The Minden Crimson Tide and Doyline Panthers open the LHSAA playoffs Friday night.
Minden (15-8), the No. 14 seed, hosts No. 19 LaGrange (13-15) at 6:30 in a non-select Division II first-round game.
Doyline (17-13), the No. 18 seed, plays No. 15 Oak Hill (14-17) in a Class B first-round game at 6 at Hicks.
Minden has won six of its last seven and nine of its last 11.
LaGrange, a member of District 3-4A, struggled down the stretch, losing four of its last five. The Gators haven’t played since a 51-44 loss to St. Louis Catholic on Feb. 16. They went 2-2 in district, falling to champion Washington-Marion 61-56 and DeRidder 49-42. Washington-Marion is the No. 3 seed in select Division II and DeRidder is No. 6 in non-select Division II.
LaGrange is in the playoffs for the first time since 2023.
Minden reached the semifinals last season. The Tide is at home in the first round for the third straight season.
Doyline fell to Hicks 64-55 in the second round last year. Oak Hill lost to Glenmora 53-50 in the first round.
The Rams won the District 5-B championship at 5-0. Their last four games were cancelled and they haven’t played since a 57-44 victory over Monterey on Feb. 10.
Doyline hasn’t played since a 76-65 loss to Simsboro on Feb. 12. The Panthers won two of their last three games.
Three of the Panthers’ fellow District 1-B members are also still in the playoffs. Quitman is the No. 3 seed and Castor is No. 9. District 1-B teams Simsboro, the No. 13 seed, and No. 20 Weston met in the first round Thursday with Simsboro coming out on top 88-59.