Division-II Non-Select Preview Notes | LHSAA State Championships

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Redzone Louisiana will break down the overall storylines, paths teams took to reach the Superdome, programs' histories and players to watch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Division-II Non-Select game kicks off Friday's three-game schedule.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 2 Cecilia (12-1) vs. No. 12 Opelousas (11-3)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A pair of familiar foes are the state's two teams this year who end the longest droughts of state championship appearances with the Bulldogs back in the Superdome for the first time since a 1995 title and the Tigers competing in their first title game since 1956. Both boast a variety of next-level talent headlined by the special junior seasons of quarterback/athlete [player_tooltip player_id='145333' first='Diesel' last='Solari'] and running back [player_tooltip player_id='710072' first='D'Shaun' last='Ford']. Cecilia overcame a two-score deficit in the regular season to come back and upend Opelousas, 25-22, and the stage is set Friday for another back-and-forth battle with wkatfigures to be an electric atmosphere.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Paths</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cecilia</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— First-round bye</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Iota, 70-30</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Jennings, 38-14</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Northwest, 55-18</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Opelousas</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Rayne, 57-6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Shutout West Feliciana, 14-0</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Upset defending champion Lutcher, 26-10</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Upset top-seeded North DeSoto, 28-20</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recent Meetings</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cecilia had won regular-season matchups five straight years before a resurgent Opelousas took the 2022 meeting, 21-16, and the district rivalry hit a new level of competitive intensity with the teams now trading the past two editions decided by a combined eight points. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cecilia</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024 TE [player_tooltip player_id='901126' first='Jonathan' last='Boudreaux'], 2024 RB Corey Broussard, 2027 WR/DB/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='934555' first='Braylon' last='Calais'], 2027 DB/WR [player_tooltip player_id='406748' first='Franky' last='Frank Jr.'], 2025 DB/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='913904' first='Brent' last='Gordon Jr.'], 2026 LB [player_tooltip player_id='1237789' first='Braylon' last='Jones'], 2024 DL Bronson Patt, 2024 OL/DL [player_tooltip player_id='901122' first='Demarco' last='Roberts'], 2025 QB/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='145333' first='Diesel' last='Solari'], 2025 WR/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='913920' first='Ellis' last='Stewart'], 2024 DB [player_tooltip player_id='403554' first='Jylan' last='Wiltz']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Opelousas </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 LB [player_tooltip player_id='710273' first='Corey' last='Amos'], 2024 RB Izaiah Amos, 2025 LB [player_tooltip player_id='913928' first='Travis' last='Esprit'], 2025 WR [player_tooltip player_id='710769' first='Korey' last='Fontenot'], 2025 RB [player_tooltip player_id='710072' first='D'Shaun' last='Ford'], 2025 DB [player_tooltip player_id='912270' first='Landon' last='Hammond'], 2025 QB/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='913917' first='Zackeus' last='Malveaux'], 2024 OL [player_tooltip player_id='677675' first='Joseph' last='Milton'], 2025 DB [player_tooltip player_id='913912' first='Kyran' last='Moore'], 2024 OL Keegan Moten</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>State Championship History</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cecilia: 1-2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Win in 1995</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Losses in 1992 and 1993</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Opelousas: 0-2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Seeking first win</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Losses in 1938 and 1956</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->