MATTHEW ALLEMAN / L’Observateur / October 12, 1998

RESERVE – Friday night the East St. John Wildcats faced the H.L. BourgeoisBraves at Joe Keller Stadium. It was the Wildcats’ Homecoming game, butfans didn’t leave as excited as they entered. H.L. Bourgeois defeated theWildcats 16-7 in a game decided mostly by miscues on East St. John’sspecial teams.

H.L. Bourgeois, the surprising team in District 6-5A this season, improvedto 5-1 overall and 2-1 in district play. East St. John dropped its firstcontest of the season, falling to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in District 6-5A.

Both defenses fared well, giving up minimal yards to the offenses. East St.John finished with 181 yards of total offense and the Braves with 150.

It was all defense until the Wildcats made their first error on the punt team. A fumbled snap gave H.L. Bourgeois possession on its own 30-yardline.

Nine plays later senior quarterback Kent Cedatol connected with his fullback, Arty Champagne, on a fourth-and-goal touchdown from 4 yards out. The point after made the score 7-0.The next drive was three and out for East St. John, and the Braves wouldtake advantage of it. Sophomore kicker Jered Nyssen booted a 46-yardfield goal with 6:51 left in the half, bringing H.L. Bourgeois’ lead to 10-0. Just before halftime the Wildcats drove the ball 63 yards to the Braves’ 5-yard line, but they failed to score when William Hogan’s 22-yard field goal attempt was wide left. At halftime the score remained 10-0.The Homecoming Court was barely off the field when the Wildcats finally got in the end zone. Junior running back Brandon August went to work,finishing the game with 12 carries and 101 yards rushing.

August broke a 40-yard run that set up Floyd Smith’s touchdown pass to wide receiver Jerome Anderson. Anderson’s diving grab gave East St. Johnsome hope as the score changed to 10-7.

That would be the last the Wildcats would see of the end zone, though, as the Braves’ defense tightened up for the remainder of the game.

The Braves’ final score came on another punt that was mishandled deep in Wildcat territory. Cedatol scored his second touchdown, this one on theground on a 1-yard sneak. The two-point conversion attempt failed, andthe game ended with a score of 16-7.

East St. John hosts Destrehan Friday night in a key District 6-5A matchup,Bourgeois travels to Galliano to play South Lafourche in district action.

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