This season the 13-0 Hawley Bearcats have played complementary football at its finest. The Bearcats success this season is in part due to their physicality on defense, which led them to seven shut out victories.
“We want to be aggressive you know? Whether it’s a run team or a pass team, we want to try to penetrate and create a new line of scrimmage and we’re trying to get back there and just cause problems,” said Hawley Head Football Coach Mitch Ables.
“It’s kind of one of those deals, we hear it from coaches, and I’m sure everyone knows it, Whoever controls the line, controls the game,” said Corley Williams.
In the Class 2A Division. I. Regional Semifinals, Hawley’s ability to control the line of scrimmage on defense played a major role in bottling up Jadin Jackson and the Coleman Bluecats explosive offense. This week the Bearcats will have their hands full with Cisco Loboes quarterback Hunter Long, who has been creating havoc with both his arm and his legs all season.
“He’s a you know. He’s going to get the ball, and he’s going to decide where he’s going, and you’ve got to stop him, because he’s not going to move out of the way. So he’s one of those guys that we’ve just got to be good tacklers and be fit in the right spots on defense.” said Ables.
“We really just try to lift each other up, and if we want to get a stop, we all try to talk to each other, and if we mess up, we all try to pick each other up,” said Diontay Ramon.
Hawley has been on a roll over the past several years, winning four consecutive district titles, including five out of the last seven season. The confidence built up from all of that recent success could go a long way while trying to knock off a team like Cisco, that has such a decorated history.
“They’ve been a powerhouse in the past, and when people think of Cisco they think of the past, and we’ve just got to get past the name.” said Will Scott.
“It’s important just to let them know, let everybody know that we’re here and we’re going to do what we can and we’re just trying to make the most of what we’ve got right now,” said Williams.
“If we want to go to the next level, this is it. We’ve got to step up during practice and step up now,” said Ramon.
The showdown between the Hawley Bearcats and the Cisco Loboes for a shot at advancing to the State Semifinals is Friday night, at 7:00pm, at Shotwell Stadium.