Tigers finally able to tangle with Destrehan

Inside the Terrebonne High School football locker room, the focus has always been on the next game on the schedule.

That’s what good teams do.

But community members and avid fans have always been looking ahead with their calendars circled on Nov. 2 — a Week 10 road date at Destrehan.

It’s taken a fall scrimmage, a jamboree and nine games of tough, hard-fought football to get to this point, but finally now, the Tigers can turn their attention on the battle that fans have longed for since the start of the season.

After weeks of anticipation, Friday night will be the premier showdown between the Tigers and Wildcats — a game that will be played on the River in Destrehan.

The Tigers enter the game with an unblemished 9-0 record. Just one team has been able to stay within 10 points of the powerful foe. The Wildcats are awfully good, too. They, too, have rolled through district play unbeaten. Their only blemish on the year was at the hands of a powerful John Ehret team.

Tigers coach Gary Hill said he’s kept his team focused on the present, but quickly added that he’s human, too — he’d have to have been deaf to not hear the noise fans have been making about the date with Destrehan on Friday night.

But after weeks of waiting, the game is finally here and players and coaches on both sides are ready for battle.

“I think we’ve heard some of the things that have been going around, but not a lot of people thought our football team could get to this point,” Hill said. “So for us, we’re excited for this week to be here to take on a really talented opponent with a district championship on the line. I think it will be a great high school football game.”

The teams mirror one another in talent, style and quality of victories on the season.

Terrebonne averages 39.6 points per game. Destrehan averages 38.4.

Both teams are balanced offensively with the ability to make big plays throughout the game with run-heavy offenses that can also pass.

Destrehan has five-star running back John Emery — a former Georgia commitment who decommitted this past week to reconsider his options. Emery has been one of the most explosive players in the state this season, sometimes only getting 3-4 touches in games, but making them all count for big plays.

For Terrebonne, the attack is more balanced. Senior Chaz Ward gets the inside yardage for the Tigers — the work horse who pushes the chains forward and gets Terrebonne in scoring position. On the edges, Jakhi Douglas is a weapon, as is Keshawn James, when he’s been healthy.

Hill said the key for both offenses will be to play as mistake-free as possible, adding that whoever plays the cleanest game will likely emerge as the victor.

“For both teams, we will be looking to limit our mistakes,” Hill said. “I think the team that does that will feel good about the outcome. Pre-snap penalties, turnovers — all those little things are even more important when you have two football teams who are explosive and that are evenly matched.”

On the other side of the ball, Terrebonne may have a little bit of an edge — at least on paper.

Terrebonne has a dominant defense, allowing just 10.4 points per game on the season. Hill said one of the unsung stories of his team this fall has been the play of that unit, citing that they are effective at both stopping the run and pass, while also forcing turnovers.

But Destrehan is fierce defensively, as well — even if stats don’t showcase the full story.

The Wildcats allow 17.5 points per game, but in fairness to Destrehan, they have played a murderer’s row non-district schedule, which featured games with St. Charles Catholic, John Ehret and Jesuit.

Hill said one of the big keys to the game will be the Tigers’ ability to limit big plays.

Destrehan has a powerful running attack, but if teams load the box with defenders, quarterback J.R. Blood is more than capable of making plays with his arm and legs, as well. The Wildcats also utilize several formations and hand the ball to receivers on reverses and jet sweep plays to keep the attention off Emery.

“They can hit you in a lot of different ways,” Hill said. “I think for us, we’re going to have to win first down and win at the line of scrimmage. If we can do those things, I think we will be do a lot of the things that we’ve done all season to be successful.”

The game will decide a district champion, but both teams know that win, lose or draw, they’re both going to the playoffs and will be hosting a first-round game.

Hill said he and his team are approaching this game like it’s a trial run of a playoff game. The Tigers have the luxury of knowing that while, yes, the game is big. It’s also not a win or go home scenario.

“We get to start our playoffs in Week 10,” Hill said. “But we also know that we just don’t need to win to keep on playing.”

Jakhi Douglas

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