Hammond hammers Christ Church 56-28 in season opener

By Neill Kirkpatrick

Special to the HSSR

Columbia – Friday night’s contest between reigning state champions (SCISA AAAA) Hammond and (Class A) Christ Church Episcopal school had the makings of a clash of titans but the homestanding Skyhawks took control from the opening kickoff and never looked back beating the Cavaliers 56-28.

“We wanted to set the tone early and throw the first punch against a championship opponent like Christ Church. We have not been able to do that in the last two season openers. I am just proud to see our guys’ battle from start to finish,” said Hammond head coach Jon Wheeler.

Christ Church head coach Quin Hatfield, “Getting down 14-0 early, you cannot do that against a really good football. Disappointing performance overall with the special teams’ blunders, a lot of missed tackles and offensively we did not play well. Just a tough night all the way around. We have a lot work do.”

Christ Church won the toss and deferred to the second half and then Hammond took over the game. CCE kicked off and Hammonds Jack Croft fielded the ball at the five and started up the middle then cut to the left, hit a seam, and was gone on a 95-yard return. The point after was good and the Skyhawks took the lead for good.

“Wynne Thomas and Jay Frye do amazing jobs with our special teams and it showed on that first kick,” said Hammond head coach Wheeler.

The Cavaliers began the opening possession and on the first play we saw a match up that would play out all night. CCE’s quarterback Tucker Hendrix threw a pass outside to Jackson Repp and as soon as he made the catch Hammonds Adis Jamison brought him down for a two-yard loss. The Skyhawks forced a punt two plays later. The snap rolled by the punter Jon Waldrop; he ran picked up then threw a pass. The receiver was tackled for a 12-yard loss.

“Adis played a great game against one of the best receivers in the state in Repp. He prepared well all week and accepted the challenge,” Coach Wheeler said.

Starting at the CCE 40, Hammond needed just five plays to take a 14-0 lead when quarterback Andrew Turner took the ball up the gut for a 19-yard touchdown. He also had a 20-yard completion to Croft on a fourth and nine to keep the drive alive.

The Cavaliers finally got things going on their second possession. On second down from their 20-yardline Tucker lofted a pass the Repp brought down between two defenders for a 35-yard gain to the Hammond 45. Two plays later Tucker hit Bates Mann with a 41-yard pass down to the Hammond five. From their freshmen running back Michael Martin scored the first touchdown of his career on a five-yard scamper. That cut the Skyhawks’ lead to 14-7.

Hammond would respond quickly behind the feet and arm of Turner as he did his best Tim Tebow impression, bouncing off and running through defenders and then putting the dagger in with a big throw. That dagger went again to Croft as they connected for a 27-yard touchdown. The lead was back to 14 at 21-7.

Jude Hall gave the Cavaliers great field possession at their 44 with a 42-yard kickoff return. Tucker went 3-4 on the drive for 54 yards with the big play was his 34-yard touchdown pass to Hayes Lyman cutting the lead to 7 at 21-14. That would be the last time that Cavaliers would get that close

The first quarter ended 21-14 Hammond. In the second quarter the Skyhawks offensive line of James Lay, John Stokes, Jaliyl Jamison, Jauris Shaw and Thomas Young took over the line of scrimmage. Behind the O-line Turner again used his arm and legs to move the Skyhawks down field where Manny Johnson scored the first of his three touchdowns on the night when he took it in from a yard out. The PAT pushed the lead to 28-14.

The Cavaliers moved into Hammond territory at the forty but the Skyhawks front seven started to impose their will on the Cav’s by putting pressure on Tucker. The Skyhawks turned the Cavs over on downs at the their 35.

“Our front seven played lights out tonight. They put pressure on the quarterback and getting in their passing lanes,” Coach Wheeler said.

The Skyhawks needed just one play to go up 21 at 35-14 as Kinson Howard busted up the middle and then cut left and outraced everyone for a 65-yard touchdown.

Christ Church would not lay down despite the deficit. After several kicks off that went out of bounds the Skyhawks kicked a squib kick where Repp fielded it and returned it 30 yards to the Hammond 29. Then Tucket hit Hall in stride across the middle and Hall did the rest on a 29-yard touchdown pass. The PAT was no good so the lead was 35-20.

Johnson and Turner led Hammond on a 73-yard drive as they connected twice for 29 yards and Johnson did the rest as finished the drive with his second touchdown run from 19-yards. That moved the lead to 42-20.

Again, the Cavaliers came out firing as Tucker hit Lyman for a 40-yard gain to the Hammond 40 but three players Tucker was facing a lot of pressure threw off his back foot and at the 21 Hammonds Brewer LaMotte stepped in front of Tuckers pass and picked it off and then sprinted down the right side for a 79 touchdown. The Skyhawks lead was 49-20 as the team’s head to the half. LaMotte had two interceptions on the night.

“We fought hard all night and never quit. That is something we can build on but we have a lot of things to work on,” said CCE’s coach Hatfield.

The second half was anticlimactic after such an action packed as each team scored only once more. For CCE the Tucker to Hall connection was good for an 80 yards and touchdown while Johnson scored his third touchdown of the night on a four-yard run. The score was the final of the night the and made it 56-28.

The Skyhawks will have a week off before they host the Porter Gaud Cyclones. The Cyclones offense has scored 122 points in two games this season. While CCE will host Asheville School next week.