LSWA Rankings (Oct. 30): St. James picks up 4 No. 1 votes
By Bradley Handwerger
You knew moments after St. James completed its 16-14 upset of Curtis that it was something big. Four days later, we know just how big -- the Louisiana Sports Writers Association distrubted four of their 12 first-place votes to St. James.
A week ago, Curtis was ranked No. 1 with eight first-place votes, and Calvary Baptist was No. 2 with the four remaining top votes. Apparently, there is not a consensus. The closest we've come to one was more than a month and a half ago when Curtis garnered 11 first-place votes in the Sept. 18 poll. (more...)
St. James earned it, playing a tough schedule and beating a Curtis team that should make some big, big noise in the playoffs.
Other observations:
* No matter how good and dominant Shaw looks and plays this season, voters won't change their mind on Bastrop. As long as Randal Mackey and Co., are winning games, Bastrop will continue to be No. 1. In any other classification, I've got to think that Shaw would have at least one first-place vote. Bastrop has a lock on this puppy until it loses.
* It's good to see that voters didn't drop Hahnville that far after an emotionally and physically draining six overtime affair with East St. John. Hahnville lost 43-42, but fell only two places to No. 7. There's little doubt that Hahnville is a top 10 team. What's more interesting is that ESJ can't earn its way into the top 10. I feel a little odd about pimping a 5-4 team, but the combined record of all 10 teams on ESJ's schedule is 63-27. Few other teams play such a tough schedule. Then think about how ESJ has played lately: A six overtime win over the No. 7 team, and a tough last-minute loss at Destrehan, the No. 2 team in the state. The Wildcats deserve more than "others receiving votes."
*It's interesting that in 1A, the No. 2 team gets no first-place votes, but the No. 3 and No. 4 team both get one. Kentwood, by the way, is No. 3, and South Plaquemines, which has steamrolled its competition lately, is No. 4.
Class 5A |
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| Team (1st place votes) | Record | Points | Last Week | |
| 1 | West Monroe (11) | 9-0 | 143 | 1 |
| 2 | Destrehan (1) | 9-0 | 133 | 2 |
| 3 | St. Thomas More | 8-1 | 116 | 3 |
| 4 | Catholic-Baton Rouge | 8-1 | 107 | 4 |
| 5 | Rummel | 8-1 | 92 | 7 |
| 6 | Sulphur | 7-2 | 87 | 8 |
| 7 | Hahnville | 7-2 | 54 | 5 |
| 8 | Byrd | 7-2 | 46 | 9 |
| 9 | H.L. Bourgeois | 7-2 | 40 | 10 |
| 10 | Acadiana | 7-2 | 32 | 6 |
| Others receiving votes: Carencro 28, East St. Jon 17, Central 15, Dutchtown 10, Barbe 6, St. Paul's 4, Mandeville 3, Higgins 1, Ouachita 1, Westgate 1. | ||||
Class 4A |
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| Team (1st place votes) | Record | Points | Last Week | |
| 1 | Bastrop (12) | 9-0 | 144 | 1 |
| 2 | Shaw | 9-0 | 132 | 2 |
| 3 | Teurlings Catholic | 8-1 | 118 | 3 |
| 4 | Franklinton | 9-0 | 104 | 4 |
| 5 | Eunice | 8-1 | 97 | 5 |
| 6 | Benton | 8-1 | 77 | 6 |
| 7 | Northside | 7-2 | 69 | 7 |
| 8 | Vandebilt Catholic | 8-1 | 60 | 8 |
| 9 | Zachary | 7-2 | 47 | 10 |
| 10 | Parkway | 8-1 | 43 | NR |
| Others receiving votes: Haughton 21, Holy Cross 10, Tara 6, Breaux Bridge 5, Neville 3 | ||||
Class 3A |
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| Team (1st place votes) | Record | Points | Last Week | |
| 1 | Notre Dame (12) | 9-0 | 144 | 1 |
| 2 | Parkway Baptist | 9-0 | 130 | 2 |
| 3 | Redemptorist | 8-1 | 121 | 4 |
| 4 | Lutcher | 8-1 | 108 | 4 |
| 5 | Westlake | 9-0 | 97 | 5 |
| 6 | Rayville | 7-2 | 82 | 6 |
| 7 | Marksville | 8-1 | 67 | 7 |
| 8 | Cecilia | 7-2 | 59 | 8 |
| 9 | Rayne | 8-1 | 40 | NR |
| 10 | Amite | 7-2 | 34 | NR |
| Others receiving votes: Iowa 20, Patterson 14, Bunkie 9, Jennings 9, Independence 2. | ||||
Class 2A |
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| Team (1st place votes) | Record | Points | Last Week | |
| 1 | Calvary Baptist (8) | 8-0 | 138 | 2 |
| 2 | St. James (4) | 7-2 | 123 | 4 |
| 3 | Evangel | 7-1 | 119 | 3 |
| 4 | Curtis | 6-2 | 104 | 1 |
| 5 | Donaldsonville | 8-1 | 96 | 5 |
| 6 | St. John-Plaquemine | 8-1 | 86 | 6 |
| 7 | Oakdale | 9-0 | 69 | 7 |
| 8 | Clinton | 8-1 | 59 | 9 |
| 9 | Ferriday | 9-0 | 54 | 10 |
| 10 | Port Barre | 8-1 | 24 | NR |
| Others receiving votes: Westminster Christian 20, Springfield 16, Newman 9, HOmer 8, Springhill 6, Menard 3, Kinder 1, Opelousas Catholic 1, South Beauregard 1. | ||||
Class 1A |
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| Team (1st place votes) | Record | Points | Last Week | |
| 1 | Cedar Creek (10) | 9-0 | 139 | 1 |
| 2 | Hamilton Christian | 8-1 | 128 | 2 |
| 3 | Kentwood (1) | 7-2 | 119 | 3 |
| 4 | S. Plaquemines (1) | 7-2 | 111 | 4 |
| 5 | Delhi Charter | 8-1 | 97 | 6 |
| 6 | Catholic-PC | 6-2 | 75 | 7 |
| 7 | Ouachita Christian | 7-2 | 70 | 5 |
| 8 | Oak Grove | 7-2 | 55 | 8 |
| 9 | St. Edmund | 7-2 | 47 | 9 |
| 10 | Basile | 7-2 | 32 | 10 |
| Others receiving votes: Desire Street 27, Haynesville 14, Oberlin 5, LaSalle 5, Vermilion Catholic 5, Acadiana Prep 2, West St. John 2, White Castle 2. | ||||
Posted by Bradley Handwerger 
at 12:40 PM | Permalink
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