By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

West St. John had a state finalist run recognized this week as four Rams made the Louisiana Sports Writers’ Association’s Class 1A All-State team, led by senior linebacker Ronnie Feist, who was named 1A’s Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year.

Feist is joined on the team by seniors Jarius Moll and Willie Youngblood and junior Kylum Favorite.

Rams’ sophomore quarterback Austin Howard and junior linebacker Dontre Turner were named honorable mention.

Feist racked up 19 sacks and 65 tackles, including 44 for loss, this season despite missing its first three games with a back injury. Feist himself admits to never being 100 percent, but it would not stop him from leading a strong defensive unit, nor would it stop others from making him a marked man when it came to protection schemes.

“It’s a testament to him when you consider that everyone we played knew that they had to account for him,” said West St. John coach Robert Valdez. “He was never really 100 percent, and coming into it late, it’s hard to catch up in terms of getting back into shape. To have that kind of season speaks volumes. Even when it wasn’t him making the tackle, he freed people up around him due to that attention.”

Feist said that he “didn’t have the kind of season (he) wanted,” largely due to the injury, but that he was proud of what he and his teammates did in getting to the state championship game.

“We accomplished a lot,” he said. “Our entire defense got better. I think it’ll continue to grow … I think we’ll have a number of ‘D-I’ athletes.”

Feist said that he was proud of the teammates that joined him on the All-State team, but that the individual honor of Defensive Player of the Year was not lost upon him.

“I’m very happy because this was a goal that I set for myself before the season,” he said. “It’s a notch on my belt and I’m proud of it.”

Moll began the season with one of its most memorable plays; his strip for a fumble and return keyed a miraculous comeback at St. James in the season opener. Moll was heavily involved all season as a returnman, wide receiver and cornerback, as he has been for three seasons at the school. He had 800 receiving yards and 21 total touchdowns.

“He’s an electrifying kid, but very humble,” said Valdez. “He’s very, very determined.”

Favorite, the team’s starting tailback, rushed for over 1,900 yards and scored 23 touchdowns in a breakout campaign and seemed to get stronger as the year went on.

“We knew he had potential, but this type of year we didn’t forsee,” said Valdez. “I’m very excited for him and for us. He’s only a junior and has such a bright future.”

Paving the way for him was often tackle Willie Youngblood, who successfully shifted his game to fir the zone blocking technique the Rams switched to for the 2011 season.

“He was another who gutted it out for us,” said Valdez, noting Youngblood suffered a hairline fracture in his foot in week eight of the season. “We thought it was a sprain, but it turned out to be a hairline fracture which is very painful. He played through the pain … to make the transition to zone blocking, the lineman had to do the same. He did a fine job of it and had a tremendous year.”