Welsh, Iowa, LCCP, Jennings fall in quarterfinals
Published 7:24 am Saturday, November 25, 2023
The playoff trail ended for four Southwest Louisiana teams Friday in the quarterfinal round of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association football playoffs.
Nonselect Division IV
No. 1 Logansport 42, No. 8 Welsh 34
In Logansport, No. 8 Welsh trailed 36-18 in the second half but battled back and nearly forced overtime with No. 1 Logansport.
The Tigers (11-1) intercepted Greyhound (9-4) pass at the 1-yard line with 20 seconds left to preserve a 42-34 win and advance to the Nonselect Division IV semifinals to face No. 4 Haynesville (11-1).
Nonselect Division II
No. 1 Cecilia 38, No. 10 Jennings 14
Nonselect Division II No. 10 Jennings (9-4) trailed 17-14 at halftime at No. 2 Cecilia, but Bulldog quarterback Diesel Solari took over in the second half for a 38-14 win.
Solari scored two of his four touchdowns in the third quarter and intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter.
Cecilia led 10-0 early on a 36-yard run by Solari and Bubba Boudreaux’s 20-yard field goal.
ReJohn Zeno’s 1-yard run with 5:28 left in the second quarter cut Jennings’ deficit to 10-7.
Jennings quarterback J.J. Benoit hit Josh Lejeune for a 26-yard score with 1:20 left in the second quarter, but it would be the final time the Bulldogs found the end zone.
Zeno finished with 81 yards on 21 carries.
Solari ran for 165 yards on 22 carries and completed 5 of 9 passes for 73 yards.
No. 1 North DeSoto 45, No. 8 Iowa 21
In Stonewall, No. 8 Iowa’s rematch with No. 1 North DeSoto didn’t go as planned as the Griffins cruised to a 45-21 win in the Nonselect Division II quarterfinals.
North DeSoto beat Iowa 38-9 in the semifinals last season.
North DeSoto jumped out to a 31-0 lead in the first half as sophomore quarterback Luke Delafield threw three touchdown passes.
Iowa got on the board on a 1-yard run by Cole Corbello in the third quarter.
Select Division II
No. 4 University High 45, No. 21 Lake Charles College Prep 13
No. 21 Lake Charles College Prep’s string of postseason upsets ended in the Select Division II quarterfinals with a 45-13 loss in Baton Rouge to No. 4 University High.
LCCP beat No. 12 Pope John Paul II in the bi-district round and No. 5 Catholic-New Iberia 7-3 last week in the regional round.
University (11-1) won its 10th consecutive game.
Cub wide receiver Seth Gale scored four touchdowns, including a 28-yard catch and 51-yard punt return to lead University to a 28-6 halftime lead.
LCCP (5-7) freshman quarterback Dylen Vital threw for 170 yards and a touchdown.
State quarterfinal scores
Nonselect
Division I
No. 1 Ruston 56, No. 9 Walker 17
No. 21 Mandeville 56, No. 4 Airline 50
No. 6 Zachary 35, No. 3 Destrehan 14
No. 7 Dutchtown 21, No. 18 Central-Baton Rouge 20
Division II
No. 1 North DeSoto 45, No. 8 Iowa 21
No. 12 Opelousas 26, No. 4 Lutcher 10
No. 22 Northwest 46, No. 3 Assumption 44
No. 2 Cecilia 38, No. 10 Jennings 14
Division III
No. 1 Jena 30, No. 8 Amite 7
No. 4 Union Parish 28, No. 5 Bogalusa 22
No. 3 St. James 40, No. 6 Many 0
No. 2 Sterlington 33, No. 7 Pine 20
Division IV
No. 1 Logansport 42, No. 8 Welsh 34
No. 4 Haynesville 36, No. 5 Jeanerette 6
No. 3 Oak Grove 31, No. 6 Mangham 30
No. 2 Kentwood 48, No. 7 Homer 20
Select
Division I
No. 8 Acadiana at No. 1 Holy Cross, Saturday
No. 5 Edna Karr 40, No. 13 Alexandria 34
No. 3 Catholic-Baton Rouge 38, No. 6 John Curtis Christian 35
No. 18 Archbishop Rummel 35, No. 7 St. Paul’s 21
Division II
No. 1 St. Thomas More 49, No. 8 St. Michael the Archangel 0
No. 5 Archbishop Shaw 20, No. 4 John F. Kennedy 13
No. 3 Lafayette Christian 57, No. 11 McDonogh #35 21
No. 7 Teurlings Catholic 42, No. 2 E.D. White 28
Division III
No. 1 St. Charles 31, No. 9 Notre Dame 21
No. 4 University High 45, No. 21 Lake Charles College Prep 13
No. 3 Isidore Newman 31, No. 11 Episcopal 15
No. 2 Calvary Baptist 49, No. 10 Parkview Baptist 28
Division IV
No. 1 Vermilion Catholic 39, No. 9 Ascension Catholic 35
No. 5 Riverside Academy 26, No. 4 St. Martin’s Episcopal 14
No. 3 Ouachita Christian 56, No. 6 St. Mary’s 0
No. 2 Southern Lab 35, No. 10 Central Catholic 0
Semifinal pairings
Nonselect
Division I
No. 21 Mandeville at No. 1 Ruston
No. 7 Dutchtown at No. 6 Zachary
Division II
No. 12 Opelousas at No. 1 North DeSoto
No. 22 Northwest at No. 2 Cecilia
Division III
No. 4 Union Parish at No. 1 Jena
No. 3 St. James at No. 2 Sterlington
Division IV
No. 4 Haynesville at No. 1 Logansport
No. 3 Oak Grove at No. 2 Kentwood
Select
Division I
No. 1 Holy Cross/No. 8 Acadiana winner vs. No. 5 Edna Karr
No. 18 Archbishop Rummel at No. 3 Catholic-Baton Rouge
Division II
No. 5 Archbishop Shaw at No. 1 St. Thomas More
No. 7 Teurlings Catholic at No. 3 Lafayette Christian
Division III
No. 4 University High at No. 1 St. Charles
No. 3 Isidore Newman at No. 2 Calvary Baptist
Division IV
No. 5 Riverside Academy at No. 1 Vermilion Catholic
No. 3 Ouachita Christian at No. 2 Southern Lab