By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

With his team ahead 10-0 at halftime over rival Hahnville, Destrehan coach Stephen Robicheaux thought things may have been headed toward another down-to-the-wire finish, typical of the series between the Wildcats and Tigers.

But, typical of the 2008 Wildcats, the game would be decided well before the final gun.

Destrehan scored 23 third quarter points as it rolled to a 33-7 win at Hahnville in the District 5-5A opener for both teams.

Brandon Armstrong had two touchdown receptions in the quarter, and the Destrehan defense scored nine points off of an interception return and a safety to lock up the win.

“I thought with the kind of defense we were playing, if we could just get a touchdown or two (in the second half), we could nail it down,” said Robicheaux. “But I thought we might be about to have one of those typical Hahnville-Destrehan finishes at the half.”

 While the Destrehan offense got rolling in the second half, the team’s defense gave it some much-needed breathing room early in the third quarter. Rufus Porter’s 44-yard interception return gave Destrehan (5-0) a 17-0 lead.

But Hahnville (3-2) answered with its best drive of the night, marching 80 yards in eight plays. Jai Steib scored from 12-yard away to make it 17-7.

The Tigers seemed to have new life, as the defense forced a Destrehan punt on the Wildcats’ next possession. But Hahnville muffed the catch and Destrehan recovered deep in Destrehan territory.

Wynrick Smothers connected with Armstrong from 20-yards out to make it 24-7.

“We’re 17-7, we hold them, then we fumble the punt. That was basically the end,” said Hahnville Coach Lou Valdin.

Things unraveled from there for Hahnville. Destrehan pinned the Tigers deep and forced a punt, but Hahnville’s special teams came up short again – this time, the snap shot out the endzone for a safety.

Destrehan capped its scoring on the resulting drive, Smothers again dialing up Armstrong for a 33-yard touchdown.

Armstrong finished with seven catches for 98 yards. Smothers was 12-of-20 for 152 yards.

Darrington Sentimore, who committed to Alabama last week, and Porter each had five tackles to lead the Destrehan defense.

Destrehan held Hahnville to 155 yards of total offense.

Robicheaux credited his defense for slowing the Hahnville running game, particularly Steib.

“We held him to about 50 yards. That forced them to pass, and we were able to come up with some big interceptions,” Robicheaux said.

Valdin noted that the deficit indeed put his offense in a tough position.

“They’re very good. They keep the wide receivers in front of them, and they don’t give up big plays,” he said.

Smothers put Destrehan up 7-0 in the first quarter, running for a 26-yard touchdown.

Ryan Rome’s 36-yard field goal in the second quarter made it 10-0 at the half. 

Robicheaux said it didn’t take much to get his team primed for the game.

“There’s always extra excitement against Hahnville,” he said. “It’s a big rivalry. The kids are excited. Sometimes, you’ve got to try and calm them down a bit as a coach. But we went out and did what we needed to do.”

Valdin, meanwhile, felt the effort from his team could have been better.

“I’d have to say I’m disappointed more in the fact we didn’t play our best game, as opposed to the face that we lost,” Valdin said.