The football team clinched its first playoff spot since 2021 with a 59-21 win against Flower Mound on Nov. 8.
The game was delayed an hour to 8 p.m start time, due to lighting in the surrounding area. It was also senior night for the team and the final home game the senior players would play.
“I took time out of my game yesterday to look into the stands and just drink in my last time playing at Brian Brazil Stadium,” quarterback PJ Crayton said. “It’s crazy how fast these four years have flown by, but I’ve enjoyed all the time I’ve had with my family and friends.”
The Hawks got out to an early lead, scoring in three plays on their first drive and taking a 21-7 lead by the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Hawks extended their lead to 45-7.
“[The first half] was awesome,” head coach John Towels said. “Our offense was hitting on all cylinders. They look like the offense we have been expecting all year. They’ve grown a lot. We’ve had a lot of lessons that we’ve taken from certain games and implemented those into our scheme. We had the will [and] the want to win; you could tell it was imperative, and the energy and effort were there.”
Following the first half, the Hawks came out in the second half with the same energy, scoring on their first drive. Following the drive, the team pulled a majority of its starters for the rest of the game.
“That’s what you always hope to achieve, to get the guys in there who don’t normally play,” defensive end Clay Lindmark said. “It makes your heart light up when some guys that you know might never see the field get out and make a few plays.”
This is the first time the team has made the playoffs under Towels, after failing to make it the past two seasons. Following the conclusion of the game, the team dumped gatorade on Towels to celebrate the achievement.
“They got me good, but I was just happy to see them happy,” Towels said. “We finally broke through that barrier. It’s a relief to know all the hard work has [finally] paid off, [that] all the hard work leads to fulfillment and the accomplishment of your goals. In that moment, to win the way we won, to not have to worry about tie breakers, going into the playoffs like that was great. It was the culmination of everything we’ve done.”
After finishing the last two seasons 5-5, the team finished this season by breaking the .500 barrier with a 6-4 record. By making the playoffs, Lindmark said he finally feels like the team has proven themselves and is ready to make a push for the playoffs.
“The improvements that we made from last year [are crazy,]” Lindmark said. “We do not lack talent, but it’s our discipline and ability to receive [instruction] that’s always mattered. This year we turned that around. We played our hearts out, we took coaching well, we were disciplined, and that’s why it was such a big win. Our goal was to make the playoffs, but now I feel like we can take it a lot further than that.”
The team will play Rock Hill at Children’s Health Stadium in Prosper at 7 p.m. on Nov. 14 in the first round of playoffs.
“The greatest thing is we’ve been improving every week,” Towels said. “To be playing like that at this time, getting better and with no significant injuries is amazing. Right now, we’re a family. It’s We over Me. All [of] our guys are ready to go, [and] we’re ready to take advantage of the opportunity.”
