With a team full of new faces and hungry to establish its new identity, Destrehan coach Stephen Robicheaux points to this Friday night’s opener at home against Slidell as an important tone-setter. Robicheaux was pleased with his team’s effort-level in last week’s jamboree at Lutcher despite his team’s 25-24 loss, but at the same time pointed to the need to eliminate errors that cost the Wildcats dearly in the end, particularly in the second half.
“We’ve got to get away from mistakes,” Robicheaux said. “We can’t have the turnovers and penalties … those are signs of an inexperienced team. We’ll get back to work and we’ll be ok. I’m excited about the possibilities with this football team.”
Destrehan jumped out to a 26-0 lead in last season’s opener at Slidell before the Tigers stormed back to score 23 unanswered points to pull within three in the fourth quarter. Karon Taylor’s late touchdown run sealed a win for the Wildcats, but Robicheaux uses that Tigers comeback as a cautionary tale as to what can happen when a team takes its foot off the gas pedal.
Slidell struggled last year, going 2-8. That largely may have been due to injury, though; top linebacker Matthew LaFerrara and a host of others were sidelined throughout the year.
The Tigers lost last week in a defensive jamboree struggle, 7-6 to De La Salle. Tigers quarterback Wayne Griffin passed for 81 yards and a touchdown, connecting with Terry Baham for their team’s lone score. Griffin is a veteran passer who has started for most of the past three years and he operates behind an experienced offensive line.
“It’s a senior-laden team,” Robicheaux said. “Griffin does a real good job getting the ball out and to the receivers. They did a good job coming back on us last year … we got off to a good start and they roared back, and it’s kind of representative of who they are.”
Robicheaux said Slidell also found success running the ball against DHS last season, something the Wildcats will work to limit this time around.
The Destrehan lineup should be bolstered by the respective returns of receiver Mike Young, the team’s top returning weapon at wide receiver, and Elijah Hayes, one of three returning starters on a strong offensive line. Neither played in the jamboree.
Lutcher’s 25-24 jamboree victory over the Wildcats last week came with all the dramatics and then some of a regular season game. Quarterback Jontre Kirklin rushed up the middle for a two-point conversion with seconds remaining to put Lutcher ahead for good, giving first-year LHS coach Dwain Jenkins a victory in his first night on the sideline. Kirklin followed up on his touchdown run that drew the Bulldogs within one.
Destrehan opened the night with a bang, bringing the opening kickoff of the night back for a touchdown to put DHS ahead 7-0.
“You know, it’s always good when you can explode like that and make something happen off the bat,” Robicheaux said. “Obviously they did a good job on special teams. Coach Wag (Paul Waguespack) did a good job setting that up. Mosely hit the middle and it was on. He’s such a fast athlete, a tremendous kid and his speed showed.”
Mosley finished the night with two touchdowns. Kohen Granier’s touchdown pass to Kendrick Lea gave Destrehan a 24-10 lead at halftime.
But in the second half, Lutcher found its groove on offense, putting together three impressive drives, two of them resulting in scores.
Destrehan seemingly had a chance to put things away late in the second half, with the DHS running game imposing its will. But a fumble near midfield halted the drive gave Lutcher its opportunity.
Kirklin, an LSU commitment, passed for 220 yards, rushed for 56 and accounted for all three of his team’s touchdowns. Receiver Al’Dontre Davis hauled in eight receptions for 135 yards.
Robicheaux said his team must clean up the mistakes but also believes the Wildcats are unlikely to run into a team with more talented weapons than Lutcher.
“They can spread you out so much … I mean, the skill guys are just tremendous,” Robicheaux said. “Big, physical receivers who can kind of oversize you on the perimeter. When you go out to cover them, Kirklin does a tremendous job running the football. I told our guys I don’t think we’ll play anyone with more skill than they have. My hat goes off to Coach Jenkins and I think they’ll make a run again.”
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