LHSAA Football Playoff brackets released: Toughest of assignments for East St. John
Posted by: Ken Trahan--Executive Producer in Prep Sports on Nov 07, 2010
It has been a whirlwind, tumultuous year for East St. John. The Wildcats started 7-0. They lost their coach, Larry Dauterive, who resigned at that point. They lost a very tough overtime game to Dutchtown. They came back with a big win over Hahnville to finish an impressive 9-1, earning the sixth-seed in 5A. For their hard work, they received the toughest assignment of any high seeded team in the playoffs.
It has been a whirlwind, tumultuous year for East St. John. The Wildcats started 7-0. They lost their coach, Larry Dauterive, who resigned at that point. They lost a very tough overtime game to Dutchtown. They came back with a big win over Hahnville to finish an impressive 9-1, earning the sixth-seed in 5A. For their hard work, they received the toughest assignment of any high seeded team in the playoffs.
East St. John will host 27th-seeded Acadiana in the opening round of the state playoffs Friday night at Joe Keller Stadium in Reserve. Acadiana would have been as high as the fourth-seed in the state but the Wreckin' Rams had to forfeit four games for use of an ineligible player, knocking them down in the power rankings.
The two schools are very familiar with each other, having played three times in the last three years. The matchup has proven to be a tough one for the Wildcats, who have lost all three times to the Wreckin' Rams of Ted Davidson.
Acadiana downed East St. John 28-21 in a 2008 regular season game at Scott. In a playoff rematch, the Wreckin' Rams prevailed by the same score at Reserve in an opening round matchup. The two schools will square off in the opening round for the second time in three seasons.
In 2007, Acadiana defeated East St. John 36-19 in a regular season game at Keller Stadium.
Acadiana won the 5A state championship in 2006, beating Sulphur 13-10 for the title. The Wreckin' Rams played for the state championship in 2005 and in 2007, reaching the championship game for three consecutive years. They lost in 2005 to West Monroe and in 2007 to Destrehan.
While East St. John was the least fortunate team in the state, the second least fortunate team has to be Chalmette. Jason Tucker's Owls, who finished 7-3, drew the unenviable task of making the long trip to defending 5A state champion West Monroe. The Rebels of Don Shows are 10-0 and considered the favorite to repeat as state champions in 5A.
As expected, Dutchtown (10-0) is the top-seed in 5A and will play host to 32nd-seeded Covington (5-5) of Malter Scobel, the last team to make the playoffs.
In other intriguing first-round pairings in 5A, Brother Martin (7-3) just missed a home game, earning the 17th-seed with a huge 28-27 win over Jesuit in week 10. The Crusaders of Mark Bonis will travel to face 16th-seeded Carencro in the opening round.
Ninth-seeded Ponchatoula will host 24th-seeded Westgate. The Green Wave of Mike Baiamonte are 8-2, losing only to Jesuit and St. Paul, a pair of top five seeds in 5A.
#8 Higgins will entertain 25th-seeded Denham Springs. The Hurricanes of Wayne Meyers are 9-1, losing only to 4A top-seed Karr 28-7.
Fifth-seeded Jesuit plays 28th-seeded Sulphur Friday night at Tad Gormley Stadium. The Blue Jays of Wayde Keiser are 8-2, falling just four points short of an unbeaten season. Jesuit lost only to 4A top-seed Karr 34-31 and to Brother Martin 28-27.
21st-seeded Mandeville (6-4), which played a very tough schedule, travels to 12th-seeded Terrebonne (9-1).
#20 Slidell (6-4) travels to Lake Charles to take on 13th-seeded Barbe.
Unbeaten St. Paul's earned the third-seed and will host 30th-seeded Natchitoches Central Friday night at Hunter Stadium.
Assumption, which had one of the biggest turn-arounds in the state from 2009, is in as the 22nd seed and will travel to face 11th-seeded Zachary. Veteran coach Don Torres returned to coach the Mustangs in 2010 and guided them to a 7-3 record. The Mustangs were 0-9 in 2008 and 2-8 in 2009.
10th-seeded St. Augustine, one of the most dangerous teams in the class, will host 23rd-seeded Catholic High. The Purple Knights of David Johnson are 7-2 and scored 46 or more points in six of their nine games this year.
In what should be a very close game, 15th-seeded Hahnville (6-3) will entertain 18th-seeded West Jefferson (6-4) Friday night at Boutte.
In 4A, Edna Karr earned the top-seed and will play host to Wossman. The Cougars of Jabbar Juluke went 9-1 against a very difficult schedule, losing only to 5A unbeaten St. Paul's 28-12. The Cougars lost a very tough quarterfinal game to Salmen a year ago
The Spartans of Jerry Leonard are the second-seed and will entertain #31 Benton Friday night. Salmen beat 2A top-seed John Curtis 28-21 and lost only to Franklinton 34-28.
#16 East Jefferson earned a home game but drew a tough opponent in 17th-seeded McDonogh 35, which won five of its last six games. Nick Saltaformaggio's Warriors are looking for their first playoff win since 1970. It is their second consecutive playoff appearance and home game under Saltaformaggio. The Warriors are 7-3 while the Roneagles are 6-4.
Perennial power Lutcher (9-1) earned the fourth-seed and the Bulldogs of Tim Detillier will host 29th-seeded Huntington Friday night at the Dog Pound.
Despite going 10-0 and beating Salmen, Franklinton is just the sixth-seed. The Demons will host 27th-seed Helen Cox (5-5) Friday night.
Vandebilt Catholic (7-2) overcame the tragic loss of two starters to earn the 10th-seed. The Terriers will host 23rd-seed McKinley Friday night.
O. Perry Walker (6-3) earned a home game as the 15th-seed and will host 18th-seeded Minden.
In 3A, defending state champion Notre Dame earned the top seed with a 10-0 season and will host 32nd seed Plaquemine Friday night at Crowley.
Independence (6-4) just missed a home game, picking up the 17th-seed. The Tigers will travel to 16th-seeded Rayville.
Bogalusa (4-6) is in the playoffs as the 28th-seed and the Lumberjacks travel to fifth-seeded Parkview Baptist.
Loranger (7-3) earned the 12th-seed but drew a tough home assignment against 21st-seeded St. James, a 4-6 team that is much better than its record suggests.
E.D. White (7-3) , a semifinalist a year ago, gets the 13th-seed and plays host to 20th-seeded Westlake at Thibodaux Friday night.
Amite (8-2) closed with a rush and earned the third-seed and the Warriors will entertain 30th-seeded Catholic of New Iberia Friday night.
With a win over Cohen Saturday, McMain (7-3) moved up to the 22nd-seed and will face 11th-seed West Feliciana on the road Friday.
Holy Cross (8-2), which won its last eight games, has the sixth-seed and the Tigers will entertain North Vermilion.
Like Holy Cross, #7 Patterson (8-2) finished strong, winning its last eight games and will host 26th-seeded Abbeville Friday night.
By winning on the final week of the regular season, Jewel Sumner (7-3) earned a home game as the 15th-seed and will entertain 18th-seeded Richwood.
In 2A, John Curtis (8-1) is the top-seed. 32nd-seeded Many draws the tough task of traveling to face the Patriots.
Pope John Paul (7-3) is the 24th-seed and will make the trip to ninth-seeded Ferriday.
Eighth-seeded Riverside (8-2), fresh off of a big win over Newman, will welcome 25th-seeded Mangham to Reserve Friday night.
Donaldsonville (8-2) is the 12th-seed and will play host to 21st-seeded Kinder.
Newman (7-3) gets the 13th-seed and will host 20th-seeded Port Barre at Lupin Field Friday.
St. Charles Catholic (9-1) is the third-seed and Frank Monica's Comets will host 30th-seeded Jeanerette in LaPlace.
Despite an excellent regular season, 19th-seeded Northlake Christian has to make a long trek to 14th-seeded Farmerville. Tony Agresta's Wolverines lost only to 2A Newman (10-0) and to 1A top-seed Westminister Christian 10-0.
Lusher Charter (4-6) gets a hard-earned trip to the playoffs but has the most difficult task of all, having to go to Shreveport to take on second-seeded and defending 2A champion Evangel at Duron Field.
In 1A, Westminster Christian (10-0) went unbeaten to earn the top-seed and will play host to 32nd-seed Ascension Episcopal Friday night.
Perhaps the toughest task of any local team falls on Crescent City (5-5). The Pioneers are the 25th-seed but must travel way north to face defending state champion Haynesville, the eighth-seed.
Another very difficult draw belongs to 12th-seeded Southern Lab. The Kittens will have to face 6-1A rival Kentwood (5-3), the 21st-seed, for a second consecutive week. Kentwood won the district title just last Thursday, beating Southern Lab 18-13 in Baton Rouge at Mumford Stadium. It will be the same two teams at the same site on Friday night.
St. Martin's (7-3) earned the 20th-seed but Frank Cazeaux's Saints have to make the long trip to face perrenial power Oak Grove.
South Plaquemines (7-3), considered the favorite by many observers, is the fourth-seed. The Hurricanes of Damien Mills will entertain 29th-seeded False River Friday night at Port Sulphur. The Hurricanes lost to 5A John Ehret and Higgins and 4A Helen Cox.
27th-seed Varnado (3-7) travels to sixth-seeded Logansport.
Country Day (8-2) has the 10th-seed and a home game Friday against 23rd-seeded St. John.
8-1A rivals West St. John (5-5) and White Castle (5-5) face a rematch at White Castle Friday night. The Rams are the 18th-seed while White Castle earned the 15th-seed and the right to play at home. White Castle won the district title on October 22nd at Edgard, beating West St. John 12-6 so the two rivals will play each other for the second time in four weeks.
Keep it here at www.neworleans.com/sports the most extensive, complete coverage of the pairings with analysis all week long and throughout the playoffs and through Ken Trahan's Original Prep Football Report Friday nights from 6 p.m-Midnight on WGSO, 990 AM, WSLA, 1560 AM, KPEL, 96.5 FM, KTIB, 640 AM, KKAY, 1590 AM and at www.wgso.com and www.neworleans.com/sports.
