Louisiana Bubble Watch: 3A
The season has come and gone in the blink of an eye, and playoffs are going to be starting in just over a week, with teams and brackets being announced on Monday. With that being said, we wanted to look…
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Continue ReadingThe season has come and gone in the blink of an eye, and playoffs are going to be starting in just over a week, with teams and brackets being announced on Monday. With that being said, we wanted to look at which teams are still fighting just to get a seat at the table when it comes to playoffs. With the Select/Non-select playoffs beginning this year, more teams than ever are going to be making it to the playoffs, but non-select schools still have to battle it out down the stretch to earn a spot. We wanted to take a look at the teams that are still fighting to keep their season alive beyond this week. These are the 3A teams still on the bubble.
31. Bolton (11-14)
Current Power Ranking (11.17) Last Game: Avoyelles
Whether or not Bolton makes the playoffs this year, depends heavily on their ability to end the four game losing skid that they are on currently, and beat Avoyelles in their final game of the season. With Avoyelles currently being a playoff team, that win has the chance to substantially boost Bolton’s playoff odds.
32. Eunice (10-17)
Current Power Ranking (10.83) Last Game: Pine Prarie (Tuesday)
Eunice’s playoff chance’s were severely diminished after dropping their final game of the seaon on Tuesday against a Pine Prarie team in the playoffs. It was a hard fought loss by only three points, but those are the type of games that you have to win down the stretch of the season in order to make the playoffs.
33. Kaplan (15-16)
Current Power Ranking (10.73) Last Game: Erath (Tuesday)
Kaplan has given themselves as good as a chance as anyone on the outside looking in to the playoffs, winning their final two games of the regular season. The bad news is that neither of the wins the pirates had down the stretch were against playoff teams, so they won’t get a substantial boost from those teams, but all the ground that they need to make up is .1 points
34. B.T. Washington (9-18)
Current Power Ranking (10.72) Last Game: Green Oaks (Last Friday)
Booker T. Washington should have had a chance to make up ground on the teams above them, yet for some reason, a game against North Caddo that was scheduled for Thursday was cancelled. A win over a good North Caddo team would have done wonders for a team that is now on the outside looking into the playoffs, and no real hope to move up.
35. Buckeye (12-16)
Current Power Ranking (10.69) Last Game: Peabody
Buckeye had as good of chance as any for making the playoffs this week, after being matched up with a top 5 seed in Jena on Tuesday. Buckeye fell just three points short in a game that would have almost certainly guaranteed a playoff spot. They still have the same opportunity this week, but a win over a top ranked, Cedric Russell-lead Peabody team is going to be nearly impossible. However if they get that win, Buckeye certainly has the best case for being in.
36. Albany (14-20)
Current Power Ranking (10.47) Last Game: Varnado
I have to commend Albany. Like a few other teams that are on the bubble, their district slate ended last week, and they had a chance to just call it quits and say “that was a good season.” But unlike other teams, that isn’t what they did, instead electing to add two additional games this week, winning Tuesday against French Settlement, and still with the opportunity to get a win Friday over Varnado. Both games have the possibility of having huge playoff implications, and Albany has given themselves as good of odds as any bubble team at making the playoffs.
37. Winnfield (9-19)
Current Power Ranking (10.46) Last Game: Marksville
This is as deep as I have gone so far looking at teams that still have a fighting chance at making the playoffs. This just shows how competitive the bottom end of 3A teams have been, and even when you are 5 spots back heading into the final week, there is still a possibility of making the playoffs. And honestly Winnfield has a good of chance at making the playoffs as any of these teams. A win over a top 15 seeded Marksville might just be enough to make the playoffs, and teams are always frisky on senior night with their backs up against the wall, as Winnfield is.
Only 2 of these 7 teams will make the playoffs.
PHLA Picks: Bolton and Kaplan
Honestly, your guess is as good as mine as to who will get the final few spots when it comes to 3A. I’m going with Bolton and Kaplan, but I really think that Albany and Winnfield have a great shot at leap-frogging a bunch of teams. If Buckeye beats Peabody, then I think they are in, but I doubt they will. But if you would have told me it was only a three point loss to Jena earlier this week, I would have been highly surprised. Crazier things have happened in high school sports.