By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

The race for District 6-5A is going to clear up in a hurry this weekend, and it starts at Destrehan, where the suddenly surging East St. John Wildcats come in to attempt to end Destrehan’s undefeated season.

This game is one of the reasons we love Friday nights. The winner will control its own destiny in perhaps the toughest district in the state.

East St. John’s (4-3, 2-0) won four straight games on the back of running back Alex Singleton and a defense that has come on extremely strong within the last month, led by safeties Jeremy Pierre and Bryce Robertson.

Singleton and the East St. John offensive line will perhaps challenge Destrehan’s defensive front more than anyone else has thus far. If Destrehan (7-0, 2-0) can open the game up early and play with a lead, East St. John’s lack of a strong passing attack will likely leave them with a loss.

That said, if East St. John’s defense can play as it did on Friday night against Dutchtown, and the score remains close for awhile, East St. John can absolutely pull off the victory. Singleton has been close to unstoppable this season, and he will get his yards, particularly against a worn down front in the second half.

It will all come back to the matchup between the East St. John defense and the Destrehan passing attack. Destrehan has scored 17 and 21 points the last two weeks in regulation, and that may not provide enough of a cushion to take East St. John out of it’s running game.

Hahnville (6-1, 1-1) @ Dutchtown (5-2, 1-1) – This is another huge game. The winner here remains in contention for the District 6-5A title, while the loser is likely out of contention.

Hahnville’s defensive front has arguably won every battle it’s had through the first seven weeks of the year, and they will be tested by an elite Dutchtown rushing attack. Dutchtown was not really pressured through the air at East St. John, but should be while facing Hahnville quarterback B. J. Young and his dynamic duo of receivers, LaRon Byrd and Ivory Washington.

Newman (6-1, 0-1) @ Riverside (4-3, 2-0) – Each team is coming off losses to the resident district powers. Newman fell to St. James, and Riverside fell to John Curtis. Riverside’s offense, led by Jade Falgoust and Jarid Caesar, will provide a stern test for a Greenie defense that’s allowed over 14 points only once – 41 last week to St. James. The Greenie offense, meanwhile, is every bit as powerful, led by highly regarded quarterback Wes Luquette.

Brusly (1-6, 0-2) @ St. Charles (4-3, 0-1) – Brusly suffered a major loss at the hands of Lutcher, and it gets no easier for the Panthers this week as they travel to St. Charles for its homecoming game.

The Comets will attempt to get their first district win of the season, and stay a step behind Lutcher and Plaquemines. Look for Jonathan Cancienne to have a big day, and the St. Charles defense to build off its shutout at Pope John Paul II.

East Iberville (2-5, 0-2) @ West St. John (2-5, 2-0) – The Rams have shown great improvement after a brutal opening stretch on the schedule. A district title looks like a distinct possibility, and now the Rams running game has gotten going after a big effort by Kenneth Dabney (144 yards and three touchdowns) and Tyler Lewis (91 yards and one touchdown.