The Louisiana High School Athletic Association released the 2024 prep football playoff brackets on Sunday after all.
The LHSAA announced on its website early Sunday morning that it would go forward and announce the 2024 postseason seedings and first round matchups. That announcement comes just two days after organization officials announced that the sanctioning body would not release the brackets on time because of pending litigation.
On Thursday, University High School in Baton Rouge sued the LHSAA over the organization’s decision to force the school to forfeit six victories. The LHSAA ordered U-High to forfeit those games because, the organization said, it found the school used at least one ineligible player in each of those games. U-High appealed the decision and received an expedited hearing on Thursday, but the committee that heard the appeal voted unanimously to uphold the LHSAA’s original verdict.
On Sunday, the LHSAA posted on its website the final 2024 power rankings with U-High’s six disputed wins reinstated.
"Due to a recent legal development, the Division II Select bracket reflects University Lab High School’s record as 8-2," LHSAA officials said in a statement issued with the release of the brackets. "A temporary restraining order (TRO) was filed on behalf of the school, which has required the LHSAA to withdraw its previously imposed penalties and reinstate the school’s wins until the legal matter is resolved.
For now, U-High is listed as the second seed in Division II-Select.
Should U-High lose its court case and the LHSAA removes the school from the playoffs, the winner of the first round game between Buckeye and Booker T. Washington-New Orleans would automatically advance to the quarterfinals of that division’s bracket.
A hearing on the matter is reportedly scheduled for Monday, November 18, three days after the first round is completed and four days before second round games are scheduled to be played.
"We would like to thank our schools, fans, and community members for their patience and understanding as we work through this unique situation," LHSAA officials said in their statement. "We look forward to another exciting postseason and extend our best wishes to all participating teams as they compete for the championship."
The rest of the LHSAA 2024 playoff pairings and Bi-District round matchups are as follows:
Division I-Select
#1 Edna Karr—first-round bye
#17 Huntington at #16 Hammond
#24 Carencro at #9 St. Augustine
#8 St. Thomas More—first-round bye
#5 Archbishop Rummel—first-round bye
#21 Riverdale at #12 McDonogh #35
#20 Bonnabel at #13 East Jefferson
#4 Catholic-Baton Rouge—first-round bye
#3 Acadiana—first-round bye
#19 John Curtis at #14 Brother Martin
#22 Lafayette at #11 Jesuit
#6 Teurlings Catholic—first-round bye
#7 St. Paul’s—first-round bye
#23 Woodlawn-Baton Rouge at #10 C. E. Byrd
#18 Evangel Christian at #15 Captain Shreve
#2 Alexandria—first-round bye
Division I Non-Select
#1 Neville—first-round bye
#17 Barbe at #16 Covington
#24 Chalmette at #9 Terrebonne
#25 H. L. Bourgeois at #8 Hahnville
#28 Thibodaux at #5 Mandeville
#21 West Monroe at #12 Parkway
#20 Denham Springs at #13 West Ouachita
#4 Central—first-round bye
#3 Ruston—first-round bye
#19 Sam Houston at #14 Zachary
#22 Walker at #11 Dutchtown
#27 Live Oak at #6 Southside
#26 Salmen at #7 Northwood-Shreveport
#23 Ouachita Parish at #10 Destrehan
#18 Westgate at #15 St. Amant
#2 Airline—first-round bye
Division II Select
#1 Archbishop Shaw—first-round bye
#17 Kenner Discovery at #16 Loranger
#24 McKinley at #9 Lake Charles College Prep
#8 John F. Kennedy—first-round bye
#5 Madison Prep—first-round bye
#21 Northside at #12 St. Charles
#20 Booker T. Washington-Shreveport at #13 Istrouma
#4 Haynes Academy—first-round bye
#3 E. D. White—first-round bye
#19 Livingston Collegiate at #14 Frederick A. Douglass
#22 Archbishop Hannan at #11 St. Michael the Archangel
#6 Vandebilt Catholic—first-round bye
#7 Leesville—first-round bye
#23 Sophie B. Wright at #10 Loyola Prep
#18 Booker T. Washington-New Orleans at #15 Buckeye
#2 University Lab—first-round bye
Division II Non-Select
#1 Franklinton—first-round bye
#17 Carroll at #16 West Feliciana
#24 Assumption at #9 Iota
#25 Rayne at #8 Lakeshore
#28 LaGrange at #5 Iowa
#21 Wossman at #12 Minden
#20 South Beauregard at #13 Brusly
#4 Franklin Parish—first-round bye
#3 Jennings—first-round bye
#19 Bastrop at #14 Opelousas
#22 DeRidder at #11 Northwest
#27 Grant at #6 Plaquemine
#26 Woodlawn-Shreveport at #7 North DeSoto
#23 North Vermilion at #10 Belle Chasse
#18 Cecilia at #15 Pearl River
#2 Lutcher—first-round bye
Division III Select
#1 Dunham—first-round bye
#17 Lafayette Renaissance at #16 Parkview Baptist
#24 Beekman Charter at #9 Lafayette Christian
#8 Notre Dame—first-round bye
#5 Bunkie—first-round bye
#21 Sarah T. Reed at #12 Amite
#20 Thomas Jefferson at #13 Slaughter Community Charter
#4 Jewel Sumner—first-round bye
#3 Calvary Baptist—first-round bye
#19 Fisher at #14 De La Salle
#22 Holy Savior Menard at #11 Pope John Paul II
#6 Episcopal—first-round bye
#7 Catholic-New Iberia—first-round bye
#23 St. Louis Catholic at #10 Northlake Christian
#18 Country Day at #15 D’Arbonne Woods Charter
#2 Isadore Newman—first-round bye
Division III Non-Select
#1 St. James—first-round bye
#17 Donaldsonville at #16 Baker
#24 St. Helena College & Career Academy at #9 Pine
#25 North Webster at #8 Kaplan
#28 Oakdale at #5 Union Parish
#21 Winnfield at #12 Red River
#20 Crowley at #13 Westlake
#4 Kinder—first-round bye
#3 Oak Grove—first-round bye
#19 Avoyelles at #14 Mansfield
#22 Bogalusa at #11 Lakeside
#27 Patterson at #6 Sterlington
#26 Caldwell Parish at #7 Jena
#23 Port Allen at #10 Church Point
#18 Marksville at #15 Loreauville
#2 Erath—first-round bye
Division IV Select
#1 Vermilion Catholic—first-round bye
#17 Delta Charter at #16 Westminster-Opelousas
#24 Delhi Charter at #9 St. Martin’s Episcopal
#8 St. Edmund—first-round bye
#5 Ascension Episcopal—first-round bye
#21 St. Mary’s at #12 Kentwood
#20 Sacred Heart at #13 Southern Lab
#4 St. Frederick—first-round bye
#3 Covenant Christian—first-round bye
#19 Lincoln Prep at #14 Central Catholic-Morgan City
#22 Glenbrook at #11 Ouachita Christian
#6 Catholic-Pointe Coupee—first-round bye
#7 Riverside—first-round bye
#23 St. John at #10 Hamilton Christian
#18 Westminster-Lafayette at #15 Opelousas Catholic
#2 Ascension Catholic—first-round bye
Division IV Non-Select
#1 Haynesville—first-round bye
#17 Vinton at #16 Montgomery
#24 West St. Mary at #9 Welsh
#25 Lake Arthur at #8 Ferriday
#28 Oberlin at #5 North Iberville
#21 Centerville at #12 General Trass
#20 Jonesboro-Hodge at #13 Grand Lake
#4 Jeanerette—first-round bye
#3 DeQuincy—first-round bye
#19 Franklin at #14 White Castle
#22 Basile at #11 Elton
#27 Varnado at #6 Logansport
#26 East Iberville at #7 Mangham
#23 Arcadia at #10 West St. John
#18 East Feliciana at #15 Homer
#2 South Plaquemines—first round bye
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