Football

Hillsboro’s Fantastic Season Ends in District Finals

The Hillsboro Hawks Varsity Football team have an incredible 10-2 season, but fall in the Class 4 District 1 Championship game to the North County Raiders 24-0

It was an incredible season for the Hillsboro Hawks. They finished 10-2, won their conference, went to the District Finals and had 17 (yeah we said 17) All-Conference players.

As for their final game though, it certainly didn’t go down the way they drew it up, and the 2021 season came to a close for the Varsity Football team on Friday night. The Hawks were defeated by the North County Raiders in the Class 4 District 1 Championship game 24-0, ending their MSHSAA State Title tournament run. After an incredible season that saw them rattle off nine consecutive wins, the Hawks end the year as district runners-up. They certainly have nothing to hang their heads about.

In their final game, the Hillsboro offense just never got going, and although the defense did what it could, they just didn’t have it in this one. North County got the scoring going initially with 2:51 left in the first quarter. It was a short-yardage run covering the final three yards that put the Raiders up 7-0.

Almost at the same time in the second quarter, with 2:16 left in the half, the North County quarterback completed a 72-yard pass to score another seven, making it 14-0 at the break.

Opening the third, the Hillsboro defense managed to stop the Raiders outside of the red zone. This forced a 25-yard field goal attempt, which was good, making it a 17-0 game with 8:01 on the clock.

The death knell came at 7:32 of the fourth quarter when Hawks Quarterback Griffin Ray threw a pass which was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. That would be the final points either team would score, making the result of the game a 24-0 victory for North County.

Offensively, Hillsboro ran 41 plays for 121 total yards, averaging just three yards per play. What really hurt was the non-existent passing game. Ray threw nine passes completing just two for zero total yards, including the one interception returned for a touchdown.

In the rushing column, the Hawks put the ball on the ground 32 times for all 121 yards, but the Raiders did a good job containing Hillsboro’s All- Conference rushing attack. Austin Romaine handled the ball the most with 13 carries for 93 yards. Stud RB Jaxin Patterson was finally held in check this season and rushed 12 times for just seven yards. Ray was forced to scramble two times for 15 yards.

Turnovers were an issue as well, as the usually sure-handed Hawks coughed up the ball over three times with a pair of fumbles and the interception.

Defensively, Romaine made his presence felt as usual with a team-leading 10.5 tackles and three for a loss. Tyler Watson, Payton Brown and Cody Bishop each had five a piece. Adding three more tackles each were Jordan Jarvis, Greg Sanders and Patterson.

The drives were also not lengthy. The Hawks only picked up seven first downs all night, and only converted on two of nine third down attempts. They also went for it three times on fourth down, and failed to convert each time.

The stars just didn’t align in this one, but the Hawks have every reason to be beaming with pride after a brilliant 2021 season. Let’s take a moment to reflect on just how special it was.

They outscored their opponents 409-150, averaged over 34 points per game and only allowed 12.5 per game with their crippling and suffocating defense. They also ran, hit and bulldozed their way to a nine-game winning streak, which included beating their crosstown rivals, the Festus Tigers… not once but twice. Statistically, they were the number three defense in the state and the number 10 offense in the state.

It’s hard to not be impressed by those figures, and there is a laundry list of those most responsible for the team’s success. The most notable standouts include Romaine, who had an other worldly season, totaling 1,312 yards with 1,140 on the ground and 172 through the air. He broke the plane 14 times and also led this vaunted defense with 50 solo tackles and 50 assists with 22 for a loss and 8.5 sacks. He was named 1st Team All-Conference as a Linebacker, a Fullback and a Punter, and received Conference Defensive Player of the Year as well as the overall Conference Player of the Year.

Then there is Patterson, who led the team with over 1,500 yards, with 1,451 of them coming on the ground and 18 total touchdowns. He also played both ways, chipping in with 22 solo tackles and 15 assists, adding in a sack and a pair of interceptions. He was 1st Team All-Conference as a Running Back and 2nd Team All-Conference as a Linebacker.

Order your 2021 Conference Champs Digital Download or 12×18 graphic print: HERE

It was a cumulative effort for sure though, as the Hawks were truly working a team-oriented philosophy. These 17 young men were bestowed with All- Conference honors:

*1st Team Defense

Sr Jordan Jarvis (Defensive Line)

Jr Alex Medina (Defensive Line)

Jr Austin Romaine (Linebacker)

Sr Cody Bishop (Defensive Back)

Jr Harrison Voyles (Defensive Back)

*2nd Team Defense

Jr Jaxin Patterson (Linebacker)

Sr Tyler Watson (Linebacker)

*1st Team Offense

Jr Austin Romaine (Fullback)

Jr Jaxin Patterson (Running Back)

Sr Tyler Watson (Running Back/Receiver Hybrid)

Sr Jordan Jarvis (Offensive Line)

Sr Greg Sanders (Offensive Line)

Sr Tucker Vuylsteke (Offensive Line)

*2nd Team Offense:

Sr Wyatt Huskey (Offensive Line)

So Wyatt Yeager (Offensive Line)

*1st Team Special Teams

Jr Austin Romaine (Punter)

So Nick Marchetti (Kicker)

This is truly a special group of young men that have achieved so much this season, and look locked and loaded to ramp it up again next year.

We leave you with these words from Conference Head Coach of the Year Bill Sucharski

“Seniors, thank you for committing to the process and what we are building. Your dedication to this program, your teammates, coaches and community left a standard that will not be forgotten, and you did so with high character. You made us so proud and you are #AlwaysAHawk.”

“Hawk Footballers, it was a great season and so much to build on. I’m proud of the growth, grit and commitment you showed all season. Continue to be selfless and put your team first. Back to work. #DayByDay #HawkPride”

The 2022 season certainly seems bright. Go Hawks!

 

  Hillsboro’s Fantastic Season Ends in District Finals

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