ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / October 11, 1999

DESTREHAN-Sporadic rainstorms made a mess of last night’s game between the Destrehan Wildcats and the Central Lafourche Trojans.

With four fumbles between the two teams, it was a mad scramble on the wet field as the Wildcats and Trojans stumbled, fumbled and slid through the mud.

But despite the weather, the Wildcats, coming off their 5-overtime victory over East St. John last week, overcame Mother Nature and rolledover the Trojans 26-6.

Destrehan improved to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in District 7-5A. CentralLafourche fell to 3-3 overall and 1-2.

The rain even messed up the scoreboard stopping the game in the fourth quarter as they tried to get the correct time on the game clock. At onepoint the scoreboard was saying that the ball was on the 52 yard line.

The statistics of the game do not bear out Destrehan’s victory. TheWildcats had 172 total yards as opposed to the Trojan’s 248 yards. CentralLafourche had 11 first downs while Destrehan only had six. Yet at the end,the Wildcats ended up with 26 points on the scoreboard.

Central Lafourche received the ball first but, they fumbled and recovered the ball on second and eight. Unable to move the ball, the Trojan punterlaunched the ball almost straight up in the air and the Wildcats took over on the Trojans’ 29-yard line.

On first and ten, Deron Love fumbled the ball and the Trojans took over again.

But the wet weather put a hex on the Trojans and they were unable to move anywhere. The punter fumbled the snap and had to run the ball backup to the line of scrimmage, and again, the Wildcats had excellent field position on the Trojans’ 28-yard line.

Two plays later, quarterback Ivan Mashia connected with Dernell Arline for a 30 yard touchdown pass with 7:19 left in the first quarter. However,the extra point kick was blocked by Central Lafourche.

On the next series after the kickoff, Lafourche quarterback Andy Griffin was sacked for the first of five sacks by the Destrehan defense. After twomore plays they punted on their 20, but the punt was blocked by a voracious defense and the Wildcats recovered the ball on the Lafourche five-yard line.

Two plays later Mashia ran it in himself for a three yard touchdown. Therain started to come down really hard at this point and the holder fumbled the snap and the kicker again missed the extra point. The score was now12-0.

Lafourche came back and started to run the ball successfully, getting three first downs. Darius Griffin and Al Brown were really making somegood rushing yardage, but quarterback Griffin threw two incomplete passes and the Trojans were hit with an illegal motion penalty which ended the first quarter. At the beginning of the second, Lafourche tried togo for fourth and ten, but a screen pass only gained them five yards and they were forced to turn the ball over on downs.

The rain didn’t do the Wildcats any good, in fact they lost yardage and punted the ball away.

A slippery ball caused a series of three fumbles that put the ball back into the Wildcats hands, then back into the Trojans hands who lost it on the very next play with a third fumble on their own 5-yard line. Two playslater, Love ran four yards for a touchdown with 6:57 left in the first half.

This time, the extra point kick was good, and Destrehan was ahead 19-0.

The rest of the first half, both teams slipped and skidded up and down the field without any more points being put on the board. The Destrehandefense really showed its muscle by sacking Griffin twice in a row. TheTrojans tried a 43-yard field goal attempt, but fell far short of the uprights. The first half ended with Destrehan ahead 19-0.The rain stopped for awhile at the beginning of the third quarter and the Wildcats took advantage of the good weather and moved the ball down the field with a series of runs by Love. However, the mud and Trojan defensestopped them at their own 40-yard line and they were forced to punt.

Darius Griffin made a quick 10 yards. Then on second and 10 Brown tookthe ball and ran it for 52 yards and a touchdown. The extra point wasunsuccessful, but the Trojans were finally on the scoreboard.

Destrehan took over on their 24, but the rain, mud and holding penalties forced them to punt. Lafourche couldn’t do any better, in fact Griffin wassacked. The third quarter ended with both exhausted and muddy teamsbattling up and down the field with no more points being scored.

The Wildcats took possession of the ball at the start of the fourth quarter on their own 49 yard line and kept the ball in play for eight downs.

However after another holding penalty, they were faced with a fourth and 20 and they punted.

Lafourche seemed to perk up as they moved the ball from their 10-yard line all the way to the Wildcat’s 43, but then Griffin was intercepted by Danny Krieger and he ran it back to the Lafourche 39.

Mashia went to work and between the two running back Dechad Ward and Richard Jones, the Wildcats moved down to the Trojans’ 2-yard line. Withfirst and goal, Ward ran it in for a touchdown and the final score of the game.

Mashia had 11 attempts with 5 completions for 51 yards. He also had onerushing touchdown.

Deron Love was the highest rusher of the evening with 13 carries for 46 yards and one touchdown.

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