The STM Cougars and LCA Knights were the favorites to win the state championships in their respective brackets, and they both suffered similar fates in the semifinal round of the Top 28 out in Lake Charles.

One game away from reaching the state championship, LCA and STM (both #1 seeds) got tripped up by an opponent eager to spoil their party.

STM led the Bossier Bears by seven points at halftime, only to watch them come back in the second half and hand them an agonizing 48-49 loss. Senior Will Vincent was battling the flue, and he was barely able to contribute in an unfortunate turn of events. The Cougars typically rely on him for around 12 points in the post, and he simply wasn't himself due to the illness. It's a tough break for a talented senior class.

Head Coach Danny Broussard pointed out on The Sports Gap (weekdays from 4-5 pm on ESPN 1420), this senior class went to four straight Top 28's. Their four straight district titles meant a lot to their coach, and guys like Vincent and Trevor Begue will surely get a warm welcome any time they come back and pay a visit to the gym.

Lafayette Christian Academy's loss was a bit more shocking. It wasn't exactly David toppling Goliath, but the Knights weren't expected to fall like this.

Head Coach Byron Starks leads a juggernaut on the north side of Lafayette, but Arcadia got the better of them on Thursday night. They battled them all night long, never letting LCA's pedigree and intimidation factor get to them. The Knights tied it up and tried to take charge of the lead a few times, but Arcadia never let it happen. They eliminated LCA from the tournament with the 54-47 upset, shocking most of the state.

Give credit to both programs for getting this far, despite the surprising and premature departure from the dance. Most programs dream of getting to the semifinal round, it just would have been nice to bring two trophies back to Acadiana.

 

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