Louisiana Bubble Watch: 4A
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 4A teams still on the bubble.
Warren Easton (14-15)
Current Power Ranking: 12.20 Final Game: McDonough 35
Usually with teams on the bubble, they struggle with games after December, usually when the schedule gets tougher and they have to get into district play. Warren Easton isn’t like that, hovering around .500 in the new year. They have also added a win since the latest power rankings came out, which hopefully should give them a boost.
West Ouachita (13-20)
Current Power Ranking: 12.14 Final Game: Tioga (last Friday)
Despite playing well over 30 games, the way that the schedule worked out for West Ouachita really doesn’t do them any favors. Their final regular season game was last week, meaning that they will be remaining at the 12.14 that they currently have, giving other teams an opportunity to jump them down the stretch. West Ouachita has also gone 1-8 during their final nine games, which could really cost them.
Leesville (11-17)
Current Power Ranking: 12.13 Final Game: Rayne (last Friday)
Leesville is another team that ended their season a week early, leaving a crack open for any of the next three teams to jump one, if not both of the final two teams to receive a spot in the playoffs. The only thing keeping Leesville alive in my mind is that they took down a very tough Crowley team in the last two weeks.
South LaFourche (11-15)
Current Power Ranking: 11.66 Final Game: South Terrebone (Tuesday)
South LaFourche is another team that didn’t give itself a full opportunity to make a run to get themselves off the bubble, but they did at least play one game in this final week. South LaFourche got a win over South Terrebone Tuesday, but that might not be enough as far as power rankings go to vault them over any of the bottom three teams.
Minden (13-16)
Current Power Ranking: 11.27 Final Game: Northwood Shreve. (Tuesday)
I’m not sure what it is about 4A teams on the bubble, but I’m beginning to notice a trend that these teams aren’t giving themselves the opportunity to earn as many power points as possible down the stretch of the season, as Minden has also left a game on the table. The good news is that Minden did beat Northwood Shreve. in that final game, leaving the crack open to be able to jump into the playoffs.
Belle Chase (15-12)
Current Power Ranking: 11.08 Final Game: Edna Karr (Wednesday)
I usually cap off the bubble teams at anyone who is under a point from making it into the playoffs, which Belle Chase is not. However, I felt that they were a special case, because if things continue as they currently are, Belle Chase is going to wind up as the only team in the entire state that won’t make the playoffs with a winning record. However, they only have a single win over a playoff team, coming over Phoenix, a class C school. Belle Chase also lost their final game of the regular season Wednesday against Edna Karr, which probably doesn’t help too much.
Only 3/6 of these teams will make the playoffs
PHLA Pick: Warren Easton, South LaFourche, West Ouachita
We are predicting the first team to earn their way into the playoffs in the final week to be South LaFourche. Coming after a win in the final week of play, after the other bottom two teams took the final week off will be enough to vault South LaFourche not only past Leesville but also past West Ouachita.