The LHSAA released the 2023 playoff brackets on Sunday morning and 15 local teams covered by Under The Radar NWLA are headed to the second season.
The Nonselect teams have a 28-team bracket while Select will have a 24-team bracket.
Three teams qualified for first-round boys with Logansport taking the top-seed in the Division IV Nonselect bracket.
Division III Non-Select Bracket
Three District 3-2A opponents reached the Division III Non-Select bracket and all three are on the same side of the bracket. Mansfield and Red River have the opportunity to run into each other in the quarterfinals if both teams make it that far.
Defending state champion and current district 3-2A champ Many grabbed the No. 6 seed and could have a first and second-round playoff matchup if the game finishes according to seed. The Many Tigers (8-2) will host the Springfield Bulldogs (4-6) out of District 2A-7. The Bulldogs have currently been on a 5-game slide.
No.18 Mansfield (5-5) has been on a 4-game winning streak and will have to head on the road to central Louisiana to face 3A Marksville (5-5). A win by the Wolverines and they will be on the road to No. 2 Sterlington (9-1) who will have a week’s rest after a first-round bye.
No. 26 Red River Bulldog’s (3-7) playoff hopes looked grim at the beginning of the season starting 0-5. A three-game surge and the Bulldogs boosted their chances. The wins were enough to give them a coveted top 28 slot and go on the road to the Florida parishes to face No. 7 Pine Raiders (8-2).
Division III Select Bracket
The District 1-2A champs Calvary Cavaliers (10-0) finished undefeated but received the No. 2 seed. St. Charles Catholic Comets (10-0) grabbed the top seed finishing just 0.09 points ahead of Calvary. The Cavaliers will get a rest in the first round and host the winner of the No. 15 Holy Savior Menard (7-3) and No. 18 Houma Christian (7-3)
No. 16 Loyola Prep Flyers (4-6) mid-season run was enough to garner a first-round home matchup against No. 17 Ascension Episcopal (6-4). The Gators have won the last four of six games and lost a heartbreaker 44-43 game to Franklin in its last game. A win by the Flyers and they will head to LaPlace to take on top-seeded St. Charles.
Green Oaks (3-7) grabbed hold of the last, 24th slot in Division III Select. The Giants won two of their last three games over North Caddo and Lakeside to reach the postseason. They will travel to the Lake Charles area to face No. 9 Notre Dame Pioneers (7-3).
Division IV Non-Select Bracket
The Logansport Tigers (9-1) snagged the No.1 seed in the Divison IV Non-select bracket. The District 3-1A champs have won nine consecutive since their opening season loss to undefeated Calvary. The Tigers had three shutouts and five games where they held opponents to 6 points or less. Logansport will get the winner of the No. 16 Franklin (5-5) and No. 17 Grand Lake (6-4). Both opponents are Class 2A.
Haynesville (9-1) won the battle of Claiborne Parish and captured the District 1-1A title in the process. The Golden Tornado will have a first-round bye with its No.4 seed. A second-round home game could be a second go-round with district rival No.13 Arcadia (7-3).
The Arcadia Hornets will have a first-round home game against the No. 20 General Trass Panthers (5-5). The Lake Providence-based Panthers scored 40 points plus in all their wins short of the forfeit win against Magnolia School of Excellence.
No.7 Homer (7-3) will look to make a third consecutive trip to the Dome and could start with back-to-back home playoff games. The Pelicans will start with No.26 Delhi (5-5) at The Nest. The three losses by the Pelicans came from teams with a combined record of 24-6. The two Lousiana teams, Haynesville and Union Parish both received byes in the first round of playoffs.
Jonesboro-Hodge (4-6) won its last two games and took a No.18 seed. The Tigers will have to be on the road for possibly the first two rounds. Jonesboro-Hodge will head to the Mississippi River and face Ferriday (4-6). The Bulldogs have been on a four-game slide. A win by the Tigers and they will head south to take on perennial powerhouse No. 2 Kentwood (8-2).
The Lakeview Gators’ (3-7) early 3-game streak carried through to a No. 27 seed. The Gators are
making the playoffs under new head coach Andy Boone and the first time since 2020. Lakeview will take on the Mangham Dragons (6-4).
Division IV Select
No. 6 St. Mary’s Tigers (8-2) collect a first round bye in the Division IV Select Playoffs. The District 3-1A runner-up took may get to face a local team in No.11 Glenbrook Apaches (6-3) come to Natchitoches. Glenbrook will hosts Ville Plate based No. 22 Sacred Heart Trojans (3-7) in Minden. Sacred Heart has lost the lost six out of seven games.
Cedar Creek (4-5) will have to travel to Pointe Coupee and take on the Catholic-Pointe Coupee Hornets (7-3). The Cougars delivered three shutouts over the regular season
Stay tuned to Under The Radar NWLA for the lastest playoff news.
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