Trojans trample Lions 35-0
Staff writer
By the time the clock ran out on the first half of Hillsboro’s Friday night home opener against Lyons, the Trojans already had the game well in hand.
The 35-0 score from a lopsided first half held up to give the Trojans a decisive game one victory.
Hillsboro overcame two early turnovers with a smothering defense, including a 63-yard pick-six by Jeffrey Jorgenson.
The offense relied on a relentless running attack led by Jorge Hanschu and Brooks Gardner to engineer four touchdowns.
Leading 28-0 and marching toward the Lyons end zone as the half wound down, coach Devin Metzinger called two times out within the last 30 seconds, ensuring his team time to punch in the final score of the half, a 1- yard keeper by quarterback Kaden Kleiner.
Metzinger wasn’t deliberately running up the score, nor was he sending a message to his opponent.
“We weren’t trying to make a statement or anything,” he said. “We were just trying to continue our tempo, our rhythm. We’ve still got to get ready for a whole season.”
“Whether we got a touchdown or didn’t get a touchdown, it was a good time for us to practice that sense of urgency.”
The Trojans continued to focus on the running game in the second half. The offense operated mainly between the ’30s.
The running clock in the second half limited the amount of scoring opportunities.
While, Kleiner had an efficient night passing, ending 4 for 6 for 32 yards and a 5-yard touchdown to receiver Jacob Funk, Metzinger said the focus was on the running game.
“We want to run the ball; and, while we can run the ball, we are going to,” he said.
Hanschu led Trojan runners with 124 yards in just 9 attempts, including a 39-yard touchdown. Gardner finished the game with 8 attempts for 69 yards and a touchdown.
Elliot Ollenburger caught three passes for 27 yards.
Senior Braden Vogt’s five tackles (two for a loss) led the way for a stifling Trojans’ defense that held Lyons to just 38 total yards for the game and zero percent efficiency on third down.
The Trojans play at Kingman on Friday.
Last modified Sept. 8, 2016