By Dave Moormann
MaxPreps.com
Baton Rouge Parkview Baptist became the first defending champion to be eliminated from the Louisiana State High School Athletic Association state championships when it lost to Baton Rouge Redemptorist in the Class 3A quarterfinals, 7-0.
The fifth-seeded Eagles also lost to their District 8-3A rival during the regular season, 28-14, after having bounced Redemptorist from the playoffs last year in overtime, 26-20.
Elsewhere, all five top seeds, and the four remaining defending champions, all emerged victorious. The semifinal winners will advance to the New Orleans Superdome for the state title games to be contested Dec. 12-13.
Class 5A Playoffs: Destrehan faces upstart Central
Top-seeded West Monroe (12-0) will face Lake Charles Barbe (12-0) in one semifinal, while defending champion Destrehan, which has won 27 consecutive games, will entertain Central in the other.
West Monroe stopped Monroe Ouachita, 37-14, while Barbe blasted Thibodaux, 48-14.
Ouachita scored first on a safety when a high West Monroe center snap sailed out of the end zone. The Rebels roared back to take a 24-2 halftime lead en route to its second victory over Oucahita this season.
West Monroe’s LaDarius Abrams rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns.
Undefeated Destrehan (12-0) must contend with upstart Central (11-1), which upset Acadiana in preventing a rematch of last year’s state title game and keeping the Rams from playing for the championship for the first time in four years.
Central scored its game-winning touchdown on a 13-play, 80-yard drive. Antonio Dunn capped the third-quarter series with a 1-yard touchdown run.
Ed Cutno replaced Will Briscoe during the drive after Briscoe sustained a concussion. Briscoe’s prognosis remains day-to-day.
“I thought we played really well in all phases,” said Central coach Sid Edwards, who won a state championship while at Redemptorist. “Of course, defensively to hold them to seven points is a big night. All the credit goes to my assistant coaches. They probably worked 80 hours each over the Thanksgiving holidays.”
Acadiana managed just four second-half first downs after having taken a 7-3 halftime lead on Jeremy Courville’s 6-yard touchdown catch.
Class 4A Playoffs: Rams take advantage of Zachary's mistakes
Top-seeded Bastrop (11-1) continued its march toward another state title with a 40-7 drubbing of Zachary.
The Rams will now face Belle Chasse (10-1), which advanced with a 40-31 victory over Eunice. Marrero Archbishop Shaw (8-4) and Slidell Salmen (10-2) will be paired in the other semifinal, with Shaw having defeated Breaux Bridge, 28-14, and Salmen stopping Covington Northlake, 49-12.
Bastrop forced six turnovers in recovering four fumbles and intercepting two passes.
Javante Wilson scored three first-half touchdowns in staking Bastrop to a 26-7 halftime lead. He caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Rueben Randle, scored on a 1-yard run and recovered a fumble in the end zone.
Despite operating with a leg injury, Randle scored on a 21-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Wendale Collins prevented Zachary from being blanked with a 16-yard, second-quarter touchdown run.
Class 3A Playoffs: Redemptorist gets the best of Eagles again
Top-seeded and defending champion Notre Dame of Crowley (12-0) will face Redemptorist in one semifinal, with Cecilia (10-2) and Lutcher (10-2) to battle in the other.
Redemptorist (10-2) took advantage of a miscue to edge Parkview Baptist, while Notre Dame held off, 16-3. Lutcher surprised Amite, 30-22, and Cecilia stopped Westlake, 21-18.
Redemptorist scored the game’s only touchdown after punter-quarterback Brady Wilson was called for intentional grounding when passing from punt formation while under a heavy rush.
The Wolves got the ball on Parkview Baptist’s 18-yard line, and Jonathan Green scored five plays later on a 4-yard run. Green finished with a game-high 68 yards on 18 carries. Redemptorist’s defense held Parkview Baptist to 97 yards rushing after the Eagles had been averaging more than 300 yards rushing per game.
Notre Dame scored 16 first-half points and then held off Richwood’s late charge.
Quarterback Ryan Leonards had touchdown runs of 1 and 16 yards, while Hunter Stover kicked a 58-yard field goal. Leonards sustained a season-ending broken collarbone on his 16-yarder.
Richwood rallied on Greg Johnson’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Richard Wilson in the third quarter, and Dorham Epting’s 45-yard return of a fumble recovery. Notre Dame’s defense stiffened, though, in allowing the Eagles to advance.
Class 2A Playoffs: Title rematch looms on the horizon
The possibility of a title-game rematch exists, but first defending champion and top-seeded River Ridge John Curtis (12-1), and defending runner-up St. James (9-3), must get past their semifinal opponents from Shreveport.
John Curtis downed Hammond St. Thomas Aquinas, 38-13, and will now travel to face Calvary Baptist (12-1), which advanced with a 36-33 overtime victory against Farmerville. St. James routed Shreveport Loyola Prep, 41-0, while its semifinal foe, Evangel Christian (12-1), overwhelmed Many, 51-0.
John Curtis quarterback Evan Ingram enjoyed a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs and threw touchdown passes of 45 yards to Chris Guillot and 19 yards to Josh Hanberry. Marchez Patterson added a 2-yard touchdown run.
Calvary pulled out its victory on the strength of Luke Nicholls’ 19-yard field goal.
Farmerville sent the game into overtime with two fourth-quarter scores, but quarterback Corderious Nation fumbled on the first play in overtime to give Calvary possession.
“The second half came down to heart,” Calvary coach Doug Pederson said. “Farmerville is a very good football team…but I’m proud of my guys.”
Meanwhile, St. James used its powerful running game to dismantle Loyola Prep, which made its deepest penetration in the playoffs since 1998. St. James fullback Jacob Steib rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns, while Kenny Zenon ran for 138 yards and pair of scores.
Class 1A Playoffs: Hurricanes breeze despite allowing first playoff touchdown
Defending state champion and top-seeded South Plaquemines (11-1) finally gave up a postseason touchdown, but the Hurricanes continued to blow past in the competition in crushing Block, 66-7.
South Plaquemines will now face Haynesville (10-2), with Baton Rouge Christian Life set to visit Delhi Charter (12-1). Haynesville edged Oak Grove, 16-10. Christian Life (11-1) advanced with a 35-33 victory over Monroe Ouachita Christian, while Delhi Charter downed Mangham, 28-0.
South Plaquemines quarterback Ridge Turner threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for another. The Hurricanes have now beaten their three playoff opponents by a combined score of 188-7.
Shane Andrus powered Christian Life in rushing 35 times for 201 yards and four touchdowns. His 44-yard, third-quarter score was his 32nd touchdown of the season and staked Christian Life to a 35-7 lead.
