Division-I Non-Select Semifinals Capsule | 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-I 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 Ruston vs. No. 13 Zachary — Ruston has eliminated Zachary from the past three postseasons, including the 2024 second round, 42-21; the 2023 title game, 31-17; and the 2022 semifinals, 37-22. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 2 Neville vs. No. 14 Ouachita Parish — Neville beat Ouachita Parish, 38-37, on the road in Week 8.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Quarterfinal outcomes</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 1 Ruston beat No. 8 Southside, 38-28, at home.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 2 Neville beat No. 26 Barbe, 42-0, at home.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 13 Zachary beat No. 5 Central (Baton Rouge), 31-27, on the road.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 14 Ouachita Parish beat No. 6 Parkway, 28-22, on the road. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Biggest surprise</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The biggest surprise here is certainly No. 14 Ouachita Parish, which is the lowest-remaining seed in any bracket and in its first semifinal since 2005. That being said, the Lions were clearly a talented and capable team entering the season and, even despite a four-game skid in district play, the postseason and are less of a surprise than the seed might suggest.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinalists' (recent) history</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 1 Ruston is in the semifinals for the fourth straight year and has won each of the previous three.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 2 Neville is back in the semifinals for the second straight year and trying to get back to the Superdome for the first time since 2016.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 13 Zachary is in its fourth semifinal in the past five years and 10th in the past 12 years. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 14 Ouachita Parish is back in the semifinals for the first since 2005 and aiming for its first title game since 1994.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Matchups to watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ouachita Parish and Neville have both boasted among the state's best defenses throughout this postseason. And whether the Lions can continue their effectiveness in that regard Friday or the Tigers can get their run game going and provide some balance alongside their junior quarterback figures to be a major factor. Highly touted defensive tackle [player_tooltip player_id='401954' first='Dylan' last='Berymon'] anchors the Ouachita front with has hard-hitting and speedy athletes, such as [player_tooltip player_id='1348504' first='Orlando' last='Freemont'], Deandre Mansfield and [player_tooltip player_id='1348505' first='Wydell' last='Clark'] Jr. all over the field. Neville passer [player_tooltip player_id='489183' first='Parker' last='Robinson'] has been among the state's top juniors, and his connection with senior [player_tooltip player_id='1238574' first='Ze'land' last='Young'] has been among of Louisiana's most effective. Can the front line and running back duo of Jamarion Roberson and [player_tooltip player_id='1851107' first='Jarvis' last='Blackston'] get going and keep the Lions guessing? Or will Berymon and company be as disruptive as they've been to this point?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Overall storyline</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An awful lot of District 2-5A flavor remains in the Division-I Non-Select hunt. Three of the final four teams standing in the bracket hail from the northeast Louisiana league, one of the two best in the state. Recent Division-I Select standard-bearer Ruston is the top seed. Meanwhile traditional power Neville and red-hot underdog Ouachita Parish will meet on the bottom half of the bracket in the first-ever semifinal matchup between two schools in Ouachita Parish. Can the Bearcats advance and set up an all-District 2-5A title game? And which of the trio could come out on top of the rematch-heavy run? Or can another perennial power, Zachary, get back over the hump against Ruston, break up that party and continue disproving its doubters this year and lift the big trophy again?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->