Offense. Defense. Special teams. Houston had it all working as the Tigers continue the program’s best start in more than a decade.
HHS returned two interceptions for touchdowns, blocked two punts that led to scores and rejuvenated its struggling ground game Friday night. It added up to a dominating 48-7 victory against Willow Springs at Tiger Stadium.
Six different players scored in multiple ways as Houston improved to 5-2 for the first time since 2004. The Tigers are also tied for second in the South Central Association with a 3-2 mark and well on their way to their first winning season since 2008.
“It was a total team effort,” Houston coach Eric Sloan said. “I thought for the most part we played well in all three facets of the game.”
Sophomore Chris Cichon blocked both punts, beginning with one late in the first quarter that teammate CJ Lee recovered in the end zone for the game’s first points. Connor Wilson and Chance Mitchell had fourth-quarter interceptions they converted to scores as the HHS defense held Willow Springs’ Tryton Henley to 3-of-21 passing.
The offense also came to life for the first time in conference play. Sophomore Daniel Hutcheson was not expected to play offensively but was inserted into the lineup when quarterback Dakota Burchett was sidelined in the first quarter with a migraine. Paydon Dixon slid over from running back to quarterback to guide the offense and Hutcheson ripped off 139 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns.
“In years past we’d face adversity and just fold,” Sloan said. “Now it’s just a ‘next man up’ type of mentality.”
The Tigers’ 263 yards of total offense were their most since Week 2 against Cuba. Aiden Sawyer had 10 carries for 59 yards and Dixon added 49 yards on 12 attempts as HHS compiled 249 rushing yards. Sawyer and Dixon both had touchdowns.
The HHS defense –– under the direction of first-year assistant Jake Brookshire –– continued to impress.
The Tigers held their fifth opponent to seven points or less and forced their 18th and 19th turnovers of the season. They’ve also scored 73 points off turnovers, including 12 against Willow Springs.
Houston had four tackles for losses –– by Cichon, Lee, Dixon and Sawyer –– while holding the Bears (1-6, 0-5 SCA) to 3.7 yards per play. Lee and Devin Wallander had eight tackles apiece.
“We’ve got some aggressive dudes,” Sloan said. “And I think it’s a pretty good indicator of the leader on that side. Jake is doing a great job.”
Brookshire showed he has a few offensive ideas, too.
With six seconds left in the first half and the ball on the Bears’ 30-yard line, Sloan called timeout to discuss one final play. He said Brookshire suggested sending Dixon around the right edge to get the defense flowing that direction, then flipping the ball to Hutcheson on a reverse. The play worked perfectly.
Hutcheson took the pitch from Dixon, raced around the left edge and made a defender miss as he weaved through defenders and into the end zone as time expired.
“We tried to get Daniel in a foot race and it worked out,” Sloan said. “We’ll probably put that in the playbook.”
While Houston finished strong, the start was less than impressive. The HHS offense twice went three-and-out while gaining six total yards on its first two series. But a special teams play sparked the Tigers.
After a 42-yard punt from Lee, who is averaging a whopping 38.9 yards, Willow Springs was pushed toward its own end zone by penalties of 15 and 10 yards. The Bears managed just one yard on three plays and lined up in punt formation from their own 10 at the 4:31 mark.
It was a clean snap to the punter, but Cichon broke through the middle of the line of scrimmage and batted the punt out of the air. Lee jumped on the ball in the end zone for a touchdown.
The points were the first of three straight possessions the Tigers found their way into the end zone. Hutcheson had a 62-yard run on the next drive and scored from 30 yards out as time expired in the half. Lee converted all three PATs as Houston led 21-0.
“We were just laying eggs. Things weren’t going well,” Sloan said. “It seemed like at that moment (the blocked punt), we flipped the switch.”
It wasn’t the first for Cichon. He also blocked punt another midway through the third quarter, giving HHS the ball on the Willow Springs 11. Dixon scored on the next play.
The blocks were the third and fourth of the season for the sophomore.
“Most people might get a punt block in their career. Maybe,” Sloan said. “Four in a season is pretty unheard of.”
Wilson turned his second interception of the year into points early in the fourth when he picked off Henley and raced 75 yards down the sideline for a score.
Sawyer scored from 17 yards away and Dixon ran in the two-point conversion with 6 minutes, 51 seconds remaining to start the 35-point turbo clock.