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Louisiana 5A Public Semifinals (Now it Gets Complicated)


Frosty4024

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Acadiana (Lafayette, LA) vs Hahnville (Boutte, LA -- Baton Rouge Area)

If you had asked my who my 5A Public Champ would be earlier in the season...I'd picked the winner of District 3-5A (which turned out to be Acadiana)...However, out of the final 4 teams left in the playoffs, a case could be made that Acadiana is the WORST of the 4 teams left...They cruised in the 1st round in a district rematch against Comeaux 52-20 (Won 49-13 1st time around)...After that they've been escaping with their playoff lives (Survived Landry-Walker "upset" bid 24-22) as well as getting lucky with the scheduling Gods (Got a 22-seeded Live Oak squad in the quarterfinals in a 17-14 win)

But all that matter is being on the W side of the scoreboard...Thanks to their defense...and boy are they going to need their A-game this week against 7th-seeded Hahnville...Or can we call them the Salty Pookas...Coach Saltafamaggio (hope I got that right) has the most dynamic player in Anthony RB "Pooka" Williams...This guy has AVERAGED 300-yards rushing a game in the playoffs...Regardless of who they played...that's pretty hard to do...(even with at least 5 long TD runs called back in the playoffs...)

For Acadiana to win this game...They're going to have to score at least 3-4 TDs and play keep-away (and they can running the veer behind with that Lafayette-Sized O-Line against Hahnville's speedy (but light) defense).  Pooka will get at least 2-3 TD's (He's that good folks..)  Can Hahnville's QB make enough plays to keep Acadiana's defense honest (Jackson is a 1000-yd rusher at QB..)?  Can Hahnville's D contain Monette and the dreaded Veer?

I've been back-and-forth all week...But I'll stick with my preseason pick:  
Here's why:

"We started to use him (320-lb DT Elisha Sion) some on offense and he's done a nice job for us," Davidson said. "We put him as a tackle next to (D'Quanis) Robertson at guard. When we do that, that gives us a 310-pound center (Damian Handy), 330 at guard and 320 at tackle, and all of those guys can move. That’s a pretty formidable bunch when we get him in there."

From Lafayette Advertiser:
 http://www.theadvertiser.com/story/sports/high-school/2017/11/29/acadianas-big-man-fulfills-big-promise/906015001/

Acadiana 27 Hahnville 24
 

 

 

And as if that game wasn't hard enough for me to pick:


West Monroe (West Monroe, LA) vs Zachary (Zachary - LA (30 mins north of Baton Rouge))

The 5A Public Blue-bloods look to end their state championship drought (2011 was their last one)...To do it...they will have to go toe-to-toe against the best offensive team left in the playoffs...And the Broncos are on fire scoring 38, 38, and 34 in their 3 playoff wins...BUT it's Zachary's defense that has Broncos fans going bonkers...They've pitched 2 shutouts and only allowed 24 in the entire playoffs (albeit 7 of that 24 allowed against Airline came off a Pick 6)...In fact...Zachary's defense has only allowed the opposing team over double digits 3 times this season...The problem...they lost 2 of those 3 games (Catholic 24-14 and University Lab (arguably the best team in ALL Louisiana classes (They would be 3A under the old format) 26-7)...West Monroe's D has picked it up in the playoffs especially last week holding Barbe to only 17 points...Special teams will be an issue for the Rebels as they have given up 2 or 3 TDs off of special teams in the playoffs...Not a wise thing to do when going up against the likes of Dual-threat Keilon Brown (QB) 2000-yd passer and 800-yd rusher , and (WR) Trae Shropshire...One of the dynamic duo (WR Chandler Whitfield being the other) that combine for over 1500 receiving yards...

But West Monroe is West Monroe...which means running behind a huge O-Line...Helps having Slade Bolden (Bama Commit) who is a 1500-yd rusher as well as a 1000-yd passer...The D is led by LB JB Gullatt who I swear averages 120 tackles a season...But this is a more-seasoned Zachary than the one that gave up 21 in the 4th qtr last year in a 35-14 Rebel win...16 of 22 players return from that team for the Broncos and they're on a mission...

...but so are last-years state runner-ups...at home:
 
My Pick:  West Monroe 31  Zachary 28

More on this game from the Baton Rouge Advocate:
http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/sports/high_schools/article_2e1407ec-d5c9-11e7-9bee-eba8f1fc698e.html

Don't be surprised if Zachary or Hahnville win their games tho...

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17 minutes ago, Frosty4024 said:

Acadiana (Lafayette, LA) vs Hahnville (Boutte, LA -- Baton Rouge Area)

If you had asked my who my 5A Public Champ would be earlier in the season...I'd picked the winner of District 3-5A (which turned out to be Acadiana)...However, out of the final 4 teams left in the playoffs, a case could be made that Acadiana is the WORST of the 4 teams left...They cruised in the 1st round in a district rematch against Comeaux 52-20 (Won 49-13 1st time around)...After that they've been escaping with their playoff lives (Survived Landry-Walker "upset" bid 24-22) as well as getting lucky with the scheduling Gods (Got a 22-seeded Live Oak squad in the quarterfinals in a 17-14 win)

But all that matter is being on the W side of the scoreboard...Thanks to their defense...and boy are they going to need their A-game this week against 7th-seeded Hahnville...Or can we call them the Salty Pookas...Coach Saltafamaggio (hope I got that right) has the most dynamic player in Anthony RB "Pooka" Williams...This guy has AVERAGED 300-yards rushing a game in the playoffs...Regardless of who they played...that's pretty hard to do...(even with at least 5 long TD runs called back in the playoffs...)

For Acadiana to win this game...They're going to have to score at least 3-4 TDs and play keep-away (and they can running the veer behind with that Lafayette-Sized O-Line against Hahnville's speedy (but light) defense).  Pooka will get at least 2-3 TD's (He's that good folks..)  Can Hahnville's QB make enough plays to keep Acadiana's defense honest (Jackson is a 1000-yd rusher at QB..)?  Can Hahnville's D contain Monette and the dreaded Veer?

I've been back-and-forth all week...But I'll stick with my preseason pick:  
Here's why:

"We started to use him (320-lb DT Elisha Sion) some on offense and he's done a nice job for us," Davidson said. "We put him as a tackle next to (D'Quanis) Robertson at guard. When we do that, that gives us a 310-pound center (Damian Handy), 330 at guard and 320 at tackle, and all of those guys can move. That’s a pretty formidable bunch when we get him in there."

From Lafayette Advertiser:
 http://www.theadvertiser.com/story/sports/high-school/2017/11/29/acadianas-big-man-fulfills-big-promise/906015001/

Acadiana 27 Hahnville 24
 

 

 

And as if that game wasn't hard enough for me to pick:


West Monroe (West Monroe, LA) vs Zachary (Zachary - LA (30 mins north of Baton Rouge))

The 5A Public Blue-bloods look to end their state championship drought (2011 was their last one)...To do it...they will have to go toe-to-toe against the best offensive team left in the playoffs...And the Broncos are on fire scoring 38, 38, and 34 in their 3 playoff wins...BUT it's Zachary's defense that has Broncos fans going bonkers...They've pitched 2 shutouts and only allowed 24 in the entire playoffs (albeit 7 of that 24 allowed against Airline came off a Pick 6)...In fact...Zachary's defense has only allowed the opposing team over double digits 3 times this season...The problem...they lost 2 of those 3 games (Catholic 24-14 and University Lab (arguably the best team in ALL Louisiana classes (They would be 3A under the old format) 26-7)...West Monroe's D has picked it up in the playoffs especially last week holding Barbe to only 17 points...Special teams will be an issue for the Rebels as they have given up 2 or 3 TDs off of special teams in the playoffs...Not a wise thing to do when going up against the likes of Dual-threat Keilon Brown (QB) 2000-yd passer and 800-yd rusher , and (WR) Trae Shropshire...One of the dynamic duo (WR Chandler Whitfield being the other) that combine for over 1500 receiving yards...

But West Monroe is West Monroe...which means running behind a huge O-Line...Helps having Slade Bolden (Bama Commit) who is a 1500-yd rusher as well as a 1000-yd passer...The D is led by LB JB Gullatt who I swear averages 120 tackles a season...But this is a more-seasoned Zachary than the one that gave up 21 in the 4th qtr last year in a 35-14 Rebel win...16 of 22 players return from that team for the Broncos and they're on a mission...

...but so are last-years state runner-ups...at home:
 
My Pick:  West Monroe 31  Zachary 28

More on this game from the Baton Rouge Advocate:
http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/sports/high_schools/article_2e1407ec-d5c9-11e7-9bee-eba8f1fc698e.html

Don't be surprised if Zachary or Hahnville win their games tho...

300 yds. RUSHING AVERAGE, in the PLAYOFFS?xD In the past nine years, NOBDOY has rushed for 300 yds. on COLQUITT! And certainly NOT ONE playa!

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5 hours ago, TheRealCAJ said:

Legend has it RB Pooka Williams for Hahnville can run a 4.27 forty. It's a real shame LSU slow-played him. I would be surprised if he flips.

I've seen him play twice and can verify he's fast as hell.

Nice to see the Hahnville Tigers back.

 

 

 

It was hard as hell for me to pick against him...But how the hell is Hahnville gonna deal with a 320 lb DT that when he plays tackle on offense puts 310, 320, and 330 on the O-Line??

 

That's borderline ridiculous for a Veer team...

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15 minutes ago, Nolebull813 said:

I got Zachary by 28

Im getting the same vibe when 3A American Heritage-Delray came up and won like 50-7 right before they lost in the 2nd round. 

I feel Zachary is about half as good as them, but that's good enough to win by 4 touchdowns 

35-7 Zack Attack!!!!

Damn, you are an idiot....

Sheesh.....

 

 

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4 minutes ago, GardenStateBaller said:

Quick question for the LA posters....IYO who are the #1 NOLA private and public teams at this time? Caj can't answer cause I won't be able to see his post. Someone else please do the honor. Thx. 

They can Answer but my guess is Curtis private and either Easton or Karr as the public 

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1 minute ago, GardenStateBaller said:

Thx. Talking to the Tulane athletic dept about a OOS doubleheader. 

Labor Day weekend is the first play date in LA I believe. And next year I think is the 2nd year of the cycle so teams will be locked into 2 year contracts most likely except the ones who played oos games. 

Maybe you can do it the same weekend as the battle of the border and convince Curtis to stay local 

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Im Watching Louisiana Small-Ball at the moment:

Logansport vs West St John

Waiting on Allen vs Martin game (5A Texas ball)

To answer your question....The best private school may be the winner of De La Salle vs University Lab in the Division II Select Championship:

 

De La Salle has a win over 4A Favorite Karr..University Lab has a win over current 5A Semi-Finals Zachary...

 

Im gauging this off Caj (He follows the select schools more than I do)

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