Hawks not resting on their laurels in quest for sixth straight title

Matt Metcalf
Posted 9/1/15

Fresh off of winning five straight state titles, Hendricken head football coach Keith Croft is trying to instill in his team that resting on their laurels isn’t an option heading into this fall. …

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Hawks not resting on their laurels in quest for sixth straight title

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Fresh off of winning five straight state titles, Hendricken head football coach Keith Croft is trying to instill in his team that resting on their laurels isn’t an option heading into this fall.

The feat of five consecutive state crowns had never previously been achieved prior to the Hawks defeating La Salle in the Super Bowl in December.

But with the beginning of a new season upon us, Croft knows that there is no time to admire the past.

He and the Hawks are strictly focused on a run for No. 6.

“It’s huge,” Croft said when asked how big it is to put last year’s championship out of mind. “It’s become a common practice for us. We never bring up the past. We talk history and tradition, but never about the five in a row.”

There aren’t any altered expectations, though. They’re high as usual.

“The expectations are pretty much the same,” Croft said. “We want to make the playoffs and host a playoff game. We want to make gradual improvements each week.”

However, the Hawks will have some question marks to start the year due to some key departures on both offense and defense.

On offense, Hendricken will move forward without the services of quarterback John Toppa and receiver Lee Moses – two All-Staters last fall.

Toppa dominated both through the air and on the ground as a power runner.

“We have huge shoes to fill on both sides of the ball,” Croft said. “But the main focal point for our team will be at the quarterback position.”

Junior Chris Hindle will look to fill that void left by Toppa.

Croft noted that Hindle is a much different quarterback than Toppa, as Hindle is more of a prototypical quarterback that has a strong arm.

Toppa would use his power running game, while Hindle is a pass-first quarterback.

“We like him and have high hopes for him,” Croft said of his junior starter. “He has accuracy and good arm strength. He’ll have a chance to be really good.”

Other main contributors for the Hawks this season will be Shane Olson, Jimmie Sauro, Billy Mueller, Caleb Wurster and Trevor Lawton, who will all contribute on both offense and defense. Those five players have also been named team captains.

Wurster, a receiver, and Lawton, a tight end, will serve as two of Hindle’s top targets.

Seniors Olson and Sauro will provide a veteran presence at the linebacker position, as Olson led the Hawks with 102 tackles last season and Sauro finished eighth with 63.

Other players that are set to make an impact on defense are juniors Kwity Paye and Sam Hill.

On offense, Lawton should be set to have a big year following a performance in the Super Bowl that featured him snagging five passes for 75 yards and a touchdown.

After sitting out a good portion of last year following a transfer from West Warwick, Lawton will now benefit from playing his first full season in green and gold.

“He really hung in the shadows last year because of his transfer from West Warwick and being behind All-Staters at multiple positions,” Croft said of Lawton. “He’s a great addition to our team and to this school. He’ll be integral to our success and could have a big year. We’re excited to have him.”

In terms of competition in Division I, Croft noted that the other eight teams – La Salle, Cranston East, Cranston West, Portsmouth, East Providence, South Kingstown, Cumberland and Barrington – should all have quality teams this fall.

But it’s still early to tell who may be towards the top of the division.

“There’s not one team that you can pinpoint right now,” Croft said.

The Hawks will see their first action on Friday against La Salle at 7:30 p.m. at Cranston Stadium as the third game of an injury fund tripleheader.

Hendricken will then begin its season two weeks later on Sept., 18, at Pierce Stadium against East Providence at 7 p.m.

The Hawks will be on the road for the first three games of the regular season before returning home to host Cranston East on Oct. 9.

Croft’s team will be tested in hostile environments right away, which should benefit the Hawks in the long run in their quest for a sixth straight Division I title.

“We’re excited,” Croft said. “It should be a fun year.”

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