The few slight shifts in the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s statewide football poll entering Week 10 included a change atop Class 2A.
Lafayette Christian (8-1) overtook undefeated Ouachita Christian (9-0) for the No. 1 spot in the classification after its 24-22 win Thursday in a high-profile battle against higher-classification Evangel Christian.
The Knights, which had topped the class rankings earlier this season, return to a group of No. 1 teams with Edna Karr (9-0), North DeSoto (9-0), Jewel Sumner (9-0) and Haynesville (9-0) that have held their distinction much of the season.
LCA and OCS evenly split 10 of the 11 first-place votes in Class 2A, with Dunham earning the other in the most tightly packed top of any classification.
No team in any classification climbed more than two spots within its respective top 10 this week.
And Central in Class 5A and Tioga in Class 4A were the only previously unranked teams who cracked their lists this week at No. 10. The Wildcats were previously ranked at high as No. 4 early in the season before suffering a pair of losses, while the Indians earn their first top-10 ranking of the season.
The LSWA polls are a longstanding survey of 11 sports writers around the state to share some statewide perspective on Louisiana’s top teams.
These rankings do not factor into playoff bracket seedings, which have set for more than two decades now by a power ratings calculation based on records and strength of schedule.
Week 10 games are scheduled to be completed Thursday, Friday and Saturday before this year’s playoff brackets are released Sunday.
Class 5A
School, 1st rec, points, Prev. rank
1. Karr (11)
2. St. Augustine
(tie) John Curtis 7-1 108 2
4. West Monroe 7-2 105 3
5. Alexandria
6. Ruston
7. Catholic-Baton Rouge 7-2 69 7
8. Destrehan
9. Evangel Christian 7-2 31 8
10. Central
Others receiving votes: Neville 22, Parkway 19, Zachary 12, Archbishop Rummel 10, Thibodaux 4, Ouachita Parish 1, St. Paul’s 1.
Class 4A
School, 1st rec, points, Prev. rank
1. North DeSoto (9) 9-0 129 1
2. Teurlings Catholic (2) 9-0 122 2
3. Plaquemine
4. Iowa
5. St. Thomas More 6-3 80 3
6. Franklin Parish 7-2 77 6
7. St. Charles
8. Lakeshore 8-1 59 9
9. Vandebilt Catholic 9-0 49 10
10. Tioga
Others receiving votes: Belle Chasse 21, Franklinton 10, Archbishop Shaw 10, Loyola Prep 4, Westgate 4, E.D. White 4, Brusly 3, Cecilia 2.
Class 3A
School, 1st rec, points, Prev. rank
1. Jewel Sumner (9) 9-0 127 1
2. University (2) 7-2 115 T3
3. St. James
4. Madison Prep 7-2 100 2
5. Sterlington
6. Jena
7. Erath 9-0 71 7
8. Bunkie
9. Lake Charles Prep 7-2 39 9
10. Marksville 8-1 28 10
Others receiving votes: Amite 17, Church Point 15, John F. Kennedy 9, Jennings 7, De La Salle 1.
Class 2A
School, 1st rec, points, Prev. rank
1. Lafayette Christian Academy (5) 8-1 126 2
2. Ouachita Christian (5) 9-0 121 1
3. Dunham (1) 8-1 119 3
4. Calvary Baptist 8-1 102 4
5. South Plaquemines 7-1 80 5
6. Notre Dame 7-2 76 6
7. Kinder
8. Catholic-New Iberia 7-2 48 9
9. Oak Grove 7-2 41 10
10. Lafayette Renaissance 7-2 36 7
Others receiving votes: Newman 25, Mangham 22, Loreauville 13, Ferriday 4, Union Parish 3.
Class 1A
School, 1st rec, points, Prev. rank
1. Haynesville (11) 9-0 132 1
2. Hamilton Christian 8-0 116 2
3. Riverside Academy 8-1 113 3
4. Covenant Christian 7-2 90 4
5. Westminster-Opelousas 9-0 82 5
6. Jeanerette 8-1 74 6
7. Ascension Episcopal 9-0 69 7
8. Ascension Catholic 7-2 45 9
(tie) Southern Lab 5-4 45 8
10. St. Edmund 8-1 31 10
Others receiving votes: North Iberville 15, Kentwood 14, Logansport 13, Vermilion Catholic 12, Sacred Heart-Ville Platte 4, Catholic-Pointe Coupee 7, Opelousas Catholic 2, St. Frederick 1.