Hamilton seeks retribution against Desert Vista football team

It has been clear since November that Desert Vista (Phoenix) football coach Dan Hinds is not tone deaf.

His team faced a 4th-and-goal from the Hamilton (Chandler) 1-yard line on the opening drive of the state championship game. The Thunder had a steady field goal kicker and the chip shot would be a nice momentum builder for a team facing an opponent that had the nation's longest winning streak.

For Hinds, it wasn't enough.

So he kept the offense out on the University of Phoenix Stadium turf and Jarek Hilgers and the Desert Vista offensive line did the rest. Hilgers scored easily as the Thunder offensive line collapsed the Hamilton defensive front for the early touchdown.

"It was fourth down and we went with the power formation," Hilgers remembered. "I ran it and it was surreal. I think that play set the tone."

Check out the Hamilton vs. Desert Vista game results since 2004 in the MaxPreps record book

The Thunder went on to win the game 45-19 to end Hamilton's four-year reign as Arizona's dominant big-school team and the 53-game win streak.

The programs meet for the first time since that November clash Friday and again many have them among the Top 5, if not the Top 2, in the state now that there is only one undefeated team (Desert Mountain) in Division I. The Thunder (5-1) travel to Hamilton (4-2) for a game that will probably vault the winner into the echelons of state title contenders along with Brophy (Phoenix).

Hamilton coach Steve Belles said he isn't worried about the Huskies being mentally prepared for this game.

"The kids remember it so we don't have to mention it all that much," Belles said. "They handled us. There really is no other way to put it. We had that early turnover (to make it 14-0) and all the momentum went their way and we never did anything to get it back."

This season, the Huskies have lost their first two games of the season for the first time in school history after losing all but five starters from last year's starting lineup. In reality, if Hamilton doesn't fumble late in the game inside the red zone against Mountain Pointe in the season opener and doesn't have more turnover problems in Ireland against Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) that led to 12 points in a 27-15 loss, the Huskies would still be looked upon as the state's top team.

"We are winning now," Belles said. "We were turning the ball over and not doing the things needed to win early on, but we've played much better."

But the truth is those two games didn't go Hamilton's way and tore away the aura of invincibility the Huskies had for so long, and it started with the Thunder's romp last November.

"I'm sure they are gunning for us," said Hilgers, who ran for 269 yards last week, just short of the school mark of 277 in 2004. "As state champs everyone is gunning for us. They are still Hamilton so we want to beat them as bad as they want to beat us. It will be a good game and we are looking for the win."

Desert Vista, which has won 26 of its last 29 games, used last year's regular season 35-10 defeat to Hamilton as a springboard to the state title run.

The Thunder have played well at times and won despite themselves in others. The lone loss was 23-21 to Mountain Pointe where a bad snap on a punt was the difference and they played without Hilgers in the second half.

Belles is convinced Desert Vista is a better team than last year.

"I think (Desert Vista) is probably better this year than last year," Belles said. "They are different. They have big guys up front and try to pound it down your throat and make you like it at the same time."

Jason P. Skoda, a former Arizona Republic and current Ahwatukee Foothills News staff writer, is an 18-year sports writing veteran. Contact him at jskoda1024@aol.com or 480-272-2449.

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