By JOHNNY PEPPO

Sports Editor

RESERVE – The Wildcats won their district home match-up against West Jefferson as Brandon Neal led ESJ with 28 points in a 93-65 win to sweep the Buccaneers for the year. But it was a win for Hahnville that may have decided the 5-5A title race.

The HHS Tiger squad’s 59-46 win over Destrehan on Tuesday broke a tie for first place in district between the two 5A Wildcat squads in the River Parishes. At 6-1 in league play, ESJ now holds a one game advantage with one game to go. But Destrehan can force a tie with a win, since the final game matches up the two 5-5A teams to determine the top district seed.

For ESJ on Tuesday night, the Wildcats took control with a 14 point lead through the first and a 53-23 advantage by halftime. Neil was joined in double digits by three other ESJ players including Trenton Marshall, who had 18, Jamaan Kenner, with 16, and Geohandre Dorsey’s 15.

In Hahnville’s win, the Kinsey combination combined for 27 points as the Tigers defense held Destrehan to four points in the third quarter to take a seven point lead into the fourth. From there, Destrehan managed it’s best eight minutes of the night, but couldn’t close the gap and fell to 5-2 in 5-5A. Hahnville’s win puts them at 4-4.