CJ Hinton has emerged as a leader for Honesdale on the football field

HONESDALE — Lackawanna Trail has been a perennial powerhouse on the high school football scene for decades.

The Lions finished second in the Division IV standings last fall en route to another District 2 Class AA title. They’re also just four years removed from an appearance in the PIAA state finals.

Honesdale Coach Paul Russick is well aware of Trail’s gaudy gridiron resume. So, needless to say he and his staff were laser-focused on preparing the Hornets for their Week 4 showdown.

“They’re a very good, very well-coached football team,” Coach Russick said prior to Friday’s contest. “We need to run the ball, play great defense and limit our mistakes.”

As it turned out, that combination proved to be a recipe for victory. Honesdale amassed nearly 250 yards rushing, limited Trail to just 98 and committed only one turnover in posting a 14-12 decision.

CJ Hinton led the charge. A battle-tested senior captain, Hinton contributed huge plays on both sides of the ball.

“Trail came out in formations we hadn’t seen yet, so it took time to find the answer to their offense,” CJ said. “Once we figured things out, it became a game of old school Northeastern PA football.

“We pounded the ball downfield and kept our defense fresh, which allowed us to get the edge we needed.”

With this win, Honesdale evened its record at 2-2 on the season. Next up for the Red & Black is a non-conference road game at Tunkhannock. The Tigers (1-3) are coming off a 29-22 loss to Carbondale Area.

Opening kick-off is scheduled for Friday night at 7 p.m.

Passion for the Sport

CJ is the son of Charles Hinton and Megan Molusky. He’s a big fan of Penn State and his all-time favorite player is Saquon Barkley.

Hinton began his playing career at the tender age of six as a member of the Fremont Red Dogs in New York. CJ came to Honesdale in seventh grade and almost immediately made a significant move.

“Up until then I was a lineman,” he said. “But, the coaches believed that my build would make me a great fullback.

“I played a lot of games at that position, which allowed me to develop many of the aspects of my playing style. I learned to deliver big hits by running downhill quickly and aggressively.”

That bruising style immediately stands out when you watch Hinton on the field. CJ plays both tailback and fullback on offense, and linebacker on defense.

He’s among the team leaders in rushing (179 yards), touchdowns (1) and yards per carry (5.0). Defensively, Hinton has piled up 40 tackles through the first four weeks. Two of those came behind the line.

“CJ has a nose for the ball,” said Coach Russick. “He’s the leader of our defensive front. Offensively, CJ runs between the tackles. He’s very hard to bring down with just one guy.”

Hinton credits his coaches, in addition to his junior high and freshman experience, with making him the player he is today.

“The time I spent in my earlier years of football helped lead me to the point I’m at now,” he said. “I really believe those experiences and my work ethic have led me to much of the success I’ve experienced so far on varsity.”

Signature Win

Not surprisingly, Hinton played a key role in Honesdale’s victory over Trail.

The Hornets came into Friday night’s game as an underdog, but wasted no time in letting the Lions know they were in for a fight.

Lukas Gumble gave the visitors a 6-0 lead via a one-yard touchdown rumble. However, the home standing Hornets struck back quickly thanks in large part to Hinton.

CJ muscled his way into the end zone from a yard out. And when Max Mickel split the uprights with the conversion try, the Red & Black were up 7-6.

Honesdale’s O-Line dominated the trenches during that initial scoring drive. Anthony Passaro (LT), Wyatt Rutherford (LF), Evan Funk (C), Caleb Bryant (RG), Caleb Dodson (RT) and Tyler Winters (TE) paved the way for Hornet backs.

“That touchdown is just as much the offensive line’s as it is mine,” CJ said. “If it wasn’t for their aggression off the ball in the Red Zone then we would’ve never gotten the lead. The score was a huge momentum shift in the game and it helped the team realize what would work.”

Mason Avery and Max Mickel also gashed Trail’s defensive front.

Avery broke free on a 19-yard TD run midway through the fourth quarter. Mickel finished up the night with a team-best 102 yards on 21 carries. Max’s two PATs proved to be the ultimate difference in a 14-12 final.

Hinton provided his usual spark defensively as well. Honesdale’s hard-hitting middle linebacker was a constant presence in the Lions’ backfield racking up eight tackles.

“CJ is a leader in every sense of the word,” Coach Russick said. “He’s a good kid and a good student. CJ’s had a great start. He’s flying around, playing fast and physical on both sides of the ball.”

For his part, Hinton is honest in assessing his play. There are aspects of his game he’s pleased with and areas he’d like to improve.

“I think the thing I’m best at is being able to read the offense and get to the play before it forms,” CJ said. “This has helped me get big stops. But, sometimes I play a bit too fast and that can create cutback angles, which in turn makes my job harder.

“Something I’ll definitely be looking to improve upon for the remainder of the season is knowing when my speed is needed, and when I should be flowing to the play a bit more slowly.”

On the Horizon

Honesdale’s next test comes Friday night with a Week 5 away game at Tunkhannock.

The Hornets will be looking to make it two straight wins against a Tiger team that dropped a 29-22 decision to Carbondale Area last weekend.

Hinton is hopeful that his squad will be able to continue its momentum despite the loss of another key starter. Senior captain Isaac Carmody suffered a broken leg against Trail and is lost for the season.

Carmody joins Kage Southerton on the injured list. The All-Region wide receiver went down with a broken collarbone versus Wyoming Area.

“I’m excited for the remainder of the season,” CJ said. “There’s many teams and players that I look forward to competing against.

“The Hornets are not a team to take lightly. We have our eyes set on a playoff run. I can say without a doubt, everyone is going to be buzzing about the Hornets throughout the rest of the season.”

No matter how the rest of the campaign goes, Hinton is genuinely grateful for all the support he’s received from his coaches, teammates and family.

“I would like to give a very special thanks to my Mom and Dad,” CJ said. “They’ve always supported my goals on the field and in the classroom, and to my Uncle Frank for always being my number one fan.”

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Lackawanna Football Conference Honesdale Hornets CJ Hinton