By Zach Alvira
Head of Content
Hamilton knew the stakes heading into its season-opener against Centennial.
It was a chance to make a statement under new head coach Travis Dixon, one that would show the state that, despite a regime change, Hamilton was still considered a contender for the Open Division state championship. It was a chance to knock off last year’s Open Division runner-up, a team that dominated opponents not named Liberty all season.
The Huskies did all that and more Thursday night. It was the typical defensive battle, but one they came out on top of, 17-10, proving that they may be a step above just being a contender for the Open title.
“I’m excited for these kids,” Dixon said. “These young men in our programs they did a good job battling tonight. The win is for them. These guys are excited. Coming in as a new head coach, these guys are believing in what we’re doing and teaching them everyday.”
Hamilton came out firing on all cylinders, as senior quarterback Rich Lucero Jr. found a rhythm early with his wideouts through the air.
On the first play of the game he found senior Sabriam Torres on a short screen play. Torres, however, with his blazing speed, turned up field and out-ran the Centennial defense. He was caught inside the 5-yard line but a penalty brought the Huskies back.
In the end, it didn’t matter. Lucero moved the offense methodically down the field, connecting with multiple receivers in the first drive. He and Torres connected for a 15-yard touchdown to cap off the drive.
“Those are my guys, man,” Lucero said. “The receivers, the running backs, the defense, the o-line, they’re always at my house and we’re always hanging out. The bond we’ve built over time, we’re always on the same page and it showed a little tonight.”
The first-drive score for Hamilton appeared to be a precursor for an explosive night offensively, perhaps for both teams given the talent returning on the Centennial side.
But the game turned into a defensive slug fest.
Centennial junior quarterback Kainan Manna, an integral part of the Coyotes success last season, was left scrambling at times due to Hamilton’s pass rush. The Coyotes offensive line got theirs, however. On multiple occasions the hogs up front found themselves pancaking Hamilton’s front line.
Though, it didn’t lead to much offensive production. Centennial settled for a field goal before the half. The Coyotes only touchdown came late in the third when Manna found Levi Johnson for a 3-yard touchdown.
“Our D-line is active,” Dixon said. “But I think collectively we did a great job flying around the ball. We kept it simple tonight so our guys could play fast. We have a fast and physical defense.”
Hamilton’s defensive line was led by sophomore Derrick LeBlanc, who unofficially finished with three sacks and several more tackles for loss. He led the charge on a swarming Hamilton defense, one that forced Centennial to punt down the stretch multiple times, stopping the offense in its tracks.
With the defense playing well, Lucero knew he needed to string together a drive with the offense. He got involved with his legs. Torres got extra yards after the catch. Tight end Logan James became active and running back Jacob Brown set up a short Lucero go-ahead touchdown.
A few plays later as time ticked down, Dajon Hinton sealed the win for Hamilton with an interception.
“This is just the beginning, we’re scratching the surface,” Dixon said. “Our guys are eager now more than ever knowing we got that first one.”
It wasn’t pretty by any means. As is expected in the first game of the season, there are plenty of mistakes to correct.
As big of a win as it is, both Dixon and Lucero remained coy. Dixon received the game ball from his fellow coaches, as it was his first win as the head coach of his alma mater, the team he won two state titles with as a quarterback.
Now, he hopes to return Hamilton to that status. The Huskies took a leap toward that Thursday night.
“It’s one step to let us know, ‘Hey, we’re right there, too,’” Dixon said. “But we have a lot of work to do. They’re going to get better, too. We’ll see where things are at the end of the season. But we just have to take care of next week and can’t get too far ahead of ourselves.”
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