Finals Pick 'em: Reserve space in trophy case for Destrehan, Curtis, S. Plaq and Shaw

Rarely does the local area come away with champions in all the finals categories in which they are entered, though this year two of the brackets have dual finalists locally, making a local winner all but a given in those classifications.

Based on Bradley's stories and observations, my own from the games I've seen and the highlights, here goes.

5A - Destrehan 35 Acadiana 14
I always hesitate to predict a large margin of victory in a finals game because both teams usually come into the games on a roll and at least a four-game win streak. However, this is a different Destrehan team than the one that made like the New England Patriots of late and barely won some of their district contests. This is a Destrehan team that is playing like its preseason notices. I've also seen Acadiana and they run an offense similar to Curtis. I just think unless Destrehan makes mistakes, they'll get ahead and I think playing from behind doesn't always serve a veer team well.

4A
Shaw 20 Bastrop 17
Yes, I'm playing homer on this one. Shaw was taken to the wall by O.P. Walker last week and their devastating injuries have made this a different team than the one that rolled opponents early on. They have been getting by with good fundamentals, senior leadership and a quest to avenge last year's final result. It hasn't exactly been a great two decades for Catholic League football and Shaw is not currently a member of that once-formidable district. This one is a pure hunch.

3A I'm not really qualified to comment on this one as I haven't seen the teams. Heck, I'm barely qualified to comment on the games I'm commenting on.

2A
Curtis 28 St. James 21
Not sure who Bradley will pick in this one, though I know his rankings have St. James ahead based on their earlier win. I don't have to base my picks on the earlier win, but let me just say that this is probably the best finals matchup in 2A in some time.

In most other years, either of these teams would be a lock. St. James is just loaded with speed and any psychological issues over previous semifinal defeats or losses to Curtis were hurdled earlier this year.

However, I don't think Curtis has EVER lost twice to the same opponent in the same season. Curtis usually only loses to 5A or 4A opponents and then usually early in the year - that's if they lose at all.

This is a 'down' year for Curtis no matter how you slice it because win or lose they'll have that 2 in the loss column and that happens about as often as it snows on Christmas here (yes, I know that happened three years ago).

My guess is that this has been probably the most intense week of preparation at Curtis since the Hoover game last year. My guess is also that this is the kind of game J.T. Curtis has missed since being banished to 2A. I think this is the kind of game he relishes. This is why he is in coaching. On the other hand, St. James has probably been just as intense this week. They have everything to gain. If they can beat Curtis twice in the same season it will stamp LEGITIMATE over this season like nothing else.

Truthfully, Curtis is a 2A program in name and enrollment only. For St. James, beating Curtis in this game would probably be the equivalent of Curtis' win over Hoover last year. A long time ago, a new sportswriter at the Times Picayune picked against Curtis early in the season and was wrong. He then instituted a new rule "Never pick against Curtis." If someone followed that rule since he instituted it, they'd have been right about 98 percent of the time.

When Bradley began writing early this season I told him about Curtis lore. He saw a few early games and wasn't impressed and truthfully the Pats weren't that impressive, but they were winning without their "A" game. I told Bradley that when Curtis does lose, it's usually early and that the Curtis team you see at year's end is normally different than the one in weeks 1-4. It's proving out. I just think if Curtis plays its "A" game and St. James plays theirs, Curtis wins by a little.

1A South Plaquemines 24 West St. John 14

I think South Plaquemines is just too good, but I think West St. John is too good to get pushed around like the Hurricanes other opponents.