LHSAA Playoffs Division-II Select updates entering quarterfinals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Louisiana's high school football playoffs kicked off this past weekend.</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><strong>Upsets:</strong> Division-II Select is the only bracket with the top eight seeds advancing to the quarterfinals and with the fewest total upsets in the bracket (first-round wins by No. 18 Belaire and No. 17 Northside over No. 16 L.B. Landry and No. 15 Patrick Taylor, respectively).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Closest game:</strong> No. 5 Madison Prep over No. 12 John F. Kennedy, 42-26.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Biggest margin:</strong> No. 1 St. Charles Catholic over No. 17 Northside, 56-7.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Biggest surprise: </strong>No big surprises. No. 3 Lake Charles College Prep vs. No. 14 Leesville may have been the closest game to call going into the week, and the higher-seeded Blazers won, 42-23.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top performers:</strong> 2026 St. Charles Catholic DB Briggs Anderson, 2026 E.D. White QB [player_tooltip player_id='1601793' first='Grant' last='Barbera'], 2028 St. Charles Catholic EDGE [player_tooltip player_id='1612541' first='Tyler' last='Bovia'], 2027 Archbishop Shaw DB [player_tooltip player_id='934561' first='Rontrae' last='Carter'], 2026 Archbishop Shaw RB Deandree Franklin, 2026 Loyola Prep DB Thomas Gosslee, 2026 Vandebilt Catholic QB [player_tooltip player_id='1737492' first='Ethan' last='Heney'], 2027 Madison Prep ATH [player_tooltip player_id='739753' first='Landon' last='Johnson'], 2027 E.D. White WR [player_tooltip player_id='1250305' first='Reece' last='Lafont'], 2026 St. Charles Catholic LB Brooks Monica, 2027 Madison Prep QB Dylan Reed, 2027 Loyola Prep QB [player_tooltip player_id='1651155' first='Bryce' last='Restovich'], 2026 Madison Prep WR [player_tooltip player_id='401973' first='Keyon' last='Robinson']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/javonte-williams-2/"></a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Other notes:</strong> The Division-II Select quarterfinals are loaded with familiar faces over and dominant performances thus far by top seeds to reach this point. But only four of the teams were quarterfinalists in 2024, because of a forfeit ruling against University Lab and a rare early exit for St. Charles Catholic. But those two perennial powers are back and have looked as strong as anyone in the field. No. 3 Lake Charles College Prep is back for the second time in three years, and No. 2 Loyola Prep is back for the first time since 2008. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Intriguing quarterfinal matchup:</strong> No. 4 University Lab vs. No. 5 Madison Prep</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Most intriguing possible semifinal matchup:</strong> No. 1 St. Charles Catholic vs. No. 4 University Lab</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->