Moving on: Hilldale gets formidable test in week three

Sep. 14—Blowouts are blowouts, but a lot of blowouts exceed in productive outings for the team doing the blowing.

For Hilldale in last week's win over Hale, it was hard to measure much in terms of real value because the teams were so mismatched, more so than the 61-7 final would show.

Hilldale scored 38 first-quarter points on six touchdowns. Running back Eric Virgil had 265 yards by that point. He finished five carries later with 354 yards.

Running clocks are common in blowouts but not this early. It started with about 6 minutes left in the half.

With about a minute left and the clock running, Hilldale had a different kind of hurry-up offense from just inside Hale territory. Hurry the Hornets did, getting three shots at the end zone on deep balls in that time. But each pass was just off the hands of receivers.

"We didn't get a true two-minute drill because of the running clock. We'd probably have hit some lower under routes and stuff like that, but it is what it is," Hilldale head coach David Blevins said. "We had a couple of drops and some bad throws. We need to clean up our routes, get our timing better.

"He ran well and finished plays, and I think offensive line blocked well."

Defensively a far superior physically Hilldale unit held Hale to zero yards rushing and 30 passing, and all of that was on the final drive against backups.

The unit that got an above average workout was the kicking team — which collectively won the team's special teams award for the contest, hitting the field nine times. Within that group, junior Jacob Jones had two big hits and came in at inside linebacker and drew praise from Blevins there as well.

Jones, who has started two JV games at linebacker, was just glad to help.

"I may not be a guy who gets a lot of playing time but I see myself first as a team player whether it's scout, JV or whatever it may be," he said. "I don't just want to make myself better, I want to make the whole team better."

Those, says Blevins, are the type you want in the shadows.

"He's one of those program guys who works the scout teams, has been killing it in the weight room and finally getting to shine on special teams for us," Blevins said. "Guys like him have got a lot of playing time these first two games which will help down the line."

But there's two sides to that coin.

"Our starters haven't played a fourth quarter yet," Blevins said.

Unlike this week's opponent.

Claremore is 1-1. The Zebras lost to Bartlesville 20-9 in the opener before beating Oologah 35-33 last week. It's the third of three Class 5A teams the Hornets have faced, but this one is strikingly better than the Tulsa Public Schools pair of the first two weeks.

Hilldale hasn't ever met Claremore. Blevins was on Muskogee's staff when they played a Zebras team that was far different schematically on offense, running the wing-T in those days.

Against Oologah, Claremore quarterback Braxton Etheridge was 12-of-20 for 253 yards and a touchdown. Eli Rodgers was his main target, catching six balls for 151 yards. They finished with 117 on the ground. Micah Teel is the main running back though he wears an uncharacteristic number (88).

Ben Jordan (6-foot-5, 290 pounds) is a two-way performer at the tackle spots as is Seth Bell (6-6, 215), the third of three Bell brothers to have had an impact in the program. Dawson Coppinger (6-1, 250) is solid at the tackle spot offensively.

Where Hilldale should have success, again, is in the ground game. Oologah running back Ashton Wright had 218 yards on 27 carries.

The Zebras, Blevins says, may have gotten two full games in, but he's confident in his group.

"We've got a bunch of competitors on this team," he said. "I'm not worried about being ready. They'll get our best shot."

A point of view echoed by one of his guys in the shadows.

"Our seniors are great about leading," Jones said. "Their mindset is no matter what's going on, what the score is, we've got to keep shoving it down their throat."