It was great to see and hear so many River Region football fans in the Superdome once again Saturday night. It was my first visit to the Superdome to cover a state championship game since 2011, when St. Charles took home the glory (I was at the Dome last year to see my alma mater, Archbishop Hannan, play for a state crown, but, ah, that didn’t go well …).

Destrehan came up one win short of winning its third state championship of the Stephen Robicheaux era. The emotion was clear on the faces of the DHS players in the postgame press conference, and it was clear in their voices. So, too, was it on the face of Robicheaux, a man who already has two rings. This was a special group in many ways.

Destrehan went 13-1 last season, but upon the graduation of quarterback Donovan Isom, it was thought the Wildcats might take a minor step back while it seasons incoming youth at the quarterback position. Not quite: Destrehan instead went 14-0 and reinvented itself as a running football team behind a beastly offensive line, tailback Will Matthews and multi-threat Kirk Merritt.

It would have been difficult for Destrehan, or anyone else, to best Acadiana, which seemed to make the right call or hit the big play in every key situation. Make no mistake, though — losing the threat of Merritt hurt. Merritt went out due to injury just before halftime, but he entered the game off an ankle injury suffered the week before. Merritt was the team’s most dangerous big play threat, a guy constantly stretching defenses vertically and horizontally on go-routes and screens. He was never right on Saturday, but he gave his all.

The Wildcats will be back, I trust, and soon. Robicheaux has guided this team to become a true state power once again, and what it did without having an established passer this season was pretty remarkable. When you look back at what Hahnville did as well this season in Nick Saltaformaggio’s first year — remember, the Tigers nearly beat Rummel in overtime, then beat Landry-Walker in overtime before losing quarterback Mike Neal — we may be seeing the heat turned up on what former Tigers coach Lou Valdin called “the freaking Superbowl” of St. Charles Parish. And here I thought that dial was already maxed out.

At the end of the day, though, look around at our region and realize not everyone, if anyone, has it this good. Eight prep teams, eight postseason appearances. Every single River Region squad won at least one playoff game. Four of them reached the state semifinals and one finished as state runner-up.

It takes quality people to achieve consistent success.

We certainly don’t lack for those in our region.