The Battle on the River rivalry week started with a lot of extra punch this week as Destrehan hosted Hahnville in a district volleyball showdown.
The Tigers entered as the favorite and though the Wildcats showed plenty of fight, a Hahnville team that’s stormed toward the playoffs all season continued to do just that Tuesday night, winning the match in three sets,25-16, 25-20, 25-14.
Hahnville’s Mariah Mott, Maci Hollingsworth, Jada Moore and Olivia Schlumbrecht each had six kills or more in the match. Kylie Spurgeon had 12 digs. Mott led the group with eight kills and added 11 digs, while Hollingsworth added nine digs.
Mott said this team is on a mission.
“We knew we’d have to come in and work hard,” Mott said of the win. “Seven of us (seniors) have been here since we were freshmen and we really want it. We’re working really hard and since we’re so close now, we’re even more driven.”
The Lady Tigers (27-5, 3-0) began the season intent on setting their team up for a deep playoff run, and the team’s seniors felt stocking the schedule full of top contending teams was the best route toward that goal. Head coach Mendi LeBoeuf granted their wish, and this week Hahnville is ranked No. 4 in power points in Division I – behind only Slidell, Dominican and Mount Carmel in potential seeding.
“I feel like, when we walk into a gym, I want people to say, ‘That’s Hahnville,’ like they would Dominican or Mount Carmel,” Mott said. “Playing against teams like that, going five with Mount Carmel – I feel like we’re right there and we just need to push on the gas a little more and go.”
Ebby Zeringue, the Tigers’ setter, has a strong connection with Mott built over their many games together. But this year she’s had plenty of strong finishers at the net to distribute the ball to.
“We definitely have five kids who can really hit and Ebby does a great job of moving the ball around,” LeBoeuf said. “That helps Mariah too, because we can move it other places, then get it back to her for more open looks. Mariah played really well today, very good shot selection. She went hard when she could and laid back and moved the ball really well.”
Zeringue said the atmosphere for the Hahnville/Destrehan games always brings pressure along with it, and it comes down to shutting it out.
“It does put pressure on you, but the most important thing is to try and keep yourselves together, and not let any of the outside stuff control what you’re doing,” Zeringue said, adding the special season the Tigers are having is fueled by a common goal. “We keep each other accountable. We trust each other and get the best out of each other.”
Hahnville held a consistent lead in the first set on Tuesday, jumping to an 11-6 advantage. The Tigers led 21-15 late when a Schlumbrecht kill and an ace by Makynzi Williams helped close things out.
A Moore kill got Hahnville rolling in the second set. The Tigers led 8-3 but Destrehan fought back, starting with a block by Destrehan’s Jasmine Baker and a string of strong serves by Victoria Morrow. A Harmony Howard kill cut the lead to 12-11. Hahnville answered with a pair of points, including a thunderous kill by Mott.
That ignited the Tigers, who maintained a lead from there before Hollingsworth landed a kill to close out the set, 25-20.
The two teams battled back and forth in the third set, with Hahnville leading 9-7 following a kill by Destrehan’s Vivien Brouillette. But from there, the Tigers took over. A string of 10 consecutive points, including three aces by Mott, spurred Hahnville along to put things away.
Destrehan (14-14, 1-2) will close out district play this week against H.L. Bourgeois on Thursday. The Wildcats unofficially ranked No. 25 in power points (per GeauxPreps.com) in Division I and will look to head into the postseason with a victory.
Destrehan head coach Miranda Kelley said her team knew it was in for a challenge against the rival Tigers, and that Kelley couldn’t have asked for more effort from a group that walked on the court ready to take it to its rival.
“Obviously, Hahnville is always a huge game for them, and they really wanted this one. It showed. They were communicating on every ball, hustling on every ball … this was the last home game for the seniors and they left it all on the court. I think they should be proud,” Kelley said.
Kelley said the playoff seeding in Destrehan’s range is very close and she hopes a win Thursday could bump the Wildcats up, but that regardless of seeding a victory would be big for momentum.
Hahnville, meanwhile, clinched at least a share of the district championship Tuesday. It’s final district match of the season, against Thibodaux, was rescheduled from Thursday to Wednesday, so a Tigers win there (after press time) would secure an unbeaten district season for HHS.
