The Hammond Skyhawks, 2024 SCISA 4A Football State Champions: 0 Preston Springs; 1 Michael Tyler; 2 Jordan Boston; 3 Jack Croft; 4 Daylin Haltiwanger; 5 Jaiden Haltiwanger; 6 Adis Jamison; 7 Zay Mathis; 8 Charlie Allen; 9 Brewer LaMotte; 11 Jackson Ross; 12 Andrew Turner; 13 Jackson Bozaard; 14 Davis Brazell; 15 Ben Muela Kiser; 16 Wham Walker; 17 Everett Edens; 18 Jackson Waite; 19 Sam Heroman; 20 Wyatt Cantey; 21 Manning Redd; 22 Noah Goddard; 23 Blaze Barnes; 24 Immanuel Johnson; 25 Kinson Holland; 26 Leyton LaMotte; 27 Sullivan Epps; 28 Witt Williams; 29 McLean Robinson; 30 Dalton Stursberg; 31 Andrew Dennis; 33 Aspen Brooks; 34 Christopher Kirk; 40 Wyatt Kosciusko; 41 Charles Cannon; 42 Drew McCall; 44 Levi Myers; 45 Bubba Alexander; 51 James Lay; 52 John Stokes; 53 Jaliyl Jamison; 54 Walker Cason; 55 Jauris Shaw; 56 Henry Kaneft; 57 Ben Winkler; 66 Hudson Chastain; 68 James Meachem; 70 Jack Fuller; 71 Thomas Young; 73 McCall Daves; 75 Campbell Conley; 77 Parker Bowers; 79 Joel Starks; 80 Tripp Cohn; 81 Jack Thomas; 82 Bobby Peele; 84 Nicolas De La Haza Garcia; 92 Isaiah Best; Offensive Coordinator Rick Reetz; Running Game Coordinator/Athletic Director Jeff Barnes; Defensive Coordinator Hamp Smith; Assistant Head Coach Wynne Thomas; Assistant Coaches Bralyn Bennett, Gene Smith, Ken Watson, Jay Frye, Tyler Renew, and Jordan Thomas; Strength and Wellness Director Josh Ortegon; Athletic Trainer/Assistant Athletic Director Sonya Fuemmeler; Head Coach Jon Wheeler; and Head of School Andy North. Photos by Mike Maddock
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A 23-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Turner to Mike Tyler on fourth-and-6 with 45 seconds left in the game gave the Hammond Skyhawks a 28-21 win over the Porter-Gaud Cyclones in the SCISA 4A State Championship game Friday, November at Charleston Southern University. This is the Skyhawks eighth straight SCISA State Championship and 16th since 2006.
“It’s one of those situations where if we didn’t get it, they had 40 seconds with one timeout and they are a running team,” Hammond head coach Jon Wheeler said. “It was going to be a 40-yard field goal. We hadn’t attempted that all year. We have a new kicker. I didn’t want to put the ballgame in his hands. I said, ‘that’s not fair to ask him to do that in a pivotal point in a pivotal game.’ Let’s roll the dice. Coach (Rick) Reetz didn’t flinch. He had all the confidence in the world. He had a ball play. I said let’s run it. We put the ball in our best player’s hands on offense, as far as skill wise, in Andrew Turner and Mike Tyler. That was the thought process.”
Hammond’s Kinson Holland prepares for a stiff arm as he runs down the field.
Hammond drove 66 yards in nine plays on its first drive. The Skyhawks started on the ground with Immanuel Johnson rumbling 15 yards and Turner adding 12 more to get the ball into Porter-Gaud territory. However, a penalty against Hammond and two negative plays set the Skyhawks back near midfield. Turner got the drive back on track with a 27-yard pass to Tyler. Then it was back to Johnson who carried the ball three times, including an 8-yard touchdown run. Aspen Brooks added the extra point to give Hammond a 7-0 lead with 7:02 left in the first quarter.
The Cyclones punched back with their own ground game. Despite a holding penalty and a 1-yard gain by Nolen Shuman, Porter-Gaud hit pay dirt when Shuman pitched to J.J. Fludd, who raced 83 yards for a touchdown. Quinn Mulholland tacked on the extra point to tie the score at 7-7 with 5:35 left in the first quarter.
Porter-Gaud took the lead in the second quarter when the Cyclones executed a 14-play, 81-yard drive. It ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by Fludd. Mulholland’s tacked on the extra point to put the Cyclones ahead 14-7 with 8:04 left in the second quarter.
Hammond’s Immanuel Johnson tries to break through Porter-Gaud’s Austin Smith and Julian Buxton.
Hammond had an answer with an 80-yard drive. It started with a 15-yard penalty by Porter-Gaud. Then the Skyhawks turned to Kinson Holland, who carried five times for 39 yards, moving the ball into Cyclones’ territory. Hammond capped the drive with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Turner to Croft. Brooks’s extra point helped the Skyhawks even the score 14-14 at halftime.
Hammond regained the lead on its first drive of the second half. After the Skyhawks’ defense forced a three-and-out, they took over at their 30. Despite only gaining a yard on the first two plays, Hammond found success when Turner threw a short pass to Johnson, who outraced the Porter-Gaud defense 69 yards for a touchdown. Brooks added the extra point, and the Skyhawks led 21-14 with 8:10 left in the third quarter.
Hammond’s Andrew Turner looks for an open receiver downfield.
The Cyclones had an answer on their next drive, which covered 51 yards in 15 plays and took over eight minutes. Tony Brown capped off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to start the fourth quarter. Mulholland added the extra point to tie the score at 21-21.
Then things got a little wild. Hammond fumbled the ball on its next drive, and it was recovered by Porter-Gaud’s Julian Buxton at the Skyhawks’ 17. However, the Cyclones couldn’t capitalize on the field position. A holding penalty and a tackle for loss forced Porter-Gaud to punt the ball.
Turner and the offense took the field with 6:21 left with the ball at the Hammond 20.
“The message was to do the same thing we’ve been doing all season long,” Turner said. “The defense came out, after a turnover, and made a big stop. We knew they did their thing; we needed to do ours. We were able to run the ball and take some time off the clock. We got down there and thankful we were able to make a heck of a play.”
Hammond’s Brewer LaMotte, Jackson Ross, Jordan Boston, and John Stokes come together to tackle Porter-Gaud’s Tony Brown.
Once again, it was a combination of ball carriers moving the ball down the field for the Skyhawks. Turner ran twice for 12 yards. Holland carried it three times for 22 yards, while Johnson totted the rock six times for 23 yards. However, with less than a minute left and facing a fourth-and-6 from the Porter-Gaud 23, the Skyhawks were left with a decision— kick a field goal or go for it.
Hammond chose the latter and Turner threw to a diving Tyler in the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown. Brooks’s extra point set the final score.
“It was open from the beginning of the game. Coaches made the adjustment at halftime,” Tyler said. “It was there. He held me a little, but I fought through it and I got a touchdown to win the state.”
Turner completed 5-of-9 passes for 150 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for ten yards on ten carries. Johnson rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. He also caught one pass for 69 yards and a touchdown. Tyler had three catches for 44 yards and a touchdown. Croft caught a pass for 22 yards and a touchdown.
Hammond finishes the season with a perfect 13-0 record. It’s the Skyhawks’ eighth perfect season during this 18-year run.
Porter-Gaud falls to 11-2 record.
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