Hazelwood District Rivalry: Hawks Host Spartans Sept. 25

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TREY HILL (11), has passed for nine touchdowns including seven to Jaylen Fulton for the 1-3 Spartans.   -Jim Wieners photos

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JAYLEN FULTON has seven touchdown receptions including two in the Sept. 18 win for Hazelwood East, 20-13 over Hazelwood West

By JIM WIENERS

After four weeks of close football victories against four formerly undefeated opponents the Hazelwood Central Hawks return home to face a familiar foe on Sept. 25

The Hawks welcome the Hazelwood East Spartans for a 1 p.m. kickoff (at press time) in not only a key Suburban North Conference game but a match of Hazelwood School District rivals. “It is a rivalry game,” said Hazelwood Central coach Rich Nixon.

Central carries a 4-0 record, 1-0 in the Suburban North, but every game was decided by less than eight points each,  including a 23-20 home win over Columbia-Rock Bridge on Sept. 11 and a 45-38 win over Kirkwood that was played Sept. 17 at Oakville due to field renovations at Kirkwood. In the last two games Jamal Flowers passed for five touchdowns, four against Kirkwood including two to Mike Jordan and ran for two more including the game-winning one-yard fourth-quarter plunge against Kirkwood with 9:01 left.

The Hawks are unbeaten despite 11 turnovers in two games, two of them were Kirkwood pass interceptions returned for touchdowns. “It speaks to the work ethic,” Nixon said. “We must surely have to work on eliminating the mistakes.”

East, on the other hand lost their first three games including a 43-18 home beatdown Sept. 11 by Jefferson City. The Spartans came back Sept. 18 to beat Hazelwood West, 20-13 so a win against Central can give the Spartans bragging rights.

However “We’re not disciplined,” said first-year head coach  Brian Simmons who said “a lot of guys are here (on the varsity) the first time (and) two to three guys played last year.”

Trey Hill has passed for nine touchdowns, seven to Jaylen Fulton this season. They each hooked up for two touchdowns against Jefferson City and two more against Hazelwood East.

HAZELWOOD WEST (0-4) returns home Sept. 25 for a 1 p.m. SNC game against Riverview Gardens (1-3). Prior to playing East the Wildcats were shut out in Columbia Sept. 10 by Hickman, 30-0.

McCLUER NORTH (3-1) is not scheduled to play this week at press time following wins over Pattonville, 24-21 on Sept. 11, and Lafayette, 30-17 on Sept. 17. McCLUER (0-4) has a 1 p.m. SNC home game Sept. 25 against Pattonville (2-2) following losses to Maryville, 36-22 on Sept 10, and Ritenour, 16-14 on Sept. 17.

TRINITY CATHOLIC (2-2) hosts Westminster Christian Academy (0-4) Sept. 24 at 7 p.m., following wins over AAA rival Bishop DuBourg, 41-10 on Sept. 10, and Imagine College Prep, 52-6 on Sept. 17. LUTHERAN NORTH (2-2) has an 1 p.m. ABC League game Sept. 25 at John Burroughs (4-0) following a 66-14 win at Lutheran South on Sept. 10 and a 31-26 home loss to Priory on Sept. 18.

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