Marksville, Bunkie both advance to Round 2

   As we go into Week 2 of the playoff season, there are three District 3AAA teams still in the hunt and four District 3AA teams still viable. Avoyelles and Peabody were eliminated in the first round and Menard was bumped from its playoff classification.

   The number of District 3AAA and 3AA teams still in the running is a testament to the strength of the league our local teams had to compete in.

  There is still hope for that rematch between Marksville and Jena. Both teams should be favored, based on the MaxPreps strength rankings we have been referring to all season.

   The Tigers face the Northwest Raiders this Friday. The Raiders hail from Opelousas. Now, I’m from almost-Arkansas and almost-Texas, Louisiana, -- that’s “northwest.” But, if they want to call themselves northwest even if they're in the south-central, that’s their business.

   Marksville is on the road, but MaxPreps rates them No. 108 in the state compared to Northwest’s 129th spot. Let’s hope MaxPreps is right on this one.

   Bunkie faces the No. 2 seed in Class AA in the Kinder Yellowjackets. Bunkie, also on the road, is ranked 167th by MaxPreps while Kinder is 104th.

   Looking at the other teams in our two districts, we have Jena (80th) against Bogalusa (106th); Winnfield (152nd) vs. Kaplan (96th);  Many (78th) at W. St. John (112th); Oakdale (145th) at Welsh (99th) and Pickering (114th) at St. Helena (174th).

   You will note that MaxPreps “strength ratings” don’t always match the state’s “power points.” MaxPreps rates teams, regardless of size and classification, based on reportedly unbiased, objective criteria.

   While I’m not a particular fan of online ratings, I will have to say that MaxPreps'’ matchups were right more often than wrong this past season.

   And I’m really looking forward to that Tigers-Giants rematch.