By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur

DESTREHAN — The last time Destrehan and West Monroe squared off, it was on the Superdome turf, the 2008 Class 5A state championship on the line.

Six years later, the teams meet again, and this time it’s the opportunity to play for that state crown that’s up for grabs. West Monroe travels to Destrehan this Friday night in a state semifinal battle between two perennial powerhouse programs.

West Monroe upset top-seeded Byrd last week, 19-7, to earn a trip to Destrehan. Destrehan bested archrival Hahnville, 24-12, to punch their semifinal ticket.

While both teams boast explosive offensive weaponry, defense is what truly sets each team apart from their peers. West Monroe has allowed 13.7 points per game, Destrehan just 9.8 a contest.

The DHS defense strikes a similar profile to the 2008 champion, a team that allowed no more than 18 points in a game all season.

That championship win served as a bit of payback for West Monroe’s 1993 title game win over the Wildcats, a victory that kickstarted a dynastic run of six state titles in 12 years for the Rebels.

The Wildcats (13-0), in fact, have allowed more than 17 points in a game just once this season, a 44-20 win over H.L. Bourgeois in a game the former led 44-0 at halftime.

“Our kids have done an unbelievable job,” Destrehan coach Stephen Robicheaux said. “To put together a run like that, you have to be playing at a very high level and with consistency.”

In West Monroe’s win over Byrd, it was a fumble recovery that allowed the Rebels ultimately to do the top seed in.

The Rebels led 13-7 when Byrd’s Dominic Haggerty bobbled the ball on a kickoff return; he couldn’t control the ball and West Monroe’s Sawyer Passman recovered the ball in the endzone for a game-sealing touchdown. It was West Monroe’s 10th win in its last 11 games against Byrd, which lost for the first time this season. West Monroe forced eight three-and-outs in the game.

The Rebels (11-2) lost starting quarterback Jon Randle Belton before the season to a knee injury, and Slade Bolden and Robert Scott Foust have been good in his stead, splitting reps throughout the season. Foust is more of a passer, Bolden a runner — the latter has rushed for 876 yards and 10 touchdowns this season, while Foust has passed for nine touchdowns.

“Their offense has changed from the last time we played them,” Robicheaux said. “Then, it was all the Veer. Now, they run a lot more of the zone-read.”

Tailback Devonte Williams is the straw that stirs the West Monroe drink. He’s rushed for 1,047 yards and 17 touchdowns this season as the top runner in West Monroe’s veer option offense, but last week Byrd held him to just 11 yards on six carries.

Robicheaux knows his team is in for a heavy dose of the run.

“They’re a smashmouth football team, as is typical in Northern Louisiana,” Robicheaux said. “We’ve got to go toe-to-toe with them. Who controls the line of scrimmage, that’s the key. They’ve got a very good defensive line, but we’re very good in that regard as well.”

This will be Destrehan’s fourth postseason game this year. Three have come at home; the fourth came after a short ride to East St. John.

“I’ve always said, in order to ultimately be successful in this game you need three things,” Robicheaux said. “You need good coaches, you need great players and you need a little luck on your side. For us to play these games at home, and our longest trip to be over to East St. John, that’s a ridiculous break for us.”

When Robicheaux stepped back into the Destrehan’s head coaching role in 2012, after a two-year absence, he was tasked with restoring the tradition of a program that won 30 straight games and two state championships under his watch from 2007-2009.

He didn’t take long. Destrehan missed the postseason for a third consecutive season in 2012, but has been to the state semifinals in each of the past two seasons, going 26-1 on the field in that stretch.