It was a major bounce back season for Hahnville in Greg Boyne’s first year as the head coach of his alma mater.
The Tigers went 8-3, earned the 8th seed in Division I non-select and won an opening round playoff game, a strong answer to a 2023 season that saw the team miss the playoffs for the first time in more than two decades.
Hahnville will have to fill some big shoes after the departure of Calvin “CJ” Smith, it’s do it all running back for the past few seasons. But an ascending quarterback in the second year of Boyne’s system and quality talent along both lines should give Tiger fans plenty of optimism heading into a new season.
Quarterback
Landen Teague heads into his junior year and second as the Tigers’ starting quarterback. The two-sport star – he’s a standout on the baseball diamond as well – threw 17 touchdown passes and just one interception last season over 11 games and led Hahnville back to the postseason. In his nine regular season games, he passed for 1,116 yards, 13 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Teague is mobile with a strong arm, and Hahnville head football coach Greg Boyne compares him favorably with many of the quality quarterbacks he’s worked with in the past.
“I’ve been blessed in my 25 years of doing this to have been able to work with some great quarterbacks and some great kids, and he’s right in line with guys like Kohen Granier, J.R. Blood, Donovan Isom, Jai Eugene and Jackson Fields,” said Boyne, who was Destrehan’s longtime offensive coordinator before returning to his alma mater of Hahnville. “He’s right there with all of them.”
Boyne is excited about his potential and very excited about his growth since last season – both literally, as he’s grown a bit taller and has added strength, and in areas like leadership.
“He’s the centerpiece of the offense and he spreads the ball around,” Boyne said. “He takes the blame when there’s drops – he does the things a very mature quarterback does. Abd he’s only started (11 games) … there’s a lot of growth left, and the sky’s the limit. He’s a college-level quarterback.”
Elijah Benson and Cade Laborde back him up, as will Bennett Naquin. Naquin, a senior, served as backup quarterback last season for Hahnville but mixed into several positions before the season was over, and has now officially moved to wide receiver. Boyne said, however, were Teague to be sidelined that Naquin would likely shift back to quarterback.
Running back
Calvin Smith was the catalyst of the Hahnville offense in recent seasons, but the talented rusher has moved on to play at Southeastern. He rushed for more than 1,400 yards and 21 touchdowns last season.
Fabian Celestine shined in his opportunities last season and will be the primary back for this offense. Before taking on that role, he’s had to work his way back from a broken leg suffered late last season – Boyne said the junior attacked his rehab work hard to get back to form.
“Fabian’s had a great offseason,” said Boyne. “You never know how a kid will be coming back from a (tibia or fibula) fracture … it starts with how they’re gonna attack the rehab, and then – I mean, he was ready to play in the cast. That’s just the type of kid he is. It killed him to not be out there.”
A group of young backs in terms of experience are behind him, Treson Fields, Leland Kalili and Jah’mar Lewis among them. Jackson Porter will mix in from his linebacker role to play on offense here in two-back sets. Al Jarreau Walker will jump over as well from his cornerback position. Walker, Boyne noted, put together an impressive scrimmage performance in his carries against Holy Cross last week.
These are all names to keep in mind – Boyne prefers to keep at least two rushers as regulars in the rotation to keep players fresh throughout the season.
Receivers and tight ends
This group brings a lot of senior leadership with four players entering their final year in the primary rotation. Seniors Lance Marshall, Kevias Singleton, Bennett Naquin and Karon Henderson are among those leading the way. Juniors Kaiden Bran and Aaron Williams are firmly in the rotation as well, and sophomores Dwayne Cola and Gage Touchard have taken on quality reps this offseason and in the preseason scrimmage as well.
Boyne said the talent is there and he has high expectations for this group, but also noted the wide receiving corps as a work in progress.
“That group’s come a long way since last season,” Boyne said. “I don’t think when last season began they quite collectively understood what it took to be successful in 5A football, and I think they get it now. It’s just a matter of going out and doing it. It’s a very solid group of guys with diverse skills, and a group we can interchange depending on matchups and what we need on a given week.”
That’s a plus given that several players play both offense and defense.
“If Aaron Williams needs to go play cornerback or Lance Marshall needs to go play safety, we have the depth to where we shouldn’t have too much of a drop off.”
Another two-way player, senior Michael Propps will start at H-back, with Landon Echols also mixing in.
“We’re making a conscious effort to make sure our best 11 are on the field, so we’ll see Mike split time between offense and at linebacker,” said Boyne.
Offensive line
This is a position group that loses five senior starters from the 2024 Tigers. It’s also a group of returning players that Boyne called the pleasant surprise of the offseason.
“This group that came up was pretty much our JV line,” said Boyne. “I think maybe in the back of their mind, they thought people might be saying there’s going to be a drop-off, and they took it personally. Lance Ranatza’s our center, he’s the vocal leader of the group. And the rest are guys who just come out, work hard … they all take the game seriously.”
Ranatza is joined by left tackle Kirk Bourgeois, left guard Kenneth Hebert, right guard Frederick Downing Jr., and right tackle Ja’ron Myles.
Downing played on the defensive line last season and will again this year, but the move to offensive guard as well has been a difference-maker, Boyne said – both for the offensive line and for Downing’s college recruitment, as offers have begun to roll in for the talented senior (6’2, 285 lbs.)
“We asked him and he immediately said yes,” Boyne said. “He didn’t question it. He spent basically the offseason training with the offensive line … he’s a natural. It’s been fun to watch his development on both sides.”
Defensive line
Downing is among the anchors here as well at defensive tackle. Ditto for senior defensive end Raymond Williams as well, who Boyne said is a cornerstone of the defense.
“He’s the vocal leader of our defense, if not the whole team,” Boyne said. “He’s the energy that gets everyone going every day. And he’s a heck of a football player, a very, very competitive guy with high motor.”
Boyne said this group beyond Downing isn’t the biggest collectively, but it is a fast group and a strong one.
“Once they get their hands on you they can move you, and you better get them before they get by you,” Boyne said. “And once they get in the pocket, they will get the quarterback.”
Junior end Raanan Russ looks ready to take a step forward this year as well.
“He had a little bit of a learning curve last year. He played inside more at Rummel,” Boyne said of Russ, who transferred to Hahnville after starting with the Raiders. “He’s a very good pass rusher. (After watching film of the preseason scrimmage), he had 18 check marks out of 22 plays, which for us means his assignment, his execution, was almost perfect.”
Senior Dahniel Banks combines with Downing for a formidable tandem inside.
“He’s gotten stronger. He dedicated himself to the weight room and put on some weight, some muscle, and he gives us another stout body,” Boyne said.
Jacob Savage and Braylon Raines rotate in for quality depth.
Linebacker
Carter Burns leads the way here. Burns played last year, starting several games, and Hahnville coaches challenged him to hit the weight room hard this offseason to add bulk. It’s what he did and as Boyne noted, “He looks like a different kid.”
“The Holy Cross coaches said man, coach, we didn’t realize that kid was that big. And I said, ‘he wasn’t!’ I think he’s developed into as good of a linebacker as we’ve had in awhile,” Boyne said of the 6’2 senior.
Burns is a strong tackler but also versatile enough to play a role as a pass rusher off the edge in certain looks.
Jackson Porter and Michael Propps will play plenty as well.
Ty Summers provides depth, as well as Chad Stroyewski, who is working his way back from an injury.
“We have some quality guys, it’s going to be about matchups and what we do week to week,” said Boyne.
Defensive back
Cornerback Raynell Gale brings the most experience to the fold and comes off a quality 2024 season. Avonte Smith and Al Jarreau Walker are also performing well at the position and all are jousting for playing time on the outside – and given the nature of the position, all will see it. Sophomore Lionel Irons, meanwhile, is likewise showing what he can do – “every time we put him on the field, he makes a play,” Boyne said.
“He’s kind of getting some reps … you can never have too many corners,” Boyne added.
Smith or Walker could slide over to the nickel spot as well. Aaron Williams should see time at corner as well.
Free safety is set with Brayden Fontenot manning the position. Jaedon Downs is the Tigers’ second deep safety when the team goes two-high, while the traditional strong safety playing down in the box will be more by committee. Lance Marshall, Savayon Weber and Aaron Walker and Drake Weber can all play there – again, matchups will determine a lot.
Walker, Boyne said, knows defensive coordinator Malter Scobel’s defense inside and out and will effectively play starter snaps.
“He is probably the most knowledgeable about (Scobel’s) defense. I’m trying to get him to be a bit more vocal. He can play both safety spots, he’ll flip from side to side,” Boyne said.
“It’s a lot of guys, trying to sort it out still,” said Boyne. “Those position battles could play up through the jamboree and the first couple games, depending on who has the best film.”
Specialists
Myles Borey has had a good offseason and returns as the team’s dual kicker and punter.
“If he’s confident and he’s locked in, he’s as good as anyone in the state – period, end of story,” Boyne said. “It’s our job as coaches to make sure he’s confident. His leg is a weapon.”
Brody Raines is the backup punter. Kaiden Bran and Aaron Williams will return punts. Fabian Celestine, Al-Jarreau Walker, Jackson Porter and Bennett Naquin will be on kick returns at different times.
Snappers will be Kaiden Bran and Kollen Commardelle and holder will be Bennett Naquin.
