LHSAA Playoffs quarterfinal primer | Division-II Non-Select
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Thanksgiving week brings plenty of traditions and significance — including, in Louisiana’s high school football, the milestone of turkey-day practices meaning a team is preparing for the quarterfinals. Each week, we’ll give a quick update of some of the notable…
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Continue ReadingThanksgiving week brings plenty of traditions and significance — including, in Louisiana’s high school football, the milestone of turkey-day practices meaning a team is preparing for the quarterfinals.
Each week, we’ll give a quick update of some of the notable outcomes and top performers in each division and potential matchups to watch in the next round.
Check out the Division-II Non-Select capsule heading into the postseason’s third round.
Quarterfinal matchups — Last meeting
No. 1 North DeSoto vs. No. 8 Iowa — North DeSoto won, 38-9, at Iowa in 2022 semifinals.
No. 4 Lutcher vs. No. 12 Opelousas — More than 20 years, if ever.
No. 3 Assumption vs. No. 22 Northwest — More than 20 years, if ever.
No. 2 Cecilia vs. No. 10 Jennings — Jennings won, 59-49, at Cecilia in 2020 Week 4.
Highest seeds remaining: No. 1 North DeSoto, No. 2 Cecilia, No. 3 Assumption, No. 4 Lutcher and No. 8 Iowa.
Lowest seeds remaining: No. 22 Northwest, No. 12 Opelousas and No. 10 Jennings.
Biggest second-round upset by seeds: No. 22 Northwest over No. 6 Wossman, 24-14.
Other second-round upsets: No. 12 Opelousas over No. 5 West Feliciana, 14-0.
Closest second-round game: No. 10 Jennings over No. 26 St. Martinville, 25-23.
Closest game thus far: No. 10 Jennings over No. 26 St. Martinville, 25-23, in second round.
Biggest second-round margin: No. 1 North DeSoto over No. 17 DeRidder, 63-21.
Biggest margin thus far: No. 12 Opelousas over No. 21 Rayne, 57-6, in first round.
Biggest second-round surprise: No. 22 Northwest over No. 6 Wossman, 24-14.
Biggest surprise thus far: No. 22 Northwest over No. 6 Wossman, 24-14, in second round.
Top second-round performers: 2024 Cecilia RB Corey Broussard, 2025 Opelousas LB Travis Esprit Travis Esprit 6'0" | 200 lbs | LB Opelousas | 2025 State LA , 2025 Cecilia ATH Diesel Solari Diesel Solari 5'7" | 175 lbs | ATH Cecilia | 2025 State LA .
Other notes: The Division-II Non-Select bracket includes the biggest Cinderella story of the playoffs thus far in No. 22 Northwest, along with another pair of double-digit seeds, to make it arguably the most chaotic tournament thus far of the LHSAA’s eight despite 2022 champion Lutcher, runner-up North DeSoto and semifinalist Iowa all in the mix once again. The favorites on their respective sides of the bracket, No. 1 North DeSoto and No. 2 Cecilia, both looked notably strong in their playoff openers with blowout wins of 63-21 and 70-30, respectively, but now face quarterfinal matchups with some interesting recent history, including the top-seeded Griffins facing an Iowa squad whom they upset as last season’s No. 1 in the semis. Cecilia was a quarterfinalist in 2021, and Jennings was a 2020 quarterfinalist as the top seed in Class 3A and a 2019 finalist as a No. 23 seed. Northwest, Assumption and Opelousas make their first quarterfinals appearances since 2017, 2000 and 1994, respectively.
Most intriguing quarterfinal matchup: No. 4 Lutcher vs. No. 12 Opelousas.
Most intriguing possible semifinal matchup: No. 1 North DeSoto vs. No. 4 Lutcher.