LHSAA State Championships, Day 2: The Massey Ratings (and Jerit's Take)

Louisiana’s high school football state championships continue Friday in the Caesars Superdome.

The Prep Classic event’s second day features a three-game slate of the Division-II Select, Division-III Select and Division-IV Non-Select matchups.

Here’s the rundown of those title bouts, including players to watch, Massey predictions and other tidbits.

And follow coverage from the sidelines throughout the day.

No. 1 Archbishop Shaw (11-2) vs. No. 3 E.D. White (11-2)

Division-II Select

Friday, noon

Massey Ratings: No. 13 vs. No. 22

Semifinals: Archbishop Shaw beat Madison Prep, 35-28. E.D. White beat Leesville, 41-13.

Players to Watch: 2026 E.D. White QB Grant Barbera, 2025 E.D. White OL Tommy Bower, 2026 Archbishop Shaw DB J’Quan Carter, 2027 Archbishop Shaw DB/LB Rontrae Carter, 2026 E.D. White LB Charlie Diedrich, 2025 Archbishop Shaw EDGE Sheldon Green, 2025 E.D. White OL Zach Guin, 2025 Archbishop Shaw OL D’Artanian Miller, 2025 Archbishop Shaw RB Jasper Parker, 2025 E.D. White K/P Ty Powell, 2025 Archbishop Shaw WR Jacob Washington, 2026 Archbishop Shaw DB Jackson Williams, 2025 Archbishop Shaw QB Mason Wilson.

Recent History: The teams haven’t met since a 2014 regular-season game Archbishop Shaw won, 48-20.

Most Recent State Championships: Archbishop Shaw 1987, E.D. White 1969.

Massey Prediction: Archbishop Shaw (71%), 34-21.

Jerit Thoughts: Two teams with defensive and run-game priorities that should make for a physical battle to kick off the day — and keep our Superdome schedule relatively on time. The environment should be strong as both program with their proud, competitive traditions try to end their title droughts. Archbishop Shaw brings the higher-profile prospects and playmakers, but E.D. White consistently out-duels opponents in those sorts of matchups with its stout defense, ball-control offense and overall three-phase execution. The game has high potential to be low on total possessions with a fumble here or third- or fourth-down win there feeling huge. But, like Massey’s projections, I’m giving the edge to the Eagles with their senior backfield duo and a few disruptive defenders who should be able to make enough plays at and behind the line to throw the Cardinals off schedule at times and bring a trophy back to the West Bank under legendary coach Hank Tierney.

No. 1 Dunham (13-0) vs. No. 7 Catholic (New Iberia) (12-1)

Division-III Select

Friday, 3:30 p.m.

Massey Ratings: No. 21 vs. No. 27

Semifinals: Dunham beat Bunkie, 46-22. Catholic (New Iberia) beat Calvary Baptist, 33-31.

Players to Watch: 2025 Dunham DB Bronson Bonneval, 2025 Catholic K Bennett Boudreaux, 2025 Catholic DB/WR Chris Green, 2026 Dunham ATH Trevor Haman, 2027 Dunham QB Elijah Haven, 2025 Dunham LB Jack Higginbotham, 2025 Dunham LB Rives Johnson, 2025 Catholic OL Roan Judice, 2025 Catholic QB Luke Landry, 2025 Catholic TE Joseph LeBlanc, 2025 Dunham DL Harrison Malik, 2025 Catholic WR Jaiden Mitchell, 2026 Dunham DB Richard Montgomery Jr., 2025 Dunham DB Grant Morgan, 2026 Dunham WR Jarvis Washington Jr., 2025 Catholic LB Bennett Woodring, 2025 Catholic WR Jake Wyman.

Recent History: Catholic (New Iberia) won a 2018 quarterfinal, 35-7, and a 2013 first-round game, 50-9, in the most recent meetings.

Most Recent State Championships: Dunham 2004, Catholic (NI) 2017.

Massey Prediction: Dunham (56%), 30-27.

Jerit Thoughts: So much of the spotlight from the outside going into this game will be on Dunham’s talented sophomore quarterback Elijah Haven. But the Tigers bring plenty to the table around the high-profile 2027 prospect, and Catholic (New Iberia) has also embraced and thrived in the opportunities to prove doubters wrong with its back-to-back upsets of Isidore Newman in dominant fashion and defending champion Calvary Baptist in a thrilling comeback. Both teams are likely to get after one another’s quarterbacks, but Haven and Catholic senior Luke Landry have shown a knack for navigating pressure and making plays downfield to their weapons. Which team can establish more balance in the running game will be interesting, helping convert key downs and force the opposing defense to be a respect that threat and potentially open something downfield. The past three times Catholic (New Iberia) and Calvary Baptist met in the postseason, the winner ultimately won the state championship. I’m going to give Dunham — back for the second time in three years — the slight edge to buck that trend. But this contest could easily go either way.

No. 1 Franklinton (12-1) vs. No. 18 Cecilia (11-3)

Division-II Non-Select

Friday, 7 p.m.

Massey Ratings: No. 23 vs. No. 42

Semifinals: Franklinton beat Iowa, 35-29. Cecilia beat Plaquemine, 55-35.

Players to Watch: 2025 Franklinton RB Sy Austin, 2025 Franklinton DB Avery Brumfield, 2027 Cecilia RB/ATH Braylon Calais, 2026 Franklinton QB Jacob Crain, 2027 Cecilia DB Franky Frank Jr., 2025 Cecilia DB Brent Gordon Jr., 2025 Franklinton LB Elisha Hart, 2025 Cecilia LB Braylon Jones, 2025 Franklinton WR/RB Conner Magee, 2026 Franklinton WR DaMikies McClain, 2025 Cecilia QB/ATH Diesel Solari, 2025 Cecilia WR/ATH Ellis Stewart, 2025 Franklinton OL Beau Webb

Recent History: Cecilia won a 2022 first-round matchup, 35-28.

Most Recent State Championships: Franklinton 2010, Cecilia 1995.

Massey Prediction: Cecilia (73%), 46-30.

Jerit Thoughts: Top-seeded Franklinton actually feels like the more under-the-radar team overall than Cecilia, although some media and fans have still seemed surprised the No. 18 Bulldogs have rolled their way back to the Superdome. Since getting quarterback Diesel Solari back healthy for the run, Cecilia’s offense has looked near-unstoppable with the senior’s dynamic, dual-threat playmaking and the team’s wealth of versatile weapons. Franklinton coach Dominic “Nick” Saltaformaggio leads his third program to the stage, and his Demons have shown the clutch ability to win tight games late, including overtime, to get back to their first since 2010. But Cecilia hasn’t allowed many teams to even have those opportunities late. Last year’s Superdome experience should serve the Bulldogs well. And I think they’ll execute well and continue to light up the scoreboard in what should be a shootout for much of the evening, while coming away with a big defensive play or two to allow them to open the lead by an insurance score or two and kick off the green-and-gold celebration in the fourth quarter.