Four Teche Area teams are battling for top spots in their respective classes in the newly released Louisiana High School Athletic Association power rankings for the second week of January.

New Iberia Senior High (13-8 overall) is sixth in the most recent power Class 5A rankings while crosstown rival Westgate High (11-4) is sixth in Class 4A and West St. Mary (10-6) is eighth in Class 3A.

NISH and Westgate meet for the second time in 10 days tonight at New Iberia Senior High.

WHS won the first meeting 59-56 at the Westgate Coliseum on Jan. 2.

New Iberia is still two weeks from starting district play while Westgate starts district play Tuesday at home against St. Thomas More.

West St. Mary, fresh off a 49-39 win over Catholic High Tuesday, stands 3-0 in District 7-2A and tonight plays host to another undefeated District 7-2A team, Jeanerette (3-0), with the winner taking the early lead in the race for the district title.

Both teams enter the contest on three-game winning streaks. The Tigers (7-14 overall) have moved up to 27th in the power rankings and seemed to have righted the ship after starting the season 2-13.

ESA is 13-13 overall (1-0 in district), sixth in the Division V power rankings, and plays host to J.S. Clark Leadership Academy tonight.

Also in District 7-2A tonight, Catholic High (10-10, 0-2) travels to Loreauville (3-15, 0-2) with both teams looking for their first district win; Delcambre (7-11) has a district bye and travels to Highland Baptist (1-13) and Franklin (8-9, 2-1) travels to Ascension Episcopal (9-12, 1-1).

Franklin is 31st in the 2A power rankings. Delcambre is 33rd and Loreauville is 48th.

Catholic High is 13th in the Division III power rankings.

St. Martinville (11-14, 26th in the Class 4A power rankings) opens District 5-4A play tonight at home against Livonia.

Erath (3-15, 0-2 District 8-3A, 48th in the Class 3A power rankings) plays host to Patterson tonight.

Centerville (8-5, 11th in the Class A power rankings) plays host to Rayne tonight.

In Division IV, Highland Baptist is 20th in the power rankings and Hanson Memorial (1-10) is 22nd. The Tigers play host to Ascension Catholic tonight.

Girls

Hanson holds the highest spot of all the Teche Area girls’ teams at eighth in Division IV. The Lady Tigers are 13-5 overall and play host to Abbeville tonight while District 7-A rival Highland Baptist is 7-6 overall, 0-1 in district, and travels to Gueydan tonight for a league game.

The Lady Bears are 14th in the power rankings.

In Division III, Catholic High (5-11, 2-2 District 7-2A) has moved up to 13th in the power rankings on the strength of a three-game win streak, which it puts on the line tonight on the road at Loreauville (2-13, 2-4 district, 43rd in the Class 2A power ranking).

Also in District 7-2A, Jeanerette (4-10, 3-1)  is 33rd  in the power rankings and travels to West St. Mary (1-8, 0-4, 41st in the rankings); Franklin (6-15, 3-1, 37th) travels to Ascension Episcopal (7-7, 4-1); and Delcambre (5-19, 3-1, 39th) travels to Academy of the Sacred Heart-Grand Coteau (1-7, 0-3).

In Class 5A, NISH (8-13, 38th) travels to South Terrebonne tonight before opening District 3-5A play at Comeaux Tuesday.

In Class 4A, Westgate (5-14, 0-1 District 5-4A, 45th) play host to Northside tonight while St. Martinville (1-14, 0-1 District 5-4A, 43rd) travels to Breaux Bridge tonight.

In Class 3A, Erath (5-16, 1-3 District 8-3A, 33rd) play host to Patterson.