About a month ago, the Catholic High Lady Panthers were stunned in a 15-7 loss to Iota High.

The next night, CHS exploded for 14 runs in a 14-1 beatdown of Loreauville High.

Since that loss to Iota, the Lady Panthers have been rolling, both offensively and defensively, and have put together a 15-2 record to shoot all the way up to No. 5 in the latest, unofficial LHSAA power rankings for Division III schools.

Along the way, CHS has posted double-digit runs in 10 games and the only two losses in that period were to Class 5A Comeaux and Class 4A St. Thomas More, currently fifth in the Division II power rankings.

Thursday night, the Lady Panther express rolled on with a 16-0, 15-0 double-header sweep of District 7-2A rival Franklin as CHS heads into the final week of the regular season.

“I think that we really worked on coming together as team,” said CHS coach Jenny Moneaux, whose team is now 19-7 overall and 11-0 in district. “This is the closest knit team that I’ve ever coached and they fight hard and play hard.

“I think that we’ve come out every day and worked hard.”

Against Franklin, the Lady Panthers just took control early with multiple runs in the first two innings of both games, which were shortened to three inning contests due to the mercy rule.

Lady Hornets coach Todd Viator, whose team fell to 3-19 and finished district play with a 2-10 record, was stoic after the loss.

“We’re young and we have a lot of work to do,” he said. “We just have to keep working. We’ll get there.”

FSH closes out the regular season Monday at Centerville.

Catholic High, meanwhile, is gearing up for a playoff run when the brackets are announced next week.

“We have six games between now and Wednesday,” said Moneaux, who’s hoping to stay in the top half the bracket to get a home playoff game before the state tournament. “Today we have one, Saturday we have two and then one game Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

“I’ve stressed that every game from here on out is important. The ultimate goal for this team is the postseason and to get to Sulphur. That’s what we’re going for.”