DANIEL TYLER GOODEN / L’Observateur / November 4, 2000

DESTREHAN – Though Destrehan started off slow last night, they walked off the field beating Hammond 32-17. Both teams fought hard and someincredible hits and plays made for an exciting game.

Destrehan concluded its regular season at 8-2 overall. Hammond fell to 7-3.The Hammond Tornadoes put the first score on the board as kicker Jim Hall made a 28-yard field goal. Destrehan stepped up to and did the same on itsnext drive. Jonathan Scifres made a 34-yard field goal, after the Wildcatsstalled out on the 16 yard-line. The score was tied at 3 with 2:28 left in thefirst quarter.

In a stretch of bad luck, Wildcat running back Dechad Ward ended the next two drives with a fumble, the second one on the Tornadoes’ 4-yard line.

Hammond moved up to its 17-yard line, but a sack by Lekeith Robinson put the ball back on the 10 with 17 yards to go. Hammond running back WyattVial suddenly made an incredible run, shooting up the right side for a 90-yard run. The Tornadoes moved ahead 10-3 as the kick was good.With less than two minutes left in the half, Destrehan began their drive on the 10-yard line after a penalty pushed them back from the 20. Randy Roththrew a quick pass which was intercepted by Ray Kimble on the 15-yard line.

Sprinting for the left side, Kimble hooked in at midfield for another touchdown. Hall put up another good extra point kick and the score settled to17-3 at the end of the first half.

The second half found both teams more focused, confident and ready to win.

Destrehan made the first break though with 7:20 on the clock.

Down at Hammond’s 34-yard line, the drive stalled out. As Hammond receivedthe punt, Robinson nailed the receiver, knocking the ball loose. JonathanSesser recovered the ball and the Wildcats got a second chance at a touchdown.

Ward was the work horse of the next drive. Five out of seven plays, Wardran the ball down field, bringing the team to the goal line. Roth finished thedrive as he rushed the last yard and entered the end zone. Destrehan creptforward on the board, 17-10.

The Wildcat defense lassoed the Tornadoes and held them in place during the next drive. The Destrehan offense picked up at their own 23-yard line andbegan another drive toward a touchdown.

At Hammond’s 44-yard line, Roth passed to wide receiver Fred Smith who made the catch over his shoulder at the 25-yard line just as the third quarter clock ran out. Smith juked left, throwing off the last defender andskipped around him to finish his run for the end zone. Another good kick byScifres tied the game.

In the fourth quarter, again Robinson proved his worth. His tormenting of theTornadoes offense included a sack on their 18-yard line. A punt, blocked byQuentin Bradley, was knocked down field into the end zone and out of bounds for a safety by Robinson. Two more points were added to the score forDestrehan, making it 19-17.

The Wildcats, looking to continue their high scoring pace, began their drive at the Tornadoes 34-yard line as the punt was returned from the 20 by Smith.

Roth threw into the end zone on the first play but it was intercepted by Ray Kimble.

Hammond went no where, and Destrehan started off the next drive on its 35 yard line. Again Ward was put in charge of the drive. In a 22-yard run, Wardwas brought down by the last man, dragging behind him on the 35-yard line.

The next three plays, the defense couldn’t hold him back and an 11-yard run, beautifully executed up the middle, put another six points on the board for the Wildcats. The kick floated and fell short of the uprights, and the scorestayed at 25-17, Destrehan, with 6:33 left in the game.

Robinson later made another sack, again nailing quarterback Scott Eyster from behind, but no other score was made until the last 54 seconds in the game.

Hammond, taking a chance, threw an incomplete pass on its fourth down at their 30-yard line. Destrehan again gave it all to Ward and five plays later, upthe middle the ball went from the 1-yard line. The kick was good and the finalscore showed Destrehan with 32, Hammond with 17.

Destrehan is projected to play at Carencro for the bi-district playoffs.

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