By Dave Moormann
MaxPreps.com
All five top seeds in the state playoffs advanced with ease past the bi-district, or first round, and into regional play.
West Monroe had the closest call but still overwhelmed 32nd-seeded Baton Rouge Scotlandville, 56-34, in Class 5A. The Rebels owned a 42-0 halftime lead before employing its reserves.
Defending Class 4A state champion Bastrop breezed past Lake Charles Lagrange, 49-6. At one point, the Rams scored three touchdowns in 50 seconds.
Notre Dame of Crowley pounded New Orleans Sarah Reed in Class 3A, 37-0, while defending Class 2A state champion River Ridge John Curtis scored five touchdowns on one-play drives in routing Ferriday, 54-6.
South Plaquemines began defense of its Class 1A state crown with a 70-0 victory over Grambling and will travel to Varnado for a regional showdown.
5A Playoffs: Rebels Overcome Slow Start
Just as quickly as Scotlandville started, it fell apart under the weight of West Monroe’s onslaught.
The Hornets moved to the West Monroe 15-yard line on their first possession before defensive back Jonas Tyson intercepted a pass on the 3-yard line.
The Rebels then embarked on a 97-yard drive that culminated in fullback Eric Talton’s 2-yard touchdown run at 2:42 of the first quarter.
Matt Muramoto intercepted a pass on the first play of Scotlandville’s next possession to set up a second touchdown. Quarterback DJ Banks got the scoring honors with a 1-yard run.
“The first half, we couldn’t have played any better than we did,” West Monroe coach Don Shows said. “The offensive line was clicking. DJ was clicking. The running backs were doing a good job. The receivers were doing a great job….That wasn’t just offensively, that was defensively, too. We came out and played great.”
West Monroe must now visit Lafayette St. Thomas More in regional action.
4A Playoffs: Bastrop Finds Handle Behind Randle
Quarterback Bastrop quarterback Rueben Randle gave Bastrop a 14-0 lead with touchdown passes of 49 and 11 yards to Stanley Moore and Hunter Freeland, respectively, and the Rams went on an amazing scoring spree against LaGrange.
In the span of 50 seconds, DeAndre Bradshaw recovered a blocked punt in the end zone, Randle threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to JeVante Watson and RaDarius Winston returned an interception for a 40-yard touchdown.
“It just happens that balls bounced in our hands tonight,” Bastrop coach Brad Bradshaw said. “It happens that way sometimes, and sometimes it doesn’t.”
Randle completed 7 of 10 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Darren Anderson.
Bastrop’s defense limited LaGrange to 30 rushing yards on 21 attempts. Bastrop will now face Helen Cox of New Orleans.
3A Playoffs: Notre Dame Presents Double Trouble
Notre Dame had Sarah Reed seeing double, as Ryan Leonards threw a pair of 42-yard touchdown passes to Robert-Thomas Johnson. Jordan Bertrand scored twice on 11-yard runs.
Leonard finished 10 of 16 for 240 yards. Robert Sarver added a 13-yard touchdown run, and Hunter Stover kicked a 25-yard field goal.
“We're doing pretty good right now with our passing game,” Leonards said. “I've got some big, tall receivers and a good offensive line. All I’ve got to do is throw the ball up there and let them go get it. It’s very fun. We take what the defense gives us. They did a lot of stunting up front, so it was easier to go into pass protection….”
Notre Dame (10-0) will try to keep its undefeated record intact at home against Church Point.
2A Playoffs: John Curtis Scores Often, Quickly
John Curtis didn’t need much help, but it got plenty of it in swamping Ferriday.
The Patriots scored first when Jermaine Collins picked up Walker Ashburn’s blocked punt and returned it for a 25-yard touchdown.
Jordan Hanberry intercepted a pass on the Sarah Reed’s next possession and brought it back for a 24-yard score. Hanberry later caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Evan Ingram.
Ashburn also recovered a fumble that put John Curtis in position to score on Ingram’s 18-yard pass to tight end Chris Guillot. Before that, Ingram earlier had lateraled to Kenny Cain, who scored on a 40-yard run.
Cain led John Curtis with five carries for 96 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown run.
John Curtis will host Baton Rouge-University in the regionals Friday.
Volleyball: State Champions Crowned
It was something old and something new at the Louisiana High School Athletic Association State Tournament, where Baton Rouge St. Joseph’s won its sixth state championship in eight years and Thibodeaux E.D. White Catholic won its first ever.
St. Joseph’s topped Mandeville Fontainebleau in the Division I-Class 5A final, 24-26, 25-21, 25-10 and 25-22.
“I thought we got off to a slow start,” St. Joseph’s coach Sivi Miller said. “We came in knowing Fontainebleau was a great team with an awesome offense.
“But it happened. Our defense adjusted, and we seemed to get the blocks at the key times when we needed them.”
St. Joseph’s junior Cori Martone was named the championship-game’s most valuable player with 16 kills and 12 blocks. Caroline May contributed 13 kills, and Kaitlin Hatcher had 21 digs.
As for E.D. White, it finally won the Division III-Class 3A title after six consecutive runner-up spots. E.D. White stopped Sacred Heart of New Orleans in the final, 25-17, 25-11, 23-25 and 25-15. E.D. White’s Kathryn Stock was the MVP with 21 kills, 15 blocks and five aces.
Jessica Politz added 36 kills for E.D. White, which had lost its gym to Hurricane Gustav.
Cabrini of New Orleans claimed the Division II-Class 4A crown with a 25-8, 25-19, 25-17 decision over Sam Houston of Moss Bluff. Kayla McGee and Alexis Robichaux each had 10 kills for Cabrini.
Sam Houston’s Kim Kennedy amassed 12 kills, and teammate Karli Wainwright contributed 25 assists.
Showing its athletic versatility, John Curtis made it to the Division IV-Class 2A championship, but it was McGehee of New Orleans which came away with the title, 25-18, 22-25, 28-26, 25-22. Sam Tillery paced McGehee with 28 kills, while Kendall Fritchie added 30 digs. John Curtis’ Ashley Henderson collected 29 kills. Lindsey Scallan had 35 assists.
Covington Northlake Christian successfully defended its Division V-Classes 1A, B, C title with a hard-fought 23-25, 21-25, 25-19, 25-23, 15-10 victory over Episcopal of Acadiana in Cade. Brittany Sleace collected 24 kills for Northlake Christian, while Monica Ramone had 22. Hannah Miller added 25 digs.
Taylor Hill had 16 kills for Episcopal. Alyce Poppa totaled 34 assists, with Kelly Gambel having an equal number of digs.
