St. Paul’s Wolves (10-1), the No. seven seed, used a big second half to roll post the Destrehan Wildcats 35-14 Friday night in the bi-district round at Hunter Stadium. St. Paul’s junior quarterback Alec Duncan passed for 246 yards with two touchdowns completing nine of 13 passes including clicking on his last seven attempts. Wolves’ junior defensive back Stephen Smith picked off three passes and junior linebacker Tyler Tourelle recovered two fumbles to help secure the victory.

St. Paul’s, winners of 10 consecutive ballgames after a season opening two-point loss, advance to the regional round and travel to Thibodaux to battle the Tigers, who edged St. Thomas More 15-14 on the road. Thibodaux is a No. 23 seed.

St. Paul’s, the District 7-5A champs (7-0), will be seeking a little revenge after Thibodaux edged St. Paul’s 25-22 on a late field goal in last year’s regional round game to knock the Wolves out of the playoffs.

St. Paul’s quarterback Alec Duncan releases a pass against the Destrehan Wildcats during Friday night’s 35-14 bi-district round home victory. Duncan completed 9-of-13 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns. SPS (10-1) advances to the regional round against Thibodaux. (Photo by Joey Michel)

St. Paul’s coach Ken Sears said it was a total team effort.

“Our defensive staff did a great job making adjustments in the second half. Our quarterback (Duncan) played well, our backs ran hard and our o-line blocked well. It was a great team effort against a program with a great tradition,” Sears said.

Sears said it was an outstanding effort from his guys.

“At the same time, we can only enjoy it for a few hours before we prepare to play our next opponent (Thibodaux),” Sears added.

Duncan said they knew they would have to pass the ball because Destrehan was stuffing the run.

“We knew passing the ball would be a key. Roll outs and play action helped us a lot,” Duncan said.

Duncan credited his offensive line with doing a wonderful job.

“They did so good. Colin Cunningham stepped up really well when Grant Hodgins got hurt. I didn’t have any pressure at all. They did a really good job and my hats off to them,” the junior signal caller added.

After a scoreless first quarter in which both defenses dictated play, Destrehan (5-6), the defending Class 5A state champion, finally broke the deadlock with senior running back Henry Lenox cashing in from 11-yards out with 5:31 left in the second quarter. The Wildcats went on an 82-yard, 13-play drive. Daniel Cimino’s extra point made it 7-0.

Following a fumble recovery by St. Paul’s Tyler Tourelle, the Wolves took over at midfield with 3:56 left in the first half. Tourelle, the Wolves’ junior middle backer and leading tackler on the season, recovered two fumbles. He was also in on 13 tackles including nine solo stops.

Trailing 7-0, facing second-and-seven from the 14, Stephon Smith scored an apparent touchdown, but the TD was nullified by a chop block penalty. On second-and-12 from the 20, Duncan connected with Mikhail Washington for a 19-yard gain for a first-and-goal from the one. Washington was stopped for no gain and lost two yards on second down. St. Paul’s used two timeouts with time winding down in the first half. On third-and-goal from the three, Duncan faked an inside hand off and rolled left finding Smith all alone in the corner of the end zone. Senior kicker Jake Saltalamacchia tacked on the point after to knot things at 7-7 with 36 seconds left in the half.

Following a Saltalamacchia touchback the Wildcats’ Kenrick Robertson picked up 15 yards, but later facing fourth-and-five they had to punt.

The ball was snapped low and punter Kurt McCune was tackled giving the Wolves’ excellent field position at the Wildcats’ 30-yard line with just 4.5 seconds left.

Destrehan was then whistled for encroachment moving the ball to the 25. Saltalamacchia attempted a 42-yard field goal. He had plenty of distance, but the ball sailed wide left to end the half at 7-7.

Destrehan held the ball for nearly five minutes after taking the second half kick off following a touchback, but the Wildcats were forced to punt after picking up four first downs including one on a pass interference call.

St. Paul’s took over at their 11 following McCune’s punt. The Wolves didn’t waste any time as Duncan found Jermaine Sams in full-stride on a strike and he broke a tackle outracing Destrehan defenders into the end zone. Saltalamacchia’s PAT made it 14-7 with 6:59 remaining in the third quarter.

Sams talked about his 89-yard TD catch-and-run.

“We were going waggle plays all night because that was working. Alec put the ball in a perfect spot and the DB missed the tackle. I just ran it in and proved what my eye blocks say (got speed),” Smith said.

Smith, referring to the words that were written on the tape under his eyes, said he used his 4.4 speed to outrace Destrehan defenders in a critical game changing play.

Smith said Duncan was on all night.

“He was doing a heck of a job. I just went to get the ball and just took off,” he said.

Smith, the St. Paul’s deep threat, tops the Wolves with 27 receptions for 633 yards and seven TDs averaging 23.8 yards per catch.

Coach Sears said Destrehan was loading the box and they felt like early in the first half they hit some play action and were wide open.

“Alec (Duncan) was great with his ball placement and our guys ran tremendous routes. They were right on. The Sams’ TD was a big play, which kind of turned the momentum around along with Stephen Smith’s first interception,” Sears said.

After Sams’ 89-yard jaunt, Destrehan’s Lenox took the ensuing kickoff at his six and returned it 60 yards being brought down by Saltalamacchia at the St. Paul’s 34.

Destrehan showed its determination putting the ball in the end zone on a five-yard TD toss from junior quarterback Taylor Dunn to Kyron King, who caught seven balls for 124 yards to tie the game at 14-14 following Cimino’s extra point with 1:42 left. Dunn connected on 15-of-31 passes for 199 yards, but was picked off three times in the second half by St. Paul’s junior cornerback Stephen Smith.

“Last year I had two interceptions and that was all I had. I have five altogether now. I feel really good about that. Getting my first interception was a big momentum change. I just give all the profs to my coach (Sam Francis), who put me in the right coverages,” Smith said.

“We cleared our minds about what happened in the first half. We dropped a few more people back in coverage in the second half,” Smith added.

Defensive coordinator Lee Pierre said he was very happy with the defensive performance, especially in the second half.

“Our secondary had a very good night. They were reading the plays and jumping the routes,” Pierre said.

St. Paul’s took the lead on sophomore fullback Dylan Long’s 2-yard run finishing off a seven-play, 65-yard drive with 10:55 left in the fourth quarter. Saltalamacchia’s point after gave the Wolves the lead for good at 21-14.

Destrehan head coach Stephen Robicheaux in his 10th year with the Wildcats said it was a heck of a ballgame for three quarters.

“Our kids came out and played well. We have been making mistakes all year and that’s the reason we were 5-5 coming in. We go down and fumble the ball at the five-yard line the first series and we drop a potential touchdown pass right after that. Those are things we have been doing as an inexperienced team,” Robicheaux said.

“My hats off to Kenny Sears. They have a good ballclub. Their defensive front is as good as we are going to face. That No. 94 Houston Bates and No. 99 (Mickey Johnson) are special players. They are big time players,” Robicheaux added.

“I really think they have a chance to make a little bit of a run. They have great athletes. Number 20 (Sams) made a big play when they needed it.”

Robicheaux said if you are going to win in the playoffs you have to make plays and said his job just didn’t do that.

Following a Saltalamacchia touchback, Dunn tried to hit De’Anté Armstrong on first down. Smith read the play and stepped in front of the pass for a key interception at the Wolves’ 45 with 10:47 remaining.

Duncan found Will Gensler for 14 yards and Washington gained four yards before Stephon Smith ripped off a 30-yard run setting up first-and-goal at the 7.

Smith gained four more yards and finished with 101 yards on just nine carries to help spark the Wolves’ running game. Long tallied from 3-yards out and Saltalamacchia’s PAT pushed the margin to 28-14 with 8:06 to play.

Destrehan gained one first down on its next series, but on third-and-10 from the their own 37, Dunn was victimized again by Smith on his second interception. The Wolves capitalized three plays later with Duncan tossing a perfectly thrown 43-yard strike to Gensler, who made a nice over-the-shoulder catch and raced into the end zone. Saltalamacchia’s extra point closed out the scoring at 35-14 with 4:22 left.

Sears said the Wolves’ offensive line played well. He praised the play of junior lineman Cunningham, who replaced starter Hodgins, who twisted an ankle and was forced to leave the lineup. Casey D’Angelo was switched from guard to tackle and Cunningham went in at guard following Hodgin’s injury. Sears said Cunningham did a fantastic job.

Destrehan put up one final drive moving the ball down to the St. Paul’s 15, but Dunn’s fade pattern in the right corner of the end zone was snuffed out with Smith in excellent position to snare his third pick of the night with just 1:09 to play.