By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
After falling one win short of a state championship appearance last fall, the Seneca football team was on a mission in the Class 3 semifinals on Saturday.
Quarterback Gavyn Hoover accounted for four touchdowns and the undefeated Indians trounced visiting St. Pius X 41-17 at Tom Hodge Field, setting up a Friday matchup against Central (Park Hills) for the state title.
It’s Seneca’s first trip to state since 2013, and the Indians are seeking their first championship since 1995.
“It’s been a group that’s been on a mission since the beginning of the season,” said head coach Cody Hilburn, who’s now 32-7 in three seasons at Seneca. “Ever since we walked off that field in that semifinal game last year, these guys went right back to work and you can credit our seniors. They had a plan of what they wanted to do this year and here we are, the final week of the season.”
“It feels awesome, it’s an honor,” said Hoover. “Ever since I was a kid I’ve wanted to go to state, me and all my friends. To have the opportunity to go is amazing.”
“Last year, losing that semifinal game left a really bad taste in all of our mouths,” he said. “We knew we had to take that next step this year and get to state.”
The Indians, 13-0, had all but put the game away by halftime. The Warriors (11-3) kicked a 35-yard field goal for an early 3-0 lead, but it was all Seneca after that.
Hoover threw a touchdown pass and rushed for two more scores in the first half, as Seneca built a 28-3 advantage. He connected with Hagen Ginger for a 47-yard score to take the lead, made it 12-3 on a 20-yard run and then scored again from the 1 to give Seneca a 20-3 lead following a two-point conversion run by Ethan Altic.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
Jackson Marrs got in on the action, too, scoring the first of his two touchdowns with 49 seconds left in the second quarter; he took a pitch on a 3rd-and-17 play and wove his way through the defense for an 87-yard score to make it 28-3 after Hoover’s conversion.
Hoover scored on a 3-yard run to open the third quarter, and Marrs added a 1-yard touchdown for a 41-3 lead.
“Our identity is to run the football and be the most physical football team,” Hilburn said. “I think that’s what wins in the playoffs and that’s what we hung our hat on today.”
Seneca’s defense turned in another tremendous effort, too. The Indians entered the day allowing just 10.7 points per game – and have pitched five shutouts this year – while St. Pius X came to town averaging 49 and having scored at least 50 in seven contests.
But after that opening field goal, the Warriors punted three times and turned it over twice before halftime.
Seneca’s Nolan Napier recovered a fumbled snap at the Warriors’ 39-yard line to set up the Indians’ second score. And Kaden Clouse intercepted a pass to halt the visitors’ final possession of the half.
St. Pius X didn’t score a touchdown until Seneca’s reserves were in the game and scored its final points as time expired on a 29-yard pass.
“I think we made them kind of one dimensional there,” Hilburn said. “We came out and stopped the run which is what we wanted to do and we were able to get our safety over the top of some of their vertical stuff and we made some plays.”
“I’m extremely proud of my assistant coaches,” he said. “They did a tremendous job. They’ve worked their tail off all year to put our kids in the correct spots and the kids have to come out and play. And they did that. They didn’t back down from the opening whistle to the final snap.”
“There’s a lot of pieces that go into this whole deal and our community is second to none, our kids are second to none, our administration is second to none. I’m just happy for everybody to be a part of this,” Hilburn said.
