The LHSAA’s Week 8 action arguably brought the strongest cast of “Statement Wins” yet this high school football season.
A couple dozen great options made the short list for deeper discussion, but four were clear, no-doubter selections for the top five with at least another handful that probably would have made that cut almost any other week this season.
The chart-toppers were Class 5A-heavy, as has increasingly been the case the back half of the schedule thus far, but a high-profile Class 1A showdown rose above the cast of largely big schools.
And the handful that made this week’s cut hit most areas of the state, including three different area codes and five different local regions — River Parishes, North Shore, Acadiana, CenLA and Northwest Louisiana — when zeroing in more closely.
1. RIVERSIDE ACADEMY 34, ASCENSION CATHOLIC 0
Even in a week that provided a few top-tier, no-brainer selections for “Statement Wins,” the Runnin’ Rebels’ absolute roll past their 2025 runner-up opponent and one of their top challengers again this fall would have been difficult to top. Last year’s Division-IV Select finalists met Friday in Reserve with visiting Ascension Catholic the top team in the power ratings through seven weeks and one of just 25 teams in the state at any level still without a loss on its record. And Riverside Academy proceeded to blank the Bulldogs for a five-score victory that nudged its ahead to No. 1 in the power ratings at the moment, kept it well-positioned for home-field throughout the playoffs and ultimately sent a strong message to an opponent it could very well see again in December.
2. ALEXANDRIA 27, RUSTON 21
District 2-5A no longer runs through northeast Louisiana the way it had for so many years. Alexandria beat Ruston for the third straight year Friday, the first opponent to do so against the Division-I Non-Select standard-bearer since Destrehan in the 2020-2022 playoffs and first to do so in the regular season since West Monroe in 2018, 2019 and 2021. The Bearcats have played on the final Saturday of each of the past four seasons in Louisiana’s highest level of competition and entered this season considered by many to be the No. 1 team in the state. But the Trojans sent a clear message to the state Friday on both their caliber this year and as a consistent contender. For the third straight year, District 2-5A is Alexandria’s to lose heading into the final weeks of the regular season. And unlike a chaotic 2025 in which the Trojans slipped up in Week 10 and missed their opportunity, coach Thomas Bachman’s squad is a clear favorite to win its remaining games and secure a second title in three years.
3. SOUTHSIDE 17, ST. THOMAS MORE 14
The Southside bandwagon was losing some company by midseason with a 2-3 start and early-district stumble against Sam Houston. Meanwhile St. Thomas More had taken sole possession of the top of the District 3-5A standings with wins against Acadiana and Barbe. But the Sharks sent an eye-catching message Friday that things may have only just begun — both in terms of their own trajectory and the league race. Southside grinded out a confidence-building that can serve as a nice building block for the stretch ahead this season and the years ahead. And now with two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Sharks have knotted St. Thomas More and Barbe atop the standings and control their own destiny with a trip to Acadiana and home game against Barbe remaining. Southside now sits at No. 13 in the Division-I Non-Select power ratings, well-positioned to earn a first-round home game and still in realistic range to even still climb back into the top 10.
4. MANDEVILLE 36, ST. PAUL’S 29
Football season on the north shore has been marked by some of the most parity of any region of the state for several years, but with St. Paul’s typically managing the clutch plays to scratch out tight wins and lead the pack — including 21 straight league wins, with nine decided by 10 or fewer points, entering this season. But Mandeville ended a five-game losing streak to the Wolves to remain one of the 18 still-undefeated teams around the state and set up a battle of unbeatens and de facto district title game at Northshore in Week 9. The victory was a nice local hurdle for the Skippers to overcome and also has them at No. 1 in the Division-I Non-Select power ratings with two weeks remaining and in control of their own destiny for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs — a potentially hugely beneficial factor should they run into a Ruston, Destrehan, Barbe or other tough matchup in the quarters or semis.
5. HAUGHTON 42, AIRLINE 28
Haughton topped the “Statement Wins” lists in Week 4 by topping Parkway handily and seemingly starting to open eyes around the state that this would be a much different season for the Buccaneers than the past few. Now, a month later, they are 8-0 for just the third time in program history and have notched their most impressive victory to date, going on the road and beating the District 1-5A team that had won more games and had more postseason success in recent years than any other member of the league. Aided across the river by a C.E. Byrd upset of Evangel Christian, Haughton now holds sole possession of the league lead heading into the final two weeks of the season with a road trip to Natchitoches Central and then home game against the Eagles to wrap up the regular season. The Buccaneers are in great position to secure home-field advantage for at least a couple rounds and could realistically still even sneak into one of the four coveted first-round byes.
