By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

Considering the overall speed on the field during Friday night’s matchup between Destrehan and St. James, many likely expected a shootout.

Instead, they got a slugfest.

Midway through the second quarter, the teams had combined for only three points. But in the end, the Destrehan passing game proved too explosive to bottle up forever.

Destrehan quarterback Jordan Jefferson passed for 234 yards and two touchdowns to lead his team over host St. James, 20-7.

&#8220St. James is an excellent team,” said Destrehan Coach Stephen Robicheaux. &#8220We’re very excited to get the win.”

Damaris Johnson caught nine passes for 158 yards and a touchdown to lead Destrehan. Ryan Rome kicked two field goals, from 42 and 37 yards.

Luther Ambrose rushed 10 times for 80 yards to lead St. James. Kenny Zenon rushed 10 times for 46 yards.

Each offense struggled in one phase of the game while excelling in another. St. James was unable to mount any sort of passing attack, notching only 24 yards passing, but amassed 165 yards rushing. Destrehan rushed for 33 yards but passed for 229.

St. James Coach Rick Gaille said that there were some missed opportunities to score that came back to bite his team.

&#8220In a game like that, you’re going to have maybe three or four opportunities to score and put the pressure on. We only converted one of those,” Gaille said.

St. James was plagued by drops, penalties and turnovers – the Wildcats had four giveaways in the game, not including a Destrehan punt block.

Destrehan missed some opportunities of its own, though. After Chris Richard blocked a St. James punt, placing the ball at the St. James 15, Destrehan stalled, settling for a 42-yard Rome field goal.

On the Destrehan’s next possession, set up again by Richard, who intercepted a Marcus Dumas pass, the Wildcats fumbled.

Much of St. James defensive success early, Gaille said, was due to it giving Destrehan multiple looks.

&#8220Against an offense with so many weapons, if you let them know what’s coming at them, it makes it very hard to stop,” Gaille said.

St. James took its first and only lead of the game, 7-3, after running back Gary Davis scored on a 19-yard run at the 6:36 mark of the second quarter.

But Destrehan’s quick strike nature soon came to the forefront. Jefferson found Molton open downfield for a 56-yard score, giving Destrehan a 10-7 lead with 5:22 left in the half.

With 4:48 left in the third quarter, Jefferson struck again, this time finding Johnson for a 23-yard scoring strike, making it 17-7.

Rome’s 37 yard field goal at the 10:45 mark of the fourth quarter made it 20-7, ending the scoring.

Robicheaux said that the effort of the Destrehan defense against a strong offensive team in St. James was especially encouraging.

&#8220To give up only seven points there is big for our defense,” Robicheaux said.