 | 3 | 1 |
| Select IV | 8 | 46.1 | 11.6 | 34.5 | 2 | 0 |
| TOTAL: | 79 | 38.7 | 12.8 | 25.9 | 17 | 17 |
LOWER SEEDS HAVE SUCCESS IN THE FIRST WEEK OF PLAYOFF ACTION
In the first week of high school football playoff action in Louisiana, 17 higher-seeded squads were upset throughout the eight brackets. Non-Select Division II and III each had four upsets, the most amongst all brackets, while higher seeds all came out the victor in Select Division IV.
Carroll was the highest seed from all divisions to suffer defeat at the hands of a lower seed. The Bulldogs, ranked No. 5, were upset by No. 28 Breaux Bridge, 21-17.
STORYLINES BY CLASS
SELECT DIVISION I
- Next week’s regional round provides four rematches from the regular season as Acadiana travels to Carencro, St. Augustine hosts Brother Martin, John Curtis takes on Jesuit and Scotlandville travels to New Orleans to face Edna Karr.
- Alexandria may have arrived late to Friday’s opening round game against higher-seeded McKinley but the Trojans wasted no time on the field with a 43-0 shutout to advance to the next round for a matchup against No. 6 Byrd. It will be the first time that the two programs have played each other.
- Scotlandville scored a victory over Edna Karr during the regular season. However, it wasn’t won in the traditional sense as Karr was forced to forfeit its 43-6 win over the Hornets due to player ineligibility. The Cougars will have a chance at redemption as they welcome Scotlandville to town next Friday.
SELECT DIVISION II
- In a battle of the No. 16 and 17 seeds, Helen Cox overcame a highly-contested matchup with St. Michael for its first postseason victory in five seasons, which was also the last time the Cougars appeared in the playoffs. Cox advances to the regional round as it travels to No. 1 St. Thomas More on Friday.
- Archbishop Hannan was one of 17 teams to pull off an upset against a higher seed. The Hawks took down No. 12 Kenner Discovery, 34-20, to advance in hopes of extending its streak of quarterfinal appearances to three. Hannan faces No. 5, John F. Kennedy, in the next round.
- Evangel blanked Istrouma, 60-0, at home last Friday and now travels to No. 4 seed and last year’s state runner-up E.D. White. The Eagles have struggled in experience over the last few seasons but are gaining ground in hopes of returning to national prominence.
- Livingston Collegiate head coach Devon Francois is making strides in his second season at the helm. In the school’s fourth season as a varsity program, the Wolves experienced one of the biggest turnarounds in the state, improving a 1-7 mark in 2021 to nine wins and a playoff appearance this year. Francois led Livingston to more history Saturday night with the program’s first playoff win over Douglass, 36-14.
SELECT DIVISION III
- Sophie B. Wright picked up its first postseason victory in school history Friday afternoon following a 28-21 battle over D’Arbonne Woods. The Warriors advance as the No. 16 seed and will face the highly-touted Newman Greenies in the regional round.
- M.L. King Charter also took home its first playoff victory as a varsity program in a 47-0 smashing of Thomas Jefferson.
- No. 19 Lake Charles Prep pulled off an upset over higher-ranked Catholic of New Iberia Friday night to advance to the regional round for a date with No. 3 Notre Dame. The two squads have not met since the 2017-2018 seasons when the Pios took victories over the Trailblazers.
- Cyril Crutchfield has Bogalusa rolling in his first season at the helm. The Lumberjacks scored their first playoff victory since 2015 in a convincing win over Jennings. Sophomore quarterback Ashton Levi has thrown for over 2,600 yards and 29 touchdowns so far this season.
SELECT DIVISION IV
- There was a celebration happening in the town of Franklin Friday night after Hanson Memorial’s historic victory in the first round of the Select Division IV bracket. A 48-46 triumph over Delta Charter gave the Tigers their first playoff victory since 2004 as well as the most wins in a season since that time.
- Delhi Charter nabbed its first playoff win since the 2016 season as the Gators knocked off St. John, 40-0. Coach Jeremy Foote and company must now travel down to New Orleans for a second-round contest against St. Martin’s Episcopal.
NON-SELECT DIVISION I
- No. 5 Zachary and No. 12 West Monroe each took home opening round victories Friday night setting up a rematch from last season’s Class 5A quarterfinal thriller. The Broncos took home the win and eventually advanced into the championship game last season but hope to once again thwart a West Monroe upset bid.
- For the first time in 36 years, No. 13 Northshore won a high school football playoff game. It wasn’t without its challenges, as the Panthers rallied back with two touchdowns in the final period to take a 21-14 win over Salmen. It was the first time since 2008 that Northshore hosted a home playoff game.
- No. 27 Haughton pulled off, perhaps, the upset of the year by knocking off No. 6 Airline in a District 1-5A rematch from the regular season. The Vikings rolled into the first round having won six straight while Haughton lost three of its last five regular-season contests, including a 55-42 loss to Airline. The Buccaneers now play host to No. 11 East St. John on Friday.
NON-SELECT DIVISION II
- There were four upset victories in the Non-Select Division II bracket Friday night including No. 25 Jennings’ upset bid over highly-favored Plaquemine. With the victory, the Bulldogs extend head coach Rusty Phillip’s career for at least one more game following his decision to retire at the end of the season.
- North Vermilion took home its first postseason victory since 2014 following an upset win on the road over No. 10 Franklin Parish. The Patriots play host to No. 7 Church Point in hopes of advancing to the quarterfinals for the first time since at least before 2004.
NON-SELECT DIVISION III
- For the first time since its state runner-up campaign in 2017, Richwood experienced postseason victory with a win over No. 16 Caldwell Parish. The Rams’ next stop runs through Many with a regional round contest against the vaunted Tiger football squad.
- It will be a rematch of last season’s Class 3A state title game as Sterlington makes the trek over to Farmerville for a second-round matchup with Union Parish. Friday night’s contest will be the fourth time in a year that the two have squared off with Sterlington leading, 2-1.
- Winnfield won its opening-round playoff game for the second consecutive season as it defeated Mamou, 27-0. The last time that the Tigers won back-to-back first-round games came in the 2014 and 2015 football seasons.
DIVISION IV
- Oakdale picked up its first postseason win in six years Friday night in a slugfest that came down to the wire with No. 21 Franklin. The Warriors now make the trip up to northwest Louisiana for a date with 17-time state champion Haynesville on Friday.
- District foes Basile and Oberlin will meet in the playoffs for the second time since 2019 and again this season following Basile’s 35-13 win in league play.
- Arcadia shut out Lake Arthur, 26-0, for its first playoff win since the 2017 season. The Hornets will make the trip down south to take on White Castle on Friday.
- Delhi upset No. 15 Jeanerette, 34-6, Friday night keeping its championship hopes alive. The last playoff win for the Bears was the result of an upset bid back during the 2019 season.