Columbus North was coming off a 48-14 drubbing at the hands of a powerhouse Avon team in its season opener, and the Bull Dogs were staring at a potential 0-2 start with a trip to another power in Class 6A No. 8 Columbus East.
So what does North coach Tim Bless do to put a spark into his team? He throws a sophomore quarterback with one quarter of varsity football experience to the wolves.
Luke Hammons rewarded Bless for his bold move. He completed 6 of 9 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown to help the Bull Dogs to a 42-31 victory in the Great American Rivalry Series contest.
“I was nervous, but I knew I had Blake Huffman with me and the O-Line,” Hammons said. “Our O-Line was in charge. Blake Huffman pounded the ball well tonight. It was amazing.”
Hammons did a masterful job managing the game, particularly handing off to Huffman. The junior carried 44 times for 251 yards and four touchdowns and returned a kickoff 86 yards for another score in earning game MVP honors.
Meanwhile, Hammons had a couple of big throws to tight end Mitchel Collier on third down to keep drives alive.
“Luke has a savvy and a competitiveness beyond his years,” North coach Tim Bless said. “He made some big plays for us tonight two or three times on third down, keeping the drive alive. I’m very proud of Luke Hammons.”
Senior Hunter Huser started at quarterback for the Bull Dogs against Avon, and Hammons came in the fourth quarter. Then, after Hammons played the JV game on Saturday, the North coaching staff got together and decided to make him the starter.
But that didn’t mean the end of Huser. He started at cornerback and also played some wide receiver, catching a 68-yard touchdown pass from Hammons in the first half.
“I knew it was going to be a good game,” Hammons said. “I knew I could throw to Hunter. It was a big stress reliever.”
“Obviously, it allows us to use Huser in other areas,” Bless added. “But we couldn’t do that ifg we didn’t have confidence in Luke.”
The win was the fourth in a row against the Olympians for the Bull Dogs, who now have an overall 26-23 lead in the series. With East now playing in 6A for the first time, the teams could meet again in the sectional.
By that time, Hammons could be a seasoned veteran.
“It’s crazy,” Hammons said. “It’s going to be a great three years.”
Ted Schultz is sports editor for The Republic. He can be reached at tschultz@therepublic.com or 812-379-5628.
