The road to the Superdome will likely feature lots of road trips if Southwest Louisiana is to have a representative this year. No area school would be at home in the semifinal round if seeds hold and just two — Class 1A No. 3 Grand Lake and Class 3A No. 4 Iowa — would be playing at all.

But you never know who will pull off a surprise run. Last year Grand Lake entered as the third seed and won games at Centerville and East Iberville in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds to reach the championship game. Kinder, the sixth seed in Class 2A, beat No. 3 Loreauville and No. 2 Mangham on the road to make the title game.

In 2019, Jennings, a No. 23 seed, won four games by a total of 10 points, including three straight one-point games — two of which were on the road against top seven seeds — to reach the Superdome.

Even though the area is light on top seeds, there are more than a few local teams that are capable of outplaying their seed and pulling off an upset or two.

Jennings is again a likely suspect. The Bulldogs enter as the No. 22 seed in Class 3A and faces a trip to Bogalusa. Bulldogs QB Trevor Etienne is the best player on the field in most games, and has become even more dangerous since moving under center. He touches the ball on every play and commands the attention of the defense. He can deftly run the option and make big plays in the passing game in addition to taking off on designed runs.

The Bulldogs average 38 points per game in his six starts under center and enter on a two-game winning streak in which they have scored 98 points. In those two games he has run for 476 yards and 10 touchdowns while throwing for 287 yards and another score. He has also scored on three kick returns this season.

Defense has been an issue for most of the season at Jennings, but with Etienne in top form, the Bulldogs may not need more than one or two stops a game. He can produce enough points to carry the team to a win.

Rosepine, the No. 8 seed in Class 2A, is loaded offensively. Running back Grant Ducote has run for 1,665 yards and 32 touchdowns and earned a recruiting visit to SEC school Mississippi State. Eagle QB Ethan Frey has thrown for 1,494 yards and 22 touchdowns and run for 411 yards and 9 scores. WR Isaiah Stinson (616 yards, 10 TDs) and TE Cole Donohue (466 yards, 7 TDs) give the Eagles a pair of standout receiving targets.

The draw was not kind to the Eagles, who would likely host No. 9 Red River in the second round and possibly hit the road to face defending champion and top seed Many in the quarterfinal round. But Rosepine is no stranger to the big stage after winning last year’s state championship in baseball with Frey leading the way. The Many trip is not a bad one.

Since 2001, Rosepine is only 6-15 in playoff games. However, three of the wins have come since 2017 so the current group of players and coaches are familiar with playoff pressure.

The Eagles enter in fine form, having won five straight games.

Leesville has won five straight and six of its last seven, with the one loss by three points at Class 5A Pineville.

Similar to Jennings, the Wampus Cats have a game-changing player in Caleb Gallashaw. In the past six games Gallashaw has run for 1,244 yards and 14 touchdowns, including two games with four scores and another with five. In one of those games he added four catches for 167 yards and another touchdown. Gallashaw sat out last year’s regional round loss and will be looking to close out his career in style.

Leesville is the No. 12 seed in Class 4A. A second round road trip to explosive Westgate looms, but the Wampus Cats have enough offensive firepower to have a shot any time they take the field.

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Warren Arceneaux covers high school athletics. Email him at warren. arceneaux @americanpress.com