Hahnville getting the job done

After a turbulent season on and off the field in 2018, things have quieted at Hahnville and that is a welcome change for all involved with Tiger football.

Don’t look now but Hahnville is unbeaten in 2019.

The Tigers have flown below radar to get to 3-0 after an easy 49-17 win over Higgins Friday night.

Daryle Evans ran for a pair of scores while Trey LaBranch and Cole Villasenior each added a touchdown run for the Tigers.

Drew Naquin accounted for three touchdowns, rushing for one score and passing for two more, one each to Chance Tregle and Corey Lorio.

Hahnville coach Nick Saltaformaggio is pleased with his team but feels it can play better.

“We’ve been playing fairly well,” Saltaformaggio said. “We were on the road the first two weeks against Denham Springs and Mandeville. It is important to get off to a good start. Our district is tough and we have to prepare well for league play.”

Hahnville went 6-6 a year ago in the midst of controversy and it did not sit well with the Tiger coaching staff or players.

“Our battle cry going into the season was to make last year an anomaly or to make last year a habit,” Saltaformaggio said. “Our kids want to re-establish what Hahnville has always been. We won a playoff game on the road but ran into Zachary again. I think our guys took the end of last year and carried it over into the regular season. We’ve come through it feeling we can be a really good football team.”

Hahnville opens District 7-5A play at Terrebonne next Friday night. Terrebonne blitzed Hahnville 41-0 a year ago.

“I told our kids about it,” Saltaformaggio said. “The game kind of imploded on it. That was my first game back from my suspension. It was raining. We had to move it to Thibodaux High School. We were only down 6-0 at halftime. The floodgates opened after we had a turnover.”

One aspect of the loss sticks in the craw of Saltaformaggio.

“They went for two after scoring to go up 39-0,” Saltaformaggio said. “It hurt me personally to see our program like that and to see our school and football community have to suffer through that. Our kids have looked forward to this game. We are their Homecoming game. We’re excited to be going back there. We are playing really well.”