HOSCHTON — Twelve years ago Mill Creek’s football team took its lumps as a first-year program.
That inaugural 2004 team, which was honored before Friday’s Homecoming game against Discovery, managed just three wins that season.
The Hawks’ program has come a long way since then. Mill Creek, ranked No. 1 in the state in Class AAAAAAA, dominated second-year program Discovery for a 62-0 victory. It’s the third-most points scored in Mill Creek history.
“Those are special kids to us,” Mill Creek head coach Shannon Jarvis reminisced about the 2004 team.
“All of those first three or four teams, they set the cornerstone and foundation of what our program has become.”
The Hawks (7-0 overall, 3-0 in region) had seven different players score touchdowns, including one on defense, and added three safeties.
The Hawks defense allowed just 46 total yards and five first downs. Discovery’s biggest offensive play was a 33-yard run by Cory Burnette.
“Our defense all year, has either set up scores or scored for us,” Jarvis said. “That’s something we preach and our kids take pride in. It goes in line with having a physical defense. They did a good job of it tonight.”
Mill Creek jumped out to a 14-0 lead after Edmond Graham scored on a 22-yard run and Ace Williams caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from Cameron Turley. Turley was 5 of 10 passing for 79 yards.
On fourth down, Discovery snapped the ball out of the back end zone for a safety to give the Hawks a 16-0 lead. Mill Creek followed with just seven plays when Anthony Presto scored on a one-yard TD run.
Discovery had another bad snap over the quarterback’s head that resulted in a safety to give the Hawks a 25-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Mill Creek began the second quarter with an eight-yard touchdown run by Joe Thomas with 11:52 remaining in the half. On Discovery’s first play of the ensuing drive, the Titans (1-6, 0-3) fumbled the ball and defensive end Ayoola Ogun Semore picked it up and went 12 yards for the score to push the lead to 39-0.
“We got that defensive score and that’s when I knew we needed to start subbing,” Jarvis said. “We played a lot of kids tonight and I was proud of how they all played really hard and executed. Whenever you have a shutout, all of them did their job. I’m proud of all of our players tonight.”
With the second team offense on the field, Mill Creek pushed the score to 46-0 at halftime after Cole Wroble’s one-yard touchdown run.
The Hawks opened the third quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run by Uriah Levette and E’Mir Alleyne ended the period with the Hawks third safety with a tackle for loss in the end zone.
With a mercy-rule running clock in the fourth quarter, the Hawks added their final score on a one-yard run by Leverette with 8:04 remaining in the game. Leverette was the team’s leading rushing with 40 yards on 13 carries.
