Division-II 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 three Division-IV matchups, plus a Division-III Non-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-II Non-Select game will wrap up Friday's three-game schedule.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 1 Franklinton (12-1) vs. No. 18 Cecilia (11-3)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Friday night figures to provide one of the most electric atmospheres of the weekend as two programs with proud tradition try to cap memorable runs by ending their recent title droughts No. 1 Demons, seeking their first championship since 2010, haven't lost since Week 2, but still feel relatively under-appreciated for a top seed that has repeatedly shown the ability to come through in clutch moments. The No. 18 Bulldogs arrive as the lowest seed remaining in any bracket, but also quite possible the most confident with the experience of a 2023 runner-up run and a dominant playoff path with four straight road wins. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Paths</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Franklinton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— First-round bye</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat West Feliciana, 42-21</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Lakeshore, 41-40, to sweep the district rivalry</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Beat Iowa, 35-29, after a Yellow Jackets' comeback push</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cecilia</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Upset Pearl River, 50-29</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Upset Lutcher, 49-41</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Upset North DeSoto, 57-40</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Upset Plaquemine, 55-35</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Recent Meetings</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cecilia won a 2022 first-round matchup, 35-28.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Franklinton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 RB [player_tooltip player_id='1415002' first='Sy' last='Austin'], 2025 DB Avery Brumfield, 2026 QB [player_tooltip player_id='1601758' first='Jacob' last='Crain'], 2025 LB Elisha Hart, 2025 WR/RB Conner Magee, 2026 WR [player_tooltip player_id='1601779' first='DaMikies' last='McClain'], 2025 OL [player_tooltip player_id='1596726' first='Beau' last='Webb']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cecilia</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2027 RB/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='934555' first='Braylon' last='Calais'], 2027 DB [player_tooltip player_id='406748' first='Franky' last='Frank Jr.'], 2025 DB [player_tooltip player_id='913904' first='Brent' last='Gordon Jr.'], 2025 LB [player_tooltip player_id='1237789' first='Braylon' last='Jones'], 2025 QB/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='145333' first='Diesel' last='Solari'], 2025 WR/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='913920' first='Ellis' last='Stewart']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Matchup to watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cecilia's offense has been unreal all postseason since getting dynamic senior quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='145333' first='Diesel' last='Solari']</strong> back healthy late in the season and doesn't appear likely to be stopped. But Franklinton has been no slouch in its own right, averaging nearly 40 points in its three games. Junior quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1601758' first='Jacob' last='Crain']</strong> and the Demons will have to have another big performance, if not their biggest of the playoffs, to match — and potentially beat — the Bulldogs. Keep an eye on the matchups between <strong>Conner Magee</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1601779' first='DaMikies' last='McClain']</strong>, <strong>Dalton Freeman</strong>, big tight end <strong>Jaiden Garrett</strong> and the other Franklinton pass-catchers and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913904' first='Brent' last='Gordon Jr.']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='406748' first='Franky' last='Frank Jr.']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='934555' first='Braylon' last='Calais']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913920' first='Ellis' last='Stewart']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='145333' first='Diesel' last='Solari']</strong> and the Cecilia secondary that figures to see most of the team's top athletes all seeing heavy snaps.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>State Championship History</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Franklinton: 1-3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Wins in 2010</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Losses in 1969, 1981, 2009</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cecilia: 1-3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Wins in 1995</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>— Losses in 1992, 1993, 2023</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->