Division-III 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-III 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 St. James vs. No. 5 Union Parish — Union Parish beat St. James, 36-35, on a late two-point conversion in last season's state title game. St. James won a 2019 semifinal at home, 25-14.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 6 Sterlington vs. No. 7 Jena — First meeting in at least 20 years, if ever.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Quarterfinal outcomes</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 1 St. James beat No. 9 Pine, 26-7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 5 Union Parish beat No. 4 Kinder, 44-14</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 6 Sterlington beat No. 3 Oak Grove, 43-39</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 7 Jena beat No. 15 Loreauville, 18-14</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Biggest surprise</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No major surprises. Sterlington knocked off back-to-back Division-IV Non-Select champion Oak Grove, a team considered by many as the likeliest to reach the Superdome through the bottom half of the bracket. But the longtime northeast Louisiana rivals have also proven evenly matched through the years, with the Panthers now winning three of the past four. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top performers</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2027 St. James DB [player_tooltip player_id='934578' first='Jye' last='Blain'], 2025 Union Parish RB [player_tooltip player_id='1220996' first='Derrick' last='Dew'], 2025 Sterlington RB [player_tooltip player_id='1596765' first='Hagen' last='Herring'], 2025 Jena LB Triston McLendon, 2025 Union Parish WR/DB [player_tooltip player_id='1221195' first='Chase' last='Meeking'], 2026 St. James WR [player_tooltip player_id='401966' first='Jakias' last='Villanueva'], 2026 Jena RB [player_tooltip player_id='1601958' first='Sedrick' last='Wilson']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinalists' (recent) history</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. James — Third straight semifinal, seeking its first back-to-back state-title appearances since 1959 and 1960</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Union Parish — Sixth straight semifinal</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sterlington — Back-to-back semifinals for the first time since four straight from 2000-03</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jena — Second straight semifinal appearances after making its first-ever in 2023</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Matchups to watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. James freshman quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1291430' first='Ja'Juan' last='Jackson']</strong> and speedy junior receiver <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='401966' first='Jakias' last='Villanueva']</strong> linked up for a pair of electric touchdowns last week, while a pair of Union Parish seniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1221195' first='Chase' last='Meeking']</strong> and <strong>Laderian Loyd</strong> snatched interceptions. Can the young, but talented Wildcats with Villanueva leading a slew of weapons carry their big plays into the semifinals at home? Or will the Farmers' veteran-led defense with seniors such as Meeking, Loyd and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='710084' first='Tyquereis' last='Wilson']</strong> contain them or even snatch a big takeaway or two?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Overall storyline</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last year's finalists, top-seeded St. James and reigning champion Union Parish, will meet in one of the state's most-anticipated semifinal matchups. Meanwhile fellow 2023 semifinalists Sterlington and Jena will meet on the bottom half of the bracket with the Panthers trying to get back to the Superdome for the first time since 2021 and fourth time since 2016 and Giants trying to make history. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->