By RYAN RICHTER

Staff writer

Already with a dose of rain earlier in the day, the threat of another storm loomed over Friday night’s football season opener between the visiting Hillsboro Trojans and the Lyons Lions.

The storm that would eventually cancel the game at halftime was eclipsed by the Trojans.

All it took was Hillsboro’s opening play for the skies on a Lyons win to grow dark and cloudy.

Seven seconds into action after receiving the opening kick, Brooks Gardner broke loose around the right side for a 64-yard touchdown.

Wes Shaw put through the extra point to give Hillsboro a 7-0 lead with just 16 seconds gone by.

The Lions would find themselves in a 13-0 hole after their opening drive as a snap sailed over the head of Lyons’ Ishmael Reyes, with Lane Flaming pouncing on the loose ball, setting the Trojans up with first-and-goal at the Lyons 5.

Three plays later, Hillsboro quarterback Kaden Kleiner swept around the right side for the 7-yard score.

With the Trojans scoring on six of their seven first half drives, the only lift the Lions would receive outside a bobbled catch on the Trojans’ fourth drive was Hillsboro’s lackluster 2-for-5 on conversion attempts.

By the time Lyons was able to recover a fumbled punt return, Kleiner had already hit Jacob Funk for a 26-yard touchdown and a 19-0 lead to end the first quarter.

That tandem wreaked havoc on the Lions, with Kleiner completing 8-for-9 passing with 111 of his 153 yards going to Funk.

Caleb Potucek got in on the carnage, too, capping an eight-play, 78-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown with 9:18 left in the first half.

This time, Shaw booted the extra point through to give Hillsboro a 26-0 lead.

Along with supplying 67 yards rushing, Kleiner engineered a six-play, 94-yard drive that ended with another 25-yard touchdown pass to Funk for the 32-0 final with 1:22 remaining.

Halftime and lightning spared the Lions further destruction after Kleiner ripped off a 33-yard gain that would’ve had the Trojans inside the Lyons 25 had time not run out.

The Trojans open the home portion of their schedule Friday against Kingman, with hopes of redeeming themselves after last season’s heartbreaker.