Hawks fly out of gate fast, dismantle rival Karns 21-0
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A nice grab by Hawks sophomore receiver Taa Henderson versus Karns. - Photos courtesy of Jeremy Wiggs/ Jeremy Wiggs Photography
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Hawks defenders Michael Stewart (1) and Ayden Turner (51) stop a Beavers runner. - Photos courtesy of Jeremy Wiggs/ Jeremy Wiggs Photography
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HVA junior Nathan Holbrook runs with power. - Photos courtesy of Jeremy Wiggs/ Jeremy Wiggs Photography
HARDIN VALLEY — It took only opening night of the 2023 high-school football season Friday, Aug. 18, for Hardin Valley Academy to equal its win total from last year.
The Hawks used a steady ground game and an opportunistic defense to shut out Karns 21-0 at home. HVA didn’t get its lone win last year until week nine.
“It’s good to see this right here, these guys so excited,” said HVA’s second-year coach Jeff Miner, referring to the student section mobbing the players on the field.
“Seeing the student body and everybody excited; that’s what this is all about.”
“They had a couple big plays that hurt us tonight,” Beavers’ first-year coach Lee Warren said. “I thought we did a good job of handling adversity. In the fourth quarter we got into a deficit.”
The Hawks took a 7-0 lead with 9:50 left in the second quarter when senior running back Brady Loveland scored from the KHS 3, finishing off a seven-play, 57-yard drive.
For the game, Hawks’ running backs ran the ball 33 times for 208 yards and three scores. “We’re doing something different than what everyone else is doing,” Miner said about his versatile rushing attack. “I love that style of football.”
HVA made it 14-0 with 53 seconds left in the half when senior quarterback Caleb Standifer scored on a 2-yard keeper.
The big play of the drive came on a 37-yard strike from Standifer to junior tight end Barron Scheetz. Standifer scored on the next play.
Standifer attempted only six passes in the game but completed five for 83 yards.
The Beavers’ best opportunity of the game was thwarted midway through the third when quarterback Carson Paul was picked off in the end zone by Taa Henderson.
“Henderson made a really good play … only a sophomore. He’s a heckuva player,” Miner said.
Hardin Valley then drove 65 yards and scored when Standifer picked up Loveland’s fumble on the Beavers 10 and fought his way in for a touchdown.
On the ensuing drive, Paul was sacked twice to stifle any comeback attempt. Hawks’ junior defensive lineman Michael Stewart had three sacks for the game.
“i told the team after half ‘Karns has all the momentum,’” said HVA running back Cooper Rittenberry. “‘This is the only moment they have. If we get a pick we shut them out.’ And I was right.”
For the game, Paul threw for 164 yards on 18 completions in 29 attempts, and a pick.
“We tried to make them show us what they can do before we adjusted,” said Miner. “The pick gave us good field position. Henderson made a really good play … only a sophomore. He’s a heckuva player.”
The Hawks will look to double their win total from last year Thursday night when they go on the road to play Morristown East.
