Predicting the Winners of the Louisiana High School Football Select Semifinals

High School on SI is going on the record to make our predictions for the LHSAA playoffs

John Curtis (white) tries to avenge its regular season loss to St. Augustine / SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

High School on SI continues to forecast each game of the Louisiana high school football playoffs. First, we'll examine the eight select semifinal games.

Division I Select

No. 7 John Curtis Christian (9-2) at No. 3 St. Augustine (11-1)

The Patriots claimed a 13-0 lead in their Week 10 matchup vs. St. Augustine before losing 55-28 at home at The Shrine. The rematch will be at Tad Gormley Stadium. Last week, the Curtis secondary intercepted three passes in a 21-7 win at undefeated Teurlings Catholic. Jacobi Boudreaux (two rushing TDs) and Gavin Ledet, who led the team in rushing with almost 80 yards, are part of a group of ballcarriers who have rushed for 3,200 yards and 42 touchdowns.

Sophomore QB London Padgett passed for over 100 yards last week and has more than 1,100 yards on the season with 10 touchdowns. Darryck Horton (28 receptions, 484 yards, three TDs) leads a receiving corps that has been without 6-foot-5 Jarvis Stevenson, who caught the game-winning pass in the 2024 playoffs vs. Acadiana and has been recovering from injury.

St. Aug took advantage of Curtis turnovers to score 35 straight points in the first meeting. Vashaun Coulon threw four touchdown passes including one to receiver Ray'Quan Williams (5 catches, 96 yards), who was subsequently injured.

Per 14-0 Productions, Curtis has 45 semifinal appearances from 1975-2025, including a loss to Alexandria last year. The Purple Knights are playing in their first semifinal in over a decade.

We'll go with tradition. Jaden Keelen and Jeffrey Curtis come up with big games on defense.

Pick: John Curtis

No. 4 Catholic-BR (10-2) at No. 1 Edna Karr (12-0)

This seems familiar. Last year, the Bears and Cougars faced each other in the semifinals with the same seeds. Karr trailed 12-7 at halftime, but quarterback John Johnson scored on two runs in the second half for a 21-19 win at Morris Jeff Stadium.

Last week, Catholic-BR trailed No. 5 Alexandria 6-3 at intermission but erupted for 41 straight points in the second half to win 44-6. Karr routed No. 8 Evangel Christian 49-20. The Cougars' offense is extremely difficult to slow down with an offensive line that appears to average in the neighborhood of 6-foot-4, 300 lbs. Tre Garrison had a field day running behind the line last week.

Pick: Edna Karr

Division II Select

No. 4 University Lab (10-2) at No. 1 St. Charles Catholic (11-1)

This one has been trending as an upset pick. Five-star lineman Lamar Brown found a way to impact the game and lift the Cubs to a tough win over district rival Madison Prep last week, while St. Charles blew open its quarterfinal against No. 8-seeded E.D. White in the second half. In 2023, Tyler Milioto's field goal pushed the Comets to a 10-7 semifinal win over U-High in overtime. History repeats itself.

Pick: St. Charles

No. 7 Archbishop Shaw (8-4) at No. 6 Vandebilt Catholic (11-1)

The defending state champion Eagles are in the semifinals for the third time in four years. Last week, DeAndree Franklin ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns, and quarterback Allen Shaw threw for a score in Shaw's 38-7 win at No. 2 Loyola Prep, according to Christopher Pouncey of Crescent City Sports.

For Vandebilt Catholic, quarterback Ethan Heney ran for two touchdowns and threw for two in a win over No. 3 Lake Charles College Prep with over 300 yards. Coach Brian Wallace took the Terriers to the quarterfinals in his first year in 2024.

Shaw seems to have turned the corner after consecutive losses to Belle Chasse and St. Charles (both still alive in the playoffs) to end the regular season.

Pick: Shaw

Lafayette Christian Academy in playoff rematch vs. Dunham / SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Division III Select

No. 5 Dunham (11-1) at No. 1 Lafayette Christian (11-1)

LCA coach Matt Standiford, who was promoted to interim head coach after a loss to Shaw in the 2024 regular season and quickly earned the full-time gig, isn't getting enough credit for the Knights' performance this year, which includes wins over Westgate, Archbishop Rummel, Carencro, Central-BR and Notre Dame. Catholic New Iberia coach Matthew Desormeaux praised LCA defensive coordinator Mitch Craft after last week's quarterfinal game.

The Knights wore down defending champion Catholic New Iberia, shutting out the Panthers in the second half and rolling up 49 points. The offense is difficult to defend with quarterback Braylon Walker, sophomore running back Caiden Bellard and receivers Brayden Allen, Draylon August and Jace Babineaux.

To give you an idea of how good Allen is, Lane Kiffin met with the senior and his family in Baton Rouge shortly after being hired as LSU's coach and signed the four-star prospect on Wednesday.

Dunham has its own marquee player in junior Elijah Haven, the nation's top quarterback. Last week, he passed for over 300 yards with five touchdowns and ran for one in a 48-22 win over No. 4 Newman, per Joseph Halm of The New Orleans Advocate.

LCA's secondary is top-notch and headed up by Allen and August (six combined interceptions) and Luke Green, a senior Ragin' Cajuns' signee. The Knights get revenge for last year's loss to Dunham in the quarterfinals in Baton Rouge.

Pick: Lafayette Christian

No. 6 Calvary Baptist (11-1) at No. 2 Notre Dame (10-2)

The Cavaliers lost in this round last year and won a state title in 2023. Notre Dame's legendary coach Lewis Cook has been a mastermind, leading the Pioneers to a win at Class 5A Southside in Week One and consecutive wins over a dangerous Lafayette Renaissance team that will be a force in Class 4A soon. It seems like we're always mentioning Joachim Bourgeois, the Pioneers' tailback who ran for another 200 yards last week and is knocking on the door to reach the 2,000-yard mark on the season. On a wet, grass field that should quickly turn to mud in Crowley, the Pioneers could have the advantage.

The Cavaliers were successful on a long road trip last week at undefeated Jewel Sumner. Can they do it again?

Pick: Notre Dame

Division IV Select

Damien Thomas, Westminster Christian / Mike Coppage

No. 5 Ascension Catholic (10-2) at No. 1 Westminster Christian (12-0)

Pads will be popping when Trevin Simon, the state's leading rusher, and Westminster Christian linebacker Kyle Horde (6-2, 225) collide. Horde is also the top rusher for the Crusaders, who have a large array of offensive weapons and a four-year starting quarterback in Stephen George. Horde isn't 100% (shoulder), but he is one of the state's top juniors.

Receivers Damien Thomas, Gavin Frith and Evan Lemon and tight end Omar Guillory give coordinator Brandon Porter many options, but with the ongoing precipitation and more rain expected during the day Friday, this could turn into a muddy ground battle. Ascension Catholic coach Taylor James, who is in his first year at the school, played in the Superdome Classic for Winnfield.

Pick: WCA

Branon Mitchell, Ascension Episcopal / Mike Coppage

No. 6 Ascension Episcopal (11-1) at No. 2 Riverside Academy (10-1)

Ascension Episcopal intercepted five passes in last week's 38-7 win over undefeated Hamilton Christian. Quarteback Brandon Mitchell caught a TD pass from D.J. Kelly, while junior Austin Adams had three picks (returned one for a score). Riverside got over 200 yards rushing from Jayden Obiekwe in a 38-14 win over Ouachita Christian. The Rebels present problems for defenses with Obiekwe and sophomore Kenric Johnson. Can Blue Gators' linebackers Braxton Woodring and Owen LeBlanc keep the Rebels from bursting the big play?

Mitchell is one of the most underrated players in the state. If you listen to message board talk, Riverside is the team to beat in Division IV, and Ascension Episcopal coach Jay Domengeaux backed that up in an interview this week. "We'll have to control the ball on offense," he said.

Pick: Ascension Episcopal

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