ESJ not throwing in the towel

Published 12:01 am Wednesday, October 14, 2015

LAPLACE — It’s been a rough season for the East St. John Wildcats (0-6.)

ESJ was defeated for the sixth straight week Friday when they played the Destrehan High School Wildcats (6-0) in their first division game of the season.

A 62-27 loss could have made anybody tuck their tail between their legs and run away, but ESJ head coach Alden Foster said he isn’t giving up that easily.

ESJ will travel to Boutte Friday to face-off against the Hahnville Tigers (3-3.)

“We’ve just got to execute the game,” Foster said. “Schematically, the team has been good. We just need to execute. We may have a few personnel changes, see how that works and keep going. We’ve got a great defensive staff. Now, we’ve just got to execute the game plan and be comfortable in the game plan.”

The ESJ game plan will most definitely involve quarterback Marquise Darensbourg and receiver Damonte Coxie.

Darensbourg finished Friday’s game with more than 313 yards passing and four touchdown passes.

“When my football team throws a lot, it means we’re behind,” Foster said. “Hopefully, we can get a running game going so he won’t have to pass as much. That’s the goal — to establish a running game along with the passing.

“Darensbourg and Coxie are two, obviously, good players. Coxie isn’t an LSU commit for nothing. They aren’t showing why he’s one of the top receivers in the nation. Darensbourg has really been there (for us.) He makes a lot of things out of nothing during the night. At the same time, when you have someone like Coxie as a receiver, having that as a quarterback is a nice compliment.”

Foster said he thinks the combination of Darensbourg and Coxie could be a weapon for ESJ.

“I think Darensbourg and Coxie are only going to get better,” Foster said. “They got better from last week. I believe they will just continue to get better and better. Hopefully, we will get the chance to extend our season a month to show that to everyone.”

Foster is hoping to start showing the Wildcats are getting better this week when they take on the Tigers.

“Hahnville is going to be a disciplined football team,” Foster said. “ They are going to be where they need to be. Their quarterback does a good job running the offense and their defense is right where it needs to be. They are going to play physical and they are going to play technical.”

ESJ and Hahnville were both defeated by Destrehan this season, with Hahnville scoring 23 points to Destrehan’s 48.

 

By Courtney Griggs