Two teams on a roll meet up tonight at Salmen when the Spartans take on the Archbishop Shaw Eagles in the state semifinals with kickoff set for 7.

The winner will play in the Louisiana Superdome on Dec. 13 against the victorious team in the Bastrop-Belle Chasse game for the state championship.

Salmen is coming off a 49-12 victory over Northside, while Shaw beat Breaux Bridge, 24-14.

Salmen's Daniel Sams looks downfield during last Friday night'€™s quarterfinal victory at Northside. (File Photo by Chris Kinkaid)

Neither team got off to a great start this season, but both have turned their fortunes around.

No. 6 Salmen (10-2) began the year 1-2 with losses against John Curtis and Independence, but has won nine straight games. Curtis is attempting to go to the state finals with a game against Calvary Baptist, while Independence got the regional round.

Shaw (8-4), 15th seed, began the season 0-4, but has won eight in a row. The Eagles started this year with a tough non-district schedule, losing to St. Paul’s, Brother Martin, John Ehret and O. Perry Walker. All of those teams except Ehret made it to the second round of the postseason. Ehret lost to SPS, 34-10.

Shaw coach Scott Bairnsfather said he feels the key to the turnaround is being able to run the ball and playing better defense.

A Salmen win would mark the first time the Spartans are in the state finals since 2001 when they beat John Curtis, 12-7.

Shaw is looking for a third-straight trip to the finals under coach Bairnsfather, who is in his seventh year at the helm. The last two seasons have ended in losses to Bastrop. Last year, the Eagles fell, 38-14, and in 2006, Shaw suffered a 28-14 setback.

Salmen runs a spread offense led by sophomore quarterback Daniel Sams. Last week, Sams accounted for five touchdowns (four passing and one rushing). His 9-yard running score made it 7-0.

With the Spartans leading 7-6 and after a turnover, Sams hit George Williams for a score.

His stellar play continued when he and senior wide receiver Isiah Tate connected for 84 yards.

Then Sams made it 35-6 on a 34-yard TD pass to Tate. His final scoring pass came in the third quarter to Jordan Stevenson, who also had a rushing touchdown.

Bairnsfather said Sams presents a challenge for his defense.

“They have an athletic quarterback and a good spread offense that will give us a lot of trouble,” Bairnsfather said. “When the quarterback runs, we have to tackle him, but he’s also a throwing threat.”

The Spartans will be facing a 4-2-5 defense that has been stout over the last two games.

After giving up 20 points to Pearl River in the bi-district round of the postseason, Shaw has allowed just 14 in the last two games.

Bairnsfather said senior defensive lineman John Dumas, senior linebacker Darius Robinson and senior defensive back Chad Boyd have been playing well for his club defensively.

Offensively, Shaw runs a multiple offense with senior Kyle Keating at quarterback. This season, Keating has thrown for 1,285 yards, 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while completing 72-of-159.

His main target is Mark Paul, who has 33 receptions for 712 yards and seven TDs. He leads the team in all three categories.

Shaw rotates running backs sophomore Lawrence Breaud, senior Holden Lombard and junior Chris Current.

Breaud tops the squad with 736 yards on 144 carries and 11 touchdowns. He is also the second-leading receiver with 16 catches for 291 yards and six touchdowns.

Lombard is second for the Eagles with 137 totes for 728 yards and six tallies. Current has carried the ball 71 times for 221 yards and three touchdowns.

As a team, the Eagles have attempted 425 rushes for 1,835 yards and scored 25 times.

Defensively, Salmen runs a 3-3. The story of last week’s game was the defense forcing five turnovers in the first half. The Spartans took advantage of those miscues and turned them into 28 points, while taking a 35-6 lead into halftime.

Sophomore Joshua Adams had two fumble recoveries, while Joe Rudolph also recovered a fumble and Greg Brickley picked off a pass.

David Edgerson also forced a turnover when he took an option pitch out of the air and returned it 84 yards for the score.

If you’re heading to the game tonight, tickets will cost $9 at the gate.

The game will also be broadcast on WSLA 1560 A.M. radio.