By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

WHITE CASTLE – West St. John coach Robert Valdez said that his team had a chip on its shoulder after falling to White Castle in the opening round of the playoffs a year ago. The Rams played like it on Friday night.

West St. John (6-2, 3-0) downed the Class 1A defending champion Bulldogs in blowout fashion, winning 51-8 and all but knocking White Castle (2-6, 1-2) out of contention for the District 9-1A title it secured a year ago.

Kylum Favorite rushed 14 times for 140 yards and three touchdowns to lead West St. John. Austin Howard completed 12 of 19 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns.

The Rams put things away early, climbing to a 37-0 lead at halftime.

Favorite got things started on a 4-yard touchdown run. His own two-point conversion run made it 8-0.

The Rams struck next on special teams, as Jarius Moll took a White Castle punt the distance on a 55-yard return for a touchdown. Steven Brignac’s point after kick made it 15-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Favorite scored for the second time in the second quarter, from 27 yards away to make it 22-0. Lawrence Williams was next to cross the stripe, scoring from 10 yards out, hauling in a Howard touchdown pass. Howard tossed his second soon after, this time finding Moll for a 11-yard touchdown reception. A Favorite two-point ruin made it 37-0.

Favorite and Howard each scored rushing touchdowns in the third quarter.

White Castle scored its lone touchdown in the fourth quarter, on a 64-yard touchdown pass from Issac O’Bear to Terrance Taylor.

West St. John and St. John-Plaquemine are the final two undefeated teams within District 9-1A; they play at WSJ on Thursday in a game that will be televised on Cox Sports Television and which will likely decide the district championship.