BATON ROUGE - Here we go as we start the final three weeks in the high school bowling regular season and a look at the power rankings shows off some interesting things.

Let’s start with the Class 5A boys/coed Division I teams.

Ten of the top 15 teams in the potential 16 team bracket are undefeated. That includes 6-0 West Monroe at No. 15 at a ranking of 10.00 that will bowl four more matches against the only other team in the area, Ouachita Parish. There ranking cannot really change with the power rankings formula if they continue to win.

Terrebonne is the No. 1 seed at the moment at 5-0 and a 14.60 ranking. Captain Shreve, whish has to date never been able to match its seeding in years past, is second at 8-0 and 14.00. Slidell, last year’s finalist, is 7-0 at 13.57 with Alexandria in the fourth spot at 6-0 (13.50).

Also undefeated is Southside (6-0), Acadiana (6-0), Rummel (7-0), East Ascension (7-0) and St. Amant (6-0).

The Baton Rouge division may have taken a hit when Catholic upset Denham Springs on Friday and that knocked Denham out of the top 16. They are 6-1 but importantly, have good matches available to gain points including this year, a rare BR-NOLA match on March 11 against Holy Cross (presently 16th in bracket).

In Division II, it is going to come down to scheduling as to where some teams will be seeded. Baton Rouge’s first-year story of the year in Episcopal is first at 9-0 and 13.33 in the rankings. Defending champion Archbishop Shaw is 6-0 and 12.00 along with U-High at 6-0 and 12.00. Those are the only three undefeated teams in the Class 4-A and lower division.

Another newcomer to top play is French Settlement at 6-1 and 11.36 in fourth.

It would appear that Shaw has a great opportunity to get the No. 1 seed even if Episcopal or U-High go undefeated because Shaw has a much stronger remaining schedule. Episcopal will not get much help with their schedule strength in their next two matches until they meet U-High on March 18 with the winner probably being the top Baton Rouge seed.

It will be key to any chance of deep advancement in the playoffs for a local team to get a seed that keeps Shaw and Patrick Taylor away from the BR area team until at least the semifinals.

Then on the girls’ side, juggernaut Archbishop Chapelle is rolling at No. 1 at 8-0 with a 13.00 power ranking. Central Lafourche is undefeated at 6-0 and 12.50. Alexandria is the four seed at 5-0 (11.20). Lafayette is the other undefeated at No. 13 at 6-0 and 10.00

It should be pointed out Alexandria is bowling just two other teams until the final match against Lafayette, while Lafayette has bowled and will bowl Acadiana every match except two.

Baton Rouge’s Saint Joseph’s Academy has itself in a good position at 7-1 and at 12.00. St. Amant is presently seventh at 6-1 in the rankings with Albany No. 10, Dutchtown No. 11 and Denham Springs No. 12.

Three weeks and some very important matches to decide the 16 teams in each bracket to start the playoff journey. Should be interesting.

A reminder it’s a bowling major this Sunday on the CW at 3 p.m. as the United States Open event gets underway on Tuesday. BowlTV will have coverage until the finals. By the way, great to see Dave LaMont in the booth with Mike Flanigan and reporter Tom Hess in the early round streaming coverage last week in the Pete Weber event. It is a bit of a shame that he wasn’t the CW’s choice to carry the tour on their network.

I will say Kyle Sherman made some outstanding points during this week’s telecast and I think he has the potential to be very good for the CW shows.

Back with more and prep highlights right here in one of only a couple of places regularly covering high school bowling in southeast Louisiana here at WBRZ.com.

Until then, good luck and good bowling, 

                                                        Kent Lowe