Week 1 did not go as planned for some of Louisiana’s top-ranked high school football teams, with upset losses from perennial powerhouses Neville, University (3A), and Haynesville (1A) absolutely blowing the lid off the Louisiana Sports Writers Association polls. This massive shake-up means we’re looking at three new teams sitting pretty at the pinnacle of their class polls after just one week of action.
The Top Tier Tumble and New Kings on the Block
Man, talk about a brutal start for some teams! Class 5A No. 1 Ruston didn’t just win, they absolutely *demolished* Class 4A No. 1 Neville. Ruston now sits atop the 5A poll with a 1-0 record and a dominant 131 points, including 10 first-place votes. This sent Westgate soaring to the top of 4A, also 1-0 with 124 points and seven first-place votes. Can you believe Neville, last week’s #1, is now down to #4 in 4A after that loss? Ouch.
Over in 3A, University’s opening game loss paved the way for St. Charles to claim the top spot, earning 129 points and eight first-place votes. University is still in the mix, tied for #3, but dropping from their initial #1 ranking has to sting. And in 1A, Haynesville suffered a lopsided loss to Ouachita Christian, which predictably propelled OCS right into the No. 1 position with 130 points and nine first-place votes, pushing Haynesville down to #5. This is early season chaos, plain and simple.
New Faces Emerge and the Race Heats Up
It wasn’t just about teams falling, either. Week 1 saw some new blood inject themselves into the rankings, showing that the depth in Louisiana high school football is real. Acadiana and Brother Martin both made their debut in the Class 5A poll for the first time, each rocking a 1-0 record. Acadiana nabbed 50 points, while Brother Martin pulled in 23. Over in Class 4A, Cecilia also cracked the poll for the first time, starting their season 1-0 with 35 points. This weekly poll, voted on by sportswriters from across the state, really highlighted the immediate impact of those early season Ws and Ls.
This is what Week 1 is all about, right? Teams proving themselves, or showing where they need to improve fast. After such a dramatic start, with established powers getting knocked off their pedestals and new teams emerging, the next few weeks are gonna be absolutely wild. Can the former #1s bounce back, or will these new top teams solidify their spots? This season just got a whole lot more interesting to watch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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