Louisiana High School Football Class 3A Playoff Preview
Written by Charlie Beuttel
Twitter: @charlie_cds3
After a chaotic regular season in the Bayou State, the high school football playoffs are finally here with the opening round kicking off this Friday. As great as the play on the field has been thus far, it is just heating up in the 3A ranks.
Defending champion St. James is the No. 5 seed this year after being the No. 1 seed in 2019, and ready to defend their championship. Taking St. James place atop the heap is Jennings. The Bulldogs (6-0) received the No. 1 seed in 2020 coming ahead of the rest in the Top 5: Union Parish, Lake Charles College Prep, and Church Point in that order.
There are plenty of players to watch as this bracket unfolds including young stars who have already chosen a college. These athletes include St. James defensive end Saivion Jones (LSU), Lake Charles College Prep wide receiver Solomon Lewis (Louisiana Tech), McDonogh 35 linebacker Tariq Jones (Hawaii), Green Oaks wide receivers Terrence Isaac Jr (Valparaiso) and DeColdest Crawford (LSU), Green Oaks linebacker Jaden Moore (Tulsa), and Mansfield wide receiver Adrian Green (Texas Southern). The rosters across the board are filled with so many other talented young men who are uncommitted at this time or are ready to showcase their skills to college coaches against the best of the best landing that desired offer.
Another foe, these teams are facing is Covid-19 as it has already forced two teams to forfeit. Hopefully, everyone else can stay safe as they make their way through the postseason.
The 32 teams in the 3A bracket are ready to clash and battle for the prize of a state championship.
Louisiana 3A First Round Matchups
No. 32 Erath vs No. 1 Jennings
No. 17 Lutcher vs No. 16 Grant
No. 24 Bogalusa vs No. 9 Madison Prep
No. 25 Loranger vs No. 8 Donaldsville
No. 28 Abbeville vs No. 5 St. James
No. 21 West Feliciana vs No. 12 Sterlington
No. 20 Brusley vs No. 13 Carroll
No. 29 Mansfield vs No. 4 Church Point
No. 19 Iowa vs No. 14 South Beauregard
No. 22 Kenner Discovery vs No. 11 Jena
No. 27 Iota vs No. 6 Jewel Sumner
No. 23 Kaplan vs No. 10 St. Martinsville
No. 18 Booker T. Washington-New Orleans vs No. 15 McDonogh 35
No. 31 North Webster vs No. 2 Union Parish
Playoff Update
No. 3 Lake Charles College Prep and No. 7 Green Oaks have advanced due to their opponents forfeiting because of Covid-19 related issues.
Photo credit: The Advocate; St. James DE Saivion Jones