Last season, Destrehan entered the year as the No. 1 ranked team in Class 5A and mowed down the competition on their way to the school’s first state title in 24 years.
This season, a state championship was far from assured, especially with the loss of 11 starters that included Jordan Jefferson, Jerico Nelson and Damaris Johnson, who all made a huge impact on their college teams as freshmen. And while this year’s squad still had plenty of talent, they had even more heart.
That proved to be the difference as the Wildcats rallied throughout the postseason and put down West Monroe in the championship game 14-3.
“The state championship was a special thing for this group,” Destrehan head coach Stephen Robicheaux said. “Last year, we started out at No. 1 because of all the playmakers we had, but this year we had more of a blue-collar team who worked hard at the line of scrimmage on both offense and defense.
“That proved to be huge, especially in the championship game.”
The Wildcats did trail in every game this postseason, and needed a huge fourth quarter comeback against Higgins in the third round to keep their season alive. Though that alone should prove how difficult it is to win back-to-back titles, Robicheaux said that winning the state championship last year actually made it easier to get back.
“It’s tough to keep a team focused all year, especially coming off of a state championship, but the thing is that the team got a taste of it last year and that really made them want to get back this year,” he said. “We played in a lot of close games, but the team willed their way through them and kept winning.”
That will to win was evident in the state title game, as Destrehan trailed 3-0 before scoring in the fourth on a 35-yard pass from Wynrick Smothers to Kyron King. West Monroe drove the length of the field towards the end of the game, and was actually in position to take the lead back when senior linebacker Rufus Porter came through with what Robicheaux calls “probably the biggest play in Destrehan history.”
The senior star got his hands on an errant D.J. Banks pass near the goal-line, then flew 98 yards in the other direction to seal the Destrehan victory.
“It is fitting that the defense came through at the end because they have come up big for us all season, but our offense also had to go against a really good West Monroe defense, and they put together drives when we needed them to,” Robicheaux said.
While “No Doubt” was one of the Wildcats’ mottos this season, there is no doubt that the team will miss their departing seniors, whose accomplishments will leave a lasting mark on the program.
“This team worked so hard this year and I am just so excited for them,” he said. “We won in a different fashion this year and they just never gave up. I really think the thing about it all is that the seniors, several of whom played a big part in our win last year, just had a will to win another one.
“That’s a special accomplishment for them. Not many players get the chance to win two.”
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