For the second time in three years, the Westgate High School Tigers have made it to the quarterfinals of the LHSAA football playoffs, once again traveling to North Louisiana.

The No. 5 seed Tigers will face off against the No. 4 seed Northwood High School Falcons (9-2) in Shreveport. Westgate (10-2) is coming off a decisive win against Leesville in the second round, a 16-7 victory notable for decisive defensive playmaking.

The Tigers will once again look to their defense if they want to advance to the semifinals, as the Falcons are currently in the midst of a seven-game winning streak. The Tigers managed two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and four quarterback sacks in their second round win, and coach Ryan Antoine will be hoping for a similar performance on Friday.

Despite only scoring 42 points so far in the playoffs, the Tigers offense has also impressed, racking up over 250 yards in their previous games. Westgate will need to be clinical in its game against Northwood, minimizing mistakes and making the most of their opportunities if they want to advance.

The good news is that the Tigers have no shortage of playmakers that they can look to. Jordan Doucet, Derrick Williams, and Brennan Landry all played major roles in the post-season so far, and will be sure to cause headaches for the Falcons. Steven Antoine and Danny Lewis are also weapons that Westgate can bring to bear against Northwood.

Northwood relied on its running backs to advance in the second round, with none of its touchdowns coming through the air. In fact, only one of the Falcons’ last 10 touchdowns has come from a pass, demonstrating just how one-dimensional their offense can be. That plays into Westgate’s strength, as the Tiger defensive line is one of the toughest in the state.

If Westgate advances, the Tigers will play the winner of No. 1 seed Edna Karr and No. 9 George Washington Carver in the semifinals.

The Tigers’ game against Northwood will kick off at 7 p.m.