The South Hamilton Hawks football team returned to action on Friday night, as they hosted the Thunder of Grand View Christian in Class 1A, District 7 action at Bill Taylor Field in Jewell for senior night. South Hamilton entered at 3-4 and 3-1 in district play, while Grand View Christian entered at 5-2 and 2-2 in district play.
Grand View Christian opened the night with a 3-and-out, as South Hamilton leaned heavily on their basic wishbone attack, capping their opening drive up with a 3-yard touchdown by Nick Severseike to put the Hawks up 6-0. Both sides would trade possessions until the Hawks put up another score on a 52-yard touchdown run by fullback Ashton Williams to put the Hawks up 12-0. Grand View Christian would respond with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Judah Lock to Austin Jordan to make the score 12-7. South Hamilton followed on the ensuing drive with a heavy dose of Kolby Hodnefield and Nick Severseike, as Severseike scored his 2nd touchdown of the night from 10 yards out to put the Hawks ahead 18-7. The Thunder would punt once more, as South Hamilton would punch in a 4-yard touchdown run by Ashton Williams 26-7. Following another GVC punt, Kolby Hodnefield broke the game wide-open with an 89-yard touchdown run to put the Hawks up 34-7 at halftime.
South Hamilton would start the 2nd half with Kolby Hodnfield picking up where he left off, as he returned the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown to put the Hawks up 42-7. The Hawks would add another long touchdown as Ashton Williams broke free for a 67-yard run and his 2nd score of the night, as South Hamilton took a 50-7 lead. Grand View Christian would score 2 touchdowns in garbage time, while Kaden Dean punched in the final score of the night for the Hawks to bring the final to 56-21.
The Hawks put together their best rushing night of the season, rushing for 582 yards and averaging 13.2 yards per carry. Kolby Hodnefield was the leading rusher for the Hawks, rushing for 189 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, while amassing 369 all-purpose yards and 2 touchdowns. Nick Severseike had 178 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Ashton Williams rushed for 157 yards and 3 touchdowns on 12 carries.
South Hamilton clinched the 2-seed in District 7 with the win, and will host Sioux Central in their Class 1A First Round Playoff game at Bill Taylor Field on Friday night at 7 PM.