Hahnville fans will have a preview tonight (Aug. 21) of the 2025 edition of the Tigers as HHS ramps up for the season.
The Tigers will take on Holy Cross in a preseason scrimmage beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Tiger Stadium.
Hahnville head coach Greg Boyne said there was a bit of concern earlier this summer as the Tigers needed a preseason scrimmage opponent – word got to Boyne that Holy Cross was also looking for a matchup. Boyne and Holy Cross head coach Scott Wattigny set it up from there.
“They’re a physical team that was in pretty much in every game last year besides the Karr game in the Catholic League,” Boyne said. “I figured it would be a physical test … with a lot of new guys on the team, we want to get out there and be sharp, organized, and physical. We’ll be focused on ourselves and getting the details right.”
That’s typical of a scrimmage, where it’s often much less about game-planning for a specific opponent and more about fine-tuning things against live competition.
Boyne said he and his staff see a Tigers group working very hard and one that wants to win. There are a lot of new faces, however, questions to answer and positions to solidify.
“We’re a work in progress,” Boyne said. “This is a good group, there’s just a lot of unknowns that you don’t really know until you see it against somebody else.”
One of the biggest position battles ongoing right now is at cornerback. Raynell Gale, Al-Jarreau Walker and Avonte Smith are all pushing one another for playing time. All are seniors.
“They’ve been going back and forth pretty much all spring, summer and fall camp,” said Boyne.
Walker is returning to the game – Boyne noted he hasn’t played football over the past few years. The Tigers don’t have to look too far back to find a success story in a similar circumstance, as Jacob Jeffrey turned in a stellar senior season at safety last year after not playing previously at HHS. Boyne noted Walker as a strong athlete that will also mix in on offense as a running back or receiver.
“He hasn’t played in a few years, so it took us a little while to see what he was comfortable doing. But I think he’ll be an asset,” Boyne said.
At linebacker, Carter Burns is back, but there’s competition to fill spots at that position as well. Tigers junior Koa Romero will not be with the football team this year as he focuses primarily on baseball, and his shoes at the linebacker position will need to be filled. Boyne noted Jackson Porter has looked good there and Michael Propps, the team’s H-back on offense, is getting a look t linebacker.
“He’s flashed the past few practices, so that’s encouraging,” Boyne said of Propps. “When (Romero) got hurt late last year, we kind of got to see what some of our guys could do there.”
Offensively, there are six players vying for time, three primarily playing slot, three outside. All appear ticketed for significant snaps regardless, one way or another, as some are doubling as defensive players. Lance Marshall has been playing some strong safety and Aaron Williams some cornerback. Bennett Naquin, Boyne said, could also see time at safety.
“We can mix and match week to week,” said Boyne. “Some guys match up a bit better with spread teams, others against a (run-first team like) E.D. White fit more as a downhill guy at linebacker.”
The scrimmage format will follow a traditional format, with the first teams alternating 10-play drives, the second teams eight-play drives and then a timed quarter of live action.
“Last year we got about 32 plays with the starters and about 18 or so with the JV, so about the same,” said Boyne. “It won’t be as long as the spring scrimmage.”
Along the way, Boyne said some of the priorities will be to see some special teams work in action, get film on some of the team’s younger running backs in live contact and to see one or two of the Tigers’ backup quarterbacks get reps with the starting unit.
