White Castle's championship quest ends in LHSAA Division IV non-select state semifinals

The White Castle Bulldogs hoped the third time would be the charm in their quest for the state title, but Franklin High spoiled those hopes.

No. 3 seed Franklin rallied in the final quarter to beat the No. 2-seeded Bulldogs, 42-38, in Division IV non-select semifinal action at the Louisiana High School Athletic Association boys state basketball tournament last week at Burton Coliseum in Lakes Charles.

White Castle finished 26-10 under head coach Dewan Carter, who led the Bulldogs to the state tournament for the third time in three years at the helm of the program.

Jaylen Washington led the Bulldogs with 18 points. He was the only Bulldog player to notch double-digit scoring in the game against the rugged defensive showing from Franklin.

The Franklin defense held White Castle to six points in the second quarter and only two in the final stanza.

Free throws and field goals both held back the Bulldogs. They went 5 for 17 from the line and tallied on 15 of 51 field goals.

Franklin, however, endured the same outcome White Castle faced last year. North Central, which toppled the Bulldogs in the state title game last year, won its second consecutive championship in a 59-55 win over Franklin in the finals. Franklin finished the season 21-6 and North Central ended 24-12.