Daniel Tyler Gooden / L’Observateur / October 17, 1999

RESERVE – Most of the men on the field hadn’t even been born when 1980 found East St. John beating Neville in the second round of regional finals. East St. John moved on to become state champions that year, and lastnight they moved on again in a 45-21 victory over Neville.

The starting line following their captains onto the field for the coin toss began a solidarity within the team that carried on throughout the game.

East St. John’s victory came because both the offense and the defenseplayed together and played strong.

Halfway through the first quarter ESJ’s quarterback, Floyd Smith, let loose a 29-yard pass to senior wide receiver Roy Del Williams who took it through the last 15-yards for the first touchdown of the night. BillyHogan, never missing an extra point that evening, followed through.

With four minutes left in the quarter, Neville responded with their own touchdown as Toby Ziegler pitched the ball back to Ferlando Beard who, running hard to the right, found a pocket on the 15-yard line and slipped through. The game shortly tied there at 7-7.From the 31-yard line Smith put up a long pass to Senior Chris Bush, who pulled it out of the air in the end zone. The ESJ Wildcats took the leadwith 2:30 left in the first and held it until well into the last quarter.

For their third touchdown drive of the evening running back, Chuckie Burl, began with a 16-yard dash through the defense, finally taken down by Neville’s Thaddues McFarland on the 18-yard line. Another first down byWilliams put ESJ on the 8 and Burl finished the drive he began by crossing the last few yards in two runs.

The score then at 21-7 soon stepped up to 28-7 as Williams catched a 10- yard pass at the 30-yard line and with an incredible amount of speed, displayed well all evening, put the 30 yards behind him, and stepped into the end zone with under two minutes left in the half.

Burl got another chance to score with 34 seconds left, and used them well.

In an amazing 43-yard run, breaking tackles as he flew, Burl took to the right and landed in the end zone. The half time ended with 35-7 ESJ on theboard.

The second half brought an odd mix of turnovers for both teams. ESJ’sEmmanuel Miles caught a blocked pass for an interception, Neville’s Marcus McFarland replied in turn with his own interception. Ziegler wassacked by ESJ Junior, Darnell Rixner, on Neville’s 43-yard line and the drive never got any farther. Neville’s Ceddrick Bursey intercepted a tippedpass on his 43-yard line and was tackled by Adam Brown, the intended receiver. ESJ recovered a Neville fumble behind the line of scrimmage,recovered their own fumble later in the drive and finally put an end to the string of foul ups with a field goal, makeing the game 38-7.

The excitement was hardly over as Burl, with great blocking assistance, rolled down field for forty-five yards and the Wildcats put 7 more points to their tally.

Neville found their focus with two great drives, ending in fourteen points.

Darrius Burks ran 24 yards to begin a long drive that ended with Jeremy Cook rushing through the middle of ESJ’s defense for the touchdown. In anattempt to pull farther ahead, Neville accomplished an onsides kick and continued the drive down the field. Ziegler made the touchdown and setthe final game score at 45-21 in the middle of the fourth.

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