Losing in the championship game last season wasn’t what the Oakdale Warriors wanted. They will get a chance to replace that memory and will wear the No. 1 seed for the first time in program history after the Louisiana High School Athletic Association released the girls basketball playoff brackets on Monday.

“That runner-up trophy just doesn’t sit well with us,” Oakdale head coach Renotta Edwards said. “The girls are pretty excited. I am excited. I am proud of them. They have put the work in. It is a great day for sure.”

Oakdale (22-7) finished the regular season with an 11-game win streak after moving up to Division III from Division IV. All five of their losses were to top-10 teams, including two No. 1s, Parkway and fellow Allen Parish team Fairview.

“The girls have worked state championship as a nine seed and beat Nos. 1, 4 and 2. hard moving up a division, so getting the No. 1 seed is awesome,” Edwards said. ”They are pumped up for sure. “We want to play the best. We didn’t want to water down the schedule. We wanted to play teams that would get us prepared for the big dance. A L Even though we lost some of those games, we were there. I thought the girls handled it well.”

Oakdale knows there is no guarantee given No. 1 seeds when it comes to making the final. It won the 2023 Division IV

“We respect all opponents,” Edwards said. “We know we are going to get their best, and everyone is going to get our best effort. “These girls are hungry. They have done such a great job.”

Fairview earned its third No. 1 seed since 2020 and looks to win its 16th state championship and fifth in six seasons. Fairview (33-5) is the top seed in Class B, while District 6-B champion Bell City (22-3) is the two seed.

Two-time defending Non-select Division III state champion Rosepine (21-9) will go for a third state title but will do it on the Select side. It is the third seed in Select Division III.

Non-select Division II No. 4 Iowa (20-7), Division IV No. 4 Merryville (21-6), Class C No. 4 Reeves (20-7), No. 10 Singer (18-10) and No. 11 Starks (15-11) and Select Division IV No. 7 Hamilton Christian (14-9) and No. 8 Pickering (20-10) earned first-round byes.

Local bi-district pairings

Nonselect

Division I

No. 28 Ruston at No. 5 Barbe

No. 23 East St. John at No. 10 Sulphur

Division II

No. 4 Iowa, bye

No. 27 Plaquemine at No. 6 South Beauregard, 6 p.m. Thursday

No. 18 Iota at No. 15 LaGrange, 6 p.m. Thursday

Division III

No. 1 Oakdale, bye

No. 27 Baker at No. 6 Westlake, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday

No. 26 Winnfield at No. 7 Kinder

Division IV

No. 25 Lake Arthur at No. 8 Mangham, 6 p.m. Thursday

No. 20 East Beauregard at No. 13 East Feliciana

No. 4 Merryville, bye

No. 22 Basile at No. 11 Grand Lake, 6 p.m. Thursday

No. 26 Jeanerette at No. 7 Oberlin, 6 p.m. Thursday

 

Class B

No. 1 Fairview, bye

No. 20 Choudrant at No. 13 Hathaway

No. 18 Simsboro at No. 15 Lacassine, 6 p.m. Thursday

No. 2 Bell City, bye

 

Class C

No. 20 Johnson Bayou at No. 13 Ebarb, 6 p.m. Thursday

No. 4 Reeves, bye

No. 11 Starks, bye

No. 10 Singer, bye

No. 18 First Baptist Christian at No. 15 Hackberry, 6 p.m. Thursday

 

Select

Division II

No. 22 Lake Charles College Prep at No. 11 Peabody

No. 23 Bunkie at No. 10 Leesville

Division III

No. 3 Rosepine, bye

Division IV

No. 8 Pickering, bye

No. 7 Hamilton Christian, bye