LHSAA Playoffs Division-II Select updates entering quarterfinals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Louisiana's high school football season is down to its final 64 teams with quarterfinals of eight different brackets scheduled for Friday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Check out the latest Division-II Select capsule below.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Upset:</strong> No. 13 Istrouma over No. 4 Haynes Academy </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Closest game:</strong> No. 5 Madison Prep over No. 12 St. Charles Catholic, 34-20; and No. 8 John F. Kennedy over No. 9 Lake Charles College Prep, 51-37.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Biggest margin:</strong> No. 6 Vandebilt Catholic over No. 22 Archbishop Hannan, 49-9.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Biggest surprise: </strong>No big surprises on the field. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top performers:</strong> 2025 Vandebilt Catholic RB/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='145332' first='Jaylon' last='Coleman'], 2025 John F. Kennedy QB [player_tooltip player_id='914099' first='Amyne' last='Darensbourg'], 2025 John F. Kennedy WR [player_tooltip player_id='914129' first='James' last='Evans'], 2025 Leesville RB [player_tooltip player_id='710079' first='Xavier' last='Ford'], 2025 Madison Prep RB [player_tooltip player_id='913910' first='Alfred' last='McKnight'], 2025 Archbishop Shaw RB [player_tooltip player_id='913900' first='Jasper' last='Parker'], 2025 Istrouma RB [player_tooltip player_id='1221023' first='Kyree' last='Paul'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Other notes:</strong> The lowest-seeded quarterfinalist, No. 18 Booker T. Washington (New Orleans), will make its deepest playoff appearance after a second-round bye following a court ruling removing No. 2 University Lab from the bracket. No. 13 Istrouma makes its first quarterfinal trip since 2003. Leesville and Madison Prep are back for the first time since 2022, and Vandebilt Catholic is back for the first time since 2021. Archbishop Shaw and John F. Kennedy make their third straight quarterfinal appearances, and E.D. White is back for a fifth straight. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Intriguing quarterfinal matchup:</strong> No. 1 Archbishop Shaw and No. 8 John F. Kennedy will meet in the quarterfinals for the second straight year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Most intriguing possible semifinal matchup:</strong> No. 6 Vandebilt Catholic vs. No. 7 Leesville would carry a pair of underdog runs to the semifinals, headlined by two of the state's top senior running backs trying to lead their programs to their first title-game appearances in decades. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->