5 Big Louisiana HS Quarterfinal Matchups: The Massey Ratings (and Jerit's Take)

Thanksgiving week means turkey-centered feasts, family time, holiday sales and, in Louisiana, high school football quarterfinals.

The state’s final 64 teams square off Friday as the eight divisions’ fields thin quickly toward the annual Prep Classic championships event in the Caesars Superdome in mid-December.

Here’s a look at five of the most intriguing matchups around the schedule, including players to watch and predictions from the Massey High School Rankings and myself.

No. 10 Destrehan (9-3) at No. 2 Airline (11-0)

Division-I Non-Select

Friday, 7 p.m., at Airline High Stadium

Massey Rankings: No. 20 vs. No. 9

Last week: Destrehan beat No. 7 Northwood (Shreveport), 63-21, on the road. Airline beat No. 18 Westgate, 42-16, at home.

Players to Watch: 2025 Airline OL Josh Allen, 2027 Airline DB Zeus Arthur, 2025 Destrehan DB Jayden Bailey, 2026 Destrehan DL Bryce Bufkin, 2027 Destrehan RB Malachi Dabney, 2026 Airline WR Kenny Darby (Mississippi State), 2025 Airline WR Jarvis Davis Jr., Destrehan QB Jackson Fields, 2025 Destrehan LB Myd Gilbert, 2025 Airline LB Jaydan Gladney, 2025 Airline RB/WR Micah Johnson, 2026 Destrehan WR Jabari Mack, 2026 Destrehan OL/DL Braylon Montero, 2025 Airline QB Ben Taylor (Northwestern State), 2025 Destrehan WR/DB Johnnie Thiel IV (Louisiana Tech), 2025 Destrehan DB/ATH Jhase Thomas (LSU), 2025 Destrehan LB Semaj Walker, 2026 Destrehan WR Greg Wilfred, 2025 Destrehan WR Phillip Wright III (LSU).

Recent History: The programs haven’t met in at least two decades.

Massey Prediction: Destrehan (55%), 42-38.

Jerit Thoughts: Arguably the state’s top two receiving corps, including an LSU commit on each side, highlight one of a couple intriguing north-vs-south shootouts on this list. The over/under is probably in the neighborhood of 80 combined points, despite each defense having shown the ability to step up in timely moments. Destrehan has looked more balanced in that regard. And the combination of quarterback Jackson Fields’ return to health in the back half of the season, the emergence of sophomore running back Malachi Dabney and the experience last week of making the long trip to Shreveport and executing at a high level are enough reason for confidence the Wildcats can go succeed on the road for a second straight week.

No. 8 St. Thomas More (8-3) at No. 1 Edna Karr (10-0)

Division-I Select

Friday, 7 p.m., at Morris F.X. Jeff Stadium

Massey Rankings: No. 8 vs. No. 1

Last week: St. Thomas More beat No. 9 St. Augustine, 28-27, at home. Edna Karr beat No. 17 Huntington, 56-6, at home.

Players to Watch: 2025 Edna Karr DL Corey Adams Jr. (Ole Miss), 2026 Edna Karr DL Richard Anderson (LSU), 2026 St. Thomas More QB Cole Bergeron, 2025 St. Thomas More LB Nico Blanchard, 2025 Edna Karr LB Arsenio Bolds Jr., 2025 Edna Karr DB/LB Tyrik Brigalia, 2025 St. Thomas More DB Brian Broussard Jr., 2025 St. Thomas More DB Gavin Duplechin, 2025 Edna Karr WR TaRon Francis (LSU), 2026 Edna Karr DB Aiden Hall (LSU), 2026 Edna Karr DB Hayward Howard Jr., 2026 Edna Karr QB John Johnson Jr., 2025 St. Thomas More RB Gabe Mocek, 2025 Edna Karr WR Oliver Mitchell Jr. (Tulane), 2025 Edna Karr RB Bryant Sanchez, 2026 Edna Karr DB Torrence Sanders, 2025 Edna Karr WR Daejawn Smith, 2026 Edna Karr DB Maurice Williams Jr.

Recent History: Edna Karr won a 2011 quarterfinal, 35-31, in Lafayette.

Massey Prediction: Edna Karr (85%), 42-20.

Jerit Thoughts: Top-seeded Edna Karr has looked as strong as any team in the state this season, including now having outscored its past four opponents by a combined 222-64 margin. St. Thomas More More has also played its best football down the stretch, shaking back from a 1-3 start to win its past six on the field plus a forfeit by an opponent. If Edna Karr hurts itself with miscues, as it has at times this season, St. Thomas More is an opponent capable of making the most of the opportunity with its own clean play, an underrated secondary and an offense that has come along as the season progressed. But Edna Karr has appeared to be on a mission and should prove too strong in this matchup of Cougars.

No. 5 Archbishop Rummel (9-2) at No. 4 Catholic (BR) (11-0)

Division-I Select

Friday, 7 p.m., at BREC’s Memorial Stadium

Massey Rankings: No. 7 vs. No. 5

Last week: Archbishop Rummel beat No. 12 McDonogh 35 at home, 50-25. Catholic beat No. 13 East Jefferson, 42-0.

Players to Watch: 2027 Rummel WR Jaylan Ash, 2025 Rummel DT Fred Banks Jr., 2026 Catholic S Blaine Bradford, 2025 Catholic DB Jacob Bradford (LSU), 2025 Rummel QB Generald Buggage, 2025 Catholic WR Amari Clayton (Nicholls State), 2025 Rummel DB Lennis Finister Jr., 2025 Rummel DB Lester Johnson, 2025 Catholic DB Cayden Jones, 2025 Rummel OL Ja’Mard Jones (Nicholls State), 2025 Rummel WR Kendrick Joseph, 2025 Catholic WR Cohen LeBlanc, 2027 Catholic RB Jayden Miles, 2025 Catholic RB Rylan Parker, 2025 Catholic OT Ervin Smith (Louisiana Tech), 2025 Rummel RB Norman Taylor, 2026 Catholic OT Blaise Thomassie.

Recent History: Catholic has won three straight in the series in the 2020, 2022 and 2023 postseasons — plus a 2018 semifinal. Rummel’s most recent win came in the 2019 title game.

Massey Prediction: Catholic (73%), 35-21.

Jerit Thoughts: The Raiders and Bears meet for the sixth time in the past seven postseasons, with the games separated by an average of just over eight points. Friday should mark another physical clash between the programs, highlighted by their defenses and run games. But, even replacing a special talent at quarterback this year, Catholic (Baton Rouge) has managed impressive efficiency and effectiveness through the air. And, as much as Rummel’s returning standouts are likely excited for another shot at the team that ended their 2023 season, the balanced Bears look equipped to stretch their steak to three straight in the series.

No. 18 Cecilia (9-3) at No. 7 North DeSoto (9-2)

Division-II Non-Select

Friday, 7 p.m., at Griffin Stadium

Massey Rankings: No. 34 vs. No. 24

Last week: Cecilia upset No. 2 Lutcher, 49-41, on the road. North DeSoto beat No. 10 Belle Chasse, 38-14, at home.

Players to Watch: 2025 Cecilia OL Ryker Airhart, 2027 North DeSoto LB Hayden Bell, 2025 North DeSoto DB Tucker Brewster, 2027 Cecilia ATH Braylon Calais, 2025 North Desoto WR Cole Cory, 2026 North Desoto QB Luke Delafield, 2027 Cecilia DB Franky Frank Jr., 2025 Cecilia DB/WR Brent Gordon Jr. (Ragin’ Cajuns), 2026 Cecilia LB Braylon Jones, 2025 Cecilia OL Christian Menard, 2025 Cecilia QB/ATH Diesel Solari, 2025 Cecilia WR/ATH Ellis Stewart, 2026 North DeSoto RB Kenny Thomas, 2027 North DeSoto TE/WR Miller Warren.

Recent History: The teams meet for the second postseason in the past three. North DeSoto won a home second-round matchup, 33-14.

Massey Prediction: North DeSoto (63%), 42-35.

Jerit Thoughts: The game on this list in which I’m least confident, I expect a shootout either team is more than capable of winning. Similarly to Cecilia’s trip last week to Lutcher, the team that can come away with the most timely stop or two — or certainly a takeaway or two, if any opportunities present themselves — should be able to survive and advance. A week after hanging nearly 50 points on one of the top defenses in the bracket, I’m leaning to the increasingly confident “Road Dogs” continuing their run and potentially setting up their rematch with rival Opelousas.

No. 9 Lafayette Christian (6-6) at No. 1 Dunham (11-0)

Division-III Select

Friday, 7 p.m., at Dunham Stadium (at The Chapel on Siegen)

Massey Rankings: No. 33 vs. No. 26

Last week: Lafayette Christian beat Notre Dame, 35-28, on the road. Dunham routed Parkview Baptist, 42-0, at home.

Players to Watch: 2026 Lafayette Christian WR Brayden Allen, 2025 Dunham DB Bronson Bonneval, 2026 Lafayette Christian OL Kaleb Campbell, 2026 Lafayette Christian DB Luke Green, 2027 Dunham QB Elijah Haven, 2025 Lafayette Christian DB Chris Helaire, 2025 Dunham LB Jack Higginbotham, 2025 Dunham DE Harrison Malik, 2026 Lafayette Christian LB/DE Jaimason Marzell, 2026 Dunham DB Richard Montgomery Jr., 2025 Lafayette Christian RB Jalen Noel, 2025 Lafayette Christian ATH Calvin Parker III, 2026 Dunham RB Colin Pecue, 2027 Lafayette Christian DB Sky Ryan, 2026 Lafayette Christian QB Braylon Walker, 2025 Lafayette Christian WR Brennan Walker, 2026 Dunham WR Jarvis Washington, 2025 Lafayette Christian DE/LB Jaeden Winters.

Recent History: Lafayette Christian won a 2019 semifinal, 49-14, in Lafayette.

Massey Prediction: Lafayette Christian (76%), 42-25.

Jerit Thoughts: The Knights’ hopes of turning an uncharacteristically up-and-down regular season into an eighth straight state-championship game will have to run through the undefeated and top-seeded Tigers. The matchup may be the most intriguing in any of the four Division-III or Division-IV brackets. It’s certainly high on the list. And I won’t be surprised either way, I’m expecting a Lafayette Christian team with a 24-3 record the past seven and a half postseasons and the scars and lessons of a loaded regular-season schedule to scratch its way to another victory. The Knights are better equipped with defensive playmakers at every level to disrupt Dunham than maybe any other opponent on the Tigers’ schedule thus far and also have the firepower to light up the scoreboard in their own right.