Cherry Hills Village – Jay Hanley knows better.
The 6-foot-1, 240-pound running back/defensive lineman knows it’s always better to fall on a fumble rather than try to pick it up on the run.
“Sometimes you got to bend the rules,” the Steamboat Springs senior said with a grin Friday.
With the Kent Denver Sun Devils bearing down for the go-ahead score early in the fourth quarter, Hanley scooped up a bad snap and rumbled 66 yards for a touchdown as the Class 3A Sailors held on for a 24-13 nonleague victory over their 2A hosts.
Hanley also rumbled for 111 yards – 73 after halftime – and scored on a 4-yard run midway through the third quarter as the Sailors (1-0) defeated Kent Denver (0-1) in Zero Week for the second consecutive season.
“First game of the season I always tend to come out a little soft for some reason,” Hanley said. “I kind of forget how to run the ball a little bit, forget my style. I’ve been working on cutting all summer. But once you start to lower your shoulder and drive through people – I get that and they don’t really want to hit me anymore because I’m hitting them.”
The Sun Devils blocked a punt for a safety, posted gaudy numbers and big plays, but were undone by 13 penalties, three turnovers and the loss of 220-pound fullback Patrick Murray.
Murray, who scored on a 74-yard fake punt attempt in the second quarter, left at halftime to have his knee examined after being tackled awkwardly on the sideline. Murray had 116 yards rushing.
Sophomore Tyler Jackson took over and finished with 117 yards rushing. Quarterback Kendall Early completed four passes for 104 yards, including a 40-yard catch-and-run touchdown strike to Michael Reilly that cut the Sailors’ lead to 16-14 with 4.7 seconds left in the third quarter.
“I’m proud of the way they fought,” Sun Devils coach Scott Yates said.
Early, however, was harassed most of the afternoon at Justin DeSorrento Memorial Field, racking up minus-66 yards rushing.
Steamboat Springs quarterback Austin Hinder had a near dream debut. The sophomore fumbled on the game’s first play, but came back to complete 8-of-9 passes for 81 yards.
“When something goes bad, right away you got to drop it,” Hinder said. “Right after that play, I was done. Next series was all I was focusing on.”
The Sailors, who were without several starters, scored twice in the third quarter, including an 11-yard run by senior Nigel Hammond.
Steamboat Springs 0 3 13 7 – 23
Kent Denver 0 8 6 0 – 14
KD – Safety (punt blocked out of end zone). SS – FG Deline 24. KD – Murray 74 run (run failed). SS – Hanley 4 run (run failed). SS – Hammond 11 run (Deline kick). KD – Reilly 40 pass from Early (pass failed). SS – Hanley 66 fumble recovery (Deline kick).
