TIGERS OUTLAST WILDCATS

Published 12:00 am Monday, October 8, 2007

HHS remains undefeated in district play; Bardell, Heltz among those that shine for ESJ

by RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

For Hahnville, Thursday’s victory at East St. John was important because it meant the Tigers remain on a roll, staying undefeated in district play.

For the Wildcats, the loss may have represented something more – a turning point for the better.

East St. John finally played with the passion and emotion that Wildcats Coach Monica Hebert has been looking for from them all season. But it wasn’t enough to keep a very strong Hahnville team from a 25-16, 26-24, 25-15 win.

&#8220I told them after this game, this was the first time that I’ve seen them play this year that they’ve played with that intensity,” Hebert said. &#8220That’s what we’ve lacked. That will make a big difference if we keep it up.”

Said East St. John’s Emily Heltz, &#8220We wanted it so badly. That’s our biggest rival. We fought hard and pumped each other up during every time out.”

Hahnville’s Alexis Marvin led the Tigers (10-8, 4-0) with 14 kills, three aces and three digs.

&#8220We became one,” Marvin said. &#8220Our team motto is to be one on the floor. If we encourage each other and stick together, we can come out of anything.”

Hahnville’s Raven Scott had 32 assists. Nadia Cox added 12 kills.

Monique Briggs led East St. John (7-10, 0-4) with three kills. Brandi Bardell added two, and Chantell Bush and Raven Simmons added one each. Heltz had the team’s only ace.

Hebert credited Bardell and Heltz for their hustle throughout the match.

&#8220They were all over the floor today,” Hebert said.

Hahnville took control of the first game early and won by nine, 25-16. The second game, however, was the highlight of the match – a back and forth affair that saw each team gain the advantage at different times.

Hahnville took an early 5-1 lead, but East St. John rallied to tie the game at seven. The Wildcats took their first lead of the game, 10-9, a short time later.

The Tigers tied the game, but East St. John scored the next four points to make it 14-10. The Wildcats would take their largest lead of five for the first time when a Heltz hit found a hole in the defense and made it 17-12.

East St. John’s Mariah Wilder would do the same a short time later to make it 20-15. But Hahnville quickly marched back in it, scoring the next five points to tie the game at 20.

The teams traded points from there. Scores on balls hit by Wilder, Simmons, Bardell and Jasmine Marshall each gave East St. John a one-point lead, and each time Hahnville erased the deficit on the next point. Finally, with the score tied at 24, Hahnville scored the next two points, the game-winner coming on a kill by Scott.

East St. John opened the third game strong with a kill by Briggs and two consecutive aces by Heltz, making it 3-0.

Hahnville scored ten of the next thirteen points to take a 10-6 lead. That run was capped by a Cox kill.

Kills by Marvin and Cox would soon begin another run, this time a five point one that saw Hahnville take a commanding 17-8 lead. From there, Hahnville coasted.

The Tigers showed everyone in attendance that they will be a force going forward. But the Wildcats showed their own potential – hanging with perhaps the best the district has to offer bodes well for upcoming district affairs at home with East Ascension and St. Amant.

Their improvement in play comes at a much-needed time, particularly following a tough loss earlier this week on the road against Destrehan. Tuesday. East St. John lost a close first game, 25-21, but then fell into a rough patch, losing 25-9 and 25-13. Destrehan improved to 11-9 (1-2 in the district). Wilder had East St. John’s only kill.

For Destrehan, Jessica Cimino had 36 assists. Christina Marchese had 24 digs and Taylor Vanderwerff had 14 kills.