Division-I Select Preview Notes | LHSAA State Championships
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The LHSAA’s annual Prep Classic football state championship event continues Friday with Division-II Non-Select, Division-III Non-Select and Division-I Select matchups. Prep Redzone Louisiana will break down the overall storylines, paths teams took to reach the Superdome, programs’ histories and players…
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Continue ReadingThe LHSAA’s annual Prep Classic football state championship event continues Friday with Division-II Non-Select, Division-III Non-Select and Division-I Select matchups.
Prep Redzone Louisiana will break down the overall storylines, paths teams took to reach the Superdome, programs’ histories and players to watch.
The Division-I Select game will close Friday’s three-game schedule.
No. 3 Catholic (Baton Rouge) (11-2) vs. No. 8 Acadiana (11-2)
The Bears and Wreckin’ Rams navigated absolute battles throughout the playoffs to be the last teams standing in a tough Division-I Select bracket. The teams, which have a recent history of regular-season matchups, have combined to win eight championships on the field since 2013, though Catholic (B.R.) was ruled to forfeit its 2017 and 2020 titles.
The Paths
Catholic (B.R.)
— First-round bye
— Beat John Ehret, 45-9
— Beat defending champion John Curtis, 38-35
— Beat Archbishop Rummel, 28-16
Acadiana
— First-round bye
— Beat Carencro, 14-7
— Upset top-seeded Holy Cross, 28-14
— Upset Edna Karr, 30-24
Recent Meetings
The Bears won a pair of home games against the Wreckin’ Rams late in the 2020 season, 27-21, and early in the 2021 schedule, 20-0 under two different head coaches.
Players to Watch
Catholic
2024 QB Daniel Beale Daniel Beale 6'2" | 190 lbs | QB Catholic (Baton Rouge) | 2024 State LA , 2025 DB Jacob Bradford Jacob Bradford 6'0" | 190 lbs | DB Catholic (Baton Rouge) | 2025 State LA , 2025 WR Amari Clayton Amari Clayton 6'2" | 185 lbs | WR Catholic (Baton Rouge) | 2025 State LA , 2026 DL/LB RJ Fleming-Ricard RJ Fleming-Ricard 6'3" | 210 lbs | DL Catholic (Baton Rouge) | 2026 State LA , 2025 DB Sam Norman Sam Norman 5'9" | 160 lbs | DB Catholic (Baton Rouge) | 2025 LA , 2024 RB Barry Remo Barry Remo 5'10" | 180 lbs | ATH Catholic (Baton Rouge) | 2024 State LA II, 2024 DL Blair Rousseau Blair Rousseau 5'11" | 240 lbs | DL Catholic (Baton Rouge) | 2024 State LA , 2025 OL Erv Smith Erv Smith 6'2" | 285 lbs | OL Catholic (Baton Rouge) | 2025 State LA , 2024 LB/DB Jaylon Wood Jaylon Wood 6'0" | 175 lbs | DB Catholic (Baton Rouge) | 2024 State LA , 2024 WR Bradley Wright Bradley Wright 5'9" | 160 lbs | WR Catholic (Baton Rouge) | 2024 State LA , 2024 Brooks Wright Brooks Wright 6'3" | 175 lbs | ATH Catholic (Baton Rouge) | 2024 State LA
Acadiana
2025 WR/ATH Russell Babineaux Russell Babineaux 5'9" | 160 lbs | ATH Acadiana | 2025 State LA , 2024 DL Vallen Charles, 2025 LB Amarion Cooper Amarion Cooper 5'11" | 185 lbs | LB Acadiana | 2025 LA , 2025 QB Caden DiBetta Caden DiBetta 6'0" | 195 lbs | QB Acadiana | 2025 State LA , 2027 WR Collin DiBetta Collin DiBetta 5'9" | 170 lbs | WR Acadiana | 2027 State LA , 2025 RB Jonah Gauthier Jonah Gauthier 5'7" | 170 lbs | RB Acadiana | 2025 LA , 2024 DB Amir Hill Amir Hill 6'1" | 185 lbs | DB Acadiana | 2024 State LA , 2024 LB Shamarius Harris Shamarius Harris 5'11" | 215 lbs | LB Acadiana | 2024 State LA , 2024 RB Ezekiel Hypolite Ezekiel Hypolite 5'9" | 175 lbs | RB Acadiana | 2024 State LA , 2025 DL Jayden Lawrence, 2025 DB Dalyn Lewis Dalyn Lewis 5'10" | 155 lbs | DB Acadiana | 2025 State LA , 2026 DL Darryus McKinley Darryus McKinley 6'3" | 225 lbs | DL Acadiana | 2026 State LA , 2024 DL Dominick McKinley Dominick McKinley 6'5" | 275 lbs | DL Acadiana | 2024 State LA , 2025 DB Braylon Noel Braylon Noel 5'10" | 160 lbs | DB Acadiana | 2025 State LA
State Championship History
Catholic: 4-3 on field, 2-1 not including forfeits
— Wins in 2015, 2017*, 2020*, 2021
— Losses in 1990, 2018*, 2019*
Acadiana: 6-2
— Wins in 2006, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020
— Losses in 2005, 2007