Led by prolific passer Josh Beck, Alexandria averaged a whopping 50 points per game during the regular season.
On Friday night, the Trojans left Hahnville with a scant 12 — none scored on the Tigers’ first team defense.
It was a thorough 49-12 Class 5A first round victory for No. 7 Hahnville, which has won six straight games, all by dominating margins.
“We were kind of a forgotten commodity midway through, and rightfully so,” Hahnville coach Nick Saltaformaggio said. “But I’ll tell you what, there’s a lot of people right now, looking at the bracket saying, ‘oh lord.’ Because we’re playing great. We’ve been playing great for six weeks now.
“When you can keep a team who’s scoring 50 points a game, averaging 50 a game … our offense is rolling. Mike is distributing the ball well, we’re protecting him in the passing game. We’re blocking in the run game. I think we’re going to be a tough out.”
Hahnville (8-3) will host No. 10 St. Amant next week, which advanced after besting Covington 36-21.
Jamonte Williams intercepted two passes, both in the first quarter to lead the defensive effort. His first pick ended Alexandria’s first drive, and Norquell Flowers scored his first of two touchdowns to put Hahnville ahead quickly, 7-0. Flowers scored from 8 yards away.
Alexandria drove all the way to Hahnville’s 1 in an attempt to answer, but the Tigers held with a goalline stand. Hahnville’s offense didn’t settle for creating a few yards of breathing room for the kicking team. HHS drove 99 yards, capping that drive off on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Mike Neal to Anthony Williams that made it 14-0.
Drew Dunn capitalized on a 30-yard Anthony Williams run to punch in another score for Hahnville, his 1-yard plunge making it 21-0 late in the first quarter.
Neal connected with Williams again, this time on a 60 yarder for a score, and Flowers added a 32-yard touchdown run before halftime to make it 35-0.
Alexandria (6-5) never got it going against what’s been an increasingly suffocating Hahnville defense. After a thunderous hit by safety Justin Young forced a third down drop, Michael Gray’s 49-yard punt return gave Hahnville its first score of the second half. Devonte Clark’s 4-yard scoring run rounded out the Tigers’ offensive output.
The Trojans scored twice in the final 4:05 of play, each time on Beck to Andrew Bell touchdown passes.
Alexandria had not scored less than 35 points in any game this season prior to Friday’s game.
Anthony Williams finished the game with 260 total yards, including 160 receiving yards on five receptions.
“We’re humble and we’re getting there,” Williams said. “We up next.”
Saltaformaggio said he believes the Tigers are where they want to be right now, and that the coaches and players in the Hahnville locker room are capable of beating anyone in the state.
“Hahnville’s always been a great place to play football. It’s the job I always wanted. This is why. When you have a crowd like that and an environment like this, the support from the administration … this is a dream place.”
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