LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / September 30, 2000

ST. JAMES – The St. James Wildcats drummed out a 33-14 homecoming winover the Booker T. Washington Lions, the evening spoiled only by star runningback Montrell Steib’s broken left ankle.

The win gave the Wildcats a 3-2 pre-district season as they prepare to travel to Donaldsonville next week. Booker T. Washington fell to 0-4.St. James exploded out of the box, with David Dennis returning the openingkickoff 91 yards for a touchdown. Quentin Batiste’s point after kick fellshort, leaving the Wildcats with a 6-0 lead only 15 seconds into the game.

The Lions rarely managed a credible offense, taking the kickoff and losing one yard in their first possession. Their punt bumped the Wildcats at theirown 19-yard stripe, but St. James stalled at their own 44 and punted back tothe Lions.

Booker T., starting at their own 11-yard line, managed to advance the ballonly five yards before John Ambrose intercepted and ran the ball back to the Lions 1-yard line.

On the next play, Michael Harry plunged through for the next Wildcat score with 7:30 remaining in the first quarter. This time, Batiste’s PAT kick wasgood, and St. James led 13-0 at this point.Again, Booker T. accepted the kickoff. Again, they crept four yards andagain, they punted, this time to the St. James 46-yard line. Three playslater, Montrell Steib scored on a 30-yard scramble with 3:40 remaining in the first quarter. The PAT was good, and St. James was sitting comfortable witha 20-0 lead.

The Lions’ next possession took them from their own 20 to their own 43 before punting. St. James took over at their own 22-yard line. Montrell Steibran for 45 yards on the first play from scrimmage and scored on the next play with 10:29 on the clock, a 78-yard, one-minute drive. The PAT failed,but the Wildcats were leading 26-0.

Again, the Lions struggled and ended up punting to the Lions’ 30-yard line.

Again, the ball went to Montrell Steib. On the first play, Steib picked up threeyards. On the next, he picked up two more. However, his left ankle wasbroken, stalling the game until he was stabilized and moved from the field.

He was transported to Thibodaux Medical Center for surgery, according to the St. James coaching staff.Two plays later, Davin Dennis scored on a 24-yard run with 4:51 on the second-quarter clock. Batiste was on the money for the PAT kick and St.James was on top of a 33-0 ball game.

In the third quarter, the Booker T. defense came alive.The opening second half kickoff to the Lions placed them at their own 41 and they penetrated as far as the Wildcats 38-yard line before having to punt.

Wendell Octave accepted the punt and scampered 78 yards to the Lions’ 15- yard line, where Emmanuel Spurlock headed off the St. James touchdown.Nevertheless, St. James pressed forward, and edged down to the 8-yard linein three plays. On the fourth play, St. James was intercepted in the end zoneby Aubrey Watson with 4:24 on the third-quarter clock.

This first sustained drive slammed into St. James, mostly with the arm ofquarterback Tony Jeffersonn into the fourth quarter. With 10:58 left in thegame Booker T. scored on a 27-yard pass to Mack Terrance. The two-pointpass conversion placed the Lions on the scoreboard, trailing 33-8.

Finally, with the fourth-quarter clock running non-stop, the remainder of the game swept past. St. James’s next possession went from their own 23 tothe 27 before having to punt.

The Lions accepted the ball at their own 31-yard line and in seven plays, rolled into the end zone with three seconds remaining. Tony Jeffersonncapped the Booker T. effort with his one-yard run and the game ended in a33-14 score.

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