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Sports

Game Preview: Hazelwood Central Braces For Surging Kirkwood

The 1-2 Hawks will face another tough challenge when they host 2-0 Kirkwood, which boasts an impressive offense,

It’s been a very uneven season for and his Hawks.

But a tremendous opportunity to show improvement awaits on Saturday at 1 p.m. when Hazelwood Central (1-2) will host 2-0 Kirkwood.

The Hawks opened with a lackluster 28-0 loss to De Smet, then bounced back to . But it was a major step back last week in a 40-3 loss to Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, MO.

Vanatta will rely on his running game to control the ball and keep the potent Pioneers off of the field. Junior running back Dorian Williams has 201 yards on 37 carries, and also has five receptions to lead the Hawks.

Defensively, the clear standout for Central is senior linebacker Justin Ferguson. He paces the Hawks with 28 tackles, two interceptions and two sacks.

The Hawks are a combined 38-4 with two Class 6 state championships and three Suburban North Conference titles in the past three seasons. So, it is no surprise that Hawks fans are eager for Vanatta to get his tradition-rich squad back on track.

Meanwhile, Kirkwood has surged to No. 5 in the Class 5 statewide high school football media poll. The Pioneers are yet to be truly tested as they have routs over Rockwood Summit (36-7) and Seckman (42-7).

Kirkwood sits atop the Suburban South Conference and features a well-balanced offense. Running back Ramon Alton has a team-high 190 yards rushing, while highly-regarded receiver Mike McHugh has six receptions for 100 yards. McHugh also has a 69-yard punt return for a touchdown. Look for him to unleash with a big game very soon.

Because of the lopsided results, the Pioneers have thrown only 33 passes. Jordan Bishop is 11-for-21 with four TDs, and B.J. Buckner has also played at QB, though he has lined up at receiver most of the time.

(Have some local sports news, or story ideas? Please email Patch sports editor Brian Doolittle at briandoolittle@hotmail.com)

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