By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur

DESTREHAN — Destrehan defensive back Kendell Anderson said his team had something to prove.

“We came out to show everyone we’re the No. 1 defense in the state,” Anderson said.

He and his Wildcat teammates probably earned a few more believers on Friday night, as host Destrehan turned back East St. John, 28-14, to seal up the District 7-5A championship and an undefeated regular season.

The DHS defense secured four fourth quarter stops of an explosive ESJ offense, forcing three forced turnovers and making two stops in the redzone, including a goalline stand.

Anderson was all over the field in the final frame, breaking up an endzone pass on a fourth down, making a key tackle for loss in the redzone and intercepting a pass. All three plays came in the Destrehan redzone.

While the explosive Destrehan offense grabs most headlines, its defense has allowed more than 17 points in a game just once all season — and that was to H.L. Bourgeois in Week Nine, a game DHS led 44-0 at halftime and played its second and third teams throughout the second half.

“We go out there to feed our offense,” Anderson said. “We get them the ball, and it fires them up. And we feed off them in the same way. We make each other better.”

The win marks the fourth time in the past six seasons Stephen Robicheaux has led Destrehan as head coach that his Wildcats went unbeaten on the field (a rules violation last season led to one DHS win being forfeited).

“When we got back here and went 4-5 that first year, those guys took it personal,” Robicheaux said. “Last year they were undefeated on the field and this year they did it again. They’re just a tremendous group and I’m so excited for them.”

Unlike most Destrehan (10-0, 5-0) games this season, this result was very much in doubt between rival Wildcat teams. An inspired ESJ squad took the field and controlled the action in the first half.

Jarrod Jackson kickstarted a big personal night by hauling in a 28-yard touchdown pass from Xavier Lewis to cap off a 79-yard first quarter drive. Not long after, it was Nigel Anderson powering in for a 2-yard rushing score to cap a 63-yard drive, and just like that ESJ (5-5, 4-3) led 14-0 early in the second quarter.

Meanwhile, East St. John’s defense was playing its best half of the season. It held Destrehan to just 19 yards on DHS’ first three drives and recovered fumbles on two of Destrehan’s first four possessions. The latter was a Shayhan Williams recovery in the ESJ redzone on a botched handoff exchange.

Destrehan finally got on track behind the running of Will Matthews and Kirk Merritt, the latter breaking a 36-yard run to ignite the offense. Merritt added another 8-yard run before Matthews got loose for gains of seven and 13 before finally plunging in for a 1-yard score.

DHS forced East St. John to punt on its first drive of the second half, but a mishandled snap led to Destrehan sacking punter Nigel Anderson and taking over on the ESJ 16. Matthews immediately made ESJ pay, running up the gut for the touchdown to tie things up.

Lewis began to get hot for ESJ. He began with run for eight and then five yards, then connected with Shedrick Colbert for a 13-yard gain on third down. Anderson ran for a gain of 11, and a DHS late hit set ESJ up on the Destrehan 23. But on third and 10, Raekwon Morgan stopped Lewis for a 4-yard gain, then on fourth, he intercepted Lewis’ pass down the sideline to stop the ESJ threat.

Once again, Destrehan struck immediately. On the second play of its ensuing drive, quarterback Koheon Granier — on in relief of starter Marquise Darensbourg — connected with Merritt on a wide receiver screen and Merritt did the rest, taking off for an 84-yard score to give Destrehan its first lead.

“(We set out to stop the run) because we feel we can cover one-on-one, but unfortunately that was Kirk Merritt, the fastest running back in the nation,” Banko said. “Their offensive line did a great job springing him for an opening, and he did the rest.”

East St. John drove all the way to the Destrehan 2 on its next drive, the big plays a 39-yard completion to Jackson and a 25-yard run by Lewis. A holding penalty on third-and-two pushed ERJ back, and Anderson stopped Ahmani Martin for a 5-yard loss to force a fourth-and-12 attempt. Anderson deflected Lewis’ jumpball attempt for Jackson.

“We were down there twice,” Banko said. “We had our chances and we didn’t score on those opportunities. Credit to Destrehan for making the plays when it mattered.”

Destrehan all but slammed the door on the next drive. Matthews ripped off a 62-yard run, then Merritt scored from 26 yards out to make it 28-14.

Anderson intercepted Lewis on ESJ’s next drive, and a sack-fumble ended the final ESJ drive of the night.