The Parkway Panthers, Haughton Buccaneers and Benton Tigers qualified for for the playoffs.
Under the LHSAA’s new playoff format, there are only 24 spots on the bracket in non-select Divisions I-IV with eight byes.
As usual district champions automatically qualify. Airline (15-16) was No. 24 in the final power ratings, which determine seeding.
But as usual, district champions automatically qualify. Chalmette (18-11) was No. 27 in the final ratings, but the Owls won the District 8 title, knocking the Vikings out of the playoffs.
Airline’s final rating was 28.9032, just .0513 behind No. 23 Covington.
Chalmette will be traveling to Bossier City to face No. 9 Parkway (21-8).
Under the old class format, first-round matchups were single-elimination games. Now they are best-of-3 series.
Haughton (22-11) hosts Covington (24-9) in the first round.
In another power ratings quirk District 1-5A champion Benton (19-15), the No. 20 seed, must travel to No. 13 Natchitoches Central (24-9), which tied for sixth in the district.
Benton went 11-3 in district and Natchitoches Central went 6-8. But the Tigers were 8-12 in non-district games and the Chiefs were 18-1.
However, Benton is 13-5 overall since district play began.
Benton and Natchitoches Central split their district games. The Chiefs won 5-0 on March 16 at Natchitoches Central and the Tigers won 11-3 on March 18 at Benton.
First-round series can start as soon as Thursday. The deadline for completion is Saturday but they can be extended if games are postponed because of inclement weather.
According to the latest forecast, there is a potential for severe weather Thursday and Friday.
