By ROBERT L. LEE

DESTREHAN – In one corner are the Hahnville Tigers, in the other, the Destrehan Fighting Wildcats, standing in between are 14 other teams with the same championship goal in mind. Whether the placement of these teams in the brackets were designed for fairness of just the result of numbers, Hahnville and Destrehan sit on separate sides of the Class 5A bracket.

However, as slim as the odds may seem, there remains a chance that the two River Parish rivals will each command their sides of the playoff chain and meet again in the state championship match. Both teams currently have the bi-district round under their belts and are preparing to battle through the regionals,

Their meetings drew some of the biggest crowds for either so far this season, and saw Destrehan come out on top of both district games, 4-3 and 5-3. The Fighting Wildcats finished the regular season with the district championship and an undefeated record, but the Tigers remained right on their heels, only a few games behind in second place. Destrehan head coach Marty Luquet said the players have seen the brackets and know Hahnville is in the running. He said they also know “if you look that far ahead, you end up stumbling. But you always know they’re there.”

Luquet said he would love to play Hahnville again, and not just because the Fighting Wildcats won the previous two times, but because the chance will only come in the championship game.

“It would be a great opportunity for both schools,” Luquet added. “But we have a long way to go and a lot of hard work ahead of both of us for that to occur.”

The teams each have three rounds of opposition to contend with, the regionals, quarterfinals and semi-finals.

“I think we have a better chance,” said Luquet.

“We’re in a good spot in the bottom bracket. We have tough opponents such as Mandeville, Jesuit and some Baton Rouge teams, but that’s better than Barbe and Central in Hahnville’s bracket.

“I have to be honest though, we are pulling for them,” he continued. “Our kids and their kids are good friends. It’s the adults that make this rivalry.”