DESTREHAN ― It was billed as a can’t miss game, one pitting two Top 5 New Orleans-area teams against each other early in the high school football season.

By the time “it” was done, Destrehan had proved that the gulf between No. 3 and No. 4 was as wide as an ocean, if not larger.

Destrehan defended home turf and an 18-game winning streak Friday night, defeating Ehret 35-6 at Wildcat Stadium and giving the rest of Class 5A a reason to pause and re-evaluate itself.

Photo By Bradley Handwerger / WWL-TV.com

Destrehan's Darrington Sentimore (97) and David Lane (46) tackles Ehret's DeAnte Triplett (22) in the backfield during the Wildcat's 35-6 win over the Patriots. Destrehan entered the game ranked No. 3 while Ehret was No. 4 in the Class 5A poll.

“We weren’t flat. Destrehan was just good,” Ehret head coach Billy North said. “They’re underrated. I knew that.”

The Wildcats (4-0) held a high-octane Ehret offense to 119 total yards, of which a third came on the Patriots’ penultimate drive of the game when it already was decided.

In all, Destrehan came up with seven stops behind the line of scrimmage for minus-27 yards, not close to indicative of how often the Wildcats were pressuring Ehret quarterback Rico Jones and menacing running back DeAnte Triplett.

“I love the defense,” Destrehan senior quarterback Wynrick Smothers said.

Added Wildcats head coach Steve Robicheaux, “We’ve been watching film all week and those guys have been making plays.”

Destrehan pulled away in the second half, scoring on its first three possessions to stake itself to a 35-0 lead before Ehret scored on an 8-yard pass from Jones to Craig Johnson. The Patriots (3-1) missed the 2-point conversion.

But it was the game-opening drive for the Wildcats that foretold exactly how the game was going to go.

The Wildcats took the opening kickoff and marched 62 yards in 12 plays before Smothers fumbled on fourth-and-inches at the goal line.

Ehret recovered, but the tone was set.

“The big thing is it gave us enough confidence to know we can move the ball on them,” Robicheaux said.

Photo by Bradley Handwerger / WWL-TV.com

Destrehan's Kyron King, left, is chasedby Ehret's Dalvin Harris during the Wildcats' 35-6 win Friday night.

The teams traded punts, running out the clock in the first quarter and it appeared those in attendance were going to be in for a treat.

But in the month of Halloween, fans were only fooled into thinking the game would end up close.

After a 14-yard Ehret punt, Destrehan made quick work of a short field to open the second quarter, scoring in five plays when Myron Smith darted in from nine yards out.

With 10:10 to play in the opening half, Destrehan had a 7-0 lead.

It would only get worse for Ehret.

Destrehan lengthened its lead on its next possession, driving 53 yards in less than 3½ minutes to take a 14-0 lead when Smothers connected with Kyron King for a 12-yard touchdown.

King finished the game with 102 yards and two touchdowns on six catches.

Ryan Rome’s 52-yard field goal attempt with less than a minute to go clanged off the left upright and it appeared Ehret escaped the first half with some momentum.

But what Destrehan’s defense did to Ehret in the opening 24 minutes told the story – two first downs, 36 total yards, zero completions and a 3-yard per carry average.

The Wildcats, meanwhile, were getting 14.5 yards per catch and 4.5 yards per carry and outgained Ehret by 141 yards.

“We had a tough time moving the ball early,” North said. “They’re a great team.”

Photo by Bradley Handwerger / WWL-TV.com

Ehret head coach Billy North, right, helps off punter Isaac Brooks after the player tweaked a hamstring during the Partiots' 35-6 loss to Destrehan.

The misery was just beginning for the Patriots.

After a three-and-out to open the half, Ehret couldn’t contain Destrehan on its first series, allowing the Wildcats to drive 41 yards for a score. Smothers again found King open for a score, this time from 13 yards out.

Another Ehret three-and-out led to another Wildcats score. Smith scored again, this time from 14 yards out. Destrehan had a 28-0 lead late in the third quarter and it wasn’t done.

The Wildcats held Ehret, and again took advantage of good field position. Smothers ran in from the 13 to cap the scoring the Destrehan.

But by then the game already was out of reach. Smothers finished the game 10-of-16 for 134 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 38 more yards and a score.

Ehret’s standout running back Triplett ended with 13 yards on nine carries.

Now Destrehan looks like a legitimate contender to defend its 2007 state championship. After losing all of his skill positions players to college, Robicheaux wasn’t sure how his team would react.

He found out Friday night.

“This was a big win,” he said. “I didn’t know how this team was going to react. We’re a young team. I’m excited about how well we played tonight.”

For Ehret, it’s back to the drawing board. Don’t count out North and the Patriots just yet.

“Nobody gets measured for a ring in Week 5,” he said. “We lost three games last year and made it to the semifinals.”

• Bradley Handwerger can be reached at bhandwerger@wwltv.com or 504-529-6439