Division-I 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 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 Edna Karr vs. No. 4 Catholic (Baton Rouge) — Edna Karr beat Catholic, 21-19, in last year's semifinals at home.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 3 St. Augustine vs. No. 7 John Curtis — St. Augustine beat John Curtis, 55-28, as the road team in Week 10.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Quarterfinal outcomes</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 1 Edna Karr beat No. 8 Evangel Christian, 49-20, at home.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 3 St. Augustine beat No. 11 Archbishop Rummel, 35-10, at home.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 4 Catholic (Baton Rouge) beat No. 5 Alexandria, 44-6, at home. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 7 John Curtis beat No. 2 Teurlings Catholic, 21-7, 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>No surprises here. The last four teams standing are the four favorites from the start of the playoffs, if not arguably the start of the season. </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 Edna Karr is in the semifinals for the third straight year and 11th time of the past 12 years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 3 St. Augustine is back in the semifinals for the first time since 2013 and trying to reach a title game for the first time since its back-to-back 1978 and 1979 wins. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 4 Catholic (Baton Rouge) is in the semifinals for the ninth straight year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No. 7 John Curtis is in the semifinals for the second straight year and three of the past four.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Matchups to watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Edna Karr's defense is loaded at even level, starting with LSU-signed defensive tackle [player_tooltip player_id='710991' first='Richard' last='Anderson'] anchoring the front and featuring talent all over the field. Anderson, fellow defensive tackle [player_tooltip player_id='955469' first='Nigel' last='Marshall'], edge rushers [player_tooltip player_id='1011625' first='Romeo' last='Brown'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1610129' first='Juelz' last='Batiste'], linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1601790' first='Kevin' last='Martin Jr.'], safety [player_tooltip player_id='401932' first='Aiden' last='Hall'] and company are extremely effective at slowing down, if not shutting down, opposing run games. Meanwhile Catholic boasts as deep and talented a stable of running backs as any program in the state with juniors [player_tooltip player_id='739720' first='Jayden' last='Miles'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1783095' first='Justin' last='Batiste'] leading the way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Overall storyline</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Edna Karr is widely considered the top team in the state this season and takes a 25-game winning streak into this year's semifinals. But Division-I Select is always a gauntlet, and the next team up, fellow perennial power Catholic (Baton Rouge) challenges the Cougars as consistently and effectively as any other program in the state. Can Edna Karr complete its repeat mission, or will one of its capable remaining challengers — the playoff rival Bears and district rivals St. Augustine and John Curtis — play spoiler?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->