Denver East running back Shahid Hoover has turned a few heads so far this season, and rightfully so after gaining 364 yards during the Angels’ first two games.
But East’s Isaiah Hendrix is a fine runner too, a fact George Washington learned all too painfully Friday.
Hendrix paced the Angels’ punishing rushing attack with 182 yards and two touchdowns, as East opened Denver Prep League play with a 35-12 victory against the Patriots at All-City Stadium. Hoover finished with 145 yards and also scored two touchdowns as the Angels (2-1) amassed 338 rushing yards overall.
“We run hard and we both have size,” Hendrix said. “We block for each other and have a good bond as teammates. With our linemen and our quarterback, we’re just a good running team.”
The Angels led 14-0 at halftime after a 28-yard touchdown run by Hendrix and a 19-yard touchdown pass from his brother, quarterback Kadeem Hendrix, to Kiko Grimes.
GW (0-3) enjoyed plenty of opportunities to stay close early, taking their final four possessions of the first half into East territory. But two of those possessions ended on failed fourth-down conversions, and East defensive back River Thompson ended the other two with interceptions of Patriots quarterback Tanner Sandoval.
East blew open the game in the third quarter, getting a 48-yard score from Hoover and a 6-yard touchdown from Isaiah Hendrix to take a 28-0 lead midway through the frame. Hoover capped East’s scoring with a 14-yard touchdown run early in the fourth.
“Isaiah is a quiet, hard runner and a good receiver,” East coach Ron McFarland said. “He’s kind of a slasher and he likes to cut it back. We’re stacked with backs. We could probably go all the way down to our freshman. That part of it, I’m not too worried about. This is a decisive win that gets us off to a good start.”
Denver East 7 7 14 7—35
George Washington 0 0 6 6—12
DE: I. Hendrix 28 run (Carpenter kick)
DE: Grimes 19 pass from K. Hendrix (Carpenter kick)
DE: Hoover 48 run (kick failed)
DE: I. Hendrix 6 run (Shepard pass from K. Hendrix)
GW: Hill 66 interception return (run failed)
DE: Hoover 14 run (Mackenzie kick)
GW: Allen 8 run (run failed).
RUSHING: DE — I. Hendrix 18-182, Hoover 19-145, Harris 3-24, Volin 3-9, Jackson 1-2, K. Hendrix 3-(-24). GW — Allen 16-81, Schweid 9-59, Penn 3-6, Sandoval 1-8, Taylor 6-15, Zepeda 1-4, Randell 1-0, Marroquin 1-(-7).
PASSING: DE — K. Hendrix 5-10-0 62, Volin 0-2-1 0. GWSandoval 4-16-2 39.
RECEIVING: DE — Shepard 3-24, Grimes 1-19, Holden 1-19. GW — Zepeda 2-23, Marroquin 2-16.
