By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

Destrehan has had a very stressful past three weeks. Every single game seems to come down to the final second.

Friday night was not one of those times.

The No. 2 ranked Wildcats left nothing to chance in its road matchup with East Ascension Friday night, scoring 51 first half points en route to a 51-6 victory.

Destrehan led 31-0 late in the first half before a flurry of points left them ahead by 51.

First, a Durrel Bell 24-yard fumble return for a score made it 38-0.

On the Spartans’ next possession, the Wildcats defense held and forced a punt. Damaris Johnson returned that kick 60-yards for a score, making it 44-0.

Finally, Antonio Parker, fresh off his game sealing interception in the East St. John game a week ago, picked off a pass and returned it 61 yards for the wildcats’ last touchdown, making it 51-0.

“That was a weird end of the half sequence,” said Destrehan Coach Stephen Robicheaux. “I felt like we played well in all three phases.”

The win means that Destrehan (9-0, 4-0) clinches no worse than a share of the District 6-5A title, and can clinch that title outright with a win Friday at Dutchtown.

“I hope we can end with a win and that we’ll have a spark going into the playoffs,” said Robicheaux.

Destrehan quarterback Jordan Jefferson gave East Ascension (3-6, 0-4) fits, going 14-of-17 for 221 yards and three touchdowns.

Tim Molton hauled in four catches for 96 yards and a touchdown. Damaris Johnson had six catches for 40 yards and a touchdown. Jerico Nelson led the team in rushing with four carries for 31 yards.

Nelson scored on Destrehan’s opening possession on a 16-yard run at the 9:31 mark of the first quarter.

Jefferson found Brandon Armstrong for a 53-yard touchdown to make it 14-0 at 8:35 of the first quarter, and a Ryan Rome 33 yard kick made it 17-0 with 0:51 left in the quarter.

Jefferson dialed long distance yet again with 8:19 left in the second quarter, finding Molton this time for a 76 yard touchdown to make it 24-0.

Jefferson found Johnson at 3:13 in the half to make it 31-0, before the surge at the end of the half.