Division-I Non-Select Semifinals Preview | LHSAA Playoffs

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Louisiana's final 32 football teams are standing one more win from the always-coveted trip to the Caesars Superdome.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sixteen will advance to next week's state championship games, while 16 will head home Friday with semifinal losses.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We continue to look each week, division by division, at the developing bracket, including notable outcomes, top performers and intriguing matchups.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Check out the latest Division-I Non-Select capsule below.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinal matchups — Last meeting</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 1 Neville vs. No. 4 Central (Baton Rouge) — Central upset Neville, 17-16, in last year's second round. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 3 Ruston vs. No. 10 Destrehan — Destrehan won the 2022 title game, 17-10, to cap three straight postseasons with close wins in the series. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Quarterfinal outcomes</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 1 Neville beat No. 24 Chalmette, 31-7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 4 Central (Baton Rouge) beat No. 21 West Monroe, 21-7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 3 Ruston beat No. 6 Southside, 49-7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 10 Destrehan beat No. 2 Airline, 69-41</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Biggest surprise</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Not much in the way of surprises. A case could be made for 10th-seeded Destrehan knocking off No. 2 Airline, but the now-healthy Wildcats had felt likely the favorite to come out of its quadrant of the bracket and continue its recent run of semifinals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top performers</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 Ruston DB [player_tooltip player_id='914207' first='Aidan' last='Anding'], 2025 Ruston QB [player_tooltip player_id='710076' first='Joshua' last='Brantley'], 2027 Destrehan RB [player_tooltip player_id='1402701' first='Malachi' last='Dabney'], 2025 Neville WR [player_tooltip player_id='1644786' first='Trendan' last='Dumas'], 2025 Central (BR) QB [player_tooltip player_id='426968' first='Jackson' last='Firmin'], 2027 Central (BR) DB/RB [player_tooltip player_id='1356113' first='Marvin' last='Joseph'] Jr., 2025 Central (BR) DL DK Mays, 2025 Central (BR) LB [player_tooltip player_id='1214139' first='KD' last='Mays'], 2025 Neville RB [player_tooltip player_id='912258' first='Jaylon' last='Nichols'], 2026 Destrehan DB [player_tooltip player_id='1602060' first='Damien' last='Richard II'], 2025 Neville DL [player_tooltip player_id='710074' first='Brody' last='Whatley'], 2025 Central (BR) RB [player_tooltip player_id='1336756' first='Emmanuel' last='Williams']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinalists' (recent) history</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Neville — Makes its first semifinal since 2021, which was its fourth straight. Seeking its first semifinal win since 2016.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Central (Baton Rouge) — Makes its first semifinal appearance since 2008.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Destrehan — Makes its sixth semifinal appearance in seven years after falling short in the 2023 quarters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ruston — Makes its third straight semifinal after ending a two-decade drought in 2022.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Matchup to watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Destrehan's offense has been rolling since the return of junior quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='401763' first='Jackson' last='Fields']</strong> to orchestrate an attack that features 2025 LSU signee <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='426964' first='Phillip' last='Wright III']</strong>, 2025 Louisiana Tech signee <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='291153' first='Johnnie' last='Thiel IV']</strong> and 2026 prospects <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='212340' first='Jabari' last='Mack']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='710969' first='Gregory' last='Wilfred']</strong>. But the Wildcats will have to visit Ruston, where a traditionally stout defense led this year by ballhawks <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='914207' first='Aidan' last='Anding']</strong>, an LSU cornerback signee, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='710083' first='Zheric' last='Hill']</strong>, a Louisiana Tech linebacker signee, among others. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Overall storyline</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A pair of longtime rivals in a loaded District 2-5A, top-seeded Neville and reigning champion Ruston, have appeared to lead the way in this bracket, but a pair of south Louisiana foes with recent success against the Tigers and Bearcats stand in the way. Central (Baton Rouge) ended Neville's 2023 season, while Destrehan knocked off Ruston in the 2022 title game. Both sets of Wildcats battled through some notable injuries this season, including their upperclassman quarterbacks, but have gotten both healthy and hot at the right time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->