St. Martin’s, Doyle, Amite seek state girls basketball championship game appearances today

A defending state champion, a four-time state winner and a revitalized program with a championship pedigree headline the teams seeking state championship game appearances Monday as the LHSAA girls basketball semifinals get underway at two sites.

The three southeast Louisiana teams in action include No. 4 seed St. Martin’s Episcopal (12-6), who will take on No. 1 seed Ouachita Christian (27-2) at 2:30 p.m. in the Division IV semifinals at University Center on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond.

The Saints won back-to-back state championships in 1993 and 1994, led by Tulane and WNBA star and Allstate Sugar Bowl Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame inductee Barbara Farris before fading over a period of time. OCS reached the final a year ago, falling to St. Mary’s.

Courtney Ward has brought St. Martin’s back to prominence, winning a playoff game a year ago in reaching the quarterfinals and now the Saints have gone a step further and hope to accomplish even more today.

Also in Division IV today, No. 3 Cedar Creek (21-3) takes on No. 2 Highland Baptist (22-4) at noon.

Doyle (26-4) is the top seed in 2A and the defending champion and the Tigers will battle No. 5 Avoyelles Public Charter (26-6) at 5 p.m. in Hammond. Doyle also won a 1A state title in 1979. Doyle has been a state runner-up four times.

The second seed in 2A is Amite (25-2) and the Warriors will battle No. 3 Lake Arthur (26-6) at 7:30 p.m. at SLU. Amite reached the quarterfinals a year ago and the Warriors have won four state titles but none since 2001.

Meanwhile, the Division V and Class B semifinals get underway today at noon at Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles.

In Division V, No. 1 seed and defending state champion University Academy (16-3) takes on No. 5 St. Joseph’s-Plaucheville (13-8) at noon while No. 2 Family Community (18-6) faces No. 3 Claiborne Christian (14-8) at 2:30 p.m.

In Class B today, No. 1 Hathaway (22-3) faces No. 13 Bell City (17-7) at 5 p.m. while defending champion and No. 2 seed Fairview (27-3) battles No. 3 Florien (24-2) at 7:30 p.m. Fairview has won a Louisiana-best 12 state championships.

Girls Basketball Marsh Madness Schedule
Semifinals
Monday
at University Center, Hammond
Division IV
(3) Cedar Creek vs. (2) Highland Baptist, noon
(4) St. Martin’s vs. (1) Ouachita Christian, 2:30 p.m.

Class 2A
(5) Avoyelles Public Charter vs. (1) Doyle, 5 p.m.
(3) Lake Arthur vs. (2) Amite, 7:30 p.m.

at Burton Coliseum, Lake Charles
Division V
(5) St. Joseph’s-Plaucheville vs. (1) University Academy-Cenla, noon
(3) Claiborne Christian vs. (2) Family Community, 2:30 p.m.

Class B
(13) Bell City vs. (1) Hathaway, 5 p.m.
(3) Florien vs. (2) Fairview, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday
at University Center, Hammond
Class 1A
(3) Northwood-Lena vs. (2) Merryville, noon
(4) North Central vs. (1) East Iberville, 2:30 p.m.

Class 3A
(4) Brusly vs. (1) Madison Prep, 5 p.m.
(7) Northwest vs. (3) South Beauregard, 7:30 p.m.

at Burton Coliseum, Lake Charles
Class C
(4) Reeves vs. (1) Gibsland-Coleman, noon
(3) Plainview vs. (2) Hicks, 2:30 p.m.

Division II
(3) Liberty vs. (2) Ursuline Academy, 5 p.m.
(4) St. Thomas More vs. (1) St. Louis, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday
at University Center, Hammond
Division I
(3) Dominican vs. (2) John Curtis Christian, noon
(4) Scotlandville vs. (1) Mt. Carmel, 2:30 p.m.

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

at Burton Coliseum, Lake Charles
Division III
(4) St. Charles Catholic vs. (1) Lafayette Christian, noon
(3) St. Thomas Aquinas vs. (2) Episcopal, 2:30 p.m.

Class 4A
(3) Neville vs. (2) Huntington, 5 p.m.
(4) Warren Easton vs. (1) LaGrange, 7:30 p.m.

Finals
at University Center, Hammond
Thursday
Division V: Semifinal winners, noon
Division IV: Semifinal winners, 2:30 p.m.
Class 1A: Semifinal winners, 5 p.m.
Class B: Semifinal winners, 7:30 p.m.

Friday
Class C: Semifinal winners, noon
Division II: Semifinal winners, 2:30 p.m.
Class 4A: Semifinal winners, 5 p.m.
Class 2A: Semifinal winners, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 6
Division III: Semifinal winners, noon
Division I: Semifinal winners, 2:30 p.m.
Class 3A: Semifinal winners, 5 p.m.
Class 5A: Semifinal winners, 7:30 p.m.