East St. John doesn’t often find itself shut out in its own stadium, but a suffocating Hahnville defense accomplished exactly that in a 27-0 victory at Joe Keller Memorial Stadium in Reserve.
Anthony Williams posted more than 300 yards from scrimmage, including 280 on the ground, and scored three touchdowns to lead the HHS offense while Khalil Mason intercepted two passes to lead the Tigers defense.
It was the fifth straight win for Hahnville (6-2, 4-0), the last four of those each by 17 points or more. But this was arguably the most impressive win for the Tigers since it bested host Destrehan 20-13 in Week 4 of the season, this win coming over another Tigers rival that entered the night with hopes of pulling into a tie for the District 7-5A lead.
“We’re playing really well,” said Hahnville coach Nick Saltaformaggio. “I look at that darned power points (ranking) and they were talking in the office the other day. They’re like, ‘we’re 11 or 12, we’ll have to go on the road in the second round. I said, ‘well, how would you like to be the 5 seed and have No. 12 Hahnville come to your house?’And that’s about where we are right now.
“We were really, really good defensively tonight. When you can run the ball, play defense and get enough in the passing game, you’ve got a shot.”
Hahnville led 3-0 on a Thomas Rasco kick that was set up by a long Anthony Williams run. Williams struck again early in the second quarter on a 4-yard touchdown run, also set up by his own long run.
But Williams saved his most spectacular play of the night – and perhaps the season – for a little later. Jha’Quan Jackson threw a deep ball to Williams, who outjumped his defender and stabbed the ball out of the air one-handed. He corralled it on his feet and accelerated to the endzone for a 50-yard score to make it 17-0 before halftime.
A Mason interception set up Hahnville’s third touchdown, this one a 6-yard Williams run to make it 24-0. Another Rasco field goal in the fourth quarter rounded out the HHS scoring.
It was the first two interception game of Mason’s career at HHS.
“It feels good,” Mason said. “I just came to play. I’m real proud of my team. Everyone came to play and everyone did their job. We played great run defense and focused on allowing no big passes.”
Saltaformaggio said he warned his team that this East St. John (4-4, 3-2) squad could score points in bunches, and his team took those words to heart.
“They scored over 30 at Destrehan and did the same against Terrebonne. We knew they could score,” he said. “What we have now is, I think, the process over the past four years coming to fruition. These guys in the program love Hahnville, they want to play football for Hahnville, and you’re seeing the result of it.
“I really think we’re getting back to those Hahnville days that the people on the west bank of St. Charles Parish have kind of been yearning for. … I’m just really proud of my team.”
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