Hardin still buzzing in the playoffs

[KFDM COOP]

Hardin still buzzing in the playoffs

By Dave Rogers

 

Published November 22, 2007

East Chambers and top prospect Tramain Thomas didn’t make it past the bi-district round of the playoffs, falling 28-26 to Corrigan-Camden on a failed two-point try.

Ditto for District 24-2A co-champ Buna, vanquished 55-10 by No. 10-ranked Newton.

Only third-place Hardin remains alive from 24-2A and the Hornets’ coach, Larry Haynes, isn’t about to complain.

The former Crosby head coach and Lee offensive coordinator takes his hometown team into a Class 2A area-round game against the President’s adopted hometown of Crawford in a 3 p.m. game at Crosby Friday.

“We’re moving the ‘House of Sting’ to Crosby,†Haynes said, speaking of his players’ nickname for the Hardin homefield. “I told everyone, ‘Last one out of town, turn out the lights.’â€

With his son, Kellen, at quarterback, Haynes coached Crosby to all sorts of offensive records during his stay there, than ended in 2003.

The same thing goes for Hardin, where the Hornets are averaging 468 yards per game behind quarterback Jordan Nolan (2,953 yards and 37 touchdown passes, receiver Daniel Marsh (69 receptions, 1,433 yards, 21 Tds) and running back John Stelly (1,007 yards rushing, six Tds).

“Our quarterback has a 37:8 touchdown-to-interception ratio and that’s fricking off the chart, Tom Brady stuff,†Haynes said. “And Marsh, that’s Randy Moss. Twenty-one TD catches in 11 games and his yards per catch (20.8) is mind-boggling. That’s crazy good.â€

Hardin knocked off Hemphill 51-28 in bi-district with 289 passing yards and 230 rushing yards (519 total yards).

“It just seemed like once we got rolling, it was one of those nights where everything we did was right,†the coach said. “Plus we were highly motivated.â€

Haynes quarterbacked Hardin to its only district championship, way back in 1974. But the Hornets had never won nine games in a season. And they’d never won a playoff game.

Last weekend’s playoff victory made them 9-2 for the season, the only losses coming to Buna and East Chambers.

“The kids were highly motivated to do something that had never been done,†the coach said.

Motivation needs to be high this week. Hardin had three starters injured last week and two others have been lost due to grades.

“Crawford was 16-0 and won the state title in ’04. They went 13-1 in ’05. Last year, they went 10-2 and they’re 9-2 this year,†Haynes said.

“They’re pretty good. But sometimes, through injury, you get better. We’ve only had two kids going both ways and now we’re going to have a couple more kids going both way. In some cases, it might make us stronger.

“You’ve just got to look at it from a positive standpoint. You have to adapt and adjust. Now is time to boldly go where no Hardin team has ever gone before.â€

[^Gusher Fan^]

“You’ve just got to look at it from a positive standpoint. You have to adapt and adjust. Now is time to boldly go where no Hardin team has ever gone before.â€

Nice. I like that. 

[bleacher_bum]

Hardin still buzzing in the playoffs

By Dave Rogers

 

Published November 22, 2007

East Chambers and top prospect Tramain Thomas didn’t make it past the bi-district round of the playoffs, falling 28-26 to Corrigan-Camden on a failed two-point try.

Ditto for District 24-2A co-champ Buna, vanquished 55-10 by No. 10-ranked Newton.

Only third-place Hardin remains alive from 24-2A and the Hornets’ coach, Larry Haynes, isn’t about to complain.

The former Crosby head coach and Lee offensive coordinator takes his hometown team into a Class 2A area-round game against the President’s adopted hometown of Crawford in a 3 p.m. game at Crosby Friday.

“We’re moving the ‘House of Sting’ to Crosby,†Haynes said, speaking of his players’ nickname for the Hardin homefield. “I told everyone, ‘Last one out of town, turn out the lights.’â€

With his son, Kellen, at quarterback, Haynes coached Crosby to all sorts of offensive records during his stay there, than ended in 2003.

The same thing goes for Hardin, where the Hornets are averaging 468 yards per game behind quarterback Jordan Nolan (2,953 yards and 37 touchdown passes, receiver Daniel Marsh (69 receptions, 1,433 yards, 21 Tds) and running back John Stelly (1,007 yards rushing, six Tds).

“Our quarterback has a 37:8 touchdown-to-interception ratio and that’s fricking off the chart, Tom Brady stuff,†Haynes said. “And Marsh, that’s Randy Moss. Twenty-one TD catches in 11 games and his yards per catch (20.8) is mind-boggling. That’s crazy good.â€

Hardin knocked off Hemphill 51-28 in bi-district with 289 passing yards and 230 rushing yards (519 total yards).

“It just seemed like once we got rolling, it was one of those nights where everything we did was right,†the coach said. “Plus we were highly motivated.â€

Haynes quarterbacked Hardin to its only district championship, way back in 1974. But the Hornets had never won nine games in a season. And they’d never won a playoff game.

Last weekend’s playoff victory made them 9-2 for the season, the only losses coming to Buna and East Chambers.

“The kids were highly motivated to do something that had never been done,†the coach said.

Motivation needs to be high this week. Hardin had three starters injured last week and two others have been lost due to grades.

“Crawford was 16-0 and won the state title in ’04. They went 13-1 in ’05. Last year, they went 10-2 and they’re 9-2 this year,†Haynes said.

“They’re pretty good. But sometimes, through injury, you get better. We’ve only had two kids going both ways and now we’re going to have a couple more kids going both way. In some cases, it might make us stronger.

“You’ve just got to look at it from a positive standpoint. You have to adapt and adjust. Now is time to boldly go where no Hardin team has ever gone before.â€

Nice...Good article.

[AJ25]

keep going strong! i want every setx team to go far! cept for dayton, i want their season to end in round 4.. lol. but best of luck to everyone!

[24 over par]

congrats and good luck hardin

[7376HORNET]

Go get em HORNETS - let's make some more history.