Division-III Select Preview Notes | LHSAA State Championships

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The LHSAA's annual Prep Classic football state championship event kicks off Thursday with the three Division-IV matchups, plus a Division-III Non-Select night-cap, 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 Caesars Superdome, programs' histories and players to watch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Division-III Select game will continue Friday's three-game schedule.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 1 Dunham (13-0) vs. No. 7 Catholic (New Iberia) (12-1)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Top-seeded and undefeated Dunham is back in its second state-title game in three years and seeking its first title in 20 years. The Tigers are headlined by highly touted sophomore quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='642719' first='Elijah' last='Haven'], but have sen a wealth of players step up in all three phases from blowout victories to comebacks and clutch finishes. Catholic (New Iberia) meanwhile arrives to its first title game since 2018 after a pair of road upsets —&nbsp;its own dominant showing in the quarterfinals and comeback in the semifinals — that helped open more eyes around the state to the Panthers as a more-than-capable contender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Paths</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dunham</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— First-round bye</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Parkview Baptist, 42-0</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Lafayette Christian, 34-30, with a 21-0 fourth-quarter comeback</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Bunkie, 46-22</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Catholic (New Iberia)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— First-round bye</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Bear Northlake Christian, 59-22</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Upset Isidore Newman, 31-0</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Upset Calvary Baptist, 33-31, with nine points in the final minutes </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recent Meetings</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Catholic (New Iberia) won in the 2018 quarterfinals, 35-7, and the 2013 first-round, 50-9.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dunham</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 DB Bronson Bonneval, 2026 ATH [player_tooltip player_id='401983' first='Trevor' last='Haman'], 2027 QB [player_tooltip player_id='642719' first='Elijah' last='Haven'], 2025 DL Harrison Malik, 2025 LB Jack Higginbotham, 2025 LB Rives Johnson, 2026 DB [player_tooltip player_id='283986' first='Richard' last='Montgomery Jr.'], 2025 DB Grant Morgan, 2026 RB [player_tooltip player_id='1602031' first='Colin' last='Pecue'], 2026 WR [player_tooltip player_id='710974' first='Jarvis' last='Washington'] Jr.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Catholic (New Iberia)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 K Bennett Boudreaux, 2025 DB/WR Chris Green, 2025 OL Roan Judice, 2025 QB [player_tooltip player_id='1596562' first='Luke' last='Landry'], 2025 TE [player_tooltip player_id='1598168' first='Joseph' last='LeBlanc'], 2025 DB Tristan Lewis, 2025 WR [player_tooltip player_id='1221076' first='Jaiden' last='Mitchell'], 2026 DB [player_tooltip player_id='1602029' first='Layton' last='Mitchell'], 2025 LB [player_tooltip player_id='1558160' first='Bennett' last='Woodring'], 2025 WR [player_tooltip player_id='1221040' first='Jake' last='Wyman']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Matchup to watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Haven enters the contest with the big spotlight that comes with his impressive list of early college offers. But his counterpart, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1596562' first='Luke' last='Landry']</strong>, has been impressive all season maneuvering around the pocket, buying time and slinging the ball around to his many weapons, such as <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1221076' first='Jaiden' last='Mitchell']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1221040' first='Jake' last='Wyman']</strong>. The Dunham defense has been strong as well, with playmakers at every level. And pressure up front from veterans such as <strong>Harrison Malik</strong>, <strong>Jack Higginbotham</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='401983' first='Trevor' last='Haman']</strong> and sophomore <strong>Charlie Myers</strong>, while not losing containment, will go a long way in helping <strong>Grant Morgan</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='283986' first='Richard' last='Montgomery Jr.']</strong> and company out in coverage. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>State Championship History</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dunham: 1-1</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Win in 2004</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>—&nbsp;Losses in 2022</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Catholic (New Iberia): 2-2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>—&nbsp;Wins in 1962, 2017</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>—&nbsp;Losses in 2014, 2018</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->