East St. John knocks off No. 8 Dutchtown, now contending for 6-5A crown after 1-3 start

By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

After East St. John fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter of its Friday night game with Dutchtown, it would have been easy for anyone to bury the Wildcats.

It would be just as easy, in fact, as it would have been after the team’s 1-3 start to the season.

But after the game concluded, East St. John served notice – the Wildcats are very much alive.

Alex Singleton rushed 29 times for 148 yards and two touchdowns as East St. John knocked off No. 8 ranked Dutchtown, 17-14, in a District 6-5A contest.

&#8220What a comeback this is for us,” said East St. John Coach Larry Dauterive. &#8220This comeback was initiated by the defense. To hold their two running backs like we did was huge.”

Bryce Robertson’s 24-yard field goal with 10:35 remaining in the game capped off a run of 17 unanswered points for the Wildcats, and put them ahead for good.

&#8220I just knew I had to go out there and do my job,” said Robertson, who was filling in for the Wildcats’ usual placekicker, the injured Brandon Trant.

&#8220They put me there for a reason,” Robertson said.

Robertson, also the team’s free safety, was also key to a Wildcats defense that held one of the most powerful rushing offenses in the state scoreless for the last three quarters.

The Griffins’ running back tandem of Kelvin York and Eddie Lacy, regarded by many as two of the best runners in the state, combined for 112 yards. In the second half, the duo rushed for only 33 yards.

&#8220The defensive line put a lot of pressure on them, getting into their backfield and making the running backs to side to side, instead of north and south,” Robertson said. &#8220We just had to do our jobs and make the tackles.”

Dutchtown (5-2, 1-1) mustered only two first downs in the second half, and only 137 yards on the game.

After Robertson’s field goal, East St. John stopped two Griffin possessions, each on fourth downs.

&#8220These kids play 100 miles per hour out there for us,” said Wildcats defensive coordinator Philip Banko. &#8220We try to take away what you do best. Tonight, we wanted to take away the run.”

The victory means that East St. John (4-3, 2-0) is tied for first with Destrehan on top of district 6-5A. The two teams will face one another Friday night at Destrehan in a game that will determine the sole district leader.

East St. John fell into an early hole after a muffed punt led to Dutchtown recovering on the Wildcats’ 30-yard line.

York put his team ahead 7-0 after a 28-yard touchdown run with 8:05 remaining in the first quarter.

That hole got deeper when Lacy scored at the 1:25 mark of the quarter on a 4-yard run, making it 14-0.

But East St. John got a much-needed shot in the arm with 55 seconds left in the first half. Alex Singleton’s 1-yard touchdown run on fourth down made it 14-7 at the half.

It was the turning point in the game.

The Wildcats controlled the second half thoroughly. After East St. John’s opening drive of the half stalled at the 8:40 mark, the defense held Dutchtown to a three-and-out.

Another East St. John drive stalled deep in Dutchtown territory, and after failing to convert a fourth down, the Griffins took over. But Jamaar Cook recovered a Dutchtown fumble on the ten-yard line at the 3:43 mark of the third quarter. Seconds later, Singleton scored again, a 10-yard run at 3:35 to tie the game.

After some early success by Dutchtown running the football, East St. John refocused its efforts on defense – with stellar results.

&#8220They were hurting us early on,” said Dauterive. &#8220We committed our free safety (Robertson) to the run. He was all over it. It was a masterful job by (Banko) with his adjustments.”

His praise for his do-it-all free safety didn’t stop there.

&#8220Robertson’s a phenom. He’s like the Tasmanian Devil, always all over the field.”