Louisiana high school football championships to be decided Friday

This Friday -- Friday the 13th as it happens -- the state will crown its high school football champions in the Mercedez Benz Superdome.

All three of Avoyelles Parishes high school teams went to the playoffs, but were sent home by the second round.

The Class 2A Bunkie Panthers fell in Round 1 to Kentwood, 31-0.

Their District 3-AA rival Avoyelles Mustangs were bumped out of the playoffs by Pine High in Round 2, 35-20.

Many, the District 3-AA champion, avenged their district brothers with a 49-21 victory over Pine in Round 3. The Tigers then avenged Bunkie’s loss by edging Kentwood, 17-14, to advance to the finals.

This Friday the No. 1 ranked Ferriday Trojans -- who are just up La. 15 from here -- will take on the No. 2 seeded Many Tigers.

In Class 3A, the No. 1 ranked team is also in the finals. St. James dispatched all foes with relative ease.

However, their opponent is a true cinderella. Jennings entered the playoffs in the No. 23 slot and defeated higher-ranked teams -- including No. 2 Sterlington, 39-38, in Round 3.

In Class 3A, Marksville was knocked out of the playoffs in Round 2 by Brusly, 34-20.

St. James sent the Panthers packing, 32-13, the next week.

The closest thing to a “home” team for Avoyelles Parish high school football fans would be either Many -- who shares a district with two of the parish teams -- or Ferriday, who is the closest finalist out of the two districts with our teams.

Friday the 13th is supposed to be “bad luck.” Hopefully, skill and ability will play a bigger role in the outcomes of these games than “luck.”