The Benton Lady Tigers and Bossier Bearkats aim for semifinal berths in their respective divisions this week.
Benton (20-3-3), the No. 3 seed, hosts No. 6 Lafayette (20-3-2) Monday at 5 p.m. in a Division II girls quarterfinal match.
Bossier (17-6-2), the No. 3 seed, hosts No. 6 St. Louis Catholic (9-7-4) Tuesday at 6 in a Division III boys quarterfinal.
Benton had yet to allow a goal in the playoffs. The Lady Tigers defeated No. 30 Woodlawn-Baton Rouge 6-0 in the first round and No.14 West Monroe 2-0 in the second.
Lafayette defeated No. 27 Live Oak 8-0 and No. 11 St. Amant 3-1.
Benton is making its first appearance in the quarterfinals as a member of Division I. The Lady Tigers, who moved up to Division I in 2023, regularly reached the third round when they were in Division II.
Lafayette reached the quarterfinals last year, falling to eventual champion St. Scholastica 2-0.
The Lady Lions won District 3-I with a 3-0-1 mark. The tie was 1-1 against Southside on Jan. 25. Benton and Southside played to a 2-2 tie in the Teurlings Catholic tournament Jan. 4.
Benton has gotten goals from Emerie Tanner, Violet Kosik, Eryn Flowers and Baleigh Ware in the playoffs. Ware, Eden Whiteman and Payton Beloso have assists.
Bossier and St. Louis Catholic are familiar foes. The Bearkats defeated the Saints 1-0 on Dec. 21 in Lake Charles.
Bossier also defeated St. Louis Catholic in the 2023 semifinals by the same score.
The Saints lost to Belaire 5-4 in the second round last season.
Bossier is looking for its fourth straight semifinal appearance. The Bearkats lost to eventual champion The Willow School 1-0 in the semifinals last year. They also fell to Willow in the 2023 state championship match.
Seven Bearkats have scored goals in the playoffs — Wilson Alvarado, Bryan Tuyizere, Aidan Bamburg, Luciano Monge, Josue Enamarado, Luca Sifuentes and Mateo Guerrero.