MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / November 8, 1999

RESERVE – East St. John gave itself momentum heading into the playoffs,defeating South Lafourche, 41-16, in the season finale at Joe Keller Stadium Friday night.

East St. John wrapped up second place, completing the season at 7-3, 5-1in District 7-5A. South Lafourche finished at 5-5 overall and 4-2 indistrict.

Floyd Smith completed 11 of his 23 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns for the Wildcats. Roy Del Williams caught six of those passesfor 109 yards and three touchdowns. Terron Charles added four catches for81 yards and a touchdown.Chuckie Burl led the rushing attack with 39yards on nine carries. East St. John rolled up 251 yards in offense.Jonathan Hanberry completed 9-of-20 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions to lead South Lafourche. Walter Nelson had 12 carries for 61yards on the ground. The Tarpons finished with 225 yards in offense.East St. John dominated in every phase of the game in the first half. TheWildcats took over their first possession of the game at their 41 after a 25-yard return of the kickoff by Brandon Mason and drove 59 yards in six plays thanks to three penalties by the Tarpons. After an offsides call bySouth Lafourche and with the Tarpons double teaming Williams, Burl took a draw 27 yards to the Tarpon 27. A personal foul against the Tarpons wastacked on to the end of the play, giving the Wildcats a first down at the 14.

After another offsides call against the Tarpons, Smith snuck up the middle for 6 yards to the 3. On the next play, Branden August went off left tacklefor the score. Billy Hogan added the extra point, making it 7-0 with 11:04left in the opening quarter.

East St. John took over its next possession at its 38 after the defensestopped the Tarpons on fourth-and-6. On third-and-10, Smith scrambledaround right side for a 14-yard gain to the South Lafourche 48. Smith thenfound Williams on the left side for 14 yards to the 34. Three plays later,it was Smith to Williams again for a 14-yard gain to the 22.

Burl followed with a 10-yard sweep around the right side to the 12. Aftera holding call pushed the Wildcats back, Smith found Williams in the left corner of the end zone on a fade pattern from 20 yards out for the score.

Hogan again added the extra point to give the Wildcats a 14-0 lead with 2:01 left in the quarter.

South Lafourche drove to the East St. John 32-yard line on its nextpossession on a 29-yard pass from Hanberry to Nelson before the Wildcats held. Hanberry threw incomplete on third-and-12 to end the drive.The Wildcats defense made it 21-0 late in the half. On first and 10 fromthe 43, Joshua Allen took a pitch around the left side and fumbled. Masonscooped up the ball on a bounce at the 37 and took it down the left sidelines for the score with 4:45 left in the half.

It would be Mason again of the Tarpons’ next drive. On third-and-43 fromthe 8, Mason picked off a Hanberry pass in the left flat at the South Lafourche 22 and returned it to the 4-yard line with 5.5 seconds left.Hogan came in to kick the 21-yard field goal, making it 24-0 at the half.

The Wildcats kept it up at the start of the second half. Allen fumbled aftera 10-yard gain to the Tarpon 47 with Jonathan Miles recovering for the Wildcats. Two plays later, Smith found Charles slanting over the middle.Charles cut left and went down the sidelines to complete the 47-yard scoring strike. Hogan added the extra point, making it 31-0 with 11:19left in the quarter.

South Lafourche’s defense got the Tarpons on the board late in the third quarter. On third-and-9 from the East St. John 47, Cullen Redstock pickedoff a Smith pass in the right flat at the Tarpon 45 and returned it 55 yards down the left sidelines for the score. Nelson swept right for the 2-pointconversion, cutting the Wildcats’ lead to 31-8 at the 2:12 mark of the third quarter.

South Lafourche would get the ball right away, recovering a Smith fumble at the East St. John 45. Gavin Buffinet bulled up the middle for 6 yards anda first down at the 34. A 7-yard pass from Hanberry to Anthony Pitre andan 8-yard run by Dustin Parra moved the ball to the 17. After a 12-yardpass to Richard Lynn and a 3-yard run by Buffinet, Buffinet went off the left side from 2 yards out for the score. Hanberry then scrambled aroundthe left side for the 2-point conversion, making it 31-16 with 9:26 left.

But East St. John quickly put any thoughts of a comeback to rest. AfterWade Walker recovered the onsides kick at the 48, Smith went deep down the left sidelines for Williams. Williams went past his defender at the 13,caught the ball and went in for the score. Hogan made it 38-16 with 9:15remaining.

On the Tarpons’ next possession, Deval Ceasar intercepted Hanberry’s pass at the South Lafourche 32 and returned it to the 20. The Wildcats wereheld but Hogan came in to kick a 37-yard field goal, increasing the lead to 41-16 with 7:01 left.

South Lafourche threatened at the end of the game as Terrence Alario recovered a August fumble at the 39 and returned it to the 22. After twopenalties against the Wildcats moved the ball to the 5, the East St. Johndefense held, forcing Hanberry to throw incomplete on fourth down from the 2.

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