Home Shows High School Football

Denham Springs Heads to Hahnville To Face The Tigers In First-Round Playoff Action

By
Jeff Palermo
-

The road to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome begins on Friday night with the first round of the LHSAA playoffs. The matchup on YurView Louisiana features two of the best running backs in the state, Hahnville’s Anthony ‘Pooka’ Williams and Denham Springs Tyre Golmond.

Williams and the Tigers enter as the 10th seed in the Class 5A playoffs. It’s the third straight year Hahnville has achieved a 10-seed or better. The 2017 Tigers are 8-2 and they are riding a six-game winning streak, winning their first district championship since 2012.

Denham Springs is back in the playoffs after missing out on the postseason in 2016. In his first season as the Yellow Jackets head coach, Bill Conides, doubled Denham’s win total from the previous season from three to six.

Golmond is the Denham Springs Yellow Jackets leading rusher in school history, with over 4,000 yards during his career. He’s rushed for over 1,000 yards every year and this season he has rushed for 1,211 yards and 13 touchdowns. Two weeks ago, Golmond rushed for 339 yards in a victory over Central. He’s five-foot-six, 158 pounds and excels at the cut back run.

Williams is 5’8, 165 pounds and doesn’t have all of his toes on his left foot, because of a lawnmower accident when he was 7-years-old. But he’s one of the most dynamic players in the state and has rushed for 1,734 yards and 23 touchdowns.

The Tigers are a run-oriented team as quarterback Jha’quan Jackson is a converted wide receiver, who has rushed for 817 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s only completed 18 passes, but Hahnville Coach Nick Saltaformaggio says Jackson has improved on his throwing as the year has progressed.

Hahnville’s defense is allowing 18 points a game and has shutout two of its last three opponents. Sophomore nose guard Adonis Friloux has 10 sacks. Linebacker Amonte Jernigan leads the team in tackles with 64. Senior Lloyd Jones has three interceptions and defensive back Hunter Leblanc is committed to McNeese State, where he plans to play both football and baseball.

Denham Springs defense is led by Kaleb Pipes, Dorsett Washington, Brennan Leblanc and Hunter Scott, a four-year starter in the defensive secondary.

Senior Justin Anderson will play both ways, as he’s a vital member of the Yellow Jackets secondary and he’s also averaging 10 yards a carry as a running back.

Junior wide receiver DJ Williams has division one potential as he leads the team with 25 catches for 367 yards and four touchdowns. He caught a TD pass last week versus Scotlandville.

The winner of this first-round playoff matchup will play the winner of the Ruston-East St. John playoff match-up.

Denham Springs is looking for its first playoff win since 2014. Hahnville is looking to advance past the quarterfinals for the first time since 2005.

Catch all of the action starting with the Louisiana Farm Bureau Insurance Companies countdown to GameTime at 6:30. Kick-off is at 7:00 from one of the best high school football venues in the state, the home of the Hahnville Tigers.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR