By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

RESERVE — East St. John scored 21 first half points and then matched that effort with 21 more in the third quarter en route to a 42-0 victory at Joe Keller Stadium.

It was the Wildcats’ last non-district game. ESJ will face Ehret on the road next Thursday in its District 8-5A opener.

ESJ (3-2) forced three Capitol (1-4) turnovers in the third quarter to help themselves in putting the game away.

Darion Monroe spread the football around, completing passes to seven different receivers. Deszmann Broussard was the leader in that department, catching three passes for 84 yards and a score. Monroe finished his night an efficient 10 of 13 for 179 yards and a score through the air, while also making an impact with his legs, rushing for two more scores.

Running back Jacob McNeill added his name to the list of scorers this season from ESJ’s deep and talented backfield and he did it in a hurry, scoring on an 83-yard run in the first quarter to put ESJ ahead 6-0.

Next came Broussard’s biggest play of the night, a 54-yard scoring catch from Monroe than put the Wildcats ahead by two touchdowns, 13-0. Monroe added a 1-yard rushing score in the second quarter, followed by a conversion run by Jalen Kenner to make it 21-0.

Kenner found the endzone early in the second half on a 4-yard run that followed a Rendell Delay fumble recovery deep in Capitol territory. Then Delay intercepted a pass at the Capitol 11 and took it the distance to put ESJ ahead 35-0. Monroe rounded out the Wildcats’ scoring on a 14-yard touchdown run that came after Jared Campbell recovered another Capitol fumble.