The Destrehan baseball team is off to fast start this year, racking up nine wins in a row after losing their first game of the year to Dutchtown.
However, DHS head coach Marty Luquet warns that the season is still early.
“We still have another 24 games to go. We are just getting cranked up right now,” he said.
The team is benefiting from returning four of its all-district players from last year’s squad in Jace Weber, Brock Benedetto, Michael Smith and Blake Hymel. Although they lost all-district players Ryan Burks and Brennan Quigley, Luquet said the team was able to fill those positions and come together during the American Legion summer league.
“We’re off to the best start in four years,” Luquet said. “I think we are building off our American Legion season last summer where we made it to the state tournament. It helped us answer some questions and get the right guys on the field.
“Everyone is accepting their roles and everything is going real well.”
The team currently has three players, all seniors, batting over .400. Catcher Tanner Hayes is posting a .476 batting average, outfielder and pitcher Jesse Bryant is batting .462 and shortstop Jace Weber is right at .400.
The team’s cleanup hitter is first baseman and pitcher Kade Granier, who is currently batting .370 and is 2-1 on the mound. The team’s other pitchers are also off to a good start. Both retuning all-district pitcher Hymel and Ryan Brewer are 2-0 in starts with Hymel adding a save.
The team is entering a tough stretch this week as they head to the Jay Patterson Memorial Tournament in Gonzales where they will face off against some the area’s best teams.
“Thursday we play Brother Martin who is 10-0. They are the No. 1 team in the area,” Luquet said. “We also play Jesuit, Archbishop Shaw and Archbishop Rummel – four of the perennial best teams in the area.”
For now DHS and Hahnville High School are leading the district.
Luquet anticipates the cross parish rivals will be meeting up again for the district title.
“It’s been that way for the past few years and I don’t expect it to be any different,” he said. “The baseball community of St. Charles has a lot to be proud of.”
DHS’s win over O.P. Walker in the Bayou State Tournament last weekend in West Monroe was Luquet’s 400th of his career.
“The kids were probably more excited about it than I was,” he said. “I must have 100 of my ex-players send me congratulations. That made it extra special since they were the ones who won the games.”
Luquet is in his 24th year as a head coach and 12th year with DHS.
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