A position by position preview of the 2026 Hahnville Tigers:
Quarterback
Landen Teague enters his senior season as Hahnville quarterback and brings plenty of experience to the huddle. This will be his third season as the team’s starter, leading the team to a 17-6 record in that timeframe while tallying 42 touchdown passes.
“He’s had a good offseason, both in the summer and spring,” said Hahnville head football coach Greg Boyne. “I don’t know if I remember one interception in all of the 7 on 7s we played. He knows what we want to do and he knows the offense inside and out. He’s working with a different group of wideouts, but a couple of those guys have been there with him for the past two years, so he’s got a high level of comfort with them.”
Boyne said Teague took a big step forward last year, and that the Tigers are looking for an even bigger year from him.
“He was obviously very comfortable and had a phenomenal year for us,” said Boyne. I think that next step where we see him kind of putting the team on his back and running with it.”
With 23 starts under Teague’s belt, it gives Boyne a different kind of comfort level – as well as excitement – as an offensive play caller.
“To know learn the offense is one thing, but to learn when defenses do certain things, little nuances of a defense, as a high school kid … when he sees a team rolling coverages, he not only recognizes it, he knows what to do. He knows what the receiver should be doing. He’ll tell me, ‘Coach, let me explain (to the receiver) how I want to do this, and 99.9 percent of the time it’s exactly how we need it to be,” Boyne said.
Sophomore Madden Mayhew will back up Teague this season.
Running back
It’s been a different type of offseason from a year ago for senior Fabian Celestine, who spent his 2025 preseason ramping up after rehabilitating a broken leg suffered late in the 2024 season.
Hahnville has long had a great tradition of highly productive rushers. Celestine is another, and brings game breaking speed to the equation. He recently committed to Northwestern State, where he will play at the collegiate level.
“He’s a leader on this team,” said Boyne. “He’s become more vocal. Whoever was getting him was going to be lucky – he’s grown up and developed into a Division I talent, and committing to a Division I program is proof of that. It’s been really fun to watch. He’s a humble, quiet kid, just like Landen.”
Celestine rushed for more than 1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns last season.
Boyne said Celestine has dedicated himself in the weight room and to taking care of his body to stay at his best on the field.
“Not that he wasn’t before, but he’s really dedicated himself to that this offseason,” said Boyne. “He’s had a couple soft tissue things that never stopped him from playing, but slowed him down. He’s healthy and he’s ready to go.”
Senior Treson Fields and junior Jackson Porter will be his primary backups, leading a group that also includes sophomore Demari Celestine and junior Jamar Lewis. This is a position with quality depth, and Fields and Porter are each experienced players. Porter is returning to the field after a shoulder injury ended his 2025 season.
“They’ve got a tight knit group,” said Boyne. “When they’re doing ball security drills, they knock the heck out of each other. I think they make each other better.”
Boyne said Porter will move around to different spots to get onto the field, including the slot – he practices with both the receivers and running backs, and also mixes in as Wildcat quarterback, as Bennett Naquin did a year ago.
Fields did not play football as a sophomore, but returned last year. The compact, physical back scored a touchdown in last week’s scrimmage against Holy Cross, pushing his way through contact for the score.
“He might not have gotten it last year, but he’s stronger now and was able to push the pile,” Boyne said. “In the weight room, he’s one of our strongest kids in a lot of the lifts.”
Receivers and tight ends
Seniors Aaron Williams and Kaiden Bran already have established chemistry with Teague. Williams made one of the highlight plays of the scrimmage against Holy Cross, getting his defender to bite on a double move and hauling in a long touchdown that tied the exhibition’s score with just seconds left in the timed quarter portion. Williams will play on the outside, Bran in the slot.
“They’re very reliable,” said Boyne. “There’s a trust level between them and Landen – they’ve grown up together here. We’re expecting great things from both of them.”
Boyne said the team is excited about the group as a whole. Gage Touchard has had a strong offseason and will line up in the slot. Boyne noted Touchard, a junior, adds a physical blocking presence in the run game. Early James, another junior, is another player Boyne said has been a standout this offseason – he was knocked out of last week’s scrimmage with an injury, but Boyne said James might be ready for Week 1.
“He was on fire the other night (before the injury),” said Boyne. “He was having a heck of a game.”
Junior Dwayne Cola is another outside receiver who the Tigers are counting on.
“He’s gained some confidence. He’s developed steadily this offseason,” Boyne said.
Jaylin Lee, a senior transfer from East St. John, stands at 6’3 and is back on the gridiron after focusing on basketball for the last two years. He’ll play on the outside.
Senior Raanan Russ will see time on both sides of the ball – linebacker on defense and tight end/h-back on offense. Russ has played end for Hahnville previously, so he’s learning two new positions. Boyne called Russ a natural at tight end.
“He’s a smart football player. He knows the game, and he knows it from the defensive side too. I think that helps. He knows when he sees certain things, how to adjust and maybe make a block that a guy who hasn’t played defense might not have that kind of grasp on,” Boyne said.
Senior Landon Echols will see time as well, and junior Kollen Comardelle will play the position while also serving as a long snapper.
Offensive line
Seniors Ja’ron Myles and Kirk Bourgeois and junior Jacob Savage are returning starters. Myles and Bourgeois are the team’s returning tackles – Myles is a two-year starter for the Tigers. Savage returns at guard and brings great size at 6’3 and 300 pounds. Senior Cooper Mathews and junior Gavin Propps are new starters at center and guard, respectively.
Junior Dillon Propps and senior Mason Fielder are the next up and provide good depth.
“I like to have seven guys that are ready to play on a Friday night because you’ll get a helmet knocked off – things happen,” Boyne said. “It’s a very strong group and a very smart, coachable group.”
It’s also a likeable group of guys – though the coaching staff is tough on them, all the same.
“We’re hard on that group. Most coaching staffs are hard on the offensive line because it takes a certain level of toughness to play. And they handle it well. They don’t get down when you get on them. They actually get pretty motivated and push each other. And that’s exciting because to make any kind of playoff run, you have to be good up front on both sides of the ball. I’ve enjoyed watching their development.”
Defensive line
This is among the Tigers least experienced position groups, though a talented one.
Senior defensive end Beaux Woods began to break out last season, forcing five turnovers as he started the Tigers’ last seven games. He’s continued making plays and turned in a strong scrimmage performance last week.
“He’s gotten stronger and taller,” said Boyne. “He’s played at a high level through the summer and again on Wednesday night.”
Junior Lexi Verdin will man the interior at tackle, and fellow junior Gage Morales will play end across from Woods. Charles Tobias, at 6’3 and 270 pounds, gives the team a size element Boyne notes it lacked last season across the defensive line. Tobias hasn’t played football since his freshman year.
“He’s somebody we’re excited about,” Boyne said. “We still have some work to do with him on conditioning before the opener, but he’ll play and we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do.”
Braylon Raines, a junior, will rotate in at tackle, and Tyler Martin provides depth along the line.
Boyne said the team could mix and match starters depending on matchup.
“If I ask Coach (Malter) Scobel, who’s your starting D-line tonight, I think a lot of it will depend on who we’re playing. The starting group against Shaw might be different than the one a few weeks later against Lutcher,” Boyne said.
Linebacker
This group is led by Jaeden Downs and Austin Sanchez, playmakers in the middle of the Hahnville defense.
Downs, a senior, has built momentum since the pads have gone on, Boyne said. A “tweener” between safety and linebacker in his time at Hahnville, Downs has added weight and Boyne called him one of the Tigers’ faster players – and “definitely one of our stronger kids.”
“He made a bunch of plays the other night (at the scrimmage),” Boyne said.
Sanchez, a junior, didn’t play as a sophomore, focusing on baseball last year. But Boyne called him an “old school” player.
“He’s a hitter,” Boyne said. “He’s looking for contact on almost every play.”
Seniors Raanan Russ and Avery Benoit and junior Ty Summers will rotate in here as well.
Collectively, this is a versatile group.
“Just like on the defensive line, depending on formation or what an offense does as a whole from week to week, who starts depends basically on who we’re playing,” said Boyne.
Defensive back
This group is a strength for the Hahnville defense, with five of the team’s top six defensive backs having significant experience.
Senior safety Brayden Fontenot started every game last season at free safety and Boyne said he knows this defense inside and out.
“He missed some time on the field this offseason because he couldn’t do contact,” Boyne said of Fontenot, who returned from wrist surgery. “He was back last week and it was like all of the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. He knows the calls. He knows what the front is supposed to be doing. He knows what motions happen. He’s got that experience and football smarts.”
Senior cornerback Aaron Walker, meanwhile, is someone Boyne said is knowledgeable in much the same way.
“He’s really matured,” said Boyne. “He may be the most knowledgeable football player on the team. He knows our offense, almost by formation and where the running back is, he can almost tell you what’s coming. Either this or that. ‘How did you see that?’ ‘Well Coach, the back was lined up this way.’ He’s very football savvy.”
Cornerback Lionel Irons started every game last year as a sophomore; Drake Weber almost all at strong safety. Both have proven to be quality starters. Senior Nicholas Troxler saw considerable playing time as well, and Boyne
said he has a good offseason.
Junior Jeremiah Brickhouse is another promising player at strong safety, but will miss some time with injury. Sophomore Jerod Grant flashed his own potential last season as he earned playing time as a freshman. He has played as a receiver, running back and defensive back on the freshman and JV teams; he intercepted a pass against Holy Cross last week.
“This is a good group – a physical group,” Boyne said. “We haven’t really had that kind of presence since Jacob Jeffrey was here two years ago. Guys are a year older, a year stronger. They look like they’re flying around more and have a little more edge and physicality to what they’re doing now.”
Specialists
Juniors Jiang Chen and Landon Aymond will handle field goal and kickoff duties, while Brody Raines will be the punter. The trio will look to replace Myles Borey, the team’s kicker and punter for the past three seasons who graduated this year.
Brayden Fontenot, Kaiden Bran and Aaron Williams will be the team’s punt returners. Gage Touchard, Drake Weber and Williams appear set to get the first reps on kickoff return. Kollen Comardelle and Bran will handle long snapping.
