2016 Louisiana High School Football 4A Playoff Preview
Written by Charlie Beuttel
Twitter: @charlie_cds3
The regular season has ended and now its playoff time for the 32 best 4A teams in Louisiana. It will be exciting to watch all the teams battle for a chance to hoist up that state championship trophy.
Last year the Neville Tigers won their second straight title by blowing out Edna Karr 45-26 in the championship game. This season, Neville clinched the No. 1 seed by finishing the regular season undefeated and will host Woodlawn-Baton Rouge in the first round. Rounding out the top five seeds will be No. 2 Edna Karr, No. 3 McDonogh 35, No. 4 Tioga, and No. 5 Minden.
It will be exciting to see whether or not Neville can win a third straight title. Some other storylines to follow are which team can possibly dethrone Neville? Can Edna Karr make a second straight appearance in the Dome? Will there be a lower-seeded team that can make a deep run into the later rounds?
Along with these storylines there are also some great young athletes to keep an eye during postseason play. These players include McDonogh 35 cornerback Brad Stewart, Neville defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis and athlete Jaiden Cole, Edna Karr wide receiver Racey McMath, Minden linebacker Zikerrion Baker, and Woodlawn-Shreveport running back Trivenskey Mosley.
This will be a tough race to finish through every round of the 4A playoffs. It will be exciting to see who wins Friday night and clinches a spot in the second round.
Louisiana 4A First Round Playoff Matchups
No. 32 Woodlawn-Baton Rouge @ No. 1 Neville
No. 17 Carver Collegiate Academy @ No. 16 Assumption
No. 24 Salmen @ No. 9 Carencro
No. 25 St. Martinville @ No. 8 Loranger
No. 28 Franklin Parish @ No. 5 Minden
No. 21 Livonia @ No. 12 Bastrop
No. 20 Franklinton @ No. 13 Warren Easton
No. 29 Washington-Marion @ No. 4 Tioga
No. 30 Grant @ No. 3 McDonogh 35
No. 19 LaGrange @ No. 14 North DeSoto
No. 22 Breaux Bridge @ No. 11 Plaquemine
No. 27 Cecilia @ No. 6 Woodlawn-Shreveport
No. 26 Lakeshore @ No. 7 Rayne
No. 23 A.J. Ellender @ No. 10 Benton
No. 18 Leesville @ No. 15 Beau Chene
No. 31 Pearl River @ No. 2 Edna Karr
Photo credit: usatodayhss.com; Woodlawn-Shreveport RB Trivenskey Mosley