More than a few of the regional round playoff games featuring local goal teams will feature familiar faces, including a third
meeting between DeRidder and St. Louis in Class 4A.
The Saints (24-8) beat the Dragons (23-8) twice in the regular season while going undefeated in District 4-4A. The game will
top off at 6:30 p.m. in DeRidder.
St. Louis, the tenth seed, opened the
playoffs with a 56-50 win over No. 23 Fair Park, while No. 7 DeRidder
beat No. 26 Teurlings
Catholic 64-53.
During the regular season, St. Louis won 52-42 in Lake Charles and 56-49 in DeRidder.
“It is going to be a tough environment, but we went there in the regular season and won,” said Saints head coach Tony Johnson.
“We have an experienced group.”
Johnson said the Saints will have to take care of the ball against the Dragons.
“(In the regular season wins) we handles their pressure very well, we had some young kids that stepped up at home and then
did it again in DeRidder. When you play DeRidder, they love the full court pressure, you have to get 10 or less turnovers
to beat them.”
The Saints had turnover issues in Monday’s win over Fair Park.
‘We didn’t handle the ball well, we had 16 or 17 rurnovers,” Johnson said. “They were better than what we had seen, maybe
the fastest team we played this year. Did not execute well on offense or play well on defense, we try to keep teams in the
30s and they scored 50. In practice we have put it in the kids mind that defense is what’s going to take us there.”
The Saints are on a ?? game winning
streak and have not lost since Dec. 27 as they look to extend a string
of recent playoff
runs that now includes seven straight trips to the regionals.
DeRidder is in the postseason for the fifth straight year and
is looking to reach the quarterfinals for the second straight
year.
“From November to now, I have enjoyed
being with the girls, seeing them go from not looking good to winning
district,” Johnson
said. “We always tell them that you have got to be playing your
best ball in January and February. We did that again. We are
used to winning, all of our girls are winners and this program has
been about winning.”
In other rematches, two Class B games
will feature four District 7 teams as Lacassine will visit district
rival Sacred Heart-Grand
Coteau and Hathaway travels to Midland.
DeRidder is the only school above Class 2A that will play at home. In Class 5A, Sulphur will travel to Zachary. Leesville
will play at Neville in Class 4A and South Beauregard plays at Rayne in Class 3A.
No. 6 Sulphur (26-3) at No. 22 Zachary (16-15), 6 p.m.
No. 13 Leesville (24-6) at No. 4 Neville (25-2), 6 p.m.
No. 10 St. Louis (24-8) at No. 7 DeRidder (23-8), 6:30 p.m.
No. 14 South Beauregard (23-8) at No. 3 Rayne (25-6), 6:30 p.m.
No. 1 University (27-6) at No. 17 East Beauregard (19-7), 6 p.m.
No. 12 Lake Arthur (25-7) at No. 5 Evangel Christian (26-7), 6 p.m.
No. 14 Mansfield (19-10) at No. 3 Pickering (26-3), 6 p.m.
No. 11 Southern Lab (15-6) at No. 6 Merryville (24-5), 6 p.m.
Class B
No. 1 Lacassine (36-1) at No. 17 Sacred Heart-GC (17-10), 6 p.m.
No. 4 Hathaway (25-7) at No. 20 Midland (16-19), 6:30 p.m.
No. 11 Bell City (15-18) at No. 6 Anacoco (26-10), 6 p.m.
No. 15 Doyline (18-10) at No. 2 Fairview (41-1), 6 p.m.
Class C
No. 12 Calvin (8-16) at No. 5 Hackberry (21-7), 6 p.m.
No. 18 Reeves (10-21) at No. 2 Dubach (27-1)