Through a 9-game winning streak that Destrehan carried into the state semifinals, everything clicked for the Wildcats.
But little went right for Destrehan Friday night in Ruston – and the Wildcats’ season is over.
In a battle of the past two state champions in Division I non-select, Ruston defeated Destrehan 44-7 to advance to play for the state championship at the Superdome next week.
Destrehan’s lone score came via Phillip Wright III, who showed off his speed when he scored on a breakaway 39-yard sweep in the fourth quarter.
But this night belonged to Ruston – and, in particular, a Bearcats defense that held Destrehan scoreless until the late stages of the fourth quarter.
Ruston (11-2), the third seed in Division I non-select, rode its rushing attack led by Dylone Brooks, who scored twice on the night, and Jordan Hayes. Quarterback Josh Brantley passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another.
Destrehan finishes the season with a record of 11-4.
Ruston scored on its opening possession, marching 65 yards and capping the drive with a touchdown run by Brooks.
The Bearcats doubled up that lead after Ruston’s Trindon Moore intercepted Destrehan’s Jackson Fields at midfield with just over four minutes left in the first quarter.
Ruston drove inside the Wildcats’ 10 and Brantley’s play-action pass to an open Peyton Nations in the back of the end zone gave Ruston a 14-0 lead.
Ruston forced a turnover on downs after a big third down hit by Aidan Anding on Wright forced a fourth down try. A screen pass attempt to Malachi Dabney was incomplete and Ruston took over in its own territory.
The Bearcats made DHS pay on a breakaway run by Brooks for a 30-yard touchdown that made it 21-0.
Destrehan had to punt on its next drive, and Hayes immediately flipped the field in his team’s favor on a long first down run. Destrehan’s Cameron Florent broke up a third down pass in the redzone to force a Jack Elliott field goal attempt, which was good to make it 24-0 at halftime.
The Wildcats’ hopes of a rally were all but silenced early in the second half. Destrehan fumbled the kickoff to Ruston, and Brantley dialed up play action again, this time with Landon Smith finding himself free in the flat for a 20-yard touchdown to make it 31-0.
Destrehan could never get going in this one.
DHS began the season 2-3 before igniting at the season’s midpoint. A dramatic Week 7 win over Captain Shreve was one of the key jumping off points.
The season marked Destrehan’s ninth state semifinal in 12 seasons.
For Ruston, the win marks the third season in a row the Bearcats advance to the Superdome, as it will attempt to win back-to-back championships. It also snapped a string of Wildcat playoff victories over the Bearcats; Destrehan eliminated Ruston in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
