The Destrehan Wildcats – or maybe, for now, the Destrehan Road Warriors – are headed back to the state semifinals.
For the second straight week, DHS traveled more than five hours to the Shreveport area and for the second straight week they topped the 60-point mark. This time, the No. 10 seeded Wildcats defeated No. 2 Airline, earning a 69-41 victory in the Division I non-select quarterfinals.
This is the ninth time in 12 seasons Destrehan has reached the semifinal round. DHS will travel to face No. 3 Ruston next week with a trip to the Superdome and the state championship game on the line.
Destrehan has scored 132 points over the past two games.
In a season that saw Destrehan get off to a bumpy 2-3 start while being dealt a number of key injuries, many may not have seen this run coming for the Wildcats – every program has off years, as the theory goes, even the most consistent. Destrehan’s players and coaches, it turns out, do not subscribe to the theory.
“It is sweet,” said Destrehan head coach Marcus Scott, headed to his fourth semifinal with the Wildcats since taking the program’s helm in 2020. “It’s a special moment that we’re in.”
This was a matchup of two highly proficient offensive teams, led in part by standout quarterbacks: Ben Taylor of Airline and Jackson Fields of Destrehan.
But Destrehan brought a scalding hot running game back up north – and Malachi Dabney and the DHS offensive line did not cool off whatsoever. Dabney topped the 200-mark for the fourth time in the past seven games and he scored five touchdowns. The sophomore has scored 11 touchdowns over the past two games.
Ben Taylor put Airline ahead 6-0 on a 1-yard sneak in the first quarter, set up by his completion to Kenny Darby down the field. It was back and forth early on, and a DJ Islands’ rushing touchdown made it a slim 21-20 Destrehan lead early in the second quarter.
But from there, Destrehan (10-3) turned it on – and at the end of the first half, the Wildcats showed exactly how dangerous they are, and how quickly they can open up a staggering lead.
With the ball at his own 20, Taylor attempted a pass across the field that was intercepted by Destrehan linebacker Semaj Walker. A convoy of blockers hustled into position and Walker returned the ball 40 yards for a touchdown.
Then, just before halftime, Taylor heaved a ball for the endzone that was intercepted by Destrehan’s Damien Richard. Richard caught the ball at the Destrehan 1 and the former running back had his own pick six on the mind – he broke a tackle and raced 97 yards, coming up just short of the touchdown. But Walker set up a 2-yard Dabney touchdown on the final play of the half – the two touchdowns pushed Destrehan from a 35-27 lead to 48-27 at halftime.
“Huge,” Scott said. “We knew to be successful tonight, we’d have to steal a possession or two. Then if you get a lead, you need to try to keep a cushion because (Airline) is so very, very explosive. We were very opportunistic.”
Destrehan forced three turnovers, including a fumble recovery on kickoff coverage – the second straight week the Wildcats’ special teams came up with a turnover.
Destrehan scored immediately out of the halftime break, scoring to cap its first drive of the second half to take a 55-27 lead.
And for all Airline’s considerable firepower, Destrehan was in firm control.
The Wildcats have now won eight in a row.
The Vikings finish 2024 with a record of 11-1.
Airline averaged 53.7 points per game entering Friday’s matchup, triggered by the arm of Taylor, who finishes his prep career as one of the leading passers in the history of Louisiana. Friday’s total of 41 was the second lowest mark of the season for the Vikings.
“A lot of people didn’t see us making it to this point,” said Scott. “Our kids, our assistant coaches have pushed through a lot of adversity, continuing to stay hungry and practice hard. It’s a tribute to them.”
