St. Louis Catholic boys and girls soccer teams breezed through the first round of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association soccer playoffs on Saturday in a doubleheader at McNeese State’s Cowgirl Field.

The St. Louis boys (15-3-4), ranked No. 3 in Division III started the day with an 8-0 win over No. 30 Union Parish (5-13-3).

The Saints wasted little time as Jackson Avery scored the first goal of his hat-trick in the opening minute of the game. He added two more goals in the final five minutes of the first half, including a header off a cross at the back line by Stephen Polito, and assisted on Andrew Roach’s goal in the 6th minute.

Harrison Hurt scored a pair of goals in the first half.

Polito had three assists, and Patrick Namie finished with two.

The Saints will host No. 14 Leesville in the regional round. The Wampus Cats beat No. 19 Lutcher 1-0 on Friday.

The No. 4 St. Louis girls (12-6-3) knocked No. 29 Morgan City (2-17-1) with an 8-0 win.

Saint junior Jenna McNamara had a hat-trick, finishing off the feat with two goals in the second half, plus an assist on Ella Bradberry’s first-half goal.

Gracie Savoie and Caroline Avery opened the scoring for the Saints with goals in the third and fifth minutes and assisted on each other’s goal. Avery finished with a goal and three assists.

Mia Hanks, the Saints’ lone senior, outjumped several defenders in the 39th minute to score on a header on Addison Moreno’s pass.

Both games ended in the second half on the eight-goal lead mercy rule.

On Friday, the Sulphur and Sam Houston boys advanced to the regional round with shutout wins.

Tors (16-3-4), the fifth-ranked team in Division I, ended a 0-0 stalemate with three goals in the second half to beat No. 28 Benton (11-13-1).

Tyler Massey scored the first goal, and Robert Campos assisted on Massey’s goal and scored the next two.

Sulphur goalkeeper Erick Zuniga blocked six shots.

Division II No. 13 Sam Houston (16-4-2) beat No. 20 South Terrebonne (7-14-3) 2-0.

Trenton Monceaux scored the Broncos’ first goal on a penalty kick, while the second was the result of an own goal on the Gators.