Hamilton High West’s Christopher Charles Celebrates! Photo by Donna “Roll Tide” Brihn.
By Rich Fisher
Fish4scores.com
Oct. 8: There he was, wide open in the end zone with the ball coming right into his arms.
And right out again.
In a play that seemed to typify the first half Hamilton West’s football season, Christian Charles dropped a touchdown pass he had all day to catch with nobody near him. The Hornets were trailing by seven in the third quarter, and one had to wonder if another such opportunity would present itself.
A few minutes later, it did.
This time Charles caught his second TD pass of the game, and would later grab a huge fourth-down toss to spark Hamilton to a 26-17 win at Hightstown Friday night.
Hezekiah Patterson hands off against Hightstown. Photo by Donna “Roll Tide” Brihn.
“I was a little anxious about it and I didn’t know how to take it,” Charles said of his drop. “As soon as it got there it went right through.
“I was pretty upset. I knew our team was down and we needed a big play, so I had to come back and make one for my team.”
Asked if he was dying for another chance, Charles smiled and said “Yes, actually I was.”
It came four plays later, as Hamilton and Charles both showed some resilience. The Hornets used four running plays to get to the 9-yard-line, only to commit another penalty (they had 12 for 120 yards) and get pushed back to the 22.
The drive, which had stayed alive thanks to a Reidgee Dimanche 26-yard run on a fake punt, appeared destined to fail due to mistakes. But on 2nd-and-20, Barry Ndeh took a handoff and set up for an option pass, which he delivered perfectly into Charles’ waiting arms.
Redemption, yes.
The lead? No.
Rahmel Turner puts the pressure on Hightstown’s quarterback. Photo by Donna “Roll Tide” Brihn.
Hamilton missed its PAT and still trailed 14-13.
But the Hornets had seized the momentum after trailing 14-0 in the second quarter. Hightstown (0-5) got a little back on a field goal to make it 17-13 but Hamilton responded once again with an 80-yard scoring drive. The key play came on a fourth-and-9 from the Rams’ 32, when Patterson found Charles with a 19-yard completion down the left sideline.
“I just ran a fade,” said Charles, who had four catches for 89 yards. “Coach (Tom Hoglen) told me to go up and get it and that’s what I did.”
One play later, Ndeh scored on a 13-yard run and Hamilton led 19-17. A Hightstown fumble after getting a first down on its next possession led to a game-sealing TD run by Ryan Hogan.
It was a victory Hamilton (2-2) desperately needed after having two weeks to stew over losing to West Windsor-Plainsboro South by one point.
“We were kind of down the past couple weeks but now this one is hopefully going to encourage us into the next game,” Charles said.
Things did not start out well for Hamilton. After a scoreless first quarter, Hightstown’s Johnny Andre went on stunning touchdown runs of 41 and 76 yards on two consecutive touches.
“Some of the leaders on our team, we went to some of the other guys and let them know to keep our heads up,” Charles said. “We’ve been down like that before and we know what it takes to come back and win.”
In what may have been the biggest series of the game, Hamilton scored on its next possession to take some of the sting out Andre’s crushing runs. A four-play drive was capped by Hezekiah
Ryan Hogan slips in for the touchdown. Photo by Donna “Roll Tide” Brihn.
Patterson’s perfectly thrown, 49-yard touchdown pass to Charles down the right sideline.
Hamilton had a chance to tie with a first-and-goal just before halftime, but was stopped on two running plays and two pass plays.
The Hornets kept coming in the second half, however, getting a win that could salvage the season. A big key was shutting down Andre after his explosion, as the junior rushed for minus-8 yards on his final five carries.
“We kind of switched up our defensive strategy and it worked,” Charles said.
Patterson finished 98-for-18 for 152 yards, wile Ndeh rushed for 46 yards and Hogan had a combined 79 yards in rushing (31) and receptions (48). Defensively, lineman Marlon Peart made some big plays for losses.
Next up for Hamilton is a home game with winless Northern Burlington (0-5) Saturday.
