Division-IV 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 Select game will continue Thursday's three-game schedule.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 2 Riverside Academy (11-1) vs. No. 5 Ascension Catholic (11-2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two perennial small-school contenders are back in the Superdome and looking for their first titles in several years in Riverside Academy's case or three decades in Ascension Catholic's. Both have enjoyed dominant runs to this point, highlighted by star senior running backs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Paths</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Riverside Academy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— First-round bye</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Delta Charter, 63-6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Ouachita Christian, 38-14</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Ascension Episcopal, 42-14</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ascension Catholic</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— First-round bye</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat St. Mary's, 62-9</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Catholic (Pointe Coupee), 50-42</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Westminster Christian (Opelousas), 45-14</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recent Meetings</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The teams met in the 2024 quarterfinals and 2022 second round with Ascension Catholic winning both by a single score: 40-35 and 38-31. The Bulldogs won bigger in the first round in 2019 with a 55-20 victory. Also notably, the teams will join the same district in 2026.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Riverside Academy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2028 WR Christopher Becnel Jr., 2026 QB [player_tooltip player_id='1237798' first='Brock' last='Bourgeois'], 2027 DL/OL [player_tooltip player_id='1610163' first='Ahmad' last='Cage'], 2028 WR Cayden Francois, 2027 EDGE Camryn Green, 2028 WR/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1372189' first='Kenric' last='Johnson Jr.'], 2026 RB [player_tooltip player_id='922579' first='Jayden' last='Obiekwe'], 2026 DB Jace Trosclair</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ascension Catholic</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 EDGE/TE Christopher Anthens, 2026 EDGE/RB [player_tooltip player_id='1345281' first='Joshua' last='Barber'], 2026 OL/DL [player_tooltip player_id='1603269' first='Vaughn' last='Blanchard'], 2027 DB Jacob Julien, 2026 QB Kamryn Schexnayder, 2026 RB/DB [player_tooltip player_id='1237785' first='Trevin' last='Simon']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Matchup to watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Division-IV Select game features two of the state's most prolific running backs squaring off on the same field. Which defense can find more success slowing down the opposing back, forcing the offense into passing downs and getting off the field will go a long way in scratching out the win. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>State Championship History</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Riverside Academy: 1-5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Win in 2016</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Losses in 1993, 1998, 2000, 2015, 2023</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ascension Catholic: 3-3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Wins in 1941, 1973, 1992</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Losses in 1991, 2017, 2018</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->