Predicting Day 1 of the Louisiana High School Football State Championships

The Superdome Classic kicks off Thursday with three games in New Orleans

Calvary Baptist (white) is seeking its second state title in three years / SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

High School on SI has been predicting the winners of each LHSAA football playoff game since the quarterfinals. Our coverage continues with picks for the first day of the state championships at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

Division IV Non-Select

Thursday, Dec. 11 12 P.M.

No. 1 Haynesville (13-0) vs. No. 2 Mangham (11-2)

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Haynesville, which is looking for its 18th state championship, has been here the last three seasons and finished as runner-up each time. Quarterback Isaiah Washington (6-2, 170, Sr.) is an LSU signee ranked as a four-star prospect and No. 11 player in Louisiana by the 247Sports Composite.

La'Travious Brooks (5-11, 175, Jr.) is a halfback in the Golden Tornado's ball-control offense, which produced 47 points last week vs. Jeanerette. Donnie Critton (5-8, 145, Jr.) plays bigger than his size at RB and LB. Critton and Ethan Henderson each ran for two touchdowns in last year's semifinal vs. General Trass.

Sophomore QB Colby Casey threw a touchdown pass to KD Bell to stake Mangham to an early lead in its dominant 49-14 win over defending state champion South Plaquemines. The only losses for coach Scott Wilcher's club are to Division III nonselect finalist Jena in Week 1 and in district to Ouachita Christian.

Casey is a dual-threat QB who ran for the first points in the quarterfinals vs. East Feliciana and finished with 125 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns. He'll lead the Dragons to their first championship appearance in nearly 10 years. Mangham won it in 1956 and finished as runner-up in 1995 and 2013-2015, per 14-0 Productions.

Both teams won easily last week. The Superdome can be a rough venue for a young quarterback, even one as good as Casey.

Pick: Haynesville

Division IV Select

Thursday, Dec 11 3:30 P.M.

No. 2 Riverside Academy (11-1) vs. No. 5 Ascension Catholic (11-2)

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Both teams rely on robust running attacks. Riverside senior Jayden Obiekwe (5-10, 180, Sr.) a transfer from East Jefferson High School in Metairie, ran for over 200 yards and six touchdowns on an Ascension Episcopal defense that held unbeaten Hamilton Christian to seven points in the quarterfinals.

Ascension Catholic counters with the star of the second half of the season (and playoffs), Trevin Simon. The senior owns the state's records for rushing yards and touchdowns in a single season after running for nearly 370 yards and six touchdowns at undefeated No. 1 seed Westminster Christian.

The Bulldogs, in their first year under coach Taylor James, ran for nearly 500 yards in the semifinals as quarterback Greg Fernandez and fullback Josh Barber also carried the ball effectively. On 4th-and-2 inside its own 30 on the first drive, Barber plunged up the middle for a first down for Ascension Catholic, which lost in the 2024 semis and last won it in 1992. Simon, who capped off the drive with a 70-yard run shortly thereafter, has rushed for 3,765 yards and 57 TDs.

Last year, Ascension Catholic edged the Rebels in the quarterfinals 40-35. Riverside, which is making its second state title game appearance in three years, got nearly 300 yards last week on 36 carries from Obiekwe and held Ascension Episcopal to 39 yards rushing.

It's going to come down to who can stop the run. Riverside's front is stout. So is Ascension Catholic's, which kept quarterback Stephen George and running back Kyle Horde bottled up last week, holding the explosive duo to 70 yards on 24 carries.

Pick: Ascension Catholic

Division III Select

Thursday, Dec. 11 7:00 P.M.

No. 5 Dunham (12-1) vs. No. 6 Calvary Baptist (12-1)

Maybe it was the seeding, but the Tigers and Cavaliers didn't generate much discussion before now. The Tigers, who finished as runner-up to Catholic New Iberia last year, are led by junior quarterback Elijah Haven, who can break former Evangel Christian QB Dez Duron's record for passing TDs in a season (59) with his next.

Haven, who threw for six touchdowns with four going to Jarvis Washington last week in a one-point win at Lafayette Christian, seems to be on a mission after he was intercepted in the end zone by Karon Eugene on his team's final drive in last year's 31-28 loss.

Haven (6-5, 225) has thrown for 3,651 yards, completing 218 of 302 attempts with six interceptions. He has rushed for another 700 yards and nine TDs. Trevor Haman (6-0, 205) has 370 yards rushing and seven touchdowns and 538 yards receiving with six TDs. Washington (6-4, 180) has been on fire, catching 68 passes for 1,327 yards and 23 TDs.

Richard Montgomery (5-11, 195), who has 32 catches for 646 yards and 13 touchdowns, is a leader in the secondary and can make plays in the return game for Dunham, which won a state title in 2004. Hamen is also a weapon on returns.

Calvary Baptist got a goal-line stand in overtime to win last week at Notre Dame. The Cavaliers are led by sophomore quarterback Hudson Price, who has thrown for 2,181 yards and 26 TDs with seven interceptions. Running back Z'Ryan Miles (5-6, 210) is a junior with 1,063 yards rushing on 160 carries and 10 TDs. Another power back, Delancey Street (6-1, 220, Soph.) has 438 yards rushing on 83 carries with six TDs.

Like Dunham, the Cavaliers has a definitive no. 1 receiver in junior Braylun Huglon, who has 72 receptions for 1,386 yards and 21 TDs.

Haven is taking it to another level, plus he has experience on the big stage.

Pick: Dunham

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