Photo by Sean McGrawWet field conditions from constant rain nor Ouachita Parish couldn’t stop Destrehan in the Wildcats’ 35-14 home win over Ouachita Parish in the opening round of the Class 5A playoffs Friday night.
The Wildcats, now 8-1, advances to take on Dutchtown in the second round of the playoffs. Destrehan, the No. 5 seed, will host the Griffins, the No. 12 seed, which defeated the Wildcats’ District 7-5A rival No. 21 Terrebonne 29-0.
Ouachita Parish ended its season at 1-5.
Destrehan took the win over the Lions with a 227-yard rushing effort.
Razan Keller had three rushing touchdowns to lead the way.
Destrehan quarterback Jai Eugene Jr. rushed for one touchdown and passed for another, while the Wildcats defense returned another interception for a touchdown.
Despite the big rushing numbers, Destrehan held a slim one-touchdown lead to start the second half before Keller broke free on a touchdown run to give Destrehan a 21-7 lead in the third quarter.
As has been the penchant of the Wildcats all season, the defense provided a touchdown of its own.
Kevin Adams returned an interception for a touchdown and Destrehan was quickly ahead 28-7.
The Lions, however, were not quite done.
A touchdown pass from quarterback Zach Shaw to Dearrio Jacobs in the closing moments of the third quarter inched Ouachita Parish a bit closer at 28-14.
Going to its ground game, Destrehan put the game away when Keller scored his fourth touchdown of the night on a 4-yard run in the fourth quarter for the 35-14 Wildcats win.
Eugene accounted for both of the Wildcats’ touchdowns in the first half.
Taking advantage of good field position following a Ouachita Parish punt on the Lions’ first possession of the game, Eugene scored on a 6-yard run to give Destrehan a 7-0 lead.
The Wildcats’ other touchdown in the first half came on a 37-yard pass from Eugene to Calvin Bullock.
Ouachita Parish’s only score of the first half came on a 6-yard pass from Shaw to Jacolby Conner.