“The 1959 Post-Season”

By Kenny Hymel

NOVEMBER 27, 1959
ST. JAMES   7
ERATH        6
Credit an article in the November 28, 1959 Morning Advocate
In what some say was one of the best St. James games ever, St. James took a trip to Erath for the first round of the 1959 playoffs.  In strong winds and temperatures below freezing, St. James and Erath fought a hard defensive battle.  By benefit of a successful extra point, St. James won by a score of 7-6.  All points were scored in the 1st quarter.
St. James would score first after Erath fumbled the ball on their own 20-yard line.  5 plays later, Stan Waguespack scored on a 7-yard run.  Donovan Scioneaux added the extra point that would become the deciding factor in the game.  Erath wasted no time in answering the St. James touchdown.  In just 3 plays on the ensuing drive, Erath’s Larry Langlinai broke loose on a 73-yard run.  The extra point was no good, thus the score was St. James on top 7-6 in the first quarter.  At this point of the game, many would think it would have been a high scoring game.  However, that was not the case.  The rest of the game was a defensive battle till the end.   Erath would drive down to the St. James 10-yard line, but the St. James defense stopped Erath on a 4^th down by inches. 

St. James wins on the road in freezing cold weather 7-6, by the all-important extra point. 

DECEMBER 4, 1959
ST. JAMES                        34 
ST. MICHAEL (Crowley)     6
“UPSET”
The big story going into this game was how dominate St. Michael of Crowley was.  St. Michael of Crowley, now known as Notre Dame, were ridding an impressive 11-game winning streak.  The “Crusaders” had out-scored their opponents 392-39 in the 11-game winning streak.  St. Michael also had 3 outstanding running backs, Dan Suire, Craig Henry, and Richard Suire.  All 3 were averaging over 8 yards per carry.  In all likelihood, many expected St. James to get blown out.  The game was played in St. James at Wildcat Stadium.

St. James began the game where they left off the previous week in Erath, battling a strong defensive game.  St. Michael also began the game with a strong defense.  At the end of the first quarter, there was no score and only 3 first downs, which the Wildcats managed.

Early in the second quarter, St. James made a statement.  A 46-yard run by Jimmy Waguespack may have demoralized St. Michael’s tough defense.  From there, some hard running by Stan Waguespack, and a costly penalty by St. Michael gave St. James the ball on the 3-yard line.  3 plays later, St. James quarterback, Ruben Bodin, snuck into the end zone for the score.  The Wildcats would go on to once again stop St. Michael’s offense.  St. James would get the ball back and Jimmy Waguespack would make another big play.  This time, a 32-yard run brought St. James down to the Crusader 11-yard line.  Time was running out in the 2nd half and St. Michael’s defense was holding strong.  Finally, with 5 seconds left in the 1st half, Stan Waguespack drove it in for the touchdown.  St. James would go to halftime with a 14-0 lead over a team that was supposed to “blow them out.” 

On the very first play of the 2nd half, Jimmy Waguespack made yet another big run.  This time, Jimmy’s run of 49-yards was for another Wildcat touchdown.  PAT was no good, however, St. James still had a 20-0 lead.

St. Michael wouldn’t go out just yet.  St. Michael used a screen pass that went 45-yards.  PAT was no good, and that would be St. Michael’s lone score of the night.

St. James wasn’t finish with a 20-6 lead.  Jimmy Waguspack would score another touchdown in the 4th quarter.  This time, Jimmy’s touchdown was 6-yards, which made the score 27-6 at that point.  St. James still wasn’t finish.  Now running away with the game, St. James’ Robert Granier would score one more for the Wildcats on a 6-yard touchdown run.  With Scioneaux hitting 4 out of his 5 extra points, St. James went on to upset St. Michael by a shocking 34-6 victory.


December 11, 1959
ST. JAMES     7
ZACHARY     6
This game was played on a rain soaked field, and it was to determine who would go on the State Championship game.

The Zachary Broncos would score first on a 77-yard pass from quarterback Mike McDaniel to James Pilgreen.  Zachary went for two and failed, thus making the score 6-0 in favor of the Broncos.

St. James would answer back in the 3rd quarter.  Stan Waguespack took it in from 5 yards and with Scioneaux’s extra point; the Wildcats took a 7-6 edge.  From there, it was once again a defensive game as St. James would hold on to the 7-6 score for the victory. 

The victory meant St. James would play the winner of the following Friday’s game between Oberlin and Mangham.  Some sort of way, there were bye weeks in the playoffs back then.  Oberlin would beat Mangham 26-6, and would be set to face St. James in Oberlin for the State Championship.


1959 Class B State Championship

December 23, 1959
ST. JAMES    19
OBERLIN       6
The State Championship of 1959 was played just 2 days before Christmas at Oberlin High School.  It would be the final chapter to the dramatic 1959 postseason for the Wildcats. Just like 2 of the 3 previous playoff games, the weather showed it’s nasty face.  Once again, heavy rains soaked the field turning it into a mud pit.

Oberlin would be the first to strike a threat, as they would recover a fumble on the first possession of the game, on the Wildcat 15-yard line.  The St. James defense, which included the likes of Richard Granier, Bruce Becnel, and Allen Perque, wasn’t going to allow Oberlin to reach the end zone.  The Wildcats defense would stop Oberlin just short of a first down on a 4th down play.

Oberlin would later strike again in the 2nd quarter.  This time, Oberlin Running Back, Hoyle Granger, pounded his way into the end zone on a 3-yard run.  Granger played a tough first half, and he also played great at Defensive Tackle. With the extra point no good; Oberlin led 6-0 at that point.

Oberlin would have yet another scoring attempt in the 2nd quarter.  However, this time, Granier, for the Wildcats, intercepted a pass on the Wildcat 25-yard line.  Oberlin would take their 6-0 lead to halftime.

St. James would come out in the second half a different team.  Effective running by Stan Waguespack on carries of 20 and 32 yards gave the Wildcats the ball at the 1-yard line.  Reubin Bodin would score on the following play and with Donovan Scioneaux’s successful extra point; St. James now led 7-6. 

The Wildcats defense once again delivered.  This time, Oberlin Running Back, Granger, would fumble the ball.  The Wildcats would recover at the Oberlin 43-yard line.  Great running again, this time by James Waguespack, Stan Waguespack, and Allen Perque, set up the Wildcats’ 2nd score.  James Waguespack, who in later years would become the head coach at St. James, broke loose on a 20-yard touchdown run in the 3rd quarter.  Scioneaux would miss the extra point, thus the score was now 13-6 in favor of St. James.
The St. James defense made yet another statement.  The Wildcats would stop another Oberlin scoring scare, this time on the Wildcat 13-yard line.  From there, the Wildcats offense would take over and march down the field for another score.  Richard Grainer would take it in from 10-yards out for the final touchdown of the game.  Stan Waguespack was stopped short of the goal line on the two-point try.  St. James now lead 19-6 and that’s how the game would finish.

St. James would win their first State Championship in school history.  The Wildcats finished the season unbeaten, however, they finished with ties against St. Amant and Thibodaux College, which would go on to become E.D. White. 

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