Welsh, Iowa, LCCP, Jennings fall in quarterfinals

Published 7:24 am Saturday, November 25, 2023

The playoff trail ended for four Southwest Louisiana teams Friday in the quarterfinal round of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association football playoffs.

Nonselect Division IV

No. 1 Logansport 42, No. 8 Welsh 34

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In Logansport, No. 8 Welsh trailed 36-18 in the second half but battled back and nearly forced overtime with No. 1 Logansport.

The Tigers (11-1) intercepted Greyhound (9-4) pass at the 1-yard line with 20 seconds left to preserve a 42-34 win and advance to the Nonselect Division IV semifinals to face No. 4 Haynesville (11-1).

Nonselect Division II

No. 1 Cecilia 38, No. 10 Jennings 14

Nonselect Division II No. 10 Jennings (9-4) trailed 17-14 at halftime at No. 2 Cecilia, but Bulldog quarterback Diesel Solari took over in the second half for a 38-14 win.

Solari scored two of his four touchdowns in the third quarter and intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter.

Cecilia led 10-0 early on a 36-yard run by Solari and Bubba Boudreaux’s 20-yard field goal.

ReJohn Zeno’s 1-yard run with 5:28 left in the second quarter cut Jennings’ deficit to 10-7.

Jennings quarterback J.J. Benoit hit Josh Lejeune for a 26-yard score with 1:20 left in the second quarter, but it would be the final time the Bulldogs found the end zone.

Zeno finished with 81 yards on 21 carries.

Solari ran for 165 yards on 22 carries and completed 5 of 9 passes for 73 yards.

No. 1 North DeSoto 45, No. 8 Iowa 21

In Stonewall, No. 8 Iowa’s rematch with No. 1 North DeSoto didn’t go as planned as the Griffins cruised to a 45-21 win in the Nonselect Division II quarterfinals.

North DeSoto beat Iowa 38-9 in the semifinals last season.

North DeSoto jumped out to a 31-0 lead in the first half as sophomore quarterback Luke Delafield threw three touchdown passes.

Iowa got on the board on a 1-yard run by Cole Corbello in the third quarter.

Select Division II

No. 4 University High 45, No. 21 Lake Charles College Prep 13

No. 21 Lake Charles College Prep’s string of postseason upsets ended in the Select Division II quarterfinals with a 45-13 loss in Baton Rouge to No. 4 University High.

LCCP beat No. 12 Pope John Paul II in the bi-district round and No. 5 Catholic-New Iberia 7-3 last week in the regional round.

University (11-1) won its 10th consecutive game.

Cub wide receiver Seth Gale scored four touchdowns, including a 28-yard catch and 51-yard punt return to lead University to a 28-6 halftime lead.

LCCP (5-7) freshman quarterback Dylen Vital threw for 170 yards and a touchdown.

State quarterfinal scores

Nonselect

Division I

No. 1 Ruston 56, No. 9 Walker 17

No. 21 Mandeville 56, No. 4 Airline 50

No. 6 Zachary 35, No. 3 Destrehan 14

No. 7 Dutchtown 21, No. 18 Central-Baton Rouge 20

Division II

No. 1 North DeSoto 45, No. 8 Iowa 21

No. 12 Opelousas 26, No. 4 Lutcher 10

No. 22 Northwest 46, No. 3 Assumption 44

No. 2 Cecilia 38, No. 10 Jennings 14

Division III

No. 1 Jena 30, No. 8 Amite 7

No. 4 Union Parish 28, No. 5 Bogalusa 22

No. 3 St. James 40, No. 6 Many 0

No. 2 Sterlington 33, No. 7 Pine 20

Division IV

No. 1 Logansport 42, No. 8 Welsh 34

No. 4 Haynesville 36, No. 5 Jeanerette 6

No. 3 Oak Grove 31, No. 6 Mangham 30

No. 2 Kentwood 48, No. 7 Homer 20

Select

Division I

No. 8 Acadiana at No. 1 Holy Cross, Saturday

No. 5 Edna Karr 40, No. 13 Alexandria 34

No. 3 Catholic-Baton Rouge 38, No. 6 John Curtis Christian 35

No. 18 Archbishop Rummel 35, No. 7 St. Paul’s 21

Division II

No. 1 St. Thomas More 49, No. 8 St. Michael the Archangel 0

No. 5 Archbishop Shaw 20, No. 4 John F. Kennedy 13

No. 3 Lafayette Christian 57, No. 11 McDonogh #35 21

No. 7 Teurlings Catholic 42, No. 2 E.D. White 28

Division III

No. 1 St. Charles 31, No. 9 Notre Dame 21

No. 4 University High 45, No. 21 Lake Charles College Prep 13

No. 3 Isidore Newman 31, No. 11 Episcopal 15

No. 2 Calvary Baptist 49, No. 10 Parkview Baptist 28

Division IV

No. 1 Vermilion Catholic 39, No. 9 Ascension Catholic 35

No. 5 Riverside Academy 26, No. 4 St. Martin’s Episcopal 14

No. 3 Ouachita Christian 56, No. 6 St. Mary’s 0

No. 2 Southern Lab 35, No. 10 Central Catholic 0

Semifinal pairings

Nonselect

Division I

No. 21 Mandeville at No. 1 Ruston

No. 7 Dutchtown at No. 6 Zachary

Division II

No. 12 Opelousas at No. 1 North DeSoto

No. 22 Northwest at No. 2 Cecilia

Division III

No. 4 Union Parish at No. 1 Jena

No. 3 St. James at No. 2 Sterlington

Division IV

No. 4 Haynesville at No. 1 Logansport

No. 3 Oak Grove at No. 2 Kentwood

Select

Division I

No. 1 Holy Cross/No. 8 Acadiana winner vs. No. 5 Edna Karr

No. 18 Archbishop Rummel at No. 3 Catholic-Baton Rouge

Division II

No. 5 Archbishop Shaw at No. 1 St. Thomas More

No. 7 Teurlings Catholic at No. 3 Lafayette Christian

Division III

No. 4 University High at No. 1 St. Charles

No. 3 Isidore Newman at No. 2 Calvary Baptist

Division IV

No. 5 Riverside Academy at No. 1 Vermilion Catholic

No. 3 Ouachita Christian at No. 2 Southern Lab