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

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The LHSAA's annual Prep Classic football state championship event kicks off Thursday with the two Division-IV matchups, plus a Division-III 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-IV Non-Select game will open Thursday's three-game schedule.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 1 Haynesville (13-0) vs. No. 2 Mangham (11-2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Top-seeded Haynesville, one of just four remaining undefeated teams in the state, makes its third straight trip to the Superdome and hopes this time will be the charm to secure its first title since 2014. The Golden Tornado's opponent for that most-recent championship was Mangham, which returns to New Orleans this week for the first time since 2015 and seeks its first crown since 1956. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Paths</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Haynesville </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— First-round bye</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Homers, 36-10</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Jonesboro-Hodge, 48-12</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Jeanerette, 47-6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mangham</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— First-round bye</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat West St. John, 48-12</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat East Feliciana, 49-16</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat South Plaquemines, 49-14</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recent Meetings</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Haynesville beat Mangham in the 2013 and 2014 Class 1A state championship games for the Golden Tornado's most recent titles. Haynesville won, 42-21, the first time around, then 16-0 the following year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Haynesville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 K/P [player_tooltip player_id='1601858' first='Eli' last='Bray'], 2026 DL/OL [player_tooltip player_id='1601996' first='Andrea' last='Brooks'], 2027 DB/ATH L'Travious Brooks, 2027 RB/LB [player_tooltip player_id='1610176' first='Donnie' last='Critton'], 2026 OL/DL [player_tooltip player_id='1596826' first='Dakota' last='Davis'], 2028 DL/OL [player_tooltip player_id='1607104' first='Jeremiah' last='Evans'], 2026 QB/DB [player_tooltip player_id='1237635' first='Isaiah' last='Washington']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mangham</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 DL Cam Allen, 2029 WR K.J. Bell, 2028 WR/DB Rayon Bell, 2028 QB Colby Casey, 2026 OL/DL Ron Griffing Jr., 2026 TE Blake Pierce, 2027 LB Cade Poland, 2026 RB Willie Randolph, 2026 DB [player_tooltip player_id='1737491' first='Reggie' last='Roberson'] Jr., 2026 WR Rodrick Roberson, 2027 OL/DL Jalen Williams</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Matchup to watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both teams have put together dominant runs to this point with their highly successful run games among the highlights. Which team can continue winning the battles up front and establishing the most efficiency on the ground should be among the major factors in determining which can come out on top. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>State Championship History</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Haynesville: 17-11</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>—&nbsp;Wins in 1924, 1929, 1936, 1970, 1971, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996,&nbsp;2000, 2009, 2013, 2014</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>—&nbsp;Losses in 1932, 1938, 1972, 1983, 1988, 1989, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2023, 2024</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mangham: 1-4</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>—&nbsp;Win in 1956</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>—&nbsp;Losses in 1995, 2012, 2013, 2014</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->