If seedings in the state high school baseball playoff pairings that were released Tuesday hold, the Iowa Yellow Jackets will be getting another crack at taking home the Class 3A tournament in Sulphur.

The Yellow Jackets, the state runner-up last year, will enter the playoffs as the fourth seed and will host No. 29 Jena in the opening round. They earned the highest seed among Lake Area teams in Classes 4A-C. The Class 5A pairings will be announced later this week. Eighteen teams from Southwest Louisiana made the playoffs. The highest seeded team from the region is Elizabeth, the second seed in Class C.

In addition to Iowa, two other area teams from District 4-3A, South Beauregard and Jennings, earned home games. The Golden Knights are seeded ninth and will host No. 24 Bossier in the first round. Jennings is the No. 14 seed and will host No. 18 Berwick. District champion Notre Dame is the No. 3 seed.

Ten of the 18 area teams will open the playoffs at home.

“When you look at the area and add the 5A teams, it says a lot about the area and the quality of coaching we have,” said Iowa head coach Sean Richard. “Playing this kind of competition, we have one of the best regions in the state, and we might have had the toughest district in the state from top to bottom.”

Richard said he is happy with the progress his team made during the regular season.

“They did a good job; we had a tough schedule and they answered the bell,” he said. “Two of our goals were to win 20 games and be in the top five for the playoffs. We are right at that mark with 19 wins and are fourth going into the playoffs. The guys know what it takes to get there. Our goal is to get back. When we get in tough spots, we can fall back on the experience from last year.”

South Beauregard, looking to end a postseason drought, will be playing at home for the first time in more than a decade.

“The last time we had a home playoff game was 2001, the only time we have won a playoff game,” said head coach Jeremy Deville.

Deville said the Golden Knights are used to facing top competition after going through the rigourous 4-3A schedule.

“Every district game you have to show up to play, there are no off days,” he said. “Everybody can beat everybody so we should be ready.

“We went through a rut then won four out of five. We had four shutouts in the last seven games. We got a veteran group with eight seniors and six senior starters. They have put in a lot of work. Our goal is to be in a good position to compete for a state championship.”

In Class 4A, DeRidder and St. Louis are both seeded in the top 10. No. 7 DeRidder will host neighbor No. 26 Leesville in the opening round while No. 9 St. Louis will host No. 24 East Jefferson.

Sulphur will again host the 4A, 3A, B and C championships. Also looking for return to Sulphur will be Fairview in Class B. The Panthers are seeded fifth.

Bi-Regional Round

Class 4A

No. 32 Belle Chasse at No. 1 St. Thomas More

No. 17 Alexandria at No. 16 Neville

No. 24 East Jefferson at No. 9 St. Louis

No. 25 South Terrebonne at No. 8 Franklinton

No. 28 Salmen at No. 5 Benton

No. 21 St. Augustine at No. 12 Minden

No. 20 Peabody at No. 13 Holy Cross

No. 29 Breaux Bridge at No. 4 Teurlings Catholic

No. 30 Cecilia at No. 3 West Ouachita

No. 19 Beau Chene at No. 14 Vandeblit Catholic

No. 22 Grant at No. 11 Archbishop Shaw

No. 27 Bastrop at No. 6 Tioga

No. 26 Leesville at No. 7 DeRidder

No. 23 Plaquemine at No. 10 St. Michael

No. 18 Lakeshore at No. 15 Northwood-Shr.

No. 31 Hammond at No. 2 Lutcher

Class 3A

No. 32 De La Salle at No. 1 North DeSoto

No. 17 West Feliciana at No. 16 Caldwell Parish

No. 24 Bossier at No. 9 South Beauregard

No. 25 Baker at No. 8 Eunice

No. 29 Patterson at No. 5 Parkview Baptist

No. 21 Raville at No. 12 St. Charles

No. 20 Loranger at No. 13 Erath

No. 29 Jena at No. 4 Iowa

No. 30 Port Barre at No. 3 Notre Dame

No. 19 Berwick at No. 14 Jennings

No. 22 Rayne at No. 11 Brusly

No. 27 Farmerville at No. 6 Buckeye

No. 26 Crowley at No. 7 Livonia

No. 23 Church Point at No. 10 North Vermilion

No. 18 Jewel Sumner at No. 15 Loyola Prep

No. 31 Albany at No. 2 E.D. White

Class 2A

No. 32 Lakeview at No. 1 Calvary Baptist

No. 17 St. Thomas Aquinas at No. 16 Runnels

No. 24 Lakeside at No. 9 Rosepine

No. 25 Episcopal at No. 8 Newman

No. 28 Haynes Academy at No. 5 Northlake Christian

No. 21 Thomas Jefferson at No. 12 Dunham

No. 20 Doyle vs. No. 13 Sterlington

No. 29 DeQuincy at No. 4 University

No. 30 Delcambre at No, 3 Evangel

No. 19 Springfield at No. 14 Riverside

No. 22 Mamou at No. 11 North Webster

No. 27 Redemptorist at No. 6 Catholic-NI

No. 26 Bunkie at No. 7 Loreauville

No. 23 Winnfield at No. 10 Fisher

No. 18 Menard at No. 15 Kinder

No. 31 Oakdale at No. 2 John Curtis

Class 1A

No. 32 Crescent City at No. 1 Ouachita Christian

No. 17 St. Mary at No. 16 Hannan

No. 24 Logansport at No. 9 Sacred Heart-VP

No. 25 Ascension Episcopal at No. 8 Cedar Creek

No. 28 Houma Christian at No. 5 Central Catholic

No. 21 LaSalle at No. 12 St. Martin’s

No. 20 Ascension Catholic at No. 13 Oberlin

No. 29 St. Edmund at No. 4 Oak Grove

No. 30 Delhi Charter at No. 3 Opelousas Catholic

No. 19 Hamilton Christian at No. 14 Westminster Christian

No. 22 West St. John at No. 11 St. Frederick

No. 28 Christian Life at No. 6 St. John

No. 26 Merryville at No. 7 Country Day

No. 23 Haynesville at No. 10 Hanson Memorial

No. 18 Vermilion Catholic at No. 15 Catholic-PC

No. 31 False River at No. 2 Mangham

Class B

No. 32 Lafayette Christian at No. 1 Zwolle

No. 17 Florien at No. 16 Simpson

No. 24 Grand Lake at No. 9 Monterey

No. 25 Negreet at No. 8 Stanley

No. 28 Summerfield at No. 5 Fairview

No. 21 Quitman at No. 12 Hicks

No. 20 Dodson at No. 13 Glenmora

No. 29 Avoyelles Public Charter at No. 4 Choudrant

No. 30 Centerville at No. 3 Oak Hill

No. 19 Grace Christian at No. 15 Anacoco

No. 22 Pitkin at No. 11 Hornbeck

No. 27 Simsboro at No. 6 Downsville

No. 26 Rapides at No. 7 Weston

No. 18 Holden at No. 15 Castor

No. 31 Evans at No. 2 Forest

Class C

Regional Round

No. 16 Pelican at No. 1 Family Christian

No. 9 Calvin at No. 8 Ebarb

No. 12 Harrisonburg at No. 5 Reeves

No. 13 Johnson Bayou at No. 4 Maurepas

No. 14 Plainview at No. 3 Claiborne Christian

No. 11 St. Joseph’s at No. 6 Northside Christian

No. 10 Assembly Christian at No. 7 Georgetown

No. 15 Starks at No. 2 Elizabeth

(MGNonline)