Many of the usual suspects are atop their respective classifications, but there have been surprises in the state prep ranks as well. The Mole takes a look at each class and gives his midterm report card/evaluation of the high school ranks.

5A:

Byrd of Shreveport is 4-0 and stamped themselves as a power in 2011 when they opened the season with a win over West Monroe. The Yellow Jackets face off in week 6 against 5-0 Haughton, a newbie to the state's highest class which has allowed just 48 points in five games this season. Another 1-5A team, Parkway, is also 5-0.

District 2-5A's clubs have experienced success in 2011 - Natchitoches Central, Pineville, and Ouachita are all 4-1. Ruston and West Monroe are 3-2. Who would have pegged West Monroe with two losses at the halfway point?

Acadiana has one blemish, a one-point loss to St. Paul's in the Superdome earlier this year. Barbe is 3-2, but Carencro is the surprise at 5-0 and back in its former role as a 5A power. Head coach Brent Indest has turned around Abbeville, Crowley, Kinder and now Carencro.

Scotlandville is on the map in Baton Rouge with a 5-0 record a win over Parkview Baptist. Zachary is 4-1, while Denham Springs is 3-2.

Dutchtown is an expected 5-0, while East Ascension, under first year coach and former Sulphur head man Paul Bourgeois, is 4-1. Ascension Parish rival St. Amant is also 4-1. Woodlawn is 2-3, but suffered losses to Denham Springs, Northside and Breaux Bridge. Dale Weiner's Catholic High Bears are 0-5 for the first time since the 1970's.

Fontainebleau is a surprising 5-0 in the northshore league. St. Paul's is also undefeated and one of the best teams in the state. Covington and Mandeville are both 4-1, while Northshore defeated crosstown rival Salmen to propel itself to a 3-2 record. Ponchatoula, in year one under Hank Tierney, is 3-2. Slidell is struggling at 2-3.

The "bayou league" has one team with a winning record, New Iberia at 3-2. Pre-season favorite Westgate is 2-3, but the victim of tough games to Breaux Bridge, John Curtis, and St. Thomas More. Thibodaux is 1-4.

Bonnabel has raced out to a 4-0 record under first year man and alum Reggie Rogers. Higgins is 3-1 after a nice win over Brother Martin. East St. John is 3-2, while Destrehan and Hahnville are 2-3 while playing stiff schedules. John Ehret is a tough 0-4.

Remnants of the former Catholic League still exist with 5-0 Jesuit, 4-0 Rummel, 4-1 Brother Martin, and long ago member Chalmette, 5-0. West Jeff is 5-0 and independent Grace King has won two games.

Questions categorized below with three teams in each group:

TOP TEAMS: Dutchtown, St. Paul's, Acadiana

KNOCKING ON THE DOOR: Byrd, Carencro, Zachary

NEED TO SEE MORE: Haughton, Scotlandville, Chalmette

BUBBLE BURSTS SOON: Bonnabel, Fontainebleau, Natchitoches-Central

BLUE SKIES AHEAD: Westgate, West Monroe,

TURNAROUND NEEDED: Catholic-BR, John Ehret, Thibodaux

4A:

1-5A is limping through pre-district with just Northwood (SV) sitting above .500, 3-2. Benton, Huntington, and Minden, expected to be district title competitors, are 2-3.

Neville is 5-0 and one of the best teams in the state in any class. Bastrop is a surprising 2-3, while Franklin Parish is a surging 3-2. Wossman is 0-5.

District 3-4A is a combined 4-25 at the halfway point. It is the worst combined district record in Class 4A. Alexandria is 1-4, while Leesville the district favorite, is 0-5.

Washington-Marion is 3-2, the only above .500 team in 4-5A. St. Louis will rebound after a 2-3 beginning. Lagrange, one of the larger 4A schools, is 1-3 but has lost to Barbe, Sulphur, and Northside.

5-4A is the toughest district in Class 4A. Breaux Bridge is 5-0 against solid competition, while STM may be the best team in 4A. St. Martinville has climbed out of the depths and rests at 4-1. Teurlings and Northside are both 3-2 and ready to pounce. Cecilia is 2-3 but the Bulldogs are a great program.

Lutcher is the toast of their new Baton Rouge area district at 4-1, but St. Michael is 5-0 for the first time in school history. Plaquemine will contend for the title even after a 2-3 start. Broadmoor has 35 players but veteran Rusty Price has managed his team to 3 wins.

A puzzler are the two powers from 7-4A, Franklinton and Salmen. The defending state champs, Franklinton has limped to a 2-3 record. Salmen is 3-2, but not without meeting some hurdles.

4A newby Assumption is 5-0 and has all eyes in 4A on them. South Terrebonne dropped its week 5 game to sit at 4-1. Morgan City has shaken off the cobwebs and is 3-2, while Vandebilt Catholic needs to make a run after a 2-3 beginning, losing to the likes of E.D. White, SCC, and Belle Chasse.

Belle Chasse is 5-0 and looking to make a 2008-like run. Karr got off to a slow start and is at 2-3. Fellow Orleans public school McDonogh 35 also rests at 2-3. O.P. Walker is 2-1, courtesy of two bye dates. Shaw is 2-2 after a loss to St. Augustine.

St. Augustine has struggled to 2-3 but may use the win over Shaw as a springboard to run the table in their district. Holy Cross is a surprising 0-5, while East Jefferson is 2-2.

TOP TEAMS: St. Thomas More, Neville, Breaux Bridge

KNOCKING ON THE DOOR: Belle Chasse, Lutcher, Assumption

NEED TO SEE MORE: Teurlings, St. Michael, O.P. Walker

BUBBLE BURSTS SOON: St. Martinville, Franklin Parish, Northwood(SV)

BLUE SKIES AHEAD: St. Augustine, Bastrop, St. Louis

TURNAROUND NEEDED: Holy Cross, Leesville, Alexandria High

 - More coming soon on the rest of the state's classes....