All-local matchups, a new program making history and a pair of daunting road trips for 5A schools highlight today’s quarterfinal round of the high school softball playoffs.

Today’s winners will play in the state tournament at Sulphur’s Frasch Park next week.

Defending 5A champion Barbe hits the road to take on West Monroe. The Rebels won two regular season games between the teams, by scores of 5-4 on Feb. 25 and 9-5 on March 5.

No. 5 Barbe (24-6) beat No. 12 Northshore 10-0 in the regional round on Thursday behind four home runs by Madison Chretien, Brenna Moncrief and Nyjah Fontenot, who homered twice. The Rebels (25-5), who lost in the semifinals last year, advanced with an 11-1 win over No. 13 West Ouachita.

“Same plan, nothing changes — we have to come up with a good game plan and execute it,” Bucs head coach Candyce Carter said.

“We have played them twice and they won both. They have a pair of good arms, they have a good lineup and are a good team, just like anyone else you would see in the quarterfinals. We are going to show up, be prepared and execute our game plan.”

No. 8 Sam Houston (24-8) used a two-homer, 4 RBI performance from Lexi Dibbley to beat No. 9 Natchitoches Central 6-5 in the quarterfinal round. The Broncos travel to face top seed Pineville (33-2) today. Pineville reached the semifinal round last year before losing to Barbe.

District 4-3A rivals South Beauregard (21-12) and Iowa (25-6) will meet for the third time this season. The top seeded Yellow Jackets will be at home hoping to return to Sulphur, where they reached the 3A championship game last season. Iowa won both regular season games between the teams, by scores of 6-0 and 5-1.

Two other quarterfinals feature all-local games, as District 5-2A rivals No. 6 DeQuincy (20-9) and No. 3 Kinder (30-5) meet in Class 2A, while District 4-1A rivals No. 11 East Beauregard (11-12) and No. 3 Merryville (17-6) meet in Class 1A, with the Panthers looking to earn a return trip to Sulphur.

In Class B, Lacassine is in the quarterfinals for the first time and will host top seed and defending champion Holden. In another Class 2A game, No. 5 Rosepine (19-7) will be out to avenge last year’s semifinal round loss to No. 4 Doyle (25-9). In Class 1A Oberlin travels to face defending champion LaSalle. No. 8 Grand Lake (18-10) lost to top seed Montgomery (31-1) 9-2 on Friday.

In Class B, No. 2 Bell City (22-5) hosts No. 7 Anacoco (23-8), last year’s runner-up. The Bruins are hoping to earn their first trip to the state tournament.