Catholic leads Baton Rouge rankings as unbeaten Southern Lab makes its own case
Catholic’s recent victories strengthen its No. 1 position, while Southern Lab’s unbeaten record highlights the role schedule strength plays in area rankings.
BATON ROUGE, La. — Catholic has backed its place atop the Baton Rouge-area football rankings with victories over its closest challengers, beating Zachary and Central during an October stretch that has the Bears approaching the postseason with momentum.
The Bears defeated Zachary 70-38 on Oct. 16, Central 41-14 on Oct. 23 and Woodlawn-Baton Rouge 49-12 on Oct. 30. Those three victories produced a combined 160-64 scoring advantage. Catholic is 6-3 overall and 4-0 in district play.
Catholic, Zachary and Central occupy the first three positions in the Oct. 31 MaxPreps metropolitan rankings. Southern Lab, meanwhile, stands ninth despite an unbeaten record.
That contrast reflects how computer rankings evaluate teams. MaxPreps considers game results, opponents’ ratings and schedule strength, allowing teams with losses against stronger competition to rank ahead of teams with better records. The rankings depend on information entered into the system.
Southern Lab has continued taking care of its own schedule. The Kittens improved to 8-0 with a 40-0 victory over St. John on Oct. 29, recording 310 rushing yards and 175 passing yards. Their record includes an Oct. 22 forfeit victory over Thrive Academy, a distinction that matters when assessing their unbeaten season. Southern Lab is 4-0 in district play.
The next milestone arrives quickly. The Louisiana High School Athletic Association lists Nov. 7 as the end of the regular season, with playoff pairings scheduled for Nov. 8. The metropolitan computer rankings provide a comparison across programs; readers should consult the LHSAA’s postseason announcements for official pairings. State championship games are scheduled for Dec. 10-12 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
Baton Rouge-area rankings
The supplied image lists these first 25 teams among 71 ranked programs. Figures reflect the Oct. 31 update, with a four-game minimum. “Strength” denotes the schedule-strength figure.
