Two teams will be hungry for a win this Friday night as Hahnville visits Thibodaux, both teams emerging from facing respective brutal schedules and both teams looking to improve to 2-4 this season.
Hahnville is fresh off of back-to-back matchups with Destrehan and East St. John, two district foes that have combined to go 10-0 to start the season, and has also faced unbeaten Newman and an esplosive 3-2 Mandeville squad. Thibodaux, meanwhile, has faced off with a defending state champion in Lutcher, strong River Parishes schools in East St. John and St. James, and E.D. White.
There’s no secret as to what Hahnville is looking for in this matchup – a springboard to a strong second half, as was the case a season ago when HHS scored a 49-20 victory over Thibodaux to start a 4-1 second half.
And though Hahnville lost last week, 42-37 at ESJ, there were some positives to build upon – the Tigers offense was in its best form of the season against an East St. John defense that’s been stingy this season.
“I thought we did a good job on some things, getting (quarterback Ryan Gregson) comfortable and changing his launch point. Our offensive line played well and we got the run going in the second half … when you can run the ball, it makes everything click. I was pleased with how physical we played and how we handled a crazy atmosphere on the road, with their alumni day and homecoming,” said Hahnville head coach Daniel Luquet.
But to start getting wins, Luquet said the team is going to have to blend all three phases of the game together more than it has thus far this season. Getting the offense and defense both clicking in a given night remains a major focus. Some special teams mistakes cost the Tigers as well, and Luquet said some adjustments have been made to hopefully minimize that going forward.
“We’ve got to put two good halves together and play complimentary football,” Luquet said.
Thibodaux is in its first season under head coach Drey Trosclair, and THS has run a very aggressive defense under his watch, led by linebacker Rashaad Jackson.
“They have really good linebackers and they send lots of pressure,” Luquet said. “They bring guys from all over the place, try to create havoc and take advantage of your mistakes. That presents some challenges for us in protection on the offensive side that we’ll have to answer.”
Offensively, Thibodaux has likewise taken more shots under Trosclair, with Brayden Becnel leading the way at quarterback. His top targets include running back Amari Griffin and wide receiver Bryson Woods.
“They throw it much more than they did previously,” Luquet said. “The receivers are good and the quarterback has a little moxie. They do a really good job mixing in different formations.”
A DIFFERENT DIMENSION: One element of the Hahnville offense that has added some punch is the threat quarterback Ryan Gregson presents to take off and run. Last week, Gregson ran for 63 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries, In Week 3, Gregson took off and scored on a 70-yard run in Hahnville’s win over Northshore.
Last season, Luquet spoke of a desire to see his quarterback use his athleticism more to put pressure on defenses and extend drives with his legs, and this season he’s gotten his wish.
“He’s an athletic kid, a multi-sport athlete … the biggest difference is, last season he was running around at about 160 pounds and those runs where he got popped, he’d go flying. Now, it takes more than one guy to get him down,” Luquet said. “He’s developed into a grown man at 185, 190 pounds. We don’t want to run him all the time, but he can hurt the defense when they give that option. I think he was 100 percent more comfortable doing that this past Friday. And he’ll have his chances again, I think, this week.”
IT’S GOOD: Freshman kicker Gabby Touchard took the field in the first quarter against East St. John Friday night and made her first career extra point.
Touchard, a standout soccer player, began kicking as an 8th grader with the football team at J.B. Martin and last week was her on-field debut at the high school level.
Luquet noted Touchard went 7-for-7 last week in junior varsity and 8th grade ball, earning her chance to debut on the road and in a tough district game. Sophomore Myles Borey – who made a 49-yard field goal a week prior against Destrehan – took over from there, and it seems to be great news for the Tigers who have two young kickers with a lot of potential.
“We rotate (Borey and Touchard) pregame and she’s pretty automatic within her range,” Luquet said. “She earned the opportunity. Gabby’s a phenomenal soccer player, travel ball, nationals … and I don’t care who you are or what position you play, if you can go out and execute at East St. John, in that atmosphere, then there’s nothing that’s going to make you nervous from there. She works hard and has done everything we ask her to do, and she’ll have many more opportunities to kick for us on Friday nights.”
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