St. Thomas More & Teurlings Elect To Play Up In Select Playoffs

Add the Cougars and the Rebels to the list.

We found out on Monday that Evangel and John Curtis decided to exercise their option to move up from Division II to Division I when it comes to playing for a state football championship. But, in an email sent out Wednesday morning by the LHSAA, St. Thomas More and Teurlings decided to play up in the sport of football as well.

This doesn’t affect the districts. The Cougars and the Rebels will still play in District 5-4A, a district in which the two schools are already considered the favorites. But this move further strengthens Division I. That division was already loaded with teams such as the defending state champions in Archbishop Rummel and runner-up Byrd. When you throw in other Catholic powers such as Brother Martin, Catholic, Holy Cross, Jesuit, Shaw St. Paul’s and St. Augustine, it makes Division I like a “Super Division” in La. High School Football.

But what about Division II, where John Curtis, Evangel, St. Thomas More and Teurlings all played last season? Who’s left there? University Lab, the runner-up to John Curtis, brings back two LSU commits and looks to be the odds on favorites. But, you certainly can’t forget about teams such as Notre Dame, Parkview Baptist and St. Charles Catholic. This leaves 11 teams in Division II, as opposed to 14 now in Division I.

St. Thomas More was knocked out in the quarterfinals last season in a rematch with Evangel (32-29), while Teurlings was also eliminated in the quarterfinals in a rematch of their own to eventual state runner-up University Lab.

With these moves, one has to wonder how many teams will eventually be allowed to move up to Division I and continue to strengthen that playoff bracket, or be content with staying in what’s perceived as a weaker Division.