LHSAA Playoffs quarterfinal primer | Division-II Select

John F. Kennedy (New Orleans)

Jerit Roser November 23, 2023 @ 11:15 PM

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 outcomes and top performers in each division and potential matchups to watch in the next round.   Check out the Division-II Select capsule heading into the postseason's third round.     Quarterfinal matchups — Last meeting   No. 1 St. Thomas More vs. No. 8 St. Michael the Archangel — St. Thomas More won, 48-9, at home in 2017 first round.   No. 4 John F. Kennedy vs. No. 5 Archbishop Shaw — More than 20 years ago.   No. 3 Lafayette Christian vs. No. 11 McDonogh 35 — No. 6 Lafayette Christian won, 46-8, at home in 2022 second round.   No. 2 E.D. White vs. No. 7 Teurlings Catholic — More than 20 years ago.     Highest seeds remaining: No. 1 St. Thomas More, No. 2 E.D. White, No. 3 Lafayette Christian, No. 4 John F. Kennedy, No. 5 Archbishop Shaw, No. 7 Teurlings Catholic and No. 8 St. Michael the Archangel.   Lowest seeds remaining: No. 11 McDonogh 35.     Biggest second-round upset by seeds: No. 11 McDonogh 35 over No. 6 St. Louis Catholic, 53-23.   Other second-round upsets: Only one upset.   Closest second-round game: No. 7 Teurlings Catholic over No. 10 Madison Prep, 31-30.   Closest game thus far: No. 7 Teurlings Catholic over No. 10 Madison Prep, 31-30, in second round.   Biggest second-round margin: No. 1 St. Thomas More over No. 17 Istrouma, 57-14.   Biggest margin thus far: No. 10 Madison Prep over No. 23 Woodlawn (Shreveport), 54-0, in first round.   Biggest second-round surprise: No. 11 McDonogh 35 over No. 6 St. Louis Catholic, 53-23.   Biggest surprise thus far: No. 11 McDonogh 35 over No. 6 St. Louis Catholic, 53-23, in second round.     Top second-round performers: 2025 John F. Kennedy QB/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='914099' first='Amyne' last='Darensbourg'], 2024 McDonogh 35 QB [player_tooltip player_id='678304' first='Santana' last='Price'], 2025 Archbishop Shaw QB [player_tooltip player_id='1221203' first='Mason' last='Wilson'].   Other notes: Few surprises thus far in a bracket in which many expect district rivals No. 1 St. Thomas More and No. 3 Lafayette Christian to work their way to a title-game rematch, with No. 2 E.D. White considered the likeliest challenge to that potential. Six of this year's quarterfinalists were in this position last year: that trio of top seeds, plus John F. Kennedy, Archbishop Shaw and Teurlings Catholic. McDonogh 35 is in its first quarterfinal since 2014 after going on the road and pulling off not only an upset, but a rout. And St. Michael the Archangel claimed its first-ever playoff win, 49-14, against Livingston Collegiate to return to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2014 when a first-round bye in a condensed, four-round bracket placed the Warriors there.     Most intriguing quarterfinal matchup: No. 4 John F. Kennedy vs. No. 5 Archbishop Shaw.   Most intriguing possible semifinal matchup: No. 2 E.D. White vs. No. 3 Lafayette Christian.

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.