The Hawks have gotten off to a great start to the season so far with two great victories over Abilene and Keller Fossil Ridge. With the only loss of the year being to Mansfield Timberview by a four-point margin, the Hawks are prime position to pull off the upset of the year against Allen this Friday.

The Hawks’ defense is in the best shape it’s been in years, giving up an average of just 15.7 points per game. Holding offensive powerhouse Fossil Ridge to just 23 points was a big win for the team last week and definitely will give them confidence heading into this week’s game.

On the other side of the ball, the offense that was held to just 17 points in the loss to Timberview was struggling again on Friday night as the Hawks had to settle for field goals two separate times after having long drives. The end zone again seemed elusive for the third straight time as the Hawks faced third and goal early in the fourth quarter. Offensive coordinator Jayme Carr went with the play that had been working most of the game: the halfback pitch. Quarterback Carson Proffit gave the pitch to running back Treyvon Hughes and headed down field to block for the new running back. Hughes waltzed into the end zone untouched and the Hawks took the 23-16 lead.

Later in the game, with the score tied at 23, the Hawks were driving for the winning score. With the ball on the Fossil Ridge 30 yard line, Proffit pitched the ball to Jamal Adams, who was in to give Hughes a breather at running back. Adams caught the ball and made one cut toward the middle of the field, and that was all he needed. The Hawks took the 30-23 lead over Fossil Ridge with a little over a minute left and never looked back. The team earned a hard fought victory, overcame several mistakes and still found a way to win.

The big question is whether or not the Hawks can beat Quarterback Kyler Murray and the defending state champion Allen Eagles. If the defense can find a way to keep Murray from dominating the game, and if the offense can find a way to score at least 35 points, then the Hawks have a pretty good chance of knocking off the #1 team in the state. That’s easier said than done, however, and the Eagles won’t be easy to beat. The mindset will have to be strong and emotions kept in check for Hebron to pull off the upset.

The Hawks also have two key additions to the team this year that could help them beat Allen if it comes down to skill players. Cornerback Cedric Dale from Timber Creek High School and running back Hughes from Waxahachie High School are two key players that the Hawks added to their roster this season. With the graduation of star running back Dezmond Wortham, the Hawks were short-handed on talent at the running back position heading into this season. Lucky for us, Hughes transferred in the spring and has already made a huge impact this year.

At Waxahachie, Hughes averaged 7.1 yards a carry and ran for 1,461 yards. He stands 6-feet-tall and weighs 215 pounds while running an astonishing 4.54 40-yard dash. This combination of power and speed is lethal for anyone who tries to get in his path on the field. Hughes already has made a huge impact for the Hawks by scoring four touchdowns in three games. On the defensive side of the ball, BYU commit Dale also has been a huge contributor to the team. Standing 5-feet, 8 inches tall and weighing 168 pounds, Dale played pretty much every skill position at his former high school. He even ran for 293 yards in a single game against Midlothian last year. Dale has made several key defensive tackles in the open field to get the defense off the field and to stall opponents’ drives. His most notable play of the year was his 77-yard punt return against Abilene which got the Hawks their second touchdown of the game.

Another side note is that five-star safety recruit Adams has scored five touchdowns so far this season, his latest being his 104-yard kick return and 30-yard game winning touchdown run against Fossil Ridge.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][divider line_type=”Full Width Line” custom_height=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Hawks(2-1) vs. Allen Eagles(3-0) Line: Allen by 14

Key Matchup: Kyler Murray vs. Hawks’ Defense

The Eagles’ offense has gotten off to a red-hot start to the season, defeating state powerhouses Southlake Carroll and Cedar Hill by several touchdowns. Junior quarterback Kyler Murray has led the offense to averaging an incredible 46.6 points per games. The Hawks defense has

A win would mean that the Hawks would get the one of the biggest wins in the history of the program, second only to the state championship victory in 2005. It would be the second time since 2010 that the Hawks would beat a highly-state ranked Allen team.

A loss would mean that the Hawks would drop to 2-2 on the season