Brian MillerIt has been 42 years since Sargent’s football team found itself playing for a state championship.
Last November, the Farmers believed they were on their way to ending that drought. One victory away from reaching the 8-man title tilt, Sargent instead found itself bumped from the postseason by eventual champion Sedgwick County.
The setback stung, but it may have ultimately provided a lesson that needed to be learned.
“I think the biggest thing is for the kids to see how good you’ve got to be to win it all. You always think, even as coaches, that you’re working hard and doing everything you can and you’re as good as you can be,” Farmers coach Trevan Pepper said. “Then you go up against a team like that, and you see there is another level you’ve got to (reach) to be the best.”
It’s something his players have taken to heart through the early going in 2016. Sargent is off to a 4-0 start and is currently ranked first in 8-man headed into Friday night’s homecoming game, the 7-mile Border War with Sangre de Cristo.
Rankings are the least of the Farmers’ concerns. Coming off a huge 22-20 road victory over Norwood – another 8-man semifinalist last fall – Sargent wants to continue making a push toward the postseason and a potential title-game appearance.
The team last reached the title game in 1974, losing to Lyons in the A championship.
“We’re trying to be at the top. We push hard as a team,” Farmers senior Justin Hacsi said. “Sangre de Cristo is going to be pretty tough. They always play their best game against us. We can’t ever take anything away from them.”
Sargent was riding a seven-game winning streak into the 8-man semifinals a year ago, averaging nearly 52 points a game during that stretch. But the long road trip to Julesburg to play Sedgwick County didn’t go as planned. The Cougars jumped all over Sargent early on its way to a 50-8 romp.
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One week later, Sedgwick County knocked off Akron 36-6 to win its first crown.
“We got down early and we just gave up,” Hacsi said. “We took that away from last year, and we showed in our Hoehne (a 26-24 victory) and Norwood games, once we get down we’re not going to lay down and quit.”
Norwood scored on its opening drive last week before Sargent responded with a pair of second-quarter touchdowns. Hacsi rushed for 119 yards and a score, and Ryan Davis threw for 151 yards and two touchdowns and added 108 yards rushing on 13 carries.
Davis has seven touchdowns through the air this fall and is averaging 95 yards a game on the ground. Hacsi has 520 yards rushing and seven touchdowns, and has hauled in 14 catches for 283 yards and four more scores.
“Ryan is real even just all the time. Since I’ve known him he’s just super even and consistent,” Pepper said. “Justin is more of a home run-hitter. He can get four carries in a row and get 0 yards, and then if he gets a seam he can bust one for 50 to 60 yards. Or he can jump up and catch a pass with one hand and take it to the house.
“It’s a pretty good combination.”
Sargent moved two former tight ends to the offensive line this fall in Ty Harrison and Justin Johnson, both of whom have helped stabilize things up front. Christian Schaller, who broke his arm last season and missed nearly all of 2015, is averaging 13 tackles a game from his linebacker position. Hacsi has three sacks.
Sangre de Cristo, which started 4-0 before falling to Mancos last weekend, will provide another challenge for the Farmers. A road trip to face that same Mancos squad awaits at the end of the regular season, followed by the playoff opener.
There is still plenty of season left to play before that can take place, but the prospect of what could be resonates in the mind of each player.
“I’m excited about it. We’ve been to the playoffs all three years I’ve been in school,” Hacsi said. “We’re just real excited knowing that’s a possibility, and we’re looking forward to it.”