A look ahead to Destrehan’s 2024 football schedule:
Destrehan jumps into the fire in Week 1. The Wildcats welcome visiting Catholic-Baton Rouge for a titanic matchup of championship programs. Catholic is the defending Division I Select champion, going 12-2 last season, including a dominant 55-31 victory over Acadiana in the Superdome to seal the deal.
This game, of course, pits a defending 2023 champion against a team just one season removed from its own championship, Destrehan’s 14-0 campaign in 2022, and a DHS squad that’s lost just once in the past two seasons.
Destrehan quarterback Jackson Fields was among Louisiana’s most prolific passers last season, and he has an armory of returning weapons in the passing game: Johnnie Thiel IV, Jabari Mack, Greg Wilfred and Phillip Wright III all return in the wide receiving corps. This game figures to be one of the stiffest tests for that passing game, as Catholic’s secondary duo of brothers Jacob and Blaine Bradford are among the stars on a loaded roster.
After that immediate test, Week 2 sees Bonnabel visit Destrehan. The two teams have been frequent early season opponents, facing off in each of the past three seasons as well as in 2019 – a scheduled 2021 matchup was cancelled due to Hurricane Ida.
Destrehan has won each of those four meetings, including a 48-7 win at home last season. Bonnabel went 4-7 last season, falling in round one of the Division I select playoffs.
Another test awaits in Week 3, this representing Destrehan’s first big road game of the season. Alexandria will host DHS, the former a Division I select quarterfinalist that finished 8-5 last year. Alexandria bowed out of the playoffs after a tough battle with Karr, which took a 40-34 victory last November.
Alexandria racked up a ton of points last season; running back J.T. Lindsey was among the reasons why. Lindsey is a speedy runner who figures to again be one of the more productive players in the state.
Following that tough pre-district slate, Destrehan jumps into District 8-5A play against a fierce rival, “The E,” East St. John.
ESJ went 7-4 last season, reaching round one of Division I non-select and falling to No. 18 Central-Baton Rouge. The Wildcats began last season 7-0 but cooled down the stretch, falling in their final four games including that opening round loss.
The recent history between these programs comes with some intensity. The Wildcats’ unbeaten season in 2022 was perhaps never in more danger than the late November quarterfinal between the teams in Reserve, a 21-20 Destrehan victory coming just a few weeks after a blowout DHS win to all but seal the district crown.
Last season, Destrehan won at home, 23-13, over ESJ, which will be the visitor again this time around.
In Week 5, Destrehan visits Terrebonne. The Tigers have been on an upswing over the past two seasons under head coach Tyler Lewis and went 7-4 last season, finishing their year in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Wildcats captured a 38-7 victory at home over Terrebonne last year and will look to keep its hold upon in this district series going. Terrebonne last beat Destrehan in 2019, a 30-22 victory. DHS has won the four meetings since.
Another road game is up in Week 6 as DHS visits H.L. Bourgeois. Bourgeois went 2-8 last season, including a 45-7 loss at Destrehan in 2023. The Braves are in part led by Jalen Jones, a two-way starter at fullback and middle linebacker.
Week 7 will see Destrehan take on its final non-district battle of the season as it hosts Capt. Shreve, the first of three consecutive home dates. This continues the trend of upper echelon non-district competition for DHS this season itself. Shreve went 9-2 last season and reached the 2nd round of the Division I select playoffs, and brings back a talented quarterback in Brodie Savage who is surrounded by a wealth of offensive talent.
In Week 8, Central Lafourche visits Destrehan. CLHS went 1-9 last season and fell 42-0 to DHS in 2023. The Trojans are looking to take a step forward this season with a more experienced group in the fold for the 2024 season.
Week 9 is the final home game of the regular season for Destrehan. And it’s a big one.
Hahnville visits in Week 9 under new head coach Greg Boyne, Destrehan’s former longtime offensive coordinator. This rivalry has belonged to Destrehan in recent years, Hahnville’s lone win over the Wildcats in the past several seasons coming in 2017. Destrehan captured a 47-11 victory.
It’s one of the greatest longtime rivalries in the state and one that’s been recognized nationwide, and it’ll be a landmark date once again this football season.
In Week 10, Destrehan wraps up the regular season with a road game at Thibodaux, also the final District 8-5A game of the year.
Brayden Becnel leads Thibodaux at quarterback. The Tigers will be more experienced this season after a 4-6 campaign in 2023, including an opening round playoff loss. Destrehan captured a 33-7 win over THS at home last year.
9/6 vs. Catholic-BR
9/13 vs. Bonnabel
9/20 @ Alexandria
9/27 vs. East St. John*
10/4 @ Terrebonne*
10/11 @ H.L. Bourgeois*
10/18 vs. Capt. Shreve
10/25 vs. Central Lafourche*
11/1 vs. Hahnville*
11/8 @ Thibodaux*
*denotes district games
