After a very successful homecoming game that saw Destrehan defeat visiting Central Lafourche 49-0, unbeaten Destrehan will get back on the bus and hit the road this Friday to face an improving Terrebonne squad.
Destrehan (6-0, 3-0) remains in the No. 1 spot in the weekly Class 5A poll and has still yet to give up a second touchdown to the opposition, with just Ehret reaching paydirt through six games in 2022.
The Tigers (3-3, 2-0) have been on an upswing this season under first-year head coach Tyler Lewis, after Terrebonne went 1-7 a year ago. This year’s group has played each of its first six opponents tough regardless of final result. Terrebonne is hoping to continue a push to return to the postseason after what’s been only a one-year absence: prior to 2021, the Tigers had been to the playoffs in five consecutive seasons.
Terrebonne lost its last game 39-29 to Ellender, but has won two of its past three outings, including a 40-7 win over Central Lafourche and a 22-17 victory over H.L. Bourgeois.
Terrebonne’s attack is triggered by a dangerous quarterback in Kyrin Robinson. Robinson brings speed to the position and can take off and run with the best of them. Downfield, Kylan Billiot presents a tough matchup at 6’4 and 180 pounds, as does Quincey McKay at 6’2 and 192 pounds.
“(Robinson) is a really good player,” said Destrehan head coach Marcus Scott. “He’s got two good wide receivers on the outside, two big kids that catch it well. He’s mobile and he can make big plays downfield with his arm or with his legs … Billiot really stands out when you watch him. We know McKay is a good player as well. He’s a big downfield target.”
Sophomore Jayce Johnson is young, but has been a phenom for the Tigers. In the Tigers’ star running back’s first three games of action this season saw him pile up more than 500 total yards and six touchdowns on just over 50 touches.
“He’s more than capable of making big plays,” said Scott.
Terrebonne’s offensive line brings size and experience. The Tigers operate primarily out of the spread.
Defensively, the tandem of Talan Bigham and Julian Bigham present a unique challenge to navigate. Both come in at 6’3 and 349 pounds, making runs up the middle a far less inviting prospect. The secondary is a big strength for the Tigers, with four starters returning from a year ago, including safeties Jhalil Matthews and Gregory Harding.
Scott said Terrebonne’s improvement is a credit to Lewis, who helped West St. John win state championships both as a player and an assistant coach.
“He’s doing a very good job with those guys. You can see they play with heart and great effort,” Scott said. ”You can certainly see the results of the hard work they put in.”
AN UNEXPECTED RETURNMAN – Destrehan is firmly established as one of the state’s best special teams units, with punt returner Daniel Blood one of Louisiana’s most dangerous weapons – he’s returned three punts for scores this season, adding to an impressive career total.
But defensive end Kolaj Cobbins got in on the action on Friday, when a punt was deflected straight up into the air and into the junior’s ready and waiting hands. Cobbins wasn’t about to let this chance go to waste and tore through some prospective Central Lafourche tacklers for a 38-yard punt return touchdown.
While Blood might not exactly have to worry about his job security in the role, Cobbins earned quite the ovation from his teammates as the 6’4, 205-pound returner found yet another way to show off his considerable gifts.
“Ideally, we want to get away from that ball in that situation, a partially blocked ball,” Scott said. “But it came right to him, right in his hands. He made quite an athletic play.”
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