LHSAA Football Playoff Brackets: Brother Martin, De La Salle, Newman get top seeds

CLASS 5A  |   CLASS 4A  |  CLASS 3A  |  CLASS 2A  |  CLASS 1A  |  DIV. I  |  DIV. II  | DIV. III  |  DIV. IV

Five New Orleans area teams are seeded to reach the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and the LHSAA state championship games Dec. 26-28 in the LHSAA pairings released Sunday afternoon.

In Division I, Brother Martin (7-0) earned the top seed by virtue of excellent wins over Archbishop Rummel, John Curtis Christian, Ponchatoula and Tioga.

The Crusaders get a bye and will face the winner of the game pitting Jesuit (4-4) at St. Paul’s (4-3).

Unbeatens Scotlandville (6-0) and Byrd (8-0) received the second and third seeds.

Powerful Catholic of Baton Rouge (5-2) is the fourth seed and gets the other bye.

Defending Division I state champion Archbishop Rummel (6-1) is the fifth seed and gets an unexpected bye as No. 12 McKinley has opted out of the playoffs. Rummel will play at Catholic in the quarterfinals in a rematch of last year’s state championship game, won by Rummel 14-10. The Raiders have won three state titles since 2012.

The other matchups are rematch games from the Catholic League as No. 7 John Curtis Christian hosts No. 10 Archbishop Shaw. The Patriots won the regular season matchup 33-6.

In a quick of fate, No. 6 St. Augustine must play No. 11 Holy Cross for a second consecutive week. The Purple Knights beat the Tigers 56-35 Saturday.

In Division II, unbeaten De La Salle (7-0) earned the top seed, with good wins over St. Charles Catholic and Amite.

The Cavaliers are seeded to face defending state champion St. Thomas More in the finals. The Cougars (7-0) walloped De La Salle 58-10 in the state championship game a year ago. St. Thomas More has big wins over Catholic of Baton Rouge and 4A top seed Carencro.

The other threat in the class is No. 3 University Lab. The Cubs (6-1) have good wins over Madison Prep and Parkview Baptist and lost only to Catholic of Baton Rouge. U-High has five state titles, most recently in 2018.

Archbishop Hannan (5-2) is the fourth seed and the Hawks will host No. 13 St. Michael.

No. 9 Thomas Jefferson (4-4) has to travel to No. 8 Teurlings Catholic while No. 11 Haynes Academy (4-3) heads to Houma to face No. 6 Vandebilt Catholic.

In Division III, unbeaten Newman (8-0) earned the top seed with impressive wins over St. Charles Catholic, Riverside Academy and Country Day. The Greenies get a bye before facing the winner of No. 9 Holy Savior Menard at No. 8 Catholic of New Iberia, who knocked out Newman (49-7) in the Division III semifinals in 2017.

St. Charles Catholic (5-2) is the second seed. The Comets, who reached the Division III championship game a year ago, receive a bye and will face the winner of No. 7 St. Thomas Aquinas and No. 10 Dunham in the quarterfinals. St. Charles Catholic won a state championship in 2011.

Northlake Christian is seeded 11th and must travel to unbeaten No. 6 Ascension Episcopal with the winner to take on No. 3 Notre Dame in the quarterfinals.

Defending Division III state champion Lafayette Christian is extremely dangerous at the No. 5 seed. The Knights (6-1) lost only to 5A top seed and defending state champion Acadiana. LCA gets an unexpected bye as No. 12 Houma Christian opted out of the playoffs. The Knights advance to face unbeaten No. 4 seed Episcopal, a very tough draw for the latter.

Calvary Baptist (5-2) earned the top seed in Division IV. The Cavaliers played a very challenging schedule, falling only to 5A unbeaten Byrd and to defending Division I state champion Archbishop Rummel. The Cavs will host No. 16 St. Martin’s Episcopal in the opening round.

Unbeaten Vermilion Catholic (6-0) is the second seed and the Eagles will entertain No. 15 St. Frederick.

Country Day (3-2) climbed to the sixth seed with a big win over Riverside Academy Saturday. The Cajuns will host No. 11 St. Mary.

Riverside (6-2) is the seventh seed and the Rebels entertain No. 10 St. Edmund. Riverside won a state title in 2016.

On the non-select side, defending champion Acadiana (6-1) earned the top seed in Class 5A by virtue of beating John Curtis, Ruston, Lafayette Christian and Lafayette and losing only to Catholic of Baton Rouge. The Wreckin’ Rams will host Covington (2-5). Acadiana has won five state championships.

Unbeaten John Ehret (7-0) is the second seed and the Patriots will host No. 31 Thibodaux. The Patriots reached the 5A title game in 2015 and won state titles in 1981 and 1985.

No. 4 Ponchatoula (6-1) will entertain No. 29 St. Amant. The Green Wave are very good offensively and the Gators are a dangerous low seed.

No. 5 Destrehan (7-1), who won back-to-back 5A state titles in 2008 and 2009 and reached the title game a year ago, will host No. 28 Ouachita Parish.

In a matchup of area teams, No. 8 Mandeville (6-1), a dangerous team, will host No. 25 West Jefferson. The Bucs (4-3) won the 4A state title in 1970.

No. 20 Hahnville (5-3) has a tough task at a real sleeper in 5A in No. 13 Ruston.

East Jefferson (3-3) is No. 24 and the Warriors, who won the state title in 2013, travel to No. 9 Lafayette.

Slidell (4-4) is seeded 27th and must travel to No. 6 Alexandria. The Tigers won their final three games of the regular season.

No. 23 Chalmette (5-2) has a long trip and long odds at No. 10 West Monroe, which has won eight state titles since 1993.

No. 18 East St. John (5-1) fell short of earning a home game and must go to No. 15 Woodlawn of Baton Rouge in a good matchup of good teams that could make noise on their side of the bracket.

Carencro (7-1) edged out Karr for the top seed in Class 4A. The Bears have a big win over West Monroe and lost only to St. Thomas More. Carencro gets a bye in the first round after No. 32 seed Woodlawn of Shreveport opted out of the playoffs due to COVID-19 issues. Carencro won a state championship in 1992.

The four-time defending champion Cougars (6-1) have big wins over Catholic of Baton Rouge and John Curtis Christian, losing to only St. Augustine.

No. 6 Warren Easton (5-2) is used to making deep playoffs runs. The Eagles will host No. 27 Breaux Bridge. Easton is on the same side of the bracket as Karr so the two rivals would not meet in the finals, as has been the case the last two years. Warren Easton has made the state title game three times since 2014.

No. 7 Carver (5-2) will entertain District 10-4A rival and No. 26 seed Belle Chasse (3-2). The regular season matchup was canceled.

No. 17 Lakeshore (4-4) won its last three games but just missed a home playoff game and the Titans must travel to central Louisiana to face No. 16 DeRidder.

No. 18 Pearl River (5-1) travels to No. 15 Istrouma.

No. 19 Salmen (5-2), who won state championships in 1994, 1995 and 2000, goes to No. 14 North DeSoto.

No. 21 John F. Kennedy (6-2) is in the playoffs for the first time since 2002. The Cougars head to No. 12 Minden.

No. 22 Landry (3-2) could be a live underdog at No. 11 Cecilia. The Chargin’ Bucs won their last two games, including a solid win over Belle Chasse.

Unbeaten Jennings (6-0), who reached the state championship game a year ago, is the top seed in Class 3A. The Bulldogs will entertain No. 32 Erath in the opening round.

Union Parish (7-0) is No. 2 and will host No. 31 North Webster.

Defending state champion St. James (6-2) is seeded fifth and will be at home against No. 28 Abbeville.

Jewel Sumner (7-1) earned the sixth seed and the Cowboys will entertain No. 27 Iota.

No. 8 Donaldsonville (4-2) is a very good team and will host No. 25 Loranger (1-4).

In a rematch game of a game played last week, No. 15 McDonogh 35 (4-3) will host No. 18 Booker T. Washington (5-3) and Wayne Reese Jr., who played and coached under his father at McDonogh 35. The Lions won this past weekend 22-6.

No. 17 Lutcher (4-3) just missed a home game. The Bulldogs travel to Grant.

Kenner Discovery is the 22nd seed and the Swamp Owls (5-3) travel to No. 11 Jena.

No. 24 Bogalusa (3-3) travels to No. 9 Madison Prep.

Unbeaten Many is the top seed in 2A. The Tigers (7-0) will host No. 32 Varnado (1-4).

Unbeaten Mangham (8-0) is the second seed and the Dragons will entertain No. 31 Madison.

No. 4 St. Helena (3-3) will host No. 29 Vidalia.

No. 9 Amite (4-1) is a very dangerous team and the Warriors, who have won five straight titles, including in 2018, will entertain No. 24 Capitol.

South Plaquemines (4-3) fought its way to a home game as the 16th seed and the Hurricanes will host No. 17 Franklin.

No. 23 Pine (2-5) travels to No. 10 Port Allen.

A live underdog is No. 18 Kentwood (4-2), who travels to No. 15 Jonesboro Hodge. The Kangaroos have nine state championships, most recently in 2018.

Defending state champion Oak Grove (7-0) is the top seed in 1A and the Tigers get a first round bye before hosting the winner of No. 16 East Beauregard and No. 17 Montgomery.

East Iberville (5-1) is the No. 2 seed and has a bye before taking on the winner of No. 15 Northwood-Lena and No. 18 Slaughter Community Charter.

No. 9 West St. John (1-4) has not had its usual excellent season but the Rams cannot be ignored after playing a tough schedule. West St. John hosts No. 24 North Central.