Division-III Non-Select Preview Notes | LHSAA State Championships

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The LHSAA's annual Prep Classic football state championship event continues Friday with the two Division-II matchups and a Division-III Non-Select, continuing 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 Non-Select game will continue Friday's three-game schedule.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 1 Jena (12-1) vs. No. 2 Sterlington (11-2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The top-seeded Giants finally got over the semifinal hump and into the Superdome and will have their first title shot against the reigning champion Panthers, who topped Jena in last year's semis. The teams bear some similarities in terms of their physicality and variety of weapons and have both been among the state's most consistent contenders in recent years with Sterlington climbing back to the mountaintop as champs in 2024 and Jena trying to make history by doing so for the first time. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Paths</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jena</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— First-round bye</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat St. Helena, 48-14</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Mansfield, 44-20</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Jena, 30-6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sterlington</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— First-round bye</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Donaldsonville, 71-26</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Loreauville, 44-6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat St. James 63-24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recent Meetings</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sterlington knocked Jena out of the 2024 semifinals, 48-14, in the teams' lone meeting of the past decade.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jena</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 DB Xavier Brown, 2026 WR/DB Zadrien Cooper, 2028 DL Brian Evans Jr., 2027 RB/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1610266' first='Daniel' last='Hatcher'], 2026 LB Jesse Love, 2026 QB Deuce McPherson, 2026 OL/TE [player_tooltip player_id='1601956' first='Cale' last='Parker'], 2026 RB [player_tooltip player_id='1601958' first='Sedrick' last='Wilson']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sterlington</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 OL Gideon Ashley, 2027 EDGE Cameron Bagwell, 2027 QB [player_tooltip player_id='1610173' first='J-Rob' last='Breen'], 2027 RB/LB T.J. Burch, 2026 LB Tomarion Burch, 2027 WR/DB [player_tooltip player_id='465348' first='Devyn' last='Downs'], 2026 DB [player_tooltip player_id='1554217' first='Sam' last='Frazier'] Jr., 2026 RB David Hickman, 2026 OL Drew Whitlock</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Matchup to watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Reigning champion Sterlington is rightfully considered the favorite, but both teams have been absolutely rolling. Zeroing in on one area or side of the ball is tough, but how well Jena comes out and handles the stage and the first punches from the Panthers will be critical. The Giants have been able to play from ahead all season, including an early jump and cruise through the semifinals. Can Jena slow down Sterlington offensively, limit explosive plays and potentially set up some favorable downs-and-distances? And can the Giants consistently maintain drives to help their defense and stay in a position in the game that allows them to pass when they choose to and not because they become pressed?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>State Championship History</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jena</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— First state championship game</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sterlington: 3-3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Wins in 2016, 2021, 2024</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Losses in 2002, 2003, 2018</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->