Division-IV Select Preview Notes | LHSAA State Championships

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The LHSAA's annual Prep Classic football state championship event kicks off Thursday with the two Division-IV matchups kicking off a slate of eight title games in three days.</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>Starting with the Division-IV Select game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 2 Southern Lab (11-1) vs. No. 5 Riverside Academy (12-1)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Kittens and Rebels weren't necessarily the favorites to win their respective halves of the brackets, despite the former's No. 2 seed, but managed to knock off defending champion Ouachita Christian and undefeated and top-seeded Vermilion Catholic, respectively. Both teams have played well, including wins against higher-classification opponents, and bring potential next-level talent into the matchup, led by Southern Lab's two Power-Five commits.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Paths</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Southern Lab</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— First-round bye</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Hanson Memorial, 47-27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Shut Central Catholic, 35-0</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat defending champion, No. 3 Ouachita Christian, 38-34, on late pick-six</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Riverside Academy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— First-round bye</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Catholic-Pointe Coupee, 14-12</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat district rival St. Martin's Episcopal for the second time this season, 26-14</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Upset top-seeded, previously undefeated Vermilion Catholic, 34-7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recent Meetings</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The teams played five straight regular seasons from 2017 to 2021 with the Kittens winning three to the Rebels' two. Southern Lab won the most recent matchup handily, 54-13.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Southern Lab</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024 QB [player_tooltip player_id='1202542' first='Marlon' last='Brown'], 2024 DB [player_tooltip player_id='675891' first='Dylan' last='Day'] (Miami), 2024 OL [player_tooltip player_id='145362' first='Jude' last='Foster'] (Ole Miss), 2026 WR [player_tooltip player_id='401952' first='Denim' last='Hunt'], 2026 LB [player_tooltip player_id='1237618' first='Chad' last='Jones Jr.'], 2024 DL [player_tooltip player_id='285286' first='Ethan' last='Jupiter'], 2024 LB [player_tooltip player_id='902142' first='Chase' last='Square'], 2024 RB [player_tooltip player_id='145324' first='Douglas' last='Thornton'] Jr.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Riverside Academy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024 OL/DL [player_tooltip player_id='1203321' first='Amiree' last='Alexander'], 2026 QB [player_tooltip player_id='1237798' first='Brock' last='Bourgeois'], 2024 DB [player_tooltip player_id='1203359' first='Jaedon' last='Butler'], 2024 DB [player_tooltip player_id='1203336' first='Jared' last='Campbell'], 2028 WR/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1372189' first='Kenric' last='Johnson Jr.'], 2025 RB [player_tooltip player_id='1214154' first='Dedric' last='Lastie'], 2024 OL [player_tooltip player_id='1211995' first='Noah' last='Trepagnier'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>State Championship History</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Southern Lab: 7-4</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Wins in 1980, 1982, 1986, 1996, 2015, 2016, 2021</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Losses in 1977, 1984, 2000, 2014</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Forfeits 2014-2016</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Riverside 1-4</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Win in 2016</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Losses in 1993, 1998, 2000, 2015</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->