Girls Basketball Championships: Doyle falls short, Curtis-Mount Carmel on tap Saturday

In the exciting Class 2A title game, top seed Doyle fell a second short of repeating as state champion.

No. 3 seed Lake Arthur held off a second half rally to edge the top-seed Tigers 62-61 in Hammond in the 2021 LHSAA title contest at University Center.

Lake Arthur took a 24-11 lead after one quarter, closing the quarter on a 10-0 run. They led 38-25 at halftime and built the lead to 21 points in the third quarter before leading 54-40 going to the final quarter.

Doyle (28-5) staged a furious comeback, pulling within three points twice before scoring at the buzzer to fall a point short.

Katherine Leonards led Lake Arthur with 22 points and was named the Most Outstanding Player.

Southeastern Louisiana signee Presleigh Scott, playing in the facility in which she will play at the college level, led Doyle with 26 points and 20 rebounds in a huge performance to give her team a chance.

The state championship is the second for Lake Arthur (28-4) and its first since 1976.

In Division II, top seed St. Louis Catholic downed defending state champion and third seed Liberty 50-41 for the title.

The Saints had lost to the Patriots in the 2019 and 2020 finals but got revenge this time around.

St. Louis led 16-14 after one quarter and it was tied 26-26 at halftime. St. Louis led 38-35 going to the fourth quarter.

Paris Guillory topped St. Louis Catholic (30-1) with 19 points and was named the Most Outstanding Player. Myca Trail scored 15 points and Raven Guillory added 14 points for the Saints. Haley Franklin led Liberty (22-7) with 13 points while Anniah Holliday had 10 points.

In Class 4A, No. 1 LaGrange repeated as champion, holding off No. 2 Huntington 49-42.

The Gators took an 18-13 lead after one quarter and led 26-20 by halftime. The lead was 34-29 after three quarters.

Jeriah Warren topped LaGrange (26-1) with 19 points and was named the Most Outstanding Player.

In Class C, No. 2 Hicks won its second straight state title and its fourth overall with a 59-43 over No. 4 Reeves.

Avery Coffman led Hicks (17-5) with 20 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals and was named the Most Outstanding Player. Lauren Quinn added 12 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and three assists. Chloe Wilbanks had 11 points and Reese Stephens finished with 10 points and six rebounds.

Clair Dunnehoo led Reeves (28-8) with 19 points, nine rebounds and four assists.

On Saturday, John Curtis Christian goes after a fifth consecutive state championship in the Division I title game when the No. 2 Lady Patriots square off with 9-5A rival and No. 1 seed Mount Carmel Academy at 2:30 p.m. as the two opponents square off in the state championship game for a third straight year.

John Curtis (11-4) swept both district contests with the Cubs during the regular season and the Lady Patriots have beaten Mount Carmel (23-5) in state title games in 2019 and 2020.

In Division III, No. 4 St. Thomas Aquinas (22-7) battles No. 1 Lafayette Christian (19-5) at noon in a rematch of last year’s title game, won by the Falcons 51-47. St. Thomas Aquinas is going for a third straight state championship.

Girls Basketball Marsh Madness Schedule
Semifinals
Monday
at University Center, Hammond
Division IV
(2) Highland Baptist 45, (3) Cedar Creek 39
(1) Ouachita Christian 64, (4) St. Martin’s Episcopal 32

Class 2A
(1) Doyle 65, (5) Avoyelles Public Charter 61
(3) Lake Arthur 71 (2) Amite 57

at Burton Coliseum, Lake Charles
Division V
(1) University Academy 65, (5) St. Joseph’s Plaucheville 28
(3) Claiborne Christian 42, (2) Family Community 31

Class B
(1) Hathaway 46, (13) Bell City 34
(2) Fairview 61, (3) Florien 45

Tuesday
at University Center, Hammond
Class 1A
(3) Northwood-Lena 46, (2) Merryville 39
(1) East Iberville 54, (4) North Central 40

Class 3A
(1) Madison Prep 61, (4) Brusly 41
(7) Northwest 64, (3) South Beauregard 48

at Burton Coliseum, Lake Charles
Class C
(4) Reeves 45, (1) Gibsland-Coleman 34
(2) Hicks 62, (3) Plainview 26

Division II
(3) Liberty 68, (2) Ursuline Academy 49
(1) St. Louis Catholic 48, (4) St. Thomas More 41

Wednesday
at University Center, Hammond
Division I
(2) John Curtis Christian 48, (3) Dominican 37
(1) Mt. Carmel Academy 55, (4) Scotlandville 44

Class 5A
(6) Captain Shreve 47, (10) West Monroe 32
(12) Benton 58, (1) Ponchatoula, 7:30 p.m.

at Burton Coliseum, Lake Charles
Division III
(1) Lafayette Christian 75, (4) St. Charles Catholic 31
(3) St. Thomas Aquinas 43, (2) Episcopal 36

Class 4A
(2) Huntington 45, (3) Neville 38
(1) LaGrange 55, (4) Warren Easton 40

Finals
at University Center, Hammond
Thursday
Division V: (1) University Academy 58, (3) Claiborne Christian 28
Division IV: (1) Ouachita Christian 61, (2) Highland Baptist 40
Class 1A: (1) East Iberville 50, (3) Northwood-Lena 46
Class B: (2) Fairview 55, (1) Hathaway 51

Friday
Class C: (2) Hicks 59, (4) Reeves 43
Division II: (1) St. Louis Catholic 50, (3) Liberty 41
Class 4A: (1) LaGrange 49, (2) Huntington 42
Class 2A: (3) Lake Arthur 62, (1) Doyle 61

Saturday, March 6
Division III: (1) Lafayette Christian vs. (4) St. Thomas Aquinas, noon
Division I: (1) Mount Carmel Academy vs. (2) John Curtis Christian, 2:30 p.m.
Class 3A: (1) Madison Prep vs. (7) Northwest, 5 p.m.
Class 5A: (12) Benton vs. (6) Captain Shreve, 7:30 p.m.