To get to this week’s highly anticipated No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in Class 5A, there was one box that needed to be checked.
Two-time defending Division I select state champion Karr had taken care of its business with a 48-14 victory over Chalmette with all eyes on the titanic matchup in District 2-5A between No. 2 Ruston and No. 4 Alexandria.
When the host Trojans defeated the Bearcats, 27-21, the matchup of the season in Class 5A was finalized.
Top-ranked Karr (8-0) will face second-ranked St. Augustine (8-0) at Tad Gormely Stadium on Saturday. The two teams decided last year’s Division I select state championship with the Cougars defeating the Purple Knights, 49-14, in the Caeser’s Superdome.
Alexandria (7-1) moved up to No. 3, while Ruston (6-2) fell to No. 5 in this week’s Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s rankings which were released today.
Undefeated Mandeville (8-0) moved up two spots to No. 6 with a 36-29 win over St. Paul’s, while Brother Martin (5-3) fell three spots to No. 10 after its 49-35 loss to St. Augustine. St. Thomas More (6-2) which was upset by unranked Southside, 17-7, fell from No. 6 and out of the rankings.
Catholic-Baton Rouge (5-3) moved up two spots to No. 8 following its 41-14 win over Central.
Third-ranked North DeSoto (8-0) defeated Frankin Parish, 78-64, and sent the Patriots to a season-low ranking of No. 10 in Class 4A.
Lutcher (6-2) remained the fastest rising team in Class 3A following a 42-40 win over Vandebilt Catholic. The Bulldogs were unranked two weeks ago but debuted at No. 9 last week and are now No. 6 this week.
No. 2 University (6-2) handed West Feliciana (7-1) its first loss and sent the Saints tumbling from No. 7 to No. 9in Class 3A.
For the first time this season there’s a new No. 1 team in Class 2A after Calvary Baptist (7-1) suffered its first loss, 24-7, at Class 4A’s fourth-ranked team Archbishop Shaw, 24-7.
That opened the door for Notre Dame (8-0) to take over the top spot. The Pioneers received nine first-place votes and 118 total points followed by No. 2 Calvary and No. 3 Mangham (7-1).
Unranked Pine upset Amite, 20-14, and dropped the Warriors (6-2) four sports to No. 8. Dunham, which picked up the remaining first-place vote and is ranked No. 5, welcomed back Alabama quarterback commitment Elijah Haven who threw five touchdown passes and became the state’s career leader with 146 in a 55-6 win over Episcopal.
In a Class 1A showdown between No. 2 Ascension Catholic and No. 3 Riverside Academy, the Rebels reigned supreme with a 34-0 shutout.
Riverside (7-1) took over the No. 2 ranking behind No. 1 Ouachita Christian (8-0), while Ascension Catholic (7-1) dropped to No. 6.
Class 5A
School, 1st rec, points, Prev. rank
1. Karr (7) 8-0 117 1
2. St. Augustine (3) 8-0 113 3
3. Alexandria 7-1 99 4
4. Archbishop Rummel 7-1 86 5
5. Ruston 6-2 82 2
6. Mandeville 8-0 55 8
7. Jesuit 6-2 51 9
8. Catholic-Baton Rouge 5-3 45 10
9. Barbe 7-1 39 NR
10. Brother Martin 5-3 37 7
Others receiving votes: St. Thomas More 28, Destrehan 18, Northshore 11, Haughton 7, John Curtis 4, Southside 1, West Monroe 1.
Class 4A
School, 1st rec, points, Prev. rank
1. Westgate (7) 7-0 116 1
2. Neville (2) 6-1 112 2
3. North DeSoto (1) 8-0 99 3
4. Archbishop Shaw 7-1 92 4
5. Madison Prep 6-2 75 5
6. Lake Charles Prep 7-1 69 6
7. John F. Kennedy 7-1 60 7
8. Lafayette Renaissance 6-2 53 8
9. Leesville 7-1 36 10
10. Franklin Parish 5-3 26 8
Others receiving votes: Salmen 16, Opelousas 8, Plaquemine 4, Tioga 4, Carencro 2, Cecilia 1.
Class 3A
School, 1st rec, points, Prev. rank
1. St. Charles (10) 7-1 120 1
2. University 6-2 110 2
3. Jena 6-2 95 3
4. Eunice 8-0 85 4
5. Sterlington 5-3 74 5
6. Lutcher 6-2 61 9
7. St. James 6-2 59 6
8. Marksville 7-1 50 8
9. West Feliciana 7-1 39 7
10. Jennings 6-2 29 NR
Others receiving votes: Loyola Prep 14, Iowa 12, Vandebilt Catholic 9, Jewel Sumner 6, Northwest 1.
Class 2A
School, 1st rec, points, Prev. rank
1. Notre Dame (9) 8-0 118 2
2. Calvary Baptist 7-1 109 1
3. Mangham 7-1 100 3
4. Newman 7-1 86 5
5. Dunham (1) 5-3 78 6
6. Lafayette Christian Academy 6-2 72 7
7. Mansfield 7-1 48 9
8. Amite 6-2 44 4
9. Vinton 8-0 36 NR
10. Lake Arthur 7-1 32 8
Others receiving votes: Catholic-New Iberia 20, Pine 17, Loreauville 14, Welsh 3, Caldwell Parish 1, Country Day 1, Rosepine 1.
Class 1A
School, 1st rec, points, Prev. rank
1. Ouachita Christian (8) 8-0 118 1
2. Riverside Academy (2) 7-1 110 3
3. Haynesville 7-1 97 4
4. Southern Lab 7-0 83 5
5. Kentwood 8-0 76 6
6. Ascension Catholic 7-1 74 2
7. Westminster-Lafayette 8-0 66 7
8. Jeanerette 7-1 43 8
9. Cedar Creek 8-0 41 9
10. Logansport 7-1 31 10
Others receiving votes: East Feliciana 23, St. Mary’s 8, South Plaquemines 8, Ascension Episcopal 4, Jonesboro-Hodge 3, Sacred Heart-VP 2, Grand Lake 1.
