Girls Basketball Playoffs: Ponchatoula and Easton reach semis; St. Louis Catholic, Southern Lab, Claiborne Christian win titles

Ponchatoula is returning to the Class 5A state tournament for a third straight year.

The fourth-seeded Lady Wave downed No. 5 Ruston 64-46 Thursday night.

Ponchatoula jumped on the Lady Bearcats early, taking a 20-7 lead after one quarter and grew the advantage to 39-24 by halftime. Ruston cut the deficit to 46-36 going to the final quarter but the Lady Wave did not led the Lady Bearcats get any closer.

Tulane signee Jaylee Womack scored 23 points to lead Ponchatoula while Libby Thompson chipped in with 15 points. Taylor Jackson scored 10 points and Abby Faust had eight points. Zaccheya Jackson led Ruston with 18 points while Jaliyah McWain and Alexis Foster each scored eight points.

Ponchatoula (33-2), which won the 5A state championship in 2015, will stay very close to home to face top seed Walker in the semifinals at University Center in Hammond Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Walker (30-1) advanced with a 67-52 victory over No. 9 West Monroe.

In Class 4A, top seed Warren Easton moved a step closer to a fourth state title since 2015 as the Eagles downed No. 9 Northside 57-38.

Ta’Jae Wills led the Eagles with 19 points.

The Eagles (22-9) advance to the Final Four for the seventh time since 2014 and will play in Hammond against No. 5 Huntington Thursday at 2:30 p.m. The Lady Raiders handled No. 4 South Lafourche 69-42.

No. 6 Ellender eliminated No. 3 Karr 59-41.

It was very close for a half with Ellender leading 25-21 at halftime but Ellender dominated the third quarter 21-4 and the Lady Cougars never recovered.

It was the second win for Ellender over Karr this season as the Lady Patriots edged the Lady Cougars 60-58 back on Nov. 30.

Jamia Singleton scored 16 points to pace the Lady Patriots and Jasi Jenkins scored 10 points while Yanila Morales scored 15 points for Karr and Tyrione Sparks scored seven points.

Ellender (22-11) advances to Hammond to face No. 2 Bastrop Thursday at noon in Hammond. The Lady Rams eliminated No. 10 Carencro 57-46.

In Class 2A, No. 1 Amite drilled No. 9 West St. Mary 82-35.

The Lady Warriors (30-2) advance to the semifinals to face No. 5 Lake Arthur Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Three select school champions were crowned at the Alario Center.

In Division II, top seed St. Louis Catholic whipped No. 3 St. Thomas More 64-47. Myca Trail pumped in 33 points and was named the Most Outstanding Player. Camille Hebert had 16 points for the Lady Cougars.

In Division IV, No. 5 Southern Lab handled No. Cedar Creek 60-42 behind 19 points from Asia Patin while Shaila Forman was named the Most Outstanding Player, scoring 16 points with seven rebounds and five steals. Sarah Adams led Cedar Creek with 20 points.

In Division V, No. 2 Claiborne Christian downed 4 St. Joseph’s Plaucheville 61-35.

Girls Basketball Playoff Results
Non-Select
Bi-District
Class 5A
#1 Walker 73, #32 Natchitoches Central 36
#16 Airline 86, #17 H.L. Bourgeois 59
#9 West Monroe 55, #24 Hahnville 46
#8 St. Amant 46, #25 Dutchtown 35
#5 Ruston 54, #28 Woodlawn (BR) 12
#21 West Ouachita 62, #12 Benton 59
#13 West Jefferson 51, #20 Haughton 39
#4 Ponchatoula 102, #29 Sam Houston 39
#3 Lafayette 75, #30 Fontainebleau 20
#14 Denham Springs 48, #19 Chalmette 45
#11 Southwood 62, #22 Mandeville 32
#6 East St. John 65, #27 Live Oak 22
#26 Captain Shreve 65, #7 Barbe 63
#10 Northshore 87, #23 Thibodaux 49
#18 Zachary 69, #15 Southside 40
#2 Parkway 61, #31 Acadiana 15

Regional Round
#1 Walker 61, #16 Airline 40
#9 West Monroe 70, #8 St. Amant 59
#5 Ruston 74, #21 West Ouachita 40
#4 Ponchatoula 66, #13 West Jefferson 41
#3 Lafayette 88, #14 Denham Springs 26
#11 Southwood 63, #6 East St. John 53 (OT)
#10 Northshore 49, #26 Captain Shreve 43
#2 Parkway 72, #18 Zachary 35

Quarterfinal Round
#1 Walker 67, #9 West Monroe 52
#4 Ponchatoula 64, #5 Ruston 46
#3 Lafayette 65, #11 Southwood 42
#2 Parkway 82, #10 Northshore 41

Class 4A
Bi-District
#1 Warren Easton 65, #32 Istrouma 24
#16 Rayne 64, #17 Breaux Bridge 40
#9 Northside 73, #24 Assumption 40
#8 Salmen 52, #25 Woodlawn (SH) 34
#5 Huntington 73, #28 South Terrebonne 15
#12 North Vermilion 46, #21 Franklin Parish 24
#13 Opelousas 52, #20 McMain 30
#4 South Lafourche 61, #29 Westgate 39
#3 Karr 63, #30 Leesville 38
#19 Northwood 42, #14 Pearl River 35
#11 LaGrange 65, #22 Lakeshore 39
#6 Ellender 39, #27 Neville 18
#7 Belle Chasse 58, #26 John F. Kennedy 36
#10 Carencro 71, #23 Carver 25
#2 Bastrop 64, #31 Plaquemine 12

Regional Round
#1 Warren Easton 63, #16 Rayne 44
#9 Northside 57, #8 Salmen 45
#5 Huntington 59, #12 North Vermilion 35
#4 South Lafourche 44, #13 Opelousas 41
#3 Karr 61, #19 Northwood 20
#6 Ellender 61, #11 LaGrange 36
#10 Carencro 68, #7 Belle Chasse 60
#2 Bastrop 61, #15 Peabody 38

Quarterfinal Round
#1 Warren Easton 57, #9 Northside 38
#5 Huntington 69, #4 South Lafourche 42
#6 Ellender 59, #3 Karr 41
#2 Bastrop 57, #10 Carencro 46

Class 3A
Bi-District
#1 Brusly 60, #32 Glen Oaks 21
#16 West Feliciana 67, #17 Kenner Discovery 53
#9 Loranger 60, #24 Bossier 42
#8 Iota 67, #25 McDonogh (35) 22
#5 Jennings 59, #28 Union Parish 36
#12 Carroll 62, #21 Marksville 40
#13 Crowley 48, #20 Sterlington 25
#4 Madison Prep 67, #29 Church Point 26
#3 Albany 78, #30 Bogalusa 31
#19 Baker 58, #14 Ville Platte 53
#11 Northwest 49, #22 Abbeville 35
#6 Mansfield 71, #27 Patterson 12
#7 South Beauregard 90, #26 Kaplan 48
#10 Grant 37, #23 Caldwell Parish 32
#15 Donaldsonville 64, #18 New Orleans Science & Math 24
#2 Wossman 79, #31 St. Martinville 19

Regional Round
#1 Brusly 70, #16 West Feliciana 27
#8 Iota 75, #9 Loranger 43
#5 Jennings 62, #12 Carroll 34
#4 Madison Prep 52, #13 Crowley 41
#3 Albany 78, #19 Baker 21
#6 Mansfield 46, #11 Northwest 35
#7 South Beauregard 61, #10 Grant 18
#2 Wossman 75, #15 Donaldsonville 50

Quarterfinal Round
#1 Brusly 53, #8 Iota 46
#4 Madison Prep 65, #5 Jennings 58
#3 Albany 62, #6 Mansfield 54
#2 Wossman 94, #7 South Beauregard 56

Class 2A
Bi-District
#1 Amite 94, #32 Kentwood 19
#16 Jonesboro Hodge 61, #17 Pine 41
#9 West St. Mary 49, #24 Welsh 31
#25 St. Helena 54, #8 Springfield 51
#5 Lake Arthur 52, #28 Madison 29
#12 Bunkie 49, #21 Rapides 33
#13 Winnfield 79, #20 South Plaquemines 43
#4 Avoyelles Public Charter 55, #29 Delhi Charter 22
#3 Rayville 90, #30 Northeast 30
#14 Doyle 54, #19 Avoyelles 53 (OT)
#22 Oakdale 51, #11 Franklin 41
#6 Kinder 95, #27 Many 34
#7 Rosepine 66, #26 Delcambre 25
#10 French Settlement 46, #23 Mangham 28
#18 Port Allen 51, #15 Ferriday 43
#2 Lakeview 71, #31 Pickering 37

Regional Round
#1 Amite 101, #16 Jonesboro Hodge 34
#9 West St. Mary 37, #25 St. Helena 20
#5 Lake Arthur 52, #12 Bunkie 36
#4 Avoyelles Public Charter 54, #13 Winnfield 29
#3 Rayville 83, #14 Doyle 29
#6 Kinder 86, #22 Oakdale 39
#7 Rosepine 65, #10 French Settlement 17
#2 Lakeview 54, #18 Port Allen 30

Quarterfinal Round
#1 Amite 82, #9 West St. Mary 35
#5 Lake Arthur 62, #4 Avoyelles Public Charter 53
#3 Rayville 73, #6 Kinder 68 (OT)
#7 Rosepine 51, #2 Lakeview 48

Class 1A
Bi-District
#16 Plain Dealing 47, #17 Haynesville 36
#9 Homer 55, #24 Block 33
#12 LaSalle 51, #22 Tensas 28
#13 East Beauregard 53, #20 Lincoln Prep 38
#14 Delta Charter 52, #19 Logansport 37
#11 Delhi 83, #22 Centerville 14
#10 Grand Lake 55, #23 Sicily Island 20
#15 Montgomery 38, #18 Elton 28

Regional Round
#1 Northwood Lena 75 #16 Plain Dealing 35
#9 Homer 54, #8 Oberlin 41
#5 Arcadia 60, #12 LaSalle 30
#4 Merryville 63, #13 East Beauregard 41
#3 White Castle 65, #14 Delta Charter 37
#6 East Iberville 49, #11 Delhi 46
#10 Grand Lake 51, #7 Oak Grove 36
#2 North Central 81, #15 Montgomery 51

Quarterfinal Round
#1 Northwood-Lena 53, #9 Homer 23
#4 Merryville 49, #5 Arcadia 46
#3 White Castle 42, #6 East Iberville 38
#2 North Central 51, #10 Grand Lake 40

Class B Bi-District
#16 JS Clark Leadership Academy 46, #17 Bell City 43 (OT)
#9 Anacoco 93, #24 Simsboro 34
#12 Negreet 36, #21 Singer 33
#13 Stanley 42, #20 Monterey 29
#19 Choudrant 53, #14 Weston 44
#11 Lacassine 51, #22 Elizabeth 50
#10 Glenmora 58, #23 Pitkin 56
#15 Castor 51, #18 Doyline 49

Regional Round
#1 Hathaway 93, #16 JS Clark Leadership Academy 43
#9 Anacoco 52, #8 Quitman 45
#5 Oak Hill 64, #12 Negreet 55
#4 Midland 44, #13 Stanley 27
#3 Florien 79, #19 Choudrant 42
#6 Holden 68, #11 Lacassine 48
#10 Glenmora 60, #7 Zwolle 58
#2 Fairview 93, #15 Castor 53

Quarterfinal Round
#9 Anacoco 43, #1 Hathaway 42
#5 Oak Hill 69, #4 Midland 68 (OT)
#3 Florien 61, #6 Holden 51
#2 Fairview 98, #10 Glenmora 47

Class C
Regional Round
#1 Hicks 72, #16 Simpson 34
#9 Evans 71, #8 Phoenix 49
#5 Hornbeck 44, #12 Starks 29
#4 Plainview 60, #13 Georgetown 22
#3 Summerfield 39, #14 Epps 28
#6 Reeves 70, #11 Calvin 51
#7 Atlanta 60, #10 Ebarb 55
#2 Gibsland-Coleman 56, #15 Pleasant Hill 52

Quarterfinal Round
#1 Hicks 69, #9 Evans 44
#5 Hornbeck 60, #4 Plainview 49
#3 Summerfield 45, #6 Reeves 42
#2 Gibsland-Coleman 53, #7 Atlanta 45

Select
Quarterfinals
Division I
#1 John Curtis Christian 72, #8 Byrd 30
#5 Scotlandville 48, #4 Mount Carmel Academy 29
#3 McKinley 43, #6 Archbishop Chapelle 20
#7 St. Joseph’s Academy 54, #2 Dominican 52 (OT)

Division I Semifinals at Alario Center
#1 John Curtis Christian 49, #5 Scotlandville 42
#3 McKinley 64, #8 St. Joseph’s Academy 58

Division I Final
#1 John Curtis Christian vs. #3 McKinley, 7:30 p.m. Friday

Division II
Regionals
#1 St. Louis Catholic 98, #16 Archbishop Hannan 27
#8 De La Salle 44, #9 St. Scholastica 37
#5 Ursuline Academy 53, #13 Loyola Prep 34
#4 Ben Franklin 70, #13 Academy of Our Lady 25
#3 St. Thomas More 80, #14 Academy of The Sacred Heart (NO) 20
#6 Liberty 78, #11 University High 25
#7 E.D. White Catholic 51, #10 Haynes Academy 32
#2 Vandebilt Catholic 68, #15 Teurlings Catholic 33

Division II Quarterfinals
#1 St. Louis Catholic 83, #8 De La Salle 46
#4 Ben Franklin 52, #5 Ursuline Academy 33
#3 St. Thomas More 43, #6 Liberty 26
#2 Vandebilt Catholic 54, #7 E.D. White Catholic 30

Division II Semifinals
#1 St. Louis Catholic 61, #4 Ben Franklin 35
#3 St. Thomas More 49, #2 Vandebilt Catholic 28

Division II Final
#1 St. Louis Catholic 64, #3 St. Thomas More 47

Division III Regionals
#8 St. Mary’s Academy 34, #9 McGehee 24
#5 St. Thomas Aquinas 57, #12 Pope John Paul II 15
#4 Holy Savior Menard 45, #13 Ascension Episcopal 14
#3 Newman 49, #14 Northlake Christian 20
#6 St. Charles Catholic 44, #11 Catholic (NI) 30
#7 Dunham 45, #10 Houma Christian 44
#2 Episcopal 45, #15 St. Katharine Drexel 18

Division III Quarterfinals
#1 Lafayette Christian 91, #8 St. Mary’s Academy 29
#5 St. Thomas Aquinas 60, #4 Holy Savior Menard 46
#3 Newman 56, #6 St. Charles Catholic 46
#2 Episcopal 49, #7 Dunham 26

Division III Semifinals at Alario Center
#1 Lafayette Christian 72, #5 St. Thomas Aquinas 17
#2 Episcopal 50, #3 Newman 30

Division III Final
#1 Lafayette Christian vs. #2 Episcopal, 4:30 p.m. Friday

Division IV Regionals
#1 Ouachita Christian 68, #16 St. Edmund 27
#9 Sacred Heart 41, #8 Vermilion Catholic 27
#5 Southern Lab 55, #12 Country Day 20
#4 Highland Baptist 65, #13 St. Mary’s 27
#3 St. John 56, #14 Westminster Christian 31
#6 St. Martin’s Episcopal 39, #11 Hanson Memorial 32
#7 Central Catholic 62, #10 Central Private 37
#2 Cedar Creek 83, #15 Hamilton Christian 53

Division IV Quarterfinals
#1 Ouachita Christian 68, #9 Sacred Heart 36
#5 Southern Lab 62, #4 Highland Baptist 40
#6 St. Martin’s Episcopal 41, #3 St. John 36
#2 Cedar Creek 81, #7 Central Catholic 34

Division IV Semifinals
#5 Southern Lab 51, #1 Ouachita Christian 42
#2 Cedar Creek 52, #6 St. Martin’s Episcopal 35

Division IV Final
#5 Southern Lab 60, #2 Cedar Creek 42

Division V Quarterfinals
#1 Family Christian 64, #8 Christ Episcopal 6
#4 St. Joseph’s Plaucheville 58, #5 Country Day University Academy 24
#3 Family Community 67, #6 First Baptist Christian 23
#2 Claiborne Christian 69, #7 Grace Christian 17

Division V Semifinals
#4 St. Joseph’s Plaucheville 54, #1 Family Christian 41
#2 Claiborne Christian 52, #3 Family Community 33

Division V Final
#2 Claiborne Christian 61, #4 St. Joseph’s Plaucheville 35