LHSAA Playoffs quarterfinal primer | Division-IV Non-Select

Jerit Roser November 22, 2023 @ 11:59 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-IV Non-Select capsule heading into the postseason's third round.     Quarterfinal matchups — Last meeting   No. 1 Logansport vs. No. 8 Welsh — More than 20 years ago, if ever.   No. 4 Haynesville vs. No. 5 Jeanerette — More than 20 years ago, if ever.   No. 3 Oak Grove vs. No. 6 Mangham — Oak Grove won, 28-12, at Mangham in Week 5.   No. 2 Kentwood vs. No. 7 Homer — More than 20 years ago, if ever.     Highest seeds remaining: No. 1 Logansport, No. 2 Kentwood, No. 3 Oak Grove, No. 4 Haynesville, No. 5 Jeanerette, No. 6 Homer and No. 8 Welsh.   Lowest seeds remaining: Top eight seeds have advanced, so No. 8 Welsh and No. 7 Homer.     Biggest second-round upset by seeds: No upsets.   Other second-round upsets: None.   Closest second-round game: No. 5 Jeanerette over No. 12 East Feliciana, 28-20.   Closest game thus far: No. 5 Jeanerette over No. 28 West St. John, 12-6, in first round.   Biggest second-round margin: No. 1 Logansport over No. 16 Franklin, 64-12.   Biggest margin thus far: No. 9 White Castle over No. 24 Varnado, 52-0, in first round, and No. 1 Logansport over No. 16 Franklin, 64-12, in second round.   Biggest second-round surprise: No surprises.   Biggest surprise thus far: No. 22 Centerville over No. 11 Oberlin in first round.     Top second-round performers: 2024 Kentwood QB Eric Earl Jr., 2025 Oak Grove WR [player_tooltip player_id='1221054' first='Jay' last='Freeman'], 2024 Homer QB Zyan Warren   Other notes: "Division-IV Non-Select" — or its predecessor, Class 1A — has been a bracket that has typically featured fewer lower-seeded teams on deep Cinderella runs that most other groups, but this year marks the first time since 2018 that all eight top seeds have advanced to the quarterfinals. Six of the eight quarterfinalists were in this position last year, while Welsh is back for the first time since a 2018 Class 2A championship-game run and Jeanerette is returns to the quarters for the first time since 1990.     Most intriguing quarterfinal matchup: No. 2 Kentwood vs. No. 7 Homer.   Most intriguing possible semifinal matchup: No. 2 Kentwood vs. No. 3 Oak Grove.

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.